Pushing the Limits

Getting out of your comfort zone is the latest frontier in luxury travel.

- By Scott Bay

“PEOPLE WANT bold and challenging travel experiences,” says Tom Marchant, cofounder of the outfitter Black Tomato. The company debuted its Get Lost itineraries in 2017, giving a select few clients the chance to role-play survival situations in the Peruvian Andes or Mongolian steppes. Travelers on these journeys get dropped in the wilderness and then navigate their way back to civilization. Marchant says interest in the trips has spiked, with 2024 bookings up 40 percent from the previous year.

Black Tomato is far from the only operator dreaming up next-level challenges, as travel advisors, tour companies, and even cruise lines are tailoring their offerings to what some call Type 2 fun: experiences that are difficult in the moment, but enriching in hindsight.

“Adventurers are seeking true challenge and isolation,” says Pelorus Travel cofounder Jimmy Carroll. “These are trips where endurance, strength, and adaptability are essential.”

Here are six experiences guaranteed to test your mettle.

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