7 trips worth getting in shape for

Great Wall of China
Flickr/Robin Zebrowski

Lacking motivation to stay in shape this summer? Maybe you just need an incent ive, like, say, surveying Africa from 20,000 feet up or having the Great Wall all to yourself.

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Valaer Murray lines up once-in-a-lifetime adventures that will have you hopping off the couch and straight into the gym.

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Grand Canyon Descent in Arizona

Grand Canyon Descent
Flickr/Deb Nystrom

From the rim, you see the top half, and from a raft on the Colorado, you see the bottom half. But the only way to truly appreciate the Grand Canyon’s grandeur is the rim-to-river hike, a descent of about 5,000 feet. Thought that hiking downhill was easier? The 7.3-mile South Kaibab Trail proves otherwise. But, you'll pass through a multi-colored rift etched by prehistoric river currents on a trail originally forged by Hopi Indians.

Every switchback presents a chance to catch wildlife and a different soaring panorama. South Kaibab offers the shortest route, taking anywhere from three to five hours, while the Bright Angel Trail is more gradual and less exposed but 10.3 miles. Rest for the night in a rustic stone cabin at the Phantom Ranch (reservations open 13 months ahead) before you hike out in the morning.

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Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro
Flickr/Stig Nygaard

Mount Kilimanjaro has long been known as the "Everyman's Everest," since it's the only one of the world's Seven Summits that doesn't require technical climbing skills. Still, climbing the world's tallest free-standing mountain is not for the weak. Only 40-50% of people are able to complete the climb. The biggest danger involved during the nearly 20,000-foot ascent is altitude sickness.

And the biggest reward? Watching the sun rise above the clouds, snow falling from above and a glacier below. Along the way you pass through wildly different climates, from rainforests to lava formations to alpine fields of lichen and grass. And hey, while you're checking off that bucket list, why not tack on a few days of hiking amid elephants and giraffes in the Serengeti?

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Kayaking the Na Pali Coast in Hawaii

Hawaii
Flickr/scott1346

The coastline of the Hawaiian islands offers a coffee table book's worth of eye candy, from black sand beaches sloping up to palm fringed ridges, to rugged cliffs rising from the sapphire sea. But it’s Kauai that tops our kayaking bucket list for its isolated, rugged Na Pali coast. Some of the most spectacular scenery of the Na Pali State Park, like the Miloli'i Valley, are only accessible by sea.

One-day guided kayak trips are available, but we'd suggest a multi-day adventure so you’re able to explore the sea caves and virgin reefs along the way. However, we'd suggest taking along a guide, who will rent you kayaks and help you load up with necessities for camping at the two permit-only camping sites. Paddling for 17 miles in rough waters plus landing in high surf requires an experienced kayaker, but your reward is mile-high waterfalls dropping from emerald cliffs, deserted white crescents of sand and misty valleys only a few get a chance to see.

RELATED: Hawaii for Everyone

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Biking the Great Ocean Road in Australia

Great Ocean Road
Flickr/CucombreLibre

Some say traveling the Great Ocean Road is like a spiritual awakening, perhaps because the Twelve Apostles are waiting for you at the end. In this case, the "apostles" are the ever-changing limestone rock towers carved from the cliffs, one of the major sites to catch along the way.

A total of 172 miles end to end, the ride slices through a huge array of ecosystems, from a temperate cloudforest to volcanic craters and sand dunes. Stay at B&Bs in the seaside towns between your starting point in Geelong, accessible by the V/Line train from Melbourne, to your endpoint in Warrnambool, also a train stop. Detour to trace historic rail trails, hit some wineries, zipline through the rainforest and scarf down fish and chips at the excellently named Frying Nemo in Port Campbell.

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Trekking the Torres del Paine Glacier Circuit in Patagonia

Torres del Paine Glacier Circuit
Flickr/dacowi

As you make your way around the 52-mile circuit, each step seems to take you further back in time, when the world was all sharp edges, crystal-clear water and blue ice. The weather and terrain is unforgiving even in the summer months, but you'll be mesmerized by the icy drama of it all as shards of the Grey Glacier fracture and crash into the lake. About seven different ecosystems host the circuit through Chile's Patagonia, each with various wildlife encounters, from guanacos to condors, all overseen by the stark monoliths of the Paine stone towers.

Lodging can range from tent camps to refugio huts to five-star hotels like explora Patagonia, but only the most adventurous hikers get VIP access to stunning vista points like the John Garner Pass and the jewel-like Lago Sarmiento.

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Scaling the Great Wall in China

Great Wall of China
Flickr/Robin Zebrowski

This epic hike takes you to parts of the Great Wall that are virtually empty of tourists. While some parts of the wall have been partially restored, other areas, like Jinshanling, reveal the original 400-year-old structure and stones. Starting from Gubeikou, trek from tower to tower, stopping for photos of the lush surrounding farmland that flows into the craggy peaks of Mt. Simatai. To complete the trek in three days, you'll hike an average of six miles a day, including some treacherous, slippery parts and bonus detours to otherworldly sites like Spider Valley.

Get a taste of authentic Chinese culture by stopping at guesthouses in the rural villages along the way. Your host may even serve you a home-cooked meal just as they would have offered the ancient warriors defending the land from invading Mongols centuries ago.

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Five Boro Bike Tour in New York City

Five Boro Bike Tour
Flickr/Nan Palmero

The only time you'll ever get to bike down the middle of 6th Avenue without a taxi driver trying to wing you is during the Five Boro Bike Tour, a 40-mile, one-day bike ride around New York’s boroughs. The challenging yet exhilarating route is completely car-free, which means you and a ton of other cyclists (read: 32,000 other cyclists) take over parts of the FDR Drive on Manhattan’s West Side and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

Watch the city change from block to block as you ride north from the Financial District up to Central Park, through Harlem to the Bronx, winding through Queens to Brooklyn and, the coup de grace, arching over the river on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. You'll never be so glad to see Staten Island.

RELATED: 24 Crazy Things You Don't Know About NYC

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Read the rest of the original story: 14 Trips Worth Getting Fit For by Valaer Murray, who is a regular contributor to Jetsetter

 

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Read the original article on Jetsetter. Copyright 2016. Follow Jetsetter on Twitter.
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