Don't go cage diving with sharks. Most of those tours just teach the sharks to be aggressive for food around boats and people. It's like feeding grizzlies - just teaches them to associate humans with food.

I'd go to Norway on one of the tours to look for Polar bears. They have rules set up to protect the bears from negative impact of tourism, so it's responsible as well as wild and relatively dangerous. Katmai in Alaska is also good for watching grizzlies, but a bit less "wild" - Polar bears are a different level.

My favorite experiences are watching sunsets or looking at views with friends and a nice beverage in hand. You don't need to do the most adventurous things to have a great time.

Anonymous wrote:Queenstown New Zealand is an outdoor sports junkies paradise assuming you are into it. Our winter is their summer.

Go to Wanaka or other towns. Queenstown is too touristy for my tastes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ride the late night train from Naples Italy to Rome, in third class.

Haha now we're talking! I see your Naples and raise you an Indian train rooftop. Cheers and safe travels!

Why even pay for airfare? Just drive over to Baltimore.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ride the late night train from Naples Italy to Rome, in third class.

Haha now we're talking! I see your Naples and raise you an Indian train rooftop. Cheers and safe travels!

A friend did the Trans-Siberian railway trip from Moscow to Beijing, I believe. He especially loved Mongolia. I think it took several weeks, as he also got off the train to stay in remote areas for a few days every so often. I did another long railway trip in the same area and loved traveling by train, though not sure I’d want to do it for several weeks. He did see incredible things.

(I wouldn’t go to Russia now but maybe bookmark this for the far future?)

Anonymous wrote:Hiking to remote Mayan ruins in Mexico. The less popular ones in Oaxaca province are almost deserted - it’s amazing to be there just you and a guide.

Perfect place to get murdered!

Yes, Sipadan, Mabul and Kapalai are a great combination between pelagics and muck diving.
You need permits for diving at Sipadan: more info at: https://www.sipadan.com/ while for the islands Mabul and Kapalai no permits are required.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haha I did cage diving with great whites in South Africa and I had an 8 year old and a 60 year old in the cage with me! It was pretty fun but not super wild.

Now if you want to free dive with sharks….

yeah, from OP's list, hiking with mountain gorillas is a rich retiree vacation idea too--not that difficult. but there are plenty of tougher hikes/climbs out there. hiking a live volcano seems bizarre to me.

It’s not bizarre— it’s fun and worth it to see the lava and be close to it.

It's more of an instagram-generation activity. Pictures are nice, and there's trekking options to do this that aren't particularly strenuous (ex: Mount Aso Japan, Mount Batur in Bali).

Anonymous wrote:Antarctica.
Patagonia
Papua New Guinea
Swim with whale sharks in Ningaloo reef

Only if you have a very specific thing you want to do in PNG.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Haha I did cage diving with great whites in South Africa and I had an 8 year old and a 60 year old in the cage with me! It was pretty fun but not super wild.

Now if you want to free dive with sharks….

yeah, from OP's list, hiking with mountain gorillas is a rich retiree vacation idea too--not that difficult. but there are plenty of tougher hikes/climbs out there. hiking a live volcano seems bizarre to me.

It’s not bizarre— it’s fun and worth it to see the lava and be close to it.

Anonymous wrote:Haha I did cage diving with great whites in South Africa and I had an 8 year old and a 60 year old in the cage with me! It was pretty fun but not super wild.

Now if you want to free dive with sharks….

yeah, from OP's list, hiking with mountain gorillas is a rich retiree vacation idea too--not that difficult. but there are plenty of tougher hikes/climbs out there. hiking a live volcano seems bizarre to me.

If the OP is PADI certified, plenty of interesting dives with tough currents and gorgeous sea creatures out there (ex: Komodo in Indonesia Sipadan in Malaysia).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's always Everest.

Too pedestrian.

Too crowded and full of shit and garbage. Probably stinks like shit too.

What's the point of trying for the wildest? Why not the most fun or most scenic or closest encounters with wildlife?