LAST FOURTH OF JULY weekend, while most people were scarfing hot dogs and knocking back beers, I was embarking on a 46-mile trek through Denmark, weighed down by a 25-pound backpack and the emotional fallout of a pandemic divorce. I'd signed up for a three-day endurance-hiking event known as the Fjällräven Classic Denmark (three-day trips from $213), which is held every summer on the island of Funen, a couple hours west of Copenhagen. By the end of day one, I'd covered 18 miles (most of them in torrential rain), grunting my way through barley fields, along seaweed-strewn coastline, and up challenging hills.
By the time I collapsed into my tent that night I was exhausted, and so grungy I wondered if a hot shower would even help-not that one was available. What I didn't ask was, Why am I putting myself through this?
Lately, I've discovered a different way of traveling, one that satisfies not only my desire to see new destinations but also a newfound yearning to push my physical (and often emotional) limits.
Prior to 2020, my trips revolved around beachfront resorts and butler service. But my priorities have since changed-and, it turns out, I'm in good company.
"We see travelers seeking out activities that require more mental and physical exertion," says Misty Belles, vice president of global public relations for Virtuoso, a network of luxury travel advisors. "C-suite clients in particular want experiences that go beyond their comfort zone. Executives at the highest levels are willing to push boundaries, and they like to test themselves."
This story is from the March 2024 edition of Travel+Leisure US.
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This story is from the March 2024 edition of Travel+Leisure US.
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