Wherever I travel in the world it seems that it is a necessity to climb something, whether it be a towering mountain, a steep set of steps or a spiraled staircase lighthouse.
Though my lungs curse these structures with every step, my glutes thanked them in the end.
This Bucket List of Things in the World to Climb will surely give you buns of steel as well as the most picturesque views on Earth and a bit of adventure.
1. PHAR DE GATTEVILLE LIGHTHOUSE, FRANCE
The Phare de Gatteville (also known as Pointe de Barefleur) is the third tallest lighthouse in the world at 75 metres high. Climb the 365 steps, lit by 52 windows, to the top of the gallery and be rewarded with a panorama of the Saire Valley and English Channel. {photo by duvalmickkael50}
2. SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE, AUSTRALIA
Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia is the world’s largest steel arch bridge and you can scale it. The Climb ascends to the 134 meter summit of the great arch leaving you with a check off your bucket list and a 360 degree view of beautiful Sydney. {photo by sachman75}
3. EXCALIBUR CLIMBING WALL, NETHERLANDS
Its height of 121 feet tall, as well as its 36 foot overhand and sleek curve makes the Excalibur Climbing Wall one of the most impressive ones in the world. It is only meant for experienced climbers, so start practicing.
4. DUOMO IN FLORENCE, ITALY
Florence’s cathedral of Santa Maria de Fiori is hard to miss, not only because of it’s stunning architecture, but also because of the droves of tourists taking snapshots within a hundred foot radius. But, don’t forget to step inside and climb the 463 steep stairs that will reward you will a stunning Florentine view.
5. THE TEAHOUSE PEAK OF MT. HUA SHAN, CHINA
Sitting 7087 feet above sea level, the Teahouse located at the top of one of the peaks of Mt. Hua Shan will take some effort in order to have a beverage. You must climb the Heavenly Stairs, take a gondola ride and scales sections of planks attached to the mountainside. This cup of tea is only for the most adventurous souls. {photo by Ben Beiske}
6. MOUNT KILIMANJARO, AFRICA
There are dozens of trekking companies that will assist you in climbing one of Africa’s most beautiful treasures, Mount Kilimanjaro. You will ascend over 4000 meters while hiking the continents highest and the World’s tallest free-standing mountain. {photo by tshantz}
7. BARTHOLOMEW ISLAND, GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
On my cruise to the Galapagos Islands with Ecoventura, we took a half hour to climb to the tippy top of Bartholomew Island. There will not be much wildlife or vegetation, but that adds to this unique experience. The trek will start with views of the lunar landscape and lava rock sites and ends with a picture perfect view of Pinnacle Rock.
8. BALDWIN STREET, NEW ZEALAND
Located in Dudedin, New Zealand, Baldwin Street is considered to the steepest residential street in the World. At 1,150 feet long, it’s steepest the slope is at a 19 degree angle. I bet the postman’s legs look amazing! {photo by Philip Morton}
9. GREAT WALL OF CHINA
Dating as far back as the 7th century B.C., The Great Wall of China was build in part as a protection against intrusions. It has several sections you can choose to climb, Badaling being the most famous. {photo by Chris & Lara}
10. ANGKOR WAT, CAMBODIA
Angkor Wat is a UNESCO world Heritage site located in Siam Reap in Northwestern Cambodia and the temple a dangerously steep stairway leads to the central temple. Getting down may be just as hard, if not harder, than getting up. {photo by The Shifted Librarian}
11. GALATA TOWER, TURKEY
With a just under 70 step climb, Istanbul’s Galata Tower may not be the most adventurous structure to scale. But, it is worth the views of Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and the Bosphorus. Try to time your visit with the impressive Call to Prayer.
12. TEMPLE IV, TIKAL, GUATELMALA
It is said that you can see 20 miles by making the energetic climb up the wooden stairs of Temple IV in Tikal, Guatemala. This Mesoamerican pyramid, in the ruins of the ancient Maya city, stands at 212 feet. {photo by Ken Douglas}
13. SOSSUSVLEI SAN DUNES, NAMIBIA
Referred to as the highest sand dunes in the world, Sossusvlei is visited by people from all over the world in an attempt to scale a dune. Dune 45 is one of the most popular and would be perfect for a view of the sunrise or to simply watch the waves of sand below. {photo by geoftheref}
14. OLD MAN OF HOY, ORKNEY ISLANDS, SCOTLAND
Formed through geomorphology, the almost 450 foot sea stack on the island of Hoy is coveted by expert climbers. It is a part of the Orkney archipelago off the north coast of Scotland and is the main reasons why climbers come to the area. {photo by Freddie H}
15. PERITO MORENO GLACIER, ARGENTINA
Get fitted with crampons and ice trek up the Perito Moreno Glacier for a chilly experience you will never forget as you watch for chunks of ice to fall. Located in the Los Glaciares National Park, it is one of the most impressive tourist attractions in the Argentine Patagonia. {photo by Christ-ophile}
16. SIGIRIYA ROCK, SRI LANKA
Sigiriya Rock in Sri Lanka is an ancient palace, built in 480AD, located in the central Matale District of Sri Lanka. This UNESCO World Heritage site is known for it’s beautifully landscaped gardens, well-preserved frescos and… 1200 stairs to the peak, all at different anxiety producing levels.
Which of these structures have you climbed? Which climb will be added to your travel bucket list?
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Awesome List. In India too we have a lot of structures which require climbing 100’s of steps and they mostly end in a temple or a gigantic statue. Even though the climb is a pain, what you get to see at the end of it is rewarding most of the time. I am not much of a climber myself, but this list makes me want to see it all!
I am not much of a climber either. I complain every step of the way! But, the reward has always been worth it.
Great list! I will be adding a few of these to my own bucket list. So far I’ve only climbed the Duomo in Florence, which was amazing!
The Duomo in Florence is a challenging one and I’ve had to do it twice!
How come you don’t have Base Camp on here? I didn’t quite make it there myself, but did climb up 5500m to Sarangkot & watched the beautiful sunrise over the Himalayas in Nepal.
Base Camp should have made it! That will have to be on list #2 :)
Your list is great Annette, thank you for sharing! I would definitely add Everest Base Camp to my bucket list; to see the Khumbu Icefall and the array of brightly coloured tents, and the stunning views. You certainly feel a surge of energy when your at EBC. This would definitely be a ‘tick’ on my bucket list :-)
Absolutely one for the bucket list!
Wow great list Annette. I’d love to do a few of them too. I have climbed the temple in Angkor Wat and can certainly say it is very steep especially on the way down.
I do believe that there are many cases where going down is much harder than going up!
Love this unique bucket list idea :) Very intrigued by the street in New Zealand, will definitely be checking it out if I ever make it to that corner of the world!
what a brilliant list! I want to do them all!
I’m terrified of heights but full of admiration for those who would scale these challenging objects!
This is fabulous! Since I struggled walking through San Fran I am not sure I would be up to any of these climbs, but I love the photos and your unique list. :)
San Francisco is known for some pretty steep streets!
I added in my travel bucket list 9. GREAT WALL OF CHINA and few more ….