14 Unforgettable Bucket List Ideas for 50-Year-Olds

Whether planning something special for your 50th birthday or just wanting to experience more in the world, creating a 50s bucket list is always a good idea. +

And with the beautiful world we live in, endless adventure awaits you!

From the extreme to the relaxing, here are some of the best bucket list ideas for 50-year-olds that we at Skyhook think everyone should try to tick off.

Few natural sights are as impressive as the tallest mountain in the world.

While we understand that not everyone would want to, or be able to, add summiting Everest to their bucket list, trekking to the Everest base camp is a fantastic adventure that we can’t recommend enough.

This trek takes you through picturesque Himalayan villages, dense forests, and high-altitude landscapes. Reaching the base camp at 5,363m (17,598 feet) is challenging yet immensely rewarding. 

The breathtaking views of Mount Everest and the surrounding peaks are unforgettable, making it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Don’t worry; you don’t have to be an experienced hiker to add this to your 50th birthday bucket list.

The daily hikes are relatively easy as long as you can handle the altitude. And there are plenty of opportunities to rest at the Everest base camp teahouses along the way - which also let you experience Himalayan life (another bucket list tick!).

Check out our range of expert-guided Everest Base Camp tours for the best way to experience this adventure.

If you’re about to turn 50, seeing as many national parks as possible should certainly be on your bucket list.

National parks offer an excellent way to connect with nature and explore diverse ecosystems.

Visiting parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite, or the Grand Canyon provides opportunities for hiking, wildlife watching, and photography.

In fact, you should check out our top bucket list hikes in the USA for some of the best ways to explore national parks.

Each park has unique landscapes and features, from geysers and waterfalls to towering cliffs and dense forests.

You don’t necessarily need to have an agenda when you visit a national park but should be able to tick off a few bucket list experiences whenever you explore one.

Not only will you witness amazing sights, but you’ll also get to learn more about the natural world around you.

Of all the bucket list ideas for 50-year-olds, going on a multi-day hiking adventure has got to be one of the best.

Multi-day backpacking trips are perfect for anyone who loves hiking and the outdoors. Even if you’re new to hiking and want to fully immerse yourself in nature, then a guided backpacking trip is a fantastic experience.

These adventures involve carrying your gear and camping in the wilderness. It’s the perfect way to challenge yourself physically and mentally while enjoying the tranquillity of nature.

Best of all, you’ll experience a sense of remoteness and solitude when camping on trails you wouldn’t experience on a regular day hike. 

If you’re not a regular hiker or camper, don’t worry.

You can join a guided backpacking trip where all logistics, like cooking, navigating, and setting up camp, are sorted for you. This way, you can focus on enjoying your surroundings.

Inspired to give multi-day hiking a go? Here are some great guided trips we’d recommend:

On the topic of hiking, what about exploring a volcano for a bucket list experience?

Hiking a volcano is an exhilarating experience. Not only is there the thrill of walking through a volcanic area, but you also get to witness some of the most unique landscapes and rock formations.

Hiking a volcano often involves covering volcanic craters and lava fields. Standing at the summit, you get panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes, making the strenuous hike worth every step.

While there are volcanoes worldwide that you can climb, Guatemala is arguably the most exciting country for volcano hiking.

Check out this eight-day Guatemala adventure, which includes an epic volcano day hike.

It’s definitely something for 50-year-olds to add to their bucket lists.

We all love a spa day, but soaking in a geothermal hot spring takes this to the next level.

It’s a unique experience when you do it outdoors, and it’s something not enough people add to their bucket lists.

These natural baths offer warm, mineral-rich waters that soothe the body and mind.

Visiting a hot spring after a long hike or simply as a peaceful retreat can be a rejuvenating experience.

Hot springs are found all over the world, but the best place to experience them is Iceland.

So, if you’re looking for relaxing bucket list ideas for 50-year-olds, including a hot spring soak during an Iceland road trip comes highly recommended.

Seeing the Northern Lights is a magical experience.

So many people dream of it, but few get to say they’ve done it. If you’re 50 and haven’t seen the Northern Lights yet, we recommend you try hunting them down as soon as possible.

The Aurora is best viewed from high-latitude regions like Norway, Iceland, or Canada.

On a good evening, this natural light display paints the sky with vibrant colours - an image you’ll never forget.

The best time to witness this phenomenon is during winter when the nights are the longest. The awe-inspiring beauty of the auroras makes the cold nights worthwhile.

Check out our guided tours in Norway and Iceland for some of the best opportunities to see the Northern Lights while you’re on an unforgettable adventure.

If you’re based in the UK and want to achieve something to be seriously proud of, then the Three Peaks Challenge should be on your 50s bucket list.

The Three Peaks Challenge involves climbing the highest peaks in Scotland, England, and Wales.

This challenge includes Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike, and Snowdon. It is often completed within 24 hours and tests your endurance and determination. 

It’s a great way to experience the diverse landscapes of the UK while achieving a significant personal milestone.

While it might seem very difficult, anyone with a decent level of fitness can absolutely tick this one off.

We recommend you join a guided Three Peaks Challenge tour so that all driving and logistics are covered for you. This makes it a lot more fun to enjoy the challenge. 

Sound good? Check out these two options:

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a bucket-list adventure for most people.

As the highest peak in Africa, it stands at 5,895 m (19,341 feet).

Getting to the top is a major adventure involving hiking through some of the most breathtaking mountain scenery in Africa. 

Even though it’s such a notable summit, the trek doesn’t require any technical climbing skills, which makes it the most accessible of the seven summits to climb.

As a 50+ year-old, there’s no reason why you should be intimidated by Kilimanjaro.

The journey up takes you through various climates, from tropical forests to alpine deserts. Reaching the summit of Uhuru Peak brings an amazing sense of accomplishment and stunning views.

Beyond the climb, the overall experience of travelling to Tanzania is bucket list-worthy in itself. 

Are you inspired to climb Africa’s most iconic mountain? Then check out our various Kilimanjaro climbing tours for the best ways to do it.

Skydiving is the ultimate thrill-seeking activity, and it’s on most people’s bucket lists when they hit 50.

Jumping out of an aeroplane from thousands of feet in the air offers an adrenaline rush like no other. Yes, it's a bucket list holiday you'll never forget.

Tandem jumps are available all over the world, and you don’t need any kind of training or skillset to do it. All you need to do is take the plunge with a trusted instructor. 

Beyond the superb views, the freefall, followed by a serene parachute descent, makes for an unforgettable adventure.

Sleeping under the stars can be a profoundly peaceful experience that far too few people enjoy.

We suggest adding it to your bucket list if you’ve never been camping under the stars.

Whether camping in the mountains, desert or a remote beach, the night sky offers a spectacular view. Without the interference of city lights, you can see countless stars, constellations, and even the Milky Way. 

Pro tip: Our favourite is to sleep in the Saharah desert, Morocco. It's unforgettable!

It’s the ultimate way to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature. There’s nothing else quite like falling asleep under a full sky of stars and then waking up to a perfect sunrise. 

Machu Picchu, the ancient Incan city in Peru, is a marvel of architecture and history.

Few places offer such a fascinating experience as this mesmerizing archaeological site.

Not only is the “Lost City of the Incas” such a fascinating destination in its own right, but the city’s strategic mountain setting in the Andes is equally worth the visit.

You could always take the regular tourist train to the site, but the best way to experience Machu Picchu is by hiking the Inca Trail. This trek is as rewarding as the destination itself.

The hike takes you through diverse landscapes, including cloud forests and alpine tundra. Arriving at the Sun Gate and seeing Machu Picchu in the early morning light is an awe-inspiring moment.

Check out our various tour options for experiencing Machu Picchu if you’re after an iconic bucket list experience. 

Patagonia, spanning Argentina and Chile, is a region of stunning natural beauty. 

Known for its rugged landscapes, including glaciers, mountains, and vast plains, Patagonia is the ultimate bucket list destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

The kind of vast landscapes and towering mountains you can experience in Patagonia are unlike anywhere else in the world.

Activities like hiking in Torres del Paine, exploring the Perito Moreno Glacier, or kayaking in pristine lakes make for an unforgettable adventure in one of the world’s last great wildernesses.

This is the kind of place that will leave a lasting impression no matter what you do.

At Skyhook, we’ve partnered with Patagonia’s best local tour operators to offer you some of the region’s most highly-rated and exciting group tours. Check them out if you’re ready to tick Patagonia off your 50s bucket list.

If you’ve reached 50 and think you’ve seen a lot of the world, we’re here to tell you that you’ve only just scratched the surface until you go scuba diving.

Scuba diving opens up a whole new world beneath the ocean’s surface. Whether diving in the Great Barrier Reef, the Maldives, Thai island reefs, or the Red Sea, you’ll experience the amazing marine life up close.

Breathing underwater is an experience unlike any other, and exploring coral reefs, underwater caves, and shipwrecks is well and truly bucket list-worthy. 

If you’re ready to appreciate the beauty and biodiversity of the underwater world, you could go on a one-day scuba diving session or get your open-water license over the course of a few dives.

You might think rock climbing would make it onto bucket list ideas for 50-year-olds. 

Sure, rock climbing is awesome, but ice climbing adds a whole new level of thrill, excitement, and fun.

Ice climbing is a unique experience that everyone who can should try at least once in their lives. 

Ice climbing involves using pick axes and special climbing shoes to scale frozen waterfalls and ice walls.

You can only do it in some of the most magical wintery parts of the world, and the accomplishment you’ll feel when you get to the top of an ice climb is pure magic. 

Sound like fun? Check out our ice climbing for beginners course in Norway to get started. 

Just because you’re turning 50 doesn’t mean the fun needs to slow down. If anything, now’s the best time in your life to start ticking off these exciting adventures. 

These bucket list ideas for 50-year-olds offer a great range of thrilling activities. If you can tick just a few off, we’re sure that you’ll live a far more rewarding and exciting life.