Adventure travel is all about indulging in the five senses: sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. And while the other senses all play an important part in shaping our adventures, there’s something to be said about the epic sounds we encounter on our travels. Not only does sound have the power to transport you back to specific moments or places where you hold fond memories, but sounds can also spark newfound inspiration, encouraging you to look into places you never thought about travelling to before.
So, to celebrate the Sounds of Adventure, we’ve collaborated with Cities and Memory and some incredible international artists who have collected sounds from our favourite destinations and transformed these into musical compositions, designed to take our travellers on a sensory journey around the world! Taking you from the depths of the Costa Rican rainforest to serene lakes filled with birdsong in Finland, you can easily download our tunes below or stream this playlist on Spotify. We have no doubt this epic playlist will inspire you to head to these wonderful destinations or encourage you to go back to a place you loved with our expert guides.
Discover the Sounds of Adventure
Finland
Imagine it’s just after 7am on a Sunday morning, and you’re in the middle of the Finnish wilderness. The only sounds you hear are a herd of roe deer making their way through the thick primaeval forest, the cawing of early-rising crows and the flapping of a crane’s wings on a serene lake nearby. Our adventures allow you to reconnect with nature taking you from the heart of Oulanka National Park to sweeping canyons in Nuuksio National Park and islands across the Finnish archipelago.
Coined the “city of seven hills”, Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, is bound to impress with its colourful streets and historic landmarks, but this soundbite transports you to Torre de Belém to hear the unique acoustic sounds of the sea from its eastern wall. Once a ceremonial gateway for Portuguese explorers, it stands as a testament to the country’s maritime power. With us, you can wander through Lisbon, visit the wine cellars of Porto, enjoy scenic rides along the Silver Coast or head further to walk the flower-lined levadas in Madeira.
Embrace the sounds of one of the nation’s favourite sports – Muay Thai boxing. The energetic and uplifting sounds of this track transport you to Northern Thailand, inside the old town of Chiang Mai, where you’ll hear two men face-off in a Muay Thai match. Known as “The art of eight limbs”, it’s seen as a respected form of traditional martial arts, deeply embedded into the culture of Thailand. Aside from Muay Thai, you can visit Bangkok’s Grand Palace and temples, experience Damnoen Saduak’s floating market and make delicious Thai desserts from scratch on our cultural trips.
The hazy summer days are over but glorious autumn colours, pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds make France a great place to visit during the changing seasons. On this track, you can hear the rustling of deer, owl calls and the wind moving through ancient pine and oak trees. And on our trips, you can experience the same wonderful nature sounds for yourself, whether you’re trekking past alpine meadows and tree-lined trails on our spectacular Mont Blanc Circuit or wandering through hushed beech forests towards waterfalls in Corsica.
Futuristic Tokyo may spellbind its visitors with robot-run restaurants and high-speed bullet trains, but sometimes this fast-paced city looks for innovative ways to drown out the “noise”. In steps ‘bird chirping’ traffic lights. To inject a little nature into this towering metropolis, the sounds you’ll hear provide Tokyoites with a momentary respite from this fast-paced city. On our adventures, you’ll take in the highlights of Tokyo alongside venturing out of the city, to trek along the Kumano Kodo or visit other captivating cities like Kyoto and Nara.
Fascinating wildlife abounds in the USA, from grizzly bears salmon fishing in Alaska to belted kingfishers and Indigo Bunting fluttering near the Virgin River Gorge in Zion National Park – and on our American adventures, our expert guides have a passion for showing you the country’s local wildlife. During this clip, you’ll hear distinctive wildlife calls and birdsong that beckons you to explore America’s natural wonders, which could include a safari along the vast Kenai River in Alaska or a trek through the Narrows in Zion National Park.
This soundbite honours “adumu”, a traditional jumping dance performed by the Maasai tribe in Kenya. Part of Eunoto, a long-observed coming-of-age ceremony, the men perform this dance to prove their agility, stamina and power. Listen out to hear mothers sing about their son’s courage and girls sing to their favourite warrior. With us, you’ll get to meet the Maasai people and enjoy game drives in Lake Nakuru National Park and the Masai Mara grasslands where you’ll search for white rhinos, cheetahs and more.
A world away from the tree-lined boulevards of Hanoi and the chaotic streets of Ho Chi Minh lies the mountainous region of Hòa Bình. This is hill country – a place filled with picturesque reservoirs, glistening rice paddies, thick jungles and remote hill tribes. Here, they’ve swapped the cacophony sounds of motorbikes for the captivating chorus of wildlife at dawn. And you can experience these peaceful sounds while in our traditional homestays in Sung and Da Bai Village, during one of our epic country-spanning adventures in Vietnam.
This sound clip was recorded in Hazrat Nizamuddin, a mausoleum dedicated to the Sufi saint – Khawaja Nizamuddin Auliya. As the melody continues, you’ll experience the sounds of walking around the premises of the Dargah, during a crowded celebration of Eid Milad-ul Nabi (a day which marks the anniversary of the birth of Prophet Muhammad). You can hear similar acoustic sounds during our guided tours in the streets of Old Delhi and in places like Humayun’s Tomb, the first garden tomb to be constructed on the Indian subcontinent.
In this track, you’re transported to the peaceful fishing port of Kalk Bay Harbour, which embodies the raw beauty of Cape Town’s False Bay coast. Listen to the serene sound of waves crashing, the snorting of playful seals and the clanging vibration of tools as fishermen tend to their boats. On our adventures, you’ll visit the region’s most atmospheric harbours including Port Elizabeth, Mossel Bay and the seaside town of Hermanus, where you may be able to spot southern right whales from the coast in season.
Dawn in the depths of the Costa Rican rainforest hits different. These soothing sounds are taken from the cloud forests of Savia Monteverde. Hear the mesmerising combination of water droplets falling from the canopy and the distinctive calls of birdlife, which could be coming from three-wattled bellbirds, colourful quetzals and brown-hooded parrots. But birdlife isn’t the only sound you’ll hear on our adventures. With trips to Tortuguero, Manuel Antonio National Park and Savegre Cloud Forest, you may hear and spot howler monkeys, caimans, sloths and more!
Italy is known for its cinematic piazzas, and one of the country’s most famous squares is St. Mark’s Square situated in the heart of Venice. This immersive, ambient soundbite allows listeners to effortlessly weave in between, tourists, buskers and waiters inside Italy’s most atmospheric piazza, while seagulls hover overhead. During our Italian adventures, you’ll get to visit some of the country’s finest squares, from St Mark’s Square in Venice and the Piazza della Signoria in Florence to the lesser-known piazzas in Locorotondo and Cisternino in Southern Italy.