Take the trip of a lifetime

THE SILK ROAD

Some explorers earned celebrity far beyond the journeys they made. Step forward Marco Polo, whose record of the Silk Road propelled him to adventuring superstardom. His father and brother travelled the overland route from Europe to Asia before him, but it was Marco's 17 years' service to Kublai Khan that gilded his inspiring tales. Modern-day pilgrims still follow the ancient trade roads from Turkey to China.

If you've a few spare months, take the train from Istanbul to Tehran and then on to Ashgabat, Tashkent and Almaty before arriving at ancient Xi'an.

LONDON TO CAPE TOWN

Take a Land Rover, six months' supplies and a passport. Mix with the spirit of adventure for a classic overland journey. Heading south from London, take the western route to hit as many countries as possible. Political sensitivities allowing, this will lead you through Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Congo, Angola, Namibia and, finally, South Africa. As the crow flies it's 9,681km; by road it's as long as you want.

VANCOUVER TO HALIFAX

The world's finest single-country journey takes in over 6,000km of Canada's natural splendour. Plan your route in Vancouver's hip cafés before taking the train to Jasper, in the Rockies. Pick up a car and drive the stunning Icefi elds Parkway to Banff, then south to Dinosaur Provincial Park – the scorched badlands hide the bones of prehistoric monsters. Arrive in Edmonton by Greyhound, then back on the train to travel east. Montreal's vibrant nightlife awaits, with gentle Nova Scotia beyond. Drive the coastal Cabot Trail before winding down in Halifax.

FOLLOW THE ANDES

Looking for an epic mountain journey? Then how about the 7,000km range that comprises the Andes? From Venezuela to Patagonia, South America's defining landmark draws tourists the world over, many flocking to Peru to visit Machu Picchu. But don't restrict yourself. For the definitive adventure pick your way south from Caracas to Bogota, Quito to Lima and La Paz to Santiago. The further you go, the better it gets: At 6,962m Aconcagua, in Argentina, is the highest peak outside Asia, and hints at the wild grandeur that awaits in Patagonia.

MOSCOW TO THE KAMCHATKA PENINSULA

The volcanoes and geysers of the Kamchatka Peninsula are a huge attraction of Russia's far east. Closer to Tokyo than any of Europe's major cities, Kamchatka's volcanic belt comprises 29 craters and forms part of the greater Pacific Ring of Fire. It's a tough place to visit. Hardcore travellers take the Trans-Siberian Express from Moscow to Khabarovsk before catching a flight to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the peninsula's capital. Choose a guide to meet your needs – fishing on the Bystraya River, diving in Avacha Bay or hiking to the Valley of Geysers.

SINGAPORE TO BEIJING

Singapore's shiny, Westernised skyscrapers might not seem like the obvious place to begin an adventure, but the overland route to Beijing takes in some of Southeast Asia's top attractions: The beaches of Tereng-ganu in Malaysia, Thailand's mountainous Khao Yai National Park, the Unesco-listed Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia and the rich Buddhist history of Vientiane, Laos' capital city. Beyond it all lies China.

The route to Beijing goes one of two ways – north for Xi'an, the Terracotta Army and the Yangzi River, or the eastern coastal roads via Hong Kong and Shanghai. When you arrive in Beijing, the city's wonders will match anything you've seen.

EXPLORE CENTRAL AMERICA

Few places in the world offer the diverse culture, nature and wildlife of Central America. If you want a blue-water diving paradise, head to Belize. For stunning Mayan history, try the ruins of Guatemala. Looking for un-spoilt beaches, active volcanoes and primary rainforest? Try Costa Rica's lush national parks. Panama's Bocas del Toro archipelago region is a hiking paradise, whilst surfers head to Nicaragua in search of the perfect wave. Combine the countries of Central America, often overlooked as the bridge between North and South America, for a spine- tingling adventure.

INTER-RAIL EUROPE

The gap-year student's favourite adventure has taken a hammering in recent years, as budget airlines battle it out to make air travel more affordable.

But everyone gets misty eyed over the romance of train journeys, so why not get out there and do it? With a bit of planning it's possible to travel from northern Scotland to southern Turkey, covering all the points between. The recent expansion of the EU means there's never been a better time to see eastern countries like Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria. Grab a map, check the timetables and get planning.

NORWEGIAN COASTAL VOYAGE

The slow boat from Bergen to Kirkenes wows travellers with the most stunning vistas of Norway's majestic coast. Some of the world's longest fjords await, where calm waters sit below towering peaks and colourful fishing villages cling to the rocky shores, all 21,342km that face the full force of the North Atlantic.

Keep your eyes peeled for majestic sea eagles as you sail towards the midnight sun, leaving time to explore Trondheim and the Arctic capital of Tromsø. In a land dominated by the sea, boat travel seems the perfect way to go.

OUTER SPACE

For the tourist who's been everywhere and got all the T-shirts, a $12.5 million (Dh45.9m) space flight could be the final frontier. A select group of big-spending intergalactic adventurers have already made the International Space Station their ultimate destination.

But you'll need deep pockets – at an average of 400km above the earth's surface, it works out at a cool $31,250 per kilometre. If your pockets don't quite stretch that far, start saving for a seat on one of the proposed commercial flights.

For around $200,000 you can book a place on a rocket bound for the Karmn Line, the arbitrary boundary of space at an altitude of around 100km.

- Taken from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2009. Visit www.lonelyplanet.com.

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