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![Lissa Ecker went on a hot air balloon ride in Africa A hot-air balloon ride over the African savanna at dawn](https://aarp.widen.net/content/5hafexdmtr/jpeg/Kensington%20Tours%20-%20Africa%20-%20credit%20Unsplash.jpg?crop=true&anchor=0,381&q=80&color=ffffffff&u=pwhw75&w=1995&h=1146)
More and more, the most exotic places in the world are seemingly within our grasp. Social media is filled with “trip of a lifetime” images from friends, family and distant acquaintances showing off their strolls through the Taj Mahal or along the Great Wall of China. Experiences that once seemed unimaginable are being enjoyed by everyday people, all around the globe.
But not every trip of a lifetime is worth spending a lifetime’s savings on. While vacation photos on Facebook and Instagram make every getaway seem glamorous, we know we’re seeing just the highlights, often through a soft-focus lens. So to find out what’s really worth spending money on, we went right to the source: the men and women who ventured forth with big hopes and fat wallets. How did their trips turn out? What’s really worth spending the money on? Here’s the inside scoop.
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The Dream Trip
Years of saving and planning can deliver the trip of a lifetime. Or not.
The splurge: 10-day cruise to Antarctica
![You can see penguins while on a cruise to Antartica penquins in the forefront with a cruise ship in the background](https://aarp.widen.net/content/8ypsamx5kl/jpeg/QuarkExpeditions_World%20Explorer_Exterior_Credit%20Sam%20Crimmin-0031.jpg?crop=true&anchor=0,94&q=80&color=ffffffff&u=pwhw75&w=2048&h=1177)
Cost: $12,500 per person
Worth it? Yes
“You kind of have to splurge if you want to really experience Antarctica because you need to be on a smaller boat that can chop through the ice. And oh my gosh, it was so worth it. There were about 200 passengers and crew aboard, and the crew, which included experts on the wildlife, geography and history of Antarctica, mixed with the tourists, joining us for meals, whale- and bird-watching, and talks. Highlights included daily walks on the continent to see penguins, spending Christmas night camping in the snow and ice, a polar plunge into the frigid waters and zodiac rides that got us close to whales, seals and icebergs. This vacation was unlike any other trip I have taken, given how remote Antarctica is from the rest of the world, and I would recommend it as an incredible, unique experience worth splurging on.” —Judy Tierney, 58, Austin, Texas
The splurge: Eight-day trip to Machu Picchu in Peru
![Diane Butler thought a trip to Peru was worth it aerial photo of a woman looking at Machu Picchu](https://aarp.widen.net/content/s3qmxnqtoo/jpeg/Stocksy_2821139.jpg?crop=true&anchor=-2,185&q=80&color=ffffffff&u=pwhw75&w=2048&h=1177)
Cost: $2,200
Worth it? Yes
“I’m a food truck and restaurant owner, and last year I had a few weeks free coming up, so I went on Expedia and thought, Where do I want to go? On my bucket list was to go to Machu Picchu, and I found a trip. It was a splurge for me, but it was a good deal — the cost included the airfare, the hotel and two meals a day. I stayed at a fabulous hotel, hiked every day, took tours, visited a butterfly museum, went to a soccer game and learned about traditional tea making. I got to know some people there, got to know the culture. The beauty of it was amazing, and there was a ton of history, which I love.” —Diane Butler, 56, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
The splurge: A Caribbean cruise
![A family cruise ship could be worth the cost people on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship](https://aarp.widen.net/content/m2lkbjzy4v/jpeg/Royal%20Caribbean_1707449801_IOTS-RR0965.jpg?crop=true&anchor=0,90&q=80&color=ffffffff&u=pwhw75&w=2048&h=1177)
Cost: $18,000 for a family of 10
Worth it? Yes
“After retiring from a career of 33 years with the postal service and a second career as my county’s elected tax assessor and collector, I splurged on a Caribbean cruise for my family of 10 in February 2024. We took our two sons, their wives and our four grandchildren. The whole thing was wonderful. We spent time together and made memories we will never forget.” —Darlene Bane, 65, Louisville, Mississippi
The splurge: Two-week northern lights tour in Iceland
![There's a chance you may not get to see the Northern Lights a couple observing the Northern Lights](https://aarp.widen.net/content/brt5vvdr4u/jpeg/GettyImages-1388425926.jpg?crop=true&anchor=-2,188&q=80&color=ffffffff&u=pwhw75&w=2048&h=1177)
Cost: $7,000 per person
Worth it? No
“A friend and I signed up for a two-week tour to Iceland in 2021 to see the northern lights. We went in February because we were told that was the best month to see them. They didn’t guarantee it, but they said, ‘You’ll see it; it’s there every night in the sky.’ Well, we almost froze to death, and we never saw the northern lights — not once. One night we went out on a boat because the guides thought going out in the ocean would give us a better chance to see them. The temperature was 20 below zero. At one point the tour guide said, ‘Look, let me show them to you on my phone.’ I said, ‘No. We didn’t pay to look at them on your phone.’ ” —Jacquie Hume, 76, Tallahassee, Florida
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