The 15 Best Hostels in the World for Adventure Travelers

20170620_United KingdomLake DistrictAlmost the entire Lake District, in the United Kingdom, is covered in a national park.

It can hard to quell an insatiable case of wanderlust, but the reality is that most of us are also on a budget. Sometimes, though, it’s worth skimping on your accommodations in exchange for an epic, once-in-a-lifetime travel experience. We’ve put together a list of 15 bargain-priced hostels around the world where you don’t have to compromise comfort for adventure—and you won’t have to break the bank, either.

1. Jollyboys Backpackers & Camp

Livingstone, Zambia

Located just seven miles from world-famous Victoria Falls, Livingstone is one of southern Africa’s undisputed adventure sports capitals. It’s a home base for rafting trips on the Zambezi River, dips in the daunting Devil’s Pool, and Mosi-oa-Tunya (the ‘smoke which thunders’) National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Adventurous souls headed to Livingstone will find plenty to love at Jollyboys Backpackers. Boasting the distinction of being Zambia’s first hostel, the establishment feels more like a safari lodge—with a lounge-worthy pillow pit, swimming pool, in-house travel desk, restaurant, and bar—plus the place offers everything from private rooms to self-catering campsites.

2. Grasmere Hostel

Lake District, United Kingdom

The Lake District in the northwest part of England has long drawn adventurous travelers to its ruggedly wild spaces—like Romantic poet William Wordsworth, who wrote enduring odes to the area. Almost the entire region is covered by England’s 912-square-mile Lake District National Park. The landscape is filled with cloud-parting peaks, verdant valleys, and of course, the namesake lakes, including the deepest in the country.

For explorers keen to explore the lake-dappled countryside, the Grasmere Hostel is the perfect place to hang your hat. Framed by the Central Fells, the farm-turned-hostel is just outside the village of Grasmere, a place Wordsworth once called home. The luxurious hostel is loaded with amenities like en-suite bathrooms, a picturesque place to barbecue, and even a sauna. The family-friendly spot offers easy access to a ton of outdoor activities, including the 192-mile Coast-to-Coast walk.

3. Kathmandu Guest House

Kathmandu, Nepal

The Kathmandu Guest House is well-known among travelers to Nepal.
The Kathmandu Guest House is well-known among travelers to Nepal.

Tom Booth

The Kathmandu Guest House is something of an institution in Nepal, and quite possibly, the best bang-for-your-buck accommodation in the capital. Located in the heart of the perpetually bustling Thamel neighborhood—chock-full of merchandise-loaded stalls and some of the most beloved bars and restaurants in town (like the longstanding Tom & Jerry Pub, frequented by both locals and mountaineers). As with many popular areas abroad, it’s also frequented by touts eager to hustle unsuspecting tourists.

The Kathmandu Guest House provides a respite from all the chaos, with perks like a relaxing, tree-framed courtyard, an open-air café, free airport pickup and functioning wifi.

4. Friend’s House

Lima, Peru

The aptly named Friend’s House offers affordable, down-to-earth digs in one of Lima’s most desirable locations–the picturesque Miraflores District. Home of the famously feline-filled Kennedy Park and the Larcomar Mall, built into cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Miraflores is on the Costa Verde (‘Green Coast’), and Friend’s House is just a few blocks away from a string of parks overlooking the area’s highly surfable beaches. The buzzing dormitory-style hostel is a hub for backpackers and solo adventures, also often popular with Peace Corps volunteers.

5. Diani Backpackers

Diani Beach, Kenya

Kenya’s most bustling coastal city—Mombasa—is a lively, cultural melting pot, with tangible hints of Swahili, Arab and Indian influences. Diani Beach, just outside the city, is the largest beachfront resort town, with a beguiling blend of swaying palm trees, white sand beaches, and undersea adventures.

Diana Backpackers perfectly taps into the town’s vibrant vibe, and is one of the area’s most affordable accommodation options. They offer dormitory and private rooms, as well as a camping area. The retreat also has a swimming pool, and offers board games, a book exchange, and a bubbly bar—all just steps from the beach.

6. Diva Guesthouse

Chiang Mai, Thailand

A refreshing change of pace from busy Bangkok, foothill-framed Chiang Mai is a fascinating cultural enclave. Founded at the end of the 13th century, the location was once the capital of the Lanna Kingdom, and Chiang Mai’s rich past is still evident in the three dozen ancient temples (called ‘wats’) adorning the wall-encircled city. Besides the bounty of cultural sites, the Northern Thai city is also the perfect portal to Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, the location of the 14th-century Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, one of northern Thailand’s most sacred temples.

Strategically located inside the old city, the Diva Guesthouse offers backpacker-friendly budget digs, and a convenient base for exploring area highlights, like Chiang Mai’s night market. The guesthouse features brightly colored rooms, including dormitory and group rooms, starting at less than $10/night. The in-house restaurant also serves up tasty Thai food and smoothies for an authentic experience.

7. Old Bridge Backpackers

Maun, Botswana

Old Bridge Backpackers in Botswana is perfect for a solo traveler.
Old Bridge Backpackers in Botswana is perfect for a solo traveler.

Kayla Stevenson

Botswana’s Okavango Delta is like no place else on earth. You’ll find some of the most amazing animals on the planet here, and that’s not usually a trip that is easy on the wallet. Enter the Old Bridge Backpackers, located just outside Maun, the town that serves as the portal to the water-logged delta.

Old Bridge Backpackers caters to adventurous solo travelers vs. the organized tour crowd, but does offer trips to the Okavango Delta, Moremi Game Reserve, and other regional parks. Rooms consist of cozy, fully-furnished tents, and some even have en-suite bathrooms. The enclave’s highlight, though, is likely the eternally effervescent, Leadwood log bar, which regularly draws an array of adventuresome souls.

8. Cabarete Beach Hostel

*Cabarete, Dominican Republic *

Cabarete is a sweet retreat. The fishing village turned beachy adventure town is now a hub for water sports, namely kite-boarding, surfing, diving, and windsurfing—and is also loaded with creature comforts, like oceanfront bars, cute coffee shops, and alluring bakeries.

The Cabarete Beach Hostel perfectly captures the town’s sand-between-the-toes vibe, featuring beachfront rooms with stellar views of the translucently turquoise water, not to mention a swimming pool, palm-shaded patio, and in-house bar.

9. Borneo Backpackers

*Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia *

Borneo is a popular adventure travel destination.
Borneo is a popular adventure travel destination.

Mohd Fadza Ishak

Borneo is a bucket-list destination for intrepid adventurers worldwide–and the town of Kota Kinabalu, stretched along the South China Sea, is the perfect basecamp for exploring the Malaysian portion of the island. A melting pot of cultures and Old World charm, the town offers access to highlights like Mount Kinabalu, the 13,435-foot World Heritage Site, and the avifauna-rich Kota Kinabalu Wetlands. The Mari Mari Cultural Village, where visitors can get the scoop on the island’s infamous headhunters, is also a must-see.

Borneo Backpackers is situated in a historic location that once harbored Australian troops at the outset of World War II, but today is a haven for adventuring vagabonds. The hostel has spotless dormitory and private rooms, and functions as the headquarters for Sticky Rice Travel, making it easy to plan an outdoorsy excursion.

10. Destil Hostel

Tirana (Tiranë), Albania

Albania is still off-the-radar for most globetrotters, but the country has recently emerged as a richly fascinating destination for inquisitive travelers. It boasts everything from rugged mountain peaks to the unspoiled beaches of the Albanian Riviera. There are also several archaeological sites, like the ancient cities of Berat (Berati) and Gjirokastra (Gjirokastër), lingering relics of the Ottoman Empire and both UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Tucked on a leafy street in Tirana, Albania’s capital, the eco-friendly Destil Hostel is the ideal place to drop your bag—and feels more like a boutique hotel than a budget accommodation. A bed in the dormitory-style rooms comes with breakfast included, and the place features an array of amenities, like an in-house coffee shop, movie nights, bike rentals, and happy hours.

11. Adventure Queenstown Hostel & Chalet

Queenstown, New Zealand

In the heart of New Zealand’s adventure capital, the perennially award-winning Adventure Queenstown Hostel & Chalet is a portal to everything from ski trips to whitewater river runs. Stretching along Lake Wakatipu, the second largest of the glacial lake dotting the bottom half of the South Island, and framed by the soaring Remarkables range, Queenstown is an easy place to spend some time.

The Adventure Queenstown Hostel & Chalet makes it even more inviting and affordable. Best of all, the hostel offers bonuses like an in-house tour desk, two sun-kissed balconies, loaner Frisbees for the nearby disc golf course, and trivia nights.

12. Patagonia Hostel

El Chaltén, Argentina

Accommodating adventure travelers for more than two decades, the Patagonia Hostel is a well-positioned launchpad for striking out to explore one of the most stunning regions on earth. The hostel is based in the mountain village of El Chaltén, at the edge of the northern section of the Los Glaciares National Park, and in the shadow of two of the planet’s most iconic peaks (Cerros Torre and Fitz Roy). The Patagonia Hostel has a range of accommodations, from single rooms to cabins, so they can fit everyone from solo travelers to couples to groups. The staff can also arrange outdoor adventures, like a mountain bike excursion to the Lake of the Desert.

13. Sani Lodge Backpackers

Southern Drakensberg, South Africa

The Sani Pass borders Maloti-Drakensberg Park, a World Heritage Site.
The Sani Pass borders Maloti-Drakensberg Park, a World Heritage Site.

Jacques

Located directly on the infamous Sani Pass (the only road through the unearthly Drakensberg escarpment) Sani Lodge Backpackers has a backdrop that can’t be beat. As a certified Fair Trade accommodation, the longstanding lodge is committed to providing local livelihoods.

Sip on sundowners while gazing into neighboring Lesotho from the lofty deck, lounge by the pool, nosh on organic fare at the in-house café, or hit the nearly 373-mile Giant’s Cup Trail. Aside from campsites and dorm-style rooms, the lodge also offers three comfortable, self-catering cottages.

14. Candles in the Wind

Crown Point, Tobago

The island of Tobago is an ecological treasure—home to the oldest protected area in the western hemisphere, the Main Ridge Forest Reserve—and a bounty of underwater adventures, like Bucco Reef. Live the life of a (cushy) castaway at the island’s Candles in the Wind hostel, located in Crown Point. It’s just down the road from the airport and within walking distance of Pigeon Point Beach, featuring both dormitory and private rooms, and the staff can arrange highly affordable island tours for guests.

15. TurfnSurf Lodge

Bundoran, County Donegal, Ireland

Don’t consider Ireland a surfing destination? The coastal town of Bundoran will make you think again, offering world-class breaks like the Peak. The town’s historic TurfnSurf Lodge is the perfect place for visiting wave chasers to set up shop.

Housed in a Victorian-era building, the hostel is loaded with guest-geared perks, like complimentary breakfast, airy common spaces, storage facilities for wet gear. All the rooms have en-suite bathrooms, TVs, and the lodge has free WiFi. Even better, TurfnSurf doubles as a surf school, offering both surfing and SUP lessons and guided sea-kayaking excursions.

Originally written by RootsRated for Craghoppers.

Featured image provided by Peer Lawther