10 People Reveal Their Scariest Travel Nightmares

Traveling is so exciting, but sometimes things don’t go quite as planned. In this article, 10 people share their most terrifying experiences while traveling, from spooky encounters to unexpected disasters. Trust us, you’ll want to hear these stories.

• "I was traveling alone around Europe and arrived in a new city close to midnight. I was too late to check in to my hostel, so I looked around for help. I ran into a group of people my age who said they knew a hotel nearby, but it was up in the mountains. I said yes, got into the car with them, and we started driving.
  Halfway there, they stopped the car in complete darkness, turned to me, and said, 'You shouldn’t have trusted three random strangers in the night.' The driver had something in his pocket, and my heart was racing when he started reaching to grab it. I was ready to jump out the car and start screaming for help! 'Luckily, we are the good strangers,' he said with a laugh.
  He pulled out a chocolate bar from his pocket and gave it to me. 'You probably haven't eaten all day. Take this.' I was so relieved at their kindness. We eventually made it to the hotel, and I thanked them sincerely.
  I learnt that day that it's always important to check the latest check-in time for your accommodation, and also that there are kind strangers in the world—no matter how scary they may seem."

• On a winter getaway, I rented a small cabin in the woods. The first night, I heard knocking on the door, even though I was alone. I assumed it was just the wind, but then I heard footsteps circling the outside of the cabin.
  The next morning, I found strange marks on the door frame. I left that cabin as soon as possible, still wondering who—or what—was trying to get in.

• "Extreme turbulence on a 777 on the way to Argentina. It was so bad that the flight attendant couldn’t get to their seat and had to grab onto a seat and asked passengers to hold onto her legs." @Scuba_junkie16

• I once took a small boat tour off the coast in Spain, not expecting much more than a few waves. Suddenly, a massive storm hit. The boat rocked violently, and the sky turned pitch black.
  I clutched onto the seat as huge waves crashed over us. I could barely hear the guide’s instructions over the howling wind, and it felt like we might capsize at any moment. I still get chills thinking about how helpless I felt that day.

• "My aunt and I were leaving a rural area around 8pm in Portugal to drive about 3hrs to another city. Her phone was at 1% (mine died) and we needed the maps to find our way. And unfortunately when we used maps and charged the phone at the same time in the car, the charging wouldn’t work and the % would go down.
  We tried idling the car to charge it for a few mins, and it just stayed at 1%. We found a tiny piece of paper and a pen and wrote down the general directions of a 3 hr drive.
  I’m not kidding you, as we started driving, it was nighttime now and for about 1hr straight there was a cliff directly to our right with no rail, no streetlights and almost 90 degree turns every few minutes. I almost puked and was nauseous until we got to the major highway.
  We made it safe and sound." Consistent_Reward_11 / Reddit

• I was on a camping trip in the mountains when I decided to take a walk alone. I soon realized I’d wandered off the trail, and darkness fell fast. I couldn’t find my way back, and every rustle in the trees made my heart pound.
  I kept hearing what I thought were footsteps following me. I eventually stumbled upon a small clearing where I could see the stars, and I made it back safely—but that night, I still shudder when I remember the feeling of being utterly alone in the dark woods.

• "My friend and I were hitchhiking in Albania, and we were stranded in a remote place - two guys in a pickup truck passed, and we went with them because we were desperate. They brought us to cross roads and said two men were going to bring us the rest of the way - a blacked out really nice car showed up within a few minutes to take us the rest of the way, and we went with them (we were dumb 20-year-olds!).
  They drove a strange, way too long route, until we were right along the border, and we were 100% sure we were going to get taken. Incidentally, they dropped us off in the next town when we asked, and every Albanian who picked us up hitchhiking were some of the nicest and generous people we ever met." @Cascade_Oceanwaves / Reddit

• I was in Paris solo traveling, just wandering through the streets near a metro station, when I noticed a guy in a hoodie walking behind me. He kept glancing over his shoulder like he was watching me. Before I could think much of it, he suddenly stepped up beside me, and said, "You idiot, you're heading the wrong way. There’s trouble down there."
  Then, without another word, he disappeared into the crowd. I was left confused, but I turned around and took a different path. Later, I found out that area was known for pickpockets and shady activity.

• On an African safari, we were on a guided tour after dark. The guide assured us that the animals were calm, but soon the mood shifted.
  Out of the darkness, I saw a pair of glowing eyes staring directly at our group. The guide tried to reassure us, but the tension was palpable. As the vehicle moved slowly, I could feel the animal’s gaze following us. The encounter was brief, but it left me shaken.

• "I was given directions in Italy by an older man. The directions weren't correct, and he ended up cornering me and begging me to kiss him. I was only 18." @Birdnysan / Reddit

Before you go, make sure to check out another interesting article where doctors warn about a common headache that could affect people over 50, as migraines start to decline. It’s definitely worth a read.