Exploration
20 of the most epic adventure-themed proposals
From remote islands to iconic climbing engagements, get some inspiration from these adventurous proposal stories.
As life events go, asking your other half for their hand in marriage is right up there on the list of anxiety-inducing endeavours. There’s the location, the ring, and the timing, not to mention the important personal touches that show you’ve gone the extra mile.
But panic not - if you’re already stuck nervously planning a ‘proposal to end all proposals’ to an outdoor-loving, would-be adventurer, we’ve tracked down some of the most impressive if quirky proposal ideas out there for some inspiration.
Bonne chance!
1. Running the Sahara Desert, Southern Morocco
Shaun Marsden survived temperatures of up to 120 Fahrenheit to propose
© Shaun Marsden & Susie Chan
The 250km multi-stage Marathon des Sables is a desert ultra that’s both heaven and hell for the keen ultrarunner. In 2015, runner Shaun Marsden decided it was the only place to propose to his ultrarunning partner, Susie Chan, although his proposal was nearly derailed when he developed extreme sickness and dehydration.
In the end, he overcame both to propose to Susie who, having already finished, ran back to cross the finish line with him. “I genuinely had no idea he was about to propose – especially after a week of desert running. We have since returned to the race as husband and wife,” says Susie.
2. Rowing the North Pacific Ocean
With no engagement ring, Sarah had to draw one on her finger with a Sharpie
© Sarah Outen
As proposal spots go, the North Pacific Ocean takes some beating. Round-the-world adventurer Sarah Outen was in the middle of her record-breaking North Pacific row when she decided to pop the question to girlfriend Lucy Allen by satellite phone.
“We’d agreed we would ask each other to get married when I got to the other side [of the Pacific], but it was taking so long to get anywhere near land! So I decided one day to call her up on the Iridium satellite phone and ask her. I drew an engagement ring on my finger with a Sharpie as I didn’t have a ring with me.”
3. Climbing Mont Blanc
The highest mountain in the Alps provides a serene backdrop for a proposal
© Kate Scott & Bruce Goodlad
The iconic mountain of Mont Blanc lies at the borders of France and Italy, 4808m high. For Kate Scott, whose mountain guide boyfriend, Bruce Goodlad, proposed at the summit, it was the perfect location.
“We set off at 4am and spent 30 minutes at the summit enjoying the beautiful weather before setting off back down,” explains Kate. “Before it got too steep my now-husband asked me to stand still and he popped the question! I was hypoxic and needed to remain tied to his rope to get off the mountain safely, so I think I replied, ‘Maybe’. After a 15-hour day we celebrated with pizza and champers.
4. Hiking Acatenango Volcano, Guatemala
Volcanic views like these ensured the proposal went off with a bang
© James Underwood
Reaching Guatemala’s third highest volcano (at 3,976m) requires a serious day of hiking and a 4am summit day start, but the backdrop and views of nearby Volcán Fuego make the effort worthwhile.
“My now-wife Sarah loves an adventure so I thought scaling Acatenango would be a fitting venue to propose,” recalls James Underwood. “Hiking up Acatenango, we moved from farmers’ fields into dense cloud forest where it was so misty I nearly cancelled my plan. Then suddenly we were at our camp, situated above the clouds. I proposed to Sarah and moments later the neighbouring volcano Fuego erupted in celebration.”
5. Mountain biking the Tizi n’Tazazert in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco
The surreal landscape of the Atlas Mountains is the ideal proposal location
© Clare King
Nothing says ‘I love you’ like the shared experience of conquering a tough cycling climb. Clare King was on day five of a mountain bike tour of the Atlas Mountains when boyfriend Steve proposed after a brutal 3-hour climb up to Southern Morocco’s Tizi n’Tazazert mountain pass.
“After reaching the top, the group were due to stop for lunch and I went to the summit to take in the view, which is where he proposed,” says Clare. “We were both tired and sweaty but the view and the exhilaration were incredible!”
6. Running the Eildon Hills
Perhaps a proposal is the secret to winning a race?
© Ryan Hogben
The triple-peaked Eildon Hills on the Scottish Borders are steeped in history and magical folklore. The perfect spot, ultrarunner Ryan Hogben decided, to propose to girlfriend Emma whilst they were both 62 miles into the 100km St Cuthbert’s Way Ultra. Although it nearly didn’t happen.
“I’d arranged with the race crew that I’d propose on the Eildon Hills 62 miles in, but after 38 miles, Em had decided she didn’t want to go on! Panic set in and I had to drag her out of the checkpoint,” he explains. “Thankfully when the moment arrived, she said yes! She was in complete shock and went on to win the race.”
7. On a floating hut on Cheow Lan Lake, Thailand
This peaceful setting is the ideal proposal spot after a jungle trek
© Plynoi / Flickr
Can you picture a more romantic setting than a floating hut on a lake in the Thai jungle? Cheow Lan Lake in Thailand’s Khao Sok National Park is surrounded by limestone cliffs and dense rainforest (home to tigers, elephants and monkeys.
With kayaking, caving and jungle treks on offer, Helen Gough decided it was perfect proposal territory. “After a jungle trek and an explore of the caving system, we headed back to our floating huts and went for a swim. As we sat outside our hut looking at the beautiful view, I asked my girlfriend Lisa if she would marry me,” she reveals.
8. Paddling remote British Columbia
Only whales and sea lions will be able to witness your proposal from here
© Casey Perry & Steve Moir
If wilderness is your high up on your proposal wishlist, remote British Columbia ticks all the boxes, as Casey Perry found out when she got engaged during a paddle boarding trip there.
“We stopped at an island for lunch next to a sea lion rookery when my now-husband, Steve Moir, proposed. It was just the two of us with the breath of humpback whales and the barks of sea lions as our witnesses. Later, we paddled back to our long house and fell asleep to wolves howling and ravens calling."
9. Climbing the Cosmiques Arête, Chamonix
Arête des Cosmiques is one of the most iconic alpine challenges
© twiga269; Flickr CC
Described as one of the ‘great alpine challenges’, the Cosmiques Arête in Chamonix, France is only reachable by a mix of abseiling, rock and ice climbing (yep, only experienced climbers need apply). The reward for your hard work? Incredible views and bragging rights to a badass proposal story.
“The views throughout the climb are spectacular,” says climber Sarah Wiseman. “We climbed up and abseiled down and climbed up again, following the route to the exit chimney which finishes below the Aiguille Du Midi tourist viewing platform. There, my boyfriend Dan got down on one knee as tourists cheered in the background.”
10. On a lava field in Landmannalaugar, Icelandic Highlands
With hot springs, the Icelandic Highlands are an ethereal proposal location
© Anna Cathro & Scott AllAn
A geothermal area with natural hot springs and stunning coloured peaks, Landmannalaugar forms part of Iceland’s Fjallabak Nature Reserve, where Anna Cathro and Scott Allan got engaged during a group run along the length of Iceland.
“The location couldn’t have been more beautiful,” says Anna who said yes after Scott proposed at the top of a lava field while she was filming their daily vlog. “After five days of running back-to-back marathons and seeing the same glacier and road through the same desert, we finally had some hills, some colour and a campsite with a natural hot spring.”
11. Trekking up Ghandruk, Nepal
A proposal under the moonlight in Nepal? It doesn't get much better
© Julia Sage-Bell
The charming mountain village of Ghandruk is set in the Modi Khola Valley and is a popular trekking area in the Annapurna foothills.
“Ghandruk was the highest point of our trek so not massively hardcore but still some decent hills to climb,” says Julia Sage-Bell who was on a trek from Pokhara to Phedi when her husband asked her to marry him.
“He proposed to me in the moonlight with a stunning view of Machhapurchre, the ‘fishtail peak’, in the background. I had no idea what he was planning or how he managed to smuggle a ring up in our limited luggage!”
12. Camping in the Galápagos
An archipelago of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean, the Galápagos Islands are renowned for their biodiversity and abundance of wildlife (think: giant tortoises and marine iguanas).
Keen naturalist Danielle Martin was on a trip with ROW Adventures, when partner Will proposed while they were camping. “Just as we were about to go to sleep, Will ferreted out a ring he had hidden and asked me to marry him while were looking at the starriest skies I've ever seen.”
13. Climbing Headstone Rock, Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave Desert
There's no chance of manicured nails with a proposal that involves climbing
© Rebecca Coles
Bouldering and climbing enthusiasts flock to Joshua Tree National Park in southern California for classic climbs including the giant freestanding boulder known as Headstone Rock.
Mountaineer Rebecca Coles had just topped Headstone Rock with partner Simon when he proposed. “It was so windy, I couldn’t really hear what he was saying and, as he'd also left the ring in the tent at the campsite, it was a bit hard to work out what he was asking. After we'd cleared up what we were saying to each other and I'd said ‘YES!’ we abseiled back down and returned to our camp for a celebratory cup of tea.”
14. On Stok Kangri, Himalayas
Not even sickness stopped Jamie from proposing on the majestic Stok Kangri
© Natalie Oliver-Ironmonger
Is your beloved a would-be mountaineer? The highest mountain of the Himalayas’ Stok range, Stok Kangri reaches 6154m but is considered less technical than most high altitude climbs.
Expedition medic Natalie Oliver-Ironmonger was climbing Stok Kangri with partner Jamie when illness sidelined her summit plans. It almost sidelined Jamie’s proposal, too.
“Turns out he’d planned on doing it on the summit but when I’d started vomiting he knew that wasn’t going to happen! In the end, he proposed after he returned from the summit. It was in the most stunning setting with friends around us who gave us a walking pole ‘guard of honour'."
15. Hiking the Aasgard Pass, The Enchantments, Washington, USA
Aasgard Pass provides the perfect engagement ring pic for Instagram
© Staci Phillips
Share a love of exhausting uphill treks? Gaining 2200ft of elevation in ¾ of a mile, the loose scree climb up Aasgard Pass is one of only two approaches to the spectacular Enchantment Lakes basin and has a well-deserved reputation for being brutal.
“It is tough,” agrees Staci Phillips, who got engaged after a rapid hike up with partner, Rylan. “I was videoing the spectacular views at the top and when I swept around, he dropped to one knee. I was impressed he even carried the ring box up as we were trying to pack ultra light!"
16. Hiking Mount Victoria, Colorado Rockies
The snow-capped peaks of Mount Washington provides a festive proposal
© Heidi Kumm
Featuring beautiful wild flowers and plenty of bird-watching opportunities, the hike up to Mount Victoria in the Colorado Rockies offers stunning summit views. Add plenty of snow and it’s a proposal-worthy winter wonderland.
“When we hiked up, the trail was mostly snow covered, sometimes knee-thigh deep so it took us two hours to hike the 2.5 miles and 2500ft of elevation,” says Heidi Kumm. “As we were taking a summit photo, my boyfriend Robb popped the question. We had panoramic views of the mountains where we live with the Gore Range as the highlight - the mountain range he had engraved in the ring."
17. Hiking the Königssee, Bavaria
The emerald waters of Lake Königssee is a picturesque proposal setting
© Katie Pullen
Framed by snow-tipped mountain peaks, the mirror-like Lake Königssee is an unforgettable proposal location all-year-round with the steep surrounding mountains providing a great vantage point.
“My fiancée asked me to marry her when we were hiking around Königssee in very deep snow, just seconds before I nearly lost my crampon down the side of the mountain!” says Katie Pullen.
18. Hiking the Kananaski River, Alberta, Canada
The forked tree overlooking Kananaski River where Dale popped the question
© Dale Kiselyk
From canoeing to camping, the Kananaski River is a veritable playground for the outdoor enthusiast.
Colleen Kiselyk, who runs her own outdoor adventure company, was on a canoeing and camping trip when she and partner Dale set off for a day of hiking in 20cm of fresh snow.
Cue a surprise proposal at a unique forked tree overlooking the river.“The exciting whitewater of the river, the freshness of the spring snowstorm, combined with our love of the outdoors and our love for each other, made a perfect backdrop for the proposal,” Dale explains.
19. Snowboarding off-piste in Les Arcs, France
With its crisp peaks and blue sky, Les Arcs is a stunning proposal spot
© Nicki Bass
Love heading off the beaten track in search of fresh powder? Boarder Nicki Bass’ husband proposed as they were negotiating a challenging set of off-piste moguls in Les Arc, France.
“I was a bit surprised he suggested the route as the moguls were pretty steep and he’d been complaining about how tired his legs were! About halfway down the slope, he sat down at the side of the hill. I went to check if he was okay and the next thing he pulled a ring out of his pocket. Thankfully we made it down without any injuries!”
20. The Red Bull Soap Box Race
Adventurers Alex Alley & Paula Reid on the big screen at Red Bull Soap Box
© Alex Alley
Speed-based adventures more your scene? Round-the-world record challenger Alex Alley proposed to girlfriend and adventurer Paula Reid at the top of the start of the Red Bull Soap Box, before the duo went hurtling down the hill at Alexandra Palace.
“He asked me in front of TV cameras and 20,000 people,” explains Paula. “And then we crashed at the bottom of the hill."
