13 Top Travel Phobias And How To Conquer Them

We’ve all been there. We all have had our set of fears; they have changed over the course of time, some aggravated, some perished. One of the best attributes of travelling is to come out of our comfort zones, to face our fears and overcome them. But there are some bizarre travel phobias that are almost impossible to imagine and grave to overcome!

Here’s a list of 13 Travel Phobias you won’t believe exist.

Caution: Read the list only if you don’t suffer from Triskaidekaphobia- the fear of No. 13

1. Aviophobia- Fear of Flying

You have the passport handy, tickets in your wallet, a dream destination in mind and you are at the airport. If the only thing that scares you is boarding the flight, you probably have Aviophobia- the fear of flying. This also explains those goose-bumps you get when you think of sky diving.

Worst fear: A flight from Australia to California

Fear Factor: The longest flight in the world

2. Atephobia- Fear Of Ancient Ruins

However appealing visiting the ancient ruins of Machu-Picchu, Harappa Mohenjo-Daro or Han Yangling might sound, there are some of you intimidated just by the idea of being in the same place where civilizations flourished and vanished centuries ago.  If Atephobia- the fear of ancient ruins is what you have, better stay away from them; though you are surely missing out on some great experiences.

Worst Fear: Machu-Picchu, Peru

Fear Factor: Steep and intimidating structure

3. Xenophobia-Fear Of Strangers Or Foreigners

Going on a dream vacation, exploring new world and falling in love with a stranger is a fantasy of many travel enthusiasts; but beware. There might be some of you scared as a chicken just with the idea of being around strangers or foreigners. You probably have Xenophobia- fear of strangers or foreigners and your soul-mate can never be from a land far far away.

Worst Fear: Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Fear Factor: Festival with 2 million strangers and foreigners coming together!

4. Hodophobia- Fear of Road Trips

"Ain’t no mountain high enough” playing on the radio, a carry-on packed with food enough for lifetime and pack of friends with a legendary car is the perfect road-trip one can imagine. But if any one of you has Hodophobia which is the fear of road trips, it can be a lousy idea!

Worst Fear: Road Trip to Alaska’s Seward Highway, USA

Fear Factor:  No billboards, no tollbooths, few towns, and fewer gas stations

You don't have it and love road-trips? Here's an interesting read on 10 Cross Country Roadtrips in USA

5. Disposophobia- Fear of Losing Things

Lost wallet, stolen passport, missing baggage can give panic attacks even to the bravest travellers, but disposophobic travellers are people who are repelled even with the slight possibility of losing their bobby pins.

Worst Fear: Ninoy Aquino International airport, Manila, Philippines

Fear Factor: Claimed as worst in the world for tampered and lost baggage.

6. Xenoglossophobia- Fear of Foreign Languages

It’s said that humans dream in their Mother tongue and it is the closest language to the person’s conscience; but learning a foreign language can not only be interesting but enriching in many ways. But people with Xenoglossophobia disagree! Their strange apprehension to foreign languages will find them using translator apps wherever they go!

Worst Fear: India

Fear Factor: A country with 122 major languages and 1599 other languages.

7. Agrizoophobia: Fear of Wild Animals

Jungle Safaris, National parks and the adorable animal-feeding sessions at zoos sounds like one of the finest travel ideas. Unless you have Agrizoophobia where you are so scared of wild animals that you wonder why they exist!

Worst Fear: Kenya

Fear Factor: The big fives- elephant, rhino, leopard, lion and wild buffalo

8. Hylophobia- Fear of Forests

We really find ourselves when we are in the presence of nature and what better way to be in the proximity with natural bounty than camping in forests!

Sickening? You have Hylophobia. Also known as xylophobia, ylophobia, and dendrophobia- a psychological disorder that never lets you stay out in the woods!

Worst Fear: Amazon Rainforest, South America

Fear Factor: World’s largest tropical forest spread over 443 hectares.

9. Macrophobias- Fear of Long Waits 

Admit it. We all hate waiting. But scared of long waits? That’s weird! Macrophobic travellers are repellent to queues, lay-over waits and they are the people who just freak out with the idea of waiting rooms.

Worst Fear: The Green Bay packers season football game, USA

Feat Factor: The front office tells the waiting time to get the ticket 30 years and if you register today, you would get to watch the game after 955 years!

10. Nomophobia- Fear of Losing Cell Phone Reception

Technology has taken over our lives. Having a Cell Phone reception has risen above the need of drinking water but wait; do you get alarmingly freaked out when you are out of coverage area? You probably (and beware many of us) have Nomophobia.

Worst Fear: A vacation in Countryside Mongolia

Fear Factor: Wast stretches of Land with absolutely no mobile network

11. Agyrophobia- Fear of Crossing Street

Thousands of high-speed cars with twinkling lights honking in high amplitude might scare you when crossing a street, but if you suffer from Agyrophobia; things worsen. Shaky legs, palpitation that hampers proper breathing are few symptoms of people of have fear of crossing streets.

Worst Fear: Shanghai, China

Fear Factor: Winding Maze of Roads with super fast cars

12. Autophobia- Fear of Being Isolated

No one likes to be alone, some enjoy solitude, but no one ever wants to be isolated. Autophobic people have the fear of being isolated; they can never go on a solo-hike, never camp on a lonely island and never take a huge suite for themselves.

Worst Fear: Greenland

Fear Factor: 0.03 people per square kilometre

13. Ipovlopsychophobia-Fear of Having One’s Photograph Taken

Selfies, groupies, photos on cameras and phones- Photographs are the integral part of travelling and capturing memories and preserving them is quintessential. Also, clicking images with travel buddies and locals is common. Ipovlopsychophobic people disagree. They have a strange fear of being clicked and are scared even with the idea of Lens sound.

Worst Fear: Practically every place that has people with camera!

Fear Factor: No photos Please!

So, Do you think you have any of these?

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