Top 9 Travel Experiences of 2024, Selected by Luxury Advisors

Pandemic-era lockdowns have ushered in the rise of “travel experiences”—meaningful, purpose-driven activities that take you deep into a destination and are often slow and slow.

Simply going there is no longer enough. Many people want to learn about it and become mentally transformed in the process.

That may seem like a high bar for a summer vacation, but luxury travel company Virtuoso asked 20,000 travel advisors to share their top experiences of 2024.

Here are nine “must-have” experiences that made it to the top of our list.

While traditional tourism focuses on filling daytime hours with activities, dark sky tourism is all about the night.

The focus is on the wonders of the night sky, from stargazing to viewing the Northern Lights, but trips may also include tours to see nocturnal animals.

Virtuoso recommends traveling to Norway, Iceland and Canada, while pointing out that travelers who prefer warmer climates will see a total solar eclipse in northern Mexico on April 8.

Travelers can also visit one of the 200 locations in 22 countries designated as “Dark Sky Places” by the nonprofit organization DarkSky International, from Blanco, Texas to Albania, Spain.

Safaris are at the top of many travelers’ bucket lists, but you shouldn’t get too hung up on spotting the ‘big five’: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and African buffalo.

Virtuoso said the “slow safaris” focus on all of Africa’s animal life and landscapes, “providing an ideal balance to the adrenaline-inducing wildebeest migrations and lion hunts.”

“Slow safaris offer an opportunity to enjoy Africa’s lesser-known wildlife at a more relaxed pace,” said Misty Bells, vice president of global communications for the company. “From birdwatching to your guide observing the ultimate find, the aardvark, a successful safari extends beyond the Big Five.”

Wellness destinations can be found anywhere, but Virtuoso recommends escaping stress in “the happiest country in the world, or the land of smiles,” Bhutan or Thailand, respectively.

Bhutan’s famous Gross National Happiness (GNH) Index measures the collective happiness and well-being of its people. Enacted in 2008, it has become a major driving force behind the country’s tourism and economic policies.

Visits have also become cheaper after the country temporarily halved its $200 per day sustainable development fee.

When it comes to Thailand, Virtuoso advisors recommend “well-known regions such as Chiang Mai and Koh Samui,” as well as more secluded locations.

InterContinental Khao Yai Resort is one such example. Located 2.5 hours from Bangkok, the spa and rooms are built inside a luxurious upcycled rail car near the UNESCO-listed Khao Yai National Park.

japan rail pass, The fastest growing travel website in the US won’t help travelers explore North America, but it will allow them to travel around Japan by train.

According to data analysis firm Similarweb, the website has seen the highest average monthly traffic growth (+239%) among U.S. users from 2022 to 2023, and increased interest in visiting among international visitors. It became clear that there was a rise in

Virtuoso notes the popularity of visiting Japan in the spring, when cherry blossoms bloom in places like Kyoto and Kanazawa. However, the company’s advisors urge travelers to consider a winter visit “when ski season is in full swing and the peaks of Mt. Fuji are covered in snow.”

Popular expedition cruises from Antarctica to the Galapagos Islands often have experts on board, such as historians and geologists, catering to those looking for an extra element of adventure.

“More and more people don’t want a typical vacation,” James Cole, founder of UK-based cruise agency Panache Cruises, told CNBC Travel.

“People are craving adventure…There’s a kind of romanticism here that harkens back to the days of great explorers like Hillary, Cousteau and Shackleton.”

There are many ways to travel between Paris, the capital of France, and Istanbul, Turkey, located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe.

But perhaps none is as luxurious and expensive as the Venice Simplon Orient Express, Belmond train.

The train operates short trips in Europe, many lasting just one or two nights, but it only carries passengers from Paris to Istanbul once a year.

For travelers departing in August, Virtuoso recommends soaking up the Olympics first before leaving the city in style.

Hobbies may be home-related, but Virtuoso recommends getting outside with your passion.

The society’s advisers recommend gardening buffs book a trip to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London in May, while bookworms should head to the library at Prague’s Strahov Monastery. It would be good too.

A new company called Dinosaur Trips allows hobbyists to join paleontologist Brian Curtis on a journey to dig for bones and explore fossil sites across the United States.

“These trips are a paleontology fan’s dream,” Curtis said, noting that the trips include “amazing exhibits of dinosaurs, mammals, marine reptiles, pterosaurs, fish, and more…Paleontology It added that it contains the true nature and contents of the wonders of the world.

Virtuoso says chartering a private island is the ultimate secluded vacation.

However, you don’t need to book the entire island to get a similar stay.

From the remote Bawa Reserve in Indonesia’s Riau Archipelago to The Resort on Isla Palenque in Panama, private island stays are for those looking to escape from it all, with sand trails instead of roads. , go to destinations where there are private villas instead of traditional hotels.

Culinary tours are not new, but they offer a window into a culture’s past and present.

Virtuoso recommends exploring Peruvian cuisine at the Mistura Food Festival and checking out street food in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Guided cooking classes and food tourism, like Mexico City’s The Curious Mexican, can also directly support local residents.