Words by Bridie Newman
Looking for your next adventure? You’ll find it on our list of the 15 most exciting destinations for 2024. Curated by luxury travel experts Abercrombie & Kent, these are one-of-a-kind experiences designed to take you down roads less travelled and tick off your wildest travel dreams. You could be trekking across the Pekoe Trail in Sri Lanka, setting sail a luxury expedition to the North Pole or exploring the crinkle-cut fjords of Norway.
Known for its fjords – long, narrow sea inlets with steep sides or cliffs – the country of Edvard Munch and picture-perfect scenery is primed for epic outdoor adventures. Hike the Aurlandsdalen, row down rapids, embark on a guided glacier climb and take in breath-taking views from a helicopter. After each action-packed day, retreat to your wilderness lodge for a health-boosting ice bath and soothing sauna.
The poster child for adventure travel, Iceland isn’t short on natural wonders. A flight to Akureyri in the north is a gateway to some of the country’s lesser-known treasures. Whether it’s the spectacular Godafoss waterfall (pictured), vast lava landscapes, highland hot springs or humpback whale-watching expeditions, expect to make lasting memories.
If you like Italy’s expansive wine culture and cinematic landscapes without the crowds that Tuscany attracts, Piedmont is for you. Home to big personality red wines like Barolo and a wealth of Michelin stars, it’s perfect for an authentic taste of ‘la dolce vita’.
Flip flops at the ready. This unspoilt island offers sandy coves and whitewashed Cycladic buildings à la Mamma Mia! and has all the charm of neighbouring Mykonos without the crowded beach clubs. It has arty hilltop villages and glamorous boutique hotels.
Dive into Europe's best-kept secret and witness the Soča Valley’s vivid aquamarine river and soaring Julian Alps.
Small but mighty, Slovenia is one of Europe’s hidden gems with a picturesque medley of Alps landscapes and medieval castles. Take to Lake Bled (pictured) for a rowing lesson from an Olympian or join a culinary river cruise to try a slice of Bled cream cake. Slovenia's slow-food scene is carving a global reputation and a visit to the local vineyard’s should be at the top of your list.
A pioneer for the best of both, Saudi Arabia promises unspoiled ancient sites and futuristic developments. The awe-inspiring history of rock-carved Hegra tombs of AlUla and Jeddah’s 7th-century Al Balad neighbourhood can be explored with guides while sci-fi projects like The Line, a linear smart city being built, and the Trojena Neom ski resort, are turning heads around the world.
More of the intrepid type? Take a meditative shortcut to Sri Lanka’s inner heart in the little-visited Central Highlands. Hike the Pekoe Trail, a new 300km network of routes that snakes through the overlooked corners of the country – from working tea plantations to train journeys over the Nine Arch Bridge (pictured) and panoramic views from Ella Rock.
How does floating in a hot-air balloon above vibrant green rice paddies and temples as the sun rises sound? With its Khmer Empire past and the freshwater Tonlé Sap, Siem Reap has so much to offer beyond Angkor Wat.
Swap Japan’s megacities for exploring on foot – slow travel style. Go off the beaten track and walk Nakasendo Way, an ancient route linking Tokyo to Kyoto, that winds through mountains, little-changed post towns and bamboo forests.
Delve beyond the headline acts of Arizona and adventure into the state’s ancestral lands and a UNESCO-lauded food scene in Tucson. By night, stargaze from glass-cube bedrooms at Sedona’s landscape hotel, the Ambiente.
Over a quarter of Costa Rica is protected as national parks, marine reserves and conservation sanctuaries.
Eco-conscious travellers, listen up. Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula has a rich biodiversity, regenerative resorts and community-based tourism that benefits the local area. Surfers, yogis and barefoot travellers will feel at home in the salt-sprayed beach town of Santa Teresa. Stay at the Our Habitas resort for farm-to-table dining and meditation classes.
Beyond Marrakech’s art-filled riads, there’s the little-visited areas in the south of Morocco. With the Memory Road expedition, you can take in rare argan trees, savour the sunset and an aperitif on the tip of a dune and dine by the fire surrounded by the Atlas Mountains.
If you’re a fan of The Lion King, you can go on the safari that inspired DreamWorks' co-founder, just in time for the film’s 30th anniversary. Witness panoramas of the Great Migration and try to spot the majesty of African elephants out on the savannah.
The desert oasis of Siwa is one of those destinations that sums up intrepid travel with ancient ruins to explore, palm trees to lounge under and desert springs to bathe in.
History, mystery and awe is the name of the game in Egypt. A stay and private charter on the Sanctuary Zein Nile Chateau promises stories of pharaohs and gods from an Egyptologist as you walk the 3,000-year-old Avenue of Sphinxes. For a relaxing yet beguiling trip among palm trees and desert springs, escape to the remote oasis desert town of Siwa in the west. Don’t miss a visit to the 13th-century Fortress of Shali and a stay at candle-lit eco-lodge, Adrère Amellal.
Climb aboard the luxury North Pole Expedition Cruise starting in Longyearbyen to venture far beyond the point other Arctic cruises go into seldom-seen sea ice. With expert historians, naturalists and polar experts onboard, witness the ship cut through the marginal ice zone as you spot whales, polar bears and Artic gulls. Off board, hike over the ice, kayak through open channels or – if you’re feeling brave – take an invigorating polar plunge.
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