For those of us who love to travel, the past year and a half has been incredibly challenging. Yes, the global pandemic has been difficult to deal with, but the fact that it has put a halt to our opportunities to explore the world has been even more frustrating. Fortunately, things are starting to look up, and in 2022 it looks like we might be able to begin to venture out once again.
If you’ve started to think about the possible places you might want to go on your next adventure, National Geographic is here to help. The iconic organization has just released its list of 25 amazing journeys for 2022, blending classic travel destinations with some intriguing new places to add to your bucket list.
Pick a Category
For convenience sake, the Nat Geo team has broken their list down into several categories to help readers determine just what kind of trips and destinations they want to visit. Those categories include the best places to enjoy nature, find an adventure, and champion the cause of sustainability. This being National Geographic, the list also consists of the best destinations for families and culture and history.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a Nat Geo article without stunning photography as well. Each location that is highlighted on the “amazing journeys” list is accompanied by a beautiful image that provides some sense of what to expect when you get there. The photos alone are enough to help satiate our wanderlust for a little while, inspiring memories of past trips and dreams of those yet to come.
Old Favorites and New Opportunities
The recommended destinations for 2022 span the globe, offering places to go on six of the seven continents. Sorry Antarctica, you didn’t make the cut this year. With COVID still lingering, it is still tough to recommend that anyone get on a cruise ship in the foreseeable future. Even if it is going to one of the remote places on the planet.
Some classic destinations that made the cut include Italy, China, Japan, and Turkey. Each of those has been on the radar of globetrotters for decades, and many of us have probably already visited most or all of those places. But the Nat Geo list isn’t about checking off a particular list of locations. Instead, it is about finding unique experiences. For instance, in China, the recommendation is to visit a 1400-year old tea plantation that is about to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Turkey, travelers are encouraged to leave the well-traveled tourist roads behind and learn more about the nomadic Yörük people in the Lycia region instead.
If you’re looking for a few surprises amongst the amazing journeys, Nat Geo has you covered as well. Its travel writers recommend a visit to Russia’s Lake Baikal, which is known as the deepest lake on the planet at 5315 feet (1620 meters). Other recommendations are a visit to Namibia to discover the next great safari destination and the remote island of Palau to go diving with sharks.
Beyond that, I won’t spoil the rest of the list, as discovering what places and experiences are recommended is part of the fun.
Safe Travels
If you are planning a trip for 2022, it is important to keep a close eye on the pandemic situation at that destination and the current requirements for entry. Many countries are allowing international visitors to cross their borders provided they have proof of vaccination and a negative COVID test. Others are only requiring a negative test, with no current destinations fully open without restrictions of some kind.
The U.S. State Department and Center for Disease Control websites are good resources for up to date information on the current conditions anre requirments for any country. Consult those sites before making plans and watch the news closely. While things have improved in some corners of the globe, things are evolving rapdily. Part of Europe are getting hit very hard right now, even though vaccines are avaialble and we’re approaching the end of the second year with the virus.
Hopefully, with continued caution and dillience—not to mention a bit of luck—we can all set of on some amazing journeys of our own next year. Until then, stay safe and healthy. The world is waiting.
Check out the full list of Nat Geo’s 25 Amazing Journeys here.
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