Bucket List Travel Destinations You Can’t Miss

Photo Courtesy: Frank Günther/iStock

Travel is a timeless aspiration that resonates deeply with people from all walks of life. Just think about it: next time you chat with someone about their bucket list, you’ll likely be inspired by their tales of dream destinations and the thrilling adventures they hope to embark on. The allure of exploring new places and immersing oneself in diverse cultures is a powerful part of the human experience.

If you haven’t started your own bucket list yet, now is the time! A lot of great destinations deserve a spot on your 2020 bucket list. Take a look!

Antarctica

If you don’t have Antarctica on your bucket list, nobody can blame you. It’s not exactly the most accessible travel destination in the world, and even if it was, you would probably wonder what you could possibly see or do on the frozen continent. Frankly, you might be surprised, but more importantly, how many people do you know who can say they’ve been to Antarctica?

If you’re going to go, do it right. Chimu Adventures is the outfit behind Highlights of the Frozen Continent, a cruise you won’t soon forget. How does 12 days of hanging with penguins, whale-spotting and exploring sound?

Seychelles

If you don’t already know about it, Seychelles is an archipelago of islands off the Eastern coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. The islands are known for pristine nature reserves, dive-worthy coral reefs and world-class beaches. The short version is you have to put Seychelles on your travel bucket list.

Exodus Travels offers the Ultimate Seychelles tour to give you a complete experience cruising through the islands on a ship with an underwater lounge. One of the highlights is a visit to the Aldabra Atoll, home to a colony of 152,000 giant tortoises.

Greenland

Greenland is a massive, remote island nation that is home to some of the most undisturbed natural habitat remaining in the world. Natural Habitat Adventures’ East Greenland Arctic Safari aims to give visitors — maybe including you! — a first-hand glimpse into Greenland’s pristine natural habitats.

The trip is a nine-day adventure centered around a “luxury” base camp. While you will certainly be in one of the most remote environments offered to travelers, you won’t be roughing it, meaning you get the best of both worlds. Activities include kayaking, hiking and interacting with Inuit natives.

Tuscany

If you’re into wine country and all that goes with it — getting nice and toasty in a temperate, sunny environment, for one — then you may as well shoot for the stars. Napa Valley and Martha’s Vineyard are nice, but when you’re talking about taking the trip of a lifetime and wine in the same breath, you can’t beat Tuscany.

EF Go Ahead Tours and America’s Test Kitchen give you not only some of the best wines Tuscany has to offer but also taste of Italy’s legendary food offerings. Truffle sampling, wine tasting and breathtaking scenery. Who could say no to all that?

Jordan

This Jordanian adventure is likely to appeal specifically to serious cyclists. In fact, for those with a serious cycling itch, it may appeal in a major way. Even less serious bikers might be able to keep up on this eight-day trip through the historic nation in the Middle East.

You can’t beat the lineup of Saddle Skedaddle’s Jordanian adventure in terms of awe-inspiring sites. Destinations include Petra, a soak in the Dead Sea, Amman, the Ajloun Forest Reserve, the Madaba Plateau and Wadi Rum. Not familiar with these places? That’s okay, you haven’t done the Jordanian jaunt yet!

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago province that belongs to Ecuador and are situated in the Pacific Ocean, and they are beyond beautiful. The islands are known especially for their abundance of diverse, colorful and tourist-friendly wildlife, and you will get to see many different types if you book a spot on G Adventures’ Galapagos Multisport excursion.

Those who take the trip experience the islands of Floreana, Isabela and Santa Cruz, where they can swim with giant tortoises, see the Charles Darwin Research Station and hike into a volcanic crater. The tour also includes a jaunt around Ecuador’s capital, Quito.

Japan

Hokkaido is Japan’s second-largest island and the northernmost of the main Japanese islands. Known for natural hot springs, skiing and scenic volcanoes, Hokkaido is best visited in the winter. In fact, you can’t go wrong with Oku Japan’s Hokkaido Winter Tour.

The trip is self-guided, which is ideal for those who like to move at their own pace. Activities include a hike on a slab of drift ice, a snowshoe trek through a UNESCO World Heritage nature preserve and plenty of time for relaxing in Hokkaido’s world-renowned hot springs. Maybe it’s time to make next winter a Japanese Winter.

Kazakhstan

Be honest — unless you’re among the more experienced travelers in the world, you probably don’t have any nation with the suffix -stan on your bucket list. If that is the case, you’re overlooking one nation that is rich in culture and natural beauty: Kazakhstan.

Intrepid Travel’s Kazakhstan Adventure takes you to the ruins of Otrar and Sayram on a path that takes you through various other must-see cultural hotspots, including the former Soviet-era spaceport of Baikonur, where you find the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Kazakhstan offers the untamed majesty of Asia from ancient times mixed with quirky modern culture.