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Where to Go in 2026: My Picks
My 2026 picks: Uganda, Kenya, Australia and Zambia, plus Guyana and Northern Albania. Places that cap visitor numbers and still feel wild if you plan them well.
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Travel demand is back to normal, but good access and quality are still scarce. The places worth going in 2026 are the ones that cap visitor numbers and still feel wild. None of the picks below are new; they've held up well, as long as you go to the right parts of them.
Uganda is still one of the most undervalued safari destinations anywhere.
Bwindi stays good because of regulation. Permit limits, well-trained trackers, and a growing number of low-impact forest lodges keep gorilla encounters small.
Kidepo is worth building a trip around: open savannah, cheetah, lion, and some of the lowest vehicle densities in Africa. As other parks get busier, its remoteness is the luxury.
Routed well, Queen Elizabeth adds water-based wildlife and crater landscapes, a useful contrast between the forest and the far-north wilderness.
High biodiversity, improving infrastructure, and safaris that still feel unscripted.
Kenya remains Africa's most sophisticated safari country and also its most uneven: the gap between a great trip and an overcrowded one is wider here than anywhere else.
The national reserve takes the volume; the surrounding conservancies protect the experience. Limited beds, enforced vehicle caps, and walking and night drives make them the right choice for serious travelers.
Laikipia is Kenya's most versatile region, with rhino conservation, private land, walking safaris, and dramatic terrain. It pairs well with the Mara without repeating it.
Amboseli's elephants are still the reason to go. To enjoy them, keep the stay short, time it carefully, and pick a camp away from day-visitor traffic.
Top guiding, mature conservation models, and deep operational experience, if you choose the right areas.
Australia works best when you plan it region by region. It remains one of the best places in the world to see wilderness without mass tourism.
A well-known example of ecological recovery. Kangaroo Island now has some of Australia's best conservation-led stays, with endemic wildlife and wild coastline.
The world's oldest rainforest, with serious naturalist guiding. The eco-lodges put the forest ahead of showy luxury.
Ningaloo's reputation keeps growing, but visitor numbers stay low. Responsible whale shark swims and intact reef make it one of the best marine trips anywhere.
Size, biodiversity, and room to move, without crowds, cruise ships, or mass-market pressure.
Zambia is for travelers who care more about wildness than polish.
Still the benchmark for walking safaris, with high leopard density, guides who explain what you're seeing rather than chase sightings, and camps built close to the bush.
A canoe safari on the Zambezi is one of the most visceral wildlife experiences in Africa: silent, unscripted, and up close.
A remote migration under huge skies, and one of Africa's best conservation success stories, without the infrastructure that brings crowds.
Few tourists, a strong guiding culture, and safaris that still feel earned.
Both take patience and the right local partners.
Guyana is one of the least-visited countries in South America and one of the most biologically intact anywhere. More than 85% of the country is intact rainforest, with ecosystems closer to the Congo Basin than to the Andes or the Amazon hotspots further west.
It suits travelers who want real wilderness without crowds.
Key regions include:
Accommodation is deliberately limited, often community-owned, and built around naturalist guiding rather than traditional luxury. That's a feature.
Infrastructure is improving carefully, conservation governance is strong, and visitor numbers stay low. For travelers who have done Patagonia and the Galápagos, Guyana offers something rarer: silence, scale, and real scientific importance.
Northern Albania is one of Europe's last real backcountry regions, with dramatic scenery, a strong local culture, and little mass tourism.
The Albanian Alps (also known as the Accursed Mountains) rival the Dolomites for scenery but are decades behind in development. Expect stone villages, shepherd trails, glacial valleys, and family-run guesthouses.
Highlights include:
Luxury here means a private guide, simple but well-run places to stay, and an itinerary paced around the landscape.
Better access without overdevelopment, rising international interest, and a chance to see a European mountain culture before it becomes standardized.
Uganda, Kenya, Australia, and Zambia remain my anchors because they still deliver depth over volume. Guyana and Northern Albania show where things are heading next.
If you're thinking about a 2026 trip and want advice based on firsthand knowledge and conservation realities rather than trends, get in touch.
Every itinerary begins with a 20-minute planning call. From there, a $250 planning fee, credited in full toward your booked trip and non-refundable if you don’t book. I brief the property before you arrive — that's what the fee funds.
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