Can’t decide where to go in 2025? We asked our writers and editors for their top travel picks

When we asked a handful of Adventure.com writers and our team where they’d love to travel to, or return to, in 2025, we weren’t surprised by the sheer variety of answers.

From celebrating Fat Bear Week in Alaska (yes, really, to celebrate the bears’ preparation for winter hibernation) and exploring the origins of Trinidad’s colorful carnival to hiking in Ladakh, one of the world’s highest regions, and retracing and discovering ancestral roots in Sweden, 2025 is already looking pretty enticing.

Claudia Laroye: Botswana and the Okavango Delta

I credit a woman I’ve never met as the inspiration for my desire to visit Botswana. The intrepid adventures of Mma Precious Ramotswe, the singular (and fictional) heroine of Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series captured my imagination more than 20 years ago. The personalities and places portrayed in the books piqued my interest and left me yearning to learn more about this small landlocked nation.

I hope that 2025 will be the year that life will imitate art and I’ll have the opportunity to visit Botswana to appreciate its culture, watch animals and birdlife thrive in Chobe, the country’s first National Park, and marvel at the sunset glow over the lush wetlands of the magnificent Okavango Delta.

Claudia Laroye is an award-winning freelance writer, author and content creator living in Vancouver, British Columbia. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Charukesi Ramadurai: Georgia

Their official tourism website declares proudly, “In Georgia, all roads lead to wine.” OK then, sign me up. In the spring of 2025, I am headed to Georgia, the Caucasus country located strategically between Asia and Europe, and borrowing socio-cultural influences from both continents.

Winemaking in Georgia can be traced back to 6000 BC, and there are over 525 Indigenous grape varieties still grown here. I am hoping to follow the wine route, visit vineyards, see the traditional qvevri winemaking method in action and, of course, taste some uniquely Georgian wines. And for when all the winey fumes clear, I am also planning on some easy hikes in Svaneti National Park or the Kazbegi region.

Charukesi Ramadurai is a freelance journalist, currently living in Kuala Lumpur, with a keen interest in wildlife and conservation issues. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Sarah Reid: Noto Peninsula, Honshu, Japan

Following the success of the Tōhoku region’s 1000-kilometer Michinoku Coastal Trail developed in the wake of Japan’s worst earthquake and tsunami in 2011, the Japanese government is now planning to create a new long-distance trail on the Ishikawa Prefecture’s secluded Noto Peninsula following the devastation wreaked by an earthquake and tsunami on New Year’s Day 2024.

But private operators are already launching new walks to help support the region’s recovery. High on my must-hike list is Walk Japan’s guided Onsen Gastronomy: Noto tour. Launching in April 2025, it’s designed to immerse walkers in the region’s scenic coastal landscapes, rich Kaga-ryori cuisine, elegant Wajima lacquerware traditions, and the inspiring resilience of local communities, with daily opportunities for onsen action.

Sarah Reid is an award-winning travel writer and author with a passion for positive-impact adventures and exploring underrated destinations. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Oliver Pelling: takayna, Tasmania, Australia

Tasmania’s Tarkine rainforest (or takayna in the native palawa kani language) is like Narnia IRL. Australia’s largest expanse of cool-temperate rainforest is wild and free and rugged and pristine. But it’s also under threat from an extractive, short-sighted and heavily subsidized native logging industry and a swathe of mining leases. Walking among giant Huon pines and eucalypts, you can’t fathom how anyone could consider taking anything from this place.

I strongly recommend taking some hikes through the rainforest, camping out at Corrina Wilderness Lodge and swimming and/or kayaking in the Pieman River (conditions allowing). Never has a place made me so aware of how much harm happens out of sight. And never has a place made me woken me up to the dire need for us to prevent that harm at all costs.

Oliver Pelling is editor-in-chief of Adventure.com and based in Melbourne, Australia. At any given moment, he will do almost anything for a taco and a cold beer. Read his stories on Adventure.com here

Toyo Odetunde: Trinidad

My dream destination for 2025 has to be Trinidad. Of course, there’s the carnival, one of the largest in the Caribbean, and being among crowds of revelers, many resplendent in their flamboyant costumes, spurred on by the rousing steelpan melodies of soca and calypso, would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

But I’m also keen to learn more from local people about the centuries-long history of this culturally significant event, and its roots in West African, French West Indian and Indigenous practices. Carnival aside, there’s so much more to the island. Birdwatching and hikes through the lush and sinuous Main Ridge Forest Reserve, wading through the jade-green pools of Argyle Falls…and the wonderfully spirited fusion cuisine—dishes cooked in literal melting pots!

Toyo Odetunde is a London-based writer and culinary enthusiast, writing on the connections between food, travel and culture. Read her first story for Adventure.com here

Anna Richards: French-Basque country

Food is the main reason I can’t wait to go back to the French Basque Country, southwest France, and the domestic trip I’m most excited to take. French cuisine usually misses a key component: Spice. But not here, where anything and everything is infused with Espelette, a sweet, medium-hot pepper. I want to dive into a piperade, a Basque shakshuka made with regular peppers and Espelette.

I’m following the call of mountains, beaches, and whitewashed Basque houses with beams redder than their chilli peppers, and I really want to time my visit for one of the region’s festivals. Top of the list are the legendary Fêtes de Bayonne, or Espelette’s pepper festival.

Anna Richards is an award-winning travel writer living in Lyon, France. Read her first story for Adventure.com here

Queenie Shaikh: Jordan

Jordan tops my bucket list for next year, especially for its rich Islamic history. While Petra gets much-deserved attention, the country has so many other significant historical sites, such as the Cave of the Seven Sleepers (Ashab al-Kahf) in Ar-Rajib near Amman. Believed to be an important cave mentioned in Islam and Christianity, it narrates the story of seven persecuted men who sought refuge in the cave and miraculously slept for 300 years, awakening to a completely different world.

The story of faith, perseverance, and divine intervention resonates across cultures. Exploring this aspect of Jordan would not only be a journey into the past, but also a chance to connect with legends that continue to inspire awe and wonder.

Queenie Shaikh is a British-Pakistani journalist whose articles often touch on traveling as an ethnic minority individual and seeking out-of-the-box experiences. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Tayla Gentle: Mount Kailash, Tibet

Mount Kailash, deep in the westernmost part of the Tibetan Plateau, is believed to be the Axis Mundi of the world—the point where heaven meets earth. In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon religions, Kailash is exceptionally sacred. And never to be summited.

That said, every year pilgrims make the journey to circumambulate the hallowed peak. The pilgrimage is known as the Kailash Kora and it’s a challenging 32-mile (52-kilometer) trek that starts at 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) and includes an 18,372-foot (5,600-meter) pass. I’d love to bear witness to the pilgrimage, capture the experience on film, and spend time in the ancient monasteries along the way.

Tayla Gentle is managing editor at Adventure.com, and an award-winning writer and video producer specializing in responsible adventure travel. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Leyla Rose: Raja Ampat, West Papua

In 2025, I’m most looking forward to visiting Raja Ampat, Indonesia, and exploring the ‘last paradise on Earth’ before more development (and a new direct flight from Bali) creeps in. There’s a belief that this archipelago in the heart of the Coral Triangle is just a ‘bucket list’ destination for scuba divers, but there’s much more to it than that.

While it’s for sure one of the world’s best dive sites, there are so many other outdoor adventures; snorkeling, island-hopping, sea kayaking, jungle-trekking, and spotting birds-of-paradise plants in their natural habitat. It’s a fantastic place for ecotourism, where travelers can stay at local homestays and join conservation efforts such as coral restoration, shark rewilding and mangrove planting.

Leyla Rose is a freelance travel and food writer based between Indonesia and the UK, covering stories from the world’s largest archipelago as well as further afield. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Kassondra Cloos: Tidaholm, Sweden

Like many Americans, much of my family history has been lost to time. We don’t have any traditions from the ‘old country’ passed down through the generations, so I’ve had to feed my curiosity with modern knowledge of the past. One place I’ve been particularly interested in is Tidaholm, a small town in southern Sweden that’s known today for forested mountain biking trails, great camping, and peaceful hiking.

When my great-grandfather was born there in the late 1800s, however, it was a poor, rural community with little opportunity. Most people made a living assembling matchboxes or making matchsticks for the local factory. I visited on a whim last summer on a spontaneous road trip through Sweden, and I was surprised to feel such a powerful connection that I was moved to tears as I drove through the forest. I want to go back there with my mom and learn everything I can about this place and how it’s changed over time.

Kassondra Cloos is Adventure.com’s news and gear writer. From Rhode Island and living in London, she focuses on slow travel, urban outdoor spaces and human-powered adventure. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Jamie Fullerton: Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA

Fat Bear Week is an annual online competition that sees ursine-admiring folks around the world vote for the heftiest bear in Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve. Like most human participants, I observe this heavy bears’ picnic largely through social media, my head slowly shaking in awe as I watch the flabulous fur-balls gorge on salmon before hibernation.

It’s given me a fish-tinged taste for more, and I’ve spent hours working out the logistics of spending a few days in the park, known as one of the best places in the world for brown bear-watching. The only thing stopping me booking is the fact that it’s so remote, the trip would cost me around a third of a year’s income…

Jamie Fullerton is a British freelance writer based on the road, most of the time. Read his stories on Adventure.com here

Meera Dattani: Kampala, Uganda

I’ve been visiting Uganda on-and-off for years. It’s the birthplace of my parents and has been home to my aunt, uncle and cousin since the 1980s when they returned after the Ugandan Asian expulsion. However, in recent years, I’ve spent far more time with Uganda’s nature and wildlife—going gorilla-, golden monkey- and chimp-tracking in Mghahinga, Bwindi, Kyambura Gorge and Kibale, and exploring Murchison and Queen Elizabeth National Parks—than with its people.

I’d like to spend more time in Kampala, the capital, to better understand the city and country that was my parent’s homeland and place of childhood, and to better appreciate Uganda’s history, creativity, community, and culture. Kampala is a city I love to poke and prowl around in, and there are excellent street and cultural tours, while nearby Entebbe (home to the international airport) and Lake Victoria remind me of my first trips here, and family stories of day trips, lazy Sundays and lakeside picnics. I’d now like to reconcile ‘rose-tinted glasses’ Kampala with the city of today.

Meera Dattani is executive editor at Adventure.com and a freelance travel journalist with an interest in food heritage, wildlife, conservation and culture stories. Read her stories on Adventure.com here

Christoffer Åhlén: São Tomé and Príncipe, West Africa

I’m obsessed with geography so I often use Google Maps to find new destinations to travel to. The wild, tropical island of São Tomé and Príncipe sits right on the equator and is one of the least visited countries in the world. Here, you can explore granite spires rising dramatically from turquoise waters or find a beach all to yourself.

But the real magic lies in connecting with its people, and SOMA Surf Therapy is a perfect way to do that. Their surf-based empowerment programs bring joy and growth to local youth, blending surfing with life skills. 2025—let’s go!

Christoffer Åhlén is a Swedish writer and photographer based in the UK. A winner of Life Framer’s 2024 Human Body competition, he’s currently working on a project documenting the pagan wild men and women of Europe. Read his stories on Adventure.com here

Emily Barlow: Yukon Territory, Canada

Despite being the smallest of Canada’s three territories, the Yukon’s size and scale seems to me unfathomable. Promises of glimpsing the northern lights and midnight sun are just some reasons to visit, but I’m even more intrigued by the remote, expansive landscapes and river systems that its 14 First Nations communities have called home for thousands of years.

I’ll be taking my time through Kluane National Park and Reserve, which features the country’s highest mountain at 19,550 feet (5,959 meters) and the largest non-polar icefields in the world. Plus the possibility of being among a wildlife density so high you’re more likely to see a moose than another human makes the effort to get to Yukon so worthwhile in my books.

Emily Barlow is partnerships and campaigns manager at Adventure.com, and based in the town of Revelstoke in British Columbia, Canada. See our latest campaign with Greenpeace here

Nicola Bailey: Ladakh, India

Despite visiting India several times, I’ve never ventured as far north as the Himalayan region of Ladakh. It’s one of the highest regions in the world (and home to the world’s highest drivable road) but I’m drawn as much to the culture and Tibetan Buddhist heritage as to the landscapes and hiking.

In parts, the arid mountains, sparsely populated villages and lunar-like landscape are a stark contrast to the region’s vibrant blue lakes and rivers and its capital, Leh. I’m keen to explore some of Ladakh’s valleys on one of the many treks you can do in the Ladakh Range, part of the Karakoram mountains, and visit the monasteries perched high in the mountains.

Nicola Bailey is Adventure.com’s photo editor. An award-winning photographer living between Sydney and New York City, she has a particular interest in remote and challenging locations. See her photo stories on Adventure.com here

Shafik Meghji: Kachchh (Kutch), Gujarat, India

The westernmost tip of India, Kachchh is a vast, arid peninsula virtually cut off from the rest of Gujarat. Larger than Denmark and encircled by marshlands, the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Kutch, the region’s near isolation has given it a distinct identity, culture and language. I was drawn here because of family links—my paternal grandparents emigrated from Kachchh more than a century ago.

But it receives few travelers, despite the dramatic landscapes—mesmeric salt flats, long sandy beaches, grasslands teeming with endangered wild asses and migratory birds such as flamingos. Renowned for its rich textile, craft and dhow-building traditions, Kachchh is also home to the atmospheric medieval city of Bhuj and fascinating ancient Indus civilization sites.

Shafik Meghji is an award-winning travel writer, journalist and author of ‘Crossed off the Map: Travels in Bolivia’. Read his stories on Adventure.com here

Sophie Morgan: Space

Space has always captivated me—a vast, infinite expanse where boundaries dissolve, and possibilities feel limitless. As a wheelchair user, I’ve spent all my adult life navigating a world designed filled with barriers. But up there? In zero gravity, there is no such thing. No stairs to climb, no limitations to overcome—just floating, soaring, being.

I’d love to experience the wonder of seeing Earth from above, that ‘overview effect’ astronauts speak of, a shift in perspective that brings us closer to understanding how connected we are. Plus, imagine bringing disability representation to space! It’s a powerful reminder that there should be no limits on anyone’s dreams. Not sure what I would pack, but I do know I don’t need my wheelchair up there!

Sophie Morgan is TV presenter, writer, artist and disability advocate who’s made it her mission to improve air travel or wheelchair travelers. Read her articles on Adventure.com here

From all of us at Adventure.com: Happy travels, near and afar, for 2025. We hope the list has inspired you to discover the world, from your armchair or on the ground.

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