Here are the 11 most exciting travel experiences on the planet for 2026

According to the world’s best experiential travel show.

How do travel editors get their ideas?

From press trips, personal travels and pitches from our plugged-in contributors to updates from a global network of publicists who always seem to have their finger on the pulse. But one of my favourite ways of researching is by attending an industry event like PURE Life Experiences.

Each year, 1500 travel professionals – operators, agents and media – descend on Marrakech for this world-leading experiential travel trade show to connect and exchange ideas. Inspiration is sparked everywhere from one-on-one meetings to chance encounters on rooftops and overheard conversations at candlelit dinners.

It all adds up to a head (and notebook) full of ideas that eventually filter through to our magazines and websites – helping us share the most up-to-date, inspiring travel stories with you, our readers.

Here are the travel experiences that excited me most at the show, which I predict will make waves in 2026 and beyond.

The remote retreat: Shakti Prana, Himalayas

Overlook the mountains from one of seven cabins at the exclusive Shakti Prana in the Himalayas. (Image: Andrea Gentl/ Martin Hyers)

While in Marrakech, I picked up on a buzz around Shakti Prana, a remote retreat in the Indian Himalayas that was just about to open.

The latest offering from Shakti Himalaya – renowned for its walking journeys through the region – Shakti Prana marks an evolution of both the brand’s portfolio and tourism in the Himalayas, which is seeing a shift towards sustainable luxury.

The new retreat is peak private: its seven cabins each have their own sitting room, bedroom and bathroom framed by mountain views. Ease into the morning with yoga, walk through the surrounding landscape by day and gather round the fire pit by night after a dinner of chef-prepared family recipes that dial you into mountain culture.

Named after the Sanskrit word for ‘breath’, Prana is set in the mountains of Kumaon. What captured my imagination was the idea of enlightenment-seekers such as Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg travelling to this lesser-known corner of northern India in the 1960s.

You can follow in their footsteps on a five- or seven-night Village Walks experience with Shakti Himalaya, which includes three nights at Prana from $9850 per person based on two people sharing.

The visionary tourism concept: WildLand, Scotland

One of several unique stays scattered across 13 estates covering 90,000 hectares in the Scottish Highlands. (Image: Fran Mart)

There is no other tourism concept like this in Europe – and I love it.

WildLand is an ambitious conservation project that is playing the long game with a vision to rewild the Scottish Highlands and revive its communities over the course of 200 years.

With beautiful places to stay scattered across 13 estates covering 90,000 hectares, it uses hospitality as a tool for restoration and regeneration – whether tracking the population progress of the golden eagle, a potent symbol in Celtic mythology, or restoring ancient Caledonian pine forests.

From Loch Ness and the Cairngorm mountains to the wild far-north coastline, it’s all about experiencing the raw beauty and soul of the Highlands while bedding down in elevated stays where every detail is considered. Think characterful wee guesthouses, design-led self-catering cottages, mountain bothies, historic lodges and even a Baronial castle.

In July 2025, WildLand unveiled three newly restored cottages on its Aldourie Estate on the banks of Loch Ness and I can’t wait to see what its new lodge, Hope, looks like when it flings open its doors on the far north coast in the Scottish springtime.

The coolest coolcation location: The Brecon, Switzerland

The Brecon offers the perfect Swiss alpine escape for those seeking a ‘coolcation’. (Image: Michael Sinclair)

The Swiss alpine lodge gets a reimagining at this design-led abode in Adelboden, and I can see myself moving in (in my dreams).

The Brecon opened in July 2024 but I suspect, as the trend for ‘coolcations’ (travellers favouring cooler climes over literal hotspots during the warmer months) continues, it will be one of the places to stay in Europe next summer.

Housed in a building that dates to 1914, it has been an ‘it’ place before. Previously known as the Waldhaus, it was a glamorous place to see and be seen in the 1950s and ’60s. But today it’s more about quiet luxury (and with any luck, not being seen).

The Brecon was designed by Amsterdam-based studio Nicemakers and pays homage to this mid-century heyday in its 18 rooms and four suites using a sultry, earthy colour palette, natural materials and a judicious mix of contemporary and vintage furniture. Books and magazines encourage leafing, while panoramic views of the Adelboden Massif compete for your gaze.

It’s designed to feel less ‘luxury hotel’ and more like a home – albeit a supremely comfortable and intuitively designed one. The feeling extends all the way to its free-flowing, all-inclusive approach to food and drink.

Oh, and the name? It’s a nod to the Brecon Beacons mountain range in its owners’ native country of Wales.

A world-first theatre meets travel concept: 700’000 Heures Impact, Rwanda

Rwanda is set to get a 700’000 Heures Impact voyage that fuses travel and theatre. (Image: Eric Martin)

The world’s first immersive hospitality theatre experience is set to debut in Rwanda in 2026 – and it’s easily the most unique travel concept I heard about at PURE.

French former actor and maverick hotelier Thierry Teyssier has long pushed the boundaries of what it means to travel, with ideas that have industry insiders whispering words like genius and visionary.

In 2002, Teyssier founded Dar Ahlam, a kasbah at the gateway to the Moroccan desert that broke with convention through the absence of traditional hotel signifiers – no keys, no reception, no restaurant. Instead, each guest’s stay is choreographed as a series of intimate, bespoke moments made just for them.

That spirit of the experiential underpinned Teyssier’s next creation, The Memory Road, a journey through the desert in five immersive stages. It continues today through 700’000 Heures Impact, his ongoing project that crafts private experiences in remote corners of the world.

In 2026, Teyssier takes his vision to Rwanda, launching a 700’000 Heures Impact voyage that fuses travel and theatre. Think of the immersive performances that swept through the cultural scene in the 2010s – like Sleep No More by Punchdrunk – where audiences roamed old buildings to find fragments of drama unfolding around them.

How will this translate to a seven-night journey through Rwanda? I’d love to find out. Running from 30 May to 30 August, the experience will unfold as a three-part performance across three villages, with local actors and communities enlisted to create a reality-blurring narrative.

Like all of Teyssier’s projects, it’s underscored by regenerative hospitality – a philosophy that moves beyond sustainability to actively restore and enrich the places and communities it touches.

Europe’s hottest new hotel: Na Praia, Portugal

The site of Na Praia, Portugal’s new independent 113-key retreat. (Image: Jody Daunton)

I’m always interested to hear about what pockets of Europe are being billed as ‘the next big thing’.

A sleepy fishing village an hour’s drive south of Lisbon on Portugal’s Atlantic Coast, whitewashed Comporta has been transforming over the past decade into a hub for high-end tourism.

I was totally charmed by the passion and vision of Portuguese architect Miguel Câncio Martins, who told me all about Quinta Da Comporta: an old rice farm he sensitively converted into a boutique wellness resort that merges seamlessly with its surrounds.

And, at a rooftop cocktail party at The Mellah in Marrakech (a gorgeous new riad: check it out), I had it on good authority that Na Praia is going to be the most exciting opening of 2026.

Debuting in spring on a secluded stretch of coastline just beyond Comporta, Na Praia will further cement the destination’s reputation. But crucially, amid concerns of too-rapid development, it will also set a benchmark for sustainable development.

This new independent 113-key retreat has been a decade in the making and helmed by José António Uva, the eighth-generation steward of restored farmstead turned luxury hotel São Lourenço do Barrocal.

Na Praia will be rooted in conservation, blending sculptural architecture with landscape design to connect guests with the land and sea that surrounds them, as well as Portugal’s heritage.

The unique guesthouse in a jaw-dropping hilltop village: Corte della Maestà, Italy

Dine in opulence at Corte della Maestà, housed in the historic spaces of the Episcopal Palace.

While Italy continues to top travel wish lists for Aussies – and took out top spot for Best Country in our Readers’ Choice Awards – 2026 is the year we continue to seek out different angles on our favourite destinations.

My interest was piqued when I heard about a property in Civita di Bagnoregio, the so-called ‘dying city’ perched on an outcrop of soft volcanic rock whose unstable foundations are prone to erosion. This medieval village is reachable only via a long pedestrian bridge and – with a dramatic profile rising surreally from the surrounding badlands making it look suspiciously AI-generated – is somewhere that needs to be seen to be believed.

Corte della Maestà is housed in the historic spaces of the Episcopal Palace and is filled to the rafters with art objects its owners, Paolo Crepet and Cristiana Melis, have gathered from across Italy and the world. Crepet himself is famous in Italy as a psychiatrist and writer, and his extraordinary guesthouse with just five bedrooms is place for art lovers, eccentrics and romantic souls.

It’s worth the detour 130 kilometres north of Rome into the countryside of Lazio, a region that borders Umbria and Tuscany, to uncover this hidden gem.

A volcanic island rewriting its tourism story: Hotel César Lanzarote, Spain

Spain’s Hotel César Lanzarote holds 20 keys.

Lanzarote is a unique destination in Spain’s Canary Islands known for its black volcanic sands that contrast against the blue of the Atlantic Ocean and the whitewash of its villages.

But, an admission. I am British. Which means I grew up associating Lanzarote with its less-than-flattering nickname Lanzagrotty – unfairly attached given it was booze-fuelled ‘Brits abroad’ drawn to its sunny climes who made it ‘grotty’ in the first place.

But, of course, the package holidays and resorts beloved of my fellow countrymen and women were only ever part of the story. Its beauty and culture – a mix of Moorish, North African and Spanish – have long inspired artists including filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar who shot his 2009 movie Broken Embraces here.

And so I find myself now being drawn to experience the ‘real’ Lanzarote. With 20 keys, Hotel César Lanzarote opened a couple of years ago in the family home of artist, sculptor and architect César Manrique (1919-1992), who helped develop the island for tourism. Crucially, he lobbied to curb the development of high-rises that shot up on other Canary Islands to retain its natural and cultural heritage. I look forward to seeing the island’s tourism landscape continuing to evolve.

Also: Annua Signature Hotels, the small Spanish hotel group behind Hotel César Lanzarote, has just opened a hotel, Son Xotano, in the heart of rural Mallorca.

Experience Everest Base Camp in comfort: Mountain Lodges of Nepal

The Mountain Lodges of Nepal brand has redefined the Everest Base Camp experience. (Image: Carol Sachs)

There was a great deal of buzz around Shinta Mani Mustang in 2024. The luxury lodge designed by hotel maverick Bill Bensley opened in the remote Mustang region of Nepal by locally owned Sherpa Hospitality Group.

Apart from looking so amazing we put it on our cover, it reflected a shift away from Nepal’s image as a backpacker destination towards experiential luxury tourism with sustainability at its heart.

The group is continuing to innovate, and through its Mountain Lodges of Nepal (MLP) brand, has redefined the Everest Base Camp trek. Today, it is the only luxury lodge operator along the circuit and boasts a pop-up lodge directly at Everest Base Camp.

The 12-day itinerary includes helicopter segments and is designed as an accessible, immersive and comfortable Everest experience.

After a successful soft launch, it is about to head full into its third season.

I’ve been hearing a lot about Kathmandu lately too – a city increasingly shedding its image as a stopover spot rather than a destination in itself.

Sherpa Hospitality Group offers a ‘new Kathmandu’ experience to show travellers how the city blends ancient traditions and modern creativity, with everything from UNESCO World Heritage sites to contemporary art galleries, designer boutiques and rooftop restaurants in the mix to experience.

A different way to see Morocco: Inclusive Morocco

Inclusive Morocco is the country’s first LGBTQI-founded and led luxury travel company.

I met Bilal El Hammoumy over dinner and was impressed by the company he co-founded.

Inclusive Morocco is the country’s first LGBTQI-founded and led luxury travel company, and is all about showcasing the diversity of the country through tailor-made itineraries.

At its heart is a commitment to ensuring an inclusive Morocco for minorities and undermined communities.

The company was founded in Tangier, the captivating port city at the northernmost tip of Africa.

It’s a place I’ve wanted to visit since watching Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston roam around in its shadows as music-loving vampires in Jim Jarmusch’s 2013 film Only Lovers Left Alive.

Learning from a few different sources that it’s the place to be in Morocco right now for creative types has refuelled my interest. Inclusive Morocco’s Long Weekend in Tangier itinerary gives you insider access to its thriving art and design scene. I’m sold.

Modern luxury in New Zealand: Roki Collection Queenstown and The Lindis Group

The new Roki Collection Queenstown is an ultra-luxe sanctuary on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. (Image: Roki Collection Queenstown)

New Zealand is well known for its luxury lodges, and while there will always be a place for the beautiful traditional estates the country built its reputation on, there’s a new story to be told today.

Opened in September 2025, Roki Collection Queenstown is the latest addition to the country’s stable of modern luxury lodges.

This ultra-luxe sanctuary on the shores of Lake Wakatipu is an all-suite urban retreat that champions wellness, dining and schmick service within bold architectural surrounds.

The iconic Lindis Lodge on the South Island. (Image: Lindis Group)

Meanwhile, the Lindis Group continues to set the standard with its jaw-dropping properties spread across both islands: from The Lindis Lodge on the South Island –designed to mirror the contours of the Ahuriri Valley it rests in – to Paroa Bay Winery and Estate in the country’s tropical north, which is home to three villas, a boutique vineyard and fine dining at Sage restaurant.

The Final Frontier: Space!

Virgin Galactic takes flight, putting space travel firmly on the agenda for 2026.

It was fun to catch up with the team at Virgin Galactic for an update on all things suborbital.

In 2024, the company completed its 12th successful spaceflight, and with its new Delta-class spaceplanes in the works, it’s gearing up to start flying paying customers as soon as this year.

You’ll have to queue behind several hundred aspiring astronauts, though – and dig deep: tickets are around US $600,000 a seat.

Space travel might still be the ultimate bucket-list trip, but maybe not for much longer.

Virgin Galactic reckons the rest of us could get a turn in our lifetime – start saving your frequent-flyer points now.