11 wonder-filled journeys to embark on once in your life
Some argue that it’s not about the journey but the destination. These wandering wonders may just prove them wrong.
As human beings, we have an undeniable wayfaring past; planes, trains, boats and cars came long after we did. Get back to your roots along these journeys, from well-trodden paths to long-forgotten tracks.
1. The King Charles III England Coast Path, England
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Lace up your boots. The King Charles III England Coast Path will be the longest managed coastal path in the world when each section of the 4345-kilometre trail is completed by the end of 2024.
Formerly known as The England Coastal Path, the new national trail named in the monarch’s honour will encircle the entire English seaboard, looping in the magical shape-shifting seas and landscapes of the Dorset coastline and beyond. Enjoy a tramper tour along the trail, set to unlock some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country.
A section of the stunning coastal walk in Dorset, England.
2. Camino de Santiago, Spain
Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead
People have travelled internationally for centuries. Before the advent of planes, ships and cars – they simply walked. The Camino de Santiago, a religious pilgrimage that started in the Middle Ages, is an enduring example of this.
More than a millennium later, the tradition is stronger than ever, with nearly half a million pilgrims hitting the trail in 2022. Their reasons for doing so may be as diverse as the Spanish landscapes they traverse, but nonetheless, the Camino de Santiago continues to serve as a bridge that connects us to our wandering, wayfaring past.
The Camino de Santiago is a network of European pilgrim routes.
3. Everest Base Camp trek, Nepal
Travelling with: Sarah Reid
A hike that’s just as much about the journey, this epic 12-day trek to the base of the world’s tallest peak immerses hikers not only in one of the world’s most dramatic alpine landscapes, but also in the rich culture of its Sherpa villages, the storied history of the hiking route and the reality of the climate crisis.
In fact, Nepal is currently mulling lowering the base camp due to the rapidly thinning Khumbu Glacier it sits on. Hike in winter for crisp bluebird days and a refreshing lack of crowds.
Startling views en route to Everest Base Camp.
4. Swiss Travel System, Switzerland
Travelling with: Emily Murphy
The Swiss get a lot of things right. But when it comes to public transportation, the landlocked country is in a league of its own. Punctual, panoramic and plush, the Swiss Travel System launches you into the heart of Switzerland’s most unique landscapes while allowing you to relax and take in the scenic surrounds.
Hop aboard the Glacier Express train. (Image: Christof Sonderegger)
And the best part? All modes of transport are perfectly in sync, so when you hop off the train, your connecting boat, bus or mountain train will be there waiting for you to board.
A trip on the Bernina Express is an awe-inspiring experience. (Image: Switzerland Tourism/Jan
Geerk)
5. Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia
Travelling with: Catherine Marshall
This is a journey of superlatives. It takes seven days straight to traverse the world’s longest railway, which stretches for 9288 kilometres between Moscow and Vladivostok.
Journey through Russia aboard the Trans-Siberian Express train.
A third of the globe’s breadth unspools beneath me; I cross 16 major rivers, pass through 87 towns and cities and emerge the other side an utterly transformed person.
The snow-covered Trans-Siberian Railway, in Russia.
6. 1929 New Standard biplane ride, New York
Travelling with: Kassia Byrnes
The wildest rollercoaster in the world can’t compare to the thrill of dipping and diving in wingovers and pulling humpty-bump manoeuvres over the mighty Hudson River in an authentic replica of a 1929 New Standard biplane at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York State.
Take a biplane ride at Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome for unmatched thrills. (Image: Grant Taylor Photography)
Watch the quaint small towns below disappear to tiny specks as the wind rushes over your flying cap and goggles, the pilot grinning from his cockpit behind you as you laugh, scream and beg for more.
Scenic views are guaranteed from above. (Image: Dutchess Tourism).
7. A round-the-world cruise
Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall
Take a sabbatical and venture to all four corners of the Earth in one hit. The round-the-world cruise is an increasingly popular choice for travellers who have long-service leave up their sleeve, have hung up their working boots or are simply taking the bull by the horns. Royal Caribbean’s whopping 274-day itinerary covers 60-plus countries and 11 World Wonders, sailing from Antarctica to the Caribbean, from Egypt to Norway and (almost) everywhere in between.
A colourful row of houses on the wharf is an iconic attraction in Bergen.
Silversea’s 2024 Far East-West World Cruise ventures to all reaches of the planet over 132 days including Alaska, Samoa and Korea. Alternatively, Viking’s 180-day World Voyage I takes in 37 countries and includes a staggering 83 tours that will enrich travellers, from the remarkable culture and beauty of the Mekong Delta to the Eternal City of Rome and Scotland’s enigmatic Loch Ness.
The Roman Forum ruins are just one of many wonders to see during a shore excursion.
8. Danube Cruising, Europe
Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall
Europe’s second-longest river begins to flow deep within Germany’s Black Forest, winding its way for a staggering 2850 kilometres before eventually spilling out into the Black Sea. This arterial waterway cuts through 10 countries, and a cruise along it is a metamorphosis of landscapes and kaleidoscope of cultural experiences.
Cruise along the peaceful Danube River.
Hop onboard for the Danube Dreams itinerary with Avalon Waterways, taking in beautiful cities like Vienna and Budapest while moseying through landscapes like Austria’s Wachau Valley en route. Sip Bavarian beer in a historic Benedictine abbey and wander through cobbled medieval streets in Bratislava on a Tauck Danube river cruise.
Uniworld’s Authentic Danube is another option: an eight-day itinerary that takes in the Bavarian Forest and culminates in the German city of Nuremberg, its turbulent past etched in history.
Gaze at the majestic Vienna skyline.
9. Iceland road trip
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
There’s nothing like taking a road trip around Iceland to feel immersed in its diverse landscape. There are the snowfields that stretch forever, like pieces of crumpled white paper. The thermal pools that have been hole-punched through the drifts and snow crystals that dance on the black sands of Diamond Beach.
Stapafell is a volcanic mountain located in Snæfellsjökull.
The Ring Road that bracelets Iceland is just 1332 kilometres long, which means you can squeeze in a lot of iconic sights along the way. The ultimate road trip would factor in seeing a cascade of colour from the Northern Lights. But adventurous travellers can also get their Game of Thrones on at dramatic fjords, national parks and glacier lagoons that nibble away at Iceland’s edges.
Sparkling ice diamonds sit on the black sands.
10. South Island road trip, New Zealand
Travelling with: Emily Murphy
The landscapes of New Zealand’s South Island are as diverse as they are striking, which is why a road trip is an unparalleled way to explore its vastness and beauty. Face your fears in Queenstown through one of the many adventure experiences on offer. Discover the renowned Central Otago and Marlborough wine regions.
Fly above the New Zealand’s South Island.
Hike Fox and Franz Josef glaciers. Goggle at the magnetic Hokitika Gorge. And cruise around the mesmerising Milford Sound to appreciate the fiordland’s grand landscapes and wildlife up close. It’s no wonder that road-tripping the South Island has my heart.
Wine tasting with nature views at Te Kano Estate.
11. Route 66, USA
Travelling with: Carla Grossetti
Writer John Steinbeck referred to it as ‘the mother road’. Beat poet Jack Kerouac wrote about the romance of Route 66 in On the Road. And Woody Guthrie sang about the celebrated highway in This Land is Your Land. The 3862-kilometre ribbon of highway that connects Chicago to Los Angeles is one that is full of promises.
Monument Valley National Park is bordered by a cluster of sandstone buttes.
It’s also an icon in popular culture with films such as Easy Rider, Thelma & Louise, Little Miss Sunshine and National Lampoon’s Vacation continuing to inspire fantasies about hitting the open road. Free your mind of the humdrum of the everyday and go take that trip.
Pull over on an old gas station along Route 66.
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