There’s no denying that 2020 hasn’t been the best year for travel, with the COVID-19 pandemic severely limiting our ability to explore new places. Whilst being stuck at home has been quite boring, it has also given us plenty of time to think about what we’ve missed most about travelling and where we’ll be jetting off to as soon as the restrictions allow. Here are 5 things that have us wanting to pack our bags and head for the airport.
#1 Ticking off world wonders
They’re the big hitters on every intrepid travellers bucket list. And they haven’t gone anywhere. From the Taj Mahal in India to Machu Picchu in Peru, from the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt to the Great Wall of China, the Wonders of the World will still be there long after COVID-19 has disappeared from memory.
There’s something indescribably special about standing in front of one of these legendary structures, many of which have stood the test of time for hundreds of years. You’ve seen them in magazines, on television and on the internet but nothing beats standing there yourself, soaking up the iconic surroundings and bagging those all important photographs.
Our group tours visit all the main highlights of every destination, including any world wonders that your destinations are home to. You can see all of these trips on our Bucket List Tours page.
I still have a few to tick off my list, Petra in Jordan is certainly next for me! Let us know in the comments which world wonder you’ll be heading to next year.
#2 Spotting incredible wildlife on safari
Your guide freezes, motioning for you to remain absolutely silent. You peer to where he is pointing, straining your neck to get a good view. Prowling through the undergrowth, barely visible with his excellent camouflage is a lion, the king of the jungle. He ambles lazily past, his muscles rippling in the hot African sun, impressive mane billowing in the breeze.
Seeing a wild animal in its natural environment is one of the best thrills one can experience when travelling. Whether it’s the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo) in Kenya, tigers in India, leopards in Sri Lanka or mountain gorillas in Uganda, nothing beats the sheer excitement when your hours on safari finally pay off.
Wildlife tourism is also vitally important, especially in this era of COVID-19. Many national parks and conservation organizations around the world are struggling for funding because of the lack of visitors. This could put wildlife at risk from poaching, trafficking and hunting, with fewer rangers protecting the animals. Booking a wildlife adventure for 2021 not only gives you something amazing to look forward to, it could also save the life of a majestic rhino or other endangered creature. You can see a great range of animal adventures over on our Wildlife Safari page.
#3 Relaxing on the beach
Adventure travel is hard work – the incredible experiences are paid for with early starts, lots of travelling and plenty of walking. It’s all worth it of course, but sometimes you just want a few days of sun, sea, sand and a refreshing cocktail or two. That’s where our Beach and Culture tours come in. These trips have been specially designed to offer our travellers the best of both worlds.
Discover India’s famous Golden Triangle and then spend five days unwinding on the pristine beaches of Goa. Take in Egypt’s ancient treasures before heading to Hurghada for some down time. Or search for wildlife in the Serengeti before finishing your African safari on the tranquil island of Zanzibar. Whichever corner of the world you want to explore, you can get your fill of the local sites and culture before heading to the beach to relax. What’s not to like?
#4 Joining local festivals
Throwing yourself into the culture of your destination is crucially important to getting the most out of travel. Trying the local food, learning a little of the language and heading away from the cities into the rural countryside is all part of the experience. Otherwise we might as well all just stay at home! It doesn’t get much more cultural than joining a local festival, to celebrate an important religious or historic event.
We offer a range of dedicated festival tours to help you get to the heart of these special events. Cover yourself from head to toe in coloured paint at Holi in India. Celebrate the birthday or ascension date of King Ramses II at the glorious Abu Simbel Sun Festival in Egypt. Or enjoy the pink spring cherry blossoms of Japan. You could also take in the ancient festival of Inti Raymi in Peru, or head to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil for the greatest party of them all – Carnival.
You can head to our Festivals page to find out more information about all of these incredible trips.
#5 Taking to the water on an ocean cruise
Cruising is a great way to see several destinations in one trip, whilst enjoying some time to relax at sea or spot dolphins and whales leaping playfully alongside the boat. It’s a great way to explore countries such as Greece and Croatia, cruising from island to island, discovering what each has to offer. Not to mention the Galapagos, that remote Ecuadorian archipelago, home to weird and wonderful wildlife found nowhere else on Earth.
If you prefer a wilder adventure, then cruising doesn’t have to be about sunny Greek islands. You can circumnavigate Iceland, or the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Alternatively, you could head south to the end of the world in Antarctica, home to more penguins than people.
Cruising is one of those activities that has ground to a standstill during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the virus has passed, we can’t wait to take to the water once again. If you want to find out more then you can head to the Sailing Tours page on our website.
There’s no doubt that we’ve missed out on a lot of travel in 2020. But travel will be back, and our destinations won’t have gone anywhere. On The Go Tours was recently awarded the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Travels stamp. This provides travellers with assurance that we have adopted health and hygiene protocols to combat COVID-19 on tour. We have also brought in our fully flexible deposits, so you can book your trip for 2021, safe in the knowledge that if the world changes before you travel, so can you!
