I may be biased as an Asian, but this vast continent of different countries, cities, cultures and cuisines, hosts some of the most incredible travel experiences, blending modern infrastructure with old-world charm. And traveling solo offers great freedom to step out of your comfort zone, try new things, and make lifelong friendships. Of course, as a woman traveling alone, I do need to use common sense wherever I go. 

During my slow travels across Asia, mostly focusing on its culture and food, with a mix of outdoors and nature, I’ve often felt safe and welcomed by different communities I feel grateful to be visiting. 

Here are six Asian destinations that I think are great for solo female travelers, and two I’m planning to visit soon.

1. Luang Prabang, Laos

I consider myself lucky to have been to Luang Prabang several times to have grown familiar with the UNESCO-listed town’s slow rhythm of life and to make friends who take me to local BBQ evenings. When I recently spent several weeks in Luang Prabang on assignment, it easily became one of my favorite solo travel experiences. Trust me, there’s hardly anything more magical than watching the sun go down over the Mekong River, either on a boat tour or from one of the cafes that line the waterfront. 

Luang Prabang is tourist-centered and locals are extremely friendly, outgoing and chatty, which makes it easier to make friends. I felt completely safe walking alone in the old town, even at night, and you can cycle, hop on a tuk-tuk or book a Loca (Laos’ ride-hailing app) taxi to nearby villages. 

Some of my favorite things to do include swimming in the Kuang Si Falls, and climbing Mount Phou Si for sunset. I also did the most interactive food tour here with Lao chef Somsack Sengta at the morning market and took a ferry across the Mekong to Lao Pottery House, to see how local potters preserve an age-old tradition. 

If you’ve extra days, cycle across the Nam Khan River to Ban Xang Khong village, to see generational artisans at work, crafting handmade paper or weaving silk. 

2. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is one of Thailand’s popular tourist destinations, but it’s a far cry from Bangkok’s daily hubbub. Located in the northern countryside surrounded by forested trails, waterfalls and terraced rice paddies, Chiang Mai is a vibrant blend of Buddhist temples, a thriving coffee scene, food markets and welcoming locals who are ready to help you with patience while you stumble over common, everyday Thai phrases. 

Once you are done exploring the ancient town – the center of the city – book yourself a fun cooking class, they usually include an introductory market tour. You will learn how to whip up a bowl of khao soi (a coconut curry noodle dish from Northern Thailand) while making new friends. Other highlights include exploring the Bang Kang Wat artist village (it’s also a great place to base yourself); hiking up the Monk’s Trail to Wat Phra Doi Suthep at sunrise; day-tripping to Thailand’s highest mountain Doi Inthanon; aimlessly meandering through the weekend markets like Jing Jai where local artists sell ceramics, clothes, handmade notebooks and stone jewelry. 

3. Kerala, India

Many people are wary of venturing into India. Of course, with a population of over 1.4 billion, it’s crowded, chaotic and overwhelming for even the most seasoned travelers. But it’s also extremely diverse from north to south and east to west, and visiting India will be a memorable experience if you know where to go. Some of my friends started their solo journeys in Kerala in South India, and after several trips to this tropical state beaming with friendly people, a cuisine loaded with fresh seafood and spicy, coconutty dishes cooked with seasonal produce like jackfruit, and famous backwaters, it still remains one of my favorite places.

The best – and the safest – way to explore Kerala is to stay in homestays with local families that you can find on Kerala Tourism – remember to do a quick online search and read reviews to see whether a place suits you. You are also guaranteed to be showered with hospitality that’s hard to better elsewhere. I fondly remember the week I spent in Aymanam, the village of Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy, boating through the backwaters where pink lotus bloom early in the morning and being fed fried fish with every meal by my host grandma. Take your time to wander through the historic Fort Kochi; chase monsoon-fed waterfalls in interior jungles; and watch sunsets in the beach town Varkala. Remember to dress modestly to respect the local customs. 

4. Bhutan

I met many other solo female travelers during my trip to Bhutan and almost all of them had one thing in common: Bhutan was their first solo travel destination. According to the country’s foreign tourist policy, guides are mandatory for most parts. Since all guides and drivers are vetted by the Bhutanese government, it makes it easier, safer and more rewarding to explore this somewhat mysterious Himalayan Buddhist kingdom surrounded by temples, fluttering prayer flags and the aroma of burning incense.

Almost everyone who visits Bhutan hike to Paro Taktsang or the Tiger’s Nest, a sacred site nestled on a dramatic cliff. But don’t skip subtropical valleys like Punakha, where you can visit the Chimi Lhakhang – it’s also called the Temple of Fertility. In Phobjikha, a glacial valley where black-necked cranes from Tibet arrive in hundreds during the winter months, you can tour the 17th-century Gangtey Monastery with ornate wood carvings and Buddhist imagery.

For a more local experience, stay at Kinley Choden’s Mendrelgang Homestay to experience the Bhutanese love for chili peppers. It’s the country’s indispensable vegetable and almost everything in Bhutan is cooked with chili, like the national dish ema datshi (chilli and cheese).  

5. The Maldives

Most people think the only way to explore the Maldives is to stay on a resort island – or that it’s only a honeymoon destination. This is, in fact, not true. While I sometimes love a vacation where I can pamper myself, my favorite way to experience the Maldives is to stay on a local island. On your solo trip to the Maldives you could split your time between a resort and a local guesthouse. 

There are 188 inhabited islands in the Maldives, and many of them now have guesthouses and boutique hotels that are more budget-friendly than the well-known resorts. My favorite is Dhigurah, a stunningly beautiful island with a long sandbank on Alif Dhaal Atoll. Home to whale sharks year-round, it’s a great place to explore the marine world with local guides. You should also go on a sunset fishing tour on a dhoni (a traditional wooden vessel) and cycle through the island to see the Maldivian life where fishermen offload their daily catch on the shore. Local islands now have designated powdery-sand beaches where you can slip into your swimwear, but remember to dress modestly, and cover your knees and shoulders when you are in public spaces. 

6. Singapore

Singapore is a great connectivity hub in the region that everyone almost just uses as a pitstop, but I recommend you stay a few days to explore one of Asia’s most economically developed countries. Ride the efficient MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) to get around; you could also walk and cycle as it’s completely safe, clean and convenient. 

There’s plenty to do here, from feasting on hawker stall food in Chinatown and visiting vibrant Hindu temples in Little India to shopping at famous Orchard Road, snapping photos of the Peranakan terrace houses and visiting the Marina Bay Sands. Don’t forget to grab a spot, lie down and watch the light show at Gardens by the Bay at night when these Instagram-famed architectural greenhouses come to life with illuminating colors. If you are on a budget, stay in hostels to cut costs. 

On my bucket list…

Taiwan

Ever since I saw a few TikTok videos of Jiufen, a charming old town with winding narrow alleyways lined up with teahouses and boutiques, I’ve been a fan of Taiwan. Yes, it’s not Asia’s most famous destination – it’s possibly underrated – but Taiwan is definitely on top of my bucket list for incredible food, scenic cycling routes, eclectic night markets and cool hangouts like the Huashan 1914 Creative Park. There’s also more to do beyond Taipei, like visiting the stunning Taroko Gorge or Tainan with historic temples and old streets. And with an efficient train system, the country seems perfect for my slow travels.

Uzbekistan 

In recent years, Uzbekistan has emerged as a cultural tourist destination with historic architecture, bustling bazaars and a thriving art and crafts scene that includes ceramics, pottery and ancient silk paper making. I’ve seen my fellow writer friends travel through the country with so much ease while having the time of their lives. They’ve all told me that Uzbeks are some of the most welcoming people, who’d not shy away from inviting you over for a meal.

In terms of culture, there’s so much to see and do from Tashkent’s markets and Samarkand’s Registan Square – the center of Timurid Renaissance – to tasting local plov, Uzbekistan’s national rice and meat dish. I can’t wait to travel through the historic Silk Road cities of Bukhara and Khiva and navigate Tashkent’s subway, stopping at some of its remarkable metro stations.

Georgia doesn’t have a lot of coastline, a little more than 100 miles. But that stretch is packed with some of the Atlantic coast’s most unique features, and visitors would be hard-pressed to find something like it anywhere else. 

This region is dotted with barrier islands, small islands formed by waves that deposit sand in the same area for several millennia. This phenomenon creates a fascinating network of tiny islands and tidal rivers that run beside them, lapping up against the mainland; marshes, lagoons and seaside forests complete the delicate landscape. The Peach State is home to 14 of these islands, each one with its own set of gorgeous beaches.

Some of these beaches are closed to public traffic to protect the wildlife living there – everything from sea turtles to wild boars and horses – but the ones open to the public offer just as much natural diversity. Visitors come to Georgia’s island beaches to walk near-empty white sand beaches, photograph the bones of an old forest, and catch breath-taking sunrises every morning. Here’s a list of our favorite stretches of sand – which one will you pick? 

1. Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island

Driftwood Beach may feel a bit eerie upon first glance thanks to the gnarled trunks of live oak trees that punctuate the shore, a result of beach erosion that’s caused the forested home of these majestic hardwoods to creep closer to the ocean’s edge. What beach-goers have now is a popular coastal strip that’s a favorite for families, and anyone looking to capture unique photos. Prepare to be joined by several photographers if you plan to shoot the sunrise.

Planning tip: There’s a $10 daily parking fee ($15 for large vehicles) for any vehicle driving onto Jekyll Island. Pedestrians and cyclists are exempt from the fee.

Read more: Get outside at these Georgia state parks

2. North Beach, Tybee Island

North Beach is a haven for those who love to be active on the water, whether you enjoy surfing, sea kayaking and jet skiing – take lessons or hit the waves on your own. Visitors often report seeing dolphins from their vantage point on North Beach, but serious seekers can also book a dolphin tour to get a little closer. Georgia’s oldest and tallest lighthouse is a stone’s throw away  – the Tybee Island Lighthouse was originally built in 1773, then partially rebuilt after the top half was destroyed in 1861 during the Civil War. 

Planning tip: Tybee Island pays for public services via its parking fee. There’s no free public parking on the island between the hours of 8 am to 8 pm, so plan to shell out about $4/hour no matter where you park, including the spots near North Beach. 

3. Stafford Beach, Cumberland Island

If you’ve been longing for a solo day on an empty beach, Cumberland Island will feel like a dream come true. Cumberland Island is a National Seashore, which means it’s protected and preserved by the National Park Service (NPS) and doesn’t allow commercial development or personal vehicles. Only 300 people are allowed on the island each day, most of whom are day-trippers who come to see the Dungeness Ruins. Stafford Beach is a 3.5-mile hike away from the ferry drop, so either bring a bike on the boat with you or prepare for a walk. Determined souls will be rewarded with miles of powdery-white sand and calm waters all to themselves.

Planning Tip: Reservations are required ahead of your visit to Cumberland Island. If you plan to stay overnight, book a room at the island’s only hotel, the Greyfield Inn, or reserve a campsite from the National Park Service (the Stafford Beach campground is closest to Stafford beach). It’s also possible to take a day trip to the island. There’s only one company that offers ferry rides, and it leaves from St. Marys a couple times a day.

Read more: Hit the trail with the best hikes in Georgia

4. St. Andrews Beach, Jekyll Island

Make sure you don’t overlook the river-facing beaches on Georgia’s barrier islands! St. Andrews Beach offers visitors calm waters full of seafoam, and it’s a great spot for birding, shelling and dolphin sightings. Just a few feet from the sand is The Wanderer Memory Trail, a short hiking trail parallel to the coast that tells the story of the passengers of The Wanderer, a slave ship that illegally transported more than 400 people to Jekyll Island after the international slave trade was outlawed in the United States. 

Planning tip: Double the fun of your beach trip by visiting Driftwood Beach and St. Andrews Beach together. The beaches are about seven miles apart on Jekyll Island and can be reached by car or bicycle.

5. East Beach, St. Simons Island

Warm water and white sand make East Beach on St. Simons a favorite for a majority of Georgia beach enthusiasts. The sand is packed in tight here due to the tides, which makes it ideal for biking along the coastline. St. Simons island’s beaches also get credit for being more pet friendly – unleashed dogs are permitted anytime of year after 6 pm and before 9 am, and they are allowed free reign in the afternoons outside of the busy summer months.

Read more: Pick the best time to visit Georgia for your trip

Due for a diving holiday? Clear tropical waters, colorful coral reefs and a plethora of wrecks combine to make Vanuatu one of the best scuba diving destinations in the South Pacific. But there are also plenty of opportunities for snorkeling across the 80-plus island archipelago, also known for its wild landscapes and rich kastom (traditional) culture. From top dive sites to the best places to get certified, here’s a quick guide to exploring Vanuatu’s underwater world.

Where are the best places to dive in Vanuatu?

Diving in Vanuatu is predominantly resort-based, with the industry concentrated on three main islands: Efate, home to the capital Port Vila and Vanuatu’s main international airport; Espiritu Santo (just Santo to locals), which welcomed direct flights from Brisbane, Australia, in 2024; and the more remote and less developed island of Tanna, a 40-minute flight from Port Vila.

Most divers will have heard of the immense wreck of the SS President Coolidge in Santo, but there are plenty of other wrecks, reefs and caverns to explore across Vanuatu’s diving hubs.

What’s so special about the SS President Coolidge?

Originally a luxury ocean liner launched in 1931 that went into service as a troop carrier during WWII, ‘The Coolidge’ was accidentally sunk in 1942 by US mines just off Luganville, the largest town on Santo. Almost 200m (656ft) long and 25m (82ft) wide, the coral-encrusted ship is now a popular shore dive with around 50 sites to explore, depending on your certification level.

Resting on its port side at a depth of between 21m (69ft) and 70m (230ft), The Coolidge is best suited to advanced divers, though open water divers can still enjoy a fun dive along the starboard hull towards the bow, where some artifacts from deeper in the ship have been stored for recreational divers to see. Advanced divers can ogle jeeps in the cavernous Cargo Hold 2, while certified technical divers can dive into the ship’s sunken swimming pool at 57m (187ft).

Where else can I dive in Santo?

Another popular dive near Luganville is Million Dollar Point, a dumping ground for thousands of tons of US construction equipment during WWII. There are also a trio of plane wrecks off Santo that includes a rare birdcage Corsair fighter, while Tutuba Point off the north coast is known for its rich corals and swim-throughs. Just south of Luganville, Aore Wall is adorned with sea fans, while Cindy’s Reef offers a relaxed drift dive teeming with anemone fish. 

What’s the diving like in Efate?

Divers can explore more than 20 dive sites off the coast of Efate. More popular dives close to the capital city of Port Vila include the Twin Bommies, which attract an array of fish and critters; the Cathedral, a spectacular limestone chimney; and Ollie’s Lolly, a shallow reef near Hideaway Island with a rare red anemone. Beginner-friendly wreck dives include the Bonzer, a small tugboat with a vast anemone garden, while more experienced divers can explore wrecks like the Star of Russia, a 90m (255ft) three-masted ship built in the same Belfast shipyard as the Titanic.

Just off Efate’s northwest coast, Tranquility Island is another popular diving location. The top draw here is Owen’s Reef with its colorful soft corals and fans, giant brain corals and fields of staghorn corals.

What are the best dive sites in Tanna?  

With just one dive center on the island (Volcano Island Divers at White Grass Ocean Resort and Spa) Tanna’s 10 dive sites are blissfully uncrowded. The resort is just a few minutes’ walk from Tanna’s showpiece dive sites: Blue Hole One and Blue Hole Two. These sites aren’t classic limestone sinkholes like Belize’s iconic Great Blue Hole, but rather azure openings in the shallow fringing reef that have created natural aquariums. Accessible from the shore, both sites feature a network of interconnected grottos, caves, caverns and swim-throughs that connect to the outer reef wall.

Another popular site is the Blue Cave Aquarium, a magnificent amphitheater that can only be accessed underwater. More experienced divers can spot pelagics including barracuda, yellowfin tuna and reef sharks at Kamitua Reef.

What types of marine life will I see on a typical dive?

Vanuatu’s reefs showcase a variety of hard and soft corals that attract an array of tropical fish (batfish, damselfish, angelfish, triggerfish, parrotfish and anemonefish are just some of the locals) and critters including nudibranchs, flatworms, giant moray eels and crustaceans like anemone shrimps and lobsters. Turtles, rays and reef sharks are frequent visitors, and lucky divers may even encounter a dugong. Anemone gardens abound on shallow reefs.

While most of Vanuatu’s reefs are in decent condition, ongoing threats of climate-related coral bleaching, storm damage, crown-of-thorns starfish and overfishing can impact the quality of coral and diversity of marine life you may see.

Where is the best place to learn to dive in Vanuatu?

Dive courses are available on all three islands, but the calm and shallow bays of Efate are particularly ideal for learning. With its own dive center and a range of dive sites on its doorstep, Hideaway Island Resort (just a four-minute ferry ride from mainland Efate) is a popular choice. In downtown Port Vila, Big Blue Vanuatu is a convenient option for travelers staying locally. 

On Santo, Pacific Dive also offers technical courses for divers interested in learning how to dive deeper than the recreational limit of 40m (131ft) – perfect for exploring the depths of The Coolidge.

What is the best season to dive in Vanuatu?

Diving is a year-round activity in Vanuatu, though many divers opt to avoid the peak of the rainy season from December to March. While light rain doesn’t tend to affect underwater visibility in Vanuatu, bigger storms can make diving unsafe.

Where are the best spots for snorkeling in Vanuatu? 

Many of Vanuatu’s dive sites can also be enjoyed by snorkelers. Some of the best snorkeling on Efate is on Tranquility Island’s house reef, known for its turtles; and in Hideaway Bay’s marine park, where you can “send” a waterproof postcard from an underwater post office located in a shallow coral garden. On Tanna, confident snorkelers can take a short freedive into the Blue Cave Aquarium at low tide, while the main pools of Blue Hole 1 and Blue Hole 2 can be accessed by snorkelers from the shore.

While the Coolidge is too deep for snorkeling, it’s possible to snorkel at Cindy’s Reef as well as shallow areas of Million Dollar Point. For a chance to snorkel with a dugong (or five), book a snorkeling tour to neighboring Aese Island with Santo-based snorkeling operator Best Snorkeling in Santo Vanuatu. Vanuatu’s remote Maskelyne Islands are another popular spot to snorkel with dugongs.

Do I need to bring my own dive gear?

Most dive centers offer rental gear, but as quality can vary, some divers prefer to bring their own mask and dive computer (which aren’t always available to rent). Rental snorkel gear offered by hotels and snorkel tour operators can be low quality, making it a good idea to bring your own.

What are the diving safety standards like in Vanuatu?

Vanuatu dive operators are required to be licensed, but safety standards can vary between dive centers and dive guides. With the only hyperbaric chamber in Vanuatu located in Port Vila, and more serious injuries and medical conditions requiring medical evacuation to Australia, New Zealand or New Caledonia, diving insurance with adequate evacuation cover is strongly recommended.

There are many Indias within India. This expansive land of ancient temples and opulent palaces, forgotten cities and lost traditions, spice markets and famously spicy food is almost a world unto itself, home to a vibrant diversity of peoples and cultures. For many travelers, a visit to India is the trip of a lifetime.

The experiences you have here will linger long after you leave these shores, but with so much to see and such a vast area to explore, it can be hard to decide what to prioritize. To set you on the path to India perfection, here is our list of the best things to do in India.

1. Experience Varanasi at dawn

The best way to experience the timelessness of Varanasi, hailed as the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city, is to start just before dawn breaks. At Assi Ghat, Hindu devotees gather for the Ganga Aarti ceremony on the banks of the Ganges, intoning sacred hymns and prayers on the steps that descend to the holy river.

Next, take to the water in a small boat, watching the sun rise as life starts to stir along the riverbanks. As day breaks, a burst of activity erupts on the riverside as saffron-clad sadhus (holy men), pilgrims, vendors and tourists gather for religious rituals, yoga practice and dips in the sacred Ganges. Most boat trips pass the main Dashashwamedh Ghat toward Manikarnika Ghat, where funeral pyres burn as the dead are cremated. Visitors can observe from a respectful distance, but avoid taking photos or intruding on the ceremonies.

Planning tip: We recommend visiting an akhara (wrestling center) to see wrestlers practice their traditional sport in a mud pit in the early morning light. End your tour with some soulful food: seek out the typical Varanasi breakfast of kachoris (deep-fried pastries) stuffed with lentils and served with spicy potato gravy. Finish the meal on a sweet note with melt-in-mouth jalebis (fried whorls of dough).

2. Set your eyes – and lens – on the iconic Taj Mahal

The iconic symbol pictured on every India travel brochure, the Taj Mahal in Agra really is a highlight of any trip here. Despite the tourist crowds, you can’t help but gaze in wonder at this marbled mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife, Mumtaz.

While it’s hard to get a bad shot of the Taj, the most vivid photos are usually taken at sunrise and sunset from Mehtab Bagh, the Mughal garden across the Yamuna River. Arrive just before dawn and watch the colors change on this sublime monument dedicated to eternal love. Over the course of a day, the sun paints the marble in different hues, transforming the dome from pale pink at sunrise to orange at sunset.

Before leaving Agra, pay a visit to the eye-catching tomb of Itimad-Ud-Daulah – a precursor to the Taj Mahal, constructed in the 1620s and dubbed the “Baby Taj.” It was created for Mumtaz’s grandfather, Mirza Ghiyas Beg, by his daughter, Nur Jahan.

Planning tip: Special tickets for nighttime visits are sold on evenings with a full moon. They can be bought in person 24 hours in advance at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) offices on Mall Road; bring your passport as ID.

3. Demystify the Kama Sutra story behind Khajuraho

As you stand in front of erotic sculptures of figures locked in improbable positions at Khajuraho, you can almost feel the passion of the carvings. Perhaps no other heritage site in India evokes as much wonder and curiosity as these famous temples, built nearly a millennia ago. And yet – as guides will painstakingly tell you – barely a tenth of the carvings in the 22 temples that have been excavated here are dedicated to erotic poses.

As you explore the temples’ three-dimensional narratives, you can decide for yourself why the Chandela clan chose to depict eroticism on the walls of their temples, which are dedicated to both Hindu and Jain deities. Don’t miss one of India’s oldest surviving Tantric temples, dedicated to the Chausath Yogini – the 64 Tantric goddesses; its cells may be bereft of idols, but the architecture, even in ruins, is fascinating.

Planning tip: You will need a day to explore all of Khajuraho’s temples; start as early as possible before the light becomes too harsh for photography, or come in the afternoon when the warm sunlight creates evocative shadows. Staying overnight provides an opportunity to visit twice and capture the site’s changing mood.

4. Explore the world’s largest mangrove forests in the Sundarbans

A wild and remote biodiversity hotspot, Sundarbans National Park marks the point where three mighty rivers – the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna – join the Bay of Bengal. Spilling into neighboring Bangladesh, this maze of mangrove forests, swamps, mudflats and riverine islands can be explored on boat safaris, seeking the 100 or so Bengal tigers that roam its brackish channels.

With its serpentine web of mangrove roots, the dark and dense undergrowth also provides cover for crocodiles, snakes and other marshland predators. Observation towers give you a bird’s-eye view of the swamps; look out for different varieties of kingfishers, raptors and myriad water birds. Village walks are possible on a handful of islands and locals will tell you humbling tales of life amid devastating cyclones and treacherous wildlife in this fragile and unforgettable ecosystem.

5. Camp under the stars in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert

With an entire galaxy overhead to keep you entertained before bedtime, sleeping among the rolling sand dunes and parched scrub of Rajasthan’s Thar Desert is an experience that will stay with you forever. Starting from golden-hued Jaisalmer, the closest desert camps are pitched across the windswept Sam Sand Dunes, which rise to more than 50m (164ft) in height. However, the best camel safaris roam deeper into the desert, offering serene silence and genuinely dark skies, away from the day-tripping crowds.

Planning tip: Before you head for the dunes, take an unmissable wander through the golden, temple-studded alleyways of majestic Jaisalmer Fort, which 5000 people still call home. The seven Jain temples within the fort’s robust walls feature some of the finest carvings in northern India.

6. Feel the presence of the divine at the Golden Temple, Amritsar

The best time to experience Amritsar’s sublime Golden Temple is at 4am (5am in winter) when the revered scripture of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib, is installed inside the temple for the day, accompanied by an electrifying hum of ritual chanting. As dawn breaks, the entire temple complex is lit up by the golden central shrine, creating spectacular reflections in the surrounding pond, Amrit Sarovar (the Reservoir of Nectar).

Hospitality and charity are key values for Sikhs, and this famous gurdwara (place of worship) is open to anyone of any faith. The incredible community kitchen known as the Guru-Ka-Langar offers simple, vegetarian meals throughout the day for up to 100,000 devotees (meals are free but a donation is appropriate).

7. Cruise Kerala’s blissful backwaters

A maze of small canals, brackish lagoons and silvery rivers draining into the Arabian Sea, the backwaters of Kerala offer a completely different view of India. You can choose your own adventure as you make your way through this tangle of channels and lakes, dropping in on communities that fish and farm along the waterlogged channels.

During an overnight cruise on a kettuvallam (houseboat), you can pass the hours fishing, visiting small villages, bird watching or sitting back to watch the world go slowly by. Public ferries between villages offer a taste of the backwaters if your stay is too brief for an overnight boat trip.

Planning tip: Many cruises start in Alappuzha (Alleppey), a small town on the Ernakulam–Kayamkulam coastal railway line south of Kochi, but the quality of houseboats varies – your best bet is to head to the dock and view a selection of houseboats one or two days in advance. If you’re booking online using an aggregator such as Booking.com, be sure to read plenty of reviews before you book.

8. Visit the ancient monasteries of Ladakh

Touching the high Himalayas, the mountain valleys of Ladakh leave people breathless – both figuratively and literally. You’ll need a few days to acclimatize once you arrive in this state that was once a Buddhist kingdom, with stark and vivid landscapes rising from deep valleys to mountaintops standing more than 6000m (19,685ft) above sea level.

Dotted with snow-dressed mountains, icy glaciers, alpine meadows, tiny orchards, and arid valleys carved by meltwater rivers, plus high-altitude lakes that change color depending on the light, the region is a natural playground for hikers, bikers and adventure enthusiasts. In winter, travelers come here for expeditions to seek snow leopards and treks along the frozen Zanskar River.

Chortens (stupas) and gompas (Tibetan Buddhist monasteries) are scattered across Ladakh’s chilly deserts and visiting these sacred sites will immerse you in the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. The region’s oldest monastery is at Alchi, though Thiksey, Stok, and Hemis gompas, closer to the capital Leh, are the most popular stops for visitors.

Planning tip: Don’t miss the views of Ladakh’s wind-sculpted badlands from Lamayuru Monastery, a convenient stop when traveling west from Leh to Srinagar in Kashmir. Remember to cover your shoulders and legs while visiting and refrain from taking photos inside the monastery premises.

9. Spend a day at Raghurajpur Arts and Crafts Village in Odisha

Located near the temple town of Puri in Odisha, the colorful Raghurajpur Arts and Crafts Village is a living gallery maintained by local chitrakaars (folk artists). The village showcases the traditional art of pata chitra painting, paying tribute to the triad of deities enshrined within Puri’s Jagannath Temple. Each canvas is specially prepared with layers of cotton cloth, and tribal motifs, folk stories, myths and legends are the subjects of the artworks. Expect the artists to invite you into their homes to see the murals that cover the walls.

As well as pata chitra, you can see tussar silk paintings, toys and palm-leaf engravings. You can also sit in on live demonstrations or try your hand at creating your own piece of art. Try to see a traditional performance of the Gotipua dance; young men from the community can be seen practicing at local gurukul (dance academies).

10. Get lost in the ruins of Hampi

If the ruins of Hampi could speak, they would tell a glorious tale of a powerful and prosperous kingdom whose rulers built magnificent temples, palaces and monuments, traded precious stones in vast bazaars, and contributed immensely to the art, architecture, culture and literature of medieval India. Founded 600 years ago by two brothers, working under the guidance of their spiritual guru, Sri Vidyaranya, Hampi was once the capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, which ruled the Deccan Plateau of South India for centuries.

The ruins of Hampi sprawl for miles, centered on several important groups of monuments, including the Royal Enclosure – once home to the rulers of Vijayanagar. The still-active Virupaksha Temple is the nucleus of spiritual activity in Hampi Bazaar, the village at the heart of the ruins, but the most striking structure is the Vittala Temple, an architectural marvel featuring an elaborately carved stone chariot that is illustrated on India’s 50-rupee note.

Planning tip: Allow at least three days to fully explore this special place. The temples around Hampi Bazaar can easily be explored on foot; to explore surrounding areas, rent a bicycle or motorbike, or hire an auto-rickshaw. Boatmen offer transfers by coracle at various crossing points along the Tungabhadra River.

11. Explore Goa beyond the beaches

Goa is not just a destination; it’s a state of mind. The very name evokes images of sun, sand and sea, and while Goa’s beaches are the main attraction, the small state’s riverine islands, mangrove swamps, dense forests, and spice and cashew plantations are memorable and sensuous experiences in themselves.

Cruise the Zuari River and narrow canals bordered by mangroves at dawn to spot six varieties of kingfishers, along with myriad water birds, or hike through the forests inland to reach hidden temples. For more nature, visit Mollem National Park and Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the mighty Dudhsagar Falls – especially impressive just after the monsoon, when the cascades are at full force.

12. Be dazzled by the silent sands of the Rann of Kachchh

Be sure to pack your sunglasses – the sparkling sodium chloride crystals of the White Rann will literally dazzle you. One of the world’s largest salt deserts, the Rann of Kachchh (Kutch) in Gujarat is divided into the Greater and Lesser Rann (which includes the White Rann), creating a unique ecosystem of seasonal salt marshes that are submerged during the monsoons. As the waters evaporate, the wetlands transform into an arid expanse of salt, a phenomenon seen only in winter, from October to March.

We recommend staying in Hodka or Dhordo, where resorts are composed of Kutchi (Kutch-style) bhungas – circular-walled thatched mud huts that offer a welcome respite from the harsh desert heat. While you’re in the area, head to the nearby ruins of the ancient Indus Valley civilization at Dholavira to the east, and the 18th-century Aaina Mahal Palace in Bhuj, to the southwest.

Planning tip: The landscape is especially mesmerizing at sunrise and sunset, or at night under the full moon. Between November and February, Gujarat Tourism hosts the annual Rann Ustav, a fascinating cultural festival celebrating the state’s unique culture. Expect a flood of food and local handicraft stalls as well as Sufi devotional songs and performances by indigenous Kutchi folk musicians in traditional embroidered tribal costumes.

13. See larger-than-life sculptures at the Great Living Chola Temples

Located in Tamil Nadu, the 1200-year-old Great Living Chola Temples leave visitors both spellbound and humbled. These mighty monuments include the Brihadeeshwara Temple in the southern city of Thanjavur, built by King Raja Raja Chola I in the 10th century. Its soaring 63.4m-high (208ft) central tower is one of the largest spires of any Hindu temple anywhere – hence its nickname, the Big Temple.

Raja Raja Chola I’s son, Rajendra Chola, ambitiously set out to create an even bigger version of his father’s temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, but for mysterious reasons the complex was never completed. A century later, in a small town called Darasuram, a third temple was erected by Raja Raja Chola II; if the first two Brihadeshwara temples are larger-than-life marvels, the Airavateswarar Temple displays mastery on a smaller scale – a tribute to the craftsmanship of the era.

Planning tip: You’ll need a day to explore all three temples, which are still in active use. It’s best to visit either early in the morning or in the evenings. Each of the temples is dedicated primarily to Shiva – look out for statues of Nandi, Shiva’s faithful bull vahana (mount).

14. Discover hidden treasures in the villages of Chettinadu

A colorful mosaic of arts, crafts, architecture, food and traditions, Chettinadu spans 75 villages in Tamil Nadu that were once home to an affluent mercantile community called the Nagarathar Chettiars. This merchant clan grew rich trading in jewelry and spices, leaving behind lavish homes as a reminder of their cosmopolitan culture and the wealth they accumulated.

Known locally as nattukottai (country forts), each residence is a larger-than-life personal palace. Some properties cover more than 3700 sq meters (39,826 sq ft), with colorful facades featuring arches, pillars, sculptures and friezes. But it’s the interiors that truly amaze, with Belgian mirrors and chandeliers, Italian marble, Japanese artworks, Spanish tiles, Burmese teak and other luxurious components sourced from around the world.

Villages such as Karaikudi, Kanadukathan, Devakottai, Kothamangalam, Pallathur and Kottaiyur feature grand houses that are up to 200 years old. While most have been abandoned, a few have been converted into luxury hotels, and some can be entered for a small fee.

15. Go on a safari to spot India’s Big Five

On thrilling 4WD safaris through the dense forests of India’s wonderful wildlife sanctuaries, you stand a good chance of spotting India’s Big Five animals – tigers, elephants, leopards, sloth bears and gaur (Indian bison). There are more than 100 national parks and tiger reserves spread across the country, including venerable Corbett Tiger Reserve; Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Panna in Madhya Pradesh; Pench and Tadoba-Andhari in Maharashtra; Ranthambore in Rajasthan; Nagarhole and Bandipur in Karnataka; Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu, and many, many more.

Farther afield, Kaziranga National Park in Assam is home to the critically endangered one-horned rhinoceros, while elusive snow leopards move furtively through Hemis National Park in Ladakh and Asiatic lions congregate in Gujarat’s Gir National Park. If birds are more your speed, head to the teeming marshlands of Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan, which shelter everything from eagles to cranes and spoonbills.

Planning tip: Early-morning safaris tend to be the most rewarding, although evening safaris bring a magical light. Late summer is the best time for spotting wildlife, but many national parks are closed during the early summer monsoon. Many parks offer elephant safaris, but these are not recommended as carrying passengers can be harmful to elephants.

16. Get a taste of “orthodox tea” country in Darjeeling

The verdant hill station of Darjeeling in West Bengal is an idyllic escape, towered over by snow-capped Himalayan peaks, nestled amongst rolling hills of rhododendron and pines, and overflowing with tea plantations. Although Indian-style chai is readily available, this is “orthodox” tea country – referring to loose-leaf tea that’s brewed in a teapot with hot water, unlike chai, which is made from leaves prepared through the CTC (crush, tear, curl) process. With plenty of hole-in-the-wall cafes and restaurants, and peaceful hiking trails and Buddhist monasteries to explore, Darjeeling offers a welcome change of pace from the busy plains.

Similarly, Kangra – another important Indian tea-growing region in Himachal Pradesh – offers relaxed views of Himalayan foothills, and it can be easily reached from the hill station of Dharamshala and the adjacent settlement of McLeod Ganj. Currently, Dharamshala is home to the Dalai Lama and the exiled Tibetan government, and the town is rich with Tibetan influence.

Planning tip: The famous narrow-gauge Toy Train to Darjeeling runs uphill from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station, following the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed institution. The main NJP–Darjeeling service is pulled by diesel engines, so many visitors opt for steam train “joy rides” from Darjeeling to Ghum, India’s highest railway station. October to January are peak months for the Toy Train, so book your seats in advance via the IRCTC website.

17. Travel on a sleeper train

Strikingly scenic and soul-soothing, rail travel in India offers a pleasant change of pace from the vibrant cacophony of urban tourist hubs, and the famous toy trains of the Himalayan foothills are just the start. Try heading from Delhi to Rishikesh via the overnight Shatabdi express – carefully poke your head out of the window to watch the entire length of the train weaving through the countryside. As the views roll by, expect to be generously supplied with railway snacks – from samosas and poha (flattened rice) to full meals – and sweet milky chai, as chaiwalas saunter by with a kettle and paper cups.

If you’re looking to explore southwestern parts of the country, several dramatic train routes connect the busy city of Mumbai with the historic port city of Kochi, whooshing past swathes of lush green countryside in the Konkan region, and offering glimpses of the sparkling Arabian Sea.

Planning tip: Seats on popular routes fill up fast, so it’s worth booking your ticket online in advance via the IRCTC website. For maximum privacy and comfort for long overnight journeys, book an AC-class ticket (you can choose from four-bed, three-bed or two-bed cabins). If you’re keen to meet local people, opt for a Sleeper class ticket, but don’t expect to get too much sleep with the coming and going of fellow passengers. Although you’ll find sit-down toilets on board, it’s advisable to carry your own toilet paper.

18. Practice Yoga in Rishikesh

Tucked away in the Himalayan foothills upon the banks of the Ganges, Rishikesh is a renowned spiritual hub, famed for its ashrams and yoga and meditation centers. Beyond the oft-discussed “Beatles Ashram” – a now-abandoned spiritual center visited by the Beatles in the 1960s – Rishikesh is also the setting for the annual International Yoga Festival in March.

All sorts of yoga courses are available, taught by both Indian and foreign teachers. For beginners, we recommend signing up for a course at the Sivananda Ashram, where you can learn surya namaskars (sun salutations) and basic asanas on the river bank. There are also women-only yoga courses available.

Planning tip: If you’re planning to visit during the International Yoga Festival, reserve ahead online. Most yoga centers are located between Ram Jhula and Laxman Jhula, so book your accommodation several months in advance. Note that Rishikesh is a vegetarian city; for non-veg dishes, head to the nearby town of Haridwar.

19. Immerse yourself in the diversity of Northeast India

Considering the remarkable diversity of India’s Northeast States, it seems almost unfair how frequently they are grouped together. India’s northeast has an offbeat experience for every traveler, from the annual Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, showcasing the ethnic diversity of the state’s 17 main tribes every December, to the unparalleled views of 8586m (28,169ft) Khangchendzonga – the world’s third-highest mountain – from the trekking trails of Sikkim.

We recommend starting your tour of the region in Guwahati in Assam, spotting one-horned rhinos in Kaziranga National Park and then traveling onward to Majuli, the world’s largest river island. In Meghalaya, explore the busy markets of Shillong and loop towards the scenic town of Cherrapunji, surrounded by waterfalls and living root bridges – engineered by intertwining rubber tree roots over time. Further northeast is magnificent Tawang Gompa in Arunachal Pradesh, and the atmospheric Ziro Valley, which offers tribal encounters and beginner-friendly treks through bamboo and pine forests.

Planning tip: The busiest time to visit the northeast from March to June when there’s still a slight coolness in the air. Accommodation during these months is more expensive; if you’re looking for a more affordable trip, the weather during the summer months – except in lowland areas affected by the monsoon – is pleasant too.

20. Visit a bustling local market

Wherever you go in India, from Kashmir in the north to the tip of Kanyakumari in the south, no trip would be complete without a visit to a local market. Take a shikara (wooden boat) to watch the chaos of the early morning floating vegetable market on Dal Lake in Srinagar or go bargaining for jhumkas (earrings) in Chandni Chowk in Delhi and you’ll be immersed in colors, noise and bustle.

Markets in India are worth visiting partly because they’re authentically Indian – they’re frequented by local people year-round, regardless of whether tourists visit or not. We recommend starting off with a few of Delhi’s favorite bazaars – browse for clothes and attars (scents) in Chandni Chowk, Tibetan-style jewelry in Majnu-ka-Tila, and spices in Khari Baoli, Asia’s largest spice market – your clothes will smell of ground cinnamon and cardamom for days, even after being laundered!

Other rewarding markets include Mysore’s Devaraja Market, Jaipur’s Johri Bazar, and Kolkata’s Mullick Ghat, Asia’s largest flower market. Then there’s Shillong’s Iewduh Market, where bamboo bows and arrows are traded as essential household commodities.

Planning tip: India’s markets are famously busy and the crowds can be overwhelming. New-to-India travelers may want to book a guided tour. Be sure to keep your valuables in a concealed money belt (or similar), as pickpockets are common, and watch out for porters pushing cartloads of goods through the aisles.

21. Tour Rajasthan’s historic forts and palaces

Thanks to a rich history of intertwined kingdoms and feuding dynasties, Rajasthan is home to some of India’s most spectacular forts and palaces. Over the centuries, royal states tried to one-up each other in fabulous architectural displays of power, and fought countless battles amongst themselves and against outsiders. It was only in the mid-1500s that the region – then called “Rajputana” – was brought together under the Mughal emperor Akbar.

Start with Amber Fort on the fringes of Jaipur, with its honeyed pink-and-yellow walls standing stark against cloudless blue skies. Inside, the palace walls are intricately painted, and the Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace) brings the sky indoors as reflections twinkle on mirror mosaics. Other forts and palaces to check off your list include Mehrangarh in the blue city of Jodhpur, Ranthambhore Fort inside Ranthambhore National Park, Chittor in Chittorgarh, and Kumbhalgarh in the Aravali Hills.

Planning tip: Be aware that you’ll need to pay a fee to use a camera inside most fort complexes, but you can often shoot on your phone for free. Although many forts offer elephant rides for sightseeing, these should be avoided as they are harmful to elephants.

22. Experience the energy of India’s festivals

With an almost impossibly diverse population, India has religion at the core of its social fabric, and religious festivals pulse through the country’s calendar. Celebrated enthusiastically by the majority Hindu population, Holi – the festival of colors in the spring – and Diwali – the festival of lights in October or November – are major events across the country. In the east, Durga Puja is a grand celebration of the Hindu goddess Durga that brings Kolkata to a standstill.

Similarly, Ganesh Chaturthi – celebrating the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh – is of paramount significance in Mumbai, where crowds accompany giant statues of the deity as they are paraded through the city and submerged in the sea.

The Muslim celebrations for Eid (at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan) are memorable in Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Hyderabad – people open up intricate late-night markets and street-food stalls showcase Muslim delicacies native to each area, such as Hyderabad’s famous haleem – a nourishing stew of meat and wheat or barley.

There are dozens of other festivals so be sure to do your homework on festival dates. The harvest festival of Onam brings bursts of color across the southern state of Kerala in August or September. If you’re headed to Ladakh or other places with large Tibetan Buddhist populations such as Dharamshala or Arunachal Pradesh, the Tibetan New Year festival of Losar in February or March brings three days of festivities, including masked Buddhist dances at monasteries.

Planning tip: Many Indian festivals follow the lunar calendar, so dates change every year. Islamic festivals move forward by 11 days each year, relative to the Gregorian calendar. Always check the dates of festivals locally to avoid missing significant events.

When it comes to natural beauty in the USA, Montana sets the gold standard.

The Treasure State’s rugged mountains, endless forests and rich wildlife remain largely pristine thanks to wilderness preservation programs, low population density and the state’s sheer size, which allows outdoorsy types to enjoy all that Montana has to offer. Given Montana’s unparalleled natural attractions, it’s no surprise that the first national park in the United States was established here.

While it’s true that Yellowstone National Park is shared with neighboring Wyoming and Idaho, Montana is the primary gateway to this slice of America’s natural history, with thermal features and wild animals you’ll find nowhere else in the country (or the world). While Yellowstone showcases the wild landscapes as they’ve always been, Glacier National Park – entirely within Montana, even if its geologic features extend into Canada – offers some of the state’s best hikes, with endless trails, towering cliffs and sparkling lakes galore to explore.

Read on to learn why both of Montana’s iconic national parks should be part of any itinerary to the Rocky Mountains and the American West.

Glacier National Park

Montana’s best national park for hiking

In Glacier National Park, towering mountain peaks overlook crystal blue lakes surrounded by dense pine forest, all home to the largest concentration of grizzly bears in the world. 

While hiking trails are the star attractions here, there is a lot to see even for non-hikers. A kayak ride across Lake McDonald immerses you in the scenery, and photographing the multicolored river stones beneath the shockingly clear (and cold) water provides a closer-in view. Driving Going-to-the-Sun Rd, an east-west drive transecting the park, is so in demand that it can lead to traffic jams during busier times (generally July and August). 

If you want to hike, you’ll be spoiled for choice: more than 700 miles of trails are accessible, most leading to stunning views you’ll find nowhere else in the country. The most popular routes include the hike to Avalanche Lake, a relatively flat and easy trek. A 10-mile out-and-back with 2000ft of elevation gain, the Grinnell Glacier hike leads to a stunning glacier and its lake on the eastern side of the park. Along the way, you’ll enjoy expansive views of the park’s characteristic cliffs and the green valleys below them. Reachable from the parking lot at Logan Pass, the Highline Trail is another must, as is the Hidden Lake Trail. 

Visiting Glacier National Park

Visiting Glacier National Park requires serious advance planning. Its roads, hotels and trails are all seasonal, and the park’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years as the frenzy for road trips and #VanLife has swept the country. 

Glacier National Park has seven entrances in total, three of which connect to Going-to-the-Sun Rd. The most used entrances are at West Glacier on the western side of the park and the east entrance at St Mary. Both of these are open year-round but may have closures due to snow; the east entrance, on tribal land, is sometimes closed by decree of the Blackfeet Nation.   

Several hotel options lie within the park’s boundaries, including the historic Many Glacier Hotel and Lake McDonald Lodge. There are plenty of campgrounds, too, some of which take reservations, others being first come, first served. You can also apply for a backcountry permit if wilderness camping is your thing.

Outside the park, several gateway towns with hotels and campgrounds cluster by the park’s west side. West Glacier is the closest town to the park’s border, with West Glacier Village offering cozy cabins and an RV park that are perfect starting points for a Glacier adventure. Thirty miles west is the ski resort town of Whitefish, south of which is Kalispell, a (relatively) larger city that hosts Glacier Park International Airport (FCA). On the east side, the Tiny Homes at St Mary Village offer a unique option for accommodations. 

As with Yellowstone, booking far in advance is recommended for trips from June to September. Under The Big Sky Festival takes place in Whitefish in mid-July, causing serious competition for even the least desirable campsites. 

Entering Glacier in a standard vehicle costs $35 (except on fee-free days), unless you have the $80 annual National Park Pass or are a military veteran or 4th grader with the respective annual pass. In 2021, a $2-per-vehicle ticket was implemented to access Going-to-the-Sun Rd between 6am and 5pm during the summer months. Getting the permit was competitive and not always guaranteed, and while it’s possible to see parts of the park while avoiding GTTSR, it’s not easy or recommended. 

Yellowstone National Park

Montana’s best national park for natural history

It’s easy to see how Yellowstone National Park helped lead officials in the expanding United States to conserve huge swathes of the American wilderness. In 1872, at a time when westward expansion was on a tear, it was Yellowstone’s iconic, unique and now world-famous features that inspired forward-thinking planners to designate this treasure as a federally protected area. 

Today, the park is not just one of the best places to visit in Montana – it regularly tops the list of attractions across the 50 states. Visitors today are captivated by the same sights that amazed in the 1800s, in particular dazzling hydrothermal features and unparalleled wildlife.

The 3471-sq-mile park is packed with bubbling hot pots and more than 500 bursting geysers; the best known is Old Faithful, a relatively predictable spewer. Scattered among the waterworks are herds and packs of some of America’s most recognizable animals, including bison, gray wolves, grizzly bears, elk and bald eagles. All-but-guaranteed sightings of such abundant wildlife is a main reason more than 4 million visitors come here annually, predominantly during the summer.   

Yellowstone’s most memorable attractions begin outside the park in Gardiner, the gateway to the park’s north entrance and the site of the famous Roosevelt Arch. (A line of cars winding beneath the gate is standard any time of day in the summer, so getting a photo isn’t too hard.) Just inside the west entrance is the town of Mammoth, including the spires of Mammoth Hot Springs, another popular photo spot. Elk frequently wander around Mammoth – but be sure not to approach, feed or touch them. Also, take care never to walk between a bull and any of his cows, as he’ll take that as an act of aggression.

Other popular attractions include the multicolored Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in the United States. (Note that the best view of its otherworldly orange-blue colors is not from the boardwalk winding through the spring, but from a nearby elevated platform along the Fairy Falls Trail.) Yellowstone Canyon (also called the “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone”) is another photo op most visitors won’t want to miss. Park at Artist Point to view the canyon and Lower Falls in all their glory. 

In addition to geological features, the park is also known for Old Faithful Inn, a historic wood-and-stone landmark next to the geyser of the same name. It’s a great place to stop for lunch or just poke in to admire the antique architecture (if you want to spend the night, count on reserving 12 to 24 months in advance). Hayden and Lamar Valleys are the most reliable spots to find Yellowstone’s wildlife, particularly the predator species. Bison are fairly difficult to miss anywhere in the park. 

Visiting Yellowstone National Park

As at Glacier, taking a trip to Yellowstone will require some planning, especially during July and August when it’s busiest. Old Faithful Inn and Roosevelt Lodge offer in-park accommodation, and there are also 12 campgrounds with over 500 sites within the park. The gateway towns of Gardiner at the north entrance and West Yellowstone at the west entrance offer abundant accommodations just outside the park’s borders; Bozeman, with the nearest airport, is equidistant from both entrances. Livingston, Big Sky and Paradise Valley also offer accommodations with relatively close access to the park. In every case, booking ahead will be essential during the high season.

In winter, only the road from the north entrance in Gardiner to Cooke City stays open. Some accommodations may be closed during this time, but there are enough available rooms to sustain the minimal crowds. This is the best time to see wolves and other wildlife that have congregated in the Lamar Valley for the winter. Cooke City is also a very common spot to find snowmobilers, though winter travelers are unlikely to encounter them within the vast park. In any case, come prepared for freezing temperatures and suboptimal driving conditions. 

Entering Yellowstone is not free (except on fee-free days): each standard vehicle must pay $35 at the gate – which we highly recommend so you can explore the park on your own schedule. Alternatively, consider a National Park Pass for $80, which provides a year’s access to every national park in the country. Military personnel (including veterans) and 4th graders may acquire annual passes for free. Once in the park, no site is fee-restricted.

With the close of the Paris Olympics, a running joke on social media is that many viewers have been at a loss of how to fill their days.

After all, for two weeks, the French capital became the center of the world, hosting what has been lauded as one of the most successful and innovative games over the last few decades. Between superhuman feats of athleticism, there were tears of joy and tears of disappointment, all against the stunning background of the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais and the Seine river. It made for some dramatic and captivating television.

But the excitement isn’t over ⁠— these next few weeks are a short intermission until the Paralympics, which run from August 28 to September 8. The opening ceremony will take place outdoors at Place de la Concorde. Events will be held across some of the same venues that made the Olympics so mesmerizing, including Pont Alexandre III and the Eiffel Tower.

Demand for tickets has also taken off following the close of the Olympics, with locals looking for a way to prolong the collective euphoria experienced throughout the Games. After a slow start, organizers say that sales for the Paralympics average about 1000 tickets an hour, and that events in the most iconic venues ⁠— Versailles and Grand Palais ⁠— are sold out. 

While Paris has hosted three Olympics, this year marks the first time the city is hosting a Paralympic Games. Along with innovative solutions for travelers with disabilities, perhaps the biggest legacy of the Paralympics will be how it’s served as an accelerator to make the cityscape – often described as an obstacle course for travelers with disabilities – more accessible and inclusive through improvements to city infrastructure and transportation. 

Innovative ways travelers with disabilities will experience the Games

To enhance the spectator experience among the estimated 280,000 visitors with disabilities, organizers are introducing a few innovative services that will also mark a few firsts for the Paralympics.

Attendees of events – like blind soccer, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball – who are blind or visually impaired will be able to follow the action with a tactile tablet Touch2See that offers a live-action, immersive experience. A moving magnet replicates the position of the ball in real time and the tablet vibrates to convey the intensity of the game. Likewise, audio descriptions fed through headsets provide precise information about the plays. Spectators with visual impairments can also use low-vision headsets that look like VR headsets and act like high-powered binoculars, to zoom in on the action for athletic competitions and for the opening and closing ceremonies.

In an Olympic first, the audio description service will also be available via the Olympics app, allowing attendees to listen through their personal smartphones and headsets, with live commentary in both French and English.

And visitors with reduced mobility can motorize their wheelchairs with an innovative solution provided by myomniTrott that involves hooking their wheelchair to a scooter. Users can then travel through the city, moving from one venue to the next, using the biking lanes. 

How the Paralympics are accelerating a more accessible Paris

In the years leading up to the Paralympics, the city of Paris pledged €125 million to improve its accessibility in a frantic bid to make good on its promise of hosting a “Games Wide Open” and to leave no one behind. 

And while it’s made strides in some areas, some say it still falls short in others.

One of the legacies of the Paralympics for Paris is the creation of 17 “augmented accessibility zones” in neighborhoods across the city, where priority routes have been rethought in order to provide a seamlessly accessible, obstacle-free journey from one municipal facility – like a library, museum or sports center – to another. Among other things, that means repairing cracked pavements, widening sidewalks, repainting pedestrian crossings, clearing paths and removing unnecessary obstacles, installing audible pedestrian signals, and improving warning and guide strips.

Similarly, municipal buildings are undergoing a series of improvements that may include lowering the height of reception desks or the installation of hearing loops in large spaces, and an assisted listening technology that transmits audio directly to hearing aids or cochlear implants without the background noise.

Accessible transportation in Paris

One of the biggest pain points for the city of Paris and Olympic organizers has been the city’s transportation offerings.

In 2021, only one in two bus stops were able to accommodate accessibility ramps. Three years, €22 million, and 380 urban restructuring projects later, all but two of the city’s 61 bus lines (line 40 and the Roissybus), and 1750 bus stops are accessible to wheelchair users and those with reduced mobility, while the tram is also fully accessible. The city says the Games accelerated the changes, and that they achieved in three years what would otherwise have taken up to 20 years.

“The significant investment will also be a legacy of the Paris 2024 Games,” the city says on its website.

But for all the progress made on the bus network, the metro system, which is more than a hundred years old, presents significant challenges and obstacles. Currently, only 29 stations, or 9% of the Paris metro system is fully or partially accessible to wheelchair users.

By comparison, London, which has an older and deeper network than Paris, was able to make 18% or double the number of stations accessible by the time of the 2012 London Olympics, as Nicolas Mérille, national accessibility advisor for the APF France Handicap association, pointed out to French news site Franceinfo.

“We hope that the event will create awareness and an electroshock on the fact that the daily life of people with disabilities, particularly in transport, is not at all the same as that of able-bodied people,” Mérille said.

How to find accessible accommodation, restaurants and attractions

Over the years, the city has also been conducting an accessibility audit campaign for hotels and accommodations, shops, restaurants and tourist attractions. So far, more than 450 establishments have been added to the city’s web app MyParisjetaime Handicap. 

Visitors can use filters to find facilities that are adapted to different disabilities, such as hotels and restaurants with access ramps and accessible toilets; museums that are adapted to the visually impaired; and theaters that are adapted to those with hearing impairments.

It’s also worth looking out for the Tourisme & Handicap label when booking stays or restaurants. Managed by the country’s tourism office Atout France, the label is awarded to tourist establishments that meet specific needs of people with various disabilities. Pictograms indicate the accessibility conditions they can accommodate: hearing, mental, motor or visual.

Will Paris continue to drive accessibility improvements after the Games? 

One of the small, but hugely impactful changes during the Paris Olympics was the careful choice of wording before the singing of anthems. Instead of simply instructing spectators to “please stand for the national anthem”, announcers added an important disclaimer at the end: “please stand, if you can.” 

It’s a detail that didn’t go unnoticed by the disability community and which received wide praise for its inclusivity. And while disability rights advocates say that while huge strides have been made to make the city more accessible thanks to the arrival of the Paralympics, momentum must continue with the support of local Parisians and political will.

Adds Mérille: “The Games must not be seen as an enchanted interlude, because there is still a lot to do.”

Driven by vampire lore and mystery appeal, Transylvania has become Romania’s most popular region for travelers. But legends aside, this magical land of castles, medieval bastions and old-world villages packs in a lot of charm.

A paradise for nature and adventure seekers, the vast wilderness of the Carpathian Mountains preserves some of the last virgin forests in Europe and a simpler way of life. Here are the things you need to know before you explore “the land beyond the forest” – the literal translation of Transylvania’s medieval name.

1. Dracula is just a myth, or is it?

Transylvania is famous for its vampire legends and bloodthirsty Count Dracula, popularised by Bram Stoker’s 1897 fantasy novel. But the Vlad Ţepeş that inspired the book was very real – referred to throughout history as “Vlad the Impaler” for his agonizing method of empaling his enemies on long spikes.

In fact, the 15th-century prince of Wallachia never actually lived at clifftop Bran Castle – popularly known as Dracula’s Castle and attracting close to one million visitors per year. Nor did Stoker himself ever set foot in Transylvania. 

But the castle is still a must-visit on any Transylvania trip. Try to come during the off-season, to avoid long lines. Better yet, arrange a private tour at night without the crowds, when the atmosphere is more suitably eerie for a fortress famed for spooky mystery.

2. Transylvania has castles in abundance

If you find Bran Castle too crowded, there are many more castles to keep you busy in Transylvania. Just 50km (31 miles) south of Bran, the mountain resort of Sinaia has the country’s most resplendent castle Peleș Castle, picked by King Carol I of Romania as a summer residence in 1875 due to its magnificent Bucegi Mountains backdrop. The flamboyant neo-Renaissance architecture honors the family’s German heritage.

A 20-minute train ride to Bușteni will take you to Cantacuzino Castle, a neo-Romanian castle built on the orders of Prince Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, prime minister of Romania in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Set on the premises of a former hunting lodge, this was the filming location for the Nevermore Academy in Tim Burton’s ultra-popular Addams Family spin-off, Wednesday, on Netflix.

3. Medieval towns are everywhere

Romania’s medieval past bursts to life across Transylvania. Start by exploring the Siebenbürgen, the “seven citadels” built by Saxon merchants brought in to protect the region from invading Turks and Tatars in the 12th and 13th centuries.

One of the best-preserved fortress towns, Brașov is picture-perfect with its tall Gothic spires and orange-hued rooftops. Conveniently close to the Poiana Brașov ski resort, it’s the most visited destination in Romania, and a brand-new international airport was inaugurated in 2023, providing easy access. Just outside Brașov at the foot of Mount Tâmpa – accessible on foot or by cable car – a Hollywood-like white-lettered sign glistens on the horizon.

Head to storybook Sighișoara to explore the last inhabited medieval fortress in Europe and its 14th-century clock tower, as well as the rainbow-colored buildings of Sighișoara‘s UNESCO-listed old town. A former European Capital of Culture, nearby Sibiu charms with its peculiar “houses with eyes” – buildings of Saxon heritage, graced with eyelid-shaped windows on their rooftops.

4. Transylvania is a multi-ethnic, multi-faith region

Set in a verdant landscape, small towns and villages settled hundreds of years ago preserve a form of multiculturalism specific to Transylvania. Alongside Saxon settlers with their Germanic influences, Transylvania has a large Hungarian community dating back to the time of the Kingdom of Hungary and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Big cities such as Cluj-Napoca and Târgu Mureș stand testament to an enduring convergence of cultures. Similarly, while most of Romania is Christian-Orthodox, churches of other denominations abound, hosting congregations speaking multiple languages.

5. Authentic Transylvania endures in the villages

To get a real feel for the Transylvanian idyll, head to the villages and enjoy some slow travel. Seven Transylvanian villages are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list because of their fortified churches – six of them Saxon and one Székely – and traditional crafts are still practiced, with authentic Saxon houses wonderfully restored in bright colors.

While the German-speaking population of Romania has declined since the collapse of Communism in 1989, conservation efforts and ecotourism have flourished in this former Saxon heartland. Plan a stay in a traditional guesthouse in Biertan or Viscri, to wake up to the sound of bird song and the smell of wood smoke wafting through the crisp morning air. Staying at Casa Eva Wagner in Biertan, the Fortified Church of Biertan, the largest of its kind, is in full view as you soak in an alfresco hot tub.

6. Beware Transylvania’s ever-present bears

The Carpathian Mountains are home to a huge variety of wildlife, from wolves and lynxes to chamois antelopes. The mountains also provide a home for Europe’s largest population of brown bears – some 8000 of them, a number that has significantly increased.

Bear-spotting is exciting and sightings are almost guaranteed when traveling on mountain roads, but staying alert is key. In recent years, bears have started migrating out of their natural habitats, descending into mountain resorts and attacking farm livestock. It’s not uncommon to receive warning R0-ALERT text messages or see posters at hotels warning about the presence of bears while traveling in the region.

Many tourists make the mistake of feeding bears, which raises the risk of dangerous encounters. After a fatal bear attack, Romania introduced a bear control law in 2024 to reduce the growing bear population. Stay safe by making noise when moving through woodland areas, and stay clear of bears with cubs. 

To see bears safely, visit the Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Zărnești, where 100 brown bears have been rescued from harsh living conditions in captivity, and now roam free in 69 hectares (170.5 acres) of coniferous forests.

7. Romania offers some amazing road trips

Dubbed the best drive in the world by the motor show Top Gear, the Transfăgărășan road is a thrilling bucket list experience. Connecting Transylvania with historic Wallachia, and winding up and over the highest peaks of the Făgăraş Mountains, the journey peaks at 2034m (6673ft) near the glacier lake of Bâlea with its cascading waterfall. En route, you can spot the rugged ruins of Poienari Citadel, the real residence of Vlad the Impaler.

This lofty highway was constructed in the 1970s as a response to the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Union. Nicolae Ceaușescu wanted a safe route across the mountains for his troops should the same happen in Romania, but the road is only usable by traffic in summer. Come from mid-June to the end of October, and check the road is open before you head into the mountains, as sporting events and bad weather can close the route temporarily.

8. Be ready to be stuffed with grub by locals

You wouldn’t be in Romania if you didn’t feel open to eating more than you planned. Rural hospitality generally works on the premise that ‘more is more’, and in Transylvania, the food and drinks are particularly enticing.

Local specialties include rose hip jam and the rich tarragon soups that are a specialty of the area, typically served with a shot of pungent pălincă –  a plum brandy containing between 40 and 50% alcohol – to start things off. To experience Transylvanian hospitality at its finest, set aside a few days to stay at a family guesthouse that grows its own food, where you can enjoy wholesome country fare in abundance.

9. Transylvania is a great place to hike

For active immersion into bucolic village life, the bedrock of the Romanian experience, try trekking the new long-distance Via Transilvanica trail, crossing seven of Romania’s historical regions. Inaugurated in October 2022, the route is already a Europa Nostra award winner for its pioneering role in promoting sustainable local development and heritage protection. Following this 1420km-long hiking, cycling and horseback riding trail is like stepping back in time into rural communities that have barely changed in generations.

Passing by a string of fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the “path that unites” is the most complete journey you can take into the forests and lush meadows of Transylvania and beyond. Along the way, you’ll meet and lodge with villagers who grow their own food, travel in horse-drawn carts and harvest hay to dry in the sunshine, as they have for centuries.

10. You can stay in a king’s retreat

Unexpectedly, Transylvania is a favorite destination for King Charles III. The English monarch has been making regular visits to Transylvania since 1998. As most European royal families are distantly related, it turns out Vlad The Impaler is also his ancestor!

Fascinated by the region’s unaltered beauty, King Charles is heavily involved in the conservation of Transylvania’s rural heritage, restoring a number of Saxon farmhouses that visitors can book for overnight stays, including a private nature retreat in the Zalán Valley just north of Brașov, built in the 17th century and restored in authentic Transylvanian style.

The King’s House in Viscri is a testament to the monarch’s passion for traditional architecture, sustainable agriculture and conserving biodiversity. Open to the public between April and October, it hosts exhibits and training sessions promoting local craftsmanship. 

Known for its craggy mountain peaks, wide-open prairies and scenic views, Wyoming is a camper’s paradise. Pack your tent, fuel up your RV, and get ready to go explore the Cowboy State.

Be sure to check each campground’s season since many are only open during the warm-weather months. Snow can take a while to melt in the spring, so call ahead and check conditions if you’re planning an early season trip so you know what to expect.

Yellowstone National Park

Best bucket list campground

Dreaming of Yellowstone? Reserve a campsite at the world’s first national park for a bucket list experience. While there are more than 2000 campsites up for grabs in Yellowstone – spread out among a dozen campgrounds – you can’t generally just stroll up and snag a spot. Make advanced reservations as early as possible for your best shot at securing a site for the popular summer season. They fill up quickly for a reason – the park’s campgrounds have some of the best tent and RV camping in Wyoming.

The park’s campsites provide great access to the 2.2-million-acre gem, and staying inside the park means you’re close to the heart of the action. You can also sleep in just a little bit longer before crawling out of your tent to go early-morning wildlife watching or jumping into the day’s adventures.

There are a dozen campgrounds to choose from, so narrow your search according to what you’d like to get out of a camping experience. Some of Yellowstone’s campgrounds are massive – the largest, Bridge Bay, has 432 sites, followed closely by Grant Village with 430 spots – but others are far smaller, like Slough Creek, which has just 16 sites. Larger campgrounds generally have more amenities like flush toilets, and even showers and laundry, while smaller ones offer more serenity. Each campground has its own unique draws, such as Bridge Bay’s proximity to Yellowstone Lake – making it the perfect spot for early morning fishing.

Curt Gowdy State Park

Best campground with something for everyone

Love fishing? Mountain biking? Hiking? However you like to enjoy the outdoors, Curt Gowdy State Park is likely a pretty good spot to do it. Located just about half an hour from both Cheyenne and Laramie, this park has over 170 campsites, and so many recreation options you’ll never get bored.

With seven sections surrounding three reservoirs, you can enjoy great fishing – try to hook a brown or rainbow trout, or maybe a kokanee salmon – boating,and other lake activities. Numerous campgrounds are located a stone’s throw from the water, making for a short stroll to early morning fishing.

The park’s mountain biking trails have earned the “Epic” accolade from the International Mountain Bicycling Association, and the park also has plenty of hiking and equestrian trails to entice you out of your campsite before settling back in for evening s’mores sesh (when fire restrictions allow).

Devils Tower

Best campground for unique geology

Sure, you’ve seen photos of Devils Tower, but why not peer out of your tent and gaze right at it? It’s not every day you see an 867ft-tall, 50-million-year-old monolith first thing in the morning. Embrace your inner park ranger by staying at the Belle Fourche River Campground right inside the park – Loop A on the north side is the closest to the tower, but just about any site will have good views.

Or opt for the nearby Devils Tower / Black Hills KOA Journey, which has plenty of spots for tents and RVs and is open from mid-May to mid-October. Here, you can pitch a tent, park an RV or book a cabin.

Glendo State Park

Best beach camping

Wyoming is as land-locked as it gets, but if you know where to look, you can find great places to swim. A few of the state’s best campgrounds, like the fittingly named Sandy Beach Dune, are right by the white-sand beaches.

Glendo State Park is a beach lover’s retreat thanks to the Glendo Reservoir, which covers 12,000 acres. Enjoy water sports, boating, swimming or just lazing in the sun. With over 45 miles of non-motorized trails, you’re almost certain to have the wilderness – and views of the reservoir – to yourself.

Be aware that the reservoir’s water levels can vary widely, impacting recreation opportunities and camping. Check water levels before making plans.

The park has 550 campsites scattered through 19 different campgrounds, and some sites are reserved just for tents, while others are for RVs. Not every site is by the beach, though – Two Moon Campground is in the pine trees, and others are in varied landscapes.

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area

Best campground for groups

Perfect for multi-generation family trips or big groups of friends, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area features 27 different group camping sites, and the surrounding national recreation area has more than 700 campsites. Named by geologist John Wesley Powell in 1869 for the way the sun reflected off the red rocks, today the park draws anglers, boaters, hikers, mountain bikers and anyone interested in exploring the wilderness straddling the Wyoming–Utah border.

The centerpiece of this park is Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Wyoming’s largest reservoir at over 42,000 acres, so be sure to pack all your water toys. Spend your days cruising around the reservoir, wakeboarding, water skiing and jet skiing. Kayaks and canoes are another peaceful way to explore the lake – many of the marinas and lodges in the area provide rentals.

Arch Dam Campground is perfect for large groups, but we love Mustang Ridge Campground for its views of the reservoir.

Keep planning your trip to Wyoming:

Check out these awe-inspiring Wyoming destinations
Learn about the Cowboy State at Wyoming’s best museums
Enjoy these epic road trips through Big Sky country

In huge Patagonia, there are plenty of different transportation options.

The region’s towns are well connected by a network of buses, with frequent flights to larger towns from the capital cities of Chile and Argentina. Chile’s long coastline, meanwhile, is served by an array of watercraft. For greatest flexibility, you can choose to explore Patagonia on wheels of your own, whether two or four.

It’s crucial to remember that Patagonia is a vast, sparsely populated region of mountains, glaciers and pampas (grasslands) at the end of the world. Any trip here presents logistical challenges and requires careful planning. Since the region’s attractions are very spread out, and since where and when you go largely depends on what you want to do, here’s everything you need to know about getting around Patagonia by air, bus, boat, bicycle and car. 

Traveling by air can be a time-saver 

Local flights can be a real time-saver when you have to cover considerable distances. Chile’s domestic routes are covered by Sky Airlines and JetSmart, with Sky Airlines offering the best one-way prices; Argentina is covered by Aerolíneas Argentinas, Andes Líneas Aéreas and LADE. LATAM operates flights in both countries.

Main flight routes

In Chile, there are direct flights from Santiago and Puerto Montt south to Coyhaique (the largest town in Chile’s northern Patagonia), and Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales in southern Patagonia. Punta Arenas offers short hops to Porvenir (Tierra del Fuego) as well as flights to Puerto Williams, Chile’s (and the world’s) southernmost settlement. Buenos Aires in Argentina is well connected to the popular Patagonian destinations of El Calafate, Esquel and Trelew, as well as Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, among others. There are no cross-border intra-Patagonian flights. 

Along Chile’s Carretera Austral, Aerocord’s tiny, weather-dependent Cessnas and Piper Navajo planes connect Puerto Montt to Chaitén and Melinka.

Cycling is extremely fun but very challenging

Pedaling your way around Patagonia is a serious undertaking – which only seems to inspire two-wheeled warriors intent on tackling Chile’s iconic Carretera Austral or Argentina’s Ruta 40. Any cyclist will have to be prepared for challenging climatic conditions: fierce winds (particularly in southern Patagonia and in the Argentinean Pampas), and rain at any time of year (particularly in wet Aysén, in northern Chilean Patagonia). The good news is, given that Patagonia’s motor traffic is very light outside towns, you’ll often have the roads largely to yourself. If you take your bicycle on boats and ferries, you have to pay a small fee. Buses will usually stow bikes in the luggage compartment.

Cycling tips

A touring bike with good tires and a repair kit are essential, as is a sturdy all-season tent, since distances between towns are often considerable and you’ll find yourself camping wild. Punctures are not uncommon on the unpaved roads, and while there are bicycle repair shops in most towns, along the Carretera Austral – where you’re likely to need one most – they can only be found in Coyhaique. 

Southern Chile offers epic opportunities for boat travel 

With its long, convoluted coastline and vast glacial lakes, southern Chile offers epic opportunities for boat travel – though ferry travel is limited outside of high season and weather-dependent year-round. Book tickets (including for car ferries along the Carretera Austral) well in advance for travel during the peak December to February months, or turn up at least an hour before departure for rides that aren’t bookable ahead.

Travel by boat in Argentinian Patagonia is very limited, unless you count taking a boat across Lago del Desierto near El Chaltén in order to hike to the Chilean border post of Candelario Mancilla, and then another boat across Lago San Martín/O’Higgins to Chile’s Villa O’Higgins.

If you take a bus from El Calafate to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, that automatically involves crossing the border into Chile and a car ferry across the Magellan Strait before the bus ducks back into Argentinian territory.

Try one of these unique boat experiences

If you have a few days to spare, one unmissable travel experience involves taking the four-day Navimag ferry from Puerto Montt in Chile’s Lake District to Puerto Natales in southern Patagonia – a journey that takes you through a maze of tiny islands, fjords and glaciers, with dolphin and whale sightings en route if you’re lucky… and fog and rough seas if you’re not. Since Navimag is primarily a cargo ship, think of it as a basic cruise ship but with backpacker berths, tiny, basic cabins and cows.

In Ushuaia, there’s the option of crossing the Beagle Channel to Chile’s Isla Navarino (to reach Puerto Williams) in an inflatable Zodiac boat. This 30-minute crossing is weather-dependent and often delayed by high winds. Sometimes, you might be lulled into a false sense of security by the calm waters of Ushuaia’s bay, only to find the Zodiac bouncing on and being battered by house-sized waves farther out in the channel. So be prepared for greater excitement than you signed up for!

Take the bus for affordable long-distance journeys 

Long-distance buses in Chile and Argentina are punctual, rank among the most comfortable in the world, and are relatively inexpensive. Most Chilean and Argentinian towns have a single large bus station, well-organized, with restrooms, left luggage, food kiosks and destinations and fares prominently displayed – though there can be exceptions. In Punta Arenas (Chile) and Ushuaia (Argentina), buses stop at the offices of their respective companies, so it takes some leg work to figure out which bus company you’ll need to get to your destination. Coyhaique (Chile) has a central bus terminal, though a number of small bus companies nevertheless operate from individual bus offices around town.

In Chile, the biggest bus companies are TurBus and Pullman, both of which operate in southern Patagonia; you can purchase tickets from their respective websites. Aysén, Chile’s northern Patagonia, is covered by small minibus companies with limited services and tickets may only be purchased from the bus offices. Argentine websites selling long-distance bus tickets include Omnilineas and Plataforma 10.

Note that long-distance buses traveling from southern Patagonia to Chilean destinations in the Lake District and farther north invariably cross the border into Argentina and back again but do not stop at Argentinian destinations. Likewise, buses from El Calafate and other destinations in Argentinian Patagonia bound for Ushuaia must pass through Chilean territory to do so.

Make bus reservations in advance and consider seasonal services

Buy your ticket well in advance for journeys during the holidays (Christmas, Easter, the months of January and February), and for Fridays and Sundays; otherwise, a few hours ahead generally suffices.

There are good bus connections between towns during peak and shoulder seasons (November through March) but far fewer services the rest of the year. This particularly affects travel along Argentina’s Ruta 40, where bus company Taqsa/Marga and private company Chalten Travel run services between Bariloche in the Lake District and various Patagonian destinations, and along Chile’s Carretera Austral, where minibuses to remote towns run on a limited basis even during high season.

Renting a car gives you the most flexibility

Patagonia’s roads are very lightly trafficked and incredibly scenic. Hiring a car gives you the most flexibility, and you’ll need your own wheels to get to remote national parks and attractions, particularly off Chile’s Carretera Austral. Hiring a 4WD is not necessary, but a car with high clearance is desirable for main routes and essential for exploring unpaved minor roads.

You’ll find major international rental companies at airports and around town in Punta Arenas and Coyhaique in Chile, and El Calafate and Ushuaia in Argentina. Shop around; local companies often charge less per day. To hire a car, a driver’s license from your home country usually suffices. One-way rentals can be difficult to arrange, and when they are one-way drop-off charges can be brutally steep. You have to purchase seguro obligatorio (minimum insurance); additional liability insurance is a good idea, since damage to tires and windscreens on unpaved roads is likely. To cross the border between Chile and Argentina, you’ll need special insurance.

Tips for driving remote routes

Driving Patagonia’s remoter routes – the legendary Ruta 40 and Carretera Austral – is less challenging than it used to be, but precautions still need to be taken:

• There is no phone coverage outside of towns, so make sure you travel with a spare tire and other basic repair equipment – and know how to use it. Other drivers will stop to help in case of breakdown.
• Fill up on gas at every available opportunity.
• Carry supplies of food and water and a good sleeping bag.
• If exploring Tierra del Fuego, you may need to carry spare canisters of fuel, since gas stations are very few and far between.