National Geographic today revealed it picks for “Best of the World,” the brand’s annual list of “the most awe-inspiring, meaningful, and immersive travel experiences for the upcoming year.”
“At Nat Geo, we know that travel has the power to inspire and transform us,” said Nathan Lump, editor-in-chief of National Geographic. “In this year’s Best of the World, we especially wanted to highlight unexpected destinations that the algorithms are probably not serving you – for instance, Uzbekistan’s Khiva or Rwanda’s Akagera National Park. Of course, we know that not every trip can be an off-the-beaten-path adventure, so we were mindful to include some surprisingly compelling places that are also more easily accessible. Whatever kind of traveler you are, our goal is to ensure we’re sharing fresh ideas that help you connect with that feeling of discovery and joy that comes from a great travel experience.”
The Best of the World list draws on the expertise of National Geographic’s editors, travel contributors, and international partners. The 2026 list spans the globe and includes two Canadian provinces. The 25 destinations are:
- The Dolomites, Milan, Italy*
- Québec, Canada
- Beijing, China
- Dominica
- Rabat, Morocco
- Hull, Yorkshire, England
- North Dakota Badlands, U.S.
- Manila, Philippines
- Black Sea Coast, Türkiye
- Khiva, Uzbekistan
- Akagera National Park, Rwanda, East Africa
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
- Route 66: Oklahoma, U.S.
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Oulu, Finland
- South Korea
- Guimarães, Portugal
- Basque Country, Spain
- Maui, Hawaii, U.S.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
- Coastal Oaxaca (Costa Chica), Mexico
- Fiji
- Medellín, Colombia
National Geographic also celebrated the list on social media with a “Readers’ Choice” campaign in the weeks leading up to this year’s BEST OF THE WORLD announcement. @NatGeoTravel invited audiences to share their favorite travel destination recommendations in the lead-up to the full list reveal. Over the last few weeks, @NatGeoTravel followers have nominated hundreds of destinations and ultimately voted for Cinque Terre, Banff, Taipei and the Atacama Desert in Chile as the four finalists. Audiences officially named Banff, Canada, as the Readers’ Choice winner.
Click HERE to read the article, which features fantastic photographs and the explanation for why each destination was selected.
*(Caption and credit for photo top of post) Sports fans heading to the 2026 Winter Olympics, hosted primarily in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains, should consider exploring beyond the venues to take in picturesque scenery such as Lago di Braies (Lake Braies) in the Tyrol Photo by Chris Burkard, Verb Photo.
Powered by