In 2024, the landscape of adventure travel is poised to witness exciting shifts and evolving trends, catering to the diverse preferences of modern travellers.
At World Expeditions, our adventure travel offerings extend across the entire spectrum of adventure, with journeys for all preferences. From the serene softer adventures, where tranquillity and nature entwine, to the pinnacle expeditions that push the boundaries of endurance and challenge every sense.
We all know that in the world of active adventure travel, it's not just where you go and what you do, but how you do it. Our predictions for 2024 are the trends that have really started to emerge this year that we believe will continue to accelerate next year. Below is our list of these emerging trends and the most popular trips for each trend.
Long-Distance Hiking Trails
Stay longer, see more. These "under-your-own-steam adventures’’ take sustainable travel to a whole new level of a small footprint, BIG adventure!
The proliferation of long-distance hiking trails is no accident. Governments and tourism bodies the world over know the importance of tourism dollars for their country, and long-distance trails are a way of spreading tourism dollars deeper into the country to help revitalise communities well away from the traditional trails.
It’s a trend not likely to go away soon. The appetite for travellers to truly disconnect and immerse themselves in a destination for a longer period has been growing since we started.
Bhutan Snowman Trek – the most spectacular hike in the Himalaya, traversing the backbone of this mesmerising and remote Himalayan Kingdom over 3 weeks.
Transcaucasian Trail: Georgia or Armenia – The newest BIG thing in trekking that will extend over 3000km once complete.
Grampians Peak Trail End to End - Victoria’s iconic Gariwerd National Park (the Grampians) now has its very own epic 160km End to End trail.
Great Himalaya Trail Nepal - Trekking’s Holy Grail; the world’s longest, highest and most spectacular hiking trail through the undoubtedly most famous country for hiking.
John Muir Trail - California’s John Muir Trail is the USA long-distance trail of choice with our trekking community, thanks to the classic alpine scenery and the deep respect many hikers have for the man the trail was named after.
Great Patagonian Traverse – The Chileans have been working hard on connecting their many national parks together via their La Ruta de los Parques project, which has allowed us to pioneer this epic adventure.
Centre-Based Active Adventures
Some travellers simply don't enjoy the idea of packing and unpacking each day on an adventure, and this pet peeve has limited many from exciting outdoor explorations. Enter: Centre-Based Active Adventures.
Explore a new highlight each day and return to familiar surroundings each evening – and an organised wardrobe. Boat-based explorations will cover more ground, and you wake up to a new view each day, while glamping-style hiking will ensure you explore the best walks of the region from an idyllic base camp.
Antarctica Peninsula Basecamp – Our travellers don’t like looking at the magic of Antarctica from a distance. They prefer hiking on it, paddling near it, or even camping on the ice!
The Galapagos Islands – Ecuador’s most famous natural attraction is once again in vogue with wildlife and nature lovers.
Maldives Dhoni Cruise – Forget the resorts, active travellers view luxury as seeing more of a destination, which is exactly what our traditional Dhoni-based cruise provides.
Japan Expedition Cruising - Cruise between iconic cities, remote coastlines, and ancient islands on this exciting new voyage exploring Japan's seamless blend of traditional customs with ultramodern living.
New Zealand Expedition Cruising - Thought you'd seen, or heard, about all the must-see places in New Zealand? This cruise to the biodiverse 'forgotten islands' will change that perspective.
Self -Guided Walking or Cycling
A decade ago, being your own guide was something only people who never went on an organised trip would, or could, do. Now, travellers can benefit from an organised tour, yet still enjoy the freedom of independent travel thanks to Self-Guided walking and cycling tours.
Self-guided travel is flexible (you make the daily decisions, and departure dates are more frequent) and more affordable (there are no guide wages to cover). Add to this the assistance of luggage transfers, hotel bookings, complete backup and support, as well as navigation assistance, usually in the form of an App, and if you’re an experienced traveller you can start to see the attraction.
When self-guided trips began, the travel options were largely limited to Europe. Today, companies like ours have helped pioneer the concept in other destinations around the world.
Nepal’s Everest region - If small group sizes are still too large for you, trek to Nepal’s famous Namche Bazaar at your own pace.
Japan – A number of ‘pilgrim trails’ have been developed for walkers, including the Nakasendo Way, Shikoku Pilgrim Hike as well as the Kumano Kodo, the latter of which will earn you dual pilgrim status if you complete this and Spain’s Camino de Santiago.
Torres Del Paine W Trek - The W trek, one of the world’s most famous treks, isn’t overly arduous for walkers, however as soon as you have to carry all your equipment in a full-pack the whole game changes.
Brisbane Valley and Kilkivan Rail Trail - The Rail Trail movement is growing in Australia, and the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail has quickly shot to the top in popularity with self-guided cyclists.
The Overland Track – It’s Tasmania, and possibly Australia’s, most well-known World Heritage walking experience, and this trip makes it easier to accomplish for independent hikers.
Adventures with the Family
Put the screens on aeroplane mode and get ready to share your passion for exploring the world's great wild places - a family that actively explores the world together, grows together.
Parents eager to share their passion for active travel don't have to seek out a dedicated family adventure, where they join other families. Children as young as 12, who are confident and experienced in the outdoors, can join you on many of our exciting active adventures.
While we suggest trips graded from introductory to moderate, it does depend on the child and the itinerary, so talk to our team about their suitability.
Nepal's Annapurna region - Trek at lower altitudes and enjoy a rich cultural experience as you pass through the many Gurung villages on the spectacular trails in the stunning Annapurna region.
New Zealand Cycle Trails – Aotearoa has been busily developing a stunning variety of dedicated cycling trails, many vehicle-free, which lend themselves to a safe, fun and spectacular outdoor experience for the whole family.
Sri Lanka Adventure - Sri Lanka is the perfect introduction to the Indian Subcontinent for young travellers. It's also friendly to the family budget.
Morocco Explorer - Got a Star Wars fan in the household? Take them to where one of the original movies was set.
South-East Asia Multi-Activity - Even the fussiest of travellers will find something to look forward to on an adventure that combines walking with cycling AND kayaking.
Glamping
Glamorous camping, aka glamping, has bridged the gap for those who love the outdoors but would prefer some of life's little luxuries to accompany them. It offers one of the best back-to-nature experiences, where you can play in the wilds during the day and sleep amongst it at night, without forgoing your creature comforts.
Glamping offers a step up from camping and the term can conjure up different expectations from different people. For those who love to walk, the real luxury is the location, often affording views that would cost thousands of dollars a night if you stayed in a hotel. Add to this: hot showers - a rare treat on most treks - comfortable beds, not swags or sleeping bags, as well as comfortable communal areas where you can recount the days' adventure with other like-minded souls.
Flinders Island, Tasmania – The latest gem in Tasmania’s hiking crown is home to three of Tasmania's Great Short Walks, as well as our pioneering new Eco-Comfort Camp.
Patagonia, Chile - Combine one of the world's most beautiful walks, the W Trek in the Torres del Paine National Park, with the domed EcoCamp structures immersed into the park's wilderness.
Larapinta Trail, Central Australia - Our Eco-Comfort Camps on the Larapinta Trail have set the industry standard for remote wilderness glamping with five Brolga Award wins.
African Wildlife Explorer - Treat yourself to 3 or 4-star lodges and permanent tents in sublime locations, some of which may even afford you wildlife viewing from your room.