7 Must-Visit Destinations for 2026 (Get There Before the Crowds Arrive!) with Lyn Hughes

Zero To Travel Podcast

Jason Moore

Society & Culture, Business, Entrepreneurship, Places & Travel

4.6 • 866 Ratings

🗓️ 6 January 2026

⏱️ 68 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What are the top travel destinations for 2026 that need to be on your radar? Lyn Hughes is the founding editor of Wanderlust Magazine and a leading voice in adventure and cultural travel journalism. She’s spent decades curating destination guides, championing responsible travel, and sharing stories that inspire deeper exploration. I catch up with Lyn to explore her curated list of the best places to travel in 2026 and why you should prioritize these destinations for the new year or near future. Lyn shares standout destinations including remote wilderness routes, under‑the‑radar cultural hubs, and wildlife-rich regions. She shares personal stories, explains why there is urgency around some of these locations, and gives insight into how we can engage more meaningfully and responsibly when we visit. If you're thinking ahead to your next big trip, this episode offers thoughtful guidance and some surprising ideas. Which types of destinations spark your imagination right now? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: Why Wanderlust creates future‑looking destination lists and how they’re curated How to balance adventure, accessibility, and sustainability in trip planning Advice for travelers seeking lesser‑known but rewarding places What Lyn looks for in a truly special travel experience How one rugged road trip remains one of her all‑time favorites Why wildlife travel can reshape how we see the world How curated content and AI might impact your next travel search What role community‑based tourism is playing in new travel trends Personal travel picks from a legendary travel editor And so much more Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter Wanderlust Magazine Wanderlust: Off the Page podcast on Apple, Spotify Want More? Top 7 Travel Trends for 2025 with Lyn Hughes Top 10 Places We’re Dying To Visit That We’ve Never Been 14 Best of “The Best Places to Travel in 2025” (Jason’s Picks) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	There were more than 100 languages represented on the walls of the Sikh, because you can see all these different languages and all these different signs of other civilizations that passed through.
0:12.4	It's got some incredible kind of rock-cut tombs.
0:16.3	So you can visit these Nabatian sites at Hegra on a guided tour with one of these female
0:25.3	storytellers who come from locally. So many stories to tell. Archaeologists are working there.
0:31.5	There are new discoveries almost every day.
0:34.8	Happy New Year, my friend. I'm so excited to bring you this one, as you heard at the top.
0:40.6	That is just one of seven must-visit destinations for the coming year that you're going to get in today's episode.
0:46.9	I want to give you a jump on the travel planning you're doing for the coming year with one of the most experienced voices in the travel industry.
0:56.2	We've got Lynn Hughes back on the show. She is with Wanderlust magazine. It's the UK's leading
1:02.7	travel publication. She launched it back in 1993. And she's been traveling like crazy for decades.
1:11.3	And she's personally visited all of the places that you're going to hear on her list today within the last year or two.
1:17.6	And she's also bringing these decades of travel experience to explain why each destination deserves your attention in the coming year.
1:26.2	It's not just a random list.
1:27.8	We need the why.
1:28.9	So you're going to discover seven remarkable destinations spanning four continents,
1:33.4	including a legendary 660 kilometer dirt road through one of Earth's last great wilderness areas.
1:42.0	And this road might be paved within the next five years. So
1:45.7	a big reason why that's on the list. A wildlife encounter like none other, as you heard in the
1:51.0	clip at the top, a UNESCO site in a country that only opened to tourism recently. And on top of
1:56.5	all this, you're going to get expert travel tips if you actually want to visit these spots. So
1:59.6	whether you're planning your coming year of travel or just dreaming about some future adventures this
2:05.4	episode is going to give you some destination advice from someone who's dedicated their life to
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Jason Moore, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Jason Moore and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.