From key tourism developments and new launches to new festivals and global events, World Expeditions has designated its three top destinations for active travellers to explore in 2024… and why.
NEPAL
2024 marks the centenary of the third ill-fated attempt of British mountaineers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine to summit the mighty Mount Everest. In the 100 years since, the Himalaya have become an almost mainstream destination attracting trekkers and climbers from all over the world.
For those who want to take in the majesty of the world’s most iconic peaks on a trekking holiday but feel that it’s becoming too mainstream, World Expeditions recommends heading west towards the Gokyo Lakes where its 17-day ‘Gokyo & Reno’ trek weaves slowly through Sherpa villages and yak pastures on a route that avoids the busier trails. It also provides stunning panoramic views, particularly on the way to the top of the 5,360-m. Renjo La pass.
The tour company notes that it is completing an extensive renovation of its permanent eco-campsites in the Everest and Annapurna regions for the 2023-24 trekking season, allowing trekkers to travel to remote, lesser-known areas with added comfort.
INDOCHINA
With 2024 marked as a ‘Visit Laos’ year, the country is hoping to draw the attention of travellers to the fact that, during the pandemic, it opened its first long-distance railway line. Aimed primarily at tourists, the 420-km railway connects capital Vientiane, at the south of the country close to the border with Thailand, with the Chinese border in the north in less than four hours (as opposed to a 15-hour car journey). With Vietnam having recently introduced a new, multiple-entry e-visa and Siem Reap preparing to welcome a brand-new international airport, travelling around Southeast Asia is set to become easier than it has been for years.
Vietnam and Cambodia are known for their iconic attractions, and for a good reason, but Laos, which celebrates 2024 as a ‘Visit Laos’ year, is the true hidden gem of the region. Tourism in Indochina is still recovering from the pandemic, making 2024 a great year to visit sans the crowds.
On World Expeditions ‘Bike, Hike & Hike Laos Cambodia,’ tour participants can combine the best of the two countries into one compact multi-activity itinerary. In 12 days, this adventure visits the must-see sites and gets off the beaten path.
JAPAN
2024 marks 60 years of Japan’s ‘shinkansen’ high-speed trains, which launched in 1964 – and whether one wants to visit the now-open Japan National Stadium, the main venue of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, or are intrigued by ‘Any Wear, Anywhere,’ the new initiative that allows visitors to travel light by renting clothes when they land, Japan will always draw travellers. Visitor arrivals have been growing steadily since the country dropped all border control measures last May and it is already one of the most in-demand destinations for World Expeditions.
Perfect for anyone looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life, the new ‘Shikoku Self-Guided Pilgrim Hike’ with World Expeditions incorporates the iconic route’s most picturesque temples, shrines, and scenery. Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s main islands, is famous for its 1,200-km pilgrim trail and unspoilt nature.
World Expeditions
Starting as a Himalayan trekking company in 1975, World Expeditions is one of the world’s original adventure travel companies and the first to offer commercial cycling holidays in India (1977) and China (1978) and trekking trips in Mongolia (1980) and Tibet (1981). In 2011, it became the first (and remains the only) company to offer the newly mapped Great Himalaya Trail.
The World Expeditions Travel Group, with seven offices worldwide including Ottawa, consists of 16 travel brands in total, also including UTracks, Great Canadian Trails, Great Walks of New Zealand, and Australian Walking Holidays.