Although it’s hard to say that there are very many truly undiscovered destinations, we caught up with some of our favorite travel addicts to hear their beloved under-the-radar spots. These travelers took the road less traveled, and it paid off for them in a big way.
From the frozen tundras of Antarctica to the broad expanses of Mongolia and the hidden villages along the Egyptian Nile, here are their favorite discoveries around the world.
Mongolia
Alana, 31, is a global public health program manager. She’s responsible for planning and implementing month-long blindness prevention projects in up to five countries per year.
After 150+ flights and spending 70% of her time on the road in the past two years, it was Mongolia that really stole her heart.
“When I think about why I love Mongolia, I think of freedom: wide-open uninhabited spaces, legitimate “free-range” livestock, camels and horses for transportation, serene reconstructed monasteries, hybrid cars, phenomenally beautiful people inside and out, nomadic homesteads, diverse landscapes, and the best meat and vodka on planet earth,” Alana explains.
Mongolia is best visited during the summer months, between June and August when you’ll typically find clear, sunny skies and warm weather. If you don’t mind a slight chill, Autumn in Mongolia is full of breathtaking fall colors.
“I tell everyone willing to listen that they should visit at least once in their lives.”
– Alana Calise, 31, Rhode Island
Kansas City, USA
Born and raised in Colombia until the age of eight, Santiago, 28, has traveled extensively for both work and pleasure to countries across Europe, South and Central America, and Asia.
And the biggest surprise destination for him? Kansas City, Missouri, just one state over from his home in Chicago.
When Santi traveled to Kansas City for the first time, he was surprised by the diverse people, food, and culture in a place he had imagined to be little more than cornfields.
Loads of good hipster-vibe restaurants scattered around Kansas City serve delicious food and Santi highly recommends Succotash for breakfast. The other must-try dish? The amazing barbeque which you’ll find around every corner.
Beyond the food, Santi believes “...the best part of all is the art museum. The free art museum is top-notch and on par with the best in the world.”
-Santiago Garcia Escallon, 28, Illinois
Antarctica
Jerry and Sue, 63, have achieved a monumental travel feat: visiting all seven of Earth’s continents. The couple has always made travel a priority throughout their marriage, both when they had young children and after their kids had grown up and started families of their own.
And their last stop was certainly one of the “lesser traveled” places on Earth.
Over 56,000 people visited Antarctica in the 2018-2019 season (compare this to Germany’s annual 39 million visitors) making it still an undiscovered destination for many. On cruises to Antarctica, after traversing Drakes Passage for about 2 days, you spend the trip moving between landing sites where you stop and disembark for brief periods of time to take short hikes, go seal watching, or visit penguin rookeries.
“While sailing you are traveling through the most pristine world any of us could imagine, maneuvering around ice flows and icebergs,” Jerry describes.
Outdoor adventure activities include sea kayaking, zodiac tours, and the Polar Plunge — which Jerry and his family did, though he says only about 20% of the passengers braved the freezing water.
While they certainly didn’t interact with many locals in Antarctica, Jerry believes that beyond the beautiful destinations they’ve visited, travel frequently comes back to the people.
“Individuals are good or bad but do not reflect on the overall population. You have to travel to appreciate the differences and sameness of us all. Our goal is to leave our family with a lifetime of memories and the desire to continue to do the same.”
-Jerry and Sue Kuenster, 63, California
Egypt
We can all picture the pyramids, sphinxes, and souks of the Egyptian landscape. Divers know well that incredible scuba opportunities can be found off the Egyptian coast in the Red Sea.
Brandon, 31, describes himself as “a big kid from Wisconsin who’s dreamt of seeing the world all his life.” After over a year on the road, he found his heaven in a tiny Egyptian town called Nagaa Al Fuqara.
In the city of Edfu, tourists only pass by for a few hours to see a famous temple. If anything, it’s just a stop en route down the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.
“There’s honestly not much going on here,” Brandon says. “So it’s perfect to sit still in the Nile and enjoy the lush mango groves and Palm trees for a moment. It’s quiet and the people are so happy and simple.”
Typical days here involve drinking some tea, watching some football, and gathering with family and neighbors to chat and laugh.
“If I’m not traveling or living and working on the road, then I’m hunkered down working hard for months before setting off again. Traveling and living are synonymous for me.”
–Brandon Larson, 31, Wisconsin
Canary Islands
Sedera, 29 is a European native who went to college in the United States. Her parents believed that introducing her and her sister to foreign countries was the best gift they could give to their children. Before Sedera had traveled to Spain’s Canary Islands, she had primarily heard of them as a resort destination.
That all changed after her first visit.
The Canaries are great for a resort beach vacation. But they’re also a relatively undiscovered destination in terms of the diversity of landscapes, activities, and cultures they offer. And all of it is completely unique to these seven islands off the coast of Morocco.
“The volcanic landscapes when atop the Teide or driving through Lanzarote gave me a glimpse of what I imagine exploring Mars would resemble. The protecting figure of Cesar Manrique, ever-present even almost 20 years after his death, was a powerful discovery. I wish all countries had artists like him who fought for the culture of their land,” Sedera explained.
“The Canary Islands are a gem. I hope I get to visit the remaining three islands I haven’t seen very soon. Travel has always been an essential aspect of life for me and a source of great pleasure and discovery.”
–Sedera Ranaivoarinosy, 29, France
Whether it’s an undiscovered destination that caught your eye or not, we hope these passionate travelers inspire you to get out of your comfort zone and continue to explore the world. Start your flight search here. 👇
