Six Instagram-worthy destinations to tick off your bucket list in 2018
Forget about boring resolutions to lose weight and stop watching so much TV; for us here at Travelzoo, the new year means another chance to dream up our travel bucketlist of destinations we're inspired to visit in the next twelve months. From eating buttery croissants at a boutique cafe in Paris, to marveling at the ancient Great Wall of China, and watching wild elephants roam on an African safari, we've picked six experiences to go on our holiday wishlist. Excitingly, we have also partnered with Gate 1 Travel to offer an exclusive discount on their most popular tours to these destinations.
Chile
In its recent Best in Travel hotlist, Lonely Planet named Chile as the number one destination you should visit in 2018, and we can understand why: the cosmopolitan capital city of Santiago, the world-class wine, the spectacular mountain ranges and breathtaking Patagonian landscapes - a journey through this South American gem is like getting multiple holidays all rolled into one.
How to get there: This 12-day tour from Gate1 Travel will take you through Chile and Argentina via Patagonia's glaciers. Save $200; prices now start from $5189pp.
Peru
The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu continues to inspire travellers the world over; a recent study found that the site of the majestic ancient ruins was the most photographed spot in the whole continent of South America. Named in the AFAR Travelers' Choice Awards as the best destination for adventure, Peru offers an abundance of other Instagram-worthy opportunities, from the pristine waters of Lake Titicaca to the extraordinary Uros Floating Islands and the elegant colonial architecture of the "White City" of Arequipa, built almost entirely of gleaming white rock from the surrounding majestic volcanoes. The capital, Lima, was also recently named by an online travel agent as one of the top 10 emerging destinations in 2018; known as the gastronomic heart of Latin America, it's a must-visit for foodie travellers.
How to get there: Spend 12 days travelling from Lima to Machu Picchu on Gate 1 Travel's Kaleidoscope of Peru tour. Save $200; prices now start from $2449pp.
South Africa
The roaming zebra, the grazing antelope, the lazing lions, the stately elephants, the ferocious leopards: South Africa's extraordinary wildlife continues to exert its pull on travellers in 2018. Beyond the game drives, rolling vineyards, vibrant culture, cosmopolitan cities and Cape Town's majestic Table Mountain await.
How to visit: Gate 1 Travel's 12-day Classic South Africa tour will take you from Cape Town to Johannesburg via Hluhluwe, Swaziland and Hazyview. Save $200; prices now start from $2119pp.
Botswana
"A place of singular and unparalleled beauty," Botswana is "blessed with some of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth", trumpets Lonely Planet, and we couldn't agree more. From the lush, green Okavango Delta - the world’s largest inland delta - with its huge concentration of animals and birds and a designated a World Heritage Site, to the Chobe National Park, home to over 460 different species of birds, this emerging destination for 2018 offers an abundance of unforgettable safari opportunities.
How to get there: Spend 13 days experiencing the highlights of Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa on this tour from Gate 1 Travel, now discounted by $200 with prices starting from $6039pp.
China
There are so many extraordinary sights to see in China that we could almost write a whole bucket list of destinations just for this one country. If we had to whittle it down, our top picks for spots to visit would definitely include the Terracotta Army in Xi'an - an astonishing collection of thousands of finely sculpted life-size soldiers, horses and chariots dating back to the end of the third century BCE - as well as the Forbidden City in Beijing, once residence of Chinese Emperors, and of course the 2000-year-old Great Wall. Don't forget to tuck into a traditional dinner of Peking Duck, a bucket-list experience in its own right.
How to get there: Discover China including a 4-Day Yangtze River cruise with this 13-day tour from Gate 1 Travel. Save $200; prices now start from $2039pp.
France
An evergreen favourite, this gallic gem tops travellers' bucket lists year-in, year-out. The wine, the food, the history, the architecture, the rolling vineyards, lazy canals and perfumed lavender fields - c'est magnifique. Why go in 2018? Well, the country will be abuzz with a series of major cultural and sporting events, including the 20th anniversary of the huge wine and food festival “Bordeaux Fête le Vin”, the arrival of the Ryder Cup, and the opening of the new Maritime and Sea Museum; the inaugural exhibition, Monet and the Sea, will showcase forty works from the Impressionist master.
How to get there: Starting in Paris, spend 14 days journeying through France, from the Champagne region to the spectacular French Riviera with this 14-Day Classic France tour from Gate 1 Travel. Save $200; prices now start from $3199pp.
Until 25 January 2018, Gate 1 Travel is offering $200 per person off their most popular itineraries in each of these destinations for travel throughout 2018. For more information and to book, click here.
This post was sponsored by Gate 1 Travel.