Why follow the crowds, asks Katie McGonagle.
Click here to download and save as a PDF.
Overtourism is the buzzword of the moment. Destinations as diverse as Venice and the Orkney Islands have struggled to cope with an influx of tourists, permits to hike the Inca Trail sell out faster than Adele tickets, and even success stories such as the centenary of the US National Park Service end up with traffic jams just to get in the gates.
Travellers have clearly embraced the idea of the bucket list, and are desperate to tick off as many of those must-see spots as they can, regardless of whether they have to stand elbow to elbow with other tourists to do so.
But what else might they be missing in their eagerness to post snaps at the peak of Machu Picchu or atop the Great Wall of China, trying to get a photo in that fleeting moment when the crowds have thinned?
The big-ticket sites still have plenty to recommend them and they’re not disappearing from touring itineraries any time soon – and rightly so. But for travellers who want awe-inspiring sights without as many crowds, we’ve put together a few alternatives that are just as worthy of their attention.
1 Savouring Puglia
The swap? Give margherita in Naples a miss for a slow-food tour of the south
Where? Puglia, southern Italy
Why? Almost every region of Italy is famous for its foodstuffs, but in the quest to find the best pizza in Naples or the best bolognese in Bologna, guests might miss the whole point of Italian food – to slow down and savour every bite.
“In the quest to find the best pizza in Naples or the best bolognese in Bologna, guests might miss the whole point of Italian food – to slow down and savour every bite.”
The rise of the slow-food movement takes the opposite approach. Back-Roads Touring allows time to taste artisan burrata and other cheeses, stop for lunch at a hilltop farmhouse, and sample wines from the cellar of Castel di Salve.
Book it: Back-Roads Touring’s Slow Food Tour of Puglia starts at £1,999 for six days, including boutique accommodation, local guides, some meals, two wine tastings and one olive tasting, but excluding flights.
backroadstouring.com
2 Bungle Bungles
The swap? Switch sunrise at Uluru for sunset at the Bungle Bungle Range
Where? Kimberley, Western Australia
Why? Uluru is a classic component of a first-time Australia itinerary, but with the groundbreaking Qantas flight direct to Perth focusing attention on the wilds of Western Australia, it’s time to shake up that standard introduction to Oz.
APT’s national sales manager, Jessica Shelton-Agar, says: “While Uluru is undoubtedly one of the biggest drawcards for first-time travellers to Australia, if you’ve got a client that wants to experience something different, we recommend introducing the Bungle Bungle Range, a maze of orange and black striped sandstone domes in the Purnululu National Park.
“Long known by local indigenous people, the Bungle Bungles were barely discovered by the rest of the world until the 1980s, so they are still relatively unknown.”
“Like Uluru, it’s an incredible geological landmark in a remote outback location that plays host to a huge variety of wildlife species. Long known by local indigenous people, the Bungle Bungles were barely discovered by the rest of the world until the 1980s, so in tourism terms, they are still relatively unknown.”
APT owns a series of wilderness lodges in the region, where guests can watch the sun set over the domes.
Book it: APT offers a 15-day El Questro, Gorges and Purnululu small-group adventure between April and September, from £5,645. The price includes flights from Heathrow to Perth and on to Broome, accommodation, sightseeing, 29 meals, a driver-guide, transfers and park fees.
aptouring.co.uk
3 Lenin Peak
The swap? Skip Everest Base Camp and hike up Lenin Peak instead
Where? On the border of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan
Why? Also known as Ibn Sina Peak, this is considered one of the ‘easiest’ 7,000m-plus summits in the world, offering the challenge of a steep ascent and extreme cold, but without being a technical climb. It’s the latest addition to Exodus Travels’ trekking collection, and is a worthy alternative to better-known treks.
“Add spectacular scenery and the draw of Kyrgyzstan, a country most people probably can’t even spell, and you have the makings of a truly memorable adventure.”
Exodus head of product development Andy Ross says: “Our trips to Himalayan trekking peaks such as Mera Peak and Stok Kangri have become increasingly popular, so we wanted to introduce another more serious climbing adventure for those wishing to challenge their limits and venture even higher.
“Lenin Peak has the added advantage of being very accessible, as you are taken all the way to base camp by 4×4, so your focus can be on acclimatisation. Add spectacular scenery and the draw of Kyrgyzstan, a country most people probably can’t even spell, and you have the makings of a truly memorable adventure.”
Book it: Exodus’s Lenin Peak Ascent departs in August and starts at £3,269 for 25 days, including flights, meals, camping accommodation, porterage and a guide. It is rated ‘tough’ and requires strong physical fitness.
exodus.co.uk
4 Yellowstone in Winter
The swap? Bypass the Grand Canyon to chill out in Yellowstone
Where? Wyoming, crossing the borders to Montana and Idaho
Why? The Grand Canyon is rightly feted as one of the natural wonders of the world, and everybody should see it at some time in their lives – but the US has more than one mind-blowing landscape worth hopping across the pond for.
Yellowstone National Park receives just 3% of its visitors during winter, so it’s a great time to see the US’s oldest national park without having to jostle other tourists out of the way. It’s even got its own grand canyon, beautiful when blanketed with snow, albeit not on quite the same scale as its namesake.
“The Grand Canyon is rightly feted as one of the natural wonders of the world, and everybody should see it at some time in their lives.”
Much more impressive is its geothermal activity, with bubbling mud pools and steaming geysers, not forgeting the ever-reliable Old Faithful, and the park’s wild populations of wolves, bison and elk, which can be seen plodding across the snow.
Book it: Tauck’s eight-day tour, Wonderland: Yellowstone in Winter, starts at £3,440, excluding flights, with departures in January and February 2019. The price covers meals, winter activities, sightseeing, airport transfers, snowcoaches and a guide.
tauck.co.uk
5 Yunnan and Sichuan
The swap? Switch the Great Wall of China for the Grand Buddha of Leshan
Where? Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in southwest China
Why? There are ways to see the Great Wall of China without battling the crowds – by hiking its lesser-visited lengths, for example – but this is a vast country with plenty more assets to its name. A tour through its southwestern provinces reveals the towering limestone pillars of the Unesco-listed Stone Forest, the vast peaks of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, magnificent Tiger Leaping Gorge, and the Grand Buddha at Leshan, which dates from 803.
“There are ways to see the Great Wall of China without battling the crowds – by hiking its lesser-visited lengths, for example.”
Wendy Wu Tours also takes in Nine Villages Valley on its trip, famous for its bright sapphire lakes and abundant waterfalls, but the area remains closed after an earthquake last year, replaced on the itinerary with the Three Natural Bridges National Park.
Book it: Yunnan & Sichuan is a 16-day classic tour from Wendy Wu Tours, starting at £3,590 including all flights, meals, visas, accommodation, touring and domestic transport.
wendywutours.co.uk/agents
6 Kerala backwaters
The swap? Top the Taj Mahal with culture in Kerala
Where? Southern India
Why? The Golden Triangle is a winning itinerary, taking in Agra Fort, the Palace of the Winds in Jaipur, and that crowning glory of them all, the Taj Mahal. But even before dawn, the queue to watch sunrise over those glittering domes seems interminable, so it’s worth considering other equally fascinating regions of India.
Kerala is every bit as deserving of ‘must-see status’ as the Taj Mahal. Richard Harrington, long-haul director at Newmarket Holidays, says: “India’s south is a world in its own right, and often referred to as ‘God’s own country’. It’s a tropical land of swaying palms and sandy beaches, majestic temples, rolling tea plantations and myriad wildlife.”
“Even before dawn, the queue to watch sunrise over those glittering domes seems interminable, so it’s worth considering other equally fascinating regions of India.”
Newmarket’s tour includes a cruise on a traditional thatch-roofed kettuvallam houseboat, plus stops at Fort Kochi, a spice plantation in Periyar, and French-speaking Pondicherry.
Book it: Newmarket Holidays’ 18-day tour, Kerala & India’s South, starts at £1,999, departing September 20 from Heathrow. The price includes all flights, 14 nights’ half-board in hotels, a night’s full-board on a houseboat, air-conditioned coach travel and the services of a tour manager.
newmarketholidays.co.uk
7 Belize Barrier Reef
The swap? Bump the Great Barrier Reef for Belize
Where? Belize, Central America
Why? The epic scale of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef makes it the ultimate goal for divers, but also one of the most popular. Why not expand those underwater horizons with a look at Belize, home to the world’s second‑largest barrier reef?
Around Turneffe and Lighthouse Reef atolls, divers will find the collapsed freshwater cave system of the Blue Hole, the sheer walls of Half Moon Caye and Painted Wall, plus wildlife-rich mangroves and plenty of chances to see turtles and eagle rays.
“The epic scale of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef makes it the ultimate goal for divers, but also one of the most popular.”
Dive Worldwide brand manager Phil North says: “Successful coral restoration projects have taken place and no coral death was reported in either 2015 or 2016. On February 2, 2018, the country banned offshore drilling to help further protect the reef.”
Book it: A liveaboard diving trip on the Belize Aggressor III starts at £3,345, including international flights, one night in a hotel, seven nights’ full-board on the boat, transfers and up to five dives per day.
diveworldwide.com
8 Southern Tanzania
The swap? Switch the Serengeti for the southern parks
Where? Southern Tanzania
Why? The wildlife of the Serengeti can’t fail to impress, but go there in the middle of the wildebeest migration, and the most interesting spots might have several safari vehicles straining for a glimpse. Step in the Selous Game Reserve and Ruaha National Park, home to some of the greatest concentrations of lions in the world, and the subject of a new tour from National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures.
“The southern parks offer a range of activities, from traditional safari drives to boat and walking safaris, which allow travellers to experience the diverse flora and fauna.”
Africa product manager Chris Duncan says: “The parks of southern Tanzania are a must for all safari lovers. As Tanzania’s largest national park, Ruaha offers wide-open spaces, a multitude of wildlife and the benefit of fewer visitors compared with the busier northern parks.
“The southern parks offer a range of activities, from traditional safari drives to boat and walking safaris, which allow travellers to experience the diverse flora and fauna from three unique perspectives.”
Book it: The six-day Southern Tanzania Safari starts at £2,699, based on a June 21 departure, with a maximum group size of six. The trip includes wildlife conservation talks, arrival transfer, game drives, boat and walking safari in Selous, internal flights and some meals. International flights are extra.
gadventures.co.uk
A fresh take
Offer a new perspective on bucket list destinations by engaging with the local community.
The Amazon: Me to We, available through Contiki and sister brand Trafalgar, has added volunteering in the Amazon. Spend a night at Minga Lodge to work on a sustainable project, learn about indigenous Kichwa culture and experience a shaman ceremony. Contiki’s 12-day Ecuador & Galapagos Island Hopper with Me to We costs from £2,631.
South Africa: Collette’s South Africa Impact Tour combines sightseeing, game viewing and the Garden Route with educational projects in Knysna, distributing hippo rollers (water carriers) and a youth programme in Stellenbosch. The tour starts at £2,474 for 12 days.
Mekong Delta: Intrepid Travel offers a two-day farmstay experience featuring a visit to cottage industries, home-cooked meal and bike ride to the market. From £122, excluding travel.
Read more
Alternative bucket list experiences in Canada
Expedition cruise: Bucket-list adventures
Exploring remote St Helena
