National Geographic (NatGeo) recently announced two major projects: The most beautiful photos and must-see destinations and experiences when traveling in the coming year. The requirements applied by NatGeo to choose the destinations for 2023 are: Different, new and inspiring places. This year's NatGeo list also focuses on national parks and wildlife around the world, outdoor activities and experiences, green travel, and multi-generational destinations.
National Geographic is known as the American magazine of the National Geographic Society and a pay television channel. This year, National Geographic received more than 2.2 million photos from 132 photographers from 60 countries.
The small white church sits atop Mount Profitis Ilias on Karpathos, one of the lesser-known islands in Greece's Dodecanese archipelago.
The 25 inspiring destinations are divided equally into 5 categories: family experiences; adventure activities; culture and history exploration; natural beauty; and community conservation and sustainable destinations.
In the Community category, NatGeo's featured destinations include exploring Karoathos Island, Greece - where women-led businesses are leading the way in sustainable tourism. Spend a weekend in Milwaukee (Wisconsin, USA) to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of the local people. Alberta, Canada is a place that offers visitors an experience of the intersection between tradition and modernity. If you want to stop in Asia, go to Laos to explore. And if you stop in Africa, Ghana is the name mentioned. Visitors here can explore African heritage through museums and interact with fashion-loving crowds in the capital Accra.
Zebras wade through the waters of the Okavango Delta at the Selinda Weir, a wildlife-attracting canal in northern Botswana
The Nature category is all about escaping to places of natural beauty, and Botswana is the first destination on the list. Here you will be amazed by programs to restore endangered species, create safe corridors for wildlife and develop community tourism projects. Stop in the Scottish Highlands to learn more about the rewilding movement that aims to restore natural landscapes and native flora and fauna. In Slovenia, people have started to exploit culinary tours, visiting farms, vineyards, cheese. Big Bend National Park in Texas (USA) and the Azores (Portugal) are the two remaining names on the list.
Archaeologist Mohamed Megahed works at the 4,300-year-old Khuwy tomb in Saqqara necropolis, Egypt
If you are passionate about history and culture, visit Cairo, Egypt to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, King Tut's new home (Tutankhamun) and see the Sphinx in Luxor. You can also visit Busan, South Korea to attend Asia's top film festival and sip craft beer. Take a pilgrimage along Europe's ancient "superhighway". Explore the culture and history through the culinary side of Charleston, South Carolina. See one of the world's largest collections of stone statues at the Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Henan Province, China.
The Train des Vignes crosses Lake Geneva as it travels between Vevey and Puidoux and the Lavaux vineyards in Switzerland
In the Family category, head to Switzerland and take a train to quaint Alpine towns to enjoy chocolate, hiking and skiing together. Rescue turtles in Trinidad & Tobago, make a bonfire in San Francisco overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge or hike in California (USA); watch birds of paradise in Colombia are the next experiences mentioned. You can also visit Manchester (UK) to visit the football stadium of one of the world's most famous teams.
Inca temples and terraces at Choquequirao. Set high above the Apurímac River and the Peruvian Andes
For those who love hiking and exploring nature, visit Choquequirao, an isolated Inca ruin in Peru. In New Zealand, the country where bungee jumping was invented, try this adventure game again. If bungee jumping locations in this country are not enough to excite you, head to Utah (USA). In Austria, trek across the country to sample the cuisine and explore the local culture. Finally, add Revillagiged National Park (Mexico) to your itinerary. The protected waters there are home to one of the largest populations of sharks and rays in the world.
