When you see someone post about a magnificent, bucket list destination on Instagram, how does your gut respond? Do you have an overwhelming urge to visit for yourself, or do you recoil, fancying yourself an intrepid explorer and pledging to visit somewhere your friends have never even thought of? If you fall into the latter camp, the aptly named Intrepid Travel is here to help: this small group B Corp adventure travel company is all about venturing off the beaten path. To help tourists get creative, Intrepid’s annual Not Hot List is back with 10 up and coming destinations ripe for exploring.
It’s not just quirky to buck the trend and visit a destination none of your friends have – it’s vital so under-visited destinations get a piece of the tourism pie. ‘The Not Hot List is Intrepid’s call to action for travellers around the world to seek out the beauty and intrigue of unsung locations and spread the positive impacts of tourism more evenly, to support more communities in gaining the economic and cultural benefits that thoughtful travel brings,’ says Erica Kritikides, Intrepid Travel’s GM of Global Product. ‘From enhanced employment opportunities to the preservation of local heritage, culture and wildlife – and even as a driver for tolerance and peace – responsible tourism can uplift lives and unleash potential.
‘Our annual Not Hot List strives to bring travellers off the tourist track, and highlight destinations where tourism can bring outstretched benefits to the host communities,’ Erica adds. ‘While promoting alternative destinations is a small part of the solution to overtourism, we remain committed to addressing the bigger issues through our product design. We are the antithesis of massive cruise ships and big-bus touring. Our group size is very small (average of 10 travellers), we only employ local leaders, and we almost exclusively use locally owned accommodation and suppliers.’
Intrepid’s Not Hot List 2024
‘As the world continues to grapple with overtourism, many of us are rethinking where and how to travel in 2025,’ says Erica Kritikides, Intrepid Travel’s GM of Global Product. ‘That’s why this year, Intrepid’s annual Not Hot List is more pertinent than ever. As always, our list shines a spotlight on lesser-known destinations, showcasing overlooked and under-visited places that are ready to welcome curious travellers. These are destinations unveiling new routes, crafting innovative itineraries, and launching exciting initiatives that make them worthy of increased attention, visitation and conversation.’ Drumroll please…
Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
(Qeqertarsuaq) Disko Island, Greenland
Cape York, Australia
Adirondacks, New York
Sainshand, Mongolia
Rupununi Savanna, Guayana
Anti-Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Accra, Ghana
Maldonado, Uruguay
Oslo, Norway
Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
‘This remote region within Pakistan’s Karakoram mountain range is home to the densest cluster of peaks over 7,000 metres,’ Intrepid shares. ‘While Nepal attracts 2 million hikers annually, Pakistan welcomes fewer than 20,000. With the most extensive glacier range in a single area, it has four distinct climate zones and five ethnic groups. The destination offers more than most well-trodden regions yet remains a secret to even the most adventurous travellers. In 2024, Intrepid became the first global tour operator to bring travellers on these trails, as it aims to support responsible tourism in the region.’
‘With the destination still in its infancy, we have a disproportionate opportunity to lead locally, steward the environment and share the benefits of travel and tourism with more communities,’ says Umer Latif, Intrepid Pakistan Operations Manager. ‘I joined one of Intrepid’s very first departures of this trip in June 2024. Sharing its unmatched beauty with travellers from around the world and witnessing their joy and shifted perspectives was an experience I’ll never forget.’
‘Greenland’s current tourism model is heavily focused on cruising in remote wilderness areas, away from the heart and soul of the islands,’ Intrepid explains. ‘Intrepid’s Greenland Expedition spotlights modern life above the polar circle. Surrounded by the miraculous views of icebergs and whales breeching in the distance, travellers will experience the culture and history of local fishing towns, learn the centuries-old tradition of bone carving, and take guided hikes to traditional Inuit settlements.’
‘Surrounded by icebergs and whales, the island embodies Greenland’s pristine beauty, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in local culture,’ shares Kristijan Svajnzger, Intrepid Regional Manager of the Nordics. ‘Imagine lounging on the Black Sand Beach, the sound of children playing football nearby while whales breach in the distance – a frequent summer spectacle.’
‘While Cape York attracts many Australian visitors, it remains relatively unknown on an international scale,’ says Intrepid. ‘Intrepid’s new trip brings travellers on a journey to the northernmost Australian tip, along endless red dirt roads, fording rivers, and camping beneath star-studded skies. In Cape York, travellers will learn the traditions of both local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, who live side by side in the region. Highlights include experiencing a Torres Strait Islander-guided tour of Thursday Island, crocodile sightings on an adventurous eco-cruise, and indulging in local seafood favourites.’
‘Visitors can witness crocodiles on an eco-cruise, participate in a walking tour on Thursday Island with a local Torres Strait Islander guide, and camp under swaying palm trees beside pristine beaches,’ says Stefan Hellmuth, Australia Product Manager for Intrepid. ‘Culinary highlights include fresh crayfish, a Torres Strait Islander specialty, with the crayfish toastie at Island Stars café on Thursday Island being a must-try.’
‘This 6 million acre natural playground in upstate New York is larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Grand Canyon, and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks combined,’ Intrepid says. ‘It is just four hours from Manhattan and largely off international travellers’ radars. Coming in 2025, the new Adirondack Rail Trail will link the Tri-Lakes communities of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, allowing cyclists, skiers and hikers to explore the 34-mile path at length. Amidst expansion, the area has remained committed to its strict conservation efforts, ensuring the wilderness remains protected for generations to come.’
‘The Adirondack Park is a grand experiment, where nature got a seat at the table and was protected for future generations to enjoy,’ says Brian Greene, Saranac Lake, NY resident and Adirondack Rail Trail Association Board member. ‘The mix of small towns, lakes, forests and mountains make them a delight for all. You can pick a different activity every day, from visiting museums or fine dining to roughing it on a trail or getting into the backcountry away from the crowds. At six million acres, you can find your own special place and know that you can return again and again to this protected landscape.’
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Sainshand, Mongolia
‘As part of its new rail range which debuted this year, Intrepid is launching a new train journey along the Trans-Mongolian Railway, a lesser-known alternative to the famous Trans-Siberian route,’ the team says. ‘This journey allows visitors to take in magnificent views of the Gobi Desert with stops at hard-to-reach places like Sainshand. Travellers will hike up the Mountain of Wishes, enjoy a meal with and learn about nomadic life with a camel herding family, and explore Buddhist caves where monks meditate for 108 consecutive days.’
Battsetseg Erdenekhuu (Bata), an Intrepid Mongolia Trip Leader, highlights Sainshand’s unique position: ‘While Sainshand receives fewer tourists than other Gobi regions, it’s slowly opening up to responsible tourism and forms part of Intrepid’s new 2025 rail range which includes the Trans Mongolian Railway Adventure. The adventure begins with the bright lights of Beijing before hopping on a bullet train to Inner Mongolia in China, crossing the border into Mongolia, Sainshand and the Gobi Desert, Khustai National Park and Ulaanbaatar. Highlights include learning about the nomadic way of life over lunch with a camel herding family, spotting free-roaming wild horses and golden eagles, and staying in a traditional ger.’
Image by Temujin Jargalsaikhan for Intrepid Travel
‘Despite its natural attractions and unique cultural heritage, Guyana has long remained one of South America’s least visited countries,’ Intrepid notes. ‘The Rupununi Savanna is a vast greenland offering a combination of natural beauty, wildlife, cultural experiences, and adventure. Travellers here can visit Kaieteur Falls, the longest single drop fall waterfall in the world or stay at and learn about Indigenous Macushi and Wapishana culture at community-run ecolodges.’
Tony Thorne, Wilderness Explorers founder and the first President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana, says: ‘The Rupununi Savannah offers travellers a wonderful experience that perfectly complements a rainforest adventure. You can get hands-on with the crew from Caiman House and participate in collecting data on the black caiman or see how the lodge is helping to protect the yellow-spotted Amazon River turtle. One of my personal favourite locations is Karanambu Lodge, where you can explore the river and scour oxbow lakes for giant river otters and witness the giant Victoria Amazonica lily bloom at dusk.’
Image by Arterra/imageBROKER/Shutterstock
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Anti-Atlas, Morocco
‘The Anti-Atlas remains one of the least-visited parts of Morocco, with picturesque villages and lush oasis valleys,’ Intrepid says. ‘The area is inhabited by nomadic Amazigh people, who lead a traditional way of life centered around agriculture and herding. On Intrepid’s South Morocco Discovery, travellers will visit the areas of Tata and Tafraoute and learn about the work being done to restore ancient granaries, a crucial part of the region’s heritage.’
David Goeury, an Intrepid partner who is part of the granaries project and helped design the new portion of Intrepid’s South Morocco Discovery itinerary, offers this insight: ‘Long overlooked by mainstream tourism, this mountain region breathes new life into the history of the great Saharan routes that once connected Mali, Marrakech and the port of Essaouira. It’s a treasure trove of extraordinary heritage, ideal for travellers keen to explore territories steeped in millennia of history. These lands showcase remarkable community resilience, having endured harsh climates and a changing world over countless generations.’
‘It’s all eyes on Accra as this vibrant capital emerges as a new global epicentre of art and culture,’ Intrepid says. ‘Ghana’s capital, Accra, is emerging as a dynamic cultural hub, rising from its former reputation as a stopover for tourists heading to the country’s beaches and national parks. The turning point came with Ghana’s bold ‘Year of Return’ initiative in 2019, which called on the African diaspora to visit the country, coupled with the government’s ambitious 15-year tourism plan to attract 8 million annual visitors by 2027. With improved accessibility through increased international direct flights and a reputation as one of West Africa’s safest cities, Accra is repositioning itself as a must-visit destination and the beating heart of Africa’s art world.’
Phumi Nhlumayo, Intrepid Ghana Operations Partner, says: ‘Accra’s vibrant nightlife is not to be missed! Expect live performances by local bands and many afro-jazz venues, such as Sky Bar 25, The Republic Bar & Grill and 233 Jazz Bar. A visit to the Osu Night Market for street food or the Bukom boxing community in Jamestown makes for another exciting night out, especially as this community has produced five world champion boxers.’
‘This emerging new wine region whose rolling hills are lined with olive groves and vineyards that hint at Tuscany, has long been overshadowed by South America’s wine giants,’ Intrepid says. ‘It offers art, gastronomy and culture, while also home to creative institute Campo, a residency programme for artists. Each December, the art institute invites international artists to Garzón to create site-specific installations, turning the village of 170 residents into a dynamic creative playground.’
‘We created CAF 8 to offer artists a transformational experience and a chance to engage with a global community,’ says CAMPO founder Heidi Lender. ‘With over 2,000 daily visitors, the festival fosters unique cross-cultural exchange, sparking excitement for the region’s promising future.’
Oslo, Norway
‘Most travellers to the Nordics miss Oslo on their way to its famous Scandinavian siblings,’ Intrepid has noticed. ‘Dubbed the ‘Newest Capital of Nordic Cool’ by The Wall Street Journal, the quirky city offers unique character with floating saunas, artsy communities, diverse architecture, international cuisine, wild swimming spots, and a dynamic night life scene. Just 30 minutes from the city, travellers can reach the Nordmarka forest, offering opportunities for great hiking, biking, skiing and sailing.’
Liepa Adomaityte, Intrepid Norway Trip Leader and Oslo local, says: ‘Go to Oslo with zero expectations – and I promise you’ll leave with stories to tell. Every day (and night), you’ll find something interesting, from incredible cuisine to culture and clubbing. Want to start your day at a museum and end it at a stranger’s house party? That’s a regular Tuesday in Oslo. It’s our own mini-Berlin.’
