Secret island opens to travellers in 2018 and 8 further trending destinations

Our travel specialists give their expert opinion on where you should be travelling in 2018 and why... 

1. Sazan Island - opens to tourists in 2018 for the first time, Albania

Why 2018? Be amongst the VERY FIRST tourists to visit secretive Sazan Island – Albania’s former secret military base which was once home to over 3000 troops and built to withstand a nuclear attack. With its abandoned buildings, underground tunnels and concrete bunkers, the island is a rich part of Albania's history and was once an isolated and unreachable spot. The island is strategically located where the Adriatic and the Ionian seas meet and until now, tourists have not been allowed to visit.

Tour: NEW Walking the Secret South of Albania 8 days

• Walk in Llogara national park, stroll along Albania's rivieria and visit UNESCO Butrint
• Take a boat to the former military island of Sazan with secret tunnels and bunkers   
• Stay in the beautiful Ottoman town of Berat and walled city of Gjirokaster
• Walk along the new section of the St Thomas trail
• Hike through the breath-taking Cika Mountains and soak up Tirana's atmosphere

2. Valley of the Marvels, France - set to get UNESCO status in 2018 - beat the crowds

Why?  At the heart of the Maritime Alps, the remote and undiscovered Parc National du Mercantour covers 7 valleys and 28 “perched” villages, including famous Belvedere at the entrance to the spectacular Gordolasque valley. One of the most interesting aspects of France’s 10th national park is the valley below Mont Bego (2872m), the “Vallee des Merveilles”, the aptly named Valley of Marvels. In this valley are 40,000 mysterious ancient petroglyphs dating back to the Bronze Age illustrating weapons, cattle and human figures – the largest concentration is the whole of Europe.

Tour: NEW Undiscovered Alps and the Valley of Marvels 8 days

• A superb one week walking holiday in the heart of the French Mercantour National Park
• Go off the beaten track in the “Vallee des Merveilles” with our specially qualified guides to see the ancient petroglyphs
• Quiet trails and wild trekking in the land of chamois, ibex and marmot
• Enjoy French food in characterful refuges and gites
• Visit Nice, the epicentre of Riviera glamour

3. Bosnia and Herzegovina, fast becoming the coolest Balkan destination of all

Why? Bosnia and Herzegovina with its fascinating history, delicious cuisine, vibrant cities, primeval forests, rich cultures and warm welcome is the latest Balkan country to hit a lot of travellers ‘must-do’ list. First, there’s the Balkan gem of Mostar and its spectacular Ottoman Bridge, then there’s hiking in the Cvrsnica and Bjelasnica Mountains - a timeless landscape where life has stood still for over a 100 years. Reaching the summit of Mount Maglic (2386m), the highest peak in the country, is a highlight too. The vibrant capital of Sarajevo is now becoming one of Europe’s hippest cities plus the country’s and Bosnian & Herzegovina’s wine deserves an evening of wine tasting in the charming old town of Trebinje. Once part of Former-Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina has risen like a phoenix for 2018.

Tour: NEW Undiscovered Balkans - Bosnia and Herzegovina 8 days

• Hike up Maglic (2386m) Bosnia’s highest peak on the Via Dinarica trail
• Wilderness areas in the Bjelasnica Mountains and Sutjeska National Park
• Stay in the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage gems of Mostar and Dubrovnik
• Wander through Sarajevo and enjoy wine-tasting in the old town of Trebinje

 4. El Hierro – the lesser known Canary island at the ‘End of the World’

Why? What El Hierro lacks in size this remote Canary Island makes up for with nature on a grand scale. The UNESCO World Biosphere is home to volcanic moonscapes, dramatic cliffs, timeless villages, flower meadows, sculpted lava, lush forests, fragrant groves of juniper and views across to neighbouring La Gomera and Tenerife. Aiming to being 100% sustainable, El Hierro is often overlooked in favour of the larger Canary Islands. However the phrase “large treasures come in small packages” is no truer than when used to describe this volcanic gem in the Atlantic Ocean. Known as Isla del Meridiano and a compact 280 square kilometres, up until 1492 Columbus described it as “the end of the world” and even today its remoteness teamed with a breath taking landscape, slow pace of life and simple lifestyle is captivating. Reached by local ferry from Tenerife and return inter-island flight by Binter Canarias, the award-winning local airline – even the journey is a pleasure. We are the only Tour Operator to offer guided walking trips on the island.

Tour: NEW El Hiero- The Secret Canaries 8 days

• Superb walking including Pico de Malpaso (1501m) El Hierros highest point
• Explore Valverde, the laurels of sabinar, Gareo holy tree and Orchilla lighthouse
• Walk the GR131 with views across to Mount Teide on Tenerife and La Gomera
• Visit San Andres the highest village and look for El Hierro's Giant Lizard

5. Mighty Cotopaxi, newly re-opened for 2018 – stand on the furthest point from the centre of the Earth in Ecuador

Why? Having been closed since August 2015, on 20 October 2017, the Ministry for Tourism in Ecuador announced that the summit of Cotopaxi (5,897m), one of the world’s highest active volcanoes and Ecuador’s second highest volcano, is declared safe and open for climbing.

Tour:

Ecuador’s Triple Crown

17 days

• Climb Chimborazo (6310m) and stand on the furthest point from the centre of the Earth!
• Summit Cotopaxi (5897m) and Cayambe (5790m), Ecuador's second and third highest peaks
• Acclimatise on Imbabura (4616m) and Yanaurco (4535m), plus skills training on Cayambe
• Unique 4-day acclimatisation trek through the Cotacachi-Cayapas bio-reserve

 6. Bhutan – for entry-level trekking on the Royal Orchid Trail to‘The Last Shangri-la’

Why? Bhutan is a traditional Himalayan kingdom where a traditional Buddhist culture is carefully welcoming a limited numbers of travellers. We now offer the most comprehensive range of treks in this mysterious and magical country – from the one of the hardest treks in the world, The Snowman Trek, to some newly introduced easier treks for 2018, one of which follows the beautiful Royal Orchid trail in the rarely visited Eastern realm of an already isolated realm. The area is known as ‘The last Shangri-la’ on account of its isolation and sheer beauty. In this region, live the rare and beautiful black-necked cranes.

Tour: Black Necked Cranes & Royal Orchid Trek 15 days

• Enjoy a flight across Bhutan along the chain of the Himalaya
• Visit the Tiger's Nest, the beautiful Tang Valley and the monasteries of Bumthang
• The Phobjika Valley, winter home of the rare Black Necked Crane
• Camp in comfort and experience 'the last Shangri-la' on an easy paced 5 day trek

 7. Sri Lanka – will welcome a record number of adventurers for 2018

Why? Sri Lanka has been left off itineraries due years of uncertainty but it burst back on the scene in 2017 and next year is set beat traveller numbers again. A small gem of an island, it hosts an abundance of absolutely everything – ancient Buddhist ruins, rain-forested peaks, spectacular colonial trains, vibrant green tea plantations, a cuisine bursting with flavour, many, many elephants, and the charming former capital Kandy home of the wonderfully named Temple of the Tooth. KE’s Sri Lanka easier walking trip takes in all the classic sights but also has a 2-day trek of the spectacular Knuckles Mountain Range, and a climb to the summit of the scared Adam’s Peak (2243m) to catch the sunrise.

Tour: Sri Lanka Tracks and Trails, 14 days

• Visits to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, the natural rock fortress of Sigiriya, the cave temples of Dambulla and the former capital of Kandy, home to the 'Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic' 
• Watch the sunrise from the summit of Adam's Peak
• Trek to World's End and through The Knuckles Mountains
• Wildlife spotting in Sri Lanka's world famous national parks
• Relax on palm-fringed, paradise beaches

 8. Ethiopia – the UNESCO world-heritage mountains of the Simien reopens

Another destination making a come-back for 2018, following a year’s political instability in the Simien Mountain region.

Alison Bembridge, KE Adventure’s African Product Manager thinks next year is the time to go. “Trails have been closed for a while to many foreign tourists, giving them time to be restored and they’re still quiet which should mean even more wildlife sightings. It’s an unforgettable experience to see the strikingly-maned Gelada baboons come down to the mountain meadows.” 

With a dramatic landscape rivalling the Grand Canyon, astonishing views stretching northwards to Eritrea from the summit of Ras Dashen (4260m). The trip also includes 2 days in Lalibela with its collection of ancient Christian churches carved out of solid rock.

Tour: Ethiopian Simien Mountains Trek & Lalibela, 13 days

• Trek to the summit of Ras Dashen (4620m), Ethiopia's highest peak
• Includes visits to Gondar's castles & the UNESCO rock hewn churches of Lalibela
• Extraordinary wildlife, up close, including Ethiopia's Gelada Baboons
• Fantastic value holiday with all meals included

 9. Nepal – KE’s Number 1 destination for trekking travellers again

Last, but certainly not the least, is Nepal. The UK’s leading Himalayan expert, KE Adventure Travel, has seen an unprecedented rise of bookings for 2018 from people who are keen to trek safely again in Nepal’s Himalaya. KE Adventure Travels offers every level of trek, from entry-level trekking such as Annapurna & Bandipur Luxury Lodge Trek, to classic trips harder trips such as Everest Basecamp Trek to tough challenges like the Dhaulagiri Circuit via the French Pass. The Nepalese are buoyant and resilient and extremely pleased to see trekkers back in their mountains. Travellers in 2018 can be sure of an incredibly warm welcome everywhere from Kathmandu to the remotest mountain village.

KE Adventure Travel will run over 30 different trekking and mountaineering trips to Nepal in 2018. We’ve picked a new favourite to highlight – The Ganesh Himal Panorama Trek – from which our Nepal Product Manager of 33 years, Kit Wilkinson has just returned yesterday.

In his words: “Stunning mix of scenery and a delightful reaction from everyone we met. We saw 6 other trekkers in 12 days! From the high point of the trip at the Sing La you can see half of the Nepal Himalaya. That's 4 distinct mountain massifs; Annapurnas, Manaslu group, Ganesh peaks and the Langtang. This is a truly special trekking experience”

Tour: The Ganesh Himal Panorama Trek, 15 days

Close to Kathmandu and yet rarely visited by Western trekkers, the Ganesh Himal is a region of timeless valleys, quiet trails, sleepy traditional villages, luxuriant forest and carefully tended terraced farmland. Named after the elephant god of Hindu mythology, the Ganesh is crowned on its northern edge by four 7000 metre summits, including Ganesh I (7406m). 

• Classic trekking and camping in style on Nepal's Great Himalaya Trail 
• The Pansang La and the beautiful ridge of the Tiru Danda
• Views of the Annapurnas, Manaslu and the Ganesh and Langtang peaks
• A great value holiday with no internal flights - perfect for a first Nepal trek

>> View all adventure holidays