Top 5 destinations to visit NOW, and why May 14th, 2012 • by Karen Cleary At Boundless Journeys, we often find ourselves chatting with potential travelers about where to go next. While our diverse collection of trips really does represent The World’s Great Adventures, each one being a worthy destination in its own right, there are five places I have found myself suggesting over and over again as one of THE places to go in the coming year. Egypt I know, Egypt has gotten some pretty poor coverage in the media lately, but as anyone who has ventured there since the Arab Spring will tell you, it is magical to witness the temples and tombs of the pharaohs in relative solitude. With presidential elections in May and June, there will be plenty of time for any dust to settle before the ideal traveling season begins again in November. Ask about special pricing to join our November 10-17 Nile Exploration. Spain Like much of Europe, the people of Spain have been feeling the strain of a weak European economy. We often talk about how traveling dollars can lift the economies and lives of developing countries, but in this case the same can be said for travel to Spain – or anywhere in Europe – in 2012. Myanmar Perhaps no destination has emerged in the past 10 years with more buzz than Myanmar, aka Burma. Its relative isolation from the changes that have swept the globe in recent decades have allowed it to rise to the top of our list of places to “get to before it changes”. Boundless Journeys’ staffer, Ashley Morton, spent part of the winter traveling the waterways and paths of Myanmar in search of the most unique and rewarding experiences this country has to offer. If you are interested in knowing more, send Ashley an e-mail at ashley@www.boundlessjourneys.com. Peru As a classic destination that never fails to entrance travelers with its vibrant culture, spectacular scenery, and iconic Inca ruins, most people who travel to Peru want to spend at least a day hiking on the Inca trail into Machu Picchu. Permits are required and issued first-come, first-served, and are non-transferable. In other words, once they are gone for the dates you want, they are gone. Plan ahead if you want to travel to Peru this year – permits are still available for most dates from September-December, but they are going fast! Tour du Mont Blanc For those who love a great hiking tour, and want the sense of accomplishment that comes from circumnavigating Western Europe’s highest mountain on foot, we’ve always known that our hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc is hard to beat. But since National Geographic Traveler named our trip as one of their 2012 “50 Tours of a Lifetime”, everyone else knows it too! We still have limited space on our June 23-July 1, July 14-22, and August 25-September 2 departures, but don’t delay as trips are quickly filling! About Boundless Journeys Boundless Journeys is an award-winning small group adventure tour operator. With a diverse collection of locally guided, small group itineraries and Private Collection trips around the world, Boundless Journeys offers “The World’s Great Adventures.” The adventure trips for 2-16 guests are active, ranging from leisurely cultural explorations and wildlife safaris to challenging trekking ― with plenty of easy to moderate walking and sea kayaking in between.