2026 Wish List

A little planned, a lot spontaneous and very much a work in progress.

Most years, by January, my calendar already looks like a game of international Tetris, with group trips, scouting trips, industry conferences, and personal adventures neatly threaded between them. But 2026 is shaping up differently.

Because I’m not leading any Atlas Adventures trips this year (largely because a few personal and health timelines are still unfolding), my travel schedule feels more fluid than it has in a long time. There will absolutely be trips (I know myself), but the cadence will be more spontaneous. Gaps I’ll fill intuitively. Opportunities I’ll say yes to on short notice. A year that’s less pre-scripted and more… “Let’s see what unfolds.”

So, with that in mind, here’s the working wishlist of places that are calling to me, whether a firm plan is already on the books or it’s just a hopeful pin on the mood board.

Rwanda
High on the list. I can already feel the quiet of the forest and the reverence of being in mountain gorilla territory. This is both a personal bucket list trip and a hopeful destination for future Atlas Adventures.

Kenya
Unsurprisingly... more of Africa. Kenya has the same magnetic pull with its big skies and golden light (and safaris, which awaken the deepest parts of you). Another destination high on both my personal list, as well as a hopeful Atlas Adventures destination.

Rio de Janeiro
This one is actually already booked! The host agency I belong to, Embark Beyond, is hosting its annual immersion here (largely because we have an office and large team there, too). So while four of the days will be work (but still play!), I’m arriving early with a friend to do a bit of exploring and for sheer vibrancy. I’m craving color, bossa nova, sunlight, and JOY. Rio feels like a city that would give me exactly that.

Mexico City
Also already booked! No matter how many times I hear people rave about it, I know I still haven’t scratched the surface. CDMX is creativity, design, FOOD, energy...everything I love in a major city. Another Atlas Adventures trip, hopefully...

San Miguel de Allende
Tagging on after Mexico City for a dose of ceramics, color-washed architecture, and culture. This feels like the perfect place to refill the creative well.

Venice
Venice is iconic, and I’m overdue for a return. It’s romantic, cinematic, and home to some of the hottest hotel openings this year. A city that always surprises me.

Paris
Another one already in the works is Paris. Even when it’s work, it rarely feels like work. Paris is comfort, inspiration, ritual, and reinvention all at once.

Bhutan
This is the dream trip. Meaningful, intentional, soul-stretching. An experience that reshapes the inside, not just the passport. I’m keen to get here soon because it’s quickly rising in popularity and changing a lot.

Porto Ercole, Italy
This little corner of Italy (especially one hotel in particular) has been on my wishlist for years, and I have a feeling this is finally the year to make it happen.

Sri Lanka

Likely not one I’ll make this year, but this lush, soulful, and culturally rich country is high on my list. Known for its tea country, beaches, safaris, and ancient sites, this destination feels like it’s having a quiet renaissance.

So that’s the list...for now. Loose, but hopeful. 2025 has been a challenging one for me, but also so many special moments around the globe that I will hold fondly. I’m hopeful that 2026 will not only be a brighter year personally, but that it’s one of those years where the best moments happen between the plans rather than within them.

Where are you hoping to land this year?

Until next time,

Whitney