Looking for somewhere new to rest your head in 2026? Intrepid’s got you covered with these immersive places to stay, sleep and snooze.
The best places to stay are ones that offer you more than just four walls – they’re all-encompassing experiences that take your adventure to the next level. Like sleeping out for the night amid Botswana’s Makgadikgadi salt flats. Or staying in the home of Mongolian reindeer herders in a remote place, accessible only on foot or horse. Whether you’d rather travel with new friends, old friends or the whole family in 2026, this year will see you dreaming in some dream locations.
1. Sleep under the stars in Botswana
Why not spend your next family holiday under the stars? The new Botswana Family Safari Comfort trip offers more than wildlife – but, of course, there’s that too. You’ll start the day by meeting a resident colony of playful meerkats, before spending an unforgettable night sleeping out amid the crystalised flats and bulbous baobab trees of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pan. The simple set up will see you and the kids gather around the campfire come evening, before bedding down on roll-out mattresses amid the world’s largest salt flats.
2. Unwind in the Colombian jungle
Masaya Casas Viejas lies right in the middle of Colombia’s rainforest – a hidden eco-lodge with views of the jungle-swathed Sierra Nevada peaks and nearby coffee plantations. Intrepid’s new 18 to 35s trip, One Week in Colombia, spends two nights at this otherwise tricky-to-reach hideaway, exploring the nearby Marinka waterfalls and scenic bird-dotted hiking trails. Afterwards, disconnect from your phone and reconnect with nature while taking a dip in the infinity pool overlooking the peaks.
Read more: 8 new trips and experiences in South America
3. Bed down beside a volcano in Guatemala
Take on two challenging (but highly rewarding) treks over two days on the new Acatenango Volcano Hike & Antigua Short Break. As part of the Acatenango volcano hike, you’ll first trek to base camp for a night, where you’ll have an incredible after-dark view of the adjacent Fuego Volcano (which erupts every 15 to 20 minutes). Then, you’ll rise at 5 am next day to hike to the summit in time for sunrise, where views of the Mexican Highlands and surrounding volcanoes unfold.
4. Cosy up in mountainside cabins in Norway
Assimilate to Norway’s beloved ‘friluftsliv’ outdoor lifestyle on the new Norway: Hike, Bike & Kayak trip. Strike the perfect balance of indoor and outdoor living with three nights in Tjugen Camping’s comfy cabins at the base of Mount Skala – one of Norway’s tallest peaks – and the glacial Loelva River. Only a short distance from the Nordfjord and numerous hiking trails, you’ll be spending your days getting active in nature – and your nights debriefing around the campfire.
Read more: 13 new active trips and experiences
5. Live like a nomadic reindeer herder in Mongolia
If you’re seeking an authentic nomadic experience well off the beaten track (hike and horse access only), consider the new Mongolia Expedition: Reindeer Herders adventure, which spends a couple of nights with the Tsataan (or Dukha) people of the northern taiga subarctic forest. Help with family chores, rustle up a meal, sing traditional songs and even milk a reindeer. With no internet, no shower and only a basic toilet, you’ll be following their traditional way of life in shared ortz (teepee-style tents) – but the stars above are reason enough to sacrifice your comforts.
6. Hike the Grand Canyon in style
Fancy a grand hotel to rival the Grand Canyon? On the Premium Hiking in the Grand Canyon trip, you’ll spend two indulgent nights at the iconic El Tovar Hotel. Teetering right on the south rim (with views to match), this cross between a Swiss chalet and Norwegian villa first opened its doors in 1905. In its illustrious past, it has hosted Theodore Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Bill Clinton, Sir Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey and many other stars – and in 1987, was designated a National Historic Landmark.
Read more: Stay with Mongolia’s reindeer herders
7. Walk through the dramatic landscapes of Jordan
On the new Premium Walking and Hiking in Jordan adventure, you might get whiplash from how many cool experiences lay ahead of you. As well as ticking off one of the Wonders of the World (hello, Petra), you’ll spend a night in the heart of the mountainous Dana Biosphere Reserve. If that isn’t enough, the Saraya Rum Camp in Wadi Rum calls, a desert camp in Jordan’s ‘Valley of the Moon’ offering modern comforts amid one of the world’s most dramatic landscapes.
8. Tour Vietnam’s best eco-lodges on a hiking adventure
In the mountainous north of Vietnam, chill out in a series of palm-thatched bungalows on the new Premium Walking & Hiking in Vietnam trip. After a village walk through viridian tea plantations, you’ll stay at Panhou Retreat – an eco-lodge with a big focus on sustainability and its own hot springs. Next, stay at minimalist Garrya Mu Cang Chai – another of the country’s top eco-lodges – surrounded by mountainous peaks and terraced rice fields, shaped by the Hmong people.
Read more: Meet Jordan’s first female marine ranger
9. Learn about Indonesian tribes off the beaten track
Trek through small villages, bamboo forests and rice paddies on the new Indonesia Expedition: Sulwesi & Toraja Tribes. Along the way, you’ll stay in a traditional tongkonan house – the ancestral homes of the Toraja people in central Sulawesi island, with boat-shaped roofs and intricate carvings. Share home-cooked meals with your hosts and learn about their unique burial culture on a tour of their largest sites.
10. Spend a night in a 17th-century Indian palace
A luxe new overnight experience on the Premium India in Depth trip will see you spending a night at the flamboyant, terracotta-toned Deogarh Mahal – an impressive 17th‑century palace turned luxury hotel that overlooks the leopard-prowled Aravalli Hills and surrounding lakes. Originally built as the residence of the Rawats (Mewar nobility), this fortress retains its regal character with domed rooftops, ornate balconies and grand archways, all still under the stewardship of the original family.
11. Go glamping on a Saudi Arabian date farm
Kick your glamping experience up a notch on the new Saudi Arabia Highlights adventure, where you can spend a night on a working date farm in the heart of the reawakened ancient desert oasis of AlUla. Among fruit-laden palms and desert cliffs, the camp sits minutes from the area’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Jabal Alfil (Elephant Rock). After an all-action day out exploring, get cosy in canvas tents, furnished with atmospheric beds, rugs and lighting.
12. Stay in the family home of Rajasthan royals
Grab the kids and explore the best bits of India on the new India Golden Triangle Family Holiday Comfort trip. Your fittingly regal stay is heritage hotel Bhanwar Vilas – an art-deco 1930s palace that’s home to the maharaja Krishna Chandra Pal family (who boast a royal line that can be traced back to Lord Krishna). Inside, antique furniture abounds and 45-acre grounds give way onto sprawling fields, organic vegetable gardens, an organic dairy, vintage cars and rare cock-eared Marwari horses.
13. Glamp by the beach on an eco-farm in Greece
Get the kids ready for the new Greece Family Holiday, where you can spend three nights camping in bell tents on a family run farm with orchards, veggies, chickens – and even a pool. Near the coastal town of Galatas (a short boat hop from Poros Island), you’ll stay in comfortable glamping tents, pitched between lemon, olive and orange trees. Take a fun, traditional cooking class, then spend a relaxing afternoon on the hammock with a beer, listening to the sound of waves hitting the shore (did we mention the private beach access?).
14. Pick up a few tricks about Japanese home cooking
Stay with a family in Hagi – a former castle town on the coast of the Sea of Japan in a homestay experience that’s new to the Japan: Land of the Rising Sun trip. Offering a real insight into the daily life of the locals, you’ll get to meet your hosts, check out the gardens and wander around the neighbourhood, then roll up your sleeves and help the family prepare a delicious dinner of traditional dishes.
15. Support Andalucian communities in a cave home
The revamped Highlights of Andalucia adventure has added a new experience – staying in a cave hotel in Guadix in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. See why the locals call this region ‘the end of the world’ on a 4WD adventure through Granada’s UNESCO-listed Geopark. After exploring the rock formations and viewpoints, you’ll sit down to a home-cooked dinner back in the cave – still owned by descendants of the same family who first inhabited it a century ago.
16. Sail Greece on a comfy catamaran
All aboard the catamaran for a trip to the Greek Islands… This comfortable yacht will be your home on the new Sail Greece: Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonnisos trip. You’ll sail in comfort with an experienced skipper to sandy islands, tucking into homemade breakfasts and lunches made by your host every day. You can even plan this holiday as a private getaway, with your own group of family or friends.
Find out what else is new for 2026 with The Goods – a collection of new trips and experiences to inspire a year of adventure.
