2. Australia’s wild Kimberley coast

The King George Falls on the Kimberley coast

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Australia’s Kimberley coast, with its intense colour palette of rust-red rock, bottle-green bush and aquamarine sea, is one of the most remote places on Earth and, despite its beauty, one of the most inhospitable. Once you’ve spotted a five-metre saltwater croc basking on a sandbank you’ll understand why there’s no swimming. However, there are hikes to see astonishing indigenous rock art that is tens of thousands of years old, as well as daily Zodiac explorations along creeks and around uninhabited islands, not to mention eagles, manta rays, dugongs and rock wallabies to spot. In addition there’s what has to be one of nature’s greatest thrill rides, the Horizontal Falls at Talbot Bay, where the foaming tide forces its way through a narrow channel at up to 30 knots. Sail on the sumptuous Seabourn Pursuit, where every cabin has a balcony.
Details Nine nights’ all-inclusive from £10,753pp, including daily excursions, departing from Darwin on June 7 (seabourn.com). Fly to Darwin

3. From the Galapagos to the Antarctic

Why settle for one expedition when you can combine three? Captain’s Choice has launched a spectacular adventure for 2026 featuring the Galapagos Islands; Easter Island, famed for its gigantic Moai statues; and an exploration of the Antarctic peninsula. In addition you’ll have time in Quito, in Ecuador, and Santiago and Valparaiso, in Chile. The Galapagos and Antarctica sectors are on Silversea’s luxurious expedition ships, Silver Origin and Silver Endeavour, while on Easter Island you’ll stay at the cool Explora Rapa Nui Lodge, designed to blend into the volcanic landscape. The extraordinary nature and scenery of each place aside, other thrills include a night at the Cormorant at 55 South, Silversea’s new lodge in Puerto Williams, and a flight both ways over the wild Drake Passage from Puerto Williams to King George Island in the South Shetlands.
Details Twenty-four nights’ all-inclusive from £31,150pp, departing from Quito on October 15 and including all flights within South America, excursions, expedition gear in Antarctica and a tour guide (captains-choice.com). Fly to Quito

4. Sail the Great Lakes

The Sweepstakes Schooner Shipwreck is one of many in the Great Lakes

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Viking’s new Great Lakes Treasures itinerary combines the adventure of an expedition with the culture of some of the cities around the world’s largest freshwater system. You’ll travel on the 378-passenger Viking Polaris, which is equipped with a fleet of Zodiacs and a working science lab. Sail from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and over ten days explore Michigan’s historic Mackinac Island, rocky glacier-sculpted landscapes and the pink granite Benjamin Islands on the Canadian side of the border, as well as Ontario’s Fathom Five National Marine Park, which is dotted with shipwrecks. You’ll also have a day in Chicago. There are guided hikes, dives in the ship’s submarine, kayak trips and chances to participate in scientific research.
Details Nine nights’ full board from £7,745pp, including flights, drinks with meals, activities, wi-fi and crew tips, departing from Milwaukee on May 8 (vikingcruises.co.uk)

5. Swim among whale sharks in Indonesia

Raja Ampat Geopark is known for its whale sharks

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This Indonesian expedition is unusual in that it includes two wish-list spots. Raja Ampat Geopark is a seascape of astonishing beauty studded with jungle-covered karst formations. Its waters are home to some of the world’s most jaw-dropping marine life, from whales to giant manta rays, sharks, sea turtles and a kaleidoscopic array of tropical fish. But you’ll also visit Cenderawasih Bay Marine Park, famed for its population of whale sharks, which can grow up to 12 metres long. Getting in the water alongside these gentle giants is a visceral thrill like no other. Sail on Aurora Expeditions’ 130-passenger Greg Mortimer, which comes with a fleet of Zodiacs, paddleboards, kayaks and a crack team of expedition leaders.
Details Ten nights — including eight full board on the ship, two nights’ B&B pre and post-cruise in Bali — from £7,945pp, including drinks with meals on board, all expedition activities and all flights, departing from Bali on October 6 (mundyadventures.co.uk)

6. Indian Ocean adventure

Discover the beauty of the Seychelles on this Aqua Expeditions cruise

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Combine the dreamy beauty of the Seychelles with the history and culture of Tanzania’s coast on an 11-night expedition on Aqua Lares, the newest addition to the luxurious fleet of Aqua Expeditions. The superyacht, which carries 30 guests and 33 crew, was the one-time plaything of the former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt and has undergone a complete refit. This voyage takes you through the Seychelles archipelago to some of the outer islands, including Astove, famed for its sheer drop underwater with an astonishing 40 metres of visibility, and the Aldabra atoll, home to more than 100,000 giant tortoises. In Tanzania explore the old trading port of Kilwa Kisiwani, the lush island of Pemba and mesmerising Zanzibar.
Details Eleven nights’ full board from £14,755pp, departing from Mahé on November 28 (aquaexpeditions.com). Fly to Mahé

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7. Solar power in the Arctic

Sail through the landscapes of northern Norway passing villages such as Lofoten

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Be one of the first to sail on the first solar-powered expedition yacht, the 36-passenger Captain Arctic, launching at the end of 2026. The ship has 35m aluminium sails embedded with 2,000 square metres of solar panels, as well as battery packs and biofuel engines. It’s built for exploring the Arctic and comes with all the trappings of a luxurious expedition ship, from fine dining to light-filled lounges, a sauna, gym, kayaks, paddleboards and a fleet of Zodiacs. More to the point, the owners claim the ship has virtually no emissions, so you can explore with a clear conscience. Sail through the snowy landscapes of northern Norway on this November voyage, looking out for the northern lights shimmying across the sky.
Details Seven nights’ all-inclusive from £15,858pp, including all activities, departing from Tromso on November 27 (minimalimpactcruises.com). Fly to Tromso

8. Watch whales in Magdalena Bay

Witness the migrations of grey whales in the winter

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If you’ve ever wanted to observe whales at close hand, this is your chance. Grey whales migrate in winter to Magdalena Bay, on the west coast of Mexico’s long, skinny Baja California peninsula, to give birth in the calm protected waters. The whales are extraordinarily unafraid of humans; the locals here make their living from protecting them, rather than hunting. The mothers will sometimes proudly bring their calves right up to the pangas, the small boats on which you explore the peaceful bay. If you can tear yourself away, other activities include hiking in the dunes, kayaking through mangroves and cycling over the sand on fat-tyre bikes. You’ll sail on the 62-passenger National Geographic Sea Lion, which is small enough to fit unobtrusively into these remote areas.
Details Five nights’ all-inclusive from £2,982pp, departing from San Carlos on January 19 (uk.expeditions.com). Fly to Loreto via Phoenix

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9. Alaska with a difference

A cruise is the best way to see to the glaciers of Alaska

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Take in the icy grandeur of Alaska, a destination that admittedly gets busy with big cruise ships in summer. HX Expeditions’ hybrid-powered Roald Amundsen, though, stays away from the busy ports and shopping centres and ventures into silent sounds and forested fjords. You’ll sail through Queen Charlotte Sound on the lookout for marine mammals and explore the plunging Misty Fjords, home to sea lions, sea otters, bald eagles and orcas. Look for bears foraging along the shoreline in Frederick Sound and get close to the towering tidewater glaciers that edge their way slowly into Glacier Bay, calving huge chunks of ice into the milky water. The voyage ends in Seward, where it’s worth staying on for a few days to look for beluga whales in Resurrection Bay or to hike the trails alongside the mighty Exit Glacier.
Details Nine nights’ all-inclusive from £3,919pp, including tips, wi-fi, expedition jacket to keep and expedition activities, departing from Vancouver on June 13 (travelhx.com). Fly to Vancouver

10. Brazil’s bounty

This journey ends in Rio de Janeiro

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Bask in the tropical warmth of South America on an expedition voyage on the 228-passenger Scenic Eclipse, sailing from Argentina to Brazil. Visit the vast ranches and rolling winelands of Uruguay (or join the beauty parade on the beach in glitzy Punta del Este) and then head south along the emerald coastline of Brazil. Stop in Porto Belo for swimming, sailing and wildlife-spotting, and gorgeous Ilhabela for a 4×4 rainforest expedition to the Usina waterfall, which cascades into a cool natural pool. The Unesco-listed Paraty is a highlight, all cobbled streets and 17th-century Portuguese architecture, the town hemmed in by jagged green mountains. The adventure ends in Rio de Janeiro with a spectacular entrance as you sail past Sugarloaf Mountain at sunrise. The price includes £1,250pp air credit and $400pp onboard credit.
Details Eight nights’ all-inclusive from £7,030pp, departing from Buenos Aires on March 18 (scenic.co.uk). Fly to Buenos Aires