Ski, Sail, Ride, Train or Hike? Five soul-stirring escapes to book for 2026.

by Maya Boyd

© Chesa Marchetta

For skiers with a taste for romance: Chesa Marchetta
Swiss lodge by Hauser and Wirth

The vibe:
A calm, design-forward Engadin hideaway where the art is as considered as the mountain light. Less scene, more soul. Perfect if you prefer your alpine fix with warmth, intelligence and some serious gallery energy woven into the wood and stone.

The experience:
Think long cross-country loops straight from the door, downhill sessions in nearby St Moritz and slow-burn summer hikes that stretch two to six hours across larch forests and high pastures. Days drift between movement, silence and the sort of fireside evenings that make you forget the rest of the world.

Best for:
Design lovers, soft-adventure travellers and ski buffs who want altitude without attitude and a stay that feels quietly restorative rather than performative.

© Set Nefru

For culture buffs and slow travellers: Set Nefru
A transformational cruise down the Nile

The vibe:
Old-world dahabiya charm — polished teak, low-slung decks, desert hush. It’s Egypt as early travellers would have known it, stripped of noise and rush, but dialled up with contemporary ease.

The experience:
A four-to-six-night sail between Luxor and Aswan, drifting roughly 200km at a painterly pace. Expect four or so hours of movement each day, temple explorations at off-peak moments and evenings anchored by tiny villages beneath swathes of stars. The rhythm is somewhere between meditative and cinematic.

Best for:
Culture seekers, romantics and anyone craving a gentle reset wrapped in history, water and warm light.

© George Scott Riding Safaris

For elegant adventurers: George Scott Riding Safaris
Route-finding on Spain’s wild edge

The vibe:
Sun-washed fincas, Andalusian horses trained with almost telepathic finesse and a sense of wilderness that sits just beyond the edge of the map. Scott epitomises old-world English charm, but with plenty of dust on his boots.

The experience:
Two-to-seven day rides that string together cork forests, riverbeds and open sierras, with four-to-six hours in the saddle each day. Expect hilltop canters, long silent stretches, rustic riverside lunches and safari-style canopied sleepovers.

Best for:
Confident riders and freedom-chasers who want technique, pace and scenery that keeps shifting under the Andalusian sun.

© The Hiram Bingham

For lovers of old-world glamour: The Hiram Bingham
Belmond’s iconic voyage into the heart of the Inca empire

The vibe:
A hit of 1920s glamour on rails – white gloves, polished brass, champagne on tap and windows that frame the Sacred Valley like a moving film. Classic, but not stuffy.

The experience:
A full-day loop to Machu Picchu and back, around 7 to 8 hours on board with a private guided visit at the citadel stitched through the middle. Expect slow unfurling landscapes, Andean peaks sliding past and a sense of time stretching in the best way.

Best for:
Experience collectors, culture buffs and travellers who prefer their adventure with a little ceremony.

© Modern Adventure

For nomads and spiritual seekers: Bhutan’s Druk Path Trek
A high-altitude route between valleys

The vibe:
Quiet Himalayan drama – pine forests, high passes, crystal lakes and wind-lifted prayer flags. Spirituality in its humblest form.

The experience:
A four-to-six-day trek covering around 50km between Paro and Thimphu, with daily distances of eight to twelve kilometres and altitude cresting at about 4200m. Campsites sit beside high lakes and the days unfold in a rhythm that feels both grounding and elevating.

Best for:
Conscious, connected, nature lovers and anyone who wants their clarity delivered via thin air, big views and a simple, steady rhythm.