Intrepid Travel has published its 2027 Not Hot List. The operator names ten lesser-visited destinations it says are ready for more visitors next year. Intrepid compiled the list from its global network of local leaders and destination experts.
Intrepid states that the list highlights regions where travellers' presence has an outsized positive impact. The 2027 edition covers Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the Americas and Scandinavia. Intrepid ties five new trips to several of the regions it names.
The ten destinations on the 2027 list
Intrepid names ten destinations for 2027:
- Samburu National Reserve, Kenya
- Mestia, Georgia
- Northern Highlands, Jordan
- Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
- Alonnisos, Greece
- Dili, Timor-Leste
- Pekoe Trail, Sri Lanka
- Liepāja, Latvia
- Carretera Austral, Chile
- Dalsland, Sweden
Intrepid describes Samburu National Reserve as part of a nationwide effort to address overtourism in East Africa's busiest national parks. It describes the Carretera Austral as a route through Patagonia. The operator names Timor-Leste, Latvia and Georgia among countries with low international arrival counts, and it adds lesser-known regions of Jordan and Sri Lanka.
The five new trips
Intrepid launched five trips to several of the featured regions. The operator gives the itineraries and durations:
- Kenya Safari Adventure — 10 days
- Wild Canada & Alaska — 16 days
- Hike Sri Lanka's Pekoe Trail — 10 days
- Jordan Uncovered — 12 days
- Trek the Trans-Caucasian Trail, Georgia — 9 days
The three selection criteria
Intrepid states that it selects each destination against three criteria.
- Less visited. The destination draws fewer visitors than comparable places.
- Tourism readiness. Infrastructure and capacity can support more tourists.
- Momentum. New initiatives, improved connectivity, major events, launches or infrastructure developments give travellers a reason to visit in 2027.
Intrepid's rationale, in its own words
Erica Kritikides is General Manager Experiences at Intrepid Travel. She said:
"If we want tourism to continue to be a force for good, we need to constantly rethink how and where we travel. The Not Hot List isn't just about surfacing lesser-known places, it aims to shift the conversation and help travellers to discover new destinations where their visit can make a meaningful contribution to local communities and economies."
How Intrepid built the 2027 list
Intrepid says it drew on insights from its destination and operations experts across 35 countries. The operator also cites input from tourism boards, local guides and the travel trend agency Globetrender.
Earlier entries and the operator's reported results
Intrepid first introduced the Not Hot List in 2018. The operator states that two regions from earlier editions later appeared in The New York Times' 52 Places to Go list. Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan featured for 2025 and the Tien Shan mountains in Kyrgyzstan for 2026.
Intrepid reports that its bookings followed the same direction. Travel to Pakistan rose 67 per cent year on year and bookings for Kyrgyzstan grew 62 per cent, according to the operator.
Sainshand in Mongolia joined the 2025 edition. Intrepid reports that bookings for its Trans-Mongolian Railway Adventure, which includes two days in Sainshand, increased 298 per cent year on year from 2024 to 2025. The operator cites a 16 per cent rise in international arrivals to Mongolia from January to September 2025, and describes that rate as double the average across the Asia-Pacific region.
Intrepid publishes the full 2027 Not Hot List and details of the new trips on its own site.