New Discoveries and Old Favourites: The Journeys That Have Defined Y Travel's 2026… So Far!
There is a moment, somewhere between leaving home and arriving somewhere extraordinary, when travel stops being logistics and becomes something else entirely. It is the moment our team lives for, and in the first six months of 2026, we have had the privilege of creating it repeatedly for clients who refused to let uncertainty get in the way of meaningful travel.
The trends we’ve noticed? Travellers are staying longer, going deeper, and choosing experiences that leave a mark rather than simply fill a camera roll. The perennial favourites remain as compelling as ever, but alongside them, a growing appetite for the genuinely unexpected (one of our favourite Y Factors!), has defined the year so far in ways we haven't quite seen before.
On The Slopes
Northern Hemisphere Ski Resorts
Le K2 Palace, Courchevel
A snow-covered mountain has a particular pull, and our ski enthusiasts felt it once again this year. Europe led the charge, with Gstaad, Val d'Isère, Méribel and Courchevel featuring across multiple itineraries. Méribel was especially popular this season, while our ski-experts' resourcefulness was put into action when a last-minute peak season request came in for two the of the Alps’ most sought after resorts. Of course we made it happen!
And then there was Ski Buzz, our annual small group ski tour, hosted by Y Travel founder Yvonne Verstandig, which was sold out once again. The 2026 ‘safari’ began in Cervinia before the group traversed the Italian-Swiss border to Saas-Fee and on to Verbier for a final flourish. Après-ski has never been such fun!
Across the globe, North America's ski scene enjoyed its own success, from Aspen's Little Nell and Montana's Montage Big Sky to Whistler, which proved once again why Canada remains a firm favourite among Australian skiers. In Japan, Niseko continued to build its reputation as one of the world's great ski destinations, pairing legendary powder with a ryokan culture the Alps simply cannot match.
On The Water
River, Ocean, & Expedition Cruises
Ritz Carlton Yacht - Luminara
River cruising has been one of the standout stories of the first half of the year, with the South of France, the Rhine and the canals of Venice all featuring across our itineraries. There is something undeniably appealing about unpacking once and letting the scenery rearrange itself around you each morning. Beyond the rivers, the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has proven enormously popular in the Mediterranean, its blend of superyacht intimacy and five-star service striking exactly the right note.
A Disney Cruise added a generous dose of magic to one family's Singapore itinerary, while one group discovered that the finest way to experience Japan is not from the window of a bullet train but from the deck of a ship, as a Silversea voyage aboard the Silver Nova traced the country's coastline. Closer to home, a Silversea expedition along the Kimberley coast from Broome to Darwin took clients through ancient gorges, dramatic tidal waterfalls and landscapes that have barely changed in thousands of years. Some cruises take you ‘somewhere’. These ones change the way you see it.
Off The Grid
Patagonia & The Channel Islands
Patagonia Camp, Torres del Paine
At the southern tip of South America, the wind can be ferocious, and the granite towers of Chile's Torres del Paine rise from the Patagonian steppe with complete indifference to human presence, leaving even the most seasoned travellers lost for words. In April, clients immersed themselves in this awe-inspiring wilderness, staying at Patagonia Camp - where geodesic domes gaze directly towards the peaks - before continuing through Argentina's El Calafate and El Chaltén, where glaciers calve into lakes with the effortless drama of something that has been shaping itself for millennia.
Half a world away, a Backroads journey from London to Paris via the Channel Islands uncovered hidden coves, wartime history etched into cliffsides, and a pace of life that makes the ‘real world’ feel very far away - proof that some of the world's most memorable experiences are often hiding in its quietest corners.
Across the Isles
The United Kingdom
The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh
London remains the anchor of most UK itineraries, spanning the full spectrum this year, partly thanks to some of its remarkable hotels - both long-established and newly opened. Beyond the capital, Heckfield Place offered biodynamic farm-to-table dining and deep English countryside calm, while Bath and the Cotswolds featured across several itineraries as a reminder that Britain, at its best, is quietly world-class.
Further north, Scotland continues to lure travellers with its own particular brand of charm. Edinburgh delivers the drama, its castle rising above the city with authority, while The Balmoral anchors Princes Street in assured, unmistakable grandeur. From there, the road leads north into the Highlands, where the Fife Arms in Braemar has managed to bottle the romance of the region. Stags appear on the hills outside with cinematic regularity, the art collection is extraordinary, and a glass of single malt whiskey patiently awaits your arrival.
Into The Wild
The African Continent
Singita Faru Faru Lodge
Some of our most adventurous clients turned their attention to Central and East Africa this year. One itinerary combined time at Odzala Discovery Camps in the Republic of Congo with a private river expedition aboard the Princesse Ngalessa travelling through ancient, untouched rainforest.
In Rwanda, Singita Kwitonda Lodge was the perfect base for our clients who trekked through Volcanoes National Park in search of the majestic mountain gorillas. In neighbouring Uganda another family also crossed a mountain gorilla experience off their bucket list, before continuing on to Tanzania, where highlights included Swala Camp in Tarangire, the Ngorongoro Crater and Singita Faru Faru on the Grumeti Reserve. These are the kinds of itineraries that remain in our memory for life.
South Africa offered a striking contrast, with Royal Malewane and Ellerman House in Cape Town showcasing a different expression of the African experience entirely - where wildlife and comfort exist in equal measure.
From the south of the continent, to the north, Morocco has been another firm favourite in 2026. The medinas draw you in immediately: an abundance of noise, scent and colour. From the coastal elegance of Villa Mabrouka in Tangier and the Atlas Mountain serenity of Kasbah Tamadot, to the legendary La Mamounia in Marrakech, a hotel defining luxury hospitality since 1923, Morocco rewards every sense simultaneously.
On The Spice Trail
India, Sri Lanka & The Maldives
Heritance Kandalama, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has featured multiple times this year and consistently delivered. The Cultural Triangle drew history lovers to ancient rock fortresses and cave temples, while the south coast offered beautiful beaches and wildlife encounters that feature heavily in the reports clients send back to us. The Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Heritance Kandalama above the Sigiriya plateau, the Wallawwa near Colombo and the Amangalla in Galle all proven popular, offering experiences to suit every type of traveller.
In Southern India, Kerala offered its own quiet rewards. Backwaters, spice markets and the colonial port town of Cochin drew clients who prefer their travel rich in history and flavour. The Malabar House and the Taj Malabar provided elegant bases for exploring a side of India beyond Rajasthan and the Golden Triangle.
And finally, after so much discovery, sometimes all our clients really want to do is very little, somewhere beautiful. That’s why the Maldives remain consistently popular. Joali, Soneva Jani and the Ritz-Carlton Fari Islands were the Maldavian resorts of choice in this first half of the year, with one simple brief: arrive, exhale, and let the crystal-clear water work its charm!
The second half of 2026 is wide open, and if the first half is anything to go by, it is going to be remarkable. More wild frontiers, more time on the water, and more of those moments that make you marvel at the incredible world we live in.
Where might your next chapter begin?