Kenya's Samburu National Reserve in Kenya took the top slot in Intrepid Travel's 2027 Not Hot List this September
The list spotlights lesser-known destinations that are ready to welcome more visitors in 2027 and regions where travellers' presence can have an outsized positive impact.
Virginia Messina, Group CEO of ATTA® said: "It is encouraging to see Intrepid’s annual Not Hot List highlighting the world-class wildlife experiences that exist beyond Africa’s best-known national parks.
Kenya and many other destinations within the continent have a huge range of wildlife spotting opportunities outside of the well-known hotspots.
From Tanzania and Zambia to South Africa and beyond, there are exceptional national parks, reserves and conservancies that offer outstanding wildlife experiences without the concentrations of visitors sometimes seen in the most famous locations.
It was also heartening to see the growth of astro tourism in Samburu highlighted too.
Whilst wildlife will always be a huge draw for this unique region of the world, each destination provides many other activities and attractions beyond wildlife.
Wildlife will always be one of Africa’s great draws, but the continent offers so much more – from extraordinary night skies and landscapes to culture, food, adventure and community-led experiences.
Dispersing tourism more widely is not simply about giving travellers somewhere new to discover. The best tourism provides vital economic support for conservation and local communities, while helping to reduce pressure on heavily visited wildlife areas.
Our own Too Close for Comfort research highlighted how concentrations of wildlife-viewing vehicles can have implications for both animal welfare and the visitor experience.
With such an extraordinary diversity of destinations and experiences across Africa, there is a real opportunity for the travel industry to encourage people to look beyond the places they already know. Sometimes the greatest experiences are found away from the hotspots.”
Source: Intrepid Travel