How many of you would love to cancel 2020, or at a minimum get a do-over? The team at TripCast360 had big travel plans for 2020 that included our attendance at the Tokyo Olympics. Next year, hopefully, we get to begin anew and make up for lost time.

Friend of TripCast360, Katherine Parker Magyar, our guest for Episode 17 – Distant Adventures for the Intrepid Traveler wrote the wonderful piece below thinking 2020 would be a normal year. Well, Katherine’s wonderful story stands the test of time and is oh so appropriate going into 2021, so we decided to post an her story again.

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Nepal

With the imminent arrival of the Roaring Twenties, why not give your travel life a jolt? New decade, new you… New travel plans. This is what your bucket list should look like going into the new year. Spanning six continents and ten countries, we’ve combined adventure with luxury in selecting the most once-in-a-lifetime experiences to book in 2020. Our list combines ancient capitals teeming with history with isolated islands inhabited by some of the rarest species in the world. From the jungles of the Amazon to the heights of Mount Everest, here are the ten best ways to spend your travel dollars in the new decade.

From Luxury Jungle Safaris To Private Treks In The Himalayas

We’re starting our list in the homeland of perhaps the most world-renowned adventure destination on the planet: Mount Everest, of course. But you needn’t be an intrepid climber, or even a hesitant trekker, to appreciate Nepal. Though the country has long been associated with its formidably rugged (and breathtakingly beautiful) mountains, there’s more to Nepal than just backpacking. From luxury resorts in Kathmandu (the ambiance of Dwarika’s Hotel can best be described as a living museum) to chic safari camps in the national parks of Bardia and Chitwan, there’s plenty to do in Nepal that doesn’t require travelers to venture into thin air. And, currently, many of the nation’s high-end attractions are a well-kept secret, though that’s bound to change soon. Locals and sophisticated travelers have known about magnificent destinations such as the Happy House (the favorite retreat of Sir Edmund Hillary in the mountains of Phaplu) and the elegant Karnali Lodge (in the jungles of Bardia) for decades. 2020 is the year to discover such revelations for yourself.

For a country roughly the size of New York state, Nepal is home to a remarkable diversity of landscape. Travelers should begin their trip in southern Nepal, with high-end jungle safaris via Tiger Tops, a family-owned company that has been innovative in conservation since its establishment in 1964. Tiger Tops continues that tradition today with the nation’s first ethical elephant experience at Tharu Lodge, featuring activities such as the (highly-recommended) elephant sundowners. Walk alongside the elephants through the Chitwan jungle to the banks of the Narayani river, and enjoy a Gin & Tonic while observing a spectacularly pink sunset over the water. Spend your days tracking tigers on foot, cruising down river safaris, and riding around in a vintage, open-top Land Rover—ever alert for the sights and sounds of rhinos or tigers stalking through the elephant grass. The entire experience is as intoxicating as it sounds—after two days, you will never want to leave.