Around the globe there are now 1,154 sites that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) deems to have outstanding value to humanity. Getting a World Heritage Site designation means a place is naturally and/or culturally significant to the point it needs protection for future generations. So, it’s a logical place to start when you’re looking for adventures that include exceptional natural beauty, remarkable human achievement or proof of our intellectual history on earth. To get you started, we’ve gathered just 10 of our favourites that you can see or experience for yourself on tour.

1: Galápagos Islands in Ecuador

Giant tortoises! Marine iguanas! Blue-footed boobies! Three ocean currents, extreme isolation and volcanic activity created a melting pot of unusual land and marine species. See it for yourself on: Galápagos Adventure: Snorkelling & Sea Lions

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2: Þingvellir National Park in Iceland

Imagine passing laws and settling disputes below the high cliffs of a major rift valley. Turf and stone fragments remain of the open air assembly (Alþing) that met from 930 to 1798. See it for yourself on: Best of Iceland

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3: Nazca Lines in Peru

Etched from 500 BC to 500 AD, gigantic lines depicting animals, insects, plants and imaginary creatures remain an archaeological enigma on the coastal plains of Peru. See it for yourself on: Absolute Peru

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4: Yosemite National Park in the United States

Five of the world’s highest waterfalls! Granite domes! Giant sequoia groves! Yosemite ticks both natural and cultural boxes as an ancestral homeland for some American Indian tribes. See it for yourself on: Hiking Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite

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5: Chitwan National Park in Nepal

Set at the foot of the Himalayas, Chitwan is home to one of the last single-horned rhino populations and the Bengal tiger. You can search for both on a guided 4x4 wildlife safari! See it for yourself on: Nepal Adventure

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6: Wadi Rum Protected Area in Jordan

Both Petra and Wadi Rum top the list of Jordan’s must-see preserved sites. Petroglyphs and rock arches speak to 12,000+ years of humans interacting with their natural surroundings. See it for yourself on: Highlights of Jordan

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7: Hiroshima Peace Memorial in Japan

As the only structure left standing when the first atomic bomb hit, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Genbaku Dome is a living memorial to the tens of thousands killed in 1945. See it for yourself on: Japan Express: Osaka to Tokyo

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8: Mount Etna in Italy

Powerful enough to dominate any list, Mount Etna is the world's most active stratovolcano. It has spit lava for 500,000 years and continues to teach us about volcanic landforms. See it for yourself on: Northern Sicily: Islands & Volcanoes

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9: Medina of Fes in Morocco

Follow a local guide through any great gate to explore one of the world’s largest medinas made up of 9000+ winding streets and buildings dating back to the 9th century. See it for yourself on: Highlights of Morocco

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10: Old Town of Corfu in Greece

Far more than a beach destination, the cobbled alleyways, squares and enduring fortresses speak to Old Town’s storied past and mix of Venetian, French and British influences. See it for yourself on: Corfu Trail Hiking Highlights

The entire world is doing its best to stay safe at home, so we decided to bring the world to you. Explore famous locations across our planet on a guided virtual walking tour, led by one of our CEOs (Chief Experience Officers).

Next stop: Japan!

Join Kumiko, a G Adventures CEO, as she leads the way through the rich culture of Japan. Starting in Osaka, her virtual tour showcases the many faces of her homeland from the Buddhist monks of Kōyasan to the high rollers of Tokyo. Whether you dream of staying in a traditional ryokan, soaking in onsen hot springs or taking in views of Mt Fuji, you’ll feel transported by her expertise and enthusiasm. Want to learn a bit more about Kumiko first? Check out our Q&A below as she shares a few of her favourite eats, experiences and books. Read more

New primetime show to run over two hours every Saturday afternoon   After 12 weeks of adventure stories, interviews with industry leaders, games, music and fantastic listener feedback, The Adventure Hour - the G Adventures-sponsored show on Travel.Radio - is spreading its wings and moving to a new prime-time slot from 4-6pm every Saturday.   Continuing to be hosted by G Adventures managing director, ‘The G Adventures Show’ will now span over two hours, bringing double the adventures and double the fun, with fresh segments for their new weekend leisure listeners.   New show features will include a weekly ‘Word on the Street’ from travel agencies around the UK, sharing insights and trends they have seen that week, as well as competitions, destination quizzes and hilarious stories from travellers on the road.   Kicking off this Saturday 29th May, The G Adventures Show will feature an in-depth interview with G Adventures founder, Bruce Poon Tip. Celebrated as one of travel’s most innovative entrepreneurs and philanthropists, Bruce will discuss leading a travel business through the pandemic, what has changed in travel, his hopes for how travel can be better and shifts in traveller behaviours. He also shares some of his more unusual business techniques, which has helped to foster G Adventures’ unique company culture, as well as talking about why he would rather give up his dog than travel - but just don’t tell his family.   The show will also include ‘Word of the Street’ with Miles Morgan from Miles Morgan Travel and a weekly giveaway as part of the new ‘Where Am I?’ quiz.   “As a 30-year old start up, born out of one man’s innovation and a gap in the market, we love working with young, like-minded businesses, like Travel.Radio, working to drive the industry forward and deliver new, exciting offerings. The past 12 weeks have been a lot of fun, where we’ve worked to elevate the adventure travel sector among our agent and traveller community, and we’re really excited to grow out the reach and content with this new prime-time slot.   Listeners can expect some fantastic interviews, as well as more input from our travel agent experts all across the UK, who are keeping their finger on the pulse as restrictions ease and travel opens up more. Plus, in true G Adventures style, we’ll be having lots of fun along the way with fun challenges and competitions to engage our listeners and get us in the mood for Saturday evening,” Young continues.   To hear The G Adventures Show with Bruce Poon Tip this Saturday, 29th May, tune into Travel.Radio from 4-6pm on Smart Speakers, through the free phone App or on www.travel.radio It will also be available On Demand.    

Includes bookings on the iconic Inca Trail as trek reopening is announced   Hot on the heels of the government's announcement of the new green list of countries for UK-based travellers, G Adventures has updated its ‘Book with Confidence’ policy, to offer increased flexibility for travellers looking to get away this summer, with the option to rebook itineraries just 14 days before a tour’s departure date.   The new Book with Confidence policy will include Inca Trail bookings made from 01 July, 2021, for when trips resume on the trail from 07 August, 2021. The small group adventure operator is encouraging travellers to book their hiking adventure along Peru’s most iconic trekking route as soon as possible, as the trail will be running at 50% capacity, meaning groups will have no more than eight travellers on each departure. Permits are on sale now for the 2021 season but will likely sell out fast.   The Inca Trail tours join G Adventures’ list of more than 350 trips departing in July and August, as more destinations are opening up and keen to welcome travellers who are ready and able to travel.   G Adventures’ updated ‘Book with Confidence’ policy now enables travellers to cancel and rebook their trip up to 14 days before departure, which is one of the most flexible cancellation policies in the industry. The updated conditions apply to tours booked from 01 July, 2021 up until 31 December, 2021, for departure dates up until 31 December, 2022*.   Brian Young, managing director at G Adventures, says he believes the relaxation of the Book with Confidence policy will help UK-based travellers to feel confident to travel in the coming months, and that the Inca Trail will be a popular choice among travellers looking for ‘milestone’ and ‘achievement’ style trips.   “The recent green list update has spurred a spike in interest around our tours in Madeira, Iceland and Ibiza, which continues to show that our travellers are eager to get away this summer. By offering shorter windows to be able to rebook prior to departure, we’re providing the best flexibility to help our travellers feel confident to book in the coming months, knowing that they can change the dates if they need to.   Since we relaunched tours in September 2020,  G Adventures has safely operated over 100 trips, so as soon as travellers are ready to book, we are ready to take them on a life-changing adventure. We know from our booking trends that travellers are looking for more active, achievement-based trips and, having been named the Best Inca Trail Tour Operator, we pride ourselves on our ability to secure permits for the trail and deliver the best hiking experiences to our active travellers in Peru. The news that the trail will reopen later this summer is hugely exciting, but with permits already competitive before the pandemic and with the trail operating at 50% capacity, we’re encouraging travellers to get in touch now to lock in that dream hike sooner rather than later to avoid missing out,” Young continues.   Example Inca Trail itineraries and other popular tours included in the July and August departures that are available to book now include:

• The Inca Trail - Combine the cultural highlights of the Sacred Valley with the challenge of one of the world’s most coveted hikes. Pass along ancient Incan passes, passing ruins, mountainscapes and cloud forests before catching a glimpse of majestic Machu Picchu at sunrise as you enter the ancient citadel through the Sun Gate. Priced from £729pp** for a seven-day trip from Lima to Cusco.
• Classic Peru - This compact tour of the archaeological highlights and cultural treasures of the Andean highlands has it all. Cruise Lake Titicaca and experience rural life with a homestay in a small village. Wander the cobblestoned streets of Cusco before breaking a sweat hiking mountain passes along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Priced from £1,399pp for a 12-day tour from Lima to Cusco.
• Sailing Greece - Mykonos to Santorini - The ideal way to see the Greek Islands, this tour sees travellers step aboard a 52ft sailing yacht and set off for an eight day adventure. With hiking, snorkelling and plenty of down time on the agenda, as well as exploring ancient archaeological sites, visiting taverna-lined harbours and savouring fresh catch of the day, this trip is ideal for those looking to explore the islands by sea. Priced from £783pp (usually £979) for an eight-day trip from Mykonos to Santorini when booked before 31 July 2021 and departing before October 2021.
• Best of Iceland - Plus - Whale watching, breathtaking waterfalls, lava formations, majestic fjords, mighty glaciers and boat trips across lagoons - this week long Iceland trip is perfect for those wanting to see what this incredible destination has to offer. Starting and ending in Reykjavik, the tour, which is part of the new G Adventures Travel with Confidence Plus collection, visits local cantinas in Akureyri, Dettifoss waterfall, Vatnajokull glacier (the largest ice cap in Europe), Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach, where seals sunbathe on the bright blue ice, Skaftafell National Park, hot springs and Gullfoss waterfall. Priced from £1,402pp** (usually £1,649) for a seven-day trip from and returning to Reykjavik.
• Hiking Ibiza - This six-day hiking tour shows travellers the natural side of ‘the white isle’ while hiking the rugged coastline and forests of the island’s north and western regions. Ideal for those wanting to tap into the island’s quieter, more bohemian side, this trip is perfect on its own or added on after a few days enjoying the famous music scene. Priced from £577pp** (usually £679) for a six-day trip from and returning to Santa Eularia des Riu.

New sale offers up to 25% off to travellers, including green list destinations   With the UK borders officially open for tourism, global adventure travel operator, G Adventures is celebrating the return of overseas adventures for its UK travellers and helping them lock in their next trip-of-a-lifetime with up to 25% savings on over 90 tours, including Portugal, Iceland, the Canary Islands, Egypt and Jordan when booked before 30 June 2021. For those seeking an adventure further afield, longer-haul destinations such as Costa Rica and the US are also included.   For UK-based travellers, newly-opened Portugal will be top of the travel list and, catering to this demand, G Adventures has included two brand-new hiking adventures in Madeira and The Azores in the sale. Allowing travellers to explore lesser-seen sides of these islands, get back to nature and discover amazing hiking routes away from the inevitable crowds that will come from the new green list status, the trips include breathtaking waterfall hikes and culinary tours on the islands of São Miguel and Terceira and days spent meandering along ‘lavada’ trails, glass skywalks and hiking rock staircases in the jagged mountain ranges in Madeira.   Brian Young, managing director at G Adventures says it’s an exciting time for travel agents but flexibility will continue to be key when it comes to bookings.   “The reopening of UK borders poses a huge opportunity for the UK travel industry, with pent up travel demand at an all time high. While the green list remains limited at the moment, travellers are still hungry to lock their next adventure and we’ve launched this sale to help agents close bookings on some of our best summer tours, which are selling out fast. Plus, with our Book with Confidence offering an additional level of protection, travellers can feel confident booking knowing there’s flexibility to move their trip closer to departure if they need to," Young says.   “While travel may just be restarting here, G Adventures has been operating tours since September and has safely run over 100 trips, with amazing feedback from our travellers. As destinations open up, we’re excited to see our UK-based travellers joining these adventures and experiencing some of the great offerings we have both on our doorstep and further afield,” Young continues.   Tours on sale include: Hiking the Azores - Visiting the islands of São Miguel and Terceira Island, this six day adventure showcases some of the best nature and hiking in the archipelago. From optional culinary tours in Sete Cidades, hikes past breathtaking waterfalls and dips in hot springs near Sanguinho, the group will discover the flora and fauna of the southern island with their dedicated island guide. Travellers will also get to know the northern ‘lilac island’ of Terceira, named after the lava fields, which glow purple in the setting sun. Price from £764 per person (usually £899) for departures in July, August and September 2021   Hiking in Madeira - Celebrated for its rich wine and traditional cake, hiking may not be the first thing travellers think of when it comes to the island of Madeira. But with mesmerising volcanic landscapes, lush forests, incredible mountain routes and stunning coastline on offer, this six day trip will capture the imagination of any hiking enthusiast. From walks along the famous ‘levada’ trails to tumbling waterfalls in the remote northern region to hiking the jagged mountain staircase high above the cloudline to Pico do Arieiro, one of the island’s tallest peaks, each day offers a different terrain for hikers to explore. On the south of the island, travellers can enjoy a walk on the glass skywalk which extends across the coastal cliffs and offers spectacular views, while in Monte they can try their hand at traditional toboggan rides down the streets to Funchal. Price: From £637 per person (usually £749) for departures in September 2021   Iceland: Trekking Eastern Iceland - Exploring the lesser-visited eastern side of Iceland, this six-day hiking adventure offers active travellers a slice of local living and the opportunity to explore some of the country’s hidden gems on foot. Staying in a local guesthouse in a small Icelandic fishing village, the group will enjoy farm to table meals and daily hikes taking travellers along the Vatnsskarð pass, across the rocky terrain of Stórurð, past the smoking lava fields of Leirhnjúkur and to mighty Detifoss waterfall. On the coast, days will be spent walking the black sand beaches and, in season, visiting nesting puffins and taking a cultural tour of the famous fishing village of Seyðisfjörður. Price: From £1,449 per person (usually £1,369) for departures in July and August 2021   Best of Iceland - Plus - Whale watching, breathtaking waterfalls, lava formations, majestic fjords, mighty glaciers and boat trips across lagoons - this week long Iceland trip is perfect for those wanting to see what this incredible destination has to offer. Starting and ending in Reykjavik, the tour, which is part of the new G Adventures Travel with Confidence Plus collection, visits local cantinas in Akureyri, Dettifoss waterfall, Vatnajokull glacier (the largest ice cap in Europe), Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach, where seals sunbathe on the bright blue ice, Skaftafell National Park, hot springs and Gullfoss waterfall. Price: From £1,648* (usually £1,939) per person departures in June 2021   Sailing the Canary Islands - Stepping aboard a 56ft yacht, travellers will spend a week exploring the beautiful shores of the Canary Islands. Designed for sailors of all levels, the Skipper will tailor the itinerary according to the group and the weather, depending if travellers want more time to explore the islands or sailing time at sea. Setting sail from Tenerife, the group will sail to San Sebastian de La Gomera where they will explore this historic harbour town, where Christopher Columbus stopped in 1492. Other highlights include a day exploring Santa Cruz on the island of La Palma, snorkeling, hiking and plenty of time to kick back and relax. Price: From £734* per person (usually £1,139) for departures in October 2021   For more information or to book, please call 0207 313 6953 or visit www.gadventures.com.