Hottest Travel Destinations of 2011

Kimberley, Australia


The rust-colored landscape in northwestern Australia is as wild as it gets—it’s one of the last frontiers in a country known for having plenty of rugged, off-the-beaten-path areas. Until recently, mostly archaeologists and thrill seekers ventured into the Kimberley’s untouched territory (roughly three times the size of the U.K.), which has close to 2,000 miles of virgin coastline and caves with Aboriginal paintings said to date back 40,000 years. That’s all changing now that more cruise vessels are dropping anchor along the Kimberley’s rugged shore. The most notable among them is the 106-passenger Orion of Orion Expedition Cruises (10 nights from $7,735),which has 53 light-filled cabins—some with private balconies—and marble-clad bathrooms. After a stop in Broome, the region’s largest town, with white-sand beaches and 19th-century Japanese-style architecture dating to the heyday of the area’s pearl industry, it’s all wet landings: Zodiac boats are your only transportation to the natural wonders that await. You’ll travel up a wildlife-filled river to King George Falls, the mightiest waterfalls on the Kimberley coast, and make an excursion to Montgomery Reef, where green sea turtles, sharks, and rays can be spotted in the waters below. Just be sure to take lots of pictures—there’s no place to buy a postcard.


Zambia, Central Africa

Raw and undeveloped, the game-rich nation of Zambia has long attracted veteran travelers for its rugged walking safaris and rustic bush lodges, but it has remained relatively under the radar. As a handful of major safari players lay the foundation for a bigger presence in the country, Zambia is poised to become the next great African destination. In June,Sanctuary Retreats (from $550 per person per night) will open Zebra Plains, four luxe tents on South Luangwa National Park’s eponymous river, which is frequented by elephants, leopards, and giraffes. With vintage campaign furniture and even a library, it’s the kind of old-world aesthetic usually only found in East African properties. Ecotourism operator Wilderness Safaris (from $530 per person) has expanded to Victoria Falls with Toka Leya, where 12 tents on a riverbank are linked by teak walkways. A handful of new camps along the Zambezi River, known for its adventurous canoe tours, have cropped up. Among the best is Sanctuary’s Zambezi Kulefu, where a large pavilion is lit with lanterns at dinnertime. Not to be outdone, the smaller, family-owned operators are revamping their long-established bases as well. Bushcamp Company (from $350 per person), which pioneered South Luangwa walking safaris with Norman Carr Safaris (normancarrsafaris.com; from $432 per person per night)and Robin Pope Safaris (robinpopesafaris.net; from $400 per person per night), has renovated all six of its park camps, most stunningly at Zungulila, where four thatched-roof dwellings have canopy beds and plunge pools facing the antelope-filled plain.