TAKE 2
BUCKET-LIST ALTERNATIVES
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Now’s the time to sell an equally spectacular alternative to these once-in-a-lifetime sights, says Adam Shaw
atching an ethereal sunrise at Angkor Wat, envisaging
the might of Ancient Greece at the Acropolis and looping round the Pyramids of Giza on a camel are all worthy of any respectable traveller’s bucket list. But as operators see more demand for trips that feature these kinds of experiences, this year could provide an opportunity to sell alternative trips to clients looking to branch out and visit somewhere less well known, but equally spectacular, away from the crowds. “Since travel has opened up post-pandemic, perhaps unsurprisingly we’re seeing these
9 FEBRUARY 2023
once-in-a-lifetime trips being booked in far greater numbers,” says Jae Hopkins, marketing director at Explore. However, Joanna Reeve, head of business development at Intrepid Travel, adds: “Travellers want to tick off those bucket-list experiences, but they also want to get away from the crowds and experience a destination from a different perspective.” So, with that in mind, here are
three just-as-epic alternatives to bucket-list sights around the world – from Nubian Kushite pyramids in Sudan to an ancient Greek marvel in Sicily and the world’s largest Buddhist temple in Indonesia.
travelweekly.co.uk
LIKE THIS? GIZA PYRAMIDS
The iconic pyramid complex situated just outside Cairo is a regular feature on tours to Egypt. Built around 4,500 years ago to house the dead pharaohs of the fourth dynasty, it is a designated Unesco World Heritage Site, while the Great Pyramid is the oldest – and best-preserved – of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
MEROE PYRAMIDS
WHAT IS IT? The ancient city of Meroe, in modern day Sudan, was the capital of the powerful Kingdom of Kush, which flourished from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. The Nubian Kushite civilisation mysteriously vanished, leaving behind an array of pyramids, funerary temples and homes.
WHY GO? This Nubian empire sprawled from the Mediterranean deep into Africa, and the pyramids offer a glimpse into its relatively unknown history and distinct designs. Many of the structures, built more than 2,500 years ago, are still in good condition, their walls decorated with bas-reliefs showing the lives of the Kushite royals and gods. Set among the stunning Sudanese desert, on the east bank of the Nile, clients will be treated to sweeping views of red-gold dunes with pyramids dotted throughout.
BOOK IT: An eight-day Beneath the Sands of Sudan tour with Wild Frontiers starts at £3,495 per person, based on two
sharing, excluding international flights, departing November 11.
wildfrontierstravel.com
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