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Afar

Unpacked by Afar tackles one tricky topic in travel each week. Whether you want to hack your points and miles, figure out where to travel next, or need advice on an ethical dilemma, we're your expert travel guides. Because the travel world is complicated. We're here to help you unpack it.

Unpacked by AFAR

This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released ⁠Where to Go list⁠—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Laikipia, that means looking beyond the overcrowded Maasai Mara to discover a Kenyan plateau where half the country's black rhinos roam, where you might be the only vehicle at a sighting, and where conservation and community go hand in hand.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Alexandra Owens, a travel writer who specializes in conservation tourism and sub-Saharan Africa. Alexandra shares why this network of community-run conservancies offers a model for what safari can be: high value, low impact, and genuinely beneficial to local communities. 

Plan Your Laikipia Safari

(Listen to the View From Afar episode about the Great Migration controversy.) 

Stay

—Book a stay at andBeyond Suyian, a new lodge that opened in July 2024 on Suyian Conservancy

—Try Segera Retreat, a conservancy with a collaborative relationship with local communities and a new rhino sanctuary

—Stay at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, one of the original conservancies in the region, known for its rhino protection program and house-made goat cheese

See and Do

—Visit Ol Pejeta Conservancy to see the last two northern white rhinos on Earth—a mother and daughter—and learn about groundbreaking efforts to bring the species back from functional extinction

—Consider hiring a safari advisor, especially if visiting multiple conservancies—they can help with charter flights and insider experiences. Alexandra recommends Tamsyn Fricker at Travel Artistry Africa and Chris Liebenberg at Piper & Heath

Resources

• Follow Alexandra's work on Instagram. 

• Visit Alexandra's website

• Learn more about Space for Giants, the elephant conservation NGO working in Laikipia

• Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠

E5: Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention 
E6: Three Hours From Nashville, the South's Next Great Food Capital Is Waiting
E7: The French Riviera's Last Stop Before Italy—and Its Best-Kept Secret 

E8: Skip the Serengeti Traffic Jams for This Under-the-Radar Kenyan Safari (this one!)

Stay Connected

 Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

 Explore our other podcasts, ⁠⁠View From Afar⁠⁠, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and⁠⁠ ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where to Go in 2026: Trade the Serengeti Traffic for This Under-the-Radar Kenyan Safari

This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released ⁠Where to Go list⁠—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Menton, that means looking beyond Cannes and Nice to discover a quieter corner of the French Riviera—one with candy-colored buildings, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, and lemons so sweet you can eat them like apples.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Jenn Rice, a food and travel writer who fell hard for Menton after a birthday dinner at Mirazur. Jenn shares why this town of 30,000—perched where France meets Italy—deserves a spot on your list. From a subtropical microclimate that produces IGP-protected citrus to affordable hotels with sea views and a culinary scene shaped by one very busy chef, Menton offers all the glamour of the Riviera without the flash.

Plan Your Menton Getaway

(First, explore our France travel guide.)

Stay

—Book a room at Hotel Napoléon, right across from the sea and walking distance to old town—rooms with terrace patios and views of the candy-colored buildings start around $200/night even in summer

—Check out the newly renovated Villa Genesis, an older villa refurbished by Hotel Napoléon

—Try Hotel Gabriel, a newly renovated boutique option with a more modern, hip vibe

Eat and Drink

—Splurge on dinner at Le Mirazur, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant from chef Mauro Colagreco—it starts with a tour of his garden overlooking the sea and mountains, and yes, you'll eat a lemon like an apple

—Pick up sandwiches, lemon cake, and the famous lemon panettone (in season) at Mitron Bakery in old town, which uses the same artisanal ancient grains as Mirazur

—Try the lemon pizza at La Pecoranegra, Colagreco's pizzeria focused on quality ingredients

—For something unexpected, visit Colagreco's Argentinian steakhouse, Casa Fuego, down the street

See and Do

—Wander the old town, where candy-colored buildings tumble toward the sea in a scene reminiscent of the Italian Cinque Terre

—Stroll the brand-new promenade along the waterfront

—Hop on the train to Nice, Cannes, or other Riviera destinations—Menton makes a great, affordable home base

Resources

• Follow Jenn's work on Instagram

• Visit Jenn's website

• Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠

E5: Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention 
E6: Three Hours From Nashville, the South's Next Great Food Capital Is Waiting

E7: The French Riviera's Last Stop Before Italy—and Its Best-Kept Secret (this one!)

Stay Connected

 Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

 Explore our other podcasts, ⁠⁠View From Afar⁠⁠, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and⁠⁠ ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where to Go in 2026: The French Riviera's Last Stop Before Italy—and Its Best-Kept Secret

This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released Where to Go list—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Birmingham, that means discovering what Alabama's second-largest city really offers—especially its quietly stellar food scene that's been racking up James Beard nominations.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Jenny Adams, a travel writer and Birmingham native now based in New Orleans. Jenny shares why this "big fish in a small pond" city deserves a second look—from its fourth-largest concentration of barbecue restaurants in America to Alabama white sauce, a downtown transformed by Railroad Park, and vintage shopping that rivals anywhere in the South. She also makes a case for an Alabama road trip, from Muscle Shoals to the Gulf Coast beaches.

Plan Your Birmingham Getaway

(First, explore our Alabama travel guide.)

Stay

—Book a room at The Elyton, a historic downtown hotel

—Try The Painted Lady, a new boutique hotel in the city center

Eat and Drink

—Start your morning at Continental Bakery in English Village for old-world European pastries 

—Get a sandwich at The Garage Café, a collection of 1920s car garages with a courtyard bar where everything—including the furniture—is for sale

—Try Birmingham barbecue at SAW's BBQ or Jim 'N Nick's, and don't skip the Alabama white sauce—a tangy, mayo-based condiment invented in Decatur

—For Gulf seafood and oysters, head to Bayonet, a new raw bar 

—Sip fancy cocktails at Adios, a Mexican bar and James Beard semifinalist

—For a bucket-list dive bar experience, go to The Nick for cheap domestics and live grunge bands

See and Do

—Walk or bike Railroad Park, a linear park built on former blighted railroad tracks

—Tour Sloss Furnaces, the historic ironworks that defined Birmingham's industrial past

—Visit the 16th Street Baptist Church and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute to engage with the city's essential history

—Catch a show at one of three restored historic theaters: The Alabama, The Carver, or The Lyric

Shop

—Browse Pepper Place, a collection of old brick warehouses with permanent shops and a Saturday farmers market 

—Find vintage treasures at Devore, with pieces spanning the Victorian era to the 1970s

—Pick up artisan Alabama goods at Stone Hollow Farms (pickles, ginger syrups, cast iron cookware) and Design Supply (Southern artists and large-scale art)

—Visit Shoppe, a garden store with a charming general store next door where you can eat a BLT while browsing tablecloths and vintage spoons

Resources

• Follow Jenny's work on Instagram

• Visit Jenny's website

• Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠

E4: ⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠

E5: Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention 

E6: Three Hours From Nashville, the South's Next Great Food Capital Is Waiting (this one!)

Stay Connected

 
Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

 
Explore our other podcasts, ⁠⁠View From Afar⁠⁠, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and⁠⁠ ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where to Go in 2026: Three Hours From Nashville, the South's Next Great Food Capital Is Waiting

This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released Where to Go list—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Rabat, that means looking beyond the well-trodden streets of Marrakech and Fes to discover what Morocco's laid-back capital really offers—especially as Africa's largest music festival transforms the city into an open-air stage each summer.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Yulia Denisyuk, a travel writer and host of the podcast Going Places with Yulia. Yulia shares why this Atlantic coast city deserves a second look—from its free weeklong Mawazine music festival to a non-touristy medina, Andalusian gardens, Roman ruins, and dishes you won't find anywhere else in Morocco. She also reveals what's coming in 2026: new museums, UNESCO World Book Capital status, and a high-speed train connecting Rabat to Casablanca in just 35 minutes.

Plan Your Rabat Getaway

(First, explore our Morocco travel guide.)

See and Do

—Attend the Mawazine Festival, Africa's largest music festival, a free weeklong celebration featuring artists from around the world

—Explore Chellah, a Roman settlement dating to the first century that doubles as a festival stage

—Wander the Kasbah of the Oudayas, a 12th-century Islamic fort overlooking the Atlantic Ocean

—Stroll through the Andalusian Gardens for mint tea and ocean views

—Take a water taxi across the Bou Regreg River to Salé and back

—Browse the medina, where locals shop, have tea, and produce books—a less touristy experience than Marrakech

—Visit Mohamed Aziz, a famous bookseller in the medina who has read thousands of books and loves to discuss them

Eat and Drink

—Try Rabati pastilla, the "royal" version with thick layers and lots of eggs, influenced by Moorish settlers from Andalusia

—Seek out kefta, meatballs made with spices unique to Rabat that you won't find elsewhere in Morocco

—Eat fresh shrimp and seafood from the Atlantic coast

—Sip mint tea at cafes along the riverfront promenade

Know Before You Go

—In 2026, Rabat becomes UNESCO World Book Capital, with literary events and celebrations starting in April

—A new high-speed train will reduce travel time between Casablanca and Rabat from two hours to 35 minutes

—The Mawazine Festival typically takes place in late June

—Spring and autumn offer milder temperatures; summer is hot but tempered by Atlantic breezes

—The medina, Kasbah, and Chellah are all within walking distance of each other

Resources

• Listen to Yulia's podcast, Going Places with Yulia

• Follow Yulia on Instagram

• Visit Yulia's website

• Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠⁠

E3: ⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠

E4: Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate 

E5: Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention (this one!)

Stay Connected

 
Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

 
Explore our other podcasts, ⁠View From Afar⁠, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and⁠ ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where to Go in 2026: Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention

This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released ⁠Where to Go list⁠—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Albuquerque, that means looking beyond a quick stop on the way to Santa Fe to discover what New Mexico's largest city really offers—especially as Route 66 celebrates its centennial in 2026.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Matt Kirouac, a writer who fell in love with Albuquerque several years ago during Balloon Fiesta and has returned many times since. He shares why this "flyover city" deserves a second look—from its 18-mile stretch of neon-lit Route 66 to native-owned breweries, centuries-old restaurants in Old Town, and petroglyphs scattered across dormant volcanoes.

Plan Your Albuquerque Getaway 

(First, listen to our Unpacked episode about the city and explore our New Mexico travel guide. ) 

Stay
—Book a room at ⁠Arrive Albuquerque⁠, a renovated 1930s motor court with a pool, Pan-Asian restaurant, and onsite gallery featuring Indigenous and local artists
—Stay at the historic ⁠Hotel Andaluz⁠, which recently opened a rooftop speakeasy-style bar and wood-fired restaurant, Char
—Watch for the new boutique hotel opening in the ⁠Hiway House⁠ motel in Nob Hill

Eat and Drink

—Dine at ⁠M'Tucci's⁠, an Italian restaurant in a former Route 66 service station (don't miss the speakeasy in the alley)
—Have lunch at ⁠Church Street Cafe⁠ in one of Albuquerque's oldest buildings, dating to the 1700s
—Eat traditional New Mexican fare at ⁠Mary & Tito's Cafe⁠, known for decades-old homespun recipes
—Visit ⁠Bow & Arrow Brewing⁠, a native- and women-owned brewery known for southwestern-inspired beers like blue corn pilsner
—Explore ⁠Sawmill Market⁠, a food hall with local vendors

See and Do
—Walk or bike the 18-mile Route 66 stretch along Central Avenue, lined with historic neon signs and motor courts
—Visit ⁠Petroglyph National Monument⁠ to see some of the 25,000 petroglyphs scattered across dormant volcanoes
—Take the ⁠Sandia Peak Tramway⁠ to the top and dine at the restaurant, or hike the 17-mile round trip trail
—Explore ⁠Old Town Albuquerque⁠ for galleries, turquoise jewelry, pottery, and the Rattlesnake Museum
—See a movie or concert at the recently renovated ⁠KiMo Theatre⁠
—Browse queer cowboy art at ⁠Anthony Hurd Gallery⁠

Resources

 Follow Matt's work on ⁠Instagram⁠

 Check out his new book, Secret Oklahoma

 Explore all 24 destinations on Afar's ⁠Where to Go in 2026 list⁠

 Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series

E1: T⁠⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠⁠

E2: ⁠⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret⁠

E3: ⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠

E4: Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate (this one!)

Stay Connected

 
Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

 
Explore our other podcasts, View From Afar, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where to Go in 2026: Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate

This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released Where to Go list—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Sweden, that means skipping Stockholm and heading instead to the Stockholm Archipelago—a series of 24,000 islands about the size of Connecticut. It's home to a new 170-mile-long hiking path network launched in October 2024.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Katherine LaGrave, Afar's executive editor and host of our Unpacked: Five Questions series. This past summer, Katherine and her cousin spent a week hiking through pine and oak forests, island-hopping by ferry, eating post-hike Swedish meatballs, and sweating in saunas along the archipelago—covering about 62 miles across seven islands.

Plan Your Stockholm Archipelago Trip

Getting There & Around

• The archipelago is easily accessible from Stockholm via a well-connected ferry system

• Boat taxis are available for more direct island-to-island transport

• On the islands, get around by foot or bike—rentals are available

• Use the Stockholm Archipelago Trail app for offline maps and trail navigation

Where to Stay

• Grinda Wärdshus—stay at the historic home, once the summer residence of the director of the Nobel Prize Committee

• Ingmarsö—a farmhouse B&B with private garden access

• Waxholms Hotell—a newly restored in Vaxholm, the island's capital 

• Thanks to Sweden's Right to Roam laws, you can camp almost anywhere for one night (with stricter rules in nature reserves)

Listen to All Our Where to Go in 2026 Episodes

E1: This Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude 

E2: Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret

Resources

• Read Katherine's full story and explore all 24 destinations on our Where to Go in 2026 list

• Learn more about sauna culture in the Midwest (and why there's a right and a wrong way to say it...)

• Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Stay Connected

 
Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

 
Explore our other podcasts, View From Afar, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where to Go in 2026: The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago

This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released Where to Go list—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Peru, that means looking beyond Machu Picchu and Cusco to discover what lies south—a region of white volcanic cities, canyons twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, and a food scene that rivals Lima's in flavor (if not fame).

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Mark Johanson, a Chile-based travel writer and author of Mars on Earth: Wanderings in the World's Driest Desert. Mark recently explored southern Peru—from the gleaming colonial streets of Arequipa to the condor-filled skies above the Colca Canyon—and found a landscape rich with adventure, history, and some of the heartiest food in the Andes.

Plan Your Southern Peru Getaway

In Arequipa

 Stay at Cirqa—a luxury hotel in a 16th-century monastery

 Explore the Santa Catalina Monastery—a city-within-a-city with salmon-pink walls and centuries of history

 Eat at a traditional picanterías like La Nueva Palomino or the more modern Victoria Picantería

 Try the rocoto relleno (stuffed spicy pepper), chupe de camarones (river shrimp chowder), and adobo arequipeño (tangy pork stew)

 Wash it down with chicha de guiñapo—the original Andean purple corn beer served in huge glasses called "el caporal"

Colca Canyon & Beyond

 Stay at Puquio—Peru's first safari-style adventure camp in Colca Canyon

 Watch dozens of Andean condors ride the thermals at sunrise

 Hike into the canyon and experience the climate shift from cold highlands to near-tropical canyon floor

 Mountain bike down a volcano (for the brave) or hike up one (for the rest of us)

Cotahuasi & Toro Muerto

 Stay at Tinajani—a new tented camp in the Tinajani Canyon

 Explore pre-Inca ruins with very few other visitors

 Experience the wind-swept plains and golden seasonal landscapes

Lake Titicaca

 Stay at Titilaka—with a new sister property coming in 2027

 Visit the world's highest navigable lake at 12,500 feet

 Spot flamingos in high-altitude lagoons along the way

 

Getting Around

 
Belmond Andean Explorer—a luxury train connecting Arequipa to Lake Titicaca and Cusco

 
SA Expeditions—for tailor-made trips and off-the-beaten-path Qhapaq Ñan (ancient Incan trail) adventures

Resources

 Follow Mark's work on his website and pick up his book Mars on Earth

 Explore all 24 destinations on our Where to Go in 2026 list

 Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

Stay Connected

 
Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

 
Explore our other podcasts, View From Afar, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where to Go in 2026: Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret

In this special four-part series, join Unpacked host Aislyn Greene as she travels to Charleston, South Carolina, to unpack the city's deeper currents.

For the series finale: Charleston's performing arts scene is nothing short of extraordinary. Aislyn explores the city's world-class venues—from America's first dedicated theater to a stunning apricot-colored concert hall—and meets the people bringing opera, dance, jazz, and theater to life in the Lowcountry.

In This Episode You'll Learn

 The remarkable 300-year history of the Dock Street Theater, where ghost stories and contemporary artists meet

 How the Spoleto Festival USA became an international arts destination that draws everyone from Yo-Yo Ma to Patti Smith

 Why the Gaillard Center is "the Carnegie Hall" of the South —and how it commissions new works that celebrate Lowcountry stories and landscapes

Don't Miss These Moments

 [02:00] Inside the Dock Street Theater's drawing room 

 [06:00] The record for most light bulbs blown during a single performance 

 [11:00] Spoleto's general director on why 125 concerts in 17 days creates festival magic

 [13:00] The two ghosts said to haunt Dock Street Theater

 [18:00] Aislyn visits Cistern Yard at the College of Charleston—one of the most beautiful outdoor venues in the city

 [21:00] How the Gaillard Center transformed from a brutalist municipal auditorium into a world-class performance hall

 [24:00] The moment Audra McDonald turned off her microphone and brought the house to tears

*Time stamps are estimated and may change due to programmatic advertising.

Featured in This Episode

Venues

 Dock Street Theater

 ⁠Gaillard Center⁠

Festivals & Organizations

 Spoleto Festival USA

 Piccolo Spoleto

 
Charleston Stage (Dock Street's resident theater company)

 Chamber Music Charleston

 MOJA Arts Festival

 Charleston Literary Festival

Performers

 The Gullah Collective

 Step Afrika!

 Complexions Contemporary Ballet (upcoming)

Resources

 Plan your Charleston arts trip using our guides on afar.com

Catch Up on the Series

Missed any episodes? Here's the full Charleston series:

 Episode 1: To Understand the Soul of This Southern City, Head for the Water

 Episode 2: Charleston Serves Up More Than 300 Years of Flavor—and Every Bite Tells a Story

 Episode 3: The Artisans Keeping the Soul of Charleston's King Street Alive

 Episode 4: Opera, Punk Rock, and a 300-Year-Old Ghost: One City's Arts Scene

Stay Connected

 
Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

 
Explore our other podcasts, View From Afar, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The City Where You'll Find Ghost Stories, Gullah Rhythms, and the "Carnegie Hall of the South"

This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released Where to Go list—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure. 

For the Bahamas, that means looking beyond Nassau's cruise port crowds to discover what this nation of 700 islands and cays really offers.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Terry Ward, a Florida-based writer who has spent years exploring the Bahamas. She traveled to Eleuthera—one of the Out Islands—where she found pink-sand beaches with barely a footprint, locally-owned guesthouses where Bahamian culture takes center stage, and wild dolphins in crystal-clear waters. 

Plan your Eleuthera Getaway 

—Stay at the Farm, part of the Little Island Hotels chain

—Stay at the Coral Sands Inn & Cottages, which has eight cottages

—Eat at the Fig Tree at the Potlatch social club

—Eat the national dish, conch salad, at many Harbour Island restaurants

—Explore the Sapphire Blue Hole

—Scuba dive at Valentine's Resort/Beach on Harbour Island

—Visit Seahorse National Park (when it reopens to the public)

—Stay Lighthouse Point while sailing with Disney Cruise Line

Listen to All Our Where to Go in 2026 Episodes

E1: T⁠his Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude ⁠

E2: ⁠Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret

E3: The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago

Resources

 Follow Terry's work on her website

 Explore all 24 destinations on our Where to Go in 2026 list

 Follow us on Instagram @afarmedia

Stay Connected

 
Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

 
Explore our other podcasts, View From Afar, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
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Where to Go in 2026: This Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude

In 2026, it's time to travel differently. This year's Where to Go list from Afar isn't about the usual suspects—it's about lessening the burden on over-touristed destinations while discovering places that are equally extraordinary. 

Today, we released our list of 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that deliver all the magic with none of the crowds. From Bucharest's Belle Époque architecture and lively bar scene to Sado Island's pristine beaches and relaxing onsens, these destinations prove you don't have to sacrifice incredible experiences to travel more responsibly. 

And on December 5—and over the next two months—we'll explore 15 of these places here on Unpacked, through conversations with the writers who discovered them firsthand. 

Resources

 Where to Go in 2026: Places That Are on the Rise and Off the Beaten Path

 Find inspiration, or start planning your next trip, on afar.com

Stay Connected

 
Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

 
Explore our other podcasts, View From Afar, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

Unpacked by Afar is part of ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where to Go in 2026: The Most Underrated Destinations for the Year Ahead

Would you let ChatGPT plan your trip? Chris Dong, the host of this week’s episode, isn’t sure. As a travel writer, he knows his way around the world—and when we tasked him with writing a piece about the technology, he was initially skeptical about handing over the reins to, well, a robot. 
To get answers, he spoke with Hannah Mieczkowski, an AI expert who holds a Ph.D. degree in human and AI interaction from Stanford University, and Seth Borko, a senior research analyst at Skift and author of an April 2023 report titled “Generative AI’s Impact on Travel.” 
Together, they explained the ways ChatGPT can actually help us now, the things we need to watch for, and what we can expect in the future. As Chris discovered, it’s still murky territory. But there are some benefits—and there’s little chance we’ll be ruled by the robot overlords. 
Meet this week’s guests

Chris Dong, travel writer and episode host

Hannah Mieczkowski, AI expert

Seth Borko, senior research analyst at Skift

Resources

Read this week’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.

Read Chris’s companion piece about ChatGPT and travel. 

Try ChatGPT for yourself!

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Travel Tales, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are You Ready to Hand Over Your Travel Planning to the ChatGPT and AI Bots?

Listen and read

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