When I was a kid, my parents bought be a National Geographic subscription and I used to page through those magazines and imagine visiting the far-away places that I read about on those pages.  I would pin the pull-out maps on my wall and circle the places that I really wanted to see.  My imagination would run wild as I thought about what it would be like to visit some of the amazing destinations and experience some of the wonderful cultural festivals I read about.  I guess you could say that is when I first started to put together a 2020 travel bucket list, which is something I still keep track of to this day.

If you are looking for some exciting new destinations to add to your 2020 travel bucket list, my hope is that my list of places that I would like to visit someday is an inspiration to you as you fill out your bucket list.  Speaking of your bucket list, I would also love to hear about some of the amazing places that you dream of visiting one day.   Not only would I love to hear about these places, but I am sure other readers would love to hear about the places you have on your list as well.

Previous Bucket Lists

Before I get into my 2020 travel bucket list, I thought it would be worthwhile to post links to my Travel Bucket Lists from past years.  Looking back at these lists and seeing which locations on my past lists have been crossed off and which new locations have taken their place was a lot of fun.  If you are anything like me, your Travel Bucket List never gets any shorter, no matter how many locations you visit and cross off your list.

Torres del Paine National Park

Patagonia has been a dream destination of mine since I was a kid.  This vast wilderness is one of the most beautiful areas in the world.   The huge, jagged mountains and crystal blue lakes seem to call my name.  Patagonia is a big area, and much of it is beautiful.  However, Torres Del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia is especially scenic.  It would be amazing to plan a visit to do some hiking, photography, and general exploration.  Definitely on the top of my list of places to see.

Antarctica Cruise

Antarctica is such an amazing and beautiful place, but it is also very difficult and costly to get to.  I guess that is part of the allure for me.  Seeing icebergs, the size of skyscrapers, as well all of the amazing wildlife that calls Antarctica their home, would be amazing.  However, for me, the bigger lure is the fact that it is a place that not many people get to.  Visiting Antarctica comes with a sense of adventure you can’t really match when traveling to many other places in the world these days.

Iceland

Another location that is a landscape photographer’s dream is Iceland.  What more can I say that the picture above doesn’t already say a thousand times better?  The beautiful landscapes in Iceland are almost fairytale-like beautiful.  One day I hope to visit this beautiful place and photograph these amazing landscapes.

The Himalayas

What can I say about the Himalayas that a picture cannot express a thousand times better?  Just look at those peaks.  If you love mountains, the Himalayas are the gold standard.  The Himalayas are the home of many of this world’s tallest peaks, including the highest peak, Mount Everest.  I am not a mountaineer, so I don’t think there is an Everest climb in my future, but it would be fantastic to visit Nepal and see the Himalayas first-hand.

Safari in India

When it comes to safaris, Africa gets most of the attention.  Yet India, the country that inspired the Jungle Book, has some absolutely fantastic safari opportunities of its own.  Like Africa, you can see lions (the Asiatic variety), leopards, rhinoceros (the Asian, one-horned variety), elephants (the Asiatic variety), and buffalo.  However, unlike Africa, you can also see tigers and snow leopards.  It would be absolutely amazing to see a tiger in its natural habitat, and that is why going on safari in India is high on my bucket list.

Cappadocia

There are few places in this world as unique and as mystifying as Cappadocia, Turkey.  The landscape alone is fantastic, with all of the dwellings built into the rock formations that litter the countryside.  Add to that all of the hot air balloons that launch over Cappadocia daily, and this is a fantasy world that I am desperate to visit.

Siem Reap

I have yet to travel to Asia, so there is still so much that I would like to see there.  Siem Reap is near the top of that list.  Cambodia is a beautiful country, and no region is more so then Angkor region.  One of the things I am most excited to see in Siem Reap is Angkor Wat.  This ancient temple is a wonder of the world.  It’s unique and beautiful architecture is something to behold and I would love to be able to explore it.

Bali

If there is a more beautiful tropical paradise in this world than Bali, I would like to know about it.  This Indonesian Island is stunning.  In addition to the beautiful beaches, it has some beautiful forested volcanic mountains to explore.  It is also home to the unique and amazing cliff-side Uluwatu Temple, which I very much want to see.  I would love to spend some time exploring and getting to know this amazing island.

Portugal

Portugal is one of the new destinations on my Travel Bucket List this year.  After going back and re-watching some of the amazing Anthony Bourdain episodes, including his under-appreciated early “A Cook’s Tour” series episodes, I began to fall in love with the country.  Not only does the country look like a culinary powerhouse, but it has so many beautiful locations to explore as well.  Beautiful, old cities and extraordinarily gorgeous coastlines are just some of the things that make Portugal one of the prettiest countries in Europe.  I am in the process of putting together some early plans to visit Portugal this year, and I really hope those plans pan out.  Getting to visit this amazing country would be thrilling in so many ways.

The Amazon Rain Forest

There is no place on Earth with more biodiversity than the Amazon Rain Forest, and that is exactly why I want to visit.  There are so many unique and interesting plant and animal species that I would like to see in their natural habitat.  Beyond that, the Amazon Rain Forest is such a stunning and beautiful place.  I would love to be able to explore it.

Safari in the Okavango Delta

Another one of the new locations that I have added to my travel bucket list is a visit to the country of Botswana in Africa to go on safari in the infamous Okavango Delta.  I have had a love affair with Africa ever since visiting Tanzania a few years ago and going on safari.  One location that is intriguing me more-and-more is Botswana.  It is world renown for having some of the wildest and most authentic safari experiences in the world.  While other countries have focused on fencing off visitor camping and lodging locations from the wildlife, Botswana has put an emphasis on doing the exact opposite.  Their focus on having authentic and wild safari experiences has made Botswana one of the fastest-growing safari markets in Africa and definitely a destination that I would love to visit in the near future.

The Greek Islands

The last new location to make my 2020 Travel Bucket List is the Greek Islands.  While I would love to visit Athens and explore the rich history in the area, the biggest draw to the country of Greece for me is undoubtedly the Greek Islands.  Those that follow my blog closely know that I am strongly drawn to two very different types of landscapes.  While mountains are my favorite landscapes in the world to explore, they are closely followed by islands.  In my travels, I have visited some of the most popular and beautiful islands in the world (including the Hawaiian and Galápagos Islands).  I would like my next big island adventure to be to the islands of Greece, which are widely regarded to be some of the most beautiful in Europe.

Your Bucket List

I have shared with you what my top bucket list destinations are, now I would like to hear from you.  What are your top 2020 Travel Bucket List locations?  What places do you really want to start exploring?  What adventures do you want to go on?

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