Travel with Purpose in 2026

19th December 2025

Are you looking ahead to 2026 and planning your next meaningful holiday? With its diversity and vibrant spirit, Latin America is emerging as one of the leading regions for purposeful travel in 2026. Offering deep cultural immersion, dramatic scenery, endless outdoor adventures and extraordinary wildlife, it is a continent destined to be explored.

It’s impossible to narrow it down to just a few highlights but below are just a few of the amazing experiences we are especially excited to offer for the year ahead.

Authentic and Wild Galapagos

This once-in-a-lifetime Galapagos Island hopping itinerary offers an in depth land-based Galapagos experience focussed on wildlife, community connection and regenerative travel. Designed for those seeking an alternative to traditional cruises, this itinerary explores the archipelago away from the crowds while actively supporting conservation and local communities.

Over seven action-packed days, island hop between the islands of Santa Cruz, Floreana, and Isabela discovering an abundance of wildlife, dramatic volcanic landscapes, and the fascinating human history of the islands. This experience is especially meaningful as it was inspired by families on Floreana Island and created in collaboration with WWF and the Galapagos National Park, ensuring tourism directly benefits the people living in the Galapagos while protecting its fragile ecosystems. Highlights include hiking the Sierra Negra Volcano, swimming with sealions and turtles, wandering among giant tortoises and spending meaningful time to really connect with residents like the Cruz Family. It truly is an authentic Galapagos experience that is packed with not only wildlife adventures but deep local immersion.

Green Patagonia

Explore the less-trodden trails of Northern Patagonia in Chile. A true wilderness of Patagonian steppe grasslands, turquoise lakes, temperate rainforests, and dramatic glaciers. This remote region has been profoundly shaped by American conservationists Doug and Kris Tompkins, whose groundbreaking work permanently protected 15 million acres of land, creating national parks, restoring fragile ecosystems, and actively increasing populations of wildlife species on the brink of extinction.

It is one of the world’s most successful conservation stories and a visit to Northern Patagonia Chile offers travellers the chance to explore its pristine landscapes through a variety of outdoor Patagonia adventures like hiking to hanging glaciers, kayaking through marble caves or white rafting its bustling rivers. Our Chile Wilderness Escape itinerary is just one of the many ways to experience the best of this destination and admire the amazing work that has been done to protect one of the most beautiful regions on the planet.

Adventure filled Guatemala

Guatemala is one of Latin Americas lesser-explored hidden gems and offers its visitors a striking blend of natural beauty and authentic culture. Our Guatemala and Belize Hiking adventure takes guests on an adventurous journey on foot hiking from the colonial gem of Antigua to the spectacular Lake Atitlan. Over three nights, guests discover vibrant Indigenous cultures, walk through misty cloud forest and Mayan villages and traverse volcanic ridges.

This adventure not only is an active way to explore the region’s stunning scenery but gets directly involved with local communities: making tortillas over a campfire with locals from the nearby community to visiting a women’s weaving cooperative and learning about small batch organic coffee production with local farmers. It’s the perfect way to venture off the beaten path, immerse yourself in local culture and enjoy an outdoor adventure.

Wild Wetlands of the Pantanal

For Safari lovers who have ticked off Africa’s classic five, the wild wetlands of the Pantanal offers South America’s ultimate wildlife experience. Home to over 650 bird species, giant otters, anteaters, capybara, caiman, and the largest population of jaguars in the world, the Pantanal is one of the most important and biodiverse regions on the continent. The area is also an amazing example of how tourism can support conservation when done responsibly.

We work with hand-picked eco-lodges committed to environmental protection and wildlife monitoring, ensuring your visit directly supports the preservation of this fragile ecosystem. Days are spent exploring by boat, on foot, safari-style vehicles, or horse-riding for wildlife encounters like no other. Our Wildlife, Waterfalls and Beach combines conservation safari in the Pantanal with iconic city culture and the mighty Iguazu falls, all in one amazing Brazil adventure. To check visa requirements for entry into Brazil, read here.

Savouring Star-lit Skies in the Elqui Valley

The desire to venture off the beaten path is stronger than ever and Chile’s Elqui Valley is the ideal place to escape the crowds, slow down and truly savour the moment. Located in the north of the country, the Elqui Valley boasts some of the world’s clearest night skies. Star-studded evenings invite you to sleep under the stars, visit cutting-edge observatories and see the universe from a breathtaking and magnified perspective.

Beyond the star-lit skies, there is plenty to see and do here, home to cacti-lined valleys, rolling vineyards, small adobe villages and mountain peaks, time can be spent exploring on foot or horse-back. Time can also be spent sampling Chile’s national spirit at one of the many boutique Pisco distilleries dotted around the region. Our Chile-in depth itinerary is a fantastic way to slow down and explore Chile at a meaningful, unhurried pace, whilst combining the incredible night skies of the Elqui Valley with its serene landscapes.

Summary

So, whether you dream of swimming with sealions in the Galapagos, hiking the national parks of Patagonia or Volcanoes in Guatemala, admiring jaguars in the Pantanal, or slowing down to marvel at star-studded skies in the Elqui Valley, travelling with Travel Differently has you covered.

It is our mission to make 2026 your best travel experience yet, travelling responsibly, and travelling differently. Speak to our experts today or enquire online and start planning your Latin America trip today.

Read more on the best time to visit South America.

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