Exploring the Unknown: 2025’s Frontier Travel Trends Unveiled

In this latest article on Travel Trends for 2025, I discuss frontier travel and the allure of seeking unspoiled landscapes for the excitement factor.

Initially, the pursuit of frontier tourism—venturing to places where no one (or, more accurately, very few) has ventured before—was reserved for daring adventurers. However, this trend is expanding. National Geographic describes this movement as being related to an increasing desire to explore secluded destinations, rather than merely finding locations that have never been encountered. It associates frontier tourism with the 2024 cultural phenomenon of ‘cowboy core’. “Partially attributed to the Yellowstone television series and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album, ‘cowboy core’ has firmly established itself within the travel industry. Skyscanner even introduced a ‘horse riding’ filter to its search platform last summer, reporting that a quarter of its users highlighted ‘dining around a campfire’ and ‘sleeping under the stars’ as the experiences they were most enthusiastic about for 2025.”

According to Lemongrass Marketing’s Travel Trends Report 2025, frontier travel is characterized, in its purest form, as “a luxurious and extreme variant of adventure travel”. “From the profound depths of the oceans to the polar regions, up to the highest peaks and into space, if a destination exists, it is now likely to become a tourist hotspot,” the report states. “However, frontier tourism remains prohibitively expensive for the majority, with the only advantage being that it bolsters the ego.”

“This trend has not proceeded unchecked. In fact, it has initiated crucial discussions regarding whether people should be visiting these locations at all. Consider Antarctica and the Arctic, which have seen an uptick in visitor numbers in recent years. However, this increase in travel to the planet’s extremes has a harmful effect on the environment, aggravating the repercussions of the climatic crisis on vulnerable ecosystems. When viewed from a different perspective, the growing interest in previously overlooked locations could yield positive outcomes. Travel organizations ISHKAR and Wild Frontiers, for instance, are setting a positive example by organizing trips to places like Pakistan and Tajikistan. Though these often-misunderstood locations may appeal to visitors searching for ‘unique’ experiences, the companies highlight the long-term economic significance of tourism for affected communities while urging travelers to seek meaningful encounters. As long as these types of frontier excursions are conducted with the wellbeing of local communities and nature in consideration, they are beneficial. Often in life, it isn’t just about the ‘what’; it’s about the ‘how’.”

In Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 25, the reputable travel brand shares its selection of 30 essential destinations worldwide for the upcoming year. Leading the country list is Cameroon, followed by Lithuania, Fiji, Laos, and Kazakhstan—all of which are lesser-explored places and may not be on the main tourist paths.

Journeys with Purpose, specializing in conservation travel, aims to leverage this trend by merging travels to remote areas with some of the world’s most innovative conservation initiatives. Their new array of incredible excursions highlights key conservation milestones to experience in 2025. The concept is that with these journeys, travelers can positively influence the environment, local populations, and wildlife worldwide. This collection, newly curated for 2025, accentuates the successes of some of the globe’s most ambitious projects and the advancements they anticipate achieving in the coming year.

Venetia Martin, managing director of Journeys With Purpose, states: “Our guests inhabit a realm where anything can occur. Consequently, they search for deeper satisfaction and richer experiences. We foster significant connections in wild locales that stimulate genuine immersion and learning. Our guests encounter remarkable individuals and places that compel them to step outside their comfort zones and engage with the environment in ways they had not previously envisioned. These encounters inspire guests profoundly, fostering a new respect for the potential of the natural world, encouraging them to become lifelong advocates and changemakers for the planet.”

As part of the offerings with Journeys With Purpose, participants can navigate the northern great plains of Montana with American Prairie Reserve as it transitions into the largest national park within the contiguous USA; assist Earthshot Prize winner, Acción Andina, in restoring one million hectares of rainforest in the Peruvian Andes; aid in the recovery of the native Chiricahua leopard frog population in New Mexico; and witness the return of the lynx to Spain’s Iberian Peninsula. It’s redefining the concept of wild adventures.

Stay tuned: my Wellness Travel Trends series will be released in January.