Every year, Travel+Leisure releases their World's Best Awards – a comprehensive breakdown of the finest destinations, hotels, and tour operators in the world of travel. Hundreds of thousands of travelers participate in the voting process for these awards, voting on their favorites across a broad range of travel categories.
As a premier provider of small group travel, we're happy to report that many of the places we visit on our tours have been rated by Travel+Leisure readers as among the very best destinations on the planet. From tiny European islands and dynamic South America capitals to a resurgent Asian hotspot and a secluded African safari lodge, below are a few of the many "World's Best" destinations you can visit on an Odysseys Unlimited small group tour.
No need to leave the comforts of your chalet for the chance to spot wildlife at Zambia's Mfuwe Lodge.
Wildlife sightings are the rule, not the exception, at Travel+Leisure voters' third-best hotel on the planet. Mfuwe Lodge sits surrounded by two lagoons and canopied by ebony and mahogany trees within South Luangwa National Park. The lodge has a restaurant, bar, lounge, outdoor swimming pool, spa with massage services, and library, but after returning from daily game drives on Africa's Wildlife, you'd be forgiven for simply relaxing on the private porch of one of the 18 air-conditioned, open-plan thatch-roofed guest chalets and marveling at the natural surroundings.
Odysseys guests visiting an elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Packed with iconic temples, buzzing night markets, authentic street food, and gracious locals, Chiang Mai finished 2025 as the third most-loved city by T+L voters. It's fortuitous timing: We added a three-night stay in Chiang Mai to our Southeast Asia Odyssey small group tour, so all guests traveling in Fall 2026 and beyond will be able to spend time amid the markets, take a private cooking class at a farm outside the city, interact with gentle giants during a visit to an elephant sanctuary, and enjoy plenty of free time in one of the world's most popular destinations.
Kyoto, Japan’s imperial capital for a millennium and now the country’s cultural and artistic capital, ranked as the best city in Asia and as the 2nd best city in the world to visit in Travel+Leisure's World's Best Awards in 2026. A true gem with more than 1,600 temples, hundreds of shrines, three imperial palaces, artful gardens, and well-preserved wooden architecture, Kyoto embodies Japan’s rich culture and complex history. We spend three days and three nights exploring Kyoto's highlights on our Insider's Japan tour.
Travel+Leisure voters heaped praise on Asia in 2025 and 2026. Among those we visit:
South America's top-rated destination, Cuzco, seamlessly blends old and new, with Andes views everywhere you turn.
We spend two nights in Cuzco on both Machu Picchu to the Galapagos and Treasures of Peru, allowing us ample time to explore this city renowned as the oldest continually inhabited settlement in the Americas. This archaeological hub is a harmonious blend of Incan, Spanish, and modern influences where colonial and modern buildings incorporate Inca walls, arches, and doorways; charming houses surround elegant squares; and Inca descendants speak Quechua, the indigenous tongue. We tour the city's grand Plaza de Armas, enjoy free time to wander as we wish, and take an excursion to the evocative Inca ruins of Sacsayhuamán during our stay here.
Outside of Cuzco, we visit several Travel+Leisure winners in South America:
Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone National Park
Established in 1872, Yellowstone was the world’s first national park; it covers nearly 3,500 square miles of jagged mountains, high plains, and an extensive volcanic region. In his seminal 1898 piece for The Atlantic, John Muir described the park as “healing, reviving, exhilarating, kept pure by frost and fire... a glorious place to grow and rest in.” His words ring true to this day, and Yellowstone ranks as a highlight of our American West touring, as we stay for two nights at one of the handful of lodges set within the park itself.
On our North America tours, we spend time exploring a variety of our country's greatest national parks:
Florence's iconic Ponte Vecchio has spanned the Arno since 1345.
What more is there to say about Florence? It's the city of Renaissance artists and thinkers, filled with extraordinary art treasures, splendid churches, charming boutiques, and a deeply fascinating history. On both Portrait of Italy and Northern Italy, we enjoy a walking tour featuring the soaring Duomo with the dome by Brunelleschi, and the Piazza della Signoria, Florence’s ancient main square. And on Portrait of Italy, we go deeper, visiting Galleria dell’Accademia to view Michelangelo’s sublime David, as well as his pieces for the papal tombs.
Travel+Leisure voters spread the love for Europe in 2025, ranking dozens of Odysseys destinations among the "World's Best." A sampling of our small group tours that visit these iconic sites:
Odysseys employee Steven C. (left, with camera) along with a group of guests atop Table Mountain
Travel+Leisure voters praised the diverse neighborhoods, magnificent scenery (including soaring Table Mountain, above), temperate weather, and superb cuisine and wine when selecting Cape Town as their top city across the entirety of Africa and the Middle East. They also noted the Boulders Beach penguin colony, a highlight of our touring, as one of the many reasons to visit this cosmopolitan city.
Many of T+L voters' favorite destinations in Africa rank as highlights of our small group tours. To wit:
Scenes from Cape Breton's marvelous Cabot Trail
Along with Prince Edward Island (ranked No. 3 island in Canada), Cape Breton Island captured Travel+Leisure readers' imaginations in 2025. With cultures spanning the Indigenous Mi'kmaq people, early Scottish colonists, and the Acadians from Atlantic Canada – plus the fresh seafood and breathtaking Cabot Trail – Cape Breton should definitely make your 2026 travel list.
Travel wish lists can get lengthy – we hope this breakdown helps you choose a handful of top-rated, peer-reviewed destinations to hit on your next small group adventure!
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