Summer is just around the corner and for many travelers it is an ideal time to pack their bags and fly far away. If this is your case, and you still have no plans or itinerary, we invite you to consider the following routes that EL PAÍS Viajes has outlined for the summer months.
As you know, these trips are off the usual tourist routes, and are conceived as sustainable and responsible experiences created from start to finish by the teams of azulmarino, EL PAÍS Viajes and their travel experts. There is never one exactly the same, which is what makes them special, and best of all, they contribute to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the places visited, something very important in the global world we live in. These are some of the destinations you will find this summer 2026. Which one will you choose?
Sri Lanka, shining land
Do you have vacation days in July? Embark on this adventure to Sri Lanka, the shining land. If you are one of those looking for a destination in the heart of nature, without a doubt, this country is for you. In its nearly 66,000 square kilometers, it hosts a great diversity of landscapes and climates. And, although many come here in search of its yoga and ayurveda retreats and its famous beaches for surfing, the island offers much more: the central highlands are covered with tea plantations and waterfalls, as you can see in Ella, while the north is a vibrant mix of essences. And despite still showing the wounds of its civil war, it is a true testimony to the diversity and variety that make up the island. Among the influences are Portuguese, Dutch, Tamil, Muslim, and British. In other words, a melting pot of cultures that makes Sri Lanka a very interesting country.
- Sri Lanka: Where Tea Blooms and Temples Whisper from Bilbao with Elena del Amo. Date and duration: July 4 – 15 days.
- Sri Lanka: Where Tea Blooms and Temples Whisper from Madrid with Elena del Amo. Date and duration: July 4 – 15 days.
In search of Shamballa
This trip through southern China is much more than an adventure, it is a journey that seeks to transform the traveler and bring out their most spiritual side. “Southern China and the Tibetan plateau intertwine in a journey that seems woven by imagination,” emphasize EL PAÍS Viajes. In Yunnan, the alleys of Lijiang, the Taoist temples of Weibaoshan, and time-frozen villages like Shaxi reveal a deep, diverse, and surprising China. But beyond that, travelers await the mythical Tibet that unfolds all its spiritual strength in legendary monasteries and sacred lakes. “Each day is a living chronicle, an opportunity to discover cultures that have made the soul their territory. This itinerary not only connects places but also emotions, questions, silences. It is a journey along paths that were trade and pilgrimage routes, through settings that still hold the mystery of the sacred. Here, history is not read: it is walked,” explains its host and expert on this route, Patricia Paulo. If you are looking for Shamballa, this is your trip.
- In search of Shamballa, Yunnan and Tibet with Patricia Paulo. Date and duration: July 7 – 15 days.
Armenia and Georgia, the unknown Europe
This August you have the opportunity to visit two countries in one trip. Why settle for one when you can see and get to know both? In this eleven-day itinerary, you will have the chance to delve into the history, culture, and heritage of Armenia and Georgia with expert traveler Marc Morte. Armenia offers unprecedented landscapes away from mass tourism, adventure, monuments, world heritage sites, and a little-known but surprising gastronomy. The country, located in the Caucasus region between Europe and Asia, is easily visitable and affordable; while Georgia, located on the shores of the Black Sea in the Caucasus mountain range, is a country that invites you to explore civilizations, but is also a favorite for hikers and those seeking historical monuments. If you want to discover an unknown Europe, this is the time.
- Armenia and Georgia: The valley between Prometheus mountains with Marc Morte. Date and duration: August 24 – 11 days.
Japan also in summer
Have you told yourself “this year I will definitely visit Japan”? Well, the time has definitely come! This August, EL PAÍS Viajes organizes a trip with one of the country’s experts, the writer and guide of Japan, Marc Morte; a tour to get a very complete picture without missing anything important, but outside the usual tourist routes of the country and the heat. “We will travel through cities that beat with modernity, villages that preserve the essence of feudal Japan, and natural landscapes where harmony becomes art,” he emphasizes. With his help, we have also put together a list that you should carry in your backpack with the 10 best places (and tips) you cannot miss on your trip to Japan.
- Japan Summer Vibes with Marc Morte. Date and duration: August 8 – 14 days.
Morocco by motorcycle
For this trip you will need two things: a desire for adventure in Morocco and a motorcycle license. With Alicia Sornosa, the first Spanish woman to travel around the world on two wheels and one of the most experienced and passionate motorcyclists in the world, EL PAÍS Viajes has designed an itinerary that crosses the country at its most appealing and legendary points: from cities like Tangier and Marrakech to movie-like settings in the lost villages of the Moroccan Atlas. That said, without losing sight of the desert, another major protagonist of this journey not suitable for everyone.
- Morocco by motorcycle with Alicia Sornosa. Date and duration: August 29 – 9 days.
The water landscapes of Zambia and Malawi
Have you been to Africa or is this your first time on the continent? Either option is valid to join this exciting trip because it is for both those who have been to Africa before and those who want to discover it for the first time with everything organized. Also, in this case, Álvaro Planchuelo accompanies travelers on an itinerary through two countries unknown to tourism that he knows like the back of his hand.
Furthermore, Planchuelo tells us that this is a very special trip for several reasons: “We will make a journey to a river system composed of three key points: Victoria Falls, on the Zambezi River, South Luangwa National Park in Zambia, and Lake Malawi, which also connects with the Zambezi River before flowing into Mozambique, in the Indian Ocean. All of them, from east to west, form an aquatic system in southern Africa that is very important. That is the main reason for the trip, although each point has its own interest.”
If you thought Africa was only an arid territory of savannas and safaris, this trip will prove you wrong.
- Zambia and Malawi. Water landscapes: from the Zambezi to Lake Malawi with Álvaro Planchuelo. Date and duration: September 10 – 15 days.
China and the Avatar warriors
China is one of the destinations setting trends this year. At EL PAÍS Viajes we have given you some reasons to visit it, one of the most important being that you can enter the country without a visa. Another is that it is full of landscape contrasts, rich tradition, and a unique gastronomy that is worth discovering little by little. In this regard, we propose that you discover China through one of its main rivers. The Yangtze, also known as the Blue River, is the longest in China and the Asian continent, with a length of 6,300 kilometers. It originates at more than 5,000 meters altitude, crossing eight provinces in central China from west to east, and serves as the backbone for an itinerary that covers first-class cities like Beijing to remote places like the Zhangjiajie mountains, which inspired the world of the Omaticaya in James Cameron’s film ‘Avatar’. This trip is also led by a native guide, Lin Meng, a professional with solid academic training and a distinguished career in translation, interpretation, and international event management.
- China, the Avatar warriors along the Yangtze River with Lin Meng. Date and duration: September 4 – 17 days.
Following in the footsteps of the Brontë sisters in England
Do you want to see the landscapes that inspired some of the most widely read contemporary novels in history? Do you know why literary travel is becoming more and more popular? If the answer is yes, this trip is for you. Writer Espido Freire, host of some of the most popular and beloved trips by EL PAÍS Viajes, returns with an itinerary about the Brontë sisters: Charlotte, Emily, and Anne, who wrote some novels that ended up becoming classics of universal literature. Jane Eyre, written by Charlotte, Wuthering Heights, written by Emily, and Agnes Grey, written by Anne. England is the setting for this five-day trip where you can visit cities like York or Haworth. Don’t miss it!
- Following in the footsteps of the Brontë sisters with Espido Freire. Date and duration: September 23 – 5 days.
Journey along the Mekong in Laos and Cambodia
If you want to travel to Southeast Asia but don’t know how to organize the trip, EL PAÍS Viajes reveals a tailor-made route designed by journalist and traveler Paco Nadal, an experience that includes two countries, Laos and Cambodia, and aims to transcend tourism so travelers can live a deep cultural experience. “The special thing about this trip is that we will use the Mekong River as a common thread, ‘the mother of all waters,’ the great river that structures this part of Asia and around which some of the greatest civilizations have grown.
We will visit very famous archaeological ruins, such as Angkor, but also lesser-known ones that are not usually included in classic programs, like Wat Phou or Sambor. We will sleep in the famous 4,000 islands, an area where the Mekong plunges over some interesting waterfalls. And in Cambodia, we will not limit ourselves to visiting Siem Reap and Angkor, as usual programs do, but we will also discover very little-traveled areas,” Paco Nadal himself comments when asked what he would highlight especially about this adventure. Discover it firsthand and join the group of travelers now!
- Laos and Cambodia, among sacred temples in the waters of the Mekong. Date and duration: September 2 – 17 days.
Sacred Punjab, northern India
India is not a destination for all travelers, but it is one that promises to shake you and give you a completely different view of the world. This trip proposes to delve into the north of the country from an unusual perspective: a route that combines history, spirituality, and living culture, crossing the territories where Sikh identity flourished and the valleys where the Ganges begins its descent to the plains. From Amritsar to Rishikesh, and later to Varanasi and Agra, the itinerary maps devotion, sacred architecture, and landscapes that have inspired masters, pilgrims, and poets.
This trip, with a very detailed and thoughtful itinerary, will be guided by Patricia Paulo, an expert from EL PAÍS Viajes with a long career and knowledge about India and its religions, as well as by Atma Onkar Singh (Eduardo García), a yoga master with more than twenty-five years of experience dedicated to understanding, practicing, and transmitting this discipline from a broad and deep perspective.
- Sacred Punjab & Ganges Retreat. Date and duration: September 12 – 16 days
*If you want more information about this and other similar trips, check our EL PAÍS VIAJES website.
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