National Geographic - Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the Worlds Greatest Trips

Curiosity is the gift we were born with. Its the most important thing to bring on any journey, and is a quality that rewards us throughout our lives. But even the most inquisitive travelers hunger for a spark of inspiration now and againand thats where this magical book comes in. More than just a collection of alluring places, its a treasury of reasons to visit them now. This book is about what happens when our curiosity runs wild.

For more than a century, National Geographic has helped to bring you the worldand with this book, fully revised and updated for its tenth anniversary, we have found new ways to help you experience it. Compiled from the favorite trips of the magazines legendary travel writers and photographers, these pages span the globe to highlight the best of the planets most celebrated and lesser known sojourns. So whether youre looking to trek the Andes on horseback, discover the worlds best cities for bike tours, cruise through Antarctica, hike the Grand Canyon, or follow in the footsteps of your favorite film heroes, this book has it allalong with expert advice for when to visit, how to get there, and secrets for making your travel dream a reality. If were lucky, we can all pack many journeys into our single lifetime!

What I love about this book is that its filled with new paths for pursuing enlightenment through travel. What does that even mean? For me, its the realization that our journeys illuminate our lives by showing us the places and experiences that help connect us with the world around us. The secret, again, is curiosity, andas luck would have itwe were all born with vast stores of it. So dream of travel, but dont stop there. Ask What if? and your next journey will begin.

George W. Stone

Editor-in-Chief, National Geographic Traveler

Giraffes walk the plains of the Serengeti during a full moon in Tanzania, East Africa. The Serengeti is known for its breathtaking landscapes.

INTRODUCTION

The Ultimate Journey

Suppose you could tick off every place on your bucket list in a single epic journey. Where would you go? We asked some of the worlds greatest globetrotters, our authors, to come up with the ultimate journey. It starts in New York City. So many nationalities call the Big Apple home that its a trip around the globe in its own right. In the city that never sleeps, climb up the Empire State Building. Bookend a meander through Central Park with visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. Bike across the Brooklyn Bridge, ride the Cyclone at Coney Island, and cheer on the Bronx Bombers at Yankee Stadium.

Farther west, in California, the city by the bay sparkles even when shrouded in its celebrated summer fog. From the iconic bridges and painted lady Victorian mansions to the ding-a-ling cable cars and infamous Alcatraz, there isnt a more photogenic city on the entire planet. Half a century after the Summer of Love, San Francisco still exudes a counterculture vibe and a sense of creativity and adventure. Check out endearing clichs like Fishermans Wharf, Chinatown, and Haight-Ashbury, as well as offbeat neighborhoods like Hayes Valley, Russian Hill, Dogpatch, and the multiethnic Mission District.

Continue your journey by heading south to the Peruvian city of Cuscoa name that means navel of the world. Perched high in the Andes, Cusco was both the nexus of the Inca Empire and a Spanish colonial burg. Its eclectic culture blends Hispanic and Amerindian influences, while its architecture varies from imposing Inca monuments like Saqsaywaman citadel and ceremonial complex to lavish baroque churches. Cusco is also the jumping-off spot for the lost city of Machu Picchu, hiking the Inca Trail and other Andes routes, and flights to the Peruvian Amazon and wildlife rich Man National Park.