We present you our selection of exciting and extraordinary destinations for 2017.
So: pack your passport (best in a fancy passport case from BULLAZO), shoulder your backpack and off you go!
Rwanda
Rwanda is located in the middle of Africa and is only about as big as Brandenburg, but if you like wild and untouched nature, you will get your money's worth. Three national parks are waiting for the rare visitors: Nyungwe, Akagera and Volcano.
Some of the last mountain gorillas on earth live in the primeval forest of Volcanoes National Park. Under certain conditions, some gorilla groups can even be visited by tourists. In the southern rainforest of Nyungwe, on the other hand, there are guided tours of chimpanzee groups. The Akagera National Park finally attracts visitors with its wide savannahs.
Water sports enthusiasts will feel at home on Lake Kivu, where guided tours are offered in addition to canoes and boats. Tourism does not play a major role here, however, which is why the trip to Rwanda is still something adventurous.
French Polynesia
The Great Barrier Reef is well known to many people and has to contend with extinction. The Tuamotu Islands in French Polynesia in the South Pacific are luring you with lush green atolls, turquoise blue sea and largely unknown dive sites waiting to be discovered by snorkelers and deep-sea divers.
More famous is the island of Tahiti. But no matter which of the five archipelagos you are on, the scenery looks like copied from Photoshop. Blue sea, green mountains, white beaches: the perfect place to relax away from the beaten track.
Bhutan
In 1972, the king of Bhutan proclaimed "Happiness" as the supreme goal of state policy, and that is exactly what the few visitors who reach here feel. Every year, only about 40,000 tourists find their way to the state south of Tibet - a must-see among the extraordinary destinations.
The tourist infrastructure is still not very developed. You have to book accordingly early: whether the trip will be what depends on the number of available hotel beds. But on the other hand, you discover a region of the earth that only very few people have ever seen with their own eyes.
Whoever has been here reports about the friendliness of the people, the fascination of the Buddhist faith and breathtaking landscapes: narrow, steep valleys between plateaus and snow-capped mountain peaks.
However, holidays in Bhutan can only be booked with a state-approved agency. Some German travel agencies already offer this service. If you want to travel to Bhutan, however, you have to dig a little deeper into your pocket. In order to avoid mass and low-cost tourism, the country prescribes a minimum price of 200 to 250 US dollars per day for all trips. But you will also be accompanied by a licensed guide, who will teach you about the peculiarities of the local culture.
Palau
How come that you never heard of the island state of Palau with its capital Melekeok and its 20,000 inhabitants before? Most other people do the same - that's why there is hardly any commercial tourism here, east of the Philippines. Only about 100,000 people find their way here every year. Luxury hotels cannot be expected.
The archipelago stretches over 200 islands covered with deep green jungle and surrounded by turquoise lagoons. Passionate divers will get their money's worth:"Forbes Traveller" chose the Blue Corner in Palau as the best diving area in the world a few years ago. Due to currents you can only dive here if you already have experience
If you prefer to stay above water, visit the Badrulchau stone monoliths (often referred to as the "Easter Island of Mikronesioen"), drive to the Ngardmau Waterfall, the highest waterfall in all of Micronesia - or lie on the beach and enjoy the tranquillity.
Kyrgyzstan
There are no crowds of tourists to be expected here. The tourism industry is still in its infancy. There is simply no infrastructure for the right mass tourism. This is why today's adventurous tourists find their way into the country between China and Kazakhstan.
But this also leads to the fact that visitors gain an unadulterated insight into the country's original culture. In the north of the country, near the Songköl high mountain lake, visitors can spend the night in typical nomadic tents, so-called yurts, while horses and sheep graze on the plains. Lake Ysskköl is also an attractive place to visit with its scenic beauty. Hikes through the high mountains of Tianshan, whose snow-capped peaks rise to over 7000 metres above sea level, quickly make you forget the stress of everyday life in your homeland.
Myanmar
Myanmar borders on Thailand - here it says: Quickly pay a visit before even more tourist flocks cross the border. International tourism has only been allowed here since 1992. More and more visitors are expected to come here in the next few years. So the best time to go to Myanmar is now. The country will no longer be on the list of extraordinary destinations for a long time to come.
Innumerable Buddhist temples and centuries-old ruins in Bagan, the caves of Pindaya with their shimmering Buddha statues and the stilts houses on the shores of Lake Inle, including floating vegetable gardens and residents who steer their boats with their legs - what sounds like from the never-ending story, is magical reality here. One of the few undiscovered highlights in Asia!
Armenia
In the middle of the Caucasus between Europe and Asia lies this little-travelled country, which is a pleasure for culture lovers and history fans in particular. Even in the remotest regions, there are still primeval monasteries here, which reveal their long history to visitors.
The biblical mountain of Ararat, where, according to the Bible, the Noah's Ark is said to have been stranded, is located in Turkey today, but it rises as a monumental backdrop behind the 17th century monastery of Chor Virap. Lake Sevan in the middle of the high mountains with its turquoise water is an impressive backdrop for a monastery from the 9th century.
And if that wasn't enough, you should visit the cave monastery of Geghard from the 13th century, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located in a deep gorge and was hit directly from the rock face.
Uzbekistan
2000 years ago, the Silk Road was one of the most important trade routes in the world. Between the Mediterranean and East Asia, traders from all over the world moved back and forth. This brought prosperity to the towns along the caravan routes, as well as cultural prosperity.
In Samarkand, the three powerful Koranic schools of the past, so-called Medresen, which rise above the cityscape in an impressive manner, tell us about this. The youngest of these is 450 years old - proof of the history of this country, which is now largely ignored by tourists.
Other destinations along the Silk Road are Bukhara, where the oldest surviving building in Central Asia is located, and Chiwa, whose historic old town, like Bukhara, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The fact that mass tourism has tended to avoid the region to this day may also be due to the fact that the infrastructure does not yet meet the requirements of international tourism. A certain feeling of adventure is present when you explore the area.
In recent years, private pensions have become a serious competition for hotels - they not only offer accommodation, but also invite you to get to know the local population.
Easter Island
A destination for persistent travelers: first to Santiago de Chile, then another five hours of flight to Easter Island. Here the Moai are waiting for you: stone figures several metres high, spread all over the island. Some of them rise from the earth, others are already half sunk into the ground. 900 of them are still there today, probably more than 1000 of them were probably built for ancestor worship. Fun Fact: Today we know that the Moai are not only made up of heads, but actually have bodies that are anchored deep in the earth. You can get there by 4x4, on horseback or - if you are ready for a long hike - on foot: pure adventure.
What are the extraordinary places on your bucket list for traveling? We are looking forward to it!