Disclosure: I travelled to Cambodia as a guest of GAdventures as part of their GX media program (Storytellers track). This article is a wishlist based on getting a sneak peek at their Black Friday sales. I haven’t done these eleven trips (yet), but wanted to share my wishlist to inspire you to build (and book) your own for 2027.
Are you searching for the best GAdventures trips for 2027, and wondering whether this Black Friday is finally the time to book? You’re in exactly the right place. This is my personal 2027 wishlist: eleven trips, one for almost every kind of traveller, and every one of them includes real community experiences. This is the best kind of travel there is, and it’s on sale.
I’ll be honest with you: I’ve been a tourist many times in my life (guilty as charged). I’ve been to the big bucket-list destinations, taken the photo, framed it and put it on my wall. But did I connect with the history and culture of the place? No. Did I ask where did my entry fee actually went? Again, No. I’ve been one of 60 people stepping off a bus with 20 minutes to see “the thing” before moving on to the next one. Then I went to Cambodia with GAdventures, and everything changed.
From the moment I was invited I can tell you that Cambodia was outside my comfort zone; I went in nervous but came out inspired. I’ve never felt so welcomed and so safe in a country, especially one that has lived through so much recent devastation. With GAdventures and their nonprofit partner Planeterra, I sat down with local people, heard their stories, and saw where my tourism dollars went, knowing my visit was leaving a transformational impact on myself as well as the people and places we were visiting.
One moment stays with me most: riding with a female tuk-tuk driver in an industry that is almost entirely male. She became Cambodia’s first female tuk-tuk driver and built a business that empowers other women and now has a fleet of female tuk-tuk drivers. Choosing her company when you need a tuk-tuk supports women, who support their families and communities. A small way to make a huge impact.
That trip changed how I’ll travel with my family from now on. Below are eleven trips I’m dreaming of for 2027, from sailing Greece with my daughter to trekking Mont Blanc with my son, a wellness retreat in Bali with my mom, and a girls’ trip to Yucatán. Each one is rooted in community tourism and authentic connection. If you’re done sitting on the sidelines and ready to make 2027 the year you move from tourist to traveller, this is your guidebook.
What Is Community-Based Tourism?
To me, community-based tourism means visiting with local people, experiencing local life, and keeping as much of your tourism dollars in the community as possible. It’s travel that transforms you, and also the people who live in the places you visit.
GAdventures builds this into its itineraries through G for Good moments: meals, workshops and visits with social enterprises supported by Planeterra. Look for them in each trip below.
Quick Wishlist Overview
| # | Trip | Travel Style | Who I’d Bring |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sailing Greece: Mykonos to Mykonos | Sailing | My daughter |
| 2 | Trekking Mont Blanc | Trekking | My son |
| 3 | Cambodia to Vietnam: Lanterns, Nightlife & Local Living | Local living | My son |
| 4 | Wellness Bali | Wellness | My mom |
| 5 | Essential India | Culture / bucket list | My friend Lana |
| 6 | Victoria Falls to Windhoek Overland Safari | Wildlife | The whole family |
| 7 | Mt Kilimanjaro Trek: Lemosho Route | Bucket list | Lana, our sons, and anyone else who wants to come |
| 8 | Patagonia Hiking | Hiking | My son |
| 9 | Signature: Japan’s Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka | National Geographic Signature | Just me |
| 10 | Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula: Mayan Ruins & Cenotes | Beach | My girlfriends |
| 11 | Canadian Rockies: Northern Lights Winter Explorer | Winter | My son |
1. Sailing Greece: Mykonos to Mykonos – 30% off!
Why It’s On My List
Sailing shows you the world in a way nothing else can. Instead of a road trip, you’re travelling by water: slipping into little ports, swimming in brilliant blue water, and finding a stillness that only happens out at sea. I don’t mean the boat stops moving. I mean the stillness that happens inside you when you connect to a place through Mother Ocean.
Right now, my daughter and I are both working toward our sailing certifications here in Canada. I love sailing our cool Pacific coast, but picture doing it in warm weather along Greece’s iconic coastline, with the daughter who has always dreamed of Greece. For both of us, that would be incredible and empowering. Women taking the helm and taking on the world.
What I’m Most Excited About
Island-hopping from lively beaches to hidden coves, tasting fresh fish under bougainvillea, and falling asleep beneath the Milky Way.
2. Trekking Mont Blanc – 10% off
Why It’s On My List
This one is my son’s dream. For as long as I can remember, he’s talked about hiking in Switzerland. Last year we did a 10-day hiking trip through Banff, and now I’d love to turn that into a tradition: one big mother-son hiking trip somewhere in the world every year. He picked Switzerland. When I found G’s 10-day Trekking Mont Blanc, which circles the Alps from Chamonix through France, Italy and Switzerland and back to Chamonix, I thought: what a thing for him to experience.
What I’m Most Excited About
That unexpected, overwhelming feeling you get when you’re standing somewhere absolutely beautiful. My son and I felt it at Lake O’Hara in Yoho National Park. It was so powerful that I might get it tattooed someday. On Mont Blanc you’re people-powered, and the only way to the view is on foot. Earning that view with your son teaches so many beautiful lessons, and the gratitude he feels for Mother Earth on trips like these is the foundation of our bond.
My Honest Take: This is a challenging trek with long days and big climbs, so we will be training for it. We’d also add time before and after to explore the region, and hopefully head over to Italy for some Italian food.
3. Cambodia to Vietnam: Lanterns, Nightlife & Local Living – 10% off
Why It’s On My List
Cambodia stole my heart and I can’t wait to go back. I’ve never felt as welcomed and safe as I did in Cambodia, and I’d love to take my son. He’s a foodie, and I know he’d love the people, the culture and the history.
The Community Connection
This trip is full of G for Good moments. There’s a local Khmer meal in Siem Reap, a traditional meal at the GAdventures-supported New Hope project, a Local Living homestay with dinner in Chambok village, and street food crawls in Phnom Penh and Nha Trang. The trip also includes a guided sunrise tour of Angkor Wat, Hoi An’s lanterns and Halong Bay.
What I’m Most Excited About
Noodle making in Hoi An. Picture my foodie son with his sleeves rolled up. Need I say more?
My Honest Take: Before Cambodia I might have been nervous about a trip like this. After seeing how professionally GAdventures runs its trips and how closely it works with local guides, I have no hesitation.
4. Wellness Bali – 10% off
Why It’s On My List
My mom and I have always loved wellness experiences together, closer to home at places like Sparkling Hill and further afield in Costa Rica back in 2016. Now it’s time for our next adventure. Bali is world-renowned for healing, and going somewhere new pushes us both outside our comfort zone. It also forces us to stop working and focus on our relationship and our wellness together.
What I’m Most Excited About
Yoga, temple visits and healing rituals in Bali’s lush heartland, and slowing down with my mom.
5. Essential India – 30% Off
Why It’s On My List
Reading Shantaram made me fall in love with India’s culture and history. (It’s set in Mumbai, but it’s the book that set my heart on India.) This is a trip I’d take with my friend Lana. She’s my adventure co-captain and the most well-travelled friend I have. India would push our comfort zones, and we’d have so much fun doing it.
The Community Connection
This trip has three G for Good moments. Your arrival transfer is with Women With Wheels, a project where local women drive travellers and build independent livelihoods. In Delhi, you take a youth-led city walk with a guide who is a former street child, which supports at-risk youth. In Jaipur, you try block printing with the women of the Anoothi Project. Later, a stop at a paper-making plant set up to assist tribal women, where all the paper is made from recycled clothing and wood pulp.
What I’m Most Excited About
Jaipur, the Pink City, and its Amber Fort, then the Taj Mahal at sunrise. In between are a night in a tented camp in a Rajasthani village, a cycling excursion through Dhula Village, the Abhaneri stepwell and the temples of Khajuraho. And Varanasi, where you take evening and sunrise boat rides on the Ganges, including a candle and flower ceremony on the water.
My Honest Take: G rates this a 2, Light, but India is intense. G itself warns about culture shock, late trains and power cuts, so bring patience and a sense of humour. There’s an overnight sleeper train, and only one breakfast and one dinner are included. You also need an Indian visa before you go, so check whether you’re eligible for an e-Visa.
6. Victoria Falls to Windhoek Overland Safari & Participation Camping – 10% Off
Why It’s On My List
My kids have been learning about Africa since kindergarten, and our family has always dreamed of going. But Africa is not a trip I’d feel comfortable planning myself. I wouldn’t know where to start. Knowing G handles the logistics is a huge comfort for me. So is knowing the trip is rooted in community tourism, and in ethical animal welfare and protection, grounded in sustainability, making this a true family bucket list experience.
What I’m Most Excited About
Thundering Victoria Falls, game drives, and pitching our tents as a family under endless stars. G’s participation camping means you help set up camp and cook, which is real teamwork for teens and adds to the experience.
7. Mt Kilimanjaro Trek: Lemosho Route – 30% off
Why It’s On My List
Standing on Africa’s rooftop is the ultimate bucket list moment. This is the trip where I’d put the call out: who wants to come? My dream crew would be Lana and me, with both of our sons. Two moms and two sons on top of Africa.
The Community Connection
Day 9 ends with a visit to the Moshi Women’s Cooperative, a project supported by G Adventures and Planeterra, where you meet the women of the co-op for a climbing ceremony. G notes that women and girls in Tanzania are often the first to be excluded from education programs, so this is a place where your tourism dollars go to something specific. The climb itself is staffed by local guides, a cook and porters. Each hiker is supported by about two porters, and G says no porter carries more than 20 kg, with every load weighed at the park gate.
What I’m Most Excited About
The Lemosho route. G calls it a less-travelled path that many consider the most beautiful way up the mountain. You start in rainforest, cross the Shira Plateau, climb to the Lava Tower and up the Barranco Wall, then start the summit push at midnight to reach Uhuru Peak at sunrise. G builds extra acclimatization time into the itinerary, which improves your chances of reaching the top. Standing up there with Lana and our sons is the whole point.
My Honest Take: This is the toughest trip on my list. G rates it a 5, Challenging, and the first days are long as you gain altitude. It’s also camping, with basic facilities and no showers on the mountain. Train for it, and check that your travel insurance covers emergency rescue near 6,000 metres, because many policies don’t.
8. Patagonia Hiking – 15% off
Why It’s On My List
This one is another for our annual mother-son hiking tradition. Patagonia is a world-renowned trekking destination. So many of my colleagues have been, and I’m sure it’s even better than any photo can show.
What I’m Most Excited About
Guided hikes around El Chaltén. One day is the full-day trail to Laguna de los Tres, with a view of Mount Fitz Roy if the weather cooperates. Another climbs to the Loma del Pliegue Tumbado viewpoint for 360° views, on one of the less-travelled trails in the park. Then comes Perito Moreno Glacier, where you can listen to ice calving at its base. Buenos Aires bookends the trip, with optional extras like a La Boca neighbourhood visit and a tango dinner show.
My Honest Take: This is a hiking trip, not a trek. You sleep in hotels, and the hikes are guided day trips from El Chaltén. G rates it a 4, Demanding, so the long days still need some training. Only breakfasts are included, and G recommends bringing US cash for the Argentina portion. G doesn’t list a community project on this itinerary, though it does use local guides.
9. Signature: Japan’s Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka – Not on sale but still on my list!
Why It’s On My List
This would be my solo trip. Japan keeps topping the readers’ polls, like winning Condé Nast Traveler’s best destination award for a 4th year in a row! The Japanese tourism representatives I meet at conferences are so warm and welcoming, and passionate about inviting people to experience their country. With so much to explore, I know a G trip would help me cover a lot of ground but stay rooted in intention.
What I’m Most Excited About
The contrasts: Tokyo’s neon-lit streets, Kyoto’s tranquil temples, and immersive encounters with Japan’s living heritage, all with National Geographic’s storytelling depth.
10. Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula: Mayan Ruins & Cenotes – 10% off
Why It’s On My List
This is the ultimate girls’ trip, and I’ve invited every one of my girlfriends. With direct flights from Vancouver, it’s the perfect micro escape without committing to an overseas flight. It’s also one of G’s Geluxe trips, the upgraded tier. It isn’t luxury, but it’s a step up from G’s usual style, with a stay at a working hacienda and tips for activities and meals already covered.
The Community Connection
Two G for Good moments are built in: a community lunch in Yaxuná, and a full-day excursion in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, where you explore by boat along canals dug by the Maya. There’s also a Foodie Moment at the hacienda, a traditional cochinita pibil meal.
What I’m Most Excited About
Cycling through the jungle between cenotes and swimming in the cool water, a stay at a working agave hacienda near Mérida, a guided tour of Chichen Itzá, the seaside ruins at Tulum, and the beach towns of Playa del Carmen and Tulum on either end of the trip, all with my favourite women.
My Honest Take: G rates this a 3, Average, so it’s active without being a grind, and it’s for travellers 18 and over. One day is a free choice between visiting the ruins of Uxmal or kayaking in the Celestún Biosphere. Sian Ka’an doesn’t allow sunscreen, even the biodegradable kind, so pack UV-protective swimwear and a long-sleeve swim shirt. G suggests budgeting USD 110 to 145 for the meals that aren’t included.
11. Canadian Rockies: Northern Lights Winter Explorer – 20% off
Why It’s On My List
My son loves the cold and anything to do with the Canadian North, so he’s my winter travel buddy. A winter trip built around snowshoeing, frozen waterfalls and a shot at the northern lights is an easy sell. It’s also a wonderful option if you’d rather explore closer to home.
The Community Connection
The last two nights are at a lodge at Métis Crossing near Smoky Lake, run by a local Indigenous nation and next to Alberta’s first and only Métis cultural interpretive centre. Métis interpreters lead an introduction to the history, traditions and river-lot life of the Métis people, and a morning tour of the wildlife park, home to the rare white bison and elk. Dinner that night is a three-course meal of sustainably sourced local ingredients. In the evening, you listen to Métis sky stories and legends over a tea ceremony under the dark sky.
What I’m Most Excited About
Walking to the frozen waterfalls of Johnston Canyon in crampons, snowshoeing through Sunshine Meadows, and driving the Icefields Parkway in winter, with stops at Peyto Lake and the Athabasca Glacier. Then, if the sky is clear, a walk to look for the northern lights in Jasper, and the Métis sky stories on the last night.
My Honest Take: G rates this a 2, Light, so it suits almost anyone who’s comfortable in the cold. The northern lights are never guaranteed, since you need a clear sky. Only two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners are included, and G suggests budgeting USD 330 to 430 for the rest. Pack proper winter layers.
Practical Information for Booking Your 2027 GAdventures Trip
Running from October 29 to December 4, 2026, the biggest Black Friday discounts can be secured on trips departing before April 30, 2027. Early planners can also enjoy up to 20% off on trips departing between 1 May and 31 August 2027.
They’re for anyone who wants a great travel deal, and especially for anyone who’s been sitting on the sidelines wanting a more adventure-filled life. There are trips here for families, mothers and daughters, mothers and sons, girlfriends, best friends and solo travellers.
Some GAdventures trips are made for travellers aged 18 to 39, and others have minimum ages for teens. Check each trip page before you book, especially for family travel.
For complex destinations like Africa or India, having the logistics, local guides and ethical partnerships taken care of means you can focus on connection instead of planning.
2027 Is Waiting for You
Cambodia taught me the difference between seeing a place and connecting with it. Sitting down with locals, hearing their stories and feeling their welcome is more powerful than any bucket list photo on my wall.
Make 2027 the year you move from tourist to traveller. Whether it’s the stillness of the Aegean, the summit of Kilimanjaro, noodle making in Hoi An or chasing auroras in the Canadian Rockies. I’ve just handed you my wishlist but know that you can head over to Gadventures.com and discover hundreds of travel experiences to suit every adventure style. Honestly, I was surprised by how affordable many of these trips already are, and with the sale, they’re hard to say no to.
Pick your trip. Your transformational travel journey starts now.
