Algeria and Samburu County, Kenya, have been named in the BBC’s guide to the 20 best places to travel in 2026, with BBC journalists emphasising how responsible tourism can leave a lasting positive impact on these regions.
In this year’s guide, published on BBC.com and the BBC app, BBC Travel has highlighted destinations that offer incredible experiences while using tourism to support local communities, protect the environment and preserve their unique cultural heritage. To compile the list, the BBC consulted its trusted journalists and some of the world’s leading sustainable travel authorities to identify places that are enthusiastically welcoming visitors – and where your trip can have a positive impact.
Why go: Roman ruins, rolling sand dunes and cultural preservation
Home to grand Roman ruins, surreal desertscapes and historic cities with a mesmerising mash-up of architectural styles, Algeria’s rich tourism draws have long been kept at arm’s length by the nation’s famously complicated visa system. But the “sleeping beauty” of African tourism is finally waking up.
Algeria has been putting in the legwork to reach its goal of boosting international visitor numbers to 12 million per year by 2030. Recent developments include the introduction of a visa-on-arrival policy for travellers on organised tours, the launch of new airline Air Algérie subsidiary Domestic Airlines in August 2025, and a government commitment to step up the protection and preservation of its cultural heritage, including training and support for the nation’s 460,000 handicrafts artisans.
Also making it easier to visit are new tours launched by a number of major operators for 2026. Most visitors begin in the seaside capital of Algiers, a former Phoenician outpost layered with the influences of its successive rulers. Preserving the relics of three millennia of occupation, Unesco World Heritage-listed Constantine is another urban highlight. Nearby are the sprawling, well-preserved Roman ruins at Timgad as well as those of Djémila, both with zero crowds to contend with. And the rolling dunes of the Algerian Sahara stretch for hundreds of miles beyond, with the oasis city of Djanet serving as a hub for desert exploration. – Sarah Reid
Samburu, Kenya (Images Here)
Why go: Crowd-free landscapes, rare wildlife and Kenya’s newest astro-experiences
Beyond the bustle of Nairobi and the traffic jams of the Masai Mara lies Samburu County, a remote swathe of northern Kenya that has long prioritised its environmental and community-led conservation efforts. In 2026, the often-overlooked region is sharpening its focus on impact-driven adventure with a new astrotourism project, two conservation-driven camp openings –Basecamp Samburu and Soroi Samburu Lodge – and ongoing work on a climate change action plan that prioritises reforestation and renewable energy.
Travellers arriving at the semi-arid landscapes along the Ewaso Nyiro River will find an ever-increasing crop of conservancies and projects showcasing the traditions of the Samburu (Lokop) people. At Soroi Samburu Lodge, which will be fully open by mid-2026, guests can visit local projects and swap stories with Samburu members around the fire.
Wildlife conservation remains central across Samburu’s nine conservancies, including the “Samburu Special Five“, a collection of rare animals endemic to northern Kenya. Track black and white rhinos with Saruni Basecamp – both populations have grown in the last year – or help care for orphaned elephants at the community-owned Reteti Elephant Sanctuary and learn about conservation at its education-focused visitor centre.
Night-sky enthusiasts can explore the wonders of the cosmos with Samburu Sopa Lodge’s astrotourism project, a first-of-its-kind endeavour that launched in September 2025. Listen to ancient star lore from Indigenous guides, join astrophysicists at Kenya’s first astrotourism planetarium and sleep under the equatorial sky on Basecamp Samburu‘s designated star beds, with constellations visible from both hemispheres. – Alicia Erickson
