Top Scenic Spots for Nature Lovers Planning Ahead for 2027

2 May 2026

So, you are already thinking about 2027. That is not crazy. That is smart. Most people are still trying to figure out what to do next weekend. Meanwhile, you are peeking two years down the road, map in hand, dreaming of the perfect trail. I respect that. Planning a nature trip in advance is like planting a tree. The best time to start was four years ago. The second best time is right now.

Why 2027? Because the world is getting more crowded. Popular spots are turning into queues for selfies. But if you look ahead, you can snag the quiet corners, the underrated valleys, and the places where the Wi-Fi signal dies a happy death. This is not a list of the same old Instagram hotspots. This is a list of places that will still feel wild, fresh, and a little bit secret in two years. Let us dive in.

The Faroe Islands: Sheep, Cliffs, and the Weather That Keeps You Humble

Imagine a place where the wind has a personality. Where the grass is so green it looks photoshopped, and the sheep outnumber the humans by a factor of ten. That is the Faroe Islands. By 2027, this archipelago between Iceland and Norway will still be the kind of place that makes you feel small in the best way.

The trick here is to skip the main tourist trail of Torshavn for a day. Rent a car. Drive to the village of Gjogv. It is a tiny cluster of houses with a natural harbor that looks like a bathtub carved by giants. The hike up to the cliffs near Lake Sørvágsvatn is a must. But here is the thing: the lake sits right above the ocean. It looks like it is floating. The optical illusion is so strong that your brain will argue with your eyes. And you will lose.

Bring a rain jacket. Not a stylish one. A real one. The Faroe Islands have four seasons in one hour. Rain, sun, fog, and then rain again. It is not a bug. It is a feature. It makes the moss on the rocks look electric. It makes the waterfalls multiply overnight. If you plan for 2027, book a guesthouse in a tiny village. Wake up to the sound of wind and birds. No alarm clock required.

The Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica: Where the Jungle Has No Manners

Costa Rica is not a secret. Everyone knows about it. But the Osa Peninsula is different. It is the wild child of the country. The part that did not get the memo about being polite and accessible. By 2027, the rest of the country might be a little more polished, but the Osa will still be muddy, loud, and absolutely alive.

You go there for Corcovado National Park. It is one of the most biodiverse places on earth. Think of it as the Amazon, but smaller and more concentrated. You will see monkeys swinging like they own the place. Toucans looking at you like you are the weird one. And if you are lucky, a jaguar. Probably not. But the possibility is enough to make your heart beat faster.

The humidity hits you like a wet blanket. The trails are not trails. They are suggestions. You will slip in the mud. You will get bitten by something. But then you will swim in a waterfall pool that is so cold it hurts, and you will forget everything. Plan to stay at a lodge that runs on solar power. No air conditioning. Just fans and the sound of howler monkeys at dawn. It is not luxury. It is better.

The Dolomites, Italy: Less Crowds, More Drama

The Dolomites are famous. They are on every bucket list. But here is the secret: most people go in July and August. They swarm the main valleys like bees on a sugar cube. By 2027, the smart move is to go in late September or early October. The weather is still decent. The larch trees turn golden. And the crowds vanish.

Picture this: you are standing on a ridge at sunrise. The peaks around you are pink, because of the alpenglow. The only sound is your own breathing. You did not have to fight for a parking spot. You did not wait in line for the cable car. It is just you and the mountains. That is the 2027 move.

Skip the famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo if you want peace. It is beautiful, but it is crowded. Instead, hike the Alta Via 1 or explore the lesser-known Fanes-Senes-Braies nature park. The trails are wide, the views are massive, and the rifugios (mountain huts) serve pasta and red wine at the top of the world. You eat spaghetti at 2,500 meters. That is not a hike. That is a dream.

The Tian Shan Mountains, Kyrgyzstan: The Real Nomad Life

Kyrgyzstan is the underdog of the travel world. In 2027, it will still be a bit rough around the edges. That is the point. The Tian Shan range is massive, empty, and stunning. You can hike for days and see no one but shepherds on horses. The landscape is like a mix of the Swiss Alps and the American West, but with yurts.

You will start in Bishkek, a city that feels stuck in the 1990s in a charming way. Then you drive south to Karakol. The road is bumpy. The cars are old. But the destination is worth it. You can hike to alpine lakes like Ala-Kul, which is a turquoise gem sitting at 3,500 meters. The air is thin. The water is cold. But the feeling of standing there, alone, is priceless.

Stay in a yurt camp. Sleep on a pile of blankets. Eat fermented mare's milk if you dare. (Spoiler: you might not like it. But you will have a story.) The people are incredibly hospitable. They will invite you for tea. They will show you how to ride a horse. By 2027, more infrastructure will be in place, but the spirit will stay the same. It is raw. It is real. It is exactly what nature lovers need.

The Lofoten Islands, Norway: Midnight Sun and Fishing Villages

Lofoten is famous for a reason. But by 2027, the trick is to go in late May or early June. That is when the midnight sun is in full swing. The sun never fully sets. You can hike at 11 PM and see everything. It messes with your sense of time. It is wonderful.

The islands are a chain of dramatic peaks rising straight from the sea. The fishing villages, like Reine and Hamnoy, look like postcards. But the real magic is in the quiet hikes. Climb Reinebringen for the classic view. It is steep. It is muddy. But the payoff is a view of the fjords that makes you forget the struggle.

Bring a tent. Camping is legal almost everywhere in Norway. Pitch your tent near a beach. Watch the sun do a lazy loop around the horizon. Cook dinner on a camp stove. The water is so clean you can drink it from the streams. In 2027, the roads might be a little busier, but the wilderness is still huge. You just have to walk a few minutes away from the parking lot. That is all it takes.

The Atacama Desert, Chile: Mars on Earth, But With Flamingos

The Atacama is the driest non-polar desert on earth. Some parts have never recorded rain. It sounds barren. It is not. It is full of life, if you know where to look. By 2027, the infrastructure will be better, but the desert will still feel like another planet.

Go to the Tatio Geysers at sunrise. The air is freezing. The steam rises from the earth. It feels like you are standing on the crust of a living world. Then drive to the salt flats. Flamingos wade in the shallow water. The contrast of pink birds against white salt and blue sky is absurd. It looks like a painting.

The night sky in Atacama is the clearest on earth. No light pollution. The stars are so bright they cast shadows. You can see the Milky Way like a river of light. Stay at an eco-lodge that has no fences. You can walk out into the desert at night and feel like the only person in the universe. It is humbling. It is terrifying. It is beautiful.

The Azores, Portugal: Green, Wet, and Volcanic

The Azores are nine islands in the middle of the Atlantic. They are often called the Hawaii of Europe. But they are not. They are their own thing. By 2027, they will be more popular, but still manageable if you pick the right island.

Skip Sao Miguel, the main one. Go to Flores or Pico. Flores is covered in waterfalls and lush green hills. The roads are narrow. The cows block traffic. It is slow and peaceful. Pico has the highest mountain in Portugal, a volcano that you can climb. The view from the top is a sea of clouds and other islands floating in the distance.

The food is simple and good. Fresh fish, cheese, and wine from volcanic soil. The people are friendly. The weather is unpredictable. You will get rained on. Then the sun comes out and the rainbows are so vivid they look fake. In 2027, book a small guesthouse. Rent a car. Drive without a plan. The best spots are the ones you find by accident.

The Kanha National Park, India: Tigers and Grasslands

India is chaotic. But the national parks are sanctuaries. Kanha is one of the best. It is the setting for Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book." The forests are dense. The grasslands are vast. And the tigers are real.

By 2027, the park will have better management and fewer crowds if you go in the shoulder season. Aim for November or February. The weather is mild. The animals are active. You will ride in an open jeep with a guide who can spot a tiger from a mile away. The thrill of seeing a striped predator in the wild is unmatched.

But it is not just tigers. You will see deer, monkeys, sloth bears, and birds of every color. The sound of the forest at dawn is a symphony. Langurs barking. Peacocks calling. The wind in the sal trees. It is a place that reminds you that nature is not just pretty. It is powerful. It is alive.

How to Actually Plan for 2027 Without Losing Your Mind

You might be thinking: "This sounds great, but how do I actually book something two years out?" Relax. You do not need to book everything now. But you can start the research. Look at flight trends. Set alerts for price drops. Check if you need a visa. Some places, like Kyrgyzstan, are easy. Others, like India, require a bit of paperwork.

Start a folder on your phone. Save articles. Save maps. Save photos that make you say "I want to be there." Then, about six months before you go, start looking at accommodations. By then, the good places will be available but not yet sold out. And remember: flexibility is your friend. If you can go in the off-season, you will save money and avoid crowds.

The Real Reason to Plan Ahead

Planning for 2027 is not about being a control freak. It is about giving yourself something to look forward to. Life is busy. Work is loud. But the thought of standing on a cliff in the Faroe Islands, or watching a tiger in Kanha, or sleeping under the stars in the Atacama... that is fuel. That is hope.

Nature does not care about your deadlines. It does not care about your inbox. It just waits. And in 2027, it will still be there, ready for you. So start planning. Dream a little. The trail is waiting.