Though it may not appear so, starting 2021 stuck at home still offers amazing travel opportunities. There are a number of virtual tours available online for free, from treks up Mount Everest to deep dives into the ocean, making this a perfect time to travel without breaking the bank.
If you’re getting restless while sitting at home, check out one of these free virtual tours. 2021 is the perfect chance to travel like never before by getting up close and personal with animals on an African safari, climbing Mount Everest, hiking the Inca Trail in Peru, or riding a train through Norway, all from the comfort of your own home. YouTube has a wealth of virtual tours available, with 360-degree views of almost any attraction you can imagine. Here are seven virtual trips to get you started on your 2021 journey.
1. See Mount Everest
Normally, reaching the summit of Mount Everest, 29,035 feet in the air, takes years of training and intense dedication. A helicopter tour of the mountain costs upward of $400 for an hour and a half of flying. Now, you can trek or fly up the mountain for free from the comfort of your own home. Thanks to Discovery, a 360-degree virtual reality view of Mount Everest from a helicopter is just a click away. The video follows helicopter rescue pilots flying into the mountains after the 2015 Gorkha earthquake. It takes viewers high into the air, noting the increase in elevation through pop-up banners, and if at any time you want a different view of the area, you can click and drag the screen to see the full scope of the scenery. If you’d rather experience Mount Everest from the point of view of a climber, check out Capturing Everest, a four-part virtual reality experience that follows a group of climbers from Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu, to base camp on the mountain, past the Khumbu Icefall, one of the mountain’s deadliest obstacles, to the summit. Each video in the series has the option to click and drag the screen for 360-degree views.
2. Tour South Africa on a Safari
This tour of Kruger National Park in South Africa takes you close to giraffes, rhinos, tortoises and other animals native to the area, as well as offering 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape. Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s largest game reserves, covering nearly 5 million acres. The virtual tour takes you on a drive through the park, providing a true safari experience without having to board a plane or spend a cent.
3. Get Up Close to Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls actually consists of three waterfalls: the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Horseshoe Falls. According to a 2014 estimate, 30 million people visit the falls each year, a number that has likely grown in the years since. A visit to Niagara Falls usually involves a sea of other tourists, and getting close to these natural wonders means you’ll be getting wet, despite the ponchos available for boat tours. With these two virtual experiences, you can avoid the crowds and the drenching mist while also enjoying the best possible views of the falls. Click here to take a ride on the Hornblower Niagara Cruise, a boat tour at the base of the falls. The 360-degree video is multipart, beginning with boarding the cruise and sailing toward the crashing water. For a view of Niagara Falls from the MistRider zip line, click here. You can also check out a series of 360-degree images from Niagara Falls State Park, with even more stunning views, here.
4. Hike the Inca Trail
The 26-mile Inca Trail is one of Peru’s most popular hikes. Winding through mountains, forests and Inca ruins, the trail leads to Machu Picchu, a historic Inca city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Incas constructed a network of over 24,000 miles of trails to connect the far reaches of their vast empire, and the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu has gained popularity among hikers in the past several decades. It is carefully managed by tour and trekking companies, which control access to this segment of the Inca Trail. After finding a tour company and setting out, the trek to Machu Picchu typically takes four days to complete, but by watching this video, you can see the sights of the Inca Trail in just over an hour. The video shows an abridged version of the journey to Machu Picchu, rife with gorgeous mountain views, glimpses into the overnight camping experiences on the trail, incredible Inca architecture and, of course, breathtaking shots of Machu Picchu itself.
5. Go Scuba Diving Across the United States
Take a deep dive into a shipwreck along the Great Lakes, watch scientists restore coral reefs in the Florida Keys, follow green sea turtles around the Hawaiian Islands, and swim through the kelp forests of California’s Channel Islands with a sea lion on the National Marine Sanctuaries’ website. The U.S. National Marine Sanctuary System protects over 600,000 square miles of water, including the Great Lakes and large portions of the oceans, and the website hosts four virtual dives into different protected areas. Dive into Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which preserves hundreds of shipwrecks, and explore the D.M. Wilson, which sank in 1894. In the Florida Keys, you can join scientists as they plant healthy corals to restore the reefs, which suffer from a number of stressors including disease. In Hawaii’s Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, you’ll swim with green sea turtles and whitetip sharks and learn about the creation of the Hawaiian Islands. A biological hot spot, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary is teeming with life, including the sea lion that you’ll follow through the kelp forests. Each of these videos from the National Marine Sanctuary System offers 360-degree views of ocean ecosystems.
6. Speed Through Norway on a Train
If you have 15 minutes to spare, spend them speeding through Norway on a train, getting a conductor’s-eye view of the beautiful winter landscape. This video takes you through scenic snow-covered mountains, past shining lakes, through 16 tunnels and over two bridges. You’ll watch it all from the train driver’s perspective at the front of the cab. The ride is fast paced, but the lovely winter weather and the steady motion of the train make for a calming, scenic video. If you enjoy the ride, you’re in luck, because there is no shortage of train videos from all across the world on YouTube, from Montenegro to Alaska.
7. Explore Japan
The 2020 Olympics, which were postponed due to the pandemic, were supposed to take place in Tokyo. Though you can’t watch the Olympics, you can take a virtual trip across Japan, witnessing glimpses of daily life, exploring ancient shrines and Kyoto’s geisha district, and admiring a natural mountain hot tub frequented by snow monkeys. The Japan National Tourism Organization released a 360-degree virtual reality movie showcasing “Japanese tradition, modernity and nature.” You’ll follow mouthwatering sushi as it zooms down a conveyor belt to be consumed, walk down city streets among crowds of people and witness traditional ceremonies in this action-packed video. For looks into modern life in Japan, tune into live feeds showing Tokyo’s railways and Shibuya crossing, a crowded intersection in downtown Tokyo. To explore parts of Japan outside of Tokyo, take a virtual tour of Kyoto, with videos featuring temples, shrines and bamboo forests.
Rachel Lynch
Rachel is a student at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY currently taking a semester off. She plans to study Writing and Child Development. Rachel loves to travel and is inspired by the places she’s been and everywhere she wants to go. She hopes to educate people on social justice issues and the history and culture of travel destinations through her writing.