Cosa inspirations for 2024
Come with us to seven wonderful places all over the world
© Awasi Lodge
With so many places and experiences to choose from, making a decision can be hard. That’s where we come in. Of course, we can take you anywhere you want to go but if you need some inspiration, then let us guide you. We’ve chosen some of our favourite places on the planet, seven amazing destinations that we think you’ll love to explore in 2024. From luxury train travel in the Scottish Highlands to epic gorilla treks in Rwanda, let us take you across the globe with this year’s Cosa inspirations.
A New York alphabet
United States
A is for apple, the Big Apple, and I fell in love at first bite. Whenever you step out onto the streets of Manhattan, there’s a rush of excitement and I still feel that thrill each time I go. Yes, New York is hectic, crowded and rarely quiet but also exciting, bewitching and full of life. With avenues that are canyons and buildings as tall as redwoods, this is a man-made version of the American dream landscape, waiting for you to relish its energy. So come with us on an alphabetical tour of our favourite things about New York.
Luxury on rails through the Highlands
Scotland
Atmospheric music playing as you board the sleek carriages, local delicacies on tap for you to try and dramatic scenery right outside the window. Yes, we are talking about the train ride of your dreams and, no, it doesn’t run to Venice (and there are no murderers on board). This is the Royal Scotsman, the most luxurious train in the British Isles and one of our favourite railway journeys. Come aboard and we’ll show you why. The Royal Scotsman (a Belmond train) runs along twelve different routes lasting from two to seven nights.
Rock your world in the Red Centre
Australia
You can walk around it or fly over it. You can get right up close to it or admire it from afar. You can watch it change colour from brown to red to purple to black. How ever you choose to interact with it, Uluru will never cease to astound and impress you. But this vast rock isn’t just a natural wonder at the heart of Australia, it’s also a cultural icon in the hearts of Aborigines. Formerly known as Ayers Rock, Uluru is one of the largest monoliths in the world but, rather like an iceberg, most of it is underground. The top 348 metres is visible above ground, with around 2.5km hidden beneath the red sand.
The faraway corner of the world
Patagonia
This is the end of the world as we know it. Not in an apocalyptic sense but in a geographic one. At the southern reaches of our planet, where the Andes meet the oceans, is the distant region of untamed wilderness that is Patagonia. Those in search of adventure will find it in this magnificent land of immense dimensions, among rugged mountains, sparkling lakes and infinite silence. Patagonia is a place where luxury and landscape go hand in hand, offering an unforgettable experience that will live with you, and within you, forever.
Eye to eye with a Silverback
Rwanda
He was casually munching when I first saw him. I was maybe ten metres away, close enough to see his strong features, but he seemed oblivious to my presence; in fact, he seemed oblivious to everything apart from the leaves he was eating, almost as if he was chilling out after a long day. And then he turned and looked straight at me. A close encounter with a mountain gorilla is one of the world’s most rewarding experiences but fewer than 100 people a day can visit these wonderful animals in their natural habitat, the rainforests of Rwanda. And getting to see them is no walk in the park.
Herbs, hiking and a hearty welcome
Switzerland
A herb walk. Such a simple idea: walking and talking, and learning about herbs. So simple, in fact, that you almost can’t believe how rewarding it is. Who would have thought that the best way to get to know about the natural treasures of the Appenzell region would be with such a gentle activity? But it is exactly that. An experience that teaches about the healing power and culinary use of herbs along with a mountain hike to uncover some surprises in the area. This unique tour, led by Cosa’s favourite ‘lazy gardener’, begins just outside the village of Appenzell in the eastern foothills of the Swiss Alps.
Finding peace in the Land of the Blue Sky
Mongolia
Galloping on horseback like Genghis Khan across golden dunes, the endless expanse before me, the wind in my hair. And when night falls, stargazing in the desert before snuggling up in a cosy yurt. That was how I pictured my Mongolian adventure. And it’s what I got. Almost. True, the unusually hot temperatures prompted my pony to take a dip in a waterhole so I had to unexpectedly do the same. But amid this vast empty space that was not made to inhabit people, I would find an impressive silence and inner peace.
Our annual Inspirations are so great, they get their own seal of approval. Wherever you see this compass logo on an article, it means that we’ve chosen it as one of our Inspirations. All seven Inspirations for 2024 appear on this special map.
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