What are the destinations on the Not Hot List 2025?

Overtourism is making international headlines, with protests by locals in regions of Spain and tax on tourists being recently added to popular Greek islands to tackle the problem and proposed in many more destinations.

Influenced by the issue of overtourism, the tour company Intrepid have launched its biggest Not Hot List for 2025.

It has compiled 10 lesser-known destinations it feels tourists should consider for next year’s journeys.

The 10 Not Hot List destinations are as follows:

Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

This mountain range in Pakistan is home to five of the world’s highest peaks, making it a trekker’s paradise.

Disko Island, Greenland

With a new international airport opening on the island in November, it has never been easier to visit this Arctic giant. On Disko Island, visitors can hike to the Lyngemark Glacier, while the main settlement, Qeqertarsuaq, allows insight into Greenlandic culture and history.

Cape York, Australia

Cape York encompasses the most northern tip of Australia and gained global recognition this year by being added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. This rugged peninsula is home to numerous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, making it a destination to enjoy the growing demand for First Nations experiences.

The Adirondacks, USA

Never heard of the Adirondacks? Well, it is a six-million-acre natural playground in upstate New York, larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Grand Canyon, and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks combined. Just four hours outside Manhattan this little-known park has plenty to offer including the Rail Trail, a 34-mile trail linking the Tri-Lakes communities, which will be fully completed in 2025.

Sainshand, Mongolia

Intrepid is highlighting Mongolia’s Sainshand region, as it receives fewer tourists than other Gobi regions but has plenty to offer including meeting the nomadic people, and spotting free-roaming wild horses and golden eagles.

Rupununi Savanna, Guyana

Guyana is South America’s least visited country, but it offers wonders like the Rupununi Savannah, where visitors can go on safaris to spot jaguars, giant anteaters and giant river otters.

Anti-Atlas Mountains, Morocco

While Morocco has no shortage of tourists, Intrepid recommends visiting the overlooked Anti-Atlas mountain range. The region offers ancient rock carvings at Ait Herbil and Tiggane, hikes through the Ameln Valley and the blue‑painted village of Chapeau de Napoléon.

Accra, Ghana

Ghana’s capital Accra is emerging as a dynamic cultural hub, with a waterfront redevelopment.

• Maldonado, Uruguay

Over the past two decades, Uruguay’s Maldonado region vineyards have expanded from 20 hectares to 400 hectares, making it a new winemaking region to take advantage of.

Oslo, Norway

Often overlooked for Norway’s Scandinavian siblings, Oslo has plenty to offer, including floating saunas and wild swimming, while the Nordmarka forest is just 30 minutes outside the city.

The list was created in partnership with the LGBTQ+-owned travel trend forecasting agency Globetrender.

In the Not Hot List report, Globetrender founder Jenny Southan wrote, “In compiling our ‘Not Hot List’, we also looked at which destinations that ranked low for international visitors. These included: Pakistan (839,540), Mongolia (587,260), Guyana (320,830), Ghana (1,178,890) and Uruguay (3,433,040).”

It can’t go unnoticed that nearly half the countries on the list have anti-LGBTQ+ laws. These are Guyana, Ghana, Morocco and Pakistan.

While everyone should be able to travel anywhere that they feel safe to travel to, some of these countries may not be the best options for LGBTQ+ travellers.

That said, Attitude did recently travel and report on Morocco, so while we felt safe in that country it does not mean everyone would feel to travel there or to these other destinations. It is a call each traveller needs to make.

Running hundreds of trips in over 100 countries, so enviably they will be visiting some countries were LGBTQ+ people face discrimination.

A spokesperson for Intrepid shared this message for LGBTQ+ travellers:

“Intrepid welcomes all LGBTQIA+ customers on our trips, however we operate in parts of the world that are less accepting. In some destinations, LGBTQIA+ identities, relationships or behaviours may be illegal or considered socially taboo, unfortunately travellers may face heightened risks in these destinations.

Discriminatory laws and legislation affecting LGBTQIA+ people do not reflect our values, and we stand in solidarity with LGBTQIA+ communities and travellers all over the world. At Intrepid we do everything we can to make sure our LGBTQIA+ travellers feel supported, safe and face no discrimination throughout the booking process and when they’re travelling with us. A benefit of travelling with a local guide is that they are there to help throughout the trip, and to navigate local customs and cultures. However, we do encourage customers to be aware of local laws and customs in the destinations they visit for their own safety and comfort.

We know that our strength comes from our differences, and we encourage our customers, staff, leaders, crew, suppliers and local communities to be themselves, regardless of race, age, gender, sexual orientation or religion.”

Intrepid has launched many new tours to align with the list including a 10-day Greenland Expedition, the 11-day Cape York & Torres Strait Explorer, the 11-day South Morocco Discovery and their Intrepid’s new 2025 rail range includes the 11-day Trans Mongolian Railway Adventure.

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