These are the 15 most expensive trips you can take, and No. 1 costs $27,000

New travel data reveals which destinations are costing travelers the most in 2026, with one trip averaging more than $27,000.

My travel style has gotten a little more expensive over the years.

I’ve gotten much more interested in nicer hotels and experiences that I probably wouldn’t have splurged on when I first started traveling full-time.

And some destinations make it very, very easy to spend more.

Squaremouth recently looked at the average cost of insured trips to destinations around the world, and a few of the numbers are pretty staggering. Looking through the list, I recognized several destinations I’ve traveled to myself. In fact, four of them happen to be the most expensive trips I’ve taken.

And, unsurprisingly, I have absolutely no regrets about them.

Here are the 15 destinations where travelers are spending the most in 2026.

The destination also ranks highly for accommodation costs, with an average weeknight hotel price of $1,413 in Squaremouth’s broader expense analysis. This checks out with my own experience in Turks and Caicos.

Though prices vary depending on which island/cay you stay on. I spent most of my time on Provo at Beaches Turks & Caicos, but also spent a few nights on Salt Cay to swim with humpback whales and spent a few nights on Grand Turk.

The destination also ranks highly in Squaremouth’s broader expense index, thanks in part to accommodation and flight costs. The average weeknight hotel cost in the study was $1,137.

The average flight cost in Squaremouth’s data was just $432, but the average weeknight hotel cost was $1,684, the highest of any destination in the study.

Squaremouth found that the average trip lasts 14 days and costs $13,563, or about $969 per day.

This is also one of the destinations on the list that I’ve visited, and I wasn’t surprised to see it here. Once you start adding flights, island transportation, tours, accommodations, and other activities, an Ecuador trip can get expensive surprisingly quickly. (This article breaks down what I spent just on the Galápagos.)

The average insured trip in Squaremouth’s data lasts 14 days and costs $15,008.

The Maldives also had one of the highest average hotel costs in the broader study, at $1,249 per weeknight.

It also had the highest average daily rental car cost in the study, at $110.

Greenland is a good example of how expensive remote destinations can become. Getting there is only part of the equation. Once travelers arrive, transportation and limited accommodations can add significantly to the total.

The average trip lasts 19 days, making it the longest average itinerary among the 15 destinations ranked by total trip cost. Even with that longer trip length, the average insured trip still costs $17,600.

Squaremouth found an average trip cost of $17,849 over 17 days. Safari experiences, internal flights, upscale lodges, and guided excursions can all push the total higher.

Squaremouth found an average insured trip cost of $18,425, with travelers staying an average of 16 days. The average daily cost was about $1,152.

I’ve been to Kenya, and it was one of the most expensive trips I’ve ever taken. It was also one of the best travel experiences of my life, which is probably an important distinction when looking at numbers like these.

A safari isn’t simply a matter of booking a hotel and renting a car. Guides, park fees, safari camps, transportation between parks, and sometimes small charter flights can add up quickly.

That helps explain some of the expense, particularly for American travelers. The average insured trip cost $18,950 and lasted 18 days.

Namibia also demonstrates why airfare can be such a major factor in expensive international travel. Many African destinations require long-haul flights plus additional connections to reach safari regions.

The average insured trip cost $19,529 and lasted 15 days. Hotel prices can also vary dramatically depending on where travelers stay. Squaremouth found that while the national average hotel cost was about $413, accommodations in safari areas such as the Serengeti averaged around $1,543.

The average trip lasts 17 days, and airfare is also a major contributor. Squaremouth found an average flight cost of $1,839, making Zimbabwe the third-most expensive destination in the study for airfare.

The average insured trip costs $24,138, despite the typical trip lasting only 15 days. That works out to an average of $1,609 per day, the highest daily trip cost of any destination in Squaremouth’s data.

I’ve been to Rwanda, and this one definitely checks out based on my own experience. It was one of the most expensive trips I’ve taken, largely because of the specialized experiences involved.

The gorilla trek was a major highlight, but Rwanda isn’t the kind of destination where you can simply book a cheap hotel and spend your days wandering around independently. Guided experiences, transportation, accommodations, and permits can make a significant difference in the final price.

The average trip lasts 16 days, and the average daily trip cost is $1,526.

Like Rwanda, Botswana is heavily associated with high-end safari travel. Luxury camps, small aircraft, private guides, and remote locations can turn what looks like a straightforward wildlife vacation into a five-figure trip very quickly.

The typical trip lasts 18 days, and the average daily trip cost is $1,511.

There’s also an important caveat here. Squaremouth’s flight, accommodation, food, and transportation figures for Antarctica are based on Ushuaia, Argentina, a common gateway for Antarctic expeditions. Those figures don’t represent the cost of the expedition itself.

And that expedition is generally the part of the trip that makes Antarctica so expensive.

After looking through these numbers, I’m not particularly surprised by how many safari and remote destinations made the list. Some of the most memorable trips I’ve taken in recent years have also been some of the most expensive.

I’ve become more willing to spend money on travel when the experience feels truly special, and many of these destinations fall firmly into that category. A $20,000-plus trip is certainly not something I’d book on a whim, but there are places where the experience makes the price tag a little easier to understand.