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14 Virtual Travel Tours You Need To Experience, From Coral Reefs To Egyptian Tombs
It’s traveling without the price tag
Virtual travel sounds like a dreamed up future, where hover cars and smart contact lenses would be the norm.
However, with the increased popularity of virtual reality (VR) and people’s growing interest in affordable travel, traveling virtually is enabling us to explore the world from the comfort of our own homes, whether it’s the coral reefs of Australia, national parks in the US or ancient Egyptian tombs.
Hospitality website Revfine describes virtual travel as using technology, sometime the use of a VR headset, that helps 'to immerse a user in a digital environment' with the addition of images, sounds and other physical sensations.
With coronavirus travel restrictions continuing to prohibit tourists booking holidays and forcing them to reconsider their finances, virtual escapism is stepping up to provide sounds and 360-degree sights of some of the world’s most famous locations, from Amsterdam to Rio de Janeiro, at the swipe of a mouse.
Here is a list of the best virtual travel tours and experiences:
Explore coral reefs
Explore the depths of the Great Barrier Reef with Sir David Attenborough on his newly-launched interactive journey platform.
In a YouTube clip shared on the broadcaster’s website, he explains how he first dived into the reef over 60 years ago and has long been fascinated by its changing landscape.
The platform allows you to plot your journey as you explore five key locations across the reef, provides information about each area and how coral and certain species live, as well as giving users the option to listen into the sounds of the ocean.
Alternatively, check out the Ocean Agency’s 360-degree images on Google Earth and AirPano, which allows you to ‘swim’ through a reef in Indonesia using interactive images.
Go hiking
Fitness, finances and a fear of height will usually prevent the majority of us hiking some of the world’s natural wonders, but virtual tours are changing all of that.
Google Street View trek allows users to explore the Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel Trail, while AirPano provides 360-degree photos for a view of Red Rocks. Meanwhile, Everest can be explored using Google Maps, which offers an interactive 360-degree map of the highest peaks between Nepal and China.
If you’re into climbing, check out Yosemite’s 360-degree images of its most famous climbing routes (with sound effects), close your eyes and imagine yourself climbing El Cap.
Look upon the Northern Irish coastline
Pour yourself a pint of Guinness and sit back to watch the National Trust’s array of virtual tours of Northern Ireland.
The Trust offers 360-degree imagery at dusk (with sound effects) enabling users to navigate the surrounding areas with a click of a buttona and swipe of a mouse.
You can also check out the Giant’s Cuaseway, Carnlough and Carrickarede using AirPano’s 360-degree features.
Dig deep into Egyptian tombs
Forget plane tickets and soaring heat because the Egyptian Tourist Board is inviting travellers to delve deep into the 5,000-year-old tomb of Queen Meresankh III for free.
With information and computer reconstructions, the 3D modelling also enables users to explore pigments and monuments.
Make new sea life friends
Finding Nemo had many of us wanting to buddy up with a clownfish and turtle to explore the Australian coastline. Fortunately, now we can (virtually, of course) thanks to several platforms offering 360-degree videos of some of the most stunning underwater vistas the world has to offer.
For example, National Geographic has a tour of the Buck Island Reef in the US Virgin Islands which includes footage of hatchlings at night. Seekr VR, meanwhile, offers virtual diving experiences where you can drag the screen to get a 360-degree view of the ocean and devil rays on Santa Maria Island in the Atlantic ocean.
Alternatively, AirPano has an underwater video which invites you into the depths of the ocean to swim among jellyfish.
Spend a day at the beach
Missed out on the 2015 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro? Well, wipe your tears because this virtual tour from Kayak let’s you visit the Brazilian city in at the click of a button.
While listening to Brazilian bossa nova music, you can explore the sights of the city, from Copacabana Beach to Christ the Redeemer.
From there, take a helicopter ride and then learn how to make Brazilian feijoada – a bean and meat stew.
Roam around world-famous museums
Waiting for hours in line to see a Van Gogh image need never be an issue ever again.
Several museums are now offering virtual tours of their rooms, whether it’s the Louvre and Musee d’Orsay in Paris, the British Museum in London, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Guggenheim in New York and the Uffizi Gallery, Florence.
Elsewhere, you can take a peek inside Sweden’s Icehotel, the holy sites of Jerusalem in Israel and Central Park in New York.
Cycle across Amsterdam
Forget spending hundreds of pounds on a weekend trip because you can now 'wander' Amsterdam for free.
With just one click, Kayak is offering users to explore the city’s sights using Google Earth including the Royal Palace, Anne Frank’s house, the Rijksmuseum and the NEMO Science Museum.
You can also take a virtual helicopter tour of the city, learn Dutch, learn how to make Hollandse Nieuwe and choose from a range of Dutch literature and TV series to immerse yourself into the culture.
Surf the sand dunes
The Namibian desert might not be the number one location on your holiday wish list right now, but it can be a reality thanks to AirPano.
The platform offers images of the Sossusvlei dunes, the trees of Dead Vlei, the starry sky at night and the famous Big Daddy Dune.
Reach new heights
Not many people can climb the tallest trees in the world but it can now be a possibility because National Geographic invites YouTube viewers to explore the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks up close.
You can also take a flying visit over the cliffs of Victoria Falls and the Antarctica with a 360-degree view.
Watch The Northern Lights
Few people have witnessed the beauty of the aurora borealis but now you can with a five-minute ‘trip’ courtesy of the Norwegian Lights over Lapland project.
The ‘visit’ provides 360-degree videos of the Icehotel in Abisko national park, northern Sweden, reindeer sleighing and a hut at the bottom of Mount Noulj.
Alternatively, you can view the Lights via a webcam located in Manitoba, Canada.
Become a Londoner
If London is out of reach right now, take a trip across the capital city thanks to Kayak’s virtual tour.
The guide includes Britpop music, a virtual tour of sights including Buckingham Palace and Big Ben, a helicopter ride, a lesson in cockney rhyming slang and a recipe for a simple gin and tonic.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
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