The Cool New Way to Travel This Winter

In 2025 and 2026, travelers are no longer chasing the sun. They are chasing the snow.

Across the globe, a growing wave of sophisticated travelers is swapping sun loungers for snowfields, trade winds for tundra, and beach cocktails for hot cocoa beneath the Northern Lights. The trend is clear, winter is no longer something to escape but something to embrace.

Leading this movement is Wayfairer Travel, an award-winning luxury travel company known for its responsible, tailor-made journeys. The brand has unveiled three exquisite new itineraries for the upcoming travel seasons, taking discerning explorers deep into the icy beauty of Iceland, the Arctic, and New Zealand’s Southern Alps.

These new adventures celebrate winter in its purest form wild, vast, and wonderfully quiet.

Embracing the Magic of Winter

A recent 38 percent rise in bookings to cold-weather destinations reflects a shift in the modern traveler’s mindset. Southern Europe’s traditional “winter sun” escapes are seeing a dip, while adventurous souls are heading north for stillness, snow, and solitude.

“Travellers are rethinking what it means to ‘escape’ in winter,” says Jason Stevens, CEO of Wayfairer Travel. “More of our clients are chasing the magic of cold—they want wild landscapes, silence, and that feeling of discovery.”

This philosophy runs through all three of Wayfairer’s new journeys, which immerse guests in the essence of each destination through intimate, responsible, and tailor-made experiences. From husky-sledding across Arctic fjords to road-tripping through New Zealand’s alpine landscapes, these trips redefine what luxury means in a changing world—less about extravagance, more about connection and awe.

Iceland The Land of Fire and Ice

Wayfairer’s Iceland Self-Drive Holiday captures the essence of the country’s dramatic contrasts. Over fourteen days, travelers traverse a wonderland of volcanoes, glaciers, and geothermal pools on a looping route from Reykjavík through the island’s rugged interior.

During the winter months, Iceland transforms into a living postcard of icy waterfalls and snow-dusted lava fields. Guests may snorkel between tectonic plates in the Silfra fissure, ride Icelandic horses across black-sand beaches, or bathe in secluded hot springs while watching the Northern Lights ripple above.

The itinerary balances independence with indulgence, pairing daily adventure with stays in luxury lodges and boutique hotels. Highlights include whale watching in Eyjafjörður, exploring the geothermal valleys of the Highlands, and soaking in the exclusive Blue Lagoon Retreat.

New Zealand The Southern Summer Adventure

Wayfairer’s Luxury Self-Drive Tour of New Zealand unfolds over two spectacular weeks across the North and South Islands. This journey is the definition of contrast—sunlit vineyards, steaming geothermal valleys, glacier peaks, and mirror lakes.

Beginning in Auckland, guests discover the glowworm caves of Waitomo, explore Māori heritage in Taupō, and sip fine wines on Waiheke Island. Crossing to the South Island, the adventure continues aboard the TranzAlpine train through Arthur’s Pass and culminates with a helicopter flight and guided hike on the Tasman Glacier in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.

Boutique lodges, farm stays, and eco-luxury retreats ensure every night is as memorable as the day’s explorations. With long daylight hours between December and March, this itinerary offers the perfect blend of wilderness and comfort—proof that winter travel in the Southern Hemisphere is a revelation in itself.

The Arctic A Journey into the Silence

The Arctic Winter Dog-Sled Adventure is an eight-day odyssey through Svalbard’s snow-blanketed wilderness. Guests mush their own team of huskies across frozen fjords and camp under the stars before arriving at Isfjord Radio, a former outpost turned boutique lodge on the edge of the Arctic Ocean.

Days are filled with sled runs through pure white landscapes, and nights glow with the soft shimmer of the Aurora Borealis. For many, this is the ultimate slow travel experience—an encounter with nature so raw it reawakens the senses.

Guided by expert mushers and expedition leaders, travelers learn survival skills and sled-handling techniques, immersing themselves in the rhythm of the Arctic. Evenings at Isfjord Radio bring warmth and comfort, complete with Nordic fine dining and a wood-fired sauna overlooking the frozen sea.

The Rise of Cool-Climate Luxury

Wayfairer’s cool-climate collection isn’t just about adventure—it’s about redefining luxury for the conscious traveler. Instead of infinity pools and beach cabanas, it’s private glacier hikes, husky teams, and remote lodges powered by sustainability.

Each itinerary is designed by destination specialists who know their regions intimately. Experiences are handpicked for authenticity, such as learning traditional sledding from Arctic guides or staying in Icelandic farm lodges run by local families. It’s this blend of responsibility and refinement that makes Wayfairer’s approach stand out in the world of high-end travel.

As global awareness of over-tourism and climate sensitivity grows, cool-climate travel feels like the natural evolution of modern wanderlust—adventure that nourishes both the traveler and the planet.

Rethinking the Winter Escape

For decades, luxury travel was defined by escape—from the cold, from the ordinary, from responsibility. But the new wave of explorers is rewriting that narrative. They are finding beauty in the frost, luxury in the silence, and meaning in the journey itself.

Wayfairer’s 2025–26 itineraries invite travelers to slow down, to immerse, and to see winter as a season not of absence, but abundance.

So perhaps this year, the ultimate luxury isn’t basking in the sun—it’s standing under a sky alive with northern lights, surrounded by snow and silence, feeling wonderfully alive.

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