Bucket List This: Three Destinations for 2014

Planning a trip or just dreaming of one? Here, three destinations to add to your bucket list

 Africa: Whether you’ve been on safari or just dreaming of one, Africa is the ultimate bucket list trip. We’re still travelling to the tried and true: Kenya and South Africa, but now, we’re also going beyond. So yes, it’s a few wine-soaked days in the beautiful Cape Town, but from there, we’re also heading to Zambi, Zimbabwe and Namibia, and we’re doing it bespoke, and on our own terms. Take a look at the offerings from www.kensingtontours.com

Asia: Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong continue to be popular, but now we’re river cruising through China, Myanmar (that’s Burma, to you and me) and Cambodia. Companies such as Exclusive Tours and Avalon Waterways, via Merit Vacations (www.merit.ca; 1-866-341-1777), and AMA Waterways (www.amawaterways.com; 1-800-626-0126) are traversing these newly charted waters.

Canada by train: Traveling the True, North, Strong and Free is best done on the ground, where you can take in all the breathtaking scenery. We vote for Via Rail’s Canadian, which rides the rails from Vancouver to Toronto. Book a sleeper car, naturally, at www.viarail.ca; 1-888-842-7245. Or, do the two-day journey on The Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Banff, and book in the Gold Service, where the glassed-dome rooftop allows for unparalleled sky- and Rocky Mountain-views. www.rockymountaineer.com; 1-877-460-3200.