EDITORS' PICKS

Budget Travel Editors' Dreamiest Trips

The staff of Budget Travel has logged some pretty serious miles through the years, embarking on amazing adventures like hang-gliding over Rio and riding a camel across the Sahara. Here are 12 of the editors' dreamiest trips.

Wednesday, Mar 28, 2012, 3:09 PM | Subscribe to the magazine

Arriving at mist-covered Machu Picchu at dawn on my birthday a few years ago.—Valerie Rains, Features Editor
(Courtesy mingojct/myBudgetTravel)
Riding camels out into the Sahara and sleeping beneath the stars in Morocco.—Andrea Minarcek, Contributing Editor
(Courtesy melpilgrim/myBudgetTravel)
Visiting a secret beach in Hong Kong that involved taking a metro to the end of the line, taking a cab for an hour, hiring a local fishing boat, then hiking over a mountain. Exhausting, but worth it.—Nicholas DeRenzo, Associate Editor
(Courtesy Philip Roeland/flickr)
My honeymoon to the Mayan Riviera. After the chaos that is planning a wedding, relaxing on the beach enjoying a piña colada was as dreamy as can be.—Robin Honig, Research Chief
(Courtesy biglannie/myBudgetTravel)
Jumping off the top of Tiijuca Forest National Park in Brazil, hang-gliding over Rio de Janeiro, and landing on Pepino Beach.—Whitney Tressel, Associate Photo Editor
(Courtesy makalani/myBudgetTravel)
Spending a week driving around the Scottish Highlands, sampling whiskey, hiking to the top of Ben Nevis, and pulling over the greet the hairy coo.—Danielle Contray, Senior Digital Editor
(Courtesy bfurbush/myBudgetTravel)
Staying at a castle-turned-hotel in Banff: majestic views from all sides, nooks and corners filled with books, endless outdoor activities, and the perfect little town for après-ski drinks.—Lisa Schneider, General Manager
(Courtesy fredthechicken/flickr)
Horseback riding a mountain trail in the Andes—I was right up there with the condors, peering down miles below into the gorge and thinking I might die, but loving every minute of it.—Laura Michonski, Deputy Digital Editor
(Courtesy coreybyrnes/myBudgetTravel)
Riding up a funicular to the top of a mountain that overlooked Lake Como, and the town of Brunate, in Italy. I swear I’m opening a B&B there someday.—Kaeli Conforti, Digital Editorial Assistant
(Courtesy joe8211943/myBudgetTravel)
Six weeks to visit the Cook Islands, New Zealand, and Australia. Dreamiest part was the length of time!—Amy Lundeen, Photo Director
(Courtesy nysdgiants/myBudgetTravel)
A peaceful Christmas all alone on an isolated Philippine island.—Ryan Murphy, Intern
(Courtesy eaniban/myBudgetTravel)
A boat trip through the fjords of Norway. The scenery was stunning, and it was summer, so it was light until midnight.—Marc Peyser, Editor
(Courtesy jnr825/myBudgetTravel)