You don’t have to be Odysseus to understand that life-changing travel isn’t about checking off destinations—it’s about committing to the journey. It requires an appetite for depth over speed and a curiosity that pushes past the familiar.

Forbes Travel Guide’s second annual Edge List encourages discovery beyond the well-trodden path. Centered on the theme of “curated journeys,” this year’s collection celebrates luxury hotels, cruises and trains that create bespoke, multi-leg itineraries that immerse travelers in the culture, nature and spirit of extraordinary places.

The EDGE ethos focuses on four pillars: Exceptional access to remote, awe-inspiring destinations; Daring innovation that provides boundary-pushing adventures and once-in-a-lifetime experiences; Global stewardship that prioritizes conservation, while minimizing environmental impact and maximizing care for the community; and Elevated experience, delivering excellence even in far-flung corners.

Start planning your next journey with the 2026 Edge List.

A Peruvian Railway Adventure

From the soaring peaks of the Andes to the lush rainforests of the Amazon, Peru’s landscapes are otherworldly. Belmond’s Grand Tour of Peru, a choose-your-own-adventure train journey, offers a seven-day-minimum itinerary that crisscrosses the country.

It includes a ride on one of Belmond’s famed trains. Take the Andean Explorer—South America’s first luxury sleeper train—through the Andean plains, past Lake Titicaca (the world’s highest lake and the continent’s largest freshwater lake) to Arequipa, also known as the “White City” for its historic buildings made of pale volcanic stone. It’s one of the highest train rides in the world.

Or climb aboard Belmond’s Hiram Bingham, where a cocktail cart and live music add revelry to the backdrop of the Sacred Valley’s craggy peaks, stone-walled terraces and the Urubamba River before arriving at Machu Picchu’s 15th-century Inca citadel.

Continue the journey across Belmond’s portfolio of Peruvian hotels. In Lima, Miraflores Park, a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star property, sits on a clifftop overlooking El Malecón, the six-mile path tracing the coast. Admire panoramic views from the rooftop infinity-edge pool or the 11th-floor Observatory restaurant, and partake in complimentary daily activities, including dance lessons, guided runs and........

© Forbes