Virtual Globetrotting

We explore the best in digital travel

While holiday plans may be temporarily on hold, there’s still plenty of chances to explore the world. As a raft of breath-taking virtual travel experiences spring up, Globe-Trotter has gathered some of the best and most innovative that allow you to explore the world from the comfort of your own home.

Go On Safari

You might be embracing watching the starlings from your window, but did you know you could be getting up close to Africa’s wildlife, too? Luxury travel company &Beyond has launched WILDwatch – a live twice-daily broadcast of two game reserves, with a director controlling four live feeds to ensure you’ll always see the most exciting action with lions, giraffes etc. Each day, 45 minutes is dedicated to children, so the whole family can enjoy the experience.

Andbeyond.com

Tour Ancient Egypt

Experience some of Egypts most notable tourist sites thanks to the Egyptian Tourist Board, which has published stunning explorable 3D models of four sites of interest, including the Tomb of Queen Meresankh III. From richly detailed paintings to the 5,000-year-old chisel marks still visible on the walls, you could scarcely have a more visceral experience outside of the sites themselves. My.matterport.com

Go Off the Beaten Track

Globe-Trotter loves to take the road less travelled and if you’re yearning for a Nordic adventure, you could do a lot worse than the craggy wonder of the Faroe Islands. To encourage visitors, the innovative North Atlantic archipelago of 18 volcanic isles is offering virtual tours where viewers have the chance to control the camera operator’s movements – right down to making them jump. Until international flights open up again, this fully immersive tour is as close as you can come to exploring this relatively untouched area of natural beauty. Remote-tourism.com

Expand Your Mind

Visiting inspiring museums and art galleries is a highlight of any trip – and now you can visit more than you could on any one trip. Sites across the world, from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam to the Museu de Arte in São Paulo are opening their virtual doors to tourists. With the likes of the Metropolitan Opera in New York streaming free concerts and Cincinnati Zoo getting up close and personal with their animals, you can now expand your cultural horizons from the comfort of your own home.

Go Diving with Attenborough

Ever wanted to go on a personal tour with legendary natural historian David Attenborough? Now, thanks to the broadcaster’s new interactive site taking explorers on a virtual tour of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, you can. Attenborough has explored the reef for more than 60 years and shares his knowledge and expertise on this immersive underwater exploration. A nature lover’s dream come true. attenboroughsreef.com