Last week, I covered popular travel destinations that get a little overblown and over-romanticized thanks to social media feeds, from Venice to Bali to Vegas in the daylight.
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But that doesn’t mean all travel accounts on social media are misrepresentative.
In fact, some social media content can spark your interest in travel, culture, language, nature, fashion, and more. Like a great TV show or podcast, these accounts can open our eyes to new worlds, so to speak.
Ready to get inspired to travel the world without leaving your couch?
I’ve rounded up some of the best travel accounts on Instagram that I’ve been following for at least a year, if not longer. Some of them even offer their own tours that you can book and join, in case you’re interested!
My 10 favorite travel accounts on Instagram
- An American with a bicycle attempts to get from Italy to Japan: @RideWithIan
- An Egyptian relies on the kindness of strangers to circumnavigate the globe without flying: @Omar.Nok
- An American woman traveler hitchhikes from China to Cape Town: @hitchhikercourtney
- A Swiss fashionista combines fashion with culture on her global travels: @by.regiina
- A polyglot blows minds in China by speaking perfect Mandarin: babyqueenpolyglot2.0 (TikTok)
- A pro photographer captures wild bands of horses in Montana: @swgoudge
- A Swedish woman living above the Arctic Circle shows what life on Svalbard is like: @sejsejlija
- An American man and his Nigerian wife travel the world and navigate immigration: @authentic_traveling
- An English woman travels the world and nerds out on history: @byjacklynn
- English history buffs cover Europe’s darkest history at major landmarks: @shiverdarkhistory
Travel accounts on Instagram you’ll follow for years
@RideWithIan
An American with a bicycle attempts to get from Italy to Japan
Someone needs to call Ian’s mom and ask if she’s okay because he’s been cycling across Iran and Afghanistan for close to a month, and it’s been pretty remarkably dangerous. And by really dangerous, I mean he was accidentally in Iran on June 22, if anyone remembers what happened at that time.
If you like wayward and even ill-advised adventures, the open road and cycling, and intercultural exchanges, Ian’s task of crossing all continents on his bike will keep you on the edge of your seat. His daily vlogs are short and have insights that remind me a bit of Anthony Bourdain.
@Omar.Nok
An Egyptian relies on the kindness of strangers to circumnavigate the globe without flying
I first heard about Omar Nok when he left Egypt last year with the goal of making it to Japan without flying. After achieving that goal following months of hitchhiking, bus rides, hikes, and more, Omar set off on a new adventure: to circumnavigate the globe without getting on a plane.
Similar to Ian, you can expect a lot of intercultural interactions that will fuel your wanderlust. There’s another layer of added intrigue since Omar is Egyptian, meaning you’re not watching another American traipse across the globe.
@hitchhikercourtney
A Canadian traveler hitchhikes from China to Cape Town
When you get off the phone with Ian’s mom, call Courtney’s mom to check in. Following a successful stint hitchhiking from Morocco down to Cape Town, Courtney has upped the ante by extending that distance from China to Cape Town.
As she does, she defies just about every piece of travel advice I’ve given solo women travelers and hitchhikers alike. But why would she need my advice? Courtney is clearly intelligent, intuitive, and has great karma on her side.
@by.regiina
A Swiss fashionista combines fashion with culture on her global travels
Fashion might be my favorite form of cultural expression—and no one captures my awe like fashionista Jessi Regina. I’ve been following her for over a year as she jumps across the globe with her seriously jaw-dropping getups in tow.
With heritage from Angola, family in Brazil, and having been raised in Switzerland, she’s a global citizen with a flair for artistic outfits. (She also took my advice once on why flying with a legacy airline is worth it, and it was one of my favorite Instagram moments ever.)
If you like to keep your travel content super casual and you appreciate fashion, you’ll love Jessi Regina’s account.
babyqueenpolyglot2.0 (TikTok)
A polyglot blows minds in China by speaking perfect Mandarin
Rosy is a polyglot, meaning she’s got a thing for learning complex languages quickly. I fell in love with her Instagram account, which has since moved to TikTok. You get to see her exploits in China as she mingles, makes friends, and introduces many locals to black culture and identity.
Rosy is what I would call a cultural ambassador, always willing to share her perspectives with those she meets. She’s also fluent in Mandarin, which gets the attention of many Chinese people in her videos. It’s fun, it’s positive, and it’s the type of content that inspires people to travel further than they have in the past.
*If you’re looking for Mandarin language classes, you can find them on Rosy’s website.
@swgoudge
A pro photographer captures wild bands of horses in the US
No need to jet-set across the world with the best Instagram travel accounts—there’s plenty to enjoy in the US. SW Goudge is a wild horse photographer who mostly spends her time in Arizona.
Her account showcases the latest ups and downs of the wild horses that roam the high desert. I’ve been locked in for a while now. Look out for a stallion named Rascal—he’s a super-star.
@sejsejlija
A Swede living above the Arctic Circle shows what life on Svalbard is like
The sun is about to set in Svalbard, Sweden, an island that’s north of the Arctic Circle. And it’s not going to rise again until next May. Welcome to the dramatic day-to-day of life on Svalbard, a quiet and snowy town where you might see polar bears roaming, whales passing by, and some of the best Northern Lights shows in the world.
This social media account became so popular that its creator, Cecilia Blomdahl, actually published a book about her life on the island. It’s a NYT Bestseller, just to showcase how weirdly fascinating this quiet, frigid location is.
*If you’re looking for an adorable coffee table book, Cecilia recently published a book based on her life on Svalbard.
@authentic_traveling
An American man and his Nigerian wife travel the world and navigate immigration
An American country-counter (that’s someone who wants to visit every nation on Earth) has been sharing his slow travel journey for years. When Chris traveled to Nigeria, he fell in love with a local woman named Adenike—and so added a new chapter to his global journey.
Today, his account includes insights and tips on the process of many intercultural and immigration topics, from throwing a traditional Nigerian wedding to covering why his wife’s US visa still hasn’t been approved. Think of it like part wanderlust, part helpful tips, and part love letter to Africa. (Chris and Adenike also travel outside Africa.)
*If you’re looking for immigration advice and travel tips for Africa, Latin America, and beyond, Chris and Adenike have a fantastic website with many resources.
@byjacklynn
An English woman travels the world and nerds out on history
Do you like art, history, and culture? Nobody brings it alive like Jacklynn. As she puts it, she often goes into an existential crisis when she visits her favorite historical locations—like the Tower of London, Versailles, the Sphinx, and more.
But Jacklynn also does a great job of highlighting lesser-known locations. For example, she just visited Syracuse, Sicily—a spot I usually visit once a year—and showcased a few historical sites I’d never heard of.
*If you love history, Jacklynn offers unique guides and meet-ups around Europe. She recently hosted an event at a chateau in France, as well. Très cool!
@shiverdarkhistory
English history buffs cover Europe’s darkest history at major landmarks
Europe is layered with history—and a lot of it is hidden, forgotten, and dark. What I love about this account is that its creators dive deep into tiny historical markers that most people would pass up, from placards on walls in French villages to public parks in London that are also mass graves.
For example, one recent post covers small slabs laid along a Parisian crosswalk—thousands step on these five nondescript stones every day without realizing they once fixed the city’s most active guillotines into the ground. Suddenly, a basic crosswalk becomes the site of many grizzly executions.
If you like well-researched and slightly spine-tingling historical investigations, especially those set in well-known European locations, let the disturbed minds at ShiverDarkHistory take you into the fold.
