Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations
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The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

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Happening This Week
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Online
Experience

Foraging, Food, and Myth: Harvest Season

Wed, Aug 4
$25 per device
Online
Online Course

Playing With Sound: Experimental Music With Jamie Stewart

Starts Wed, Aug 4
4 Sessions
$95 per person
Online
Online Course

Mindful Mixology: Making Non-Alcoholic Cocktails with Derek Brown

Starts Thu, Aug 5
3 Sessions
$80 per person
Online
Experience

Anchoring the Intrepid: Inside an Aircraft Carrier's Chain Room

Tue, Aug 10
$20 per device
Explore the titanic chains and hidden sailor graffiti of an aircraft carrier in this rare tour behind the scenes at the Intrepid Museum!
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Featured Trips
Our newest and most incredible trips.
wildlife & nature

Rewilding: Tracking Wolves in the Forests of Sweden

Sweden
Sep 6–11, 2021
From $3,100 USD
Explore Sweden’s boreal forests by day and hear the howling of wild wolves by night.
+ 3 other dates
wildlife & nature

Searching for Russia’s Northern Lights

Russia
Nov 22–28, 2021
From $3,830 USD
Bear witness to the ethereal glow of the Northern Lights, explore Arctic Russia, and see life in the Polar Circle up close.
+ 1 other date
history

Turkmenistan and the Gates of Hell

Turkmenistan
Mar 18–27, 2022
From $3,475 USD
On this sweeping, eclectic adventure through Turkmenistan, marvel at the towering white-marble structures of Ashgabat, roam through barren deserts and a world-class canyon, and spend the night camped out beside the flaming Gates of Hell.
+ 2 other dates
history

Pyramids and Petroglyphs of Sudan

Sudan
Mar 22–Apr 1, 2022
From $5,680 USD
Journey along the Nile, across the Sudanese desert, and discover the pyramids and archaeological treasures of ancient civilizations.
+ 1 other date
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More Stories
caves

Archaeologists Are Seeing Cave Art in a New Light

Prehistoric people may have created 'proto-cinema,' with galloping bison and tail-swishing horses.
Bridget Alex July 29, 2021
mystery

Were Black GIs Killed in a World War II–Era Race Riot?

Louisiana locals and historians are both commemorating and investigating the mystery-shrouded incident.
Benoît Morenne July 29, 2021
nature

Podcast: The Boiling River

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
The Podcast Team July 29, 2021
trees

Meet the Woman Restoring Native American Peaches to the Southwest

Searching for the precious trees has become Reagan Wytsalucy's calling.
Amiee Maxwell July 28, 2021
abandoned

A Tour Through Italy's Massive 'Museum of Abandonment'

The organizers posit that "derelict heritage" can be a path to rejuvenation.
Alessio Perrone July 28, 2021
music

Podcast: The Village Where Every Person’s Name Is a Song

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
The Podcast Team July 28, 2021
food

Every Year, This Italian Town Hand-Delivers Salt to the Pope

Cervia's prized product is naturally sweet.
Karen Burshtein July 27, 2021
snakes

A San Francisco Airport Site Is Crawling With Snakes—And That's a Good Thing

An endangered species is thriving at a once-blighted lot, but climate change and other challenges threaten its future.
Ashley Stimpson July 27, 2021
music

Podcast: The Kalamazoo Gals of the Old Gibson Guitar Factory

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
The Podcast Team July 27, 2021
List

25 Coffee Shops to Visit Before You Die

A global tour of the world's most interesting cafés.
Anne Ewbank July 26, 2021
List

Bog Butter, Ancient Beef, and Other Remarkably Old Foods on Display in Museums

Some of these foods are centuries past their expiration dates.
Sam O'Brien July 26, 2021
forests

Women in Northern Kenya Rally to Save a Forest

Just a few years ago, Samburu women were using Kirisia Forest for firewood and charcoal. Now they're protecting it, and managing it sustainably.
Peyton Fleming July 26, 2021
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