19 Dec 2019
Tags: solo travel, travel, adventure travel, Adventure, Photography, Social Media, Instagram, Instagrammable
With over 460 million photos published using #travel, Instagram has become a go-to resource for travel inspiration for millions of people around the world. In fact, research released earlier this year* revealed that more than half (55 per cent) of 18-65-year-olds have booked trips purely based on images they had seen on the social media network.
Co-founded by ex-photographer, Lee Thompson - who gained viral status for his 'Selfie With Jesus' in 2014 - solo travel company Flash Pack, has trawled through millions of photos to compile its inaugural list of 'Instagram's Best Travel Photos of the Year'.
The list includes 11 images published on Instagram over the last 12 months and is aimed at inspiring solo travellers and adventurers throughout 2020.
Flash Pack curates high end adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s and has garnered over 165,000 followers on its own Instagram page, and regularly works with photographers and travellers to source and showcase some of the most epic images from around the world.
“Today, if you have a decent smartphone in your pocket, you have the ability to capture high-quality photos and share them with the world, whenever and wherever you might be.” said Lee Thompson, co-founder of Flash Pack. “It's no surprise that the people we follow on social media have become one of our main sources of travel information and inspiration. With 2019 now coming to an end, we wanted to devise a list that celebrates some of the most incredible experiences being shared across the world, and inspire people to think about their next adventure for 2020, however big or small that might be.”
The images range from British coasts of Cornwall to the night skies of Jordan. The full list of Instagram's Best Travel Photos of 2019 as chosen by Flash Pack**, can be found below:
User: @kernow_from_above
Description: Doom Bar is a sandbank at the mouth of the Camel estuary in Cornwall, which has accounted for more than 600 beachings, capsizes and wrecks since records began early in the nineteenth century.
User: @pauljustin2605
Description: The Milky Way as seen from a luxury camp in Jordan's Wadi Rum desert with Flash Pack.
User: @martinbenniephotography
Description: Glas-allt-shiel lodge on the Balmoral Estate reflecting onto the glassy waters of Loch Muick
User: @jordhammond
Description: The intricate design of the ancient steps to the bottom of an Indian stepwell.
User: @donaldhyip
Description: The iconic hot air balloons of Bagan rise above a sea of ancient pagodas, shrouded in mist.
User: @oussama.hassouni
Description: Known for the striking, blue-washed buildings, Chefchaouen lies in the Rif Mountains of Northwest Morocco
Oman, Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
User: @aljvd
Description: Located in Oman's capital, Muscat, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is a glorious piece of Islamic architecture
User: @interalma
Description: The capital of northern Italy's Veneto region, is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea
User: @rachelsarahm
Description: Cycling through the Andean Highlands of Peru's Sacred Valley, with Flash Pack
Croatia, Plitvice Lakes National Park
User: @timotej
Description: Famous for its cascading lakes, Plitvice Lakes National Park consists of nearly 75,000 acres of protected land in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia.
User: @exploroads
Description: At an altitude of 5,200 meters above sea level, Rainbow Mountain is nestled outside Cusco and gets its colours from different minerals.
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
*Research carried out by EasyJet
** All users have provided their permission for their images to be used - Please ensure users are credited for their images
About Flash Pack
Flash Pack was founded by Radha Vyas and Lee Thompson, who were frustrated by the lack of appealing group travel tour companies for travellers in their 30s and 40s. It specialises in small, high-end group adventures and experiences for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s across Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.
Flash Pack meticulously researches and curates itineraries, seeking out off-the-beaten-track locations far away from the crowds (whether it's hiking the colourful heights of Peru's Rainbow Mountain, whizzing off on a Northern Lights husky safari or glamping beneath the starlit skies of Patagonia).
