Take a virtual trip with these 10 travel Instagram accounts

Instagram is your virtual window to the world. Follow the right Insta-travelers and you can practically taste, see and feel the traveling freedom all from your mobile screen. With just a few flicks of the thumb, and a little imagination, you can wander through a vibrant cityscape bursting with life, let mountain wind tickle your skin in a Nordic neverland, then finish up by devouring a plateful of foreign delights in a far-flung country.

These 10 Insta-travelers will create stunning views from your little Insta-window.

1. @alexstrohl

There are no clichéd palm tree beach snaps on this travel account. Featured in prestigious journals like Forbes, Vanity Fair and the Gentleman’s Journal, Alex Strohl is a master of telling stories through photography. His Instagram account is a carefully cultivated photo book, a visual treat capturing only the most authentic moments. Lakes are shot only at their most vivid ultramarine, mountain tops at their most glaring white and evening skies at their most fiery.

Interspersed in this picturesque photobook are snapshots of the people that roam these dramatic landscapes; climbers, divers and motorbike riders all come to life between still-frame action shots of bubbling water, dust clouds and misty mountain air. Thanks to Strohl’s travels, we’ve been granted access to aspects of the world and moments that would have otherwise have gone unseen or fast been forgotten. Every picture tells a story.

2. @carleyscamera

Raised by two American artists, Carley Rudd harnessed her innate creativity from an early age and grew a photographic style all of her own. A scroll through her account is like seeing the whole world through a steamy pastel-colored camera lens. By capturing moments of gentle sunlight and perfect symmetry, Carley quite literally sheds a light on both the natural and man-made beauty of the world. Through her Instagram account and online travel journal, Carley evokes a sense of wistful wanderlust in every Instagrammer that is lucky enough to stumble upon her page.

3. @elice_f

Elice is an architect, blogger and travel photographer but, most of all, she is a storyteller – and it all begins with her daily morning walks. Rising early every day to buy her coffee, Elice’s blog and Instagram track her travels in the morning light. Her “Where I walk for coffee” stories capture compelling snippets of life, cushioned between a foreign sunrise, smiles of countless baristas and the morning rituals of the local neighbourhood.

4. @irfanjunejo

Irfan Junejo didn’t always describe himself as a travel vlogger and Instagram influencer. Instead, he told reporters he was simply a ‘teenager looking to do something with his life’. A key figure in the Pakistani YouTube scene, Irfan has created a popular Instagram travel page that now has over 426k followers. Irfan photographs the people he interacts with during his travels, moments of natural beauty and the intriguing architectural spaces he comes across. Posting vlogs as a young teenager grew into much more than he could have known.

5. @wild.vanlife

This account is a story of a planned escape to see more of the world. This Instagrammer left behind day to day normality after converting an old van. Her page showcases sepia shots of her van in middle-of-nowhere wheat fields, saturated photos beneath starry night skies, and dusty scenes along windy roads to new destinations. Following her account places you right in the passenger seat of her van through the unique moments she experiences on the road, like stumbling upon blue rocks painted back in the 80s, and meeting surprise puppies one morning in Morocco.

6. @somewhereiwouldliketolive & @somewhereiwouldliketogo

Here on these two accounts, interior design fuses with travel dreams. While most travel blogs and instagram travel accounts focus solely on the exteriors of buildings and the expansive natural scenery of the outdoors, these creators have ensured that the hidden interior world is not forgotten. These accounts encourage you to imagine sitting in a comfy bed next to wide window walls, staring out at skyscrapers and ocean waves. The combination of interior and exterior world leaves with you a wistful wonder about what life would be like living between the stunning scenery of the world.

7. @girlwithgreenpassport

Full of life and bursting with energy, this account will leave you feeling light enough to fly.
The Girl with the Green Passport, otherwise known as Anam Hakeem, pairs thoughtful captions with colourful imagery and lets the world know she is out there, seeing it all, despite her restrictive passport. Her bucket list contains about 100 countries, and she is proving to be unstoppable. So far, she has visited 26 countries and has grabbed the attention of over 23 thousand.

8. @hanliprinsloo

71% of our world is water, so it wouldn’t be right not to mention those daring travelers that voyage out into these largely unexplored, underwater areas. Hanli is a freedriver, entrepreneur and advocate for the sustainability of the oceans. She travels to 60 metres below sea level and shows us humpback whales, rock caves and magical fish shoals.

9. @tommy.clarke

You’ve dived deep into the sea, now let’s fly high into the sky. Tommy Clarke is a skyfaring travel photographer, who flies up high in helicopters, seeks striking scenery and takes aerial shots of his discoveries. Pictured from above, beach-goers lie ant-like on loungers and parasols look like colourful candies scattered across the sand. Above a rainbow tulip field, you will spy one tiny flower picker hidden between the colorscape. Tommy’s account is full of photographic fun, color games and unique sky-high shots.

10. @earthfocus

My final recommendation is the place to go if you’re still seeking more travelers on Instagram, even after reading through this list. A curation of stunning photos shot by Instagram travelers, this account collates their best work onto one page. You will fill your feed with breathtaking photography that never stops, and never-ending recommendations of inspiring Instragrammers to follow.