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It's the ultimate escape: unplugging in the great outdoors at a remote retreat, with stunning natural scenes providing the perfect backdrop and larger-than-life activities entertaining the entire family from dawn to dusk. These are the 13 best destinations for ultimate wilderness vacations that offer adventure as well as luxury and serenity, with a mix of up-and-coming properties to know and our all-time favorite lodges.Contact your Indagare Trip Designer or Indagare, if you are not yet a member, to start planning these ultimate wilderness vacations—this year and beyond. Our team can match you with the accommodations and activities that are right for you and provide information on private villas, charters and more.
From Big Sky, Montana to the Grand Canyon, the American West is an iconic destination for a wilderness escape full of hiking and biking in top national parks, horseback riding at stylish dude ranches, fly-fishing on trout-filled rivers, Wild West nostalgia and patriotic fun.
Where to Stay: If you loved Taylor River Lodge or The Ranch at Rock Creek, add the The Green O, which opened June 1 2021, to your list. This sophisticated, adults-only retreat is located in Montana's remote Greenough township, on the southern edge of the 37,000-acre Paws Up Ranch. The property features 12 design-minded, freestanding "hauses"—including elevated tree houses, forest homes with floor-to-ceiling windows offering 180-degree views, and "Green Hauses" with living garden roofs. Outside of the accommodations, entertainments include a seasonal dining concept from Executive Chef Brandon Cunningham; a serene spa, located within a collection of tents to promote immersion in nature; access to 100-plus miles of trails for hiking and riding, as well as 10 miles of the Blackfoot River for fishing and kayaking; and adventure activities like archery, ATV tours, rappelling, shooting and whitewater rafting. Plus: guests are able to explore the full expanse of Paws Up Ranch.
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Overlooking Lake Rwanyakazinga in Rwanda, Wilderness Safaris Magashi Camp’s six tented suites offer the best of both worlds, with land- and water-based safaric within a private concession of Akagera National Park. Here, guests have exclusive access to the park and the chance to experience the thrill of gorilla-trekking alongside the adventure of a traditional safari. Magashi even offers night game drives, ideal for viewing the high local population of nocturnal leopards. For experiences even further off the beaten path, Bisate—located in Volcanoes National Park—is a spectacular eco-lodge from Wilderness Safaris. A series of spherical fiber-thatched pods with domed roof, the six sophisticated forest villas were built into an eroded volcanic cone, with floor-to ceiling windows displaying knock-out views of nearby volcanoes. In addition to gorilla-trekking, Wilderness Safaris Bisate hosts hiking to see the famous golden monkey, as well as local village visits, birding walks and the chance to participate in Bisate’s forest rehabilitation program. After a long day of trekking, the incredible culinary program will not disappoint. —Sydney Lapin
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Massive and complex, Canada's sprawling swaths of scenic wilderness offer travelers a host of idyllic summer retreats, where the focus is on hiking, fishing and soaking in your surroundings.
Where to Stay: Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge was a pioneer in the “glamping” movement and is still one of its best practitioners. Located in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, this tented camp provides a unique wilderness experience with sublime food and service in a gorgeous, rugged setting. Where Clayoquot really shines is in its excursions, which are all led by the fun, young staff guides; nothing is outsourced. For an even more private experience, Nimmo Bay is set on the shores of a secluded bay off of British Columbia, with only nine cabins. This elegantly appointed, intimate wilderness lodge has been family-run for more than three decades. While some guests come for such outdoor adventures as kayaking through the Broughton archipelago or cruising around in a boat to observe the abundant wildlife, the property’s real specialty is its highly regarded heli-fishing program.
and Cambodia stand apart from other wilderness vacation destinations in that their cultural offerings are just as rich as their outdoor adventure opportunities, making either country the perfect choice for a getaway that combines a few days of city touring with nature immersion.
Where to Stay: Guests at the Four Seasons Golden Triangle Tented Camp get to play ‘mahout,’ or elephant minder, while residing in one of 15 tricked-out tents that overlook Southeast Asia’s Golden Triangle, where Thailand meets Myanmar and Laos. Accommodations are chic and dining is fantastic, as are the Mekong River safaris and myriad opportunities to observe elephants, making it a dream come true for animal lovers. In southern Cambodia, Shinta Mani Wild camp is located on 400 acres of previously threatened wilderness, with 15 luxury tents and exceptional off-the-beaten-path nature experiences. The Shinta Mani group worked with the Wildlife Alliance to protect land that had frequent illegal logging to create this truly unique resort. On-property, days are spent immersing oneself in the local habitat, whether boating, kayaking, fly-fishing or joining the Wildlife Alliance anti-poaching rangers on their morning surveys (this varies in excitement; some may have a pleasant hike, while others may find wild animals rescued from traps). Other popular activities include cliff jumping at the hotel's beautiful waterfall and unwinding with spa treatments.
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One of New Zealand’s most epic wilderness experiences is set on 65,000 spectacular acres of private farmland in the middle of the remote Fiordland. Accessible only by helicopter, the intimate, family-run Minaret Station takes advantage of its secluded location and rugged beauty. Visitors can stay in one of four luxurious alpine-style chalets at the resort and explore by foot, boat, helicopter, ski or ATV.
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South America’s largest country has myriad opportunities for wilderness exploration. Much of this, of course, is in the Amazon rainforest. But other areas, including the vast marshlands of the Pantanal, provide critical habitat to thousands of species, including the endangered (and elusive) jaguar as well as scores of species of endemic tropical birdlife. —Peter Schlesinger
Where to Stay: In the Amazon, Indagare recommends Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge and Cristalino Lodge. These two properties, on different tributaries of the great river, both offer full immersion into the jungle. Anavilhanas, north of Manaus, gives guests prime access to a massive swathe of the rainforest, including one of the world’s largest river archipelagos. Over the course of their multi-day itineraries here, guests have opportunities to see pink and gray dolphins and other wildlife on full- or half-day boat tours, go on jungle walks and swim in the river—as well as the lodge’s pool overlooking the islands. To the south, activities at Cristalino emphasize walking through the jungle on the reservation’s 22 miles of trails, reachable by riverboat. Birders from around the world flock (no pun intended) here to see some of the nearly 600 bird species that live amongst its trees, such as toucans, macaw, parrots, parakeets and birds of paradise. And in the Pantanal, Refugio Ecologico Caiman is a private reserve with a just-renovated hacienda and two buyout-only lodges, each with wetlands-facing pools. The Refugio is one of the world’s best places to see jaguars: Onçafari, Brazil’s leading jaguar protection organization, has its headquarters here, and guests on Onçafari’s research excursions have a 98 percent chance of seeing the elusive cats. Also on view at Caiman: massive hyacinth macaws, anteaters and capybaras.—Peter Schlesinger
Published onApril 8, 2022
We only feature hotels that we can vouch for first-hand. At many of them, Indagare members receive special amenities.
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