After a couple years of being cooped up and having our travel options limited, people are looking to get out and have a real big adventure. Perhaps more so than ever, 2022 will be the year of different trips, of doing something on that fantasy travel list or maybe splurging on that dream holiday.
Here are five exciting options that combine a pampering stay with some unique and exciting adventures that will put you on the road to exploration.
Chikwenya Camp, Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
Explore the wild rivers, waterfalls and wildlife of Zimbabwe: Luxury Africa travel specialist ROAR AFRICA has curated an unforgettable adventure travel safari experience in Zimbabwe, including cruises on the Zambezi River and a trip to the incredible Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage site. You’ll also go whitewater rafting on some of the world’s most exciting rapids and have plenty of time to spot wildlife, go canoeing on the Zambezi or go out on game drives to take in all the big animals of the region.
Majestic Victoria Falls
The trip starts in Pretoria, South Africa, where accomplished guides meet you and whisk you off to the Mana Pools National Park, where you’ll stay in a luxury tent at the Chikwenya Camp. Located on the floodplain of the Zambezi River, you’ve got endless possibilities to see lions, elephants, hippos and cheetahs, and be amidst one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in Zimbabwe.
From here, you’ll head up to the superb Matetsi lodge near Victoria Falls, where you can go whitewater rafting, or just sit back and gaze at what is considered to be the most beautiful waterfall on Earth.
Photo courtesy of Visit Yosemite Madera County
Château du Sureau and Yosemite National Park, California
Best of both worlds at Yosemite: Château du Sureau, a nine-acre castle resort set in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, is offering a combined European escape in California with a Yosemite dream trip. It includes a two-day/one-night backpacking and hiking adventure with one’s own private naturalist guide and chef. You’ll hike, camp and swim in beautiful Yosemite, with gourmet backcountry meals and all your camp needs taken care of, leaving you free to enjoy the dazzling granite domes, waterfalls and wildflowers of one of America’s most captivating national parks.
Photo courtesy of Chateau du Sureau
A European-style castle in the Sierra foothills
Back at the ranch or, in this case, the castle, you’ll be further pampered silly, enjoying the private gardens, fountains, pine forest and pure tranquility found at this hideaway. This intimate and elegant property, a member of the Relais & Châteaux collection, has just ten ornate rooms, as well as a 2,000-square-foot Parisian-style manor, which might even give the nearby El Capitan and Half Dome a run for their money in getting your attention.
You’ll feel like you’re in the heart of the Alps while being just a stone’s throw from the entrance to all the big-wall granite of Yosemite.
Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis
Lofoten Islands, Norway
Paddling scenic fjords in the Lofoten Islands: Adventure travel specialist Expedition Engineering is offering an eight-day bed & breakfast paddling trip of a lifetime, kayaking through some of Norway’s most amazing scenery. The Lofoten Islands, a remote archipelago in the far north of the country above the Arctic Circle, boasts some of the best paddling experiences in a country already renowned for its sea kayaking. The surroundings are breathtaking, the water calm, and you’ve got almost 24 hours of daylight here in the height of the northern summer.
Photo courtesy of Expedition Engineering
Surreal bays, some of Norway’s best
The fishing villages that dot the coastline here date to the time of the Vikings, and you’ll come across a Viking longhouse that is one of the largest ever found in Europe (and is now an informative living museum). Days will be spent spotting puffins, sea eagles and basking in the long summer “midnight sun.” Nights will have the group hunker down in comfortable “robuer,” which are traditional fishermen’s houses in the charming villages that make up this northern Scandinavian paradise.
Photo courtesy of The Caves Hotel
Negril, Jamaica
Cliff diving in Jamaica: Negril, Jamaica is known for its stunning seven-mile white sand beach, and it’s where you’ll find The Caves Hotel, an oceanfront sanctuary set on the cliffs over a cerulean sea. If you dare, you can join the cliff divers here, where an instructor will give you personalized lessons in how to leap, or you can go snorkeling or engage in other water sports, most likely surrounded by the schools of dolphins that frequent the coast.
Photo courtesy of The Caves Hotel
Cliffside cottages at The Caves, Jamaica
There are only 12 custom-designed cottages set up above the ocean here, and the resort even features an option to eat in a candle-lit private grotto. You can also explore the caves by kayak or even on a snorkeling expedition, and later relax in the spa, which was named as one of the best by Ocean Magazine. For lovers of romantic solitude, as well as plenty of water adventures in an alluring locale, this Jamaican gem delivers as potent a knockout punch as the local rum.
Photo courtesy of Royal Mansour
Riad accommodations for royalty at Royal Mansour, Morocco
Soak up the culture in Morocco: Marrakech is one of the world’s most magical cities, home to a square full of snake charmers and mesmerizing architecture, surrounded by beautiful desert and the high Atlas Mountains. Here, you’ll find the Royal Mansour, a palatial retreat owned by the King of Morocco and set on 12 acres of gardens, which is built to resemble a traditional medina. You’ll wander labyrinthian corridors to get to your quarters, which are private “riads” (traditional merchant homes) that feature exquisite textiles, artwork and terraces with views of the mountains. You’ll enjoy pampering after getting out to experience the desert adventures that await.
Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis
Endless sand dunes and surreal desert light, Agafay Desert
Head out into the Agafay Desert to hike, go quad bike riding or go on camel journeys in a sand dune-filled landscape. The more intrepid can head into the Atlas Mountains, where one can hike amongst the pines or even attempt scaling Morocco’s highest peak, Mount Toubkal, which is snowbound for nine months of the year. All of your desert fantasies will be fulfilled, and you can return to your quarters to sample a traditional tagine meal, or go for a pampering hammam bath and massage.
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