South America’s vast Patagonia region is as off-the-beaten-track as it gets. One of the world's last true wildernesses and roughly twice the size of Spain, you can expect deserted beaches and expansive national parks. For road trippers, there are some incredible driving opportunities along the Carretera Austral (Chile’s Route 7) through northern Patagonia – 770 miles (1240km) of wild and remote highway.
The biggest tourist draw in Los Glaciares National Park is the incredibly beautiful Perito Moreno Glacier, famous for the spectacular cracking and crashing of the fracturing ice.
On the southwestern coast of the African sub-continent, sparsely populated Namibia is a spectacular off-the-beaten-track destination. Its otherworldly landscapes include startling canyons, vast ever-changing sand dunes and Dead Vlei, an eerie 'dead marsh' in the central Namib Desert (pictured).
Visitors keen to spot Africa’s 'Big Five' (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and African buffalo) should head off-road to the wilderness of Etosha National Park. Yellow Zebra Safaris organise self-drive safaris in this stunning wildlife sanctuary.
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For some, the highlight of Oman is the desert and a glimpse of nomadic life. Intrepid’s Discover Oman tour takes in Wahiba Sands and a dune sunset, before setting up camp around an open fire, under the stars.
While this ancient northern landscape has spanned millennia, it's only been a Canadian territory since 1999. One of Canada's coldest and most sparsely populated areas, Nunavut is home to only around 33,000 people. Yet it's huge – roughly the size of Western Europe – meaning its beautiful lands remain largely untouched.
You'll need to be pretty determined and have some cash to spare to visit however, as there are no roads to Nunavut, with air travel the only viable option. Once you find your way here you'll be rewarded with some amazing natural landscapes. You can hike in awe-aspiring glaciers, explore the shoreline of the amazing Arctic Archipelago while kayaking, or go dog-sledding in the vast tundras.
This wilderness is home to an abundance of wildlife including polar bears, walruses, beluga whales, muskox and packs of Arctic wolves that freely roam the landscape. Adventure Canada offers a range of itineraries that take in the best of the territory including Baffin Island where you'll find the capital, Iqaluit.
Stupendous landscape aside, one of the joys of visiting Albania is taking in its traditional towns. UNESCO World Heritage Site Berat is a wonderfully timeless town in central Albania where Ottoman houses line the hillside beneath the 13th-century castle.
Albania’s craggy Alpine countryside is crying out to be explored, and Drive Albania can arrange bespoke self-drive or chauffeur driven tours in a variety of different sized vehicles to visit remote areas like the picturesque valley of Valbona.
This remote archipelago, made up of 150 islands, is hidden 62 miles (100km) off British Columbia’s mainland. Previously known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, they are home to miles of empty beaches, gargantuan forests, thousands of sea lions and humpback whales. This place isn't nicknamed the Canadian Galápagos for nothing.
Get back to basics at the All The Beach You Can Eat cabins at Masset. They're accessed via an enchanting secret path, hidden by trees dripping with moss. You’re off grid here, but when it’s light until 11pm in summer, who needs electricity anyway? Wood-burning stoves will keep you toasty and you’ll be provided with kit so you can catch and cook crabs from the shore.
To get to Graham Island, you’ll need to take a ferry from Prince Rupert on the mainland. There are also daily flights from Prince Rupert and Vancouver. Maple Leaf Adventures offers a nine-day land and sea expedition around the islands.
Guyana in South America is all too often known for its political instability, but the country's dense jungle offers unrivalled raw adventure. There are no roads or hotels here – instead, paddle up the Burro Burro river using a dugout canoe and sleep in hammocks under the forest canopy.
The rainforests here are home to tapir, macaws, squirrel monkeys, anaconda, giant otters and golden frogs, to name but a few. Andean Trails offer treks, 4x4 or boat travel through its myriad of rivers and into virgin jungle areas.
For more of nature's bounty, head to magnificent Kaieteur Falls. Some 30,000 gallons of water cascade over the 741-foot (226m) drop making it one of the world’s highest waterfalls. Enchanted Expeditions offer an 11-night ecotourism experience exploring Guyana's natural highlights.
Dallol's sulphur springs take the eerie lunar landscape a step further. Here, steam spits out from openings in the Earth’s crust and chemicals released by the hot springs colour the rocky mineral deposits yellow, orange and green. Be prepared to swelter, this is one of the hottest places on Earth. Without a well-trodden tourist route, travelling here can be a challenge, but Native Eye offers nine, 13 and 18 day group trips with expert guides to take the pressure off.
The hotspot is Banaue, but for a more off-the-beaten-track experience take the road to Mayoyao – which was only paved in 2018 – some 24 miles (38.6km) away. Here, the giant steps are scattered with pyramid-shaped houses and domed burial tombs.
Until recently the rice fields were only accessible by a 10-hour bus journey. Now there are hour-long flights from Clark to Bagabag and from there it’s another hour to Banaue. Audley Travel’s 16-day Highlights of the Philippines itinerary includes three nights at Banaue.
Hike into the forest to spot the elusive Bird of Paradise. Crocodiles feature heavily in legends here and, if you’re lucky, you might see one on the river. PNG Frontier specialises in sustainable ecotourism, offering guided trips on the Sepik and supporting the local communities.
In Rize Valley, you’ll find Five Flower Lake. Its shallow waters are so impossibly clear that you can see 130 feet (40m) underwater – so it isn’t surprising locals consider it to have holy properties. Visit Jiuzhaigou in late September to mid-October to see the stunning autumn colours reflected in the glassy surface. Jiuzhaigou is a 40-minute flight or an eight-hour bus ride from the nearest city, Chengdu.
The Antarctic Peninsula is an isolated, virtually uninhabited, frozen landmass and if you’re seeking solitude, you’ve come to the right place. Get in touch with Adventure Life to arrange a remote expedition (and don’t forget that you can only visit in the Antarctic summer between November and March).
Wildlife in the Antarctic Peninsula is most active in the austral summer months, and penguins migrate here to breed and feed on Antarctic krill, fish and squid. Standing in the middle of a crowded penguin colony is certainly an unforgettable experience.
The region is sadly experiencing the impact of climate change. There's been a major increase in CO2 absorption levels over the summer months in the peninsula due to climate change, a study analysing CO2 levels by the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University discovered. The shift could lead to more CO2 in the air and more global warming worldwide, highlighting the need for tighter monitoring of the area.
Fly around 434 miles (700km) northeast from Sydney and you'll find Lord Howe Island, an idyll of vanilla-coloured beaches and crystal-clear waters. To preserve its natural beauty only 400 visitors are allowed at a time and it's home to only around 382 permanent residents.
Lord Howe is so remote there's only limited mobile phone reception. But the incredible marine life more than makes up for the lack of instant access to Instagram – with over 500 species of fish swimming about, it's a quiet paradise for snorkellers and scuba divers. If you prefer dry land, you can hike up the magnificent Mount Gower or awe at the huge flocks of seabirds that nest on the island each year.
Nestled inside the Grand Canyon is Supai, the capital of the Havasupai Indian Reservation and often billed as the most remote community in the lower 48 US states. The area is inhabited by only around 200 residents of the Havasupai Tribe.
The village has no roads, the nearest being eight miles (13km) away, so it's only accessible via helicopter or by hiking or riding a mule through a challenging trail.
To visit and camp you need to book well in advance, with camping reservations for a minimum of three nights. Being organised will pay off however, as once you're inside the reservation you'll have access to the pristine year-round waterfalls. There are five in total: Navajo Falls, Fifty Foot Falls, Havasu Falls, Beaver Falls and Mooney Falls, pictured here.
The Galápagos is an isolated group of islands 605 miles (973km) off the west coast of Ecuador. Famous for being the place that inspired naturalist Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species, the diversity of wildlife here is mind-blowing.
The archipelago is a harsh and remote land where species have adapted to survive. The Galápagos is home to over 300 different reptile species and birds such as the Blue-Footed Booby; 50% of the world’s breeding pairs live here.
Wildlife is the big draw here and the Galapagos Conservation Trust is best to contact about a visit. The company organises an annual eco-focused supporter cruise, although numbers are limited to only 15.
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