Into the Wild

Omaanda, a 9,000-hectare private camp near the capital, Windhoek, is the perfect spot to combine wilderness, wildlife and pampering. This is the place to stay for some pre-or post-safari spoils, yet is totally unpretentious despite its high design. There are ten traditional-style round huts, inspired by the architecture of the local Owambo people; some with one bedroom and some with two, so ideal for families. Relax and enjoy distant mountain panoramas, head to the spa for a massage or indulge at the cocktail bar located beside the heated swimming pool with views out over the African plains. Choose between rest and adventure, using your time to be still or go wildlife spotting with your guide. Here you can specifically track for elephant and cheetah or seek out playful meerkats, a great way to spend the morning. There is also an opportunity to accompany vets for a private tour of the Shiloh Wildlife Sanctuary (founded in part by Angelina Jolie), and see the work done by anti-poaching units.

Extend your trip in Namibia with a stay at Omaanda’s sister property Sonop, ten camel-coloured tents camouflaged into the smooth boulders of the NamibRand Desert. Despite its remote location you’ll find a camp that harks back to the Roaring Twenties with four-poster beds and antiques, plus a smart infinity pool, spa and top-of-the-range conservation management program.

Possibly one of the most remote hotels in the world, carbon-neutral Awasi Patagonia is found in a private reserve overlooking the awe-inducing rock-scapes of Torres del Paine National Park. From every viewpoint, visitors are stunned by a range of pristine panoramas from flower-filled pastures, dense forests, jagged mountains and glimmering lakes.  With your own dedicated guide, get up close to these extraordinary landscapes, following a bespoke itinerary based solely around your needs and wishes. Heading out by 4×4, explore the Torres del Paine National Park, watch condors whirl overhead or see a rare puma slink past. Hike to the Laguna Azul (Blue Lagoon) to spot aquatic birdlife or take a fossil tour of a 40-million-year-old geological steppe. Come back to Awasi filled with larger-than-life landscapes and ponder the day in your own hot tub or curl up in front of the log burner in your designer cabin.

Located on the very tip of the Osa Peninsula, on Costa Rica’s west coast, eco-lodge Lapa Rio is set in a remote region of primary rainforest and pristine beaches, overlooking the azure Golfo Dulce. Made up of 17 luxe bungalows, with terraces that share jungle and sea views, the focus is on green living with organic linen and solar-powered alfresco showers. From the hammock on your terrace, you’ll easily spot wildlife including macaws, toucans and a variety of monkeys that crash through the trees. Guided tours will take you deeper into this extraordinary natural environment including rainforest walks, night-time tours and waterfall hikes to spot sloths, poison-dart frogs or maybe even a puma. Coastal treks reveal marine life from the tiny starfish to the mammoth whale and you can get out on the water paddle boarding, kayaking and surfing. Such immersion in wildlife is the main draw here, and the sights and sounds of nature will form an unforgettable soundtrack to your stay here.

Up in the hills of Sri Lanka’s bucolic tea country you’ll find Ceylon Tea Trails, a refined and supremely comfortable place to stay, situated on a tea estate. Historic tea planter residences are scatted around the hilly tea fields creating soothing views and doorstep walks to lakes, waterfalls and mountains. Most who come here though, revel in the peaceful atmosphere and take advantage of Tea Trails excellent service. The colonial-style cottages are steeped in heritage with antique teak furnishings, four-poster beds, roll-top baths and breezy verandas. Each come with its own butler to arrange your stay just how you like it. Expect bed tea, personalised menus, spa treatments booked to the room, and if activity strikes tea plantation tours, croquet games or bikes around the surrounding countryside.