If you are in need of a break from your day to day, busy life, then a vacation full of nature will immediately give you the rest and relaxation you need. Sure you could go to a big city where you will probably have a great time. However, a vacation that requires you to be outside to enjoy it will allow you to unplug from the internet and checking social media accounts and email and give you a sense of calm that you need to relax. Below you will find some of the best vacations to go on if enjoying nature is what you are striving for.
Banff, Canada
This town is located within Banff National Park. It’s one of the most popular destinations for tourists due to the mountains that surround the area and the hot springs. Year round there are a variety of outdoor sports to enjoy including hiking and biking in the spring, summer and fall and skiing in the winter. Around Banff there are several mountain ranges including Mount Norquay, Sulpher Mountain, Tunnel Mountain, Cascade Mountain and Mount Rundle. One of the more popular attractions is the Banff Gondola that takes riders up to Sanson Peak. Another great spot for nature lovers is Lake Minnewanka. It’s located only a few minutes from Banff. Visitors can fish, bike or rent a motorboat to ride around the lake.
Torres del Paine, Chile
This national park is one of the largest parks in Chile, measuring at 242,242 hectares. It’s estimated that around 150,000 people visit it each year. One of the things that makes this park so unique are the three granite peaks of the Paine mountain range. The park is quite popular for its hiking trails. One path, the “W” route, takes about 5 days to complete and there are campsites available to spend the night at. For those that don’t want to rough it while they enjoy nature, there is a very nice hotel located at the park’s entrance. Visitors can see the Southern Patanonia Ice Field which includes the glaciers Tyndall, Pingo and Grey. The best time to visit the park is from late December through late February. During this time the daylight hours tend to be long, which allows for plenty of time for exploration. The weather also tends to be nicer during this time of year.
Denali National Park
This national park is centered on Mount McKinley and is North America’s highest mountain. It huge at over 6 million acres. Within the park there are four areas to camp: Teklanika River, Wonder Lake, Sanctuary River and Igloo Creek. There is nearby lodging as well. In the summer there are ranger-led programs during the day where visitors can learn more about the park. Many travelers come to this national park just to climb Mount Mckinley. Beforehand they will need to obtain a permit and go through a brief orientations class.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is filled with things to do for nature lovers. There’s everything from dry forests, rain forests to cloud forests. The country also has some of the world’s most renowned beaches and it’s a popular place for watersports. One of the most incredible things about Costa Rica is the wildlife. There’s sloths, monkeys and wild cats just to name a few. About 25% of the country consists of protected areas and national parks. These places include Cocos Island National Park, Arenal Volcano, Cahuita National Park, Manuel Antonia National Park, Chirrippo National Park, Corcovado National Park, Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park the Racuare River and Protected Zone.
Galapagos
The small archipelago of islands are fairly remote. They consist of 6 small islands and 13 main ones. Each island does allow visitors, but there is a limited amount allowed at one time in order to protect the land and the wildlife. One of the interesting things about the wildlife in the Galapagos is that they tend to be very tame and it’s not uncommon to see an animal laying on a path without even moving as a visitor strolls by it. Biking tends to be popular here as it provides a quick way to get from one spot to another. Bike rentals are available on Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Isabela for about $15 a day. Other popular activities include snorkeling, hiking and scuba diving. The Galapagos National Park is another great place for nature lovers to explore. There a lot to see there and camping is allowed at specified sites.
