From stays in Canadian log castles to your very own, private airport lounge, here’s what you should be looking at when researching your next holiday
The days of spending your holidays visiting tourist traps sights, ticking off every historical church and enduring death by museum are over, because we know, you know, and everyone who loves to travel knows that the modern traveller is hungry for experiential travel. That means getaways coloured by unique, one-off experiences and immersive, local adventures you’ll want to share with your friends and family. Well, American travel advisor Chad Clark is making this new attitude to travel official, having last year introduced a system of “certifying” unique travel experiences and releasing an annual Top 25 list.
On announcing the Top 25 for 2018 earlier this week Clark told Forbes: “You have Michelin for restaurants and Forbes Travel Guide for hotels and spa ratings, and golf magazines for Top 100 course lists, but there is nothing like that for experiences and that’s what everyone is looking for today.” And some of the top luxury hotels around the world agree with him, with the likes of Aman and Oberoi already displaying ‘Chad Clark Travel Ventures Certified™ Experiences’ certificates alongside their Michelin stars and 5-Star and Diamond plaques.
Two Aussie experiences made this year’s list, including Southern Ocean Lodge’s Kangas and Canapés signature sunset drinks in the wild experience, and luxury travel agent The Tailor’s Northern Territory Arnhemland Cultural Safari. A jet boat training session and pop-up picnic in New Zealand also made the cut, along with LT favourite, Canada’s Fogo Island Inn.
But enough talk, let’s find out what we should all be doing on holiday over the next 12 months, shall we? Here are our top twelve picks from Chad Clark’s Top 25:
Holistic Immersion in the Birthplace of Yoga
Ananda, Himalayas, India
Guests can experience luxury and ultimate wellbeing all at once with a customised wellness program based on the traditional sciences of Ayurveda and yoga. Set amid the Himalayan foothills, Ananda is perched on a 100-acre Maharaja’s palatial estate within the birthplace of yoga for a yoga retreat quite unlike any other.
The Ultimate Himalayan Village-to-Village Walk
Banyan Tours/Shakti Lodge, India
Spend your days trekking in a remote and beautiful region of the Himalayas known for its gentle people, lush surroundings and sweeping views of the Panchachuli Himalayan Range. This private guided village-to-village walk will see you staying at three beautifully renovated village houses along the way.
The Chilko Experience in a Canadian Log Castle
British Columbia, Canada
Who doesn’t want to stay in a castle? Well with the Chilko Experience in British Columbia you can stay in multiple log castles by night and take in the glacial-fed waters, rushing rivers, bears, salmon and soaring eagles on this world-class adventure by day.
