WILDERNESS LODGES

There are resorts that sit amid the wilderness. Then there are those that truly embrace it, providing a backdrop for adventures that introduce you to all creatures great and small, and landscapes that inspire wonder and awe.

1. USA: THE RESORT AT PAWS UP

This 15,000-hectare working cattle ranch in Montana covers all accommodation bases, from expansive private homes to safari-style glamping tents. There’s also an Island Lodge in the middle of Salmon Lake. Saddle up for epic horse-riding expeditions, try your hand at fly fishing, go boating or kayaking, or even rappel down a mountain. pawsup.com

2. INDIA: AMANBAGH

Sleep like royalty in

Rajasthan’s Amanbagh, set on an estate that was once the personal hunting ground of the Maharaja of Alwar. Step outside and you’re whisker-to-cheek with the arid Aravalli Hills in northern India, home to some of the country’s last remaining tigers, which you can spot on safari. When not wildlife spotting, be sure to visit the neighbouring ghost town. aman.com

3. CHILE: EXPLORA TORRES DEL PAINE

Chilean Patagonia is nature at its most raw and isolation at its most extreme. Luckily, its fragile ecosystem is at the forefront of wilderness retreat Explora Torres del Paine’s priorities. Guided hikes and horseriding expeditions here are unparalleled. Relaxing in the lodge with a malbec and mountain views at the end of the day is equally breathtaking. explora.com

4. CAMBODIA: SHINTA MANI WILD

Deep in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains, Bangkok-based architect and sustainability advocate Bill Bensley has crafted 15 raised tents designed to avoid disturbing vegetation and drainage patterns. In partnership with the Wildlife Alliance NGO, a ranger station has been built on-site, dedicated to keeping the forest tip top. bensleycollection.com

5. RWANDA: SINGITA KWITONDA

As resplendent as Singita Kiwtonda’s eight suites are – complete with plunge pool, indoor and outdoor fireplaces and plush beds – the real eye-candy sits outside. Views of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park will set your heart racing before you even start hiking to glimpse the enormous endangered mountain gorillas that find refuge in these parts. singita.com

6. COSTA RICA: KASIIYA

Costa Rica covers just .03 per cent of the Earth’s surface, yet is home to six per cent of the world’s wildlife. Kasiiya celebrates this natural bounty, its tented suites so hidden amid jungle you’ll feel you have this patch of Guanacaste entirely to yourself. In reality, you share it with whitetailed deer, grey foxes monkeys, birds and butterflies, turtles that hatch on the private beach and much more. kasiiya.com

7. AUSTRALIA: MARRAMARRA LODGE

Marramarra Lodge is just 45 minutes north of Sydney, but a world away in outlook. Step from your bungalow or tent – there are only 14 – and you’re surrounded by forest sacred to Indigenous communities for millennia. Not to mention the waterways, home to oysters and crabs, which may turn up on the menu at the river-to-plate restaurant. Wake to the sound of kookaburras and watch wallabies from your deck. marramarralodge.com

8. CANADA: SONORA

“Welcome to the wild” is the catchphrase of this Relais & Châteaux property, hidden within the ancient rainforest of the Discovery Islands archipelago, a natural magnet for eagles, whales and bears. Off the coast of British Columbia, Sonora is only accessible by water or air. Its setting and seclusion are what make it so special, and your stay here is very much focused around outdoor adventures: kayaking, hiking, cruising, fishing or choppering. sonoraresort.com

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