The Honeymoon: Adventures for Thrill-Seeking Couples
Alternative adventures for couples who can't sit still...
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While it’s who you’re with that matters, finding the perfect destination can’t hurt either. Here’s our pick of off-the-beaten-track honeymoons that aren’t your standard week in Paris.
Chilean Epic, Chile
Beginning in the Atacama Desert, take a 13-night adventure down through Chile. Stay at the five-star Awasi lodge in San Pedro, that’s built into the desert landscape, from which you can explore the Valley of the Moon, geyser fields at El Tatio, and spot flamingos in the Altiplano lakes. Two nights at the Ritz Carlton in lively Santiago with its thriving culinary scene and emerging art movement precede a journey south to the Torres del Paine National Park, where the Singular Patagonia will take newlyweds on a private speedboat to the hauntingly beautiful glaciers and sea lion colonies (with few tourists in sight). Stay just outside the park at the remote Awasi Patagonia with jaw-dropping views across deep blue lakes from stand-alone cabins. Finish with a few gourmet nights at Vina Vik in Central Valley, just outside Santiago, where you can ride and cycle through Chile’s finest vineyards.
BOOK IT: From £11,200 based on two sharing, including flights. scottdunn.com
Ski East, Japan
Scale Japan and absorb its mesmeric culture with Powder Byrne’s ten-night itinerary, from the Niseko slopes to the vibrant cities of Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. With four resorts, Niseko caters to all levels of skier with some of the driest, lightest powder in the world. Walk off any ski legs in former imperialist capital, Kyoto, teeming with iconic pavilions and temples, before catching the bullet train to Tokyo to explore the Tsukiji fish market and the Yoyogi Park.
BOOK IT: £3,750, excluding flights. powderbyrne.com
Island Safari, Galápagos Islands
Explore the Galápagos Islands without being confined to a boat with Metropolitan Touring’s Island-2-Island ‘safari’. Stay at the Finch Bay Galápagos Hotel and Scalesia Lodge – and hike the active Sierra Negra volcano, or swim with whitetip reef sharks and sea lions from Finch Bay’s private yacht. On mainland Ecuador, peddle through Cloud Forest’s canopy at eco- conscious Mashpi Lodge.
BOOK IT: From £4,250, including flights. originaltravel.co.uk
Animal Magic, Tanzania
Begin with a classic Big Five game safari at Singita’s private 350,000-acre reserve on Tanzania’s Serengeti plains. Stay in the Sabora Tented Camp, an eccentric spin on a 1920s explorer camp. From one breathtaking setting to another, honeymooners can combine this trip with a week at Rwanda’s Singita Kwitonda Lodge on the edge of the Volcanoes National Park, where an estimated 320 mountain gorillas find sanctuary in the cloud forests. Explore the Afro Montane forests of the Nyungwe National Park or venture into the vibrant capital, Kigali.
BOOK IT: Suites from US$1,500. singita.com
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