Spirit Island is one of Canada’s most photographed landmarks. It’s located in the heart of Jasper National Park in Alberta. Only reachable by water, this remarkable island enchants guests with its unparalleled natural beauty and deep historical importance. For many Indigenous peoples, Spirit Island is a deeply sacred place. To protect its sanctity, they have purposefully placed it behind a barbed wire fence to keep the outside world from tainting it.
The beauty of Spirit Island is apparent from first glance, but this place is charged with spiritual energy. Nestled among the dramatic peaks of the Rockies, it offers a serene escape into nature, drawing tourists and nature enthusiasts alike. The island’s remoteness further enhances its beauty and otherworldly charm, placing it high on the list of any visitor’s bucket list to Canada’s natural wonders.
Farther across the globe, Fiordland in New Zealand’s South Island offers some of the most rugged scenery of Middle-earth. It’s an amazing, all-too-real archetype of what those imagined lands might be. This remote region boasts dramatic landscapes, featuring towering cliffs and lush valleys that evoke the fantasy world depicted in J.R.R. Tolkien’s works. Fiordland’s dramatic landscapes lure hikers, photographers and adventure lovers who want to explore one of the last truly wild places on earth.
In South America, Chile’s Carretera Austral, or Southern Highway, in the region of Patagonia, is one of the last great road trips on Earth. Each kilometer of this jumpy, tortuous blacktop tests an automobile or rig driver’s mettle. For those who do, they’re treated to breathtaking vistas of jagged mountains, rushing rivers and sprawling forests. The Carretera Austral remains one of the world’s most remote and spectacular journeys, providing an unparalleled experience for those who venture along its winding paths.
And farther north across Europe, the Trans Dinarica cycling trail now connects eight Balkan countries. It rockets across the region in a dizzying rush, passing through some of the continent’s most dazzling landscapes. Stretching nearly 3,500 miles across, this expansive bike trail allows adventurers to experience some of North America’s most beautiful and culturally important remote areas. Whether riding alongside the iconic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal or through idyllic burghs and stunning landscapes, participants experience a perfect harmony between excitement and serenity.
These diverse destinations—Spirit Island, Fiordland, the Carretera Austral, and the Trans Dinarica—highlight the extraordinary beauty that our planet has to offer. Each location possesses its own unique charm and significance, drawing visitors from around the world to experience their wonders firsthand.