Travel is the only thing you buy that can make you richer. Think about it. It brings people together, it broadens horizons, it helps people find themselves, it fosters appreciation and understanding for different cultures, it reprioritises what’s important in life, and so much more.
To truly rejuvenate the soul and make us richer, travel should be experienced through all five – make that six – senses. When exploring those wild and wonderful places on our bucket lists, it is up to us to really make the most out of the adventure and turn it into a journey of the senses.
To see the jaw-dropping landscapes, vibrant cultures and wondrous wildlife.
To hear the roar of a lion, the distant rumble of thunder and the melodious, almost hypnotic, tribal music.
To taste the fiery flavours, local delicacies and irresistible desserts.
To smell the earth after a storm, the fresh grass and fragrant flowers, and the wafting scent of chefs whipping up impossible-to-resist meals.
To touch the earth, the textiles, the trees and the hearts of others.
And the sixth sense? A sense of humour of course. Travel should be enjoyed. It should make us smile contagiously, laugh uncontrollably and it should remind us never to take ourselves too seriously.
And so, just in time for #ValentinesDay, here are 10 sensory experiences for wanderlust travellers seeking to travel with their senses and enjoy some unique and truly unforgettable adventures in Africa, Asia and South America.
See
1. View the world from above
Float peacefully, high above the clouds, in a hot air balloon and get a bird’s eye view of the dramatic scenery below.
2. Watch something gnu
It’s a ‘gnu’ year, so get out there and witness the enormous herds of the Great Migration, as far as the eye can see.
Image © Aboutwalib Gunda.
Hear
3. Listen to the night sounds
Sleep in tented luxury, with nothing but a sheet of canvas in between you and the evocative nights sounds of Africa.
4. Hear the Delta symphony
Glide serenely through the channels of the Okavango Delta and enjoy the chorus of the reed frogs and the haunting cries of the fish eagle.
Taste
5. Savour the spices
Leave your diet at home and tuck into the endless array of fiery flavours, sweet spices and mouth-watering menus of India.
6. Devour the delicacies
Taste your way through South America. We’re talking pisco sours, ceviche, alfajores, tender steaks, empanadas and more.
Smell
7. Inhale the aromas
Take a deep breath and enjoy the fragrant scents of vanilla, cloves, lemongrass and more as you explore a plantation on Spice Island.
8. Stop & smell the roses
There are (literally) soft, sweet-smelling, long-stemmed roses around every corner at &Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge.
Touch
9. Get hands-on with a gentle giant
Make a difference to conservation and get up close and personal with a critically endangered rhino. Read more.
10. Kiss a giraffe
Share your breakfast, and a morning kiss if you dare, with the long-legged beauties of Kenya’s world-famous Giraffe Manor
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