Interest in road trips has greatly increased over the past few months. While it may not be possible to jump in a car and go just yet, here are a few fabulous road trips to plan - both throughout the US and internationally - for when travel opens up again.
Journey Across Patagonia with Quasar Expeditions
Patagonia is a frontier ripe for exploration and perfect for an adventurous road trip. Quasar Expeditions offers customizable Overland Jeep Safaris throughout the region ranging from 6-11 days. The tours are completely independent of a guide or leader, allowing guests to pilot their own Jeep and rely on the state of the art navigation systems in their vehicle, giving them the freedom to stop and go as they please. In addition to hitting the road, explorers can take in the beauty of Patagonia with an action-packed hiking or kayaking tour and access to top highlights in both the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile and Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina. Guests can expect to see an abundance of wildlife throughout their trip, including armadillos, foxes, pumas, and deer as they drive on the open roads. Plus, travelers stay at some of the top hotels and lodges in all of South America along their route, allowing them to experience the best of both worlds.
Road Trip to Saint-Tropez From Lyon
Since the 1960’s Saint-Tropez has long been a getaway destination for French locals and international guests a like. Once a humble fishing village, Saint-Tropez is now widely known as one of the most high profile coastal retreats in the world. About a four and a half hour straight shot drive from Lyon, road trippers can make for a longer journey with stops along the way at the Rhône Valley for wine and vineyards or Orange for UNESCO-listed Roman ruins and ancient monuments. Another option is Vallon-Pont-d’Arc for natural stone arches, gorges, and pre-historic cave paintings. Once arriving to Saint Tropez after a long drive, Hôtel Lou Pinet is an excellent luxury hideaway to decompress and unwind. Embodying the bohemian charm of Saint-Tropez, Hôtel Lou Pinet has been strategically located between Place des Lices and peninsula’s most sought-after beaches — an exclusive address dating back to the 1960s before fever took hold of the little village. The hotel features 26 guest rooms and 8 suites - each bathed in natural light with private gardens, spa in partnership with Tata Harper, two bars, its very own BeefBar restaurant butcher shop, and the largest pool in Saint-Tropez tucked away in a secret garden. The garden serves as a majestic backdrop to the hotel’s grand emerald green swimming pool, spacious terrace and the hotel’s three houses, an ideal space for relaxing after a long drive.
Johannesburg-Shambala Private Game Reserve Road Trip
For a safari experience close to Johannesburg, an excellent lodge is Zulu Camp at Shambala Private Game Reserve, just a two and half hour drive up north from the city. While the drive is short for a road trip, there are pitstops along the route to make for a longer and memorable journey and to stretch out stiff legs. One fun way to break up the drive is a stop at Bela-Bela to soak into the restorative waters of the historic and well known hot springs that were once used for healing purposes by Tswana people hundred of years ago. Another stopover on the way is the the city of Pretoria which offers contemporary cooking and craft beer, historic buildings, monuments, museums and its beautiful botanical gardens. Once drivers arrive to Shambala Private Game Reserve, they will find themselves situated on nearly 25 acres in the Limpopo Province, where Zulu Camp is set under the watchful guardianship of the picturesque, malaria-free Waterberg mountains, and the magnificent African bushveld is home to a variety of remarkable flora and fauna including The Big Five. Zulu Camp was built in traditional Zulu style and designed as honeycomb-shaped chalets with streams from the nearby river running through the camp. At Shambala Private Game Reserve, guests can enjoy bush picnics, game drives, star gazing, guided bush walks, interactions with the Big Five, game research and monitoring, and sundowner cruises on the Douw Steyn Dam.