Three Travel Destinations with Totally Unspoiled Scenery

One of the best parts of travel is the opportunity to enjoy views that totally stop you in your tracks. Whether these are landscapes you’ve never been exposed to before, or beautiful examples of the natural world, the diversity of scenery across the earth is something that many people want to experience in all of its splendour.

Unfortunately, there are many instances where human development and industry have encroached on this scenery, shrinking areas of natural beauty and spoiling their impact. Many travellers are now willing to go out of their way to visit destinations that are yet to fall prey to this fate, and instead offer unforgettable experiences of unspoiled landscapes.

In this article, we share three of the best travel destinations with untouched scenery that you can admire and explore.

New Zealand

When it comes to parts of the world with the most jaw-dropping scenery, New Zealand is often a country that’s at the top of the list. Consisting of two main islands, and countless other small ones, floating in the South Pacific Ocean to the east of Australia, it’s a travel destination that has always been particularly popular with backpackers and active adventurers who love to explore parts of the world that feel a little wild.

Despite New Zealand being over 200,000 square kilometres large, the population density across the islands is pretty low, with around 5 million people from a range of cultures. This means that large swathes of the land are totally uninhabited, leading to some truly indescribable natural scenery that is free from development and any human harm.

There’s a brilliant variety of unspoiled scenery to discover in New Zealand as well, from craggy mountain ranges that are covered in snow in the winter, to miles of beaches along the coast where you’ll find surfers many months of the year. You’ve also got acres of forest, lakes and fjords, and the remnants of volcanic peaks that have left craters in the earth.

How to Explore New Zealand

New Zealand is a destination that takes quite a bit of time to get to from almost everywhere else in the world, which means that many travellers choose to stay for an extended holiday here to make the trip worthwhile. With at least several weeks to fill, you’ll probably want to hop between towns and cities, and maybe even between the North and South Islands, allowing you to enjoy as much of New Zealand’s scenery as possible.

Backpacking by hiring or buying a campervan is a classic option for exploring the country, but if you prefer slightly more luxurious choices for accommodation then it’s easy to find hotels or self-catering options. There’s a lot to take in, but many of the best places to stay in New Zealand are all within easy reach of some of the country's most beautiful and unspoiled scenery.

Highlights for your itinerary include Milford Sound, a beautiful and isolated fjord, Mount Taranaki on the west coast of the North Island, which has been legally recognised as a living being in recognition of Māori culture, and the Bay of Islands, which is best explored as part of a guided boat trip. The Coromandel Peninsula is home to plenty of gorgeous scenery, including the famous Cathedral Cove, and Marokopa Falls is one of the best ‘undiscovered’ waterfalls in the Waikato region that is also close to the popular Waitomo Caves.

Patagonia

As a travel destination, Patagonia might not be quite as popular as the clothing brand of the same name with sustainably-minded consumers. Spread across part of both Chile and Argentina, this southern American region is an absolute haven for hikers, with some of the most beautiful and unspoiled scenery in the mountains and hills that you’ll find on the whole continent.

When it comes to the different landscapes, Patagonia is home to the Andes mountain range, the meeting point of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and the impressive Patagonian Ice Cap. There are multiple national parks to explore, all of which have been fiercely protected to ensure that the scenery and wildlife have been allowed to survive and thrive here.

Patagonia is known as one of the world’s last and greatest wildernesses, so it should undoubtedly be on your list of places to travel if you’re looking for views of nothing but the wonder of nature. It’s also a fantastic destination for active holidays, with everything from hiking and kayaking to horse riding and white water rafting to experience.

How to Explore Patagonia

Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia both win plenty of points for their lack of development when it comes to modern infrastructure, but this does mean that it’s not the easiest region to get around. One of your best options is to experience the beauty through guided Patagonia tours, letting experts guide you through an itinerary filled with highlights.

If you’re happy to take a slow travel route, you can get around Patagonia by bus, or, as we mentioned earlier, it’s a brilliant part of the world to hike around. Cycling is a good option for travellers who are experienced in spending long days in the saddle, or if you want to get more connected to the country’s culture, you could opt for a tour of Patagonia on horseback.

Antarctica

When it comes to unspoiled scenery, it doesn’t get much better than hundreds of miles of snow and ice, virtually uninhabited by humans. Antarctica isn’t a holiday destination that many people think about visiting, but if you do decide to brave the journey down to the South Pole you’ll be rewarded with frozen landscapes and unique wildlife that are truly incomparable to almost every other place in the world.

Antarctica is the largest mass of ice in the world, and visiting it is only possible in the summer season between November and March when this ice melts enough to allow ships to reach the notable parts of the continent. You’ll have to cross the infamously chopping Drake Passage or fly to reach it, but if you visit right at the start of the tourist season then you’ll bear witness to fresh snow and ice that hasn’t been traversed by a single person - how’s that for unspoiled?

How to Explore Antarctica

One of the reasons why the scenery in Antarctica is so wonderfully unspoiled is because it’s a destination that is pretty hard to get to. This is great for travellers who want to enjoy frozen landscapes that appear to be virtually untouched by human hands and feet, but means that planning a trip requires more planning than your average holiday.

The only way to see the continent is with a guided Antarctica tour, where you’ll be taken on excursions and get to enjoy activities led by experienced guides. These tend to be part of cruises, as the easiest way to get to Antarctica is by boat, which means that you get your transport, accommodation and itinerary all wrapped up in one convenient package.

Cruises to Antarctica come in all shapes and sizes, from luxury experiences on large ships where you’ll feel like you’re staying in a hotel, to smaller holidays on more practical vessels where you can assist with research and conservation efforts alongside the crew. Different itineraries will allow you to explore different areas and try all kinds of activities, with a good range of different options that will suit everyone’s preferences.

It’s well worth the journey to get to experience some of the most beautiful unspoiled scenery in the world. With the threat of climate change and its irreversible damage to the planet, planning these kinds of trips is now more important than ever.