I am always on the lookout for new experiences when travelling. In most cases, this means simply choosing the somewhat less known places over typical tourist attractions, to make a point of learning more about local traditions, connect with locals and in particular explore the local food scene.
Then, however, there are locations and concepts that offer you these once-in-a-lifetime moments that we all dream to experience one day.
Though I do not have any concrete plans when to go, there are some really exiting places or new concepts that are definitely on my bucket list and I am itching to make them happen soon.
Stay at a floating underwater hotel
Photos: The Manta Resort
The idea to build underwater hotels has emerged a couple of years ago and since there have been more and more examples of places offering rooms that are indeed underwater. Clearly, these are not entire hotels build under water, rather we talk about floating villas that include underwater rooms offering spectacular views of the maritime life.
It must be an incredible experience, although I might actually feel a bit out of my comfort zone spending a night in a room completely under water. But that’s clearly one of the most exiting parts of travelling: doing things you have never done before and that require you do go beyond your own limits.
Stay at an igloo or tree house observing the Nordics Lights
Photos: curtesy the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort
Going to see the Nordic lights is something that has been high on my list for quite a while. And for sure, this in itself would be an unforgettable highlight. But doing this while staying in a glass igloo that offers you direct views at the Nordic Lights right from within your cozy hotel room sounds like an almost unbeatable treat.
Alternatively, I could imagine to do the same thing from a tree house which is a trend that is also catching on in particular across the Nordics.
Visit Bisate Lodge in Rwanda and see the famous mountain gorillas
Having done various safaris in South Africa with the most outstanding wildlife encounters, I’d love to get the opportunity to observe the fascinating Rwandan mountain gorillas in the wild too. It must be an astonishing experience.
I am even more intrigued to go since I saw images of the recently opened Bisate Eco Lodge located next to Volcanoes National Park. It looks to be the ideal place from where to undertake this adventure. Especially since I love unusual architecture with a strong focus on sustainability and fitting into the natural surroundings. In fact, the luxury villas designed in traditional Rwandan style naturally blend into the forest and promises dramatic views over the Bisoke and Karisimbi volcanoes.
Stay at Giraffe Manor
If you are an avid follower of luxury travel blogs or insta feeds, you will have seen images and reviews of this small boutique hotel located in the Lang’ata suburb of Nairobi, Kenya. It is looking absolutely stunning and if you love giraffes as much as I do, this looks an experience not to be missed. It is definitely on my list and I cannot wait to tick it off.
Go check out The Safari Collection’s website for some really amazing images of the estate and the nearby Giraffe centre.
The small herd of endangered Rothshild giraffes living on the estate are actually part of a conservation programme run by an adjacent giraffe centre which breeds and reintroduces breeding pairs of giraffes into the wild to secure the survival of this particular species. So it’s a worthy cause to support.
Spotting polar bears in the wild
There is another wildlife experience that I am really keen to do anytime soon: spotting polar bears in the wild.
Photos: Pixaby
There are perhaps two places in the world that offer you the most stunning opportunities to observe these majestic creatures at close range: Manitoba in Canada (claiming to be the polar bear capital of the world) and Spitsbergen in Norway where there are more polar bears (around 3,000) than people (some 2,700) living in this area.
Do you have a travel bucket list? What unusual places/experiences are you looking to tick off? Or have you done any of them already?
Carrots and Tigers 
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