Remote landscapes still exist in places where weather, geography, and wildlife shape daily life. In some regions, sea ice controls ship routes for days at a time. In others, mountain passes, volcanic tracks, or desert valleys continue operating much as they have for generations. These are destinations where the landscape becomes part of the experience, whether that means crossing black-sand plains in Iceland, trekking through high Himalayan villages in Bhutan, or diving beside sea lions in the Galápagos.
The destinations below are completely different from one another, yet share the same appeal: access to places that still feel remote, physically demanding, and closely connected to local geography and conditions.
The Svalbard archipelago feels remote even by Arctic standards, with huge glaciers, drifting sea ice, and mountain ranges stretching across much of the landscape. Travellers interested in exploring this region often look into the top cruises to Svalbard in Norway because these expeditions provide access to isolated fjords, wildlife areas, and remote coastlines that are otherwise extremely difficult to reach. Around Longyearbyen, snowmobiles line the roads, and polar bear warning signs appear near Road 228 and the old coal mining areas above Adventdalen.
Routes often pass through the Hinlopen Strait and near Alkefjellet, where thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots crowd the cliffs during nesting season. Some itineraries also stop near abandoned trapper cabins on Krossfjorden or old hunting stations along the northwest coast. Conditions change constantly here. Fog can close in within minutes, and drifting sea ice regularly forces ships to alter course across the archipelago.
Back in Longyearbyen, travellers usually spend time in Nybyen and the Svalbard Museum before departures. The old mining infrastructure still dominates parts of town, especially near Mine 2B and the rusting conveyor systems above the valley.
Bhutan’s mountain trails move through villages where daily life still revolves around farming, monasteries, and narrow valleys cut between steep Himalayan ridges. Treks near Paro and Bumthang pass prayer walls, wooden bridges, and clusters of whitewashed homes sitting beneath forests of blue pine. In Thimphu, Norzin Lam stays busy with local markets and government workers during the day, though the capital disappears behind mountain roads after only a short drive.
The climb toward Tiger’s Nest Monastery remains one of the country’s best-known walks, though longer routes such as the Druk Path Trek reveal a quieter side of the Himalayas. Campgrounds near Jimilang Tsho and Simkotra Tsho sit beside alpine lakes where yak herders still move livestock during warmer months. Travellers crossing Dochula Pass often stop beneath the 108 chortens before continuing east toward Punakha Dzong and the Pho Chhu valley.
In Bumthang, narrow lanes around Jakar lead to old monasteries like Kurjey Lhakhang and Tamshing Monastery. Higher up, trails begin climbing into remote valleys where snowfall regularly blocks sections of the route well into spring.
Iceland’s Highlands feel completely separate from the coastal towns most visitors see first. Roads marked F-roads cut across volcanic deserts, lava fields, and glacial rivers that can become impassable after heavy rain. Drivers crossing Kjölur or Sprengisandur often travel hours without seeing more than another jeep or a distant mountain hut.
Landmannalaugar remains one of the main entry points into the Highlands, known for its rhyolite mountains streaked with orange, green, and black volcanic rock. Hikers usually follow trails toward Brennisteinsalda or through the Laugahraun lava field, where steam still rises from vents near the walking paths. Further north, the road toward Askja crosses wide plains of black ash before reaching the Víti crater and Öskjuvatn lake inside the caldera.
Conditions in the Highlands change fast, even during summer. River crossings near Þórisvatn and routes around Hofsjökull can close with little warning. In Reykjavík, many drivers prepare vehicles along Skútuvogur before heading inland for several days. Once inside the Highlands, fuel stations and settlements become extremely limited.
The Galapagos Marine Reserve covers a vast stretch of protected Pacific waters where currents attract hammerhead sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, and enormous schools of fish. Diving conditions can be demanding, especially around Wolf and Darwin Islands, where strong currents regularly pull across volcanic walls and deep channels.
Most trips begin from Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island, where fishing boats and dive vessels fill the harbour near Avenida Charles Darwin each morning. Further west, dive sites near Cousins Rock and Cabo Douglas attract marine iguanas feeding underwater along the rocks. At Kicker Rock near San Cristóbal, divers descend cliffs where spotted eagle rays and Galápagos sharks swim through narrow passages below the surface.
Back on land, towns across the islands remain surprisingly small. Streets in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno still centre on local fish markets where sea lions crowd beside cleaning tables, waiting for scraps from returning boats. Inland roads on Isabela pass lava fields and giant tortoise habitats near the wetlands outside Puerto Villamil.
Wadi Rum stretches across southern Jordan in wide valleys surrounded by sandstone cliffs and massive rock formations shaped by wind and heat over thousands of years. The desert roads running through Rum Village quickly disappear into red sand tracks leading toward canyons, arches, and isolated camps beneath the cliffs.
Many routes pass Jebel Khazali, where ancient inscriptions remain visible inside the narrow canyon walls. Within the Wadi Rum Protected Area, travellers often stop at Um Frouth Rock Bridge and the dunes below Jebel Umm ad Dami, the highest mountain in Jordan near the Saudi border. Local Bedouin drivers still navigate much of the desert using landmarks and older routes crossing the valleys between the rock formations.
At sunset, the cliffs near Burdah Arch change colour as the light drops across the sand. Nights in Wadi Rum can become surprisingly cold outside of summer, especially in open desert camps far from the village. Back near the entrance area, small shops along the main road through Rum Village prepare tea over open fires while jeeps return from the desert after dark.
From drifting sea ice in Svalbard to the high passes of Bhutan and the desert valleys of Wadi Rum, these landscapes show how strongly geography still shapes daily life in some parts of the world. Some travellers will remember the silence of Iceland’s Highlands; others will think about sea lions crowding the docks in the Galápagos or dust blowing across the sandstone cliffs of southern Jordan. No two destinations on this list feel remotely alike, which is exactly why choosing between them can be difficult. Photo by Lloyd Woodham on Unsplash
