Benefits of Nature Travel

The Benefits of Nature Travel immersing yourself in nature is an ancient remedy to reduce stress, and restore strength, which are some of the main reasons most of us travel, right?

However, a good place to get to experience the Benefits of Nature Travel rolling hills and gushing waterfalls are rarely around the corner from modern cities filled with shops, art galleries and museums, so sometimes you have to decide between exploring a culturally-rich city or escaping to the outdoors.

These days, exploring the great outdoors isn’t always a priority when travelers are adding adventures to their ever-growing bucket lists. Technology has spread throughout the world, making it hard to catch someone without a smartphone in their hand.

Over time, we have developed a shorter attention span and are often in search of instant gratification when it comes to entertaining ourselves. If going outside and hiking two miles fails to capture the imagination, we might decide to opt out and instead do something more engaging on our travels.

Nature travel offers the thrill of discovering something new, or at the very least, something only a fraction of people have seen in person. Feel the delight of taking in scenic views from a crisp mountaintop while a doe silently wanders below with her fawn, or the excitement of snorkeling at an untouched coral reef.

There is something special about the opportunity to experience rare moments of nature in the flesh. I for one, relish the looks of envy from my friends when I recount experiences like swimming with whale sharks in the wild.

Connection to nature

Health and science experts have determined that deepening our connection to nature is extremely important for boosting our overall health, mood, and mental clarity. After all, we weren’t meant to seclude ourselves indoors, staring at white walls for most of our days!

There are endless benefits to spending time outdoors, and doing so is the perfect escape from the busy urban world we can get caught up in. If you’re an avid traveler, being outside and taking the time to connect with nature is a welcome response from hustling between sightseeing spots. It gives you time to recharge, soak up some sun, and restore your energy.

Not the most outdoorsy person? You’re in luck! You don’t need to spend a week roughing it in the depths of the wilderness in order to reap the benefits of connecting with nature.

Taking a break to go on a nice walk through your local park or a nearby forested area can do wonders. Think of it as your daily vitamin dose of greenery. In fact, the more you immerse yourself in the outdoors, the more benefits you will be able to enjoy! Venture off the beaten path with friends or family for extended periods of time and you’re sure to have a fun-filled trip that will leave you feeling refreshed.

Of course, the best way to cultivate a deeper connection with nature is to be more involved in it. Nature gives her gifts freely and we are rewarded with a deeper respect for the world and those in it. A walk through nature can get your creative juices flowing, help clear your head, or give you a much-needed sense of inner peace.

The world is full of spectacular natural wonders that can both fascinate and educate, so what are you waiting for? Whether it’s participating in an ecological program with Worldpackers, practicing mindfulness outside, or learning a new outdoor skill, there are numerous ways to connect with nature as you travel!

Nature is Beautiful

While larger cities may boast impressive skylines, there is nothing quite as beautiful as nature. It is hard not to be awestruck in the presence of an alpine meadow in full bloom, a golden seaside landscape at sunrise, or a sprawling red rock canyon.

Perhaps the captivating presence of nature stems from the fact that it is alive, powerful and ever changing. A glacier is spectacular because of the way it carves through stone and shapes valleys. Even when all seems dead in the thick of winter, renewal is taking place below the surface.

The benefits of nature travel don’t stop at improving your fitness. Research has shown that being in the outdoors, even for just a short period, can improve your mood and reduce stress.

Immersion in nature can evoke pleasant feelings and reduce a negative mental state along with emotions of anger, hopelessness, anxiety and fear. In turn, positive changes to your mood can improve your physical health, specifically your endocrine, parasympathetic nervous and immune systems. If you are active during your nature vacation, you likely will have an endorphin rush which helps to relieve stress and anxiety even further.

Some of these benefits can be reaped after only half an hour in nature, so imagine how much better you will feel if your whole getaway is spent amongst the outdoors.

Go at Your Own Pace

Modern lifestyles tend to be go-go-go. Getting away to nature is an opportunity to unplug, be present in the moment, and forget your to-do-list woes. Nature has no “hours of operation” (although some parks and campgrounds may close their gates during certain hours), so you can travel at your own pace. You can be as active as you want for as long as you want.

Nature encourages you to move slowly and listen to the natural rhythm of your body. Everything around you moves slowly. Wildlife migrates with the changing of the seasons; trees take years to tower above you and streams carve mountains over centuries.

When in nature, you are playing by a different set of rules, your own.

There is something invigorating about standing literally on top of the world after climbing a mountain. Or the feeling you have upon reaching your destination after several days of hiking. Nature gives a sense of achievement unparalleled by anything else. It’s very similar to and no less addictive than the high runners feel after completing a marathon.

In nature, you also feel like you are part of something greater than yourself. It is hard not to feel small next to an old growth cedar. Witnessing the harmony present in every interaction evokes a sense of wonder.

It is so easy to become disconnected from ourselves and the world in our city-bound lives. Spending some time with Mother Nature is a quiet reminder that you’re an important part of the cycle.

Challenge of Your Limits

Often during a nature trip, you will encounter a healthy challenge of your limits, whether mental or physical. You might overcome nervousness to try a new activity, like rock climbing, or find you have pushed yourself further than you’ve gone before by snowshoeing a more difficult route or beating a personal best time on a familiar trail.

City vacations also provide opportunities to challenge your limits, but you tend to need to seek them out, while they are ingrained around every corner of the outdoors.

I have definitely felt challenged trying to MacGyver a solution upon realizing I’ve forgotten gear at home. Usually, if something important was left behind, I’d simply turn around to retrieve it or purchase a replacement, but miles away from civilization, these are not viable options. I had to problem solve and make do with what I had. At the time I was beyond frustrated at my stupid mistake, but the feeling of achievement upon finding a solution was pretty incredible.