The Solo Traveller
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The Wishlist
Some places live in our imagination long before we ever get there – and for many of us, that’s exactly where they’ll stay. ‘The Wishlist’ is for those dream-worthy destinations where indulgence knows no limits … with coordinates so exclusive that even your GPS gives up! Impossible? Maybe. Irresistible? Always. It’s pure escapism – and we’re entirely here for it!
Okavango Delta, Botswana. Photographer: Ulrico Zampa.
Wilderness Jao Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana
In the heart of the Okavango, on a remote island where water and land blend into one, Wilderness Jao Camp invites you to discover one of the richest safari experiences in the Delta. Surrounded by riverine forests and vast floodplains, this camp is the archetypal Okavango destination, a place where nature’s dynamism meets thoughtful design and warm hospitality.
Jao’s architecture is a sculptural marvel of natural and recycled materials, steel, wood and glass that evokes the landscape and light of this exceptional wilderness. Towering, spacious interiors frame lush views, elevated walkways thread through tall trees, and the signature bird’s‑nest pool gazebo perched at the water’s edge captures the Delta’s serenity.
Guests choose between five expansive safari suites and two villas, each offering private plunge pools and generous outdoor decks. The villas come with dedicated butlers, private chefs, and guides and safari vehicles, providing a level of personalised service that transforms every moment into a curated experience.
At Jao, where locally grown ingredients and traditional recipes give each meal a sense of place, cuisine becomes part of the journey, and the camp’s impressive wine cellar invites leisurely evenings before the fire. The award‑winning spa, gym with bush views, and library provide refined spaces to unwind between sightings.
Sunrise over the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Photographer: Palenque.
Left: A mother elephant with her calf, Okavango Delta, Botswana. Photographer: Colin Watts; and Okavango Delta, Botswana. Photographer: Colin Watt.
Okavango Delta, Botswana. Photographer: Felix M Dorn.
The range of activities reflects the diversity of the Delta itself. Guests explore the waterways by boat or traditional mokoro canoe, venture on guided game drives in search of lions and elephants or enjoy seasonal catch‑and‑release fishing. For those craving an unforgettable night under the stars, the Star Bed sleep‑out offers a rarified wilderness encounter.
Here, in a landscape that supports over a hundred bird calls and teeming wildlife, Wilderness Jao Camp stands as a testament to safari luxury defined not by excess, but by engagement with place – an unforgettable escape where every detail enhances your connection to one of Africa’s most extraordinary ecosystems.
To learn more, visit Wilderness Destinations here.
The Pride of Africa. Image courtesy Rovos Rail.
The Pride of Africa: slow luxury and wild beauty
There are our journeys, and then there are our declarations – clear statements of intent, self-worth, and self-value. The Pride of Africa is the latter: a rolling work of art that redefines what it means to cross a continent. Often described as the world’s most luxurious train, it glides through Southern and Eastern Africa at an unhurried pace, stitching together landscapes most of us will only ever glimpse from the air. Savannahs, escarpments, waterfalls, river plains and distant mountains unfurl beyond panoramic windows while life onboard moves to the rhythm of a bygone golden age.
As Sarah Kingdom writes for A Luxury Travel Blog: “The Pride of Africa offers so much more than mere rail transportation. The sleeper coaches, all with ensuite bathrooms, combine original Edwardian features and fittings with all the modern amenities you’d expect from a 5‑star stay. Befitting such a journey, you have a dedicated host/ess at your call as well as around-the-clock room service. With a spacious suite all to yourself, you can pass the days relaxing, or mingling with fellow passengers, while the beauty of Southern Africa’s scenic landscapes passes by your window.”
The Pride of Africa’s Room Service. Image courtesy Rovos Rail.
Left: The Pride of Africa’s Royal Suite; and the Pride of Africa’s Royal Suite Bathroom. Images courtesy Rovos Rail.
Left: The Pride of Africa’s Dining Car; and the Pride of Africa’s Lounge Car. Image courtesy Rovos Rail. Images courtesy Rovos Rail.
The Pride of Africa’s Observation Car at Sunrise. Image courtesy Rovos Rail.
This is Africa experienced with reverence and restraint – slow travel elevated to an indulgent, immersive, and deeply considered art form. A journey for travellers who understand that true luxury is not excess, but time … and who believe that how we travel matters just as much as where we are going.
The exterior view of the Cabane Tortin. Image supplied.
Cabane Tortin – Europe’s highest private-use mountain retreat
High above Verbier’s 4 Vallées, the experiences at Cabane Tortin – Europe’s highest private-use mountain retreat – blend adventure, gastronomy, and rare seclusion at 3,000 metres (9,800 feet). Having redefined one of Switzerland’s most enduring traditions with exceptional luxury and a deep respect for the environment, Cabane Tortin offers mountaintop saunas, glacier sundowners, and immersive encounters with local cheesemakers, further elevating what it means to experience the Alps in style.
Accessible only by gondola, skis, or snowmobile, the exclusive-use property offers a rare sense of seclusion. Set amid sweeping glaciers and star-filled skies unspoiled by artificial light, Cabane Tortin blends architectural restraint with natural grandeur. Designed by award-winning architect Snorre Stinessen, the retreat operates entirely off-grid, drawing spring water from the mountain, harnessing solar energy, and utilising locally sourced stone and timber to harmonise with its alpine surroundings.
Inside, the cabane is defined by understated elegance, featuring panoramic living spaces, a walnut-clad sauna, and bespoke detailing throughout. Guests are attended to by a private chef, concierge, and IFMGA-certified mountain guides who curate each day from dawn’s first tracks to private evening descents. A 1:4 guide-to-guest ratio ensures your safety and exclusivity across the 4 Vallées’ extensive terrain. They will organise private ski instruction as well as heli-skiing, husky-dog sledding, tandem paraglider flights, snowshoeing, ski-touring, private evening and night skiing, and everything in-between to ensure your stay is lasting and memorable.
“A 1:4 guide-to-guest ratio ensures safety and exclusivity across the 4 Vallées’ extensive terrain. They will organise private ski instruction as well as heli-skiing, husky-dog sledding, tandem paraglider flights, snowshoeing, ski-touring, private evening and night skiing, and everything in-between to ensure your stay is lasting and memorable”.
At this altitude, dining takes on a ceremonial rhythm prepared by the cabane’s resident chef, highlighting the region’s seasonal ingredients and classic Swiss flavours. Mornings begin with generous breakfasts before a day of guided exploration across the surrounding glaciers and valleys. Evenings unfold with cocktails and canapés, followed by a five-course dinner that serves as the day’s quiet crescendo. Quintessential Swiss dishes such as fondue, artisan chocolate, and carefully selected local wines, anchor each meal in the region’s culinary heritage.
Left: The view from the Cabane Tortin’s dining room; and one of the Cabane Tortin’s bedrooms. Images supplied.
In the Alps, most private accommodations are described as chalets (large, village-based houses with luxury services). A cabane, by contrast, is rooted in the mountain hut tradition – perched high above the resorts, surrounded only by peaks and slopes, and designed as a retreat deep in the alpine landscape. Cabane Tortin blends these two worlds. Architecturally and in comfort, it offers the standard of a luxury chalet. But in spirit and location, it is a true cabane – off-grid, ski-in/ski-out at 3,000 metres and entirely immersed in nature. This distinction gives guests the intimacy of a private chalet and the authenticity of a mountain hut, in one experience found nowhere else in the Alps.
This feature includes information provided by international news agencies and public relations representatives, published here with editorial oversight. You can read The Solo Traveller Group’s editorial policy regarding external sources here.