Fluent City Guides — Traveling in Nature

The last—but not least—stop on our travel series is meant for all of our true explorers. If you’re ready to face the elements for the perfect landscape, and ready to set your phone away to soak in some peace and quiet, here are your upcoming travel plans:

Image via @mariapurrtas on Instagram

1. Chamonix, France

A small village at the base of the Swiss Alps, Chamonix is absolutely breathtaking. Serious skiers can spend their days on the slopes, or take the rail to enjoy the snow-capped views. At the end of the day, you can see travelers sipping drinks and chatting in French with friends at the many outdoor cafés, still dressed in their snow gear. Located at the intersection of Switzerland, France, and Italy, we suggest making it a long trip and doing some extra exploring after your stay here.

Image via @cry.au on Instagram

2. Lake Pehoé, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park is the home of Lake Pehoé, a bright blue body of water encircled by mountains—one of the most picturesque spots on our list. This park is the Chilean portion of Patagonia, a South American region shared by Chile and Argentina, best known for its natural sights. Stay on the trek for temperate rainforests, rivers, and mountains. You’ll want to know some Spanish so you can make friends with any native travelers you come across on your journey.

Image via @glushproject on Instagram

3. Kronotsky Nature Reserve, Russia

When you think Russia, you probably think snowy mountains. You’re not wrong, but there’s definitely more to be seen here, as Kronotsky boasts beautiful plants, hot springs, and even volcanoes. This location is reserved only for the serious: in order to travel here, you must submit an application and be approved to visit the reserve. This is because Kronotsky is often studied as one of the world’s most diverse climates. It’ll definitely help if you know a bit of Russian before you go. If this sounds a bit intensive for you, you can always admire the sights online.

Image via @moosh_i on Instagram

4. Dead Sea, Israel

The Dead Sea is a must-go on any nature lover’s travel list, solely because of its rarity. Being the saltiest body of water on earth, you can expect to see visitors floating naturally, and using its mud as a face and body mask. You’ll want to head here as soon as possible as, unfortunately, global warming has resulted in a huge shrinking of this sea. If you’d like to learn all about the Dead Sea’s healing properties while you’re there, it’ll help to brush up on some Hebrew before you go.

Image via @c.o.u.n.t.r.i.e.s on Instagram

5. Kawachi Fuji Garden, Japan

If you’ve ever wanted to feel like you’re walking into a painting, the Kawachi Fuji Gardens are for you. With two tunnels made entirely of purple wisteria flowers, you’ll want to go when the buds are blooming. Blooming season lasts from April to May, so you may have to plan ahead for a spring trip next year. Luckily, that gives you more than enough time to sharpen your Japanese skills first.

That’s a wrap on our travel series, but if you’ve been loving our Fluent City guides, don’t worry! We’ll be back with all things art, culture, and learning before you know it.