Many of us live in big cities that we never seem to leave. And for our well-being, that’s a problem. As people, we need nature. It’s restorative.

Usually, we don’t have time to get out of the city, but when we travel, that’s the opportunity. A few ways you can turn your love of going overseas into something that connects you with nature.

Choose A Destination In Nature

It might seem obvious, but choosing a destination in nature is one of the best ways to have the experience you want. You can find some stunning locales that will meet your biological and psychological requirements.

Ideally, you want to visit places with minimal human interference. These often offer the best vistas and give you a chance to really break away from your life before (whatever that may have been).

Plan Low-Impact Travel

Another thing you can do is plan low-impact travel. The idea here is to move lightly through nature, not disturbing it and certainly not contributing to pollution or other environmental harm.

The most sustainable accommodation options include eco-lodges and pop-up camper rentals. You can also use cabins and campgrounds to reduce your overall impact significantly.

Packing light and green also makes a difference, especially for long-distance flights. The less weight that’s on the aircraft, the smaller the impact will be.

Engage In Something Immersive

During your trips into nature, make sure you engage with something immersive: hiking, swimming in natural bodies of water, and trekking can make a world of difference.

You’ll want to start with apps like Gaia GPS. What’s nice about these is that they let you travel through places that most people wouldn’t usually go because they wouldn’t know where they were. However, once you download maps in advance and connect to GPS, you can always see your location and the direction of travel to get help.

Some of these services also come with an SOS feature. These are great because they allow you to get helicopter assistance whenever you need it.

Disconnect

You also want to make sure you disconnect from the urban world psychologically when you travel into nature. You don’t want the phone ringing all the time, especially when you’re trying to enjoy time by the lake or beside a meadow.

The best way to do this, of course, is to avoid technology. While you might need some tech, you certainly don’t need to spend as much time with it as you might during your regular home life.

Practicing presence is also a good idea if the goal is to disconnect from the world. Reconnecting with your true nature is essential if you want to move forward.

Respect Nature

Finally, you want to respect nature. Following the “no trace” principle is critical if you want to protect the environment and leave it in a condition that future generations can enjoy.

If there’s the opportunity to support local communities, you can do that, too. Buying from local guides or artisans is always an option.