The bar for experiential soft adventure and cultural immersion is being constantly lifted higher. Leading the charge for better and more memorable experiences are luxury hotels. These three properties give us a taste of what happens when a company is committed to offering its guests anything but the same ol’, same ol’.
Oh, Man: Cliff’s-Edge Via Ferrata in Oman
Do you associate a via ferrata — which means “iron route” in Italian — with alpine vistas or snowcapped peaks? The climbing route can be installed in other high-altitude landscapes, too: Take the new Jabal Activity Wall at Oman’s Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, which features a challenging via ferrata along a craggy cliff wall. At the climb’s deepest point, participants can look down 3,280 feet down into a vast canyon. Ending with a jolt of adrenaline, the one-hour climb wraps up with two ziplines. Customizable by skill level, the Jabal Activity Wall experience is guided by two certified instructors and is capped at four guests at a time. It promises to be a high point of any travel itinerary.
www.anantara.com
Guests at Anantara in Oman can get face to face with canyon walls on a new via ferrata.
Credit: 2018 Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar
Horse Whisperer: Equus Experience in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Call it woo woo, call it wellness, but one thing about the Equus Experience at Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe is for sure: It’s bound to be the most unique hour clients have ever spent with a horse. Equus bills itself as an innovative self-mastery and leadership program that revolves around tapping into a horse’s intuition to promote deeper sources of a participant’s own knowledge. Using horsemanship principles — and under the guidance of facilitators — clients will learn how to stay present, develop trust, set boundaries and so much more. Riding is not part of the experience — but cowboy boots are optional.
www.fourseasons.com
Learn leadership skills from an unconventional teacher through the Equus program.
Credit: 2018 Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa FeWhat a Boar: Indigenous-Style Hunting in Fiji
Guests at Nanuku Auberge Resort, located on the main Fijian island of Viti Levu, are welcome to do little more than relax by the beach. But those who prefer to work for their pampering in unique and challenging ways should consider the property’s Indigenous Hunting Experience. Participants — who must have a good level of fitness, high endurance and an open mind — will travel with a Nanuku butler, local guides and a few dogs to a nearby jungle, where they’ll see how Fijians have hunted wild boars for hundreds of years. Instead of modern weapons, guides use bush knives and bamboo spears. The all-day experience is anything but boring.
www.nanuku.aubergeresorts.com
