Far From the Crowds: Discovering Solitude in Spectacular Places

Antarctica and the Gobi Desert offer the same invitation: a quiet escape to awe-inspiring vistas where global civilization all but vanishes.

Small Arctic communities like Qeqertarsuaq on Greenland's Disko Island offer a reminder that human life has adapted to even the most remote and demanding environments. dataichi - Simon Dubreuil/Getty Images

In a world where everything seems to get more crowded by the day, where every public place and business is jammed with people and patrons, the value of solitude is immeasurable. And it’s not just being alone—it’s being really and truly away. It’s the feeling of sailing off the map and stepping where, perhaps, no other human has set foot.

Over the course of traveling to more than 120 countries over a span of decades, my favorite destinations have always been remote places. From the Mongolian sands of the Gobi Desert to the furthest reaches of the polar regions, I’ve discovered the joy of the distant and faraway. Here are some of the best, remotest spots I’ve encountered—and how to get there.

Antarctica

The driest, highest, windiest, and coldest continent on earth remains almost wholly undiscovered. Antarctica is, in so many ways, a mind-boggling place. Some 98 percent of the landmass is sheathed in ice, which is, on average, over a mile thick (and more than three miles deep at its thickest). This ice sheet contains more than 90 percent of the world’s surface freshwater.