The World is a pretty populated place. Most people than not long for just a bit of time from the turbulent and unsettled days of working and being productive in different ways. While it is increasingly becoming harder and harder to get some private seclusion, some different places from around the World would quite closely fit the bill if you were looking for some peace and tranquility. However, the nature of some of these areas makes up for exactly some of the very reasons that they are borderline uninhabited. Here are some of the World’s most secluded places;
1. Barrow, Alaska
In a land where the population of caribou is estimated to exceed that of people significantly, and there are absolutely no usable roads that enable its access, it is no surprise that Barrow in Alaska features on the list of the World’s most secluded places. Located at the summit of Alaska, Barrow can only be accessed through a one and a half hour flight from Anchorage. If you are going to visit this place, you had better be prepared for a considerably different life from what you are accustomed to. This is because of environmental factors such as whooping 65 straight days of darkness during winter, and economic factors like a relatively higher cost of living brought about by the scarce population within the area.
2. Siwa Oasis, Egypt
Egypt is widely renowned for its tourist attractions, mainly being the famously recognized pyramids. The Siwa Oasis is, however, a much more isolated place and would require some commitment and strong will to brave the long hours of maneuvering through the desert heat to reach the isolated place. It is located right at the heart of the Western Desert of Egypt and is inhabited by the protected Siwi-speaking community while the Amazigh culture is practiced here. This would be the perfect place to visit if you fancy a dip in Cleopatra’s Bath mineral spring or sleeping in all mud and salt desert eco-lodge.
3. Supai, Arizona USA
If you are planning on visiting this place, you are going to need to either have a helicopter or a horse. In the absence of these two modes of transportation, you would need to be good at hiking as it takes somewhere close to an 8-mile hike to get to this place. Once you get to this village in the Southwestern branch of the Grand Canyon, your mail can be delivered by mule, as is the norm for the people living here. Supai is inhabited by the Havasupai Tribe whose name is derived from the four waterfalls along Havasu Creek, which translates to “people of the Green Blue Waters.”
4. La Rinconada, Peru
Considered to be the highest city in the World, La Rinconada is tucked away in the mountains of Puno province in Peru. It takes a treacherous 6-hour ride on untarmacked roads from the closest city to get to this poverty-stricken region. The high altitude of this small town makes life a little bit more challenging as there is no running water as well as sewerage systems, among other amenities. It offers some pretty breathtaking sites and landscapes though.
5. Torshavn, Faroe Islands
This is one of those places that are not much size-wise but come with quite the character and rich history to back up its heritage. Its name reminding everyone of Thor, the god of lightning in Norse mythology, Torshavn is of a big character despite being the World’s smallest capital city. It is located just between Norway and Iceland. Inhabitants of this place consider their home to be one of the most hospitable places available.
6. Coober Pedy, Australia
It is amazing how this place has managed to maintain a small population of 3,500 people considering it was founded in 1915 when some gem-quality opal was first discovered. It is further puzzling that this population is so small because Australia has its population currently at well over 25 million. This city is accessible by several means of transportation, including a two-hour flight from Adelaide.
7. Changtang, Tibet
While it could set you back a few thousand dollars to visit this place, it would undoubtedly be worth the trouble as there is incomparable history and culture to be explored here. Peaking at an astronomical 9,000 feet above sea level, Changtang is home to the Changpa people who have called this 990-mile stretch of land throughout the Tibetan Plateau their sanctuary for several generations gone.
8. Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland
Pronouncing the name of this town in Greenland is not the only hard part about it, getting there is as well another challenge in itself and has dissuaded a lot of people from experiencing the serene environment offered here. Being the furthest region from any other inhabited area in Greenland, Ittoqqortoormiit would require a chopper ride to get into town. Settlers from Tasiilaq in the Western part of Greenland found a home here. With their settlement in 1925, the population has been remarkably maintained at just under 500 people who pass time sledding and camping. It is an awesome cruise ship destination, and tourists can marvel upon the Northern Lights, among other natural intrigues.
9. Oymyakon, Russia
With the road that leads to this place alarmingly named the road of bones, plummeted temperatures of under -58 degrees and 21 hours of darkness daily, it is not hard to see why Oymyakon in Russia is among the most isolated places on earth. It is considered to be the coldest place on earth, and the 500 people that inhabit the place do not have a lot of options when it comes to agriculture as well as other feeding options. Since they cannot cultivate their food successfully, they rely on frozen fish, reindeer meat and horse blood ice cubes for nutritional survival. A journey to Oymyakon could take a couple of days and ends with a trip through the road of bones on which you would probably want to have someone accompany you through.
