In today’s online world, the most luxurious trips are those that take visitors back to the basics.
While working at a tech start-up, London-based Hector Hughes found himself tumbling down a path all too familiar to the average nine-to-fiver: He began to feel overwhelmed and burned-out. But instead of continuing the grind, Hughes took himself on a two-week silent retreat in the Himalayas.
“We had to hand our phones over on arrival, and it was this disconnection from technology that I think was the most transformational,” he says. “When I returned, I felt completely recharged and focused — a feeling I hadn’t had in years.”
These types of off-grid escapes are nothing new, but they are becoming more popular. In a February 2023 Booking.com survey, more than half of global travelers reported wanting to go “off-grid” for their next trip. Over the past few years, the travel style has been growing in popularity among members of Indagare, an Equinox Circle partner and members-only, boutique travel-planning company.
This boom may be seen as an antidote to the internet-driven culture of the world today: The “typical” social media user spends two hours and 23 minutes each day using their accounts, according to the latest market research published in DataReportal. Do a little math wizardry, and that means between ages 18 and 80, an adult is estimated to spend more than 17 years of their life using the internet.
“I think it's about connection, ultimately,” says Diana Li, Indagare’s Vice President of Business Development. “Whether it's connection to nature, connection to yourself — it’s to give yourself space to listen, to have these moments to slow down, recharge, and reboot.”
RELATED: When the Journey Is the Goal
Connection was a key goal for Melbourne natives Ben and Kristy Hunt, who created Hunter Huon Valley, an off-grid collection of three exquisitely designed cabins deep in Tasmania’s scenic bushland.
“The concept was always planned to be tech-free to allow couples to get away and have a meaningful conversation and reconnect with each other. We also have many solo travelers book a couple of days to enjoy some peace and quiet on their own, ” says Kristy. “We wanted our guests to feel rejuvenated after their stay. Plus, it just seemed like such a shame to spoil the stunning views with a television.”
Analog travel also enables you to fully immerse yourself in nature and, as Kristy puts it, go “back to a time when things were simpler.” It’s a side effect that Li, who leads Indagare trips to far-flung destinations like the Faroe Islands and prioritizes her own remote escapes, has experienced first-hand.
“I just got back from a trip to Bhutan, and when you're surrounded by the tallest mountains and the Himalayas and you're feeling the gravity of nature and the environment around you, then you can't help but think, ‘Okay, well, I'm just so small,’” Li says. “It puts yourself in perspective with the world and allows you to check yourself a little bit and say, ‘Okay, some of these issues that I have in my mind aren't that big that we can’t solve them.’”
RELATED: De-stress Your Travel
Of course, breaking free from your phone for a few days comes with its own health benefits. Constant exposure to smartphones, computers, and TV can increase stress and anxiety, harm sleep quality, and contribute to hypertension, insulin resistance, and other conditions, according to a 2022 review. Time in nature, however, has been linked with good health and well-being.
That reliance on screens is one of the main reasons guests are drawn to a digital detox through Unplugged, the off-grid cabin rental company Hughes and his friend Ben Elliot created after the transformative Himalayan experience. The cabins are never more than a couple of hours from a city in the U.K., but they provide a total digital detox. “It’s normal (and sometimes expected) for us to be ‘always-on,’” Hughes explains. “...The majority of us hate the fact that we’re online so much, but it’s very hard not to be. The fact our cabins are offline and away from the hustle and bustle allows people to intentionally slow down and switch off.”
At each Unplugged cabin, guests find a lockbox where they are encouraged to store their devices for the duration of their stay, allowing them to truly disconnect and immerse themselves in the beauty of their surroundings.
Tucking your phone away for a few days at a time can be unnerving — but with risk comes reward. “A lot of the time, the thought of going off-grid and offline is scarier than actually doing it,” says Hughes. “People ask, ‘But what will I do for three days?’ — because the idea of being in the middle of nowhere is a little strange. It can take about 24 hours for your mind to settle and get used to being offline. But by day two and three, you feel complete freedom, like you’ve been reset to factory settings.”
Through Equinox Circle, Equinox members have insider access to Indagare’s curated journeys, a 30-day complimentary trial of Self Planner membership, and $100 off annual subscription, plus access to VIP benefits including upgrades, complimentary breakfast, spa credit, and more.