Pool with a view Kenya
When you take a dip in the spring-fed pool at Sarara in northern Kenya, you look out onto an arc of forested peaks on the remote northern side of the Mathews Mountains. Surrounded by 300sq km of land protected by the Namunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust, the setting alone is majestic enough, but there's more – the infinity pool overflows into a watering hole where animals come to drink. So you may find yourself enjoying the view with an elephant or two. +254 720 888 111, safarilink-kenya.com
Ecolodge Egypt
Deep in the Sahara Desert, on the edge of the Qattara Depression, Adrère Amellal ecolodge in Siwa oasis is a mini-medina, its mud houses made from local materials. There's no electricity and no reception, just a sense of peace and simplicity. Meals are made from homegrown produce and served on a terrace, by a pool or on the sand. If you tire of the panorama, you could take a dip in Siwa's Roman pool, stroll through palm-shaded gardens, visit the Temple of the Oracle of Amun, or ride the smooth waves of the Grand Sand Sea by four-wheel-drive. +202 2736 7879, adrereamellal.net
Voluntourism Brazil
Do you know the difference between Samba no Pé and Samba de Gafieira? Or when to recognise the change in tempo from the Brazilian zouk to the lambada zouk? Jingando Holidays offers excursions to learn the subtle styles of Brazilian dance – as an individual or in a couple. Jingando has responsible tourism credentials, too, helping fund a community centre in Julio Otoni, one of the poorest shanty towns in Rio. You'll help out on an out-of-school activities programme, or a crèche, or get stuck in painting houses. +44 (0)20 8877 1630, jingandoholidays.com
Wildlife Namibia
Few people ever see a cheetah in the wild. As well as being one of the shyest of the big cats, it's also one of the most endangered: perhaps only 10,000 remain, around a quarter of those in Namibia. The Africat Foundation offers the best cheetah-spotting odds anywhere outside a zoo. From the 223sq km Okonjima guest farm near Otjiwarongo, where you stay in luxurious thatched chalets, guides will take you close to cheetahs devouring a kill, or you'll follow on foot as they track impala. +264 67 687 032, okonjima.com
Luxury South Africa
Overlooking one of the Cape's most spectacular bays, Grootbos Nature Reserve in South Africa is a five-star eco-hotel and reserve that's home to more than 6,000 endemic plant species. An area of farmland surrounding the hotel has been cleared of invasive species and replanted with indigenous fynbos, the most diverse floral system on earth. This scene fills the windows that look out from each suite, built from locally sourced stone and wood, towards the sea below. +27 (0) 28 384 8000, grootbos.com
Sailing Grenadines
For many, the Grenadine islands in the Caribbean are the ultimate holiday destination: immaculate white beaches, balmy temperatures, turquoise seas and star-strewn night skies. A good way to see the islands is onboard Fab Safaris' sleek catamaran Vaza Vezo. Powered along by large sails, it is a low-impact means of transport, and you'll enjoy treks in the rainforests, scuba diving, visits to turtle sanctuaries and browsing for arts and crafts in local villages. Then relax in the boat's luxurious cabins. fabsafaris.co.uk
Adventure Bangladesh
In the dense rainforests that line Bangladesh's southeastern border with Burma and India, there are half a million indigenous people belonging to 14 different tribes, yet few tourists make the effort to visit the villages. For those who do, Bangladesh Ecotours takes guests into the Chittagong Hill Tracts to stay with tribes, sharing in feasts, shopping for handicrafts, and often finding themselves the audience for an impromptu song and dance. There's usually the chance for hill trekking, birdwatching, river cruises or visits to nearby temples. bangladeshecotours.com
Culture India
The largest state in India, Rajasthan is also one of the most exciting – home to colourful markets, welcoming cities, vibrant music and delicious cuisine. India-based travel company The Blue Yonder runs custom-made trips that allow visitors a choice of ways in which to meet the locals and see little-trodden areas of the state. A trip could kick off in the rose-pink city of Jaipur, famous for its magnificent sandstone Amber Fort. After staying in an attentive, family-run hotel, you might decide to travel on to Shekhawati or the desert city of Bikaner, where you'll meet artisans weaving Rajasthan's famous patterned carpets. +91 (0) 8041 152 218, theblueyonder.com
Wine Argentina
Estancia Colomé is the world's highest commercial vineyard. In the foothills of the Andes, it's the vision of Swiss art collector and winemaker Donald Hess, who has transformed a former bodega and vineyard in the Calchaquí Valley (2,300m above sea level) into a five-star hotel and organic wine estate. There are nine lavishly decorated suites, each with their own fireplace and a private terrace with spectacular views of the mountains. You can take a tour of the vineyards, visit a contemporary art museum and swim in a large pool. +54 (0) 3868 494 044, estanciacolome.com
Walking Florida
One of the most important wetlands in the world, the Everglades is a vast sodden expanse at the southernmost tip of Florida. Dragonfly Expeditions runs three-hour guided tours through its swamps, around the mangroves, sawgrasses and cypress trees that rise up out of the watery quagmire. You'll wear neoprene aqua socks and water shoes, and be given a walking stick to help you stay upright on the slippery undergrowth as you search for river otters, wading birds and alligators. +1 305 774 9019, dragonflyexpeditions.com
Rough Guides' Clean Breaks, 500 New Ways to See the World by Richard Hammond and Jeremy Smith (£18.99, Rough Guides) is out now.
For more green travel ideas, see greentraveller.co.uk.
WAY TO GO
British Airways flies to Nairobi, Cairo, Grenada, Johannesburg, Delhi, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro and Miami, and also to Windhoek via a connecting flight with BA Comair via Johannesburg. Join the Executive Club and earn BA Miles. Visit ba.com, where you can also book holidays and Avis car rental and offset your flights.
