What is storm-watching and where should you try it?
There's nothing new in feeling awe in the face of nature's grandeur. The Romantics were enraptured by it back in the 19th century. English artist JMW Turner stirred the soul by painting brooding skies of biblical proportions, while philosopher Immanuel Kant explored the sublime — that profound blend of terror and wonder evoked by observing natural phenomena like a raging thunderstorm.
However, curated storm-watching tourism didn't really take off until 1996, when the original of cult-classic movie Twister sparked a whirlwind of interest in extreme weather. That same year, the Wickaninnish Inn opened its doors in Tofino, on the rugged western coast of Vancouver Island. Inspired by childhood memories of marvelling at the region's wild winter storms with his family, owner Charles McDiarmid envisioned a sanctuary where visitors could embrace — not escape — Tofino's furious season, when Pacific storms unleash monster waves that tower up to 20ft high. Perched on a bluff facing an uninterrupted ocean expanse (the next landmass is Japan), the inn was designed for full immersion. Every one of its 75 rooms has huge windows built to withstand 100mph winds, while crackling fireplaces and thick wool blankets create a hygge vibe.
Guest rooms also come stocked with waterproof gear so adventurous types can brave the conditions, because in Tofino, there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing. It was a bold concept. 'People thought we were crazy to market these wild winter maelstroms as a reason to visit,' Charles admits with a laugh.
The gamble paid off. Between November and February in its opening year, the hotel's occupancy rates surged from 30% to 58%. Guests, initially attracted by the novelty, discovered something more profound. 'It's about escaping the city and appreciating how special our natural environment is,' Charles reflects, noting that, regardless of their ages, his guests share a common trait: an adventurous spirit.
The success of Wickaninnish Inn sent ripples through Tofino and its neighbouring town, Ucluelet. Embracing the rise of storm-watching tourism, Vancouver Island rallied behind the concept. Hotels including Crystal Cove Beach Resort, Long Beach Lodge Resort, Black Rock Oceanfront Resort and SookePoint Ocean Cottage Resort all cater to squall-seekers, with their beachfront locations, surf-friendly waters and luxurious-yet-cosy atmospheres. BC Ferries Vacations also runs tailored storm-watching holiday packages when the weather outside is frightful, including both transport and accommodation at well placed hotels. Meanwhile the Tourism Tofino website highlights the best spots for windswept beach walks, plus a cosy inland sauna to warm up in afterwards.
The strategy has proven successful, as the once-quiet fishing villages of Tofino and Ucluelet have evolved into year-round adventure hubs. Between November and March, traditionally considered the off-season for tourism, Tofino's hotel occupancy now consistently ranges from 46% to 58%, a trend that's remained steady for the past six years.
Yet, while many islanders welcome storm tourism, safety remains a concern. Liam Ogle, a guide with Long Beach Nature Tours, warns travellers not to underestimate the risks posed by extreme weather, especially in the era of climate change.
'Forest trails can be dangerous with falling branches, and coastal areas pose risks due to storm surges,' he cautions. Before venturing out, he advises checking the Coast Smart website for safety tips. 'Nature here is both intense and beautiful. Respect for Mother Nature is deeply ingrained in the local community.'
While Vancouver Island's Wickaninnish Inn may have pioneered storm-lashed travel, hold onto your hats, because its influence has spread around the world. In BC'S capital, Victoria, the tourist board has rebranded harsh winters as 'cosy season', creating suggested itineraries for visitors that incorporate blustery hikes to lighthouses followed by candlelit meals.
Also embracing the philosophy that foul weather is subjective, Washington State's Long Beach Peninsula is celebrated as a prime spot to view a king tide — a rare, supersized tide that occurs when the gravitational forces of the moon, sun and Earth align to amplify tidal ranges.
Closer to home, and proving that gale-force getaways have stepped into the world of luxury, the five-star Headland Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall, rolls out the red carpet with storm-watching breaks featuring a spa overlooking waves crashing against the rugged cliffs. A third of the hotel's winter guests check in specifically for their storm-watching package.
Whether braving high winds on a driftwood-strewn beach in Tofino or witnessing the majestic furore through binoculars from the comfort of a hotel room, it's safe to say a certain kind of traveller is drawn to nature's wildest moments.
'There's a mesmerising contrast between the raw power of a storm and its undeniable beauty — one which is both awe-inspiring and humbling,' states Charles. 'Experiencing such forces first-hand is a stark reminder of nature's immense scale and our own infinitesimal place within it.'
Published in the Coastal Collection 2025 by National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
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Little streams turn to small lakes. Photograph by Jonathan Gregson The concession's low-intervention approach towards the wildlife on its land means the animals remain unhabituated to both vehicles and humans, and their natural instinct is to run away from both very quickly indeed. Photograph by Jonathan Gregson The rest of my time in Palmwag produces further very good weather for rhinos, and further rhino sightings. We spot Tuta, Kasper and Arthur as they plod along a dry river bed in the soft evening light, and again as they enjoy a roaming buffet of wild grasses on an early-morning stroll through the hills. Each time, they eventually catch our scent on the wind and take off for the horizon with a surprisingly dainty little trot. The concession's low-intervention approach towards the wildlife on its land means the animals remain unhabituated to both vehicles and humans, and their natural instinct is to run away from both very quickly indeed. 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A custom-built Land Cruiser with a 'star bed' built over the cabin allows couples to spend the night out in the open, listening to the grunts of nearby lions as the Milky Way dazzles overhead. And a hide set partly beneath ground level allows its occupants to peer out at zebras and giraffes standing oblivious just metres away. The accommodation I'm heading to, however, has been open for barely a month, and the wildlife in the area is not yet accustomed to the new residents. With the sun setting and the bullfrogs croaking, my perennially cheerful guide Liberty Eiseb and I bump along a track towards Trails Camp. Liberty stops the vehicle to point out boot prints left in the sand beneath us by Onguma's anti-poaching unit, who patrol in pairs at night. Beside them are the tracks of a leopard. 'This is probably the leopard that comes into camp when we are sleeping,' he says. 'I hear it every night at 4am.' 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Photograph by Jonathan Gregson After an undisturbed sleep, I find him sitting by the fire in the muted pre-dawn light, a blackened tin kettle sat within the embers. 'You see the bushman's TV is already on,' he says, gesturing to the flames. 'It always tells a good story.' He heard the saw-like calls of the leopard as it padded through at 4am and 5.30am. 'The animals need to get used to the camp, but they will,' he continues. 'The big leopard will soon be sitting in the trees around us.' With breakfast soundtracked by turtle doves crooning from those same trees, I could get used to the camp myself, but the bush waits for no one, and I set off with guide Tristan Lewis for a day's exploration. We're soon driving through a landscape pocked with water holes, with makalani palms towering above. Wildlife teems around us — the heads of giraffes appear above the umbrella thorns; elephants cross in front of us and instantly melt into the bush; African grey hornbills pick at termites; leopard tortoises bumble along the track; spotted hyenas skulk through the grass. 'Morning drives are my favourite,' says Tristan, his traditional safari uniform of beige shirt and shorts accessorised by a neat little moustache. 'Everything's fresh, everything's waking up.' Like Palmwag, Onguma has seen unprecedented rainfall, and it's changed the behaviour of the animals on the reserve. 'We usually have a little migration with the rain,' Tristan tells me as we stop to watch a herd of impalas chewing on grass, their black eyes fixed on the vehicle. 'Breeding groups go east because that's where the first rains usually fall. But they're finding rainwater everywhere now, so all the patterns are messed up.' The rain has messed up some of the tracks, too, and Tristan occasionally has to coax the Land Cruiser through deep, water-filled channels in the mud, or turn back and find another route. We're on the lookout for a pride of lions seen near the reserve's border with Etosha when one particularly troublesome puddle finally defeats us. After radioing in for a replacement vehicle, Tristan points to a pair of male white rhinos grazing some way in the distance. 'It's not so bad being stuck when you're stuck by rhino,' he says. 'Shall we go for a walk?' He collects his rifle and we quietly creep towards them over sandy soil scattered with lion paw prints. 'We've spent hours and hours with these rhinos,' Tristan whispers as we draw closer. 'We know their behaviour is relaxed. They're not like black rhinos — black rhinos are a handful.' We're 60 feet away when the two males finally become aware of our presence. Tristan motions me to crouch down and be quiet. 'They know we're here, now we give them time to decide what to do,' he says softly as they stand facing us. 'You can see they're curious.' After a few minutes trying to figure us out, one cautiously pads in our direction, head down, ears rotating. He's so close I can hear him breathing when Tristan slowly rises — the rhino instantly canters away. Over the next 30 minutes, the pair repeatedly amble towards us, only moving away when Tristan gently shifts his position. 'They're comfortable with us but we don't want them too close,' he murmurs, watching as they graze. 'They're wild animals and we want them to stay wild.' It soon feels completely natural to sit quietly in the sand, passing the day with animals each weighing up to 2.5 tonnes and sporting impressively long and pointy horns. 'It's nice when they let you into their space and they're not threatened by you,' Tristan says when the rhinos eventually decide to move on. 'You can share this incredible time with them.' It's a parting gift from the rains of Namibia — a vehicle stuck in the mud, a moment of pure magic. As we wander, slightly giddy, towards the guide who's come to pick us up, I'm reminded of something Bons had said to me as we sheltered from a storm in Palmwag: 'The rain is very good for everything — for nature, for animals, for us.' Getting there and around: Flights from the UK to Namibian capital Windhoek entail a stopover. South African Airways, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly via Johannesburg and Ethiopian Airlines flies via Addis flight time: prop planes fly to airstrips in Damaraland and Etosha, and are organised by your tour operator or accommodation. If driving, rent a 4WD from Windhoek's Hosea Kutako airport; it's seven hours to Desert Rhino Camp, and a similar time from there to Onguma and Etosha. When to Go: Wet season in northern Namibia falls between November and April, though rain doesn't fall each year and can be intermittent when it does. Dry season (May to October) is a good time for wildlife-viewing, with animals gathering at the few water sources. There's little temperature difference across the year, with highs of 25-30C and lows of 10-17. Where to Stay: Weinberg Hotel, Windhoek. From N$5,654 (£235). More info: How to do it: Africa specialist Yellow Zebra Safaris offers one night at Windhoek's Weinberg Hotel, three nights at Desert Rhino Camp and three nights at Onguma Camp Kala from £9,524 per person, including meals, drinks, safari activities, domestic flights and transfers, and international flights, plus the option to spend a night in the Dream Cruiser star bed. The same itinerary with the last three nights at Onguma Trails Camp (open April to September) costs £8,289. This story was created with the support of Yellow Zebra Safaris. Published in the September 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
