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Best Adventure Trips 2008
 Some adventurers say that peanut butter and jelly tastes like filet mignon at 14,000 feet, but we'd rather have the steak itself, thank you. And while we're at it, a nice glass of red at the bottom of the mountain is nice, too. Ah, the outfitted-adventure life, where you can explore the most remote corners of the earth, but never have to go without good food, a clean place to sleep, and somebody to lend a helping hand or strong back. This year, the world's top guiding services have dreamed up new trips to suit every taste, from two-wheeling across Argentina to tracking gorillas in Gabon or trekking in Tibet (pictured). Look at it as the easy way to handle hard trips. (Needless to say, such pleasures have their price. Please note that the pricing cited for each trip may depend upon a required minimum number of guests.) Best of Peru  Beholding the Incan city of Machu Picchu brings back all the tongue-tied, butterflies-in-belly feelings of a school-kid crush. The new 13-day itinerary from Ker & Downey follows the classic whirlwind tour and combines sacred archeological sites with a plush Amazon trip that can only intensify the infatuation. Travelers spend two days exploring Lake Titicaca (southeast of Machu Picchu) by kayak, horseback, and four-by-four. After a visit to Cuzco and the nearby Sacred Valley, it's all aboard the Orient Express Hiram Bingham for a two-hour trip to Machu Picchu. Instead of plodding along the Inca Trail like soldier ants, guests bliss out on brunch while listening to the train's clickety-clack. An afternoon arrival just outside the Lost Citadel allows time to dip into your plunge pool at the Inkaterra Hotel, home for one night, before heading up to the site and scouting for the best sunset spots. The trip wraps up with four days along the Amazon River aboard a 130-foot-long luxury vessel with 12 suites. Guests drift along, spotting marmoset monkeys, purple piranhas, and pink dolphins. Departures: All year Price: $8,821, including lodging, meals, guides, and some travel within Peru; originates in Lima Ker & Downey Lost Alaska by Kayak  With 100 countries under his belt and a fleet of sea kayaks at his disposal, Explorers' Corner founder and "chief exploration officer" Olaf Malver knows just the right ingredients for a perfect paddling trip. So trust us when we point you to his new kayaking journey up the West Arm of Glacier Bay, where the ice has retreated just far enough for clients to slip into the heart of Alaska, far from the madding cruise ships. Only in a kayak—gliding past glittering icebergs—can paddlers get this close to whales and sea lions. The nine-day voyage starts from Juneau and ventures by floatplane and charter boat to Glacier Bay. Long sunlight hours are devoted to following the retreat of the glaciers, with stops every so often to explore the mountains by foot. Nights mean camping under the fluorescent-bright constellations. Kayakers also visit Kootznoowoo Wilderness (a habitat for some 1,700 bears on Admiralty Island) and Tongass National Forest to view pods of humpbacks feeding. Land, ho? As you near the end of your aquatic encounter, you'll say, land, no! Departures: June 9–17, June 30–July 8, July 19–27, August 10–18 Price: From $3,750,including lodging and meals; charter flights, $300; originates in Juneau Explorers' Corner Argentina: It Takes Two (Wheels) to Tango  With all due respect to the gauchos, mountain biking beats horseback riding when it comes to thundering through the windswept Andes in Argentina's northwest. Backroads guests ride titanium, suspension mountain bikes through the crimson hills of the Cerro de los Siete Colores and roll through green fields flanked by the eastern Andes. Two wheels allow for heart-pounding climbs and dizzying descents in the Argentine jungle, exploring llama crossings in the 11,000-foot desert peaks, and whizzing by vineyards. And mountain bikers burn enough calories to really earn the steaks, empanadas, and locally cured cheeses that end each day. The trip begins and ends in Salta (a two-hour flight from Buenos Aires), and the rides vary from 12 up to 49 miles. (A sag wagon follows and will transport the weary straight to the wine. The company suggests riders be comfortable riding steep and rough roads in the high country for up to seven hours a day.) Hotels include the Estancia Colomé, a five-star resort, contemporary art museum, and winery founded in 1831. And for those who'd prefer to swap saddles, the nine-day trip caps off with a guided tour of the estate on Argentine horses. Departures: May 12–20, May 26–June 3, September 15–23, September 29–October 7, October 16–24, October 29–November 6 Price: $4,498, including lodging, meals, and wine tastings; originates in Salta Backroads Sand and Savannas in Mali  Cross Lawrence of Arabia with the work of Salvador Dalí and you might end up with something akin to Mali. The strange, often surreal shapes found in the sub-Saharan dunes, cliff-side villages, and shapely mud mosques often evoke the late Spanish artist's works. Located in central West Africa, south of Algeria, Mali is perhaps best known for the fabled trading city of Timbuktu. But as Abercrombie & Kent has discovered, the West African nation is also about undulating, Crayola-colored hills, and an ancient, thriving culture. After arriving in the capital, Bamako, guests road-trip through villages, where they picnic with village chiefs, hear local music, and check out the magenta sun as it disappears into the desert each evening. Also on the itinerary: Floating down the Niger River in a dugout canoe and riding camels from Timbuktu to a Tuareg camp, home of the indigo-robed "Blue Men." One of the six serviceable hotels is Hotel Kambary, complete with tripped-out, beehive-shaped bungalows that would be the appropriate accommodations for Dalí—or Lawrence of Arabia. Departures: February 4–15, March 10–21, September 15–26, October 20–31 Price: $4,760, including lodging, meals, and ground travel within Mali; internal airfare, $385; originates in Bamako Abercrombie & Kent Panama Party: Jungles and Caribbean Beaches  Costa Rica is so 2003. The truly caliente Central American escape is Panama, the new destination of choice for adventure junkies. One day, you can be hiking up a 12,000-foot volcano, spotting quetzal birds and three-toed sloths. The next, tumbling down Class IV rapids toward a hammock on the Caribbean Sea. On this nine-day trip from Panama City, Austin-Lehman guides take guests into the rainforest to zip-line over waterfalls, bike across craters, and soak in mud baths. Then you'll be snorkeling through the turquoise waters of Bocas del Toro and visiting the Panama Canal. At night, slumber in five swanky resorts, from the sophisticated Bristol Panama Hotel to private waterfront cabanas with handcrafted beds at Tranquilo Bay, an island hotel in Bocas. Back home, say to friends, "Costa where?" Departures: April 19–27, July 12–20, October 11–19 Price: $2,998, including meals, lodging, adventure gear, and travel within Panama; originates in Panama City Austin-Lehman Adventures Gabon: Where the Wild Things Are  Many African safaris are so canned you might as well be in Busch Gardens. Not so Mountain Travel Sobek's adventure to Gabon, where travelers channel their inner Jane Goodall and board flat-bottomed boats with Pygmy guides to search for primates. Spearheading it all is Allen Bechky, author of the Sierra Club's Adventuring in East Africa and an expert in remote wildlife locales. For 17 days, explore the savannas of Loango National Park and the rain forests of Lopé National Park and its Mikongo Camp. You're looking for western lowland gorillas, chimps, elephants, and bush babies. Nights are spent in a mixture of lodges, hotels, and tented camps, most with private baths; the enchanting nocturnal sounds of Africa will be your lullaby. The expedition also detours to Point St. Catherine Beach for a day of swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, fishing for African threadfin, and spotting humpback whales. Travelers can also tick hippos, forest buffalo, duikers, crocodiles, fishing owls, red river hogs, and more off their safari lists while dining on French cuisine. Hey, Jane Goodall never had it so good. Departures: August 10–26, November 23–December 9 Price: From $9,995, including lodging, meals, and ground travel within Gabon; $350 for park fees and $500 for internal airfare; originates in Libreville Mountain Travel Sobek Trekking Through Transylvania  It's day three of your traverse of Romania, and you've just hiked down 6,500 feet from sphinx-like rock formations on Transylvania's Mount Omu. Emerging from the thick forest, you see the castle looming on a cliff, a dead ringer for Dracula's haunt. Overall, the chances for goosebumps are pretty good on KE Adventure's eight-day Romanian trek. You begin by bunking in the ski town of Sinaia and hiking to the highest hut in the Carpathian Mountains, where only the chamois interrupt the views of the Prahova Valley. After the visit to Bran Castle, head off to track bears, walk along waterfalls, and tackle 8,000-foot ridges. You might find yourself singing songs with Romanian shepherds over a barbecue feast as the wolves howl. Who knew that Europe still had such raw places? If the rugged landscape, wolves, and bears sound daunting, they shouldn't. Thanks to cable cars, comfortable mountain huts, prodigious refreshments, and 10 to 13 miles a day of walking, the only frightening thing here is Dracula's legacy. Departures: July 12–19, August 16–23, September 13–20 Price: $1,190, including lodging, meals, and travel within Romania; originates in Bucharest KE Adventure Swiss Freeze  News flash: The glaciers are melting. Fast. Which means that the time to hike the legendary ice fields of Switzerland is now, unless you've got one serious pair of waders. Starting this summer, Alps expert Cain Olsen will lead an exclusive nine-day climb across the 45-square-mile Aletsch Glacier, pausing for cool cups of glacier wine, frothy glasses of beer, and enough fondue and meat pies to sink, well, a glacier. Wearing crampons and occasionally roped up for safety, hikers will make eight glacier crossings and catch their breath for views of the Matterhorn and the towering peaks of Eiger, Jungfrau, and the Fiescherhorn. It's ice, ice, baby, but no need to practice your igloo-building beforehand. Olsen guides guests toward accommodations that include the Grand Hotel Glacier du Rhone and the Finsteraarhorn Hut; expect basic rooms with five-star views. We can't think of a better way to beat the dog days of summer—while seeing a vanishing UNESCO World Heritage site. Departures: July 5–13, August 23–31, September 13–21 Price: $3,395, including lodging, meals, some alcoholic beverages, and travel within Switzerland; originates in Ulrichen Mountain Travel Sobek Globe-Gazing in Tibet  No matter how many records Everest churns out—youngest, oldest climber, fastest ascent, highest cricket game (really!)—the mountain known as Chomolungma remains as sacred and seductive as ever. For trekkers who want to get as close as possible (more than three quarters up) without worrying about actually summiting, this is your opportunity. Wilderness Travel's once-in-a-lifetime expedition—aptly titled "the World's Highest Trek"—is a 30-day immersion in the culture of Tibet, Himalayan hiking, and the singular world of Everest. With top Tibet trekking authority Gary McCue, the team spends almost two weeks hiking the blooming valleys and holy lakes around Shishapangma and paying respects at the storybook Dza Rongphu Monastery, the highest in the world, at 16,142 feet. The Everest ascent is on the North Face, the route of George Mallory. You'll sleep at the same camps as summit climbers, including Camp III at 21,100 feet—the high point, in all senses, of the trek. Hello, Everest! Forget Folgers and freeze-dried food, as WT guides brew fresh coffee and provide bread and desserts for the trek. There are even special privy and shower tents, perhaps creating a new record: cushiest Everest trip. Departure: May 18–June 16 Price: From $8,695; internal airfare, $355; originates in Kathmandu, Nepal Wilderness Travel River Wild in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan  Sometimes, going back to the '80s is a good thing. Like when Mountain Travel Sobek revives its epic rafting trip on the Chatkal River. In 1988, the outfitter made the first Western descent of the 117 mile–long, blue-green beauty that somersaults out of the Tien Shan Mountains. The trip was dropped during the dissolution of the USSR. Now co-founder and eco-tourism consultant John Yost dusts off his paddle to take experienced rafters back down the Chatkal. (Of all the trips here, this is the most hard-core—you'll need at least Class III experience.) It's a quintessential adventure that climaxes in a tough run of the Class V "Slalom II." A riverside sauna just before the monster rapid eases jangled nerves, as do Russian delicacies prepared by guides. Add the Silk Road extension, and you'll get to explore old haunts of Genghis Khan in Samarkand and wander through bazaars nearly as eye-popping as the Chatkal. Departures: August 31–September 9 (with Silk Road extension, September 13), September 14–23 (with extension, September 27) Price: From $3,595 for Chaktal River portion; from $1,395 for Silk Road extension; includes lodging, meals, and travel within Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan; originates in Tashkent, Uzbekistan Mountain Travel Sobek A Masked Ball in the Philippines  This is the stuff of cubicle fantasies. Pristine coral reefs where parrot fish and angelfish swim. Tiffany blue snorkeling waters. Palm trees, brown-sugar beaches, and you, kicking back with a fruity cocktail to the ting of tropical music. Welcome to Palawan, a spray of 1,760 islands in the Pacific, most often overlooked by the Fiji- and Tahiti-bound. This April, you can spend 13 days snorkeling, paddling, and simply floating around Palawan's remote regions courtesy of Wilderness Travel. Mingle among the world's greatest concentration of whale sharks at the Bay of Donsol before kayaking into caves. Should a tiny bit of discomfort creep in, a masseuse will provide seaside therapy. Trip leader and marine biologist Lee Goldman sparks regular discussions on sea life and guides expeditions to the Apo Reef National Park, which brims with 500 types of coral and 500 marine-life species. You'll divide your time between camping at secret lagoons (with air mattresses, nightlights, fans, and screened ceilings for stargazing) and wallowing at beachfront resorts with four-poster beds in Fijian cottages. Your office mates really will hate you. Departure: April 14–26 Price: From $3,995, including lodging and meals; internal airfare, $485; originates in Manila Wilderness Travel British Columbia: Fish Finding From 13,000 Feet  If helicopters can whisk us to hidden fluff for heli-skiing, why not to hidden holes for heli-…fishing? That's the premise behind Nimmo Bay, a British Columbia–based company that uses whirlybirds to find fish along the frothy rivers of Vancouver Island and the adjacent mainland. On the edge of the Great Bear Rainforest—the world's largest temperate rain forest—anglers leisurely rise from queen beds in waterfront chalets and load up on eggs and coffee. Around 9:30 a.m., it's time to grab the rods (Nimmo Bay offers both fly-fishing and spin casting) and board a Eurocopter AStar to rotor off into the otherwise impenetrable 30,000 acres of cutthroat, Pacific salmon, and char territory. Fish not biting? Not a problem—chopper to the next spot. Or break for lunch at 8,000 feet. Or direct your pilot toward the crashing waves off Vancouver Island; this summer, heli-surfing joins the knee-weakening list of otherworldly trips. Need more convincing? Helicopters are actually an eco-friendly alternative to other wilderness entry methods. As Nimmo Bay owner Craig Murray says, "To fly is human—to hover, divine." Departures: Spring–Fall Price: From $6,585 for three days, including heli-fishing, lodging, meals, most alcoholic beverages, and resort amenities such as a hot tub, billiards room, sea kayaks, and water trampoline; originates at Port Hardy, Vancouver Island Nimmo Bay Texas Chain Saw: Biking Big Bend  For those who prefer rolling hills and traffic-free highways, West Texas is road-biking nirvana. There are seemingly endless ribbons of smooth pavement flanked by desert grasslands and canyons carved by the Rio Grande. The rides, the sights, and the plates of food are nearly as big as the state itself. But unless you hop on board Butterfield & Robinson's new six-day trip, you'll be in a big tangle of logistics. That's because B & R is the only outfitter pedaling through this part of the country; after creating bespoke Texas trips for years, guides are offering two scheduled departures for 2008. Riding from 26 to 35 miles a day, bikers launch from the town of Marathon, where the 1927 Gage Hotel provides wrought-iron four-posters and chicken-fried steaks. Tomorrow means Big Bend National Park and Marfa's Hotel Paisano, which has seen the likes of James Dean, Rock Hudson, and Elizabeth Taylor. Next up: tracing the Mexican border along the Rio Grande. As a reward for a mile-long climb near Contrabando Canyon, you get a couple of nights at Cibolo Creek Ranch. Stash the bikes to go skeet shooting, ATV riding, or hiking on the 19th-century ranch's property. At 30,000 acres, it's—what else?—big. Departures: September 22–27, October 27–November 1 Price: $5,995, including lodging, meals, and wine; originates in El Paso. Butterfield & Robinson |
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Addition date: May 11, 2008
Tags: Travel, North America, Peru, Lima, Usa, Argentina, Salta, South America, Africa, Mali, Central America, Panama, Bocas Del Toro, Gabon, Europe, Romania, Bucharest, Switzerland, Asia, Nepal, Kathmandu, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, Manila, Canada, Vancouver Source: http://www.concierge.com/ideas/activeadventure/tours/1729 |
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Posted by abdul hakim at 15/06/2008, 11:50:
very good effort and excellent.
best wishes |
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