Thrill seekers will love the unique and adventurous sport of canyoning. This activity, which involves traversing throughout a canyon, combines different techniques within the experience, including hiking, swimming, abseiling, scrambling, climbing, and more. The ideal canyons used for canyoning often include narrow gorges, flowing water, and various drops that must be navigated.
Want to see for yourself what canyoning looks like from the point of view of the adventurer? Check out this video:
If you’ve ever wanted to see just what goes into getting some of the incredible shots that make it into magazines like National Geographic, today’s Video of the Day gives a thrilling inside look at one photographer’s assignment in Yosemite. Produced by Renan Ozturk, this 6-minute piece follows climber, skier, and photographer Jimmy Chin as he captures some of the most innovative climbing happening in Yosemite today.
Do you put everything on the line to capture amazing moments? The world wants to see it! Submit to our Flickr Pool or leave a link in the comments below and it could be Gadling’s next Photo/Video of the Day.
The Great Himalaya Trail is officially open for visitors in Nepal in southern Asia. This trail, which stretches from Taplejung in the east to Humla in the west near the border of Tibet, is one of the longest and highest hiking routes in the world.
The goal of creating this trail is to boost tourism in Nepal and portray the country as the perfect destination for adventure seekers. During the 1,700 kilometer trek, hikers will not only experience nature but also a variety of cultures, as the five month or longer trip encompasses 16 different districts. For hikers who do not want to spend that much time hiking straight through the trail, it can also be done in sections, with each bit offering a different type of landscape to experience.
The Great Himalaya Trail is a great active adventure addition for Nepal, as it is already home to 8 of the world’s 14 highest peaks (all over 8,000 meters), including Mount Everest. For a list of companies that you can sign-up with to complete the trek, click here.
When traveling, it’s easy to go overboard and spend more money than you expected. What’s important is that you spend your extra cash having fun experiences instead of on mistakes that could have been prevented with some planning. Read these 10 common money mistakes often made by travelers to help save money on your next trip.
Mistake #1: Overpacking
This is a mistake that can rack up travel costs for many reasons. First of all, depending on what airline you are flying with, you may be charged a fee for each bag you bring. Not only that, but travelers must pay not only based on how many bags they bring, but also on how much they weigh. Once you are off the plane and at your accommodation, if you have brought more luggage than you can carry yourself you will have to consider porter and bellhop costs. Just do yourself a favor and only bring items you can see yourself using and wearing multiple times.Mistake #2: Not knowing the exchange rate
If you’re looking to save money, it’s a good idea to do a little research and figure out what destinations will give you the most mileage for your dollar. For example, many regions in Canada, Australia, and Western Europe have strong currencies, meaning you may end up losing money in the exchange. However, if you plan a trip to, say, Hanoi, Vietnam, or Prague in the Czech Republic, you can end up saving a lot of cash.
When traveling, you should also pay attention to what currency exchange offices offer the best rates. For instance, airport currency exchanges are usually not the best places to change your money.
Mistake #3: Forgetting to check the weather of your destination
Last June I went to Paris, France, traveling under the assumption that France is always hot (on television the French always seem to be sipping wine in sunny vineyards and relaxing in little clothing in quaint little cafes). If I had checked the weather beforehand, I would have known that shorts and sleeveless shirts were not practical for when I was going, and I wouldn’t have had to buy new clothing, a jacket, and an umbrella that I ended up leaving behind anyway.
The moral of the story? Check the weather of your destination before you leave so you can pack appropriately and save yourself from having to buy a whole new wardrobe.
Mistake #4: Not knowing international phone rates
If you really don’t need your phone, leave it home, as you can save a lot of added costs. There are many other ways to stay in touch with people at home, such as e-mail or web chat (find areas with free Wi-Fi or see if your hotel provides it). If you must have your phone, invest in an international calling plan. While every phone company offers a different plan, I have always found that services such as Skype and PennyTalk offer the best deals. Another low-cost option is to purchase a local SIM card in the country you are visiting.
Mistake #5: Traveling like everyone else
Not only is traveling during high-peak season more crowded and chaotic, it’s more expensive. If there’s an activity you love, try an off-the-beaten path destination to do it instead of following the crowd. Instead of going away in the summer, find a destination that offers your ideal weather in the spring. This can not only save you money, but can also introduce you to new, unexplored destinations.
Mistake #6: Not knowing the tipping etiquette
Tipping etiquette differs from country to country, so don’t just assume that just because in your home town you leave 20% gratuity when going out to eat you must do that everywhere. For example, an article on MSNBC.com says that tipping in Fiji is discouraged, while a server in Mexico will expect a 10%-15% tip. Know the customs before you go to avoid throwing away money unnecessarily.
Mistake #7: Not purchasing travel insurance
While travel insurance isn’t free, it can also end up saving you a ton of money if an emergency does occur. Hospital bills, cancelled flights, and natural disasters aren’t cheap and you can get very affordable travel insurance plans at Access America and World Nomads. Also, if you have health insurance or a travel credit card at home, call their customer service numbers to ask what you are already covered for abroad.
Mistake #8: Not knowing your transportation options
While taxis may be the most convenient way to get around a place, they are often the most expensive. Using public transportation options such as trains, buses, tro-tros, tuk tuks, and metros can save travelers literally hundreds of dollars. If you are unsure of how to get to a place ask your accommodation to help you plan the cheapest route. Also, before even stepping on the plane to go abroad, contact your hotel and ask them what the most cost-efficient method to reach the hotel from the airport is, what stop to get off at, and specific walking directions.
Mistake #9: Not taking advantage of frequent flier programs
If you travel regularly, it pays to either signup for a frequent flier program or apply for a credit card that will give you miles. Having loyalty to specific airlines may be difficult for some people to commit to, however, it can lead to free flights and discounted travel.
Mistake #10: Always being a tourist
This is an easy mistake to make, as when people are in a place for the first time they usually end up being drawn to all the flashy signs and salespeople offering experiences at must-see attractions. While you should see the big sights, there are often free museums, open air entertainment, and complimentary attractions in every place you visit. This goes for restaurants, too. While the big, sparkling venue with the extensive (and pricey!) menu in English may look good, wouldn’t it be nice to have an authentic (and budget-friendly) dining experience at a smaller, local eatery? Street-food is also a money-saving option, as well as grocery stores (bonus if you’re accommodation has a kitchen or serves free breakfast). Also, ask your hotel when museums, restaurants, and attractions offer discounts and promotions, such as free entry on Monday nights at an art gallery or complimentary tapas at a Spanish restaurant with a drink purchase.
Let’s face it. Nobody really loves sitting around airports on a long layover. Well, maybe there’s someone out there who does, but unless you’re a fan of long lines, excessively repetitive loudspeaker announcements, attempting to sleep curled around the inconveniently placed armrests, and being forced to buy overpriced everything, you probably aren’t one of those people. I suppose there are those who while on layovers enjoy the luxuries of business lounges and receive complimentary foot massages and free beer, although I would have no idea what that’s like because I have never been a member of such an elite club. Hence my notion that they dole out free foot massages.
So when I get am presented with a layover that allows enough time to get out into the surrounding region and explore, I literally jump at the opportunity. As one of the primary hubs for travel into and out of the Asian continent, throngs of casual and business travelers constantly pass through the Hong Kong airport en route to someplace else. If you, like me, are in no mood to sit and wait idly around, why not go and do something a little different next time, such as climbing one of the highest mountains in Hong Kong. While we here at Gadling recently presented you with a list of Top 10 Hong Kong experiences you could also choose from while on a layover, this particular adventure centers solely around hiking up Victoria Peak. As an added oomph to get out and explore, nearly all nationalities require no visa to visit Hong Kong, and visitors who arrive and depart on the same day are relieved of having to fork out the usual departure tax, so really, there’s no excuse for not getting out and doing something.One of the major tourist attractions in the region, “The Peak” as it is known stands 1821 feet tall and is actually only the highest mountain on Hong Kong island, not the entire country. Nonetheless, the view from the top looking out over Victoria Harbor and the sprawling Hong Kong skyline is well worth the trek.
The first step to climbing the mountain is of course to get yourself out of the airport. While there are options ranging from taxis to the popular Star Ferry, I feel that the Airport Express train is the most convenient option for reaching Hong Kong island, where it deposits you neatly at the sprawling Central Station.
After a 24 minute journey and a $23 round trip purchase, you suddenly find yourself transported from the marble floors of the international airport to the buzzing streets of the Hong Kong financial district. Though it’s easy to amble only down the main streets of the city, the beating heart of Hong Kong isn’t found in the Prada or H&M stores, but rather down the narrow side streets that swim under red lanterns and house restaurants that consist of a single plastic chair and one gas stove.
Though there are trams, minibuses, and taxis that all make their way to the famous view at the summit, those with the time would do well to stroll the market-strewn alleyways and hopelessly distracting sidestreets on a winding journey towards the top. Though there are few signs that lead the way, the ubiquitous stairs and steep hills point the only direction that a summit-seeker would logically head for: Up.
Once the makeshift butcher shops have given way to apartment complexes being renovated with bamboo scaffolding, the apartments eventually give way themselves to a concrete hiking trail and the forgotten sounds of the forest. It’s a 30 minute walk beneath a corridor of green ferns and vines you certainly won’t find in the airport, and for a brief moment in time it’s easy to forget you’re standing in one of the most heavily populated areas on the planet.
Finally, after a solid push up the steep urban trail, it would be nice to think the summit was a windswept rock cairn draped in Tibetan prayer flags only experienced by hearty explorers with with ice-covered beards. Although China may share a border with Mt. Everest, this is nonetheless still Hong Kong, and the only fitting thing to put atop the mountain would be a multi-tiered shopping mall with escalators and, just like the airport, overpriced everything.
For a $4 fee you can ascend to the viewing platform for the ultimate view of the city center, the airport where you would normally be spending your time an afterthought lingering somewhere hidden on the western horizon. Having conquered the commercially covered summit, all that’s left to do is either reverse your steps down the trail or catch the tram ($7) or a local bus ($1.25) back to the Central station
Total time away from the airport for climbing Victoria Peak: 3.5 hours. Now go sleep it off on the plane.