High altitude adventure in Colombia

by Kraig Becker on

For years, Colombia was off limits for most travelers. It was a dangerous place filled with warring drug lords, violent guerrilla activity and rampant crime. But that has changed in the past couple of years, and visitors to Colombia are beginning to rediscover its natural wonders, as stability has returned to the country.

As usual, adventure travelers are the first to return, looking for an opportunity to explore a remote region before the word gets out to the rest of the world and once solitary travel experiences become crowded and touristy. That’s the premise behind this story from the New York Times, which sends author Matthew Fishbane to Colombia’s El Cocuy National Park for a hike above the clouds on the 17,749 foot Ritacuba Blanco, the highest mountain in the Cordillera Oriental mountain range, which is part of the Andes.

The article notes that both the national park, and the mountain, remain relatively free of visitors at the moment, unlike other high altitude treks such as Kilimanjaro or Aconcagua, which have become increasingly crowded in recent years. But the region has seen a sharp increase in visitors in 2009, as the word spreads that not only is Columbia a safe place to visit again, but it also holds some hidden gems that will be of interest to the outdoor crowd.

Getting to Ritacuba Bianco isn’t easy. It requires an 11-hour bus ride just to reach El Cocuy, and from there you’ll generally need to hire a guide and a horse, although depending on the trek you choose, they may not be necessary. The trek to the summit is non-technical, but there are rock and ice routes available for those looking for more of a challenge. And when you reach that summit, at least for now, you’ll have blissful solitude and an amazing view of the country below. It seems the view will remain, but the solitude may be fleeting. Get there before it’s all gone.

Ten amazing “green” adventures

by Kraig Becker on

Eco-adventures are all the rage these days with environmentally conscious travelers choosing to visit far flung places, all the while fully aware of the size of their carbon footprint. They want an amazing travel experience, and are willing to go to great lengths to get it, all the while adhering to the principles of sustainable travel.

With that in mind, the Times Online has an excellent article listing ten top “green” travel experiences, or what they call “clean breaks”, each of which offer cultural immersion, amazing scenery, and a fantastic experience that is far off the beaten path. For instance, the article recommends heading to Lebanon to hike the Mountain Trail, the country’s first long distance trek, which runs through the Mount Lebanon range from Qbaiyat, in the north, to Marjaayoun in the south. The trail is roughly 270 miles in length, with regularly spaced stone inns offering up a place to sleep, good food, and plenty to drink.

For a completely different experience, hop a flight to New Zealand to spend a little time on the slopes. The authors of this piece recommend heading to Craigieburn Valley in the Southern Alps for some amazing skiing, minus the resort. Yep, that’s right, no chairlifts or groomed trails here. Just a couple of rope tows that will pull you to the top of the mountain, where you’ll get the opportunity to ski through untouched wilderness. And at the end of the day, relax in one of the nearby huts, which are comfortable but primitive.

Other suggestions include a swimming vacation in Finland, camping in France, and hiking in Estonia. There is a little bit of something for everyone, and you won’t need to feel guilty about your impact on the environment while you travel.

Taking the "Mad Way" South

by Kraig Becker on

There are many interesting and different ways to travel and see the world. For instance, some love to take a cruise through the Caribbean or a slow train through the Alps. Others prefer to zip through the streets of Bangkok in a tuk tuk, and some enjoy rafting the Grand Canyon. But what is the best way to see the Sahara? Some would argue that it would be from the back of a camel, but they haven’t met the Mad Way South team, four guys who are gearing up to cross the world’s largest desert in buggies pulled by kites.

Beginning next Monday, August 3rd, two Aussies, Geoff Wilson and Garth Freeman, will join forces with two Kiwis, Steve Gurney and Craig Hansen, to begin a journey that will take them over more than 1500 miles of desert as they travel from Northern Morocco, across the Western Sahara, Mauritania, before finally ending in Dakar, Senegal, in what is being called the first trans-Saharan crossing by wind power alone.

Yep, that’s right their little dune buggies will be pulled along by massive kites, which will catch the wind and propel them over the sand. This method of travel is known as “kiting” and it is often used in Polar regions, with explorers being pulled along on their skis. It has been used in deserts before however, and this crew intends to make the technique work all the way across the Sahara.

The team is in the final stages of their preparation now, and are on track to get underway next week. Check back on their blog regularly for updates on their progress and to follow along on the adventure.

Traveling the globe with Nat Geo Student Expeditions

by Kraig Becker on

In the summer of 2008, National Geographic launched a fascinating and inspiring project called Student Expeditions, which aimed to send high school students to a variety of exotic locals around the globe, immersing them in that location through unique, special projects that give them the opportunity to experience the culture and landscapes of the place, while learning something special in the process. The program is now in its second year, and even more students are getting the opportunity to take part in this amazing travel experience.

The students can choose to travel to Australia, Belize, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Galápagos, Iceland, India, Mexico’s Yucatan, Peru, Rome and Greece, Spain and Tanzania. Each of the trips is three weeks in length, and along the way, the students, and their trip leaders, are joined by National Geographic experts, who share their insights and unique perspectives on each of the countries. These experts are generally writers, photographers, explorers, and so on, and they typically spend between four to eight days traveling with the high schoolers.

While traveling in their selected country, each of the students adopts an On Assignment Project, which are specially designed to teach them something about the country, while offering an experience that only National Geographic can deliver. The projects focus on photography, filmmaking, wildlife and conservation, and more. The trip leaders and experts work closely with the young travelers to help complete the assignments, and create a lasting travel experience unlike any other.

Many of the studens have been blogging their travels all summer long, and you can read all about the Student Expedtioins experience by clicking here. You’ll find thoughts on trekking glaciers in Iceland, exploring Inca culture in Peru, and visiting the sites of ancient empires in Rome and Greece, amongst many others.

And if there are any students out there that are interested in joining future Student Expeditions, click here to begin the application process.

Galapagos sea tortoise “Lonesome George” is lonesome no more

by Kraig Becker on

Visitors to the Galapagos have no doubt caught a glimpse of one of the islands’ more famous inhabitants, a very rare sea turtle that is believed to be the last of his subspecies, and the rarest creature on Earth, who was affectionately dubbed Lonesome George more than three decades ago, when he was first brought to the his current home.

The Pinta Island Giant Tortoise, who weighs nearly 200 pounds, has never mated, and his species is in danger of disappearing completely when George finally passes on. But earlier this week it was announced that George has found a mate at last (two in fact!) and he may be a father sometime in the next 120 days.

George has recently been shacking up with two females of a different subspecies, and last week his handlers discovered five perfect eggs in the sea tortoise pen. They were carefully removed, weighed, and put into an incubator, where they will be watched carefully over the next 16 weeks until they hatch.

For the Pinta Island Giant Tortoise, this may be a glimmer of hope of salvaging the species from the brink of extinction. Although George is estimated to be about 90 years old, he is just now entering his sexual prime, and the species can live to be 150. That means he has the chance to father a few more children in the decades ahead, and perhaps we’ll see more of his species returning to the Galapagos.