Save $500 On A Mountain Travel Sobek Galapagos Island Adventure

by Kraig Becker on

If you’re like me you’re probably already looking ahead to 2013 and planning your next adventure. If that happens to be the case, and the Galapagos Islands have been a destination that you’ve always dreamed about, then perhaps January is the time to make that dream a reality. That’s when renowned adventure travel company Mountain Travel Sobek is offering a $500 discount on their first two departures of the year.

These two early season excursions are actually quite different from one another. The first, which sets out on January 17, charts a course for the western Galapagos Islands while the other, which gets underway on January 24, heads to the east. Both itineraries are 11-days in length, beginning and ending in Quito, Ecuador, where travelers will spend the first few days soaking up the country’s colonial history while visiting local markets and exploring the cloud forest.

On the third day they’ll catch a short flight to the Galapagos, where they’ll board a yacht that will serve as their home for the remainder of the journey. Over the course of the following week, they’ll have the opportunity to visit beautiful beaches, hike to the top of a volcano and go snorkeling in crystal clear ocean waters. They’ll also witness first hand some of the wildlife that has made the Galapagos so famous, including sea turtles, swimming iguanas, fur seals and blue-footed boobies. For a more detailed look at the itineraries, click here.

The Galapagos remain one of my top destinations that I would still like to visit at some point. I’ve been told that it is a magical experience with amazing animals in a beautiful setting. I’m sure these two excursions will more than live up to that hype and they’ll do so while saving you some cash in the process.

Explore Papua New Guinea Through The Lens Of A Photographer

by Jessica Marati on

Looking to improve your photography skills while exploring one of the world’s most beautiful countries?

Asia Transpacific Journeys recently launched a new photo excursion tour of Papua New Guinea, led by renowned photographer Michele Westmoreland. Called “Papua New Guinea Through The Lens,” the 12-day adventure journeys from Port Moresby to Mount Hagen, Kumul, Nondugi, Karawari, Kundiman and Tufi. Highlights of the trip include a cruise along the Sepik River; sea kayaking in coastal Tufi and an excursion to the Wahgi Sing-Sing Festival, which showcases traditional cultural performances from the Wahgi Valley.

Westmoreland’s tour will not just be an introduction to Papua New Guinea; it will also be an introduction to photography for both veterans and newbies, with expert advice on lighting, composition and editing.

The package costs $10,695, and the next one kicks off in June 2013. For a sample of what’s in store, check out the photo gallery below.

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[Photo Credit: Michele Westmoreland via Asia Transpacific Journeys]

Men’s Journal Goes Glamping In Montana

by Kraig Becker on

Looking for a great new destination for your next “glamping” adventure? Then Men’s Journal has you covered. The magazine has launched a new regular video feature on their website called “Remote and Refined,” which promises to introduce us to some of the best five-star accommodations that just so happen to be in some off-the-beaten-path locations.

In the premiere episode, which you’ll find below, we’re introduced to the Resort at Paws Up. Located in Montana, the resort offers access to some of the most spectacular and pristine wilderness in North America. Visitors will find excellent outdoor adventures such as hiking, climbing, ATV excursions, fly-fishing and more. At the end of the day, after they’ve explored everything that Big Sky Country has to offer, they’ll return to the resort where they’ll enjoy luxurious cabins, fine food and plenty of creature comforts.

If you’re the kind of traveler who enjoys staying active but still prefers to be pampered at the end of the day, then you’ll probably enjoy this new video series. If nothing else, we’re all sure to find some amazing new locations that we can dream about visiting.

[Photo Credit: Kraig Becker]


180 Million Rats Targeted For Extinction In The Galapagos Islands

by Kraig Becker on

The Galapagos Islands are considered by many to be one of the top travel destinations in the entire world. Located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean, the islands are famous for their unique wildlife that isn’t found anywhere else on Earth. Those animals were first observed by Charles Darwin on his famous “Beagle” expedition and inspired him to write “On the Origin of Species” in which he first hypothesized the Theory of Evolution. Today, many travelers make the journey to the Galapagos to see the native birds, seals, reptiles and other unusual creatures, but an invasive species of rats now threatens the native wildlife there. In an effort to protect those animals, the Ecuadorian government has begun taking drastic measures to rid the islands of those rats once and for all.

Yesterday marked the start of the second phase of an anti-rat campaign that hopes to dispose of as many as 180 million rodents by the year 2020. Helicopters dumped more than 22 tons of poisoned bait on one of the smaller islands with the hope that it will kill off a significant portion of the rat population there. In the months ahead, similar operations will take place across the other 18 islands that make up the Galapagos chain, hopefully culling the rats and creating a safer environment for the native species.This invasive species of rats first arrived on the islands aboard the ships of whalers and pirates during the 17th century. As the decades passed they multiplied rapidly and grew into a threat to native birds and reptiles, preying on eggs left in unguarded nests. As the rat population grew to epic proportions, other species have struggled to survive and compete with the rodents, which eat everything in their path.

In order to minimize the impact of the toxic bait on the Galapagos ecosystem, it has been specially designed to attract rats while repelling other animals. The small poison cubes will also disintegrate after about a week, which means there won’t be thousands of them just lying around waiting to be consumed. What happens to it, and the environment, after it disintegrates remains to be seen, but lets hope this isn’t another case of the cure being as bad as the sickness down the line.

[Photo Credit: National Park Service]

Video Of The Day: The Making Of Udon Noodles

by Elizabeth Seward on

“For Udon and Country” from The Perennial Plate on Vimeo.

It’s easy to think of udon noodles as just another delicious kind of food, but, as with most food, there’s more to the story than what winds up on your plate. This film by The Perennial Plate focuses on Shimizu San. He’s been making udon noodles for the last 45 years at his farm in a small town outside of Tokyo. He not only makes the noodles from scratch, but he grows the wheat for them, too. The footage is beautiful as well as the music. It only takes five minutes to understand udon noodles on a completely different level. Enjoy!