10 great destinations for outdoor adventure

by Gadling Staff on

With the possible exception of beach-goers, very few people want to travel in order to sit. Travel is all about experiencing the best of what a destination has to offer, and in many cases, the best of what a destination can offer is adventure. From mountain climbing to snowshoeing to hill-walking — yes, “hill-walking” is an adventure sport! — here are ten of the world’s best destinations for outdoor adventure.

Now get off your duff and get out there!

Squamish, British Columbia, Canada – Snowshoeing
Discover the outbacks of Garibaldi Provincial Park in Squamish, British Columbia at Elfin Lakes, where a cluster of little lakes reside at 5,446 ft (1,660 m), about 11 kilometers from the trailhead.

We threw on skins on skis and hiked up (and skiied down later, for a great powdery ride out!). For the less initiated, snowshoeing is a fun and easy way to enjoy this slice of paradise outdoors, where the immense expanse of snowy playground past Paul Ridge (the highest point) will turn your dreary winter into a delightful wonder.

The first four kilometers are the steepest, which lead to Red Heather Meadows at (4,757 ft) 1,450 m, but the remaining seven kilometers even out on the plateau of Paul Ridge, leading to Elfin Hut, which is surrounded by mountains on all sides. It’s a glorious experience you wouldn’t want to miss.

Bonus: You can also do this, as a hike, in the summer.


Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia – Mountain Climbing
Want to reach the top of the world without climbing Everest? You can, at Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Southeast Asia and the focal point of the Kinabalu National Park, Malaysia‘s first World Heritage site.

The good news is, you don’t need technical skills or gear to climb this mountain. All you need is strong legs and good cardio. We took about seven hours to reach the peak (if you’re really fit, you might get there faster), through what seemed to be an endless set of steps – but this giant jungle trek upward is worth the glorious views that await at Low’s Peak.

The sheer effort will make the experience a breath-taking one (literally), but the exhilaration of reaching the peak at 13,435 ft (4,095 m) makes it all worthwhile.


Kingston, Ontario, Canada – Camping and Canoeing
Nature-lovers will not miss the chance to camp and canoe in the summertime. Be it swimming in lakes, enjoying a campfire at night or sleeping in a tent outdoors, you’ll get an unforgettable taste of nature at Frontenac Provincial Park, located in southern Ontario about 40 kilometers north of the historical city of Kingston.

Rent a canoe, paddle out into the interiors, portage to one of the 48 interior camp sites, jump into the lake waters, or hike any of its 160 kilometers of trails. We recommend the Little Salmon Lake Loop, which is about 15 kilometers and takes about three to five hours. Outdoor enthusiasts will have a field day in this beautiful national park.

Sydney, Australia – Mountain Hiking
Australia isn’t just home to the koalas and kangaroos – it also houses The Three Sisters, a three-mountain range in the scenic Blue Mountains, 50 km from the city of Sydney. Legend has it that three beautiful sisters were turned into stone to protect them from harm. But the witch doctor who was supposed to transform them back into human form died, leaving them in permanent structure forever.

To get the best views of The Three Sisters, take the Scenic Walkway, a two-kilometer hike on boardwalk through the rainforest. Ride down the steepest incline railway in the world – it’s almost vertical in direction! The 415 m descent takes you through a cliff-side tunnel into ancient rainforest. From there, explore the Scenic Walkway, or find your way to the 1,000 steps that will take you to Echo Point, where The Three Sisters sit.


Vermont, United States – Alpine Skiing

Why let all that snow go to waste in the winter? The heavenly mountains of New England, USA, offer multitudinous slopes that are a skier’s haven.

For the “best powder,” we love Jay Peak in Vermont, which claims to accumulate more snow than any other ski resort in the East. With 50 miles of trails on 385 acres serviced by seven lifts and the most recommended glade skiing, what more can you ask for?

Pro tip: Go off the wider trails and glide through the glades at Jay Peak, which offer great depths of snow for those who love their pow’.

Phuket, Thailand – Scuba Diving
Sun worshippers will discover a tropical paradise on the island of Phuket, Thailand, where spectacular surfing, snorkeling and diving await those who seek the secrets of the deep.

Besides a flamboyant nightlight at Phuket’s Patong Beach, Asia’s most popular beach destination offers lush white sands along palm-lined beaches as well as world-class diving in the Andaman Sea. Many travel adventure outfits in town offer scuba diving courses and PADI certification.

Book your scuba trip via speedboat to the surrounding islands (we loved the beautiful, clear waters around Phi Phi island), don your diving suit and enter the unparalleled underwater world beneath.

Canmore, Alberta, Canada – Backcountry Ski Touring
For those who can’t get enough of winter, take skiing one step further and head out into the backcountry of the Canadian Rockies, where unspoiled wilderness and untouched powder snow await – minus the cost of lift tickets.

Near the town of Canmore lies the Wapta Icefields, a magnificent stretch of nature that spans many miles north along the continental divide from the Lake Louise area. The Icefields house vast glaciers, easy peaks and warming huts along the way.

If you’re a beginner, the four-day ski traverse run by Yamnuska Mountain Adventures is the perfect outfit to offer an experience in classical ski-mountaineering.

Koh Samui, Thailand – Kite-Surfing
Instead of diving down deep into the sea, take to the skies instead with kite-surfing at Koh Samui, Thailand.

Rather like a parachute jump in reverse, get harnessed to a parachute before being gently released into the air from the back of a speedboat, and remain attached for the duration of the ride.

At Lamai beach, its kite surf center features an outer reef which creates a natural barrier against waves. This ensures that the waist-deep water remains flat and the bottom is soft sand as well.

Check out Kiteboarding Asia, whose schools are certified by the International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO), at Lamai or Chaweng beaches.

Cumbria, Lake District, England – Hill-Walking
For a postcard-perfect encounter with nature, England’s largest national park – Lake District National Park – is a walker’s paradise, flanked by gorgeous mountains and beautiful lakes.

With 2,292 square kilometers of vast beauty to explore and admire, the hiking options are endless. We suggest a hike to Scafell Peak. At 3,210 ft, it is the highest mountain in England and a popular spot for hill-walking, as the British call it.

For the more adventurous, take the more challenging route at Helvellyn. The narrow ridge of Striding Edge will raise your heartbeat in more ways than one.

Queenstown, New Zealand – Bungee Jumping
Who would have thought that jumping off a bridge with a long elastic cord tied to your ankles can be considered fun? In Queenstown, New Zealand, somebody evidently thought so – and promptly catapulted this city to fame with this thrill-seeking activity. This person was AJ Hackett, who opened the first commercial bungee jumping operation from the Kawarau Bridge (43 m high) over the Kawarau River in 1888.

For your personalized experience, you can choose from a number of options: topple over backwards; forwards, with another person, spin, or somersault. You can even choose to bob above the water, touch it, or even be fully immersed! Not for the faint-of-heart.

Train to Machu Picchu set to reopen ahead of schedule

by Kraig Becker on

According to Peru’s transportation minister, the famous train to Machu Picchu will go back into service ahead of schedule, although it will still be three weeks before service is restored to the popular tourist attraction. Early estimates had the railway out of commission for as much as eight weeks after heavy rainstorms caused massive flooding and treacherous mudslides at the end of January. Those same heavy rains caused more than 1300 travelers to be stranded in the ancient Inca fortress for several days as well.

Machu Picchu is Peru’s top tourist attraction, and as such, it is vitally important that they restore access to it, and soon. There are reports that an alternate access route will be established by the middle of the month, but it will involve a five hour drive by car just to reach a different train that can deliver the travelers to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town to the fortress. There are also a few companies using helicopters to deliver visitors to the site, but that is an expensive option that has limited availability at the moment.

Fortunately, the Inca ruins were not damaged by the storms, and the monument remains open to those that can make it to the site. Likewise, the Inca Trail, a popular trekking route to Machu Picchu, suffered little damage as well, but it closes annually in February for crews to clean and repair the route. That work is going on as scheduled and the trail should reopen as planned at the beginning of March.

If you’re planning a trip to Peru in the near future and had hoped to visit the ancient city, be sure to check with your tour operator or guide service as to the current conditions and options. It seems that things are very much in flux at the moment, but access is available for those who really want to go.

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Create your own adventure with Gap!

by Kraig Becker on

Do you have a destination that you’ve always wanted to visit, but just couldn’t quite find the right way to get there? if so, you’re in luck, as Gap Adventures, one of the top adventure travel companies in the world, is inviting you to Create Your Own Adventure as part of a new contest that could send you, and two of your friends, off on your dream trip.

Designing your own adventure couldn’t be easier. Simply go to the website and begin the process by selecting your destinations from a world map, adding countries to your planned itinerary. From there, decide the length of your trip and select possible places to visit from within your selected countries. Next, you’ll decide how you want to travel, with everything from trains, boats, buses, and even your own two feet as options. You’ll also get to choose your level of accommodations, ranging from overnight buses and home stays, up to boutique hotels and private lodges as options. Finally, you’ll name your tour, and write a summary about what makes it so exceptional. After entering your personal contact info, you’ll then submit your dream tour for consideration.

The travel company has put together an interesting group of judges who will turn their critical eye on your travel masterpiece, deciding if it is worthy of being called a Gap adventure. The panelists include the likes of Tony Wheeler, the co-founder of Lonely Planet, John Rasmus, the editor of National Geographic Adventure Magazine, and adventurer Alastair Humphreys, who has circled the globe by bike and paddled the Yukon River. These judges, amongst others, will help to whittle down all of the entries to the top 20 finalists, which will then be voted on by the public, to determine which tour is the best of the best.

You can enter the contest anytime between now and the end of March. The judges will then select the finalist in early April, with voting scheduled to run from April 8-25. The final prize winners will be announced on May 25, with the designer of the winning tour being sent on the trip with two of their closest friends. The tour will also be included in the 2011 Gap catalog as well.

Not feeling all that creative when it comes to designing your own adventure? Never fear, as Gap has you covered too. Five people will be randomly selected to join the trip as well, despite the fact that they have no idea at this point where they could be headed. Click here to enter to win one of these random slots.

So, if you’ve ever wanted to kayak down the Nile or cross the Gobi Desert on foot, this might be your chance. Perhaps a mountain biking tour of Ethiopia would be more your style, or camping in the Amazon Rainforest. Let Gap bring whatever trip you’ve been dreaming of to life and then send you on that adventure of a lifetime.

Hiking England’s oldest road

by Sean McLachlan on

England is an old land where you can drink in the same pubs as the Crusaders did and watch a play in a Roman theater, so it’s a rare treat to touch or experience anything that can legitimately boast of being the “oldest.”

The Ridgeway Trail in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire in southern England just might have the claim of being the country’s oldest road. The 87-mile route runs along a chalk ridge from the fantastic megalithic complex of Avebury northeast to the River Thames. People were using this as a road all the way back in the Neolithic 6,000 years ago and perhaps even earlier. Various tribes left their mark in the form of megalithic ruins, forts, and enigmatic chalk figures. There were many of these “ridgeway” routes in prehistoric Europe, allowing travelers to bypass the thick woods and primeval swamps that covered much of lowland Europe at that time.

While not as scenic or rugged as other National Trails such as the one that runs along Hadrian’s Wall, the Ridgeway still makes for a pleasant ramble. B&Bs and campgrounds dot the route so you’ll never have to worry about where to stay, as long as you reserve ahead of time in the peak season. Another big plus is that you can see the trail’s two greatest prehistoric sights, Wayland’s Smithy and the White Horse of Uffington (pictured here) in a long day hike.

The day hike starts in the pretty little village of Bishopstone, a short taxi ride from the railway stop at Swindon. Signs point you up the steep hill overlooking town and onto a broad field that narrows and ascends to the Ridgeway proper. From there head east, and it’s easy sailing from then on. There are no great changes in elevation, just some gentle swells.

Once you’re on the Ridgeway, it’s only five miles to the White Horse, but two miles along there’s a road heading south that takes you to the old stately home of Ashdown House and its grounds. Hidden in the forest is Alfred’s Castle, attributed in local folklore to King Alfred the Great, who defeated the Vikings nearby in 871. In fact it’s a hill fort dating to the about the 6th century BC. Hill forts were settlements or refuges enclosed by ditches and earth palisades. They tended to be on high spots to make them easier to defend. There’s not much to see of the old earthworks here, but the birds tweeting in the branches makes this place a good spot for a picnic. The detour is two miles each way plus another mile or so of wandering through the woods.

%Gallery-84894%Back on the Ridgeway, it’s not long before you reach Wayland’s Smithy. This megalithic tomb was built about 5,500 years ago in the Neolithic, the last phase of the Stone Age. A low, narrow passageway of stone slabs leads to three burial chambers set inside a long earthen mound. Archaeologists believe it was the burial place for an important chief and his family. It’s similar to West Kennet Long Barrow at Avebury. Like West Kennet, Wayland’s Smithy is completely open and you can explore the entire tomb, as well as pick up trash left by less respectful visitors. The place is named after Wayland, an old Germanic blacksmith god a bit like the Roman Vulcan. Local folklore says if you need your horse shod, you can leave it and a silver coin here overnight and the god will do the job for you!

After Wayland’s Smithy the ridge becomes more exposed and you get broad views of the lowlands to the north. Soon you’ll come across Uffington Castle, a hill fort that’s much easier to see than Alfred’s Castle because it stands on a high, treeless promontory. On the hillside nearby is one of England’s most famous monuments–the White Horse of Uffington. This horse, drawn in the Celtic style, was made by cutting off the topsoil to reveal the white chalk underneath. Nobody knows exactly how old it is or its original form since it’s been recut numerous times over the centuries, but most archaeologists agree that it dates to the same time as the hill fort, the 7th or 8th century BC. A recent excavation, however, suggests the horse may be a few centuries older.

The White Horse is fascinating to see up close, but there’s no good way to see it in its entirety. The photo attached to this article is an aerial shot for a reason! Only when you walk down the ridge and towards to village of Uffington to take a bus back to Swindon will you see the horse as it was meant to be seen–from the valley with Uffington Castle next to it. Back in the day it must have been a powerful symbol of the local tribe’s dominance over the region.

The entire walk from Bishopstone up to and along the Ridgeway and down to the village of Uffington is about seven miles, plus another five or so for the Alfred’s Castle detour.

Three points to remember. The path can get gooey in parts if there’s been a recent rain, so be prepared. Also, sources of water are scarce along much of the trail so bring a full day’s supply. Finally, rural bus service tends to be poor in England. Plan ahead with the schedules. I got to the village of White Horse at 4:10 PM, just in time to miss the last bus for the day, so I ended up having to hike another five miles to Faringdon to catch another bus. My legs weren’t happy, but it did give me a chance to see the White Horse from a distance.

Austin-Lehman Adventures launches “preserve a park” program

by Kraig Becker on

Upscale adventure travel company Austin-Lehman Adventures has launched a new conservation and education program that will, on a yearly basis, highlight a designated national park and provide financial contributions to an organization that is associated with that park. This new initiative is dubbed the “Preserve A Park” program, with Glacier National Park being the first beneficiary.

2010 marks the 100th anniversary of Glacier being designated as a national park. Located in the state of Montana, along the border with British Columbia, Canada, the park is over 1 million acres of pristine backcountry wilderness. Home to hundreds of species of animals, Glacier is popular with those hoping to catch a glimpse of the amazing wildlife, which includes grizzly bears, mountain goats, elk, moose and much more. Other visitors come to take in some of the 700 miles of hiking trails or paddle the more than 300 mountain lakes, while some are happy to just drive the famous Going to the Sun Road.

Of course, Austin-Lehman is offering their own Glacier Park Vacations giving travelers a chance to explore the park in all of its splendor. And for every person who signs up for one of these trips, the company is donating $100 to the Glacier National Park Fund as part of the Preserve A Park program. There will be three Glacier Park trips for this year, each lasting 6 days and 5 nights, running from August 1-6, August 8-13, and August 15-20, with a cost of $2498 per person.

Austin-Lehman is one of the top adventure travel companies in the world, offering small group travel in North, South, and Central America, as well as Europe and Africa. For more than 35-years, the company has been organizing active excursions around the globe, while still offering an emphasis on culture and history as well.