Cycle across India in 2011

by Kraig Becker on

Looking for a new kind of travel experience? One that combines cultural immersion with physical challenge across a beautiful and mysterious landscape? Then perhaps Tour d’Afrique, the Toronto based company that specializes in adventure cycling tours, has just the thing for you. As part of their DreamTours program, the company has organized a 46 day ride across India that is set to get underway in early 2011.

Departing from Agra, just south of New Delhi, on January 29th of next year, the Indian Adventure Bicycle Expedition will cover more than 2050 miles. In the process, the route will pass through Rajasthan, the popular Mumbai, and on to the beaches of Goa, before continuing to the confluence of the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Mannar, and the Indian Ocean.

Cyclists who elect to ride the entire route will spend 37 days in the saddle, with nine more rest days built into the schedule. But for those who lack the time for the full tour, there are two other options, allowing for riders to enjoy an abbreviated course. The first is a 995 mile ride from Agra to Mumbai and the other a 1300 mile route from Mumbai to Kanyakumari that requires 25 days to complete.

Tour d’Afrique earned it’s reputation by launching an epic cycling tour of Africa that bears the same name as the company itself. Since then, they’ve also organized an equally epic tour of South America as well as an amazing ride along the ancient Silk Road. Their DreamTours program was launched last year, allowing us to come up with or own grand cycling tours, while the company uses its network of resources to organize the events. The Indian Adventure Expedition is one of the first tours to come from that program.

For more information on this ride, and the others that are available, go to the DreamTours website. Then, break out your bike, and hit the road. You’re going to need the practice.

Remote Places: the Nanda Devi Sancturary, India

by Kraig Becker on

Travelers have always been drawn to remote places. There is an undeniable lure to visit distant lands seldom seen by others. To trek through beautiful, untouched landscapes that allow us to escape the distractions of modern life, and get in tune with nature.

One such remote destination is the Nanda Devi Sancturary, located deep inside the Garhwal Himalaya of northern India. The lands surrounding the Sanctuary were established as a national park in 1982 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site six years later. The region is nearly 400 square miles of rugged wilderness that is renowned for its mountain meadows lush with wildflowers and diverse wildlife that includes the Asiatic black bear and the elusive, almost mythical, snow leopard. And while the entire park is remote, the Sanctuary itself takes it to an entirely different level.

Surrounded by a ring of mountains, ranging from 19,700 to 24,600 feet in height, it is a serous challenge just to get inside the Sanctuary itself. These incredibly steep and rugged peaks form a wall that is nearly impassable. In fact, they kept out all trespassers until the famous explorers Eric Shipton and H.W. Tillman found their way in through the Rishi Gorge in 1934, ending a fifty year search for an entrance. Once inside, they were greeted with breathtaking views of the Uttari Rishi and Dakkhni Rishi Glaciers, a sight never looked upon by human eyes before.

At the very heart of the Sanctuary is Nanda Devi itself, a twin-peaked mountain whose name means Bliss-Giving Goddess. Renowned for its beauty, legendary mountaineer Willi Unsoeld went so far as to name his daughter after the peak. The 25,643 foot mountain is considered to be one of the jewels of the Himalaya, attracting top climbers from around the globe who come to challenge their skills on the rocky prominence which was first conquered in 1936. While not as high as Everest or K2, Nanda Devi consistently makes the list for favorite mountains amongst climbers.

The Sanctuary is also a popular destination for trekkers who want to explore the unspoiled wilderness of the park. Popular trekking routes run along the same path that Shipton and Tillman took when they explored the region, crossing through deep valleys and mountain passes. Backpackers can spend anywhere from a few days to a few weeks hiking the area, which is held as sacred ground in the Hindu culture, with the central peak representing the patron-goddess of the local state.

When it comes to remote places, there are few as alluring and stunningly beautiful as the Nanda Devi Sanctuary. Visiting the region isn’t for everyone, but for those that do go, it can be a life altering experience.

Stonehenge, Machu Picchu top ‘most threatened’ wonders list

by Kraig Becker on

U.K. travel magazine Wanderlust has released their second annual list of the world’s most threatened wonders, with eight very popular attractions earning this dubious distinction for 2010.

Perhaps the two most eye catching destinations on the list are Stone Henge in the U.K. and Machu Picchu in Peru. The magazine actually describes Stonehenge as a “national disgrace” and rips the stone monument for being so detached from the rest of the ancient ruins in the area that loses some of the historical context. In the case of Machu Picchu, it seems the lost city of the Inca is a victim of its own popularity, with large crowds and over zealous tourists blamed for the sad state of affairs there.

The other destinations to make this year’s list include Wadi Rum, Jordan; Yangshuo, China; Tulum, Mexico; Jaisalmer, India; Timbuktu, Mali and the Bay of Fires, Tasmania. Each has their own unique issues to deal with ranging from too much tourist traffic, a lack of security and governmental struggles over access to the places.

Fortunately, Wanderlust doesn’t just point fingers, but also suggests some ways to solve the issues facing these popular attractions. For example, in the case of Stone Henge, they endorse a plan that has been put fourth to build an underground tunnel that wold link the stone monoliths to other nearby sites that are part of the same ancient compound. And as for Machu Picchu, they put the onus on the tour operators to ensure that their groups tread lightly and leave little trace of their passing on the fragile mountain environment and the centuries old citadel itself.

This list does a good job of drawing attention to the fact that many of these locations are suffering from being too popular. Perhaps good discussions about these issues will help make us all more aware of the problems and help preserve these sites for future travelers to enjoy as well.%Gallery-64352%

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The holy city of the Jains

by Sean McLachlan on

It is a city so holy that not even priests can sleep there. No animal can be killed within its walls; not even insects should be harmed. Worshipers look at its thousands of statues through mirrors in order not to insult the gods and goddesses with a direct gaze.

It is Shatrunjay Hill, overlooking the town of Palitana in Gujarat, India, and it’s the holiest site of the Jain religion. The Jains are famous for their strict vegetarianism and nonviolence. They believe that all living creatures have souls and therefore not even a mosquito should be harmed.

Nobody knows exactly how many temples are here. Some say 1250, some say 1300, some say 1500. They were built in the 11th and 12th centuries during the religion’s architectural renaissance and are elaborately carved out of marble and other stone and filled with colorful statues of Jain deities.

Pilgrims come from all over the world to climb the 3,300 steps that symbolize their ascent to salvation. Like Mecca for the Muslims, a pilgrimage to Shatrunjay Hill is something that every one of the faithful should do at least once in their lifetime.

The BBC has done a beautiful audio and slide show of the holy city. It’s not the same as going to India yourself, but it does give the sights, sounds, and a bit of the feel of this important spiritual center.

National Geographic Student Expeditions expand for 2010

by Kraig Becker on

The popular and successful National Geographic Student Expeditions program is gearing up for another outstanding year, adding new options for high school students looking for an adventurous and educational escape this summer. The lucky travelers have their journeys enhanced further by the inclusion of National Geographic experts and trip leaders designed to deliver travel experiences unlike any other.

Of course, many students spend their summer traveling, but the Student Expeditions program offers some unique options that aren’t available elsewhere. While on their journey, each student will select an “On Assignment” project in the area of interest that includes photography, travel writing, filmmaking, exploration, archaeology and ancient culture, climate and geology, marine biology and conservation, Earth science, and wildlife and conservation. Those projects can take such forms as a photo portfolio, a travel film, or a short story, with a focus on capturing the culture and natural wonders of the locations visited.

The students are guided in their assignments by handpicked experts, such as National Geographic photographers, writers, or researchers who join their expeditions for anywhere from three to seven days. These experts are generally well known in their field and offer years of experience and expertise to the next generation of explorers on the trip. For example, when traveling through Tanzania, the students will be joined by Anna Estes, a wildlife ecologist who has conducted research in the Ngorongoro Crater, while those selecting Australia as their destination of choice, will see the country with photojournalist and filmmaker Ulla Lohmann.As if that wasn’t enough all of National Geographic’s trip leaders are college graduates who are working in journalism, photography, science, and similar fields. Each has insightful and extensive knowledge of the destination the students will be visiting, and in order to ensure the best experience possible, the ratio of trip leaders to students is roughly six or eight to one.

The 2010 schedule offers 15 exciting trips, lasting three weeks in length, to such destinations as Costa Rica, Iceland, Peru, China, India, and more. New to the schedule this year are expeditions to Alaska, Hawaii, and Tuscany. You can check out the entire list by clicking here, and high school students interested in joining one of these trips can fill out an online application here.

For a great look at what one of these trips is like, check out this wonderful video from a student expedition to Peru. Why couldn’t this have been an option when I was in high school?!?