Articles tagged “adventure travel”

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Biking, Camping, Climbing, Hiking, Paddling, Scuba diving, Skiing, Surfing

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova to climb Kilimanjaro

by Kraig Becker on

54-year old tennis legend Martina Navratilova is in Tanzania this week where she’ll be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa at 19,340 feet. She is making the climb to raise funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting sportsmanship and a code of conduct in athletics, around the world.

The nine-time Wimbledon singles winner has never been above 12,000 feet before, so the altitude could prove to be a bit of a challenge. She lives in Aspen, Colorado however, so has a good level of acclimatization before ever arriving on the mountain. Navratilova doesn’t seem too concerned about the challenges of the climb though, as she has called the trek “just a basic hike.”

She does hope to raise 100,000 euros, or about $134,000 through the donation page on the Laureus webpage. A little more than half of that amount was already raised before she after left for Africa.

While still playing professional tennis, Martina was viewed as one of the toughest competitors to ever set foot on the court. During her long career she won 167 individuals titles, including 31 Grand Slams, and dominated the sport like no woman before or since. When she reaches the top of Kilimanjaro, she plans to hit tennis balls off the summit of course.


Follow Andrew Evans and Intelligent Travel on an adventure around the world

by Grant Martin on

Our good friend and writer-at-large Andrew Evans is on the road with National Geographic for the next few months, writing, video blogging and tweeting his adventure around the planet.

As part of his engagement with readers he’s leaving clues and tidbitds about his journey scattered across the interwebs, like tiny bread crumbs of travel fodder for his faithful fans to gobble up. Our favorite so far? From @wheresandrew:

My take on #Vegemite: If “oil spill” was an artisanal cheese.

Check out one of the opening videos from his journey below. You can follow the rest over at Intelligent Travel or on the Twitters.



Go heliskiing in Nevada

by Kraig Becker on

For many skiers and snowboarders, a heliskiing trip is at the top of their list of “must do” adventures. By hopping a flight on a helicopter, they gain access to pristine backcountry snow and slopes of untouched powder. Better yet, these locations are usually miles away from crowded lift lines and busy lodges, allowing skiers to enjoy a mountain all to themselves.

Heliskiing has become a popular activity around the globe, with numerous options in the U.S., Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, Europe and beyond. But one place you probably wouldn’t expect to find a heliskiing operation is in Nevada. But way up in the northeast corner of the state are the Ruby Mountains, which are often overlooked as a destination for winter fun.

For 34 years Ruby Mountain Heli-Experience has been offering customers access to an amazing winter wonderland that can only be reached by helicopter. They have over 200,000 acres of wilderness at their disposal, which allows them to meet the needs of skiers or snowboarders of any skill level. The Ruby Mountain setting has everything from gentle, wide bowls to steep, fast drops for the real thrill seekers.

At the end of the day, after a spectacular experience in the snow, you’ll return to the lodge where yet another surprise awaits visitors. Ruby Mountain delivers some fantastic gourmet cuisine for their guests, which simply rounds out an already fantastic experience.

Ruby Mountain Heli-Experience is one of the most accessible and affordable heli-skiing option in the lower-48 states and an unforgettable experience for adventure travelers. With the winter season just about to begin, its time to start planning your next snow adventure.

[Photo credit: Ruby Mountain Heli-Experience]


Ruby Mountain Heli Experience Highlights 2010 from Joseph Royer on Vimeo.

Explore the Galapagos Islands on a stand-up paddle board

by Kraig Becker on

The Galapagos Islands have been inspiring adventurous travelers almost from the very moment that Charles Darwin first stepped ashore back in 1835. Upon his arrival, the famous naturalist discovered an array of unique wildlife there, which inspired him to write The Origin of Species and formulate his Theory of Evolution. Modern travelers continue to visit the Galapagos hoping to catch a glimpse of those same creatures while cruising through the Pacific waters 500 miles off the coast of Ecuador.

While relaxing at the local resorts and spending your day aboard a comfortable cruise ship is the perfect vacation for many, active travelers are often looking for a little more when they visit the Galapagos. With that in mind, adventure travel company Detour Destinations has designed a number of great itineraries that include hiking, snorkeling, mountain biking and kayaking around several of the 18 main islands that make up the archipelago. But a new itinerary offers a unique way to tour Darwin’s natural laboratory as visitors can glide along the coastline on a stand-up paddle board.

Stand-up paddle boards have seen an amazing rise in popularity over the past few years. Essentially, the sport puts the rider on a surfboard, but also gives them a one-bladed paddle, with a long shaft, that is not unlike those found in a canoe. Using that paddle, the rider can propel themselves through the the water and deftly steer through and around obstacles.

Using a stand-up paddle board in the Galapagos provides visitors with a number of advantages. The almost silent mode of transpiration allows travelers to get close to the wildlife that permeate the coastlines, which include sea lions, penguins, turtles, sharks and more. It also allows them to visit places that are not normally inaccessible through other forms of transportation, while the standing position affords a better view of the surrounding scenery than a kayak.

Active travelers whow want to explore the Galapagos in unique and adventurous ways should check out the various options that Detour Destinations has to offer. Even Darwin would be envious of these tours.

[Photo credit: Bill Ebbesen]

Blog Your Way To The North Pole

by Kraig Becker on

Travelers with an adventurous side have a great opportunity to score the trip of a lifetime thanks to a new contest from Quark Expeditions, who invite you to Blog Your Way To The North Pole. The contest, which runs until February 15th, 2011, will award one lucky winner a trip for two to the top of the world that is valued at more than $54,000.

Much like Quark’s Blog Your Way To Antarctica contest, which ran last year, contestants are asked to write a short (200-400 word) blog entry explaining why they are the perfect person to be named Quark’s Official Blogger to the North Pole. Entrants are also asked to include interesting travel experiences or places that they’ve been to in the past, as well as a recent photo. Once your blog post has been put on the contest website it will be available for others to read, comment and vote on. Those votes will be a crucial element to winning the contest, as they will help narrow the entries down to five finalists in February. After the deadline for the contest has passed, a panel of judges consisting of a professional travel blogger, Quark’s President, a member of Quark’s Expedition team and a member of the Marketing team, will select the winner from those five finalists to go on the trip.

And what a trip it will be. In June of 2011, the winning blogger, along with their guest, will be flown to Europe for an evening in Helsinki, Finland. From there, it’s on to Murmansk, Russia, where they’ll board the Russian ice-breaker 50 Years of Victory to begin their voyage to the North Pole. That journey can take anywhere from 4 to 8 days depending on the condition of the pack ice, and upon reaching the North Pole itself, they’ll disembark from the ship for a champagne toast and lunch on the ice cap. On the return voyage to port, the ship will swing by Franz Josef Land, a very remote and uninhabited island that is home to polar bears and walruses.

So, if this sounds like your kind of adventure, head on over to the contest website and fill out your entry. Then fire up your Twitter and Facebook accounts, call your friends and family, and start rallying the troops to get the vote out. Who knows, perhaps next summer you’ll be taking an adventurous cruise to the top of the world.