Articles tagged “adventure travel”

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Where To Go To Truly Get Away From It All

by Kraig Becker on

Everyone has different reasons for why they like to travel, and their destinations of choice vary just as much. Some love to visit noisy, bustling foreign cities, others prefer the quiet tranquility of a secluded beach. Then of course, there are the travelers who truly like to get away from it all. They prefer to visit remote wilderness places, far off the beaten path, with few, if any, amenities.

Veteran traveler and adventurer Jeremy Lazell has put together a list of the best wilderness getaways for the Sunday Times of London, spotlighting some of the premiere spots on the planet for those that prefer their journeys to take them to unique, and out of the way places. These are true backcountry destinations, some of which are still very wild and untamed.

All told, there are 12 dstinations on Lazell’s list, from all corners of the globe, including Mongolia, Morrocco, Patagonia, and more. His personal favorite is a place called Knoydart in the Scottish Highlands, which we learn boasts “85 square miles of Highland heather, mountains and midges”. The place has one pub, which requires an 18 mile hike to reach, and the deer outnumber the people 10-1. Paradise for any adventure traveler.

The other places offer a similar level of remoteness, as well as a variety of activites, such as trekking, dogsledding, white water rafting, and camping. Any of these destinations would serve as a perfect escape for the active traveler looking for isolation and adventure in their next vacation.

Life Nomadic: Traveling without Planning

by Tynan on

Ahh, and we’re back. After a semi-hiatus of a few months, Todd and I are back to the full nomad lifestyle. I say semi-hiatus because within those four months we both spent a good amount of our time traveling around the US, Mexico, and Canada. And even when I was in Austin, where my family and most friends are, I lived in a 21′ RV on the side of the road.

Once a nomad, always a nomad?

Our trip this year is going to be very different from last year, but our first stop is the same as last year’s first stop: Panama.

I’m not sure why exactly we chose Panama last year, but this year we chose it because we’d fallen in love with the country. The people are universally friendly and warm, as is the weather, the food is dirt cheap and amazing, and there’s no shortage of adventure to be found.

Not to mention that Todd and I are both nearing fluency in Spanish and Panamanian Spanish is actually known for being very clear.

One hallmark of our trips is that we usually don’t plan much. We often go to a city with no place to stay and no plans, assuming we’ll figure it out once we get there. That’s probably where our mantra, “everything always works out” comes in.
When our flight landed in Panama, it was two in the morning. We have a few friends in Panama from last year, but imposing on them to sleep on their couches at 3am seemed a bit cruel. Getting a hotel was an option, too, but it doesn’t make much sense to pay for a hotel you’re going to be in for just eight hours, even at Panama’s bargain rates.

And so we chose the third, less obvious option. In our backpacks we cram in luxury-lite cots, giving us the ability to sleep in perfect comfort just about anywhere.

(side note: if you have the foresight, check www.sleepinginairports.net before deciding to sleep in an airport. They have a good database, though most of the complaints people register are negated with a luxury-lite.)

We headed upstairs to the waiting lounge, where a dozen or so fellow travelers were awkwardly sleeping on the hard tile floor or slumped over in chairs. I hate to admit it, but I felt pretty smug knowing we were about to rest in perfect comfort in an otherwise inhospitable environment.

And we did. A security guard gently woke us up at 7am, we packed up our cots, and headed in to one of our favorite cities in the world with no plans or accommodations to speak of.

Trekking the Wilds of Africa

by Kraig Becker on

When most people think about traveling to Africa, the first thing that comes to mind is going on a safari, and while that classic journey is still abundantly popular, many travelers are now opting to explore the continent on foot, trekking across it’s numerous and diverse landscapes.

About.com has put together an excellent list of the best treks in Africa, highlighting the many options that are available to the more adventurous traveler looking to dust off their boots and hit the trail. The list contains great suggestions from all around the continent, offering up the Atlas Mountains in Morocco in the north, to the famous Drakensberg in South Africa. In between you’ll find the Rwenzori Mountains, also known as the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda, and the Simien Range in Ethiopia.

Those treks offer great opportunities to visit remote wilderness locations, but there are more iconic hikes in Africa. For instance, Mt. Kilimanjaro is now one of the most popular trekking destinations in the world, giving backpackers the opportunity to ascend to the highest point on the continent. Mt. Kenya, the second highest mountain in Africa, has become an attractive alternative as well, as it is generally less crowded, while still offering a similar experience.

Each of the treks on this list come with some handy links to provide more information on the treks, and to companies that organize the expeditions. Those links provide more details on what you can expect the level of difficulty on the trails to be, and what conditions will be like on the hike.

And should any of these inspire an adventure of your own, don’t forget that Ethiopian Airlines is offering a great deal on airline tickets to Africa through the end of March.

[via Best Hike Blog]

Off the Beaten Path in Egypt

by Kraig Becker on

Egypt is one of those countries that is incredibly rich with history and culture that it’s nearly impossible to see it all on just one visit. Traditionally visitors to the desert country fly into Cairo and experience its wonders, including the legendary Egyptian Museum, the ancient Kahn el-Khalili Bizarre, and of course the Pyramids and Sphynx. From there, most travelers take a Nile cruise, visit Luxor, the Valley of the Kings and Queens, and then head home.

While that may be the classic list of things to see and do in Egypt, there are plenty of others as well. For instance, Alexandria lies to the north on the Mediterrainian Coast, and has its own array of ancient wonders to explore with surviving relecs from the Roman, Mesopotamian, and of course Egyptian civilizations. And while the Great Pyramids of Giza are the typcial stop for anyone wanting to see those architectural marvels, the much older Step Pyramid is worth the journey as well.

One of the more unique and hidden gems of Egypt is the Siwa Oasis, which is located in the Sand Sea, about 50 miles from the Lybian border. The ancient settlement has existed since at least the 10th Century BC, and is mostly inhabited by ethnic Berbers. Its big draw is the ruins of a temple that were said to be the home of a powerful oracle. There are also a number of tombs from a variety of eras.

Adventure Journey has all the details on how to get to Siwa, and do so on the cheap. The trip requires a bus ride through Alexandria, giving travlers the opportunity to really get off the beaten path and explore a side of Egypt that few ever experience.

The Seven Summits: View From The Top

by Kraig Becker on

In the world of adventure travel, the Seven Summits have been one of the top goals for climbers and trekkers alike since American Dick Bass first completed his quest to summit the highest mountains on each of the seven continents back in 1985. Since then, dozens have followed in his footsteps, experiencing the view from the summit of some of the most amazing mountains on Earth.

Most of us won’t see the top of those mountains for ourselves, which is why this photo gallery from Environmental Graffiti is so amazing. It consists of a series of photos from the peaks of each of the Seven Summits, with stunning views back down the mountain to the landscapes below.

The Seven Summits consist of Mt. Everest of course, which is not only the highest peak in Asia, but the entire world. Aconcagua is the tallest mountain in South America, with Mt. McKinley, also known as Denali, claiming that honor in North America, Mt. Elbrus is located in Russia, and is the highest mountain in Europe, while Kilimanjaro holds down the top spot for Africa. Mt. Vinson in Antarctica is the most remote on the list.

The seventh mountain on the list is a bit open for debate. The original list, which stuck to the strict definition of a “continent” named Kosciusko, the tallest mountain in Australia, as the final summit, while a newer, revised list gives the nod to Carstensz Pyramid, a more remote, and technically challenging mountain, found in Indonesia on the island of Papua. Most of the climbers who set out to nab the Seven Summits will usually climb all eight just to be sure, and this wonderful gallery includes them all as well.