Articles tagged “adventure travel”

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Google Maps Heads To The Arctic

by Kraig Becker on

Google’s never ending quest to map the Earth has taken them to numerous remote locations and their Street View technology has made it possible for us to explore much of the planet without ever leaving home. Not only have they shown us the wonders of Ancient Mexico, but they’ve also taken us inside national parks, up the Amazon River and to a number of other iconic locations around the globe. But their next project may be the most unique yet as the Google Maps team goes above the Arctic Circle to visit the tiny Canadian town of Cambridge Bay.

Located in Canada’s Nunavut Territory, Cambridge Bay is home to just 1500 people. The town sits on the southeast coast of Victoria Island, along the Queen Maud Gulf, and is an important port for ships traveling through the legendary Northwest Passage. Although this is a remote and lightly populated corner of planet, the region has been inhabited for more than 4000 years. The population still mainly consists of Inuit people and their culture remains evident throughout the area today. Most of the street names in Cambridge Bay, for example, are in the Inuit tongue.

In order to capture the town in all of its virtual glory, Google has sent one of their Street View trikes to map its streets. This high-tech, three-wheeled bike is equipped with cameras that take photos in all directions while rolling down the road. That data is then taken back to Google Maps HQ where it is stitched together to create a 360° panoramic view of whatever destination is being captured. That means in a short time we’ll all be able to take a stroll around Cambridge Bay within the confines of our favorite web browsers.

As travelers, how do you feel about Google Maps capturing these places and putting them in digital form online? Is it a helpful resource for you? Do you find it is intrusive or somehow detracts from a destination by taking some of the mystery out of it? Personally, I think it is kind of fun to see other parts of the world in this manner. It may even inspire someone to visit a place they hadn’t considered before.

Infographic: What National Parks Mean To The US Economy

by Kraig Becker on

Today marks the 96th birthday of the National Park Service, the organization charged with managing all of America’s national parks, monuments and other historically important properties. While this date is certainly a cause for celebration, it is also one for caution as well. As budget cuts loom, the NPS faces some big challenges as it prepares to move into its second century. In January of next year, the Park Service could see as much as 10% of its budget cut, which could lead to closures of visitor centers, campgrounds and possibly even parks themselves.

With those challenges in mind, the National Parks Conservation Association has put together an interesting infographic that spells out just how important the parks are to the U.S. economy and to travelers. You’ll find this eye-opening infographic after the jump.


12 Of The World’s Most Beautiful Caves

by Jessica Festa on

For adventure-travel enthusiasts, visiting caves is a great way to satiate one’s appetite for exploring the lesser-traversed world out of the sun’s light. Immersed in bizarre natural formations, you’ll see rainbow colored rock compositions, jagged stalagmites, rugged stalactite, azure waters and scenery that will make you feel like you’re on another planet. Everything goes silent as the air gets cooler, and the only sound you hear is the trickle of water dripping from the uneven cavern roof. These places are sometimes peaceful, other times eerie, but almost always alluring.

Whether you want to get out and explore a cave for yourself or feel better curbing your curiosity from your computer chair, you can get a visual idea of some of the world’s most beautiful caves by checking out the gallery below.

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[Images via Shutterstock]

Amazing 3-D Laser Scan Of Lalibela Rock-Hewn Churches In Ethiopia

by Sean McLachlan on


Of all the incredible monuments in Ethiopia, the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are by far the most impressive. Starting in the 12th century A.D., Ethiopian rulers dug a series of churches out of the solid bedrock.

This architecture-in-reverse creates a bizarre and otherworldly scene. As you walk along the exposed rock, you come across giant holes in the stone filled with churches. Narrow steps take you down into the pits, where you’ll find some welcome shade from the powerful African sun. Enter the churches and you’ll come upon pilgrims and priests studying the Kebra Nagast and Bible by the dim light steaming in through stone grills high in the walls. Further in the gloom, you’ll spot the gleam of elaborate gold and silver crosses as incense wafts through the air.

Now the churches have been scanned using 3-D laser technology. The World Monuments Fund sponsored the scan along with University of Cape Town in order to better understand the layout and look for any potential problems in its preservation.

Interested in reading more about Ethiopia? It makes a great adventure travel destination. Check out my series on my Ethiopian road trip and my two months living in Harar.

Exclusive First Look At John Muir Trail Documentary

by Kraig Becker on

The John Muir Trail is the quintessential American hiking route. Located in California, the 211-mile-long trail runs from the summit of Mt. Whitney in the south to Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley in the north. Along the way it passes through some of the most pristine and spectacular wilderness in all of North America, including Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.

In July of last year, a group of five friends set out to hike the entire length of the trail, documenting the journey as they went. Their trek lasted 25 days and culminated on the 14,505-foot summit of Whitney, where they were joined by an interesting assortment of characters that they met along the way. That same group of backpackers is now preparing to release a documentary about the trail and their experiences on it. They call the 87-minute long film “Mile… Mile & A Half” and as you can tell from the trailer below it looks fantastic.

The filmmakers hope to put the finishing touches on the film in the weeks ahead and get it ready to be shown in adventure film festivals across the country. With that in mind the team has launched a Kickstarter page to help raise funds to complete their project. With a little over a month to go, they’re about halfway to their goal and could use a little help getting over the top.

Thanks to the entire Muir Project team for giving Gadling an exclusive first look at this trailer.


MILE… MILE & A HALF (trailer 2) from The Muir Project on Vimeo.