Adventure Travel

All the Adventure New Zealand Has To Offer

2011-09-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

There is something about New Zealand and thrill-seeking daredevilry. It's just a kind of national sport to seek out super crazy insane situations to put yourself in and to get to not die. It seems to something to do with the natural environment of New Zealand. With all its wondrously rugged mountains, valleys and spectacular coastline, to citizens who loves adventure, New Zealand has something to offer everyone. You visit India for its ancient temples and culture; you visit America for its spectacular energy for life and for its scenery; you visit New Zealand to almost kill yourself. But only almost.

New Zealanders have thought up and perfected such a range of adventurous activities to sell to tourists. What kind of death defying acts would be your pleasure - the original, bungee jumping? How about fly by wire or monorail cycling called Shweeb or the hamster ball - a very limited selection of all the adventure New Zealand has to offer, to be sure. How exactly did New Zealand get to be this way? Why are its citizens so obsessed with death-defying adventure? And how does the bug get everyone?

If New Zealand is the world capital of adventure, Queenstown in New Zealand (of the South Island) is the country's adventure capital. TripAdvisor says so. Arrive here, and the town doesn't really seem like much - a handful of streets, and a lake. The only stores here sell stuff for tourists and there are no end of hotels and hostels all over the place. In this unassuming little place, they offer you ways to tease death that you would never dream of otherwise - right from skydiving to strange names that you would never be able to interpret if no one ever told you - BASE jumping, parapenting, snow kiting and other such oddities.

They say that all the adventure New Zealand lives through each day as part of its national character comes from the Maori tribes - the aboriginals of the land. They were an adventurous a group and they inspired the settlers. Add to that the way New Zealanders are an naturally inventive bunch who can't wait to see what happens when they push the envelope, and you have a terribly volatile mixture. And of course, life isn't valued in New Zealand as it is in America. If something happens to you when you're in the middle of an adventure, you can't sue anyone. That's not how New Zealand works.

Zorbing is a particularly insane activity. You lock yourself into a huge air-filled ball and then you roll yourself downhill. It's pretty popular in lots of countries around the world. A true New Zealand export. Make sure that you research all the different companies that offer adventure services when you land in New Zealand. Planning ahead will ensure that you actually make it back.

I Have Always Been Intrigued By Adventure Tourism

2011-06-18T14:32:00.001-07:00

I have never been one to go on vacation and just lounge around. I have always preferred to be out and about — doing things I would not normally get to do at home. One thing that has always interested me is adventure tourism, and while I think I might want to give it a shot one day, I am not sure it is something I would want to do every time I take a trip.

Adventure tourism packages can range from location to location, but most often, I will see them to countries in Africa, Asia or South America. They are typically to places that are not considered as “developed,” and hence add to the intrigue and adventure. One that I saw that I particularly wanted to try was an African safari where I would get the opportunity to see animals up close that I normally would only see in the zoo or on the National Geographic Channel.

It was through Zambia and relatively safe — as safe as a safari can be, anyway. I saw some footage of one of the tours and it looked like a lot of fun. I was not sure if I wanted to take my children on such a trip, but I figured it would be a great opportunity for me to discover a part of the world with which I was not very familiar.

I saw another brochure for adventure tourism for the Yukon Territory. I found this simply fascinating, because again, it was a part of the world with which I was not very familiar and I would have to survive in conditions that most people besides Inuits rarely ever encounter. I spoke to a friend of mine who participated in a trip to the Yukon Territory, and he said it was not for the faint of heart.

There was also the advertisement for adventure tourism in the Australian Outback. I know that most of this area is uninhabitable, and I used to love to watch Steve Erwin hunt crocodiles and snakes in the region. He just made it look like it was so much fun that one almost forgot how dangerous it actually was.

Adventure tourism is not for everybody, and I have not taken advantage of such a package yet. I see them all of the time and I know that eventually the temptation will be too great to resist. I can imagine one of two things happening if I do ever make the jump. Either I realize that I am not cut out for it and never go on such a vacation again, or I become completely hooked, and never go on a different kind of vacation.

Alaska Adventure Travel

2010-10-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

Alaska adventure travel is very popular for those travelers who want to explore Alaska's vast wilderness and wildlife. This great state has much to offer and depending on how much time you have available, you can experience as much or as little as you would like. You can customize your vacation and include the activities that you like do most, such as sea kayaking, river rafting, hiking, camping, whale watching, and wildlife viewing, which are some of the most popular. Alaska offers white capped mountains, majestic glaciers, streams filled with salmon, national parks and wildlife refuges, and backcountry lodging to rest and reflect on all your activities of the day. Sound like fun to you? There are quite a few travel and tourism companies that offer a wide range of Alaska adventure travel packages, to include just what you want to see and do. Maybe you'll only be able to travel for a few days, that's not a problem. Most of these businesses have everything from short tours lasting just a few hours to those lasting a couple of weeks, it just depends on you.

If you want to see Denali National Park, there are shuttle buses available, or you can book a tour on a private bus, including a variety of guided hikes, fishing, gold panning, and innumerous picture taking opportunities. Mount McKinley National Park is inside of Denali and tours offer spectacular views of this glacier topped majestic mountain, which is the highest peak in North America at a stunning 20,320 feet. Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is another area you may want to explore on your Alaska adventure travel. The Kenai Mountains border this fantastic refuge, with hundreds of glacier fed lakes, and a variety of wildlife species, including caribou, black and brown bears, birds, and sea life such as seals, penguins, and different varieties of whales. In northern Alaska, the Artic region, including the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, is the largest refuge in the National Wildlife Refuge system, according to Alaska Wildland Adventures, with eight million acres designated for this purpose. It is also home to indigenous native tribes, the Inupiat Eskimos and Gwinch'in Indians, who survive using the resources on the refuge, just as their ancestors before them preserving their culture.

Alaska adventure travel will fulfill your desire to be one with nature and Alaska's truly breathtaking environment. Meet the locals, experience the divine ecosystem, and the vastly untouched Alaskan wilderness. It is a trip you won't forget, it will feed your soul, and rejuvenate your spirit. Take advantage of all this great state has to offer; seriously consider Alaska adventure travel for a trip of a lifetime.

Great Adventure in Bahamas Travel and Tours Packages

2010-10-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

It is said that vacation is good for one's spirit and I agree to that. Getting away from your daily activities that have become boring routines, is the best way to relax and treat yourself to a taste of adventure you always dreamed of. How will you spend your vacation where there are plenty of adventurous activities to keep your pulse racing and blood pumping? Places like the Bahamas, where there are plenty of sun, sand, and water for you to enjoy, have fun, and to unwind.

Bahamas offers a wide selection of exciting tours and travel for you to select that suits your taste and adventurous spirit. The adventure in Bahamas travel and tours include shark adventure, 2-ank dive trip, snorkel Bahamas adventure tour, SUB (scenic underwater bubbles) Bahamas adventure, and many more.

Shark adventure in Bahamas travel and tours is a 5- hour, 2-tank dive program which takes thrill- seekers to where the wild sharks are and gives you the opportunity to see up close and personal the magnificent but misunderstood creatures in the dazzling waters of the Bahamas. There are actually four sites where you can dive with the sharks, and at either location you will encounter a get-together of Caribbean Reef Sharks on a regular basis. Your first dive is actually a free swim with the sharks and the second dive is a shark-feeding dive. During the feeding dive, this is where most of the adventure sets in. If I were to do it, I would probably be thinking that sharks will be more interested in me than the bait!

If you love the waters, diving is among the best adventure in Bahamas travel and tours that you must try. This 2-tank dive trip package is recommended for any enthusiastic diver, where you will be taken to the most popular and famous reefs famous in the diving world. In addition, you will get an opportunity to explore an underwater adventure rich in natural wonders and you may get a chance to explore the famous James Bond wreck. You will have two dives and both dives are going to be a combination of a wall and wreck, wall and reef or wreck and reef. The weather condition is the basis for selecting exact sites for diving.

The snorkel adventure in Bahamas travel and tours will take you to an undersea extravaganza of living coral and tropical marine life. You will get a rare opportunity of swimming with schools of colorful fish in the shallows reefs. Each trip takes advantage of the numerous and different underwater sites from which the water is clearest and calmest to begin your snorkeling adventure. And, if the weather is perfect and your companions have the adventure spirits, it's possible that you can be taken off to snorkel with one of the most magnificent but misunderstood creatures of the sea, the sharks. Sharks are one of the mesmerizing marine animals you will ever see. You can snorkel with your guide (of course!) as the sharks swim calmly deeper down below you. If you don't have the guts, you can watch from the boat, which I would prefer!

The SUB adventure in Bahamas travel and tours offers you a submarine experience of a lifetime. This 5-hour trip begins with a submarine orientation by a professional SUB guide, wherein you will learn the basic piloting skills and easy operating and communication procedures. Right after, you will board on the comfortable custom-built 55' support vessel that will take you to one of the famous reefs. A seahorse-shaped submarine propels you at a depth of 15' around a coral reef and together with colorful fish at a speedy two knots. All throughout your submarine adventure, a team of professional SUB guides will supervise and escort you and your friends around an extravagant coral reef, feeding the fish along the way and stopping to show you the marine life. Isn't that an amazing adventure indeed? I would love to try and experience that someday (hopefully sharks are not around!).

This exciting and thrill-filled adventure in Bahamas travel and tours will surely take your breath away. Amidst the beautiful, spectacular places and sites that is Bahamas; your getaway will surely be the best. A repeat is definitely possible!

How to Plan for Adventure Travel Tours

2010-10-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

Planning is the first major step to take when considering adventure travel tours. Its importance basically lies on the fact that the way you plan determines the outcome of your experience. So if you plan your adventure travel tours properly and ahead of time, the result would be great and truly memorable.

So, how to plan properly for adventure travel tours?

There are a lot of basic ideas to note when planning for your adventure travel tours. A few steps are mentioned below. If you want to know how you can obtain an ultimate adventure experience, then take note of the following:

Know what you want

Deciding on adventure travel tours can be one of the biggest decisions you can ever make in your whole life. So it is better to be sure and certain as to what you want or desire for your adventure travel tours. The key here is to know your desires.

Ask yourself some questions. Think about your dreams, and how to make them happen. You might think of visiting Aspen and engage into its world-class skiing, or you might just want to stand in a line for a couple of hours just to see the Mona Lisa. The idea of a cruise to the Caribbean might also appeal to you, or you might want to whale watch in Maui, Hawaii. Indeed, there are a lot of options available for your adventure travel tours and what you really desire is what will basically determine the outcome of your adventure. So simply know what you want and base your decision on that.

Do a Research

If a trip to the Caribbean is the fulfillment of your dream, then there's a possibility that you've been thinking about the place for a long time. Well, now is the right time to make it happen. But before you go for your adventure travel tours, try to do a research about your trip first. This will surely prepare you and give you ideas ahead of time of what adventure travel tours can offer. Ask for recommendations, read magazines and books, or go online and ask the Chamber of Commerce of the place you are considering. Those basically are the right moves to take.

Think About the Budget

Your adventure travel tours can be expensive. So, before you engage into one, make sure that your pocket is big enough for the money challenge. Budget your adventure travel tours in advance and balance everything that is involved. Don't forget to include the travel insurance, gasoline costs, auto repairs, and other possible expenses to your budget.

Avoid Over Planning

Over planning means doing things that are not included in your original plan. Well, for some, this just imposes additional efforts and additional budget, which may ruin your entire adventure travel tours. So, before you go for your adventure travel tours, think about some possible extra activities that you might encounter in the way, like having a drinking spree with a couple you just met.

Enjoy and Relax

Adventure travel tours are designed for people to enjoy. So once you are on your way to an adventurous undertaking, then just enjoy the moment. Don't pressure yourself. Do what you can only do and have a good time.

How to Choose an Adventure Travel Tour Company

2010-10-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

A number of factors that can contribute to the success of an adventure tour are actually out there waiting for people to discover. One of the most important is by far the adventure travel tour company.

A lot of adventure travel tour companies today offer everything that every adventure trekker will need. They provide tour schedules, foods, transportation, shelter, and guides for big and small group journeys to some of the most scenic attractions on earth. Most of these companies also provide attractive catalogs and brochures highlighting their destinations and itineraries. Wonderful photos are even highlighted and of course, catchy claims are presented.

However, despite all the good things presented for the customers to love the service, it's not actually the ads and claims that matter. What matters greatly is your decision for a particular adventure travel tour company. I bet you know that choosing the right adventure travel tour company is as important as choosing the right adventure to take. Yes, your decision for a company will surely determine the outcome of your experience. If, for instance, you go for an adventure tour with an adventure travel tour company that is illegally operating without you knowing it, chances are everything will turn out worse in the end. So careful planning and careful decision is highly needed. Don't just easily be blinded with those claims and catchy headlines. Do a research and make sure that what you get is the best choice.

But, how can you really identify the right adventure travel tour company?

To begin, ask yourself and the adventure travel tour company some questions. Know the company's history and its experience as a travel agent, but don't just rely on what is written on the brochure or catalogs. The best way to find out the quality and professionalism of a particular adventure travel tour company is by word of mouth. So do some investigations and ask the travel agents with the right questions in person.

Some of the possible questions that might help you determine the quality and professionalism of the adventure travel tour company you are considering are the following:

* How long have you been operating as an adventure travel tour company?
* Are there any types of tours or regions in the world that the company is specializing?
* What are the environmental policies and practices you are maintaining for some adventure eco-tours?

When choosing an adventure travel tour company, also make sure to know more about the company's sales staff. Find out if they are knowledgeable, efficient, and capable enough of guiding you to where your adventure may take you. Note that another important key to a successful adventure tour is the leader and support staff. So before you go for a trip with an adventure travel tour company, be sure that the people you are traveling with are highly experienced and professional adventure leaders who are capable of turning a good trip into a memorable one.

Adventure Travel

2010-10-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

For some people, simply seeing the world from a cruise ship or a guided tour is not enough. Adventure travel is a newer term for an age-old activity. Instead of simply viewing places of interest, you go out and find a way to have an adventure.

Adventure travel packages are available for almost any destination in the world. Hiking or camping out under the stars in a desired location are the most popular forms of adventure travel.

Do you dream of visiting ancient ruins or exploring canyons and valleys? Do you wish you could see more than just a far off view of some of the world's most beautiful sites? If so, adventure travel may be just what you are looking for.

Adventure travel is a great way to truly experience a destination. Instead of viewing the beautiful Rocky Mountains, why not take a hike through the beautiful scenery to get an up close and personal view, and experience it right under your nose?

You can also find African Safari packages, as well as adventure travel packages that will take you to South America, Asia, and Australia. If you have a special place in mind, chances are there is an adventure package that will take you where you dream of going.

Packing for adventure travel will be a little more complicated than your average vacation. You may need more supplies than normal. Things like tents, sleeping bags, sturdy hiking boots, and in some cases, your medical records, are all necessary.

Many companies have made adventure travel much easier. They offer packages that will take you to places you may not have even thought to explore. They can help you pinpoint the type of adventure you wish to have, and help make choosing your destination for adventure a whole lot easier.

There are also packages that are designed especially for women. You can find packages that cater to those who want to experience sport, biking, kayaking, and many other athletic pursuits.

Remember to keep your options open when choosing a package. Prices will vary widely, depending on which source you choose. It never hurts to look for the best travel package for your adventure travel by looking both online and by visiting a travel agent.

Also remember that your options are almost unlimited as far as destination, activity, and duration of your adventure travel package. It's your money and your time, so take the time to find the package of your dreams.

Vacations by Adventure Tours Travel Company

2010-10-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

Having some time off and going on a vacation away from the pressures of everyday life and stresses that your demanding job gives you, would be a tempting solution to spend quality time with your family or friends. If a four or more legged creature needs rest, how much more the two legged ones, right? A get-away or a vacation is essential for everybody to de-stress and to at least reward yourself or your family a luxury that you and your family deserve for all the hard work each one is doing.

In planning for a get-away that is meaningful, it must not only be relaxing, but also exciting and fun. If you are up to relaxing only, your vacation will turn out to be boring. It is best to add adventure to your vacation list, isn't it? Vacations by Adventure Tours Travel Company can help you in your vacation needs. Whether you want to spend a vacation in the Caribbean, Costa Rica, or Las Vegas, they can give you full assistance.

The Mark Travel Corporation is the parent company of the Vacations by Adventure Tours Travel Company, and for this, vacations by adventure tours travel company made a commitment to adhere to the strict code of ethics, upholding a high level of professionalism, and clearly state all costs and inclusions in all of their advertising and promotional materials. In addition, vacations by adventure tours participated in $1 million Customer protection plan, representing their company's stability and commitment to provide satisfying and quality vacation packages.

Vacations by Adventure Tours Travel Company offers you a complete vacation packages to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Costa Rica and has the advantage of offering you specialty vacations, honeymoon packages, destinations weddings, golf getaways, luxurious spa vacations and many more. You will have a wide selection for your accommodation needs, convenient local departures with non-stop flights to all of the destinations, and round-trips transfer to and from your hotel.

The Vacations by Adventure Tours Travel Company has a group of dedicated, well-trained, and service-oriented travel professionals who are committed to 100% satisfaction to their clients. Upon arrival at your destination, you will be met by one of their travel representatives. This group of friendly people from Vacations by Adventure Tours will help you with anything you need during your stay, even minute details like tipping, where to dine, booking local activities and tours. During the course of your vacation if emergency should arise, they will be there to give you assistance. Vacations by Adventure Tours will always ensure your complete satisfaction from planning stage to actual vacation time.

The Travel Writer As Intellectual Adventurer

2010-10-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

William Dalrymple, the Scottish Catholic adventurer, wrote in his book From the Holy Mountain about the modern remnants of Byzantium, the following:

"John Moschos did what the modern travel writer still does: he wandered the world in search of strange stories and remarkable travellers' tales."

Note that Dalrymple did not say that travellers go to discover new things, or places, or people. He sets the modern travel writer on a different plane, as one who adventures through human narrative by means of travel.

That is certainly true of the opulent works of Dalrymple, for whom travelling to places is merely a starting point for an intellectual journey through past civilizations and cultures.
At his best Dalrymple delivers writings that reveal intellectual continents, through which run his riveting historical and moving personal revelations.

When Dalrymple spoke of travel writing and John Moschos, he was referring to an ancient traveller whose footsteps he would retrace in his quest, from Greece through the Levant to Egypt, to find the monasteries and cities that Moschos had previously written about. With John Moschos' book, entitled The Spiritual Meadow, in hand Dalrymple journeyed to the ports of Sidon, Tyre, Beirut, Alexandria -- to see what Moschos had seen, or to discover if anything Byzantine was still there in any incarnation at all.

A huge gulf of time separated Dalrymple from Moschos and yet in several appealing ways they had much in common.

An Oxford graduate from the leisured classes of Scotland, when Dalrymple set out for Byzantium he had already written a best-selling travel book In Xanadu: A Quest. For this he travelled to China while an impecunious student accompanied by relays of girlfriends. He had also written City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi based on an uneasy year he spent in the city with his young artist wife, Olivia. In his much later book White Mughals it would emerge that Dalrymple's Anglo-Indian origins were the reason for his fascination with India.

Prior to setting out to discover Byzantium, Dalrymple consulted with a veritable slate of geniuses and eccentrics: Sir Steven Runciman, Robert Lacey and Robert Fisk among them. On his Byzantium odyssey Dalrymple started his journey at the monastery of Mount Athos on the Greek mainland in 1994. He began here because he went to see an early Greek manuscript of Moschos's book.

John Moschos began his journey from the gates of the great desert monastery of St Theodosius overlooking Bethlehem. The year was 578 A.D., nearly 1500 years before Dalrymple set out from Mount Athos. Moschos was "an almost exact contemporary of Mohammed." This "wandering Jew of a monk" as a biographer of Moschos wrote, travelled with his pupil Sophronius, who in old age would become Patriarch of Jerusalem, and "it was left to him to defend the Holy City against the first army of Islam as it swept up from Arabia, conquering all before it."

Moschos wanted to see and write about Byzantium when it was under assault. Justinian's efforts to re-establish the Roman Empire had failed. Now Byzantium was threatened in the west by Slavs, Goths and Lombards and from the east by "desert nomads and the legions of Sassanian Persia".

Dalrymple wanted to write about a civilization that is largely forgotten and its remnants growing few and remote from modern life. It is not commonly realized that for 300 years Byzantium was the dominant culture of Eastern Europe and the Levant. It was a distinct cultural era between Rome and Islam, and yet so little of it remains in the Western consciousness, except in Eastern Orthodox religious traditions.

Both Dalrymple and Moschos wanted to recover, record and preserve a phase of history most remembered in the adjective "Byzantine" or faintly remembered from the portraits in mosaic of Justinian and Theodora at Ravenna.

John Moschos and his companion ended their journey in Constantinople where he wrote his book. It was hailed as the masterpiece of Byzantine travel writing even then and in a generation or two was translated into several languages.

William Dalrymple ended his journey in Egypt and sojourned in the home of a friend in Somerset, England where he wrote his book. With From the Holy Mountain Dalrymple came of age as a writer. Some would say it was his greatest work. Today Dalrymple the family man divides his time between a farm outside Delhi, London and Edinburgh.

With From the Holy Mountain he did what he wanted to do. "I wanted to see wherever possible what Moschos and Sophronius had seen, to sleep in the same monasteries, to pray under the same frescoes and mosaics, to discover what was left, and to witness what was in effect the last ebbing twilight of Byzantium."

Adventure Travel Safety Tips

2010-10-11T13:39:00.000-07:00

Thousands of people throughout the world today are considering adventure travel for several good reasons. Most of them want to simply discover the hidden secrets of a certain place, while others want to experience a new taste of culture and beliefs. They want to meet new people, learn new language, or simply see the exotic flora and fauna of a certain place. There are others also who engage into an adventure travel to discover their own self, their capabilities and limitations.

Although the reasons for considering an adventure travel are good, we can really deny the fact that tours and trips to mountains, rainforests, rivers, and even on air are dangerous to some extent. Yes, they are exciting, but they can be dangerous as you have no control as to what will happen while on travel.

Because of such fact, some sorts of safety preparations must be considered before the traveler departs from home. Doing some kind of homework before you leave can be a great move to take as it can help lessen the chances of mishaps to occur. So when considering an adventure travel with your peers, make sure that you are prepared enough for whatever is involved. Know the destination, the guides, and what you are about to do. Most of all, make sure that you know yourself.

Consider the Safety of Your Trip

When choosing an adventure travel, one of the most important things that every traveler can to do to avoid dangers along the way is to research about the destination and the trip. Know the level of your adventure, whether it is extreme or unusual, and think about the possible dangers associated with such kind of activity.

Also consider the tour guides. Don't think that because you have a tour guide, you're safe. Well, that doesn't apply all the time. Having a guide, in fact, doesn't eliminate the risk. Understand that there a number of unexpected situations that your guides can't control, no matter how powerful and strong they are. In relation to this, don't easily think that because you will be part of a group, you will be safe. Again, that's not always true. So best thing you can do now is to carefully research the company your will be dealing with, including their tour guides. Make sure that the company is responsible enough to handle every adventure.

Know What to Do and What to Expect from Your Travel

An adventure travel is a very demanding investment. So before you leave, be sure to know what to expect and what to do on your trip. You can ask about the foods and accommodations, the gender, age and interests of your fellow adventurers. Also, assess your own skills. Also make sure that you are physically and mentally ready for your adventure travel.

Know Yourself

Knowing oneself is by far the best thing that every person can do when consider an adventure travel. So ask yourself if the activity you are considering is what you really want. Also know your own condition, whether you are fit enough or unfit for the adventure travel. Well, the best way to know your own condition is to get a medical advice from your doctor. Simply find out if the adventure travel is best for you or not. If not, then look for an alternative, something that your health can tolerate.

Adventure Travel

2010-10-10T13:38:00.000-07:00

Most of us have taken a travel trip sometime or the other in our lives. But if you have been on a travel trip in the recent past, you could not have failed to notice that a new category of travel has made itself very prominent. Known as 'Adventure Travel' this is a new way to travel that is not just popular among the youth and those whose veins are filled with adrenaline, but even among ordinary people like you and me!

It is not really difficult to fathom why. Regular travel, has, over the years gotten boring and predictable. With the prices of airfare coming steadily down and package tours becoming more common than ever before, conventional travel has become stifling, overcrowded and boring. The sense of adventure that is usually associated with travel has become obsolete. Until adventure travel came on the scene that is. With adventure travel, travel ca once more become that exalted activity that brings us in touch with new cultures and people and broadens our horizons. The very raison de etre for adventure travelis unique experiences - something that all of us, irrespective of our personal preference of travel, want!

A sample adventure travel trip for instance could offer you a very unique way of seeing an otherwise popular destination. Now, most people you and I know have been on a Caribbean travel trip. They would have visited the same old beaches, stayed in the same old hotels, driven along the same old roads and seen the same old touristy sights. But sample what an adventure travel trip to the Caribbean could offer. You could take an eco-trek through the Caribbean rain forests, you could see the birds, the insects and the animals up close, you could camp with the local inhabitants and learn more about them, their costumes, their food and their culture by actually interacting with them and you could discover the joys of virtually deserted, unspoiled beaches. All of this while being relatively close to the popular tourist destinations, yet away from the humdrum and drab experiences.

Or imagine an adventure travel trip to Australia. While most travelers do the staid, old, boring city hop across the continent, you could, as part of your adventure travel trip, balloon your way across the continent, snorkel in the great barrier reef, share a billy with a jolly swagman and waltz with mathilda and a joey or two in the bush country! Doesn't the adventure travel option sound like more fun when compared to the regular travel option?

It is precisely to cater to this need for a unique and interesting travel experience that the genre of adventure travel came into existence. And adventure travel is not a genre that is restricted to the teens and tweens. Increasingly, older adults are opting to go on adventure travel trips. And they are having more fun, learning much more and reliving their experiences at every given opportunity, much to the envy and consternation of regular travelers. You too could be the one to go on an adventure travel trip. The only thing stopping you is your imagination!

Papua New Guinea: Adventure Traveler Mecca With Butler And Health Club

2010-10-09T13:37:00.000-07:00

One of the few still untamed, if not unspoiled destinations, Papua New Guinea is a raw land. Nearly 85% of the main island is carpeted with tropical rain forest.

With its international reputation for Scuba Diving thanks to spectacular coral reefs, Papua New Guinea is still a Mecca for the serious adventure traveler who will find swamp and jagged limestone; mud and moss forest; suffocating heat and Highland chill; plumed, pearl-shelled villagers and prosaic hill people; tiny tree kangaroos and enormous Queen Alexandra Birdwing butterflies. And fascination, unspoiled beauty, the exotic experience of a lifetime. But also personal butlers at hotels. Fine dining. And now even a stunningly designed Health and Racquet Club.

The new club is at the Airways Boutique Hotel in Port Moresby and covers 600 square meters fitted out in stylish décor, and includes state of the art "Wellness in Motion" Techno Gym cardio and strength equipment, a 20-metre infinity lap pool, air-conditioned squash courts, floodlit tennis court, aerobics and exercise room, massage rooms, separate male and female steam rooms and saunas, and a Zen garden with views over the valley, the sea, and the mountains, for winding down after a workout or massage treatment.

A full range of professionally organized classes and lessons offers Club members and hotel guests a variety of invigorating fitness and exercise programs and routines. There is also an outdoor exercise trail through the hotel's lush botanical gardens.

The Airways Hotel, located at the Port Moresby airport, is anything but your typical airport hotel. Exquisite dining, the unique combination of the exotic and the modern in a luxurious tropical setting, and an excellent, friendly service provide for a matchless airport hotel experience.

The hotel is nestled into the mountainside in its own botanical gardens, with stunning views of the crystal clear waters of Bootless Bay to the majestic mountains of the Owen Stanley Ranges. The stylish rooms have a hint of designer decor with a simple elegance. For the ultimate luxury in service, book one of the Orchid Suites and Rooms that come with a 24-hour personal butler to cater to your every need. Art and artifacts of Papua New Guinea are on display throughout the hotel.

Four restaurants, four bars, boutique, chauffeured limousine service, swimming pools, tennis courts, yoga and aerobics, Chef's Master cooking classes, diving, and spa complete a hotel offering that one does not expect at an airport hotel in an exotic destination.

The Airways Hotel is an Emerald Collection member of Boutique Hotels & Resorts International, a highly acclaimed alliance of genuine boutique hotels from around the world, and has been nominated for the World Travel Awards.

If your travels take you to the exotic islands of Papua New Guinea, be it for a longer stay or just for a day, the Airways is the place to be.

Tips for Your First Scuba Diving Travel Adventure

2010-10-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you have already decided to take on your first ever scuba diving travel adventure and like any first-timer you are thrilled to the bone. However, it could also be predicted that you don't actually know what to expect. A scuba diving travel adventure is much more complicated than your normal excursion. Thus it is important to know certain essential matters before you go on your diving trip.

The primary decision you should make is probably the destination. Wherever you are going, it should fit your scuba diving level, your finances, time, and preferences. Those things are hard to balance, but with the help of a travel agent who is knowledgeable about diving, you can find an adventure spot that will be compatible to you. You can also benefit from asking a diving center as they would be glad to point out to you the great diving sites where you can start your scuba diving adventure.

When planning your scuba diving travel adventure you shouldn't leave out the non-diving aspects of your trip. Sure you are excited about going underwater, but there are many good sights to see on dry land, and you wouldn't want to miss them as well. Remember to have the right balance of wet and dry activities for your adventure.

Now before you forget, be sure to make a checklist of everything you need, from your scuba gear to your scuba diving certification. If you plan to dive out of the country, be sure to do your homework about travel requirements, local currencies, disease hazards, travel advisories. It is easy to get such information these days, thanks to the internet and you need to have these in check to make sure that your scuba diving adventure won't have problems.

Here are some important reminders for your scuba diving travel adventure:

1. Set your travel dates, but be flexible with them.
2. Shop for scuba diving travel packages that can save you money and effort.
3. Write your name and contact information on your scuba diving gear and mark it well for easy identification.
4. Get diving and travel insurance.
5. Have your important documents copied, keep one for yourself and another for somebody you trust at home.
6. Don't forget your medicines and their prescriptions.
7. Bring with you the essential scuba gear as carry on luggage.
8. Check with your airline about restrictions regarding scuba diving equipment.

A scuba diving travel adventure can be quite an exciting experience if you plan well.

Guiding Your Family Adventure Travel

2010-10-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

Can you still remember the thrill and chill of adventure films like Indiana Jones? But of course, who will forget the breath taking travel adventure that the protagonist's experienced? Now, you do not need to be Indiana Jones in order for you to experience travel adventure and excitement. In addition, you can have both adventure and vacation in one in just few steps.

Why do you need to have a travel guide? Basically, these are suggestions in order for you to enjoy and relax and have a fruitful vacation escapade with your love ones.

Relaxation and unwinding are main reasons of taking a travel adventure. Of course, no wants to have a chaotic travel especially when you are traveling with your family.

Here is a list of guides in order for you to have smooth travel adventure!

First and foremost of the guide, let your kids be involved in the planning. Let them speak and be vocal on what kind of travel they would want to have. This will allow them to be more excited and they will surely be looking forward for your family travel day to come. By doing this, you are also sorting their interests, their likes and dislikes. In addition, you are also building in your kids the value of decision and organization.

Family adventure packages are good. Search or scout for companies that can offer great and good deals. Most of the companies now are having different gimmickries in order to attract customers. Having this will also help you to find the cheapest offer. Some are offering discounts and others are giving away freebies. Choose the best package that will give you the best memorable family travel adventure at a good price.

Another guide is finding the perfect itinerary. Of course, you will have your family adventure travel so the itinerary should fit and suit you and your family's interest and desire. Do not opt for places that will kill your excitement. In addition, you should also consider you family member's condition. Yes, you are looking for family adventure but travel adventure should not always mean "extreme."

If you already have your vacation place, it is the time now to fly. However, checking your bags is a necessity. Be sure that you have the right attire and gears. Do not forget to bring you first aid kits for emergency and back up copy of every document for your flight.

These are just few travel adventure guides on how you can have the soundest family travel. However, the happiness of your vacation would still lies on you hands.

The Ultimate Canadian Travel Guide To An East Coast Adventure

2010-10-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

Making the decision to visit any one of Canada’s beautiful provinces or territories is easy, especially if you decide to spend your time on the East Coast. Canada’s East Coast is made up of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and precious Prince Edward Island which exudes island hospitality and charm.

Your trip will be packed full of exciting activities when visiting any number of the East Coast festivals, cultural events, heritage sites as well as a ton of indoor and outdoor attractions. There is definitely no shortage of things to do on the East Coast. When visiting here is a list of the top 5 things you must see and do.

When in Newfoundland, Gros Morne National Park is a must see. Either for a day trip or for a week long camping trip, Gros Morne National Park has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. You can hike through mountains, camp by the sea, visit freshwater fjords, waterfalls, and sandy beaches. As an area with vast natural beauty and a variety of scenery, wildlife and recreational activities, there are a million and one things to do.

The next stop on your east coast vacation has to be beautiful New Brunswick. If you are searching for some indoor activities your next stop is the traditional farmers market in St. John - this market offers patrons the best New Brunswick has to offer in terms of fresh food, produce, meats and seafood. The St. John City Market also hosts the maritime craft show and offers hundreds of hand crafted items for you to enjoy. It’s a wonderful place to visit and stop in for a bite.

If outdoor adventure is more your speed visiting the Fundy Trail in St. Martin’s New Brunswick will be most enjoyable! The Fundy Trail is an area of true importance as it is a sensitive ecological area, previously inaccessible to people. Untouched coastal areas with unmatched beauty and eco-diversity offer its visitors the opportunity to hike, bike or drive through portions of the park to take in the view.

When in Nova Scotia shellfish is the dish dejour, particularly if you enjoy Lobster! Nova Scotia offers lobster tours for sea lovers of all ages. Tours are a great way to become familiar with the fishing methods used to catch these delicious creatures as well as to learn about the marine habitat of the many sea creatures that frequent the waters off Nova Scotia. A day on the water will reveal whales, seals, dolphins, seabirds, porpoises and other exciting species.

The final stop on your east coast adventure must be Prince Edward Island, the gentle Island. Offering annual cultural and artistic events, numerous sights and attractions, PEI is fun for the whole family. You can learn to deep sea fish, do some afternoon birding, or golf on one of over 30 island golf courses . Be sure to visit Prince Edward Islands' beautiful lighthouses, the home of Anne of Green Gables, and historic Province House, the Birthplace of Canada. Or if the idea of putting your feet up on one of PEI’s beautiful red sand beaches is more your speed, the gentle island has many places for you. Surrounded by the sound of waves coming ashore, birds flying overhead and nothing but peace and quite, this are definitely the place for you. Rejuvenate your spirit, Love Prince Edward Island!

Traveling Like The Thornberry's, A Family Adventure Travel In Africa

2010-10-05T13:35:00.000-07:00

In this generation, childhood will be incomplete without being caught unaware about the movie and cartoons The Wild. Hold your breath; this is not a promo ad for the movie. It is just that most of the kids now are really dreaming of sharing the same experience with the Thornberry's. Who will not envy the Safari experience that the Thornberry kids had? However, for those moms and dads who want to grant their kids' wish, here is a guide on how you can have a family adventure travel. Actually, it is not just an ordinary family travel but also a family adventure travel with the touch of a Safari experience!

There is no other place that could be equated to the Safari experience that Africa could offer. If you and your kids are really looking for a family travel that is worth keeping, go and start reserving for a flight in Africa now.

Topping the list of "musts" is a Safari experience on the open parks. Let your kids touch and feed those tamed animals. Let them walk along the grasslands especially of the Ngorongoro Crater where luscious plants are scattered around. Let them experience Safari adventure and discover for themselves the beauty of nature. Nairobi National Park and Karen Blixen's are some of the places that provide experience and highlight your family adventure travel. Take note that these two parks are found in the heart of a city.

Instead of booking and reserving rooms in exclusive deluxe hotels, try to lodge in the ecolodges where ecofriendly services are provided. Most of these ecolodges are allowing camping and mounting tents. Aside from the wonderful sleeping set up, try the fresh foods that they are serving. Fruits and vegetables are freshly picked to provide the healthiest possible ways to each visitor.

Your adventure travel will not be complete if you will not travel like the Thornberry's way! Tour your family around Africa, have Safari experience by using trailblazing land rovers. However, if your family really craves for a real family adventure travel, try camelback riding or horseback riding. If you are still unsatisfied, use hot air balloon so you will have a clear panoramic view of the land.

Asking for the perfect time for the whole vacation? Worry no more, daytime or nighttime, travel in Africa will still be as exciting as you wished because even at night, nocturnal animals are musts to spot!

To finally complete your family travel in Africa, have a book on indigenous communities. Dwell on their place. See and feel their culture.

To experience all these adventure, you can actually choose from the two ways of booking a trip - planning and setting your adventure itinerary by yourself or let an agency do all the chores.

Do not worry about the budget because family packages are available. Better book and reserved now and like the Thornberry's, you will surely have a great family adventure travel and Safari Experience.

Interview Preview: Bruce Poon Tip - Global Adventure Travel Entrepreneur With A Conscience

2010-10-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a chance to meet Bruce Poon Tip, owner and CEO of G.A.P Adventures, one of Canada's most successful travel entrepreneurs. You may wonder, what is he like? Bruce is the owner of Canada's largest adventure travel company, an attractive man of about 37 years of age, dressed in casual attire and not afraid to speak off the cuff. Certainly a charismatic personality who was able to captivate last night's capacity crowd at the G.A.P. concept store in Toronto's Annex neighbourhood.

In 1990 Bruce went on an organized backpacking trip to Thailand where he had a chance to explore the people and the country on $10.00 a day. This experience gave him the idea to create G.A.P Adventures, today Canada's largest adventure travel company that now sells thousands of different trips and annually sends 40,000 passengers on their own small-group adventures. G.A.P has about 300 employees today, headquartered in Toronto, with operational offices in various countries of Latin America. It's most recent endeavors are the G.A.P concept stores which have recently been opened in high-traffic areas in Toronto and Vancouver, places where travellers can research their adventure trip, get more information about their desired destination and book their once-in-a-lifetime experience supported by good advice with no sales pressure.

For his entrepreneurial savvy Bruce has won numerous awards, besides receiving an award as one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40, Bruce has been also been honored as one of Canada's top 5 entrepreneurs by Canadian Business as well as Canada's 100 leaders of tomorrow. Profit Magazine named him in their 20th anniversary issue cover story as one of Canada's Top 10 Entrepreneurs of the last 20 years. Bruce also received the Global Traders Leadership award from the government for his ground breaking ideas in exporting services.

Recently Bruce was asked by the World Bank and UNESCO to represent a team to visit the Peoples Republic Of China to lecture on Sustainable Development. In January of 2002 Bruce was the only Canadian operator invited to speak at the United Nations Launch of the Year Of Eco Tourism in New York. Bruce defied the odds once again last year by winning Canada's prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year, as well as the National Citation for Entrepreneurship.

G.A.P's additional awards include having two trips chosen among the TOP 25 Adventures in the World by National Geographic Adventure magazine, the Ethics in Action Award, the Global Traders Award and the Clean Air Commute Award for five straight years.

Although a consummate business man, Bruce Poon Tip has a conscience and he has founded his entire enterprise on the concept of sustainability and established travel practices that show consideration of natural surroundings and local cultures. By limiting the travel group size to 12 people, by taking local transportation and staying in small, locally owned hotels and guesthouses, G.A.P travelers are able to minimize their footprint in foreign communities and get maximum exposure to local culture.

Planeterra is a non-profit organization founded by G.A.P to give back. Today Planeterra raises funds for a number of community projects, international charities and an endowment fund to ensure long-term support of community development and conservation projects for years to come. Some of the community projects that G.A.P sponsors through donations include a community school in Ecuador, a foundation in Honduras to help women start their own businesses, an NGO in Costa Rica for environmental and wildlife conservation projects, a local battery recycling project in Chile, a drop-in center for street children in Cuczo, Peru, and many more. G.A.P Adventures itself also initiated a Women's Weaving Project in Peru that taught local women ancient weaving techniques as well as natural fabric dye processes. Today all G.A.P travel groups visiting the Sacred Valley in Peru have a chance to see and purchase high quality textiles produced by these weavers, all sold at fair trade prices.

As another example of the innovativeness of his company, Bruce shared with us the story of how he went out to purchase the "Explorer", the world's first purpose-built expedition cruise ship. In March of 2004 Bruce went on an expedition cruise through the Antarctic and fell in love with the experience. He figured he need to buy his own expedition cruise ship and started looking for suitable vessels. In April of 2004 he found the "Explorer", a historic expedition ship with a capacity of 112 passengers and a crew of 60 people. The ship had been docked in Genoa, Italy, for many months due to the financial problems of its owners. Just another 2 months later, but after many complications, G.A.P took possession of the ship. Only another 4 months later, after extensive restorations, the Explorer went on its inaugural journey and today offers expedition cruises to such unique places as Antarctica, the Amazon, Spitzbergen, and Greenland. (Incidentally, G.A.P. has agreed to sponsor our first Travel Story Contest and the grand prize winner of our contest will win an exciting adventure cruise on the Amazon in the Explorer - all thanks to G.A.P. Adventures.)

G.A.P's innovative business ideas don't end here. G.A.P also has a travel TV Show: Great Adventure People TV shows viewers the world - G.A.P Adventures style. The camera accompanies small groups of G.A.P Adventure travelers and follows them on unique G.A.P. adventure trips- cycling through the fascinating country of Vietnam, exploring exotic Morocco, and hiking, biking and rafting through captivating Spain and Italy. New episodes can be seen in Canada on CTV and will soon also be available in Great Britain on the UK Travel Channel.

G.A.P is a unique company, with a unique philosophy and a unique way of operating. I am looking forward to interviewing Bruce personally and to finding out how he is able to combine a successful high-growth adventure travel business with his dedication to social causes and sustainable travel. Stay tuned for some interesting insights into a brilliant entrepreneurial mind....

Family Travel Adventure

2010-10-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

Family is one of the most important things in the world and we should cherish it. How can we show our appreciation for having a good family? Plan a family travel adventure!

One way of spending quality time with your family is to travel together. It will make the family bond together and get closer to each other. There are a lot of things to do when you travel, you can go to different places, visit those kids friendly park, try new things and a lot more.

Activities

Family vacations should be enjoyable and productive. You should also consider what adventures will suit you and your kids. If your kids love to travel, these places and activities are perfect.

Theme Parks/ Amusement Parks/ National parks

This place never ceases to bring joy and laughter to children. Family adventure in theme parks will not only be fun but will also be educational. There are theme parks that will give additional knowledge to the children. And if you and your children want to experience thrill and excitement, the best family adventure will be trying all the rides in the amusement parks. Anywhere in the world there are numerous amusement parks.

Camping, Hiking, Canoeing, Biking

If your family is very athletic the best adventure is going outdoors in the wild! You can enjoy your vacation by camping in the woods; it releases stress from the work and also from the school. The change of scenery will also be good for the health. But before going to some strange mountains or camping site, you should know what to bring and what to do to ensure the safety of your family vacation. Same with hiking and biking, these are great adventures. If your children are old enough, you can try canoeing or rafting, it's a water sport that will give you adrenaline rush and a great adventure. Family vacations will never be dull if you try these activities.

Shopping

It's always a must that when one travels to a different place, there's always a shopping expedition. It would be a great family adventure to look for souvenirs and items that will remind your family the good times you have in that certain place. Simple shopping with kids will be quite enjoyable even if you don't have to travel in a far away place.

Golf and Other Sports Activities

It's also important to know the sports that interest your children, not only it will be a wonderful family vacation, it will help enhance your child's skill in that certain sport. It will also help their self-esteem to know that you support them.

Going to the Beaches

This is one of the most common places for a vacation. Children can frolic in the sand and parents can relax under the warm heat of the sun. Aside from that, they can also try the different water sports activities, a family adventure that you will never forget.

Wherever you go or whatever you do, the important thing is that the family has the chance to get to know each other, form a bond and be a strong one. Enjoy your travel time with your family and have a memorable time with them.

Adventure Travel Wilderness And Hiking Trails Fees Continue To Rise

2010-10-02T13:12:00.000-07:00

Is adventure travel getting expensive for the family? The good news for adventure travel and wilderness hiking trails is that the USA has some of the most unique and incredible places to see on earth. Our National, State Parks, Monuments and Wilderness Areas are awesome, but for years there have been reduced number of visitors. Many citizens have said that a four-year program to increase national parks entrance fees to make them more uniform may discourage some Americans from visiting their national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Zion and Yellowstone.

The National Parks have been faced with a budget crisis. The parks are struggling to protect the historic, cultural and natural resources that the parks were created for. The parks are short of funds for operating facilities, repairs to roads, bridges, trails and buildings. There was an 814 million dollar shortfall in 2006. There are almost 400 areas of protection covered by the National Parks Service. Almost every park has fewer full time employees now than in 2001, while there were over 273,000,000 visitors to the parks in 2005. The park service needs more funding to provide education, interpretive and for the safety requirements of their visitors. This is a time of controversy about park fees, current plans for oil, gas and mineral exploration in our parks and of course removing the O'Shaughnessy Dam to restore the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite.

Recently the federal government has moved to replace the National Park Service's $50 annual pass with a new $80 multi-agency pass. Some people think that the fee increases are getting out of line. The park service raised entrance fees at 34 parks over the past two years and plans to raise them at another 124 parks in 2008 and 2009. At Glacier National Park in Montana and Joshua Tree National Park in California, the fees will go up twice, and beginning in 2011, park officials plan to increase fees every three years, based on inflation. There is a proposal to double entrance fees next year at Crater Lake National Park, now $10 per car. Will it drive the local visitors away? In 1997, when the park service began raising fees, the number of national parks visitors has fallen 1% while entrance fee revenue has gone up almost 16%. Many of them are from outside the United States and love to visit the American protected lands.

Will the National Park Centennial Act to rescue our parks before 2016 - the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service? The acts purpose is to eliminate the annual operating deficit and maintenance backlog in the national parks. If it passed, it was to create a check off box on American tax returns to fund the parks. As H.R. 1124 and S 886 it did not get passed in 2006. In spring of 2006 the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report about our National Parks based on research, to the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee that found that funding had not kept pace with need, requiring park managers to reduce services including, reducing visitor center hours, educational programs, basic custodial duties, and law enforcement operations, such as back-country patrolling. Additionally, the park system has been forced to close campgrounds, shorten operating hours, eliminate many interpretive programs, lay off many seasonal rangers, and eliminate many of the parks' scientific studies programs.

So where's the good news about our public lands? Being an outdoor writer and avid traveler to our parks and wilderness areas Bob Therrien, President of TrainingPASS Sales, Inc. has created an outdoor recreation message board, he commented "As I've visited the outdoors, the hardest part over the years, for me has been the research about which parks, hikes, climbs, locations and activities I want to visit with my family and friends. Exploring federal then state website after site, then mapping the distance from each area of interest is inefficient and many times lacking in information. To solve that inefficiency we have collected all the basic information about our parks, wilderness areas and national monuments and put them into one website. I don't personally have a problem with the new park fees. It costs me more to take my family to the movies. I'd rather enjoy a full day or two at a place like Denali National Park, the Arches or Canyonlands.

The USA has incredible adventure travel wilderness and hiking trails. To promote these areas AdventureZoneTOURS created a forum for sharing trip reports on National Parks, State Parks, National Monuments and Wilderness Areas.

The Outdoor Adventure Message Board opens up to reveal a listing of U.S. States, separated into travel regions. Click on any state region and there are sub forums for all the parks, monuments and wilderness areas in that region. Many times there are several interesting choices to pick from of federal or state lands, within a state region. For the activity-specific minded, AdventureZoneTOURS.com encourages users to share trip reports for a variety of outdoor activities from hiking, climbing, canyoneering, geo exploring, photography, ghost towns, mines, and cave to water sports such as boating, fishing, jet and water skiing, tubing, rafting, and scuba. Winter travel sports such as snowmobiling, skiing and snowboarding are featured. Hunting locations, ATV and horseback trails as well as the most scenic areas for outdoor photography are also available as individual topic posts. To research or share your favorite adventure travel location, you're invited to sign up and share today.

Sedona, Arizona - A Travel Adventure In Red Rock Format

2010-10-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

USA WEEKEND's Annual Travel Report for 2003 heralds Sedona, Arizona, as one of the USA's ten most beautiful places. It is a four-season adventure in beauty.

The community boasts a list of 102 things to do while in Sedona, and the list is not exaggerated. Some are free, some are pricey, but all are viable possibilities, accentuating this beautiful land.

You will meet lots of people in Sedona, from everywhere in the world, but it's not the shoving, hurry-hurry crowd (with the possible exception of the early morning or late evening commute of the friendly service population). More often it's rubbing shoulders with others who hike and stroll and caravan endeavoring to capture their share of the beauty and peace surrounding the valley.

What appeals to you?

• Visit the Africa Wildlife Park
• Golf at one of Sedona's 18-hole Courses
• Take a jeep tour
• Photograph your aura
• Hike to the bottom of Montezuma's Well
• Visit Montezuma Castle National Monument
• Visit Red Rock State Park, Fort Verde State Park and Jerome State Historical Park
• Dine and take in the show at Blazin' M Ranch
• Ride the Verde Canyon Train
• Sketch the Red Rocks
• Watch birds
• Visit a vortex
• Hike one of the 100 plus trails in the Coconino National Forest
• Watch artists create masterpieces at local galleries
• Picnic and spend the day at Slide Rock State Park
• Take a scenic drive around the Verde Valley
• Visit the Grand Canyon
• Eat rattlesnake, buffalo burgers and cactus fries at local eateries
• Tour Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village and more
• Sit back and enjoy the views and cool evenings
• Play a round of tennis or miniature golf
• Have a picnic at Posse Ground or Sunset Park
• Skateboard at the Sedona Skate Park
• Visit the Bird Sanctuary in Page Springs
• Sample a prickly pear cactus drink
• Experience a hot-air balloon
• Visit the Chapel of the Holy Cross
• Photograph the sunset at the airport overlook
• Take yoga
• Experience Shakespeare at Tlaquepaque
• Hike at Red Rock Crossing and Crescent Moon

Sedona is a choice for all. Family vacations here are truly jam-packed and memorable. Couples and singles find whatever they need and want at the moment.

Sedona is one of those "Must see, must do" American travel adventures.

Adventure Travel For The Audacious Spirit

2010-09-30T13:10:00.000-07:00

Travelling feeds the wandering soul, but it also feeds the corporate soul. Even the most top executives no longer travel solely for business purposes anymore. Leisure travel has become a preferred method for stressed-out businesspeople to unwind in their downtime. In today’s modern world, active executives take advantage of their vacation time by treating themselves to some well-deserved leisure travel. With this evolution of travel, the idea of what travel entails has changed as well. People are no longer satisfied to visit the same tourist traps, but instead want to explore their world through adventure travel. In the field of adventure travel, bigger is definitely better.

The concept of adventure travel is not entirely new. For as long as standard tourist spots have existed, there have been travelers that have gone out of their way to avoid them. Those travelers became the first adventure travelers. As the world of adventure travel progressed, more people became interested in traveling the road less taken. More travelers are curious about the world beyond the glossy travel brochures, and adventure travel has risen in popularity to become a world premier method of travel.

To learn how to define adventure travel and how to become an adventure traveler, you have to learn more about extreme sports. Some people, no longer satisfied with the typical sports like football, baseball or soccer, decided to look for excitement in more extreme activities such as base jumping and wakeboarding, thereby creating the field of extreme sports. As more people got involved in extreme sports, they would travel to meet up with one another and adventure travel got associated with their extreme lifestyle. These extreme sports enthusiasts incorporated their love of their sports into their traveling, and created a type of travel full of thrill and adventure.

Adventure travel certainly does afford adventure enthusiasts the opportunity to intertwine their sports with their traveling. This type of travel gives travelers the same burst of adrenaline that extreme sports can offer, and also gives travelers to see the world from a new perspective. Unfortunately, as with anything that relies on its obscurity to stay fresh and exciting, a rise in popularity spells out the beginning of the end for adventure travel. As adventure travel becomes more popular, the destinations that were once off the beaten path have become tourist attractions. This rise in popularity is best illustrated by the travel agencies that specialize in adventure travel packages for those interested in adventure but not interested in planning the trip themselves.

In addition to the standard travel options that cater to conventional tourists, most travel agencies also offer adventure travel packages for anyone who wants more excitement in their vacation. If you’re looking for a vacation that you’ll never forget, filled with stories you’ll retell for years to come, consider booking your own traveling adventure.

10 Travel Adventures That Won't Break The Bank

2010-09-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

Dreaming of taking a Big Trip in 2007? Finances a bit tight? Well, take a look at the following destinations.

Magic, thrills and adventure, yes. But for the budget-conscious globe-trotter, what's equally important is that these are places where your dollars will stretch a long, long way. As a travel writer, I'm lucky enough to have experienced all 10--but I'd love to revisit every single one as a vacationer.

Vietnam

Vietnam packs a lot into its borders. Highlights include misty Halong Bay with its fairytale seascapes of limestone outcrops and islands; the Mekong delta with its floating markets; the old Vietcong tunnels at Cu-Chi near Saigon--now officially known as Ho Chi Minh City. (Don't worry about getting stuck: one tunnel has been specially widened for westerners.) Backpacker beds are exceptionally cheap, but decent hotels often cost less than $40. A filling bowl of pho bo beef noodle soup or six seafood spring rolls is less than a dollar. In local hangouts, Saigon Export beer costs 40 cents a bottle.

For the ultimate traffic tale to tell the folks back home, head for Hanoi's old quarter. Any attempt to cross the road turns into a heart-racing adventure. Not only are you contending with psycho-cyclos (rickshaw bicycles), there are thousands of motorbikes and scooters whose riders regard a red traffic signal as a suggestion rather than an instruction. Best place to experience the utter chaos is from within a cyclo rickshaw.

Lithuania, Eastern Europe

The southernmost of the Baltic States, visitors usually couple Lithuania together with Latvia and Estonia. However, you can easily spend a week in Lithuania alone. Quirky cities like Vilnius and Kaunas are steeped in art, music and historical curiosities...mushroom-scented woods and farmers riding on haycarts...mysterious sites steeped in pagan traditions…the windswept sands of the Curonian Spit where you can beach-comb for amber.

Mid-June would be a great time to go. A national holiday in Lithuania, the old pagan festival of Rasos marks the summer solstice. It's an all-night affair with singing, dancing, bonfire-leaping, hunting for "magic" ferns, and floating garlands down rivers. Despite some serious alcoholic partying, most people manage to stay awake to greet the sunrise. As for prices, how about $2.54 for three potato pancakes with smoked salmon and sour cream and $1 for a glass of Svyturnys beer?

Granada, Nicaragua

From the laid-back colonial city of Granada, you can do a lot in a week in Nicaragua: tackle volcanoes...take Spanish lessons...visit Masaya craft market and also the villages where rocking chairs, hammocks, and pottery are made...explore the Selva Negra's cloud forests and coffee plantations...chat with expats in the beach surfing town of San Juan del Sur...go to colonial Leon, where you might get to meet indigenous Indians.
Settling into a rocking chair with a cold Victoria beer is a pleasure that generally costs under $1 and spending more than $7 on a meal is difficult. The Alhambra Hotel on Granada's main square costs a mere $30 a night.

Goa, Southern India

India is beyond fascinating, beyond anything you'll ever experience elsewhere. The easiest introduction to this teeming country is the seaside state of Goa. Baking below a tropical canopy of banana, coconut and mango trees, this drowsy world of Arabian Sea beaches, backwaters, and spice-laden breezes is stamped with more than a few reminders of Old Portugal. You'll find sunrise yoga on the beach, full massages for $8, dolphin trips for about $6, and colorful hippie markets.

Including four beers, two people can eat in a beach shack for under $10. And if you want to cut your expenses to the bone, there's accommodation in simple beach chalets for as little as $8 a night.

Porto and Northern Portugal

Famed for its port wine lodges (yes, they do offer free samples), Porto is Portugal's second city. An historic Atlantic trading port, its warren of laundry-hung alleys plunges down to a waterfront of boats, nets and fish restaurants. Sheets of cod (bacalhau) hang outside grocery stores with original art nouveau tiled facades; the church of Sao Francisco has a gold leaf interior that would make King Midas salivate. Don't miss the Bolhau food market or the Torre dos Clerigos, Portugal's highest belfry tower. From the top, you'll get great views over the jumbled cityscape of churches, bridges and red-roofed houses.

By EU standards, the price of dining, accommodation, and public transport throughout the region is astounding. Trains and buses are an affordable way to make exploratory day-trips along the coast and into the interior of terraced vineyards and green river valleys. Don't miss Braga and the thousand-stepped stairway of Bom Jesus church. On holy days, some pilgrims tackle these steps on their knees.

Montenegro

After its split from Serbia, Montenegro is Europe's latest holiday hot spot--and also the world's newest independent nation. Along with three-course meals for $7 and rooms in private houses for $10, you'll find a land of craggy mountains with a switch-backed Adriatic coastline of bays, beaches and villages of pale gray stone. The sea sparkles like blue topaz and medieval walled towns with crumbling fortresses and palaces are often emblazoned with the winged lion emblem of the Venetian Republic.

Now paint in monasteries slotted into mountain crevices and fishing villages of red-tiled roofs and deep-green shutters. Roman mosaics...olive groves...water-lilied lakes...deep canyons and the mighty Boka Kotorska, Europe's southernmost fjord...the border town of Ulcinj with its minarets and tales of pirate slave-trading.

Austria

The Alps? There's no denying that Switzerland is one of the most scenically gorgeous countries on earth. But unless you're armed with an expense account, I can promise you that exploring its mountains, lakes and medieval towns will wreak havoc on your finances.

Winter or summer, neighboring Austria has just as much of the alpine wow factor...plus the city splendors of Vienna and Salzburg. And it's a lot less expensive than you may think. For example, in the Tyrolean village of Fendels, you could rent a furnished apartment for two in a chalet next spring for as little as 175 euro ($230) per week. Surrounded by hiking trails, Fendels village makes an excellent base--the Tyrolean Oberland is close to the borders of Switzerland and Italy. (Go to the Austrian Tourist Board's web site at http://www.tiscover.at and you'll find plenty more self-catering accommodation at similar prices.)

Penang, Malaysia

A melting-pot of Malay, Chinese and Indian culture, Malaysia offers up powder white beaches and virgin rainforest teeming with wildlife; the bustling capital of Kuala Lumpur and the historic port city of Malacca; inexpensive seafood and inexpensive spa pampering; sailing, snorkeling, diving, fishing, golf and island-hopping.

With a distinct Chinese flavor, one of Malaysia's star turns is Georgetown, capital of Penang island. You come across snake temples, arcaded shophouses and tiny workshops specializing in mahjong tiles and dice; kong-teik craftsmen who make funerary paper artifacts; fish getting dried like laundry in the open air. On the Weld Quay waterfront, around 2,000 fishing families live in rickety wooden dwellings on the Clan Quay jetties.

Chania, Crete

On the Greek island of Crete, Chania is one town that it would be criminal to miss. Crete's former capital, its history goes back 5,000 years. In the Old Town's skinny alleyways you'll find icon workshops...lyres hanging in dusty musical instrument repair-shops...bursts of white jasmine cascading from archways...cats snoozing on balconies...the unlikely sights of a pencil-thin minaret above church towers and a mosque squatting on the waterfront.

Strung with garlands of colored light-bulbs, Chania's old Venetian harbor at dusk truly is the stuff of romance. The water shimmers in waves of crimson, sapphire and emerald, the Venetian lighthouse sends out its beady wink, and stalls do a steady trade in pistachio nuts. Alleys that were afternoon-silent become thronged with locals taking the volta--the evening stroll. Even in July and August, you'll find studio apartments here for under $40 a night...plus you can eat well for $10.

Bohemia, the Czech Republic

Prague teems with tourists but few people realize what the rest of the Czech Republic offers. One of its regions is Bohemia, blessed with a spellbinding mosaic of castles, frescoed houses and Rapunzel-style turrets straight from a sword-and-sorcery tale. At Cesky Krumlov you can peer into a medieval bear pit complete with bears. Sedlec, a suburb of Kutna Hora has a chapel entirely decorated with human bones, right down to its chandelier.

Many towns have stoupas...lofty "plague pillars" adorned with chained devils. They commemorate deliverance from the plagues, which swept Europe during the Middle Ages. Then there's Karlovy Vary, the oldest of Bohemia's grand spa towns. With spa water bubbling up all over town which visitors can collect for free, it's a gorgeous place of baroque buildings in sugar-plum colors, flowery parks, and shops glittering with Bohemian crystal.

Adventure Travel Tours: A Day on the Trail

2010-09-28T03:47:00.000-07:00

An adventure travel vacation is a great way to explore your world. Join a group of fun people who share your interests as we go on a day hike in the Alps. Enjoy a little taste of Switzerland.

Up, Up, and Away

After consuming a hearty breakfast, we depart for the trailhead. It's close to our conveniently located inn, so we take a leisurely stroll - greeting friendly locals and shopkeepers along the way.

We board a bright red cable car that whisks us soaring above the valley to a far away peak. One of your companions excitedly nudges you, "Look, marmots!". We gaze at a trio of cuddly creatures staring back at us from the rockface - so close we feel we could reach out and touch them.

We disembark at a solid rock and timber mountain station - now peaceful, this station hosts a clattering mass of skiers during the winter season.

Clean Mountain Air and Emerald Lakes

Breathing in the fresh mountain air, we set out on our trail. Carpets of wildflowers surround us. Gentle cows graze the alpine grasses - serenading us with a cheerful tinkle of bells. Hiking here is so refreshing.

A meandering path leads us through hillocks of glacial moraine, now cloaked in a splendid green, to the edge of a startlingly beautiful emerald lake. The nearby mountains reflect on its surface.

We make a brief stop to admire this natural jewel. Some of our group rambles around the tiny lake - others lay back and enjoy the serenity.

Hiking Amongst Towering Peaks

Our trail continues along a high mountain valley bordered by towering snow-capped peaks. Beautiful Alpenroses form a lovely rolling heath. We tramp across a small snowfield - its coolness underfoot contrasts with the glorious warmth of the alpine sun.

We spy a cairn ahead with the familiar red-and-white trail marking painted on one of its rocks. Rounding a corner we spot our lunchtime destination in the distance - a solid Berghaus growing out of the surrounding rocks.

Lunching on the Sonnenterrasse

As we settle ourselves on a rustic, sun-drenched Sonnenterrasse, a tantalizing smell of frying onions and sausages greets us. Lunch is hearty mountain fare - plates heaped with Rosti mit Spiegeleier und Speck (a wonderfully golden, crispy fried potato pancake with egg and bacon) - served by a flaxen-haired girl in a traditional, powdery-blue farmer's smock.

We wash down our delicious lunch with bottles of local beer and gaze out across a massive glacier winding its way down between two peaks and glistening in the sunlight.

Stunning Views

Well sated, we regain our trail and soon find ourselves breaking out onto a sloping hillside - affording us stunning views of the valley far below. We see a tiny hamlet across the valley, its sun-burned houses and barns surround a central church spire. A massive mountain rears up behind this peaceful scene.

Slowly dropping down a gentle path, we enter a straggle of dwarf pine. We're greeted by a pungent fragrance that reminds us of the cleanliness of this wonderful habitat. The afternoon sun is gaining strength and it's a perfect time for us to enter the cool loaminess of the lower forest. We follow the edge of a cascading glacier-fed creek - its frostiness refreshes the air around us.

Warm Sun and the Smell of Hay

We clatter across an ancient wooden bridge - its surface well worn by generations of cows being driven to Alpine meadows. In the lower pastures, local farmers are harvesting the hay with large wooden rakes. A comforting, sun-rich smell of dried grasses greets us.

Off to the Konditorei

The relaxing smell of hay and the warmth of the sun has put us into a peaceful, lazy mood. We beeline to the nearest Konditorei to debate our biggest decision of the day - is it to be the daintily glazed apricot torte, the decadent chocolate mousse with lashings of whipped cream, or the traditional (and oh so tasty) Engadiner Nusstorte.

We relax in a cozy nook and relieve today's experiences.

Relaxing Back at the Inn

We amble back to our welcoming inn - a great time for relaxed exploration of the local shops. Back at the inn, some members catch up on reading in the inn's glorious wood-paneled library - others send postcards or nap in the warm afternoon sun.

Later, we'll watch as the sun paints the mountains with golden color. An adventure travel vacation in Switzerland is a fantastic experience.

Tomorrow, we set off on another lovely adventure.

What Is More Exciting Than Adventure Travel?

2010-09-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

There is not much in the world that is more exciting than adventure travel. When you are taking part in adventure travel you are taking risk, you are getting out there and finally living life to the fullest. When was the last time that you actually did that? Probably a long time ago right? Well there is no time like the present to change things for the better and to experience all that life has to offer.

There are all kinds of great vacations that you can take when it comes to adventure travel and not all of them are filled with death defying stunts and danger. Sure, some of them are but if that is not your think then you don’t have to choose them. Everyone has a different comfort level and adventure travel just means taking a trip that is exciting, one that is a little out of your normal travel behavior. You don’t have to go and climb Mount Everest or anything like that to have a good time with adventure travel.

Some of the best adventure travel has barely any danger to it whatsoever. Have you ever climbed through the runs of Greece, or hiked in the Amazon, or even gone surfing in Costa Rica? If not these are great ways to get your feet wet with adventure travel. With this kind of adventure travel you will be able to have a great time and not do anything too, too dangerous. Just things that excite you and thrill you to the bone.

Can you imagine taking a trip to some exotic locale and then experiencing some of their ways of life. Have you ever heard of Zorbing? It is something that they do in New Zealand, and it is so much fun. All you do is climb into a giant ball, it is like a great big beach ball, just climb in it and they roll you down the hill. There is usually some water in it to cushion any bumps that you might hit along the way down. The water is not dangerous to you and your breathing because it is kept totally separate from you in a different compartment of the ball. This is one of the most fun things that you could ever do when you are gong to adventure travel and it is not even a little bit dangerous.

You see adventure travel is something that everyone can enjoy, no matter what they danger tolerance happens to be. If you are sick and tired of the same old same old then you need to find out some more about adventure travel today. Start planning your next trip abroad now, with a little more adventure in mind. It is always fun to try something new and exciting so go for it and have a blast!

Outdoor Adventure Travel For Anyone

2010-09-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

Outdoor adventure travel is catching on in a big way and there is a darn fine reason for it too. There are few trips that can be taken that are better than outdoor adventure travel ones. When you are starting to get into adventure travel you have a multitude of choices to choose from and they are all as great as the next one.

Outdoor adventure travel does not have to mean traveling far away or overseas. You can probably find plenty of outdoor adventure travel right in your own area or at least near to it. Your budget does not have to put a damper on real good outdoor adventure travel. Just take some time to look around and what surrounds you and you will probably find all kinds of great and exciting things to do.

If you are having trouble finding some good ideas for your outdoor adventure travel consider talking to your local travel bureau. The thing is that we live in our hometowns and cities with no real idea of what is all around us. Since it is home we take it for granted, most of us don’t bother to investigate all that there really s to do. So check it out, chances are that you will be pleasantly surprised at all of the great outdoor adventure travel ideas that are out there available to you right now as you read.

You can also check the internet for all kind of great outdoor adventure travel ideas. You can take trips all over the world for your outdoor adventure travel if you have the money. These days you don’t even have to have a lot of money, there are hundreds of great travel deals on all year round. No matter what season it is there is a great outdoor adventure travel idea that you can take advantage for a great price, all you have to do is find it. Start looking into outdoor adventure travel on the internet today and you will find out all kinds of great tips to help you save money while you are out adventuring.

Your outdoor adventure travel can consist of all kinds of different activities. For many people outdoor adventure travel trips for skiing are a great way to get the adrenaline pumping. Skiing is fun and it is great exercise and it is full of fast paced action once you get off of the bunny hill! If you like to try things a little more daring then you can always go rock climbing or bungee jumping. They too are loads of fun and thrills. Even hiking and camping on some fantastic mountain trails is a great way to experience outdoor adventure travel.

The next time that you are interested in going on a trip or even when you have nothing to do one day, look into outdoor adventure travel and see what all there is in your area and out of your area to take part in.

Travel To Kenya - An African Adventure

2010-09-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

Kenya is a part of the vast continent of Africa and yet it can provide you with an experience that is out of Africa. A Kenyan Safari is something that everyone visiting Africa should go for. The beaches of Kenya are untouched and unexplored. There is a vast coastline, which is protected by Coral reefs and hence is devoid of any pollution or sharks. You might be the only people on this beach except for the locals. Hence, it will give you the experience of a remote island. These beaches are surrounded by a vast expanse of wildlife.

Kenya - Unplugged
The famous safaris of Tsavo, Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru are situated in Kenya. Kenya is called the Cradle of Humanity and has unsullied beaches and thriving wildlife. The migration of wild beasts in the Masai Mara has been recorded a million times but you have to see it to believe. You should be sensible when visiting Swahili cities as they can be dangerous.

Tsavo is another place, which has featured in the movies. Famous for its ingenious man-eaters of Tsavo, made famous by the movie starring Val Kilmer, the place is another good tourist attraction. You will keep hearing the word ‘Karibu’, which means welcome in the local dialect. There are various flights connecting Kenya to the rest of the world. Most of them fly straight to Mozambique.

Lake Magadi is the most southerly of the rift valley lakes in Kenya. The place is very remote and hence is scarcely visited by tourists. However, it is an excellent place to visit as the thick encrustation of soda gives it a lunar appearance. This is the most mineral rich of all the soda lakes.

History enthusiasts can head to the Gede ruins hidden in the forests. These ruins consist of a vast colony of houses and mosques, which are engulfed in mystery. There are no records of this place’s existence in the textbooks of history making them even more mysterious. Excavations, which were carried on in this place, have led to the discovery of startling facts about the history and trade of the place.

Adventure Travel in India: A Once in A Lifetime Experience

2010-09-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

Have you been to Asia before? If not, the very first place that you need to visit is India because this is an excellent place for tourists like you. For about 5,000 years now, India has been celebrating life and all its pleasures. If you find exotic, colorful, and mysterious places memorable, this is the best place for you. Despite the changes and diversities in India, the country is still a picturesque and a unique tourist destination. If you want an adventure travel in India, start packing your things now and catch the next flight. You can find a unique civilization and culture in India.

In fact, the country's civilization is among the oldest in the world. The imagination of tourists is always captivated of India's legends and culture. There are many legends to tell and if you listen to them, your imagination will surely run wild. You can get in touch with the locals so that you can learn more about their culture and way of life. By doing so, you can also make new friends there. An adventurous soul would also love to visit monuments and you can find a lot of them in India.

Enjoy the intricate splendor of mosques, temples, secular structures (bridges, step-wells, and tanks), and canopies found in the different regions of the country. Don't forget to visit the pink city (Jaipur), blue city (Jodhapur), golden city (Jaisalmer), and romantic city or the lake city (Udaipur). You can find all these cities by going with a Rajasthan tour. Ask a tourist guide about their trip schedules so that you can also join them. Aside from the intricate architectural structures in India, you can also find adventure in the tropical jungles, resorts, the Gangetic Plains, golden beaches, and the mighty Himalaya. Lovely beaches can be found in Goa, as well as independent cultures. There are many local spots that you can choose from, so make sure that you choose one that you can get the most excitement ever.

Spa and ayurveda resorts can be found in Kerala. There are also lovely resorts and beaches there. If you're on a beach vacation, the ocean, sand, and palms of Kerala can give you life's greatest adventure. Extreme adventures are also welcome if you travel to the Himalayan ranges in India. If you're a sports lover, you can join the Himachal tours. You can enjoy trekking together with other sports in the Himalayas. If wildlife fascinates you and captures your adventurous spirit, you can check out India's safari.

There are national parks that you can visit all over India where you can see different kinds of birds and the in-demand tigers. Another place that you can visit is Mumbai where you can find Haji Ali, Hyderabad's Charminar, the beautiful gardens and valleys of Kashmir, Rajasthan's rustic beauty, Ooty, Manali, Shimla, and Uttaranchal. If you've been to India before, perhaps these places are already familiar to you.

But for your next trip, why don't you organize your tour destinations so that you can enjoy the vacation there?

By planning ahead, you can save time and money because you'll know the right places to go to. Make the most out of your stay in India. Traveling can get very expensive but if you visit a place like India, everything is worth it. You will not regret visiting such a beautiful place and you will have the greatest adventure travel in India.

Adventure Travel in Nepal

2010-09-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

With its majestic Himalayan Mountains and fascinating local culture, Nepal is a favorite destination for adventurous travelers. Each year thousands embark upon the experience of a lifetime to spend days or weeks in the breathtakingly beautiful country of Nepal.

Most adventure travelers in Nepal will be treated to magnificent views from high in the mountains. They will wander through pure forests and past clear mountain lakes, rivers and waterfalls. They'll visit remote Buddhist monasteries and shrines and see tiny mountain villages, full of friendly locals.

Trekking expeditions in Nepal are quite popular. They typically involve a small group of people who have been given a list of equipment, such as hiking boots, to bring with them to Nepal. Once they arrive in the country they set off together to explore. There is usually a trekking staff that comes along on the trip and carries most of the camping equipment and even the travelers' bags. They set up the camp, cook meals and break camp, leaving the traveler to enjoy the trek without the physical hardship of toting heavy packs.

Treks are available for people with various abilities. While a person should be in good shape for these treks, one does not need to be a tri-athlete to take part. There are more strenuous treks for those in great physical condition, as well as easier treks. Many of the easier treks are appropriate for families and allow children to participate. Some companies rate the treks they offer by level of difficulty, to help travelers judge which trek would be best for them.

While trekking is one of the most popular forms of adventure travel in Nepal, it is by no means the only one. There are many ways to enjoy the great outdoors in beautiful and mysterious Nepal.

- The Himalayas make Nepal a favorite destination for mountain climbers. There are well over 100 peaks open to mountain climbers in Nepal, including the famed Mount Everest.

- The mountains of Nepal also have trails for mountain bikers of varying skills.

- Nepal offers challenging climbing cliffs for avid rock climbers.

- While rafting and kayaking in Nepal, adventurers can float along picturesque mountain rivers enjoying tranquil views, far from the well-traveled paths.

- Finally, adventure travelers in Nepal can choose to experience a jungle safari from a jeep or the back of an elephant. Nepal's wildlife reserves and conservation areas boast a variety of unique animals, including the Royal Bengal Tiger and the Greater One Horned Rhinoceros.

New Zealand is for Lovers - of Adventure, That Is: Travel to New Zealand

2010-09-22T18:23:00.000-07:00

Although often times in the gigantic shadow of its Australian neighbor, New Zealand is worlds apart from any experience found elsewhere and it is geographically much farther southeast than most people imagine. New Zealand is a former British colony, with fascinating cultural influences due to its location in southern Polynesia. Large swaths of rolling green meadows, churning geysers, creaking glaciers, and never-ending stretches of magical overgrown beaches encourage travelers to make the long haul across oceans to indulge in the disarming natural beauty of New Zealand year after year.

New Zealand was one of the last landmasses to be inhabited, only discovered in 800 AD by Polynesian navigator Kupe. The discovery initiated a steady stream of migration from today’s French Polynesia until Dutch Abel Tasman and finally James Cook came across the islands and claimed them for the British Crown, ruled from Australia. The native Maori people are still a considerable minority, enriching the cultural climate of the largely European (Pakeha) nation.

Cinematic Sanctuaries and Bungy* Jumping Buffs
New Zealand’s geography is divided into two major north-south islands. Depending on where you travel and the time of year, the activities and topography will change dramatically. The South Island is famous for its unique relics of the last Ice Age, the Franz Joseph and Fox Glaciers, which plunge just below the islands tallest peak in the Southern Alps, Mount Cook. These glaciers are particularly spectacular because they continue to flow through temperate rainforest strikingly close to sea level. Winter in the Alps region is excellent for skiing, mountaineering and filmmaking - scenes from The Chronicles of Narnia were filmed here. For a thrilling wildlife experience, do not miss the South Island’s Otago Peninsula where you can enjoy a cozy bed and breakfast among sea lion, sea elephant and penguin habitats, to name a few.

The North Island is relatively warmer during the summer and milder all year long. Put yourself ‘on edge’ with a trip to serene Lake Taupo, which also happens to fill the caldera of one of the largest super-volcanoes in the world. Extreme outdoor sports abound on both islands, as New Zealand is the original inventor of Bungy Jumping (also found at Lake Taupo) among other creatively dangerous activities. The west coasts are extremely popular for black water rafting, otherwise known as cave rafting. This exhilarating experience should not be missed, even by the beginner. If a new heart rate is not what you are looking for, make your leisurely way to Ninety Mile Beach at the very north end of the island- the name is not deceiving and the experience is absolute paradise in the summer months. The Great Barrier Island to the east is a mind blowing underwater experience for most scuba divers and an equally sensational getaway for the sand-bound.

New Zealand is a destination for all seasons, with activities spanning the elements and progressive cities to keep up with those of faster pace. Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown are all very youthful and spirited cities with the distinct eclecticism of New Zealand culture to overload the senses and invigorate the spirit. New Zealand may be far from most places in the world, but it is certainly worth any length of travel to reap the fruit of this nation’s existence. Travel to New Zealand and experience it all for yourself.

Namibia - A Bountiful Harvest Awaits the Adventure Traveler

2010-09-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

Namibia is a largely arid country of stark rough-hewn beauty. The most vivid images are those of a haunting technicolor landscape of swirling orange dunes, shimmering mirages and treacherous dust devils. The apparent desolation is deceptive and plant and animal life and even man has adapted to this environment. The country is designed almost specially with the active and adventure seeker in mind. Timeless deserts, thorn bush savanna, desolate wind ravaged coastlines, majestic canyons, and sun-baked saltpans are the bounty that awaits the traveler.

Namibia's top draw is the Etosha National Park, rated as one of Africa's finest game sanctuaries. The birding experience in the country is truly superior. The range of activities you can indulge in the unsurpassable physical environment is truly impressive. Ballooning over the desert, skydiving over land and sea, paragliding, whitewater rafting and sand skiing along coastal dunes are good activities for starters. More fun games to pick from include abseiling - that most spectacular of rock sports, coastal and fresh water angling, desert camel riding, scuba diving, 4x4 desert runs, hiking and mountaineering.

Namibia has four distinct geographical regions. In the north is Etosha Pan, a great area for wildlife and heart of Etosha National Park. The slender Caprivi Strip is nested between Zambia and Botswana and is a wet area of woodland blessed with a few rivers. Along the coast is the Namib Desert, which at the age of 80 million years old, is said to be the world's oldest desert. At the coast, the icy cold Atlantic meets the blazing African desert, resulting in dense fogs. The well-watered central plateau runs north to south, and carries rugged mountains, magnificent canyons, rocky outcrops and expansive plains.

Namibia, one and half times the size of France, is very sparsely inhabited and carries only 1.8 million souls. The people are as unique as the land they live on. The most intriguing are the San, otherwise known as Bushmen. These most hardy of people have a highly advanced knowledge of their environment. It is a marvelous thing how well they are adapted to their difficult habitat. Just pause and think that these are the only people in the world who live with no permanent access to water. In the Kalahari Desert, one of their domiciles, surface water is not to be found. Tubers, melons, and other water bearing plants as well as underground sip wells supply their water requirements.

In Namibia today, Bushmen number about 50,000. Historians estimate that they have lived, mostly as hunters and gatherers, for at least 25,000 years in these parts of the world. Bushmen speak in a peculiar click language and are very gifted in the arts of storytelling, mimicry, and dance. Namibia's other people, who are indigenous to the continent, are mostly of Bantu origin. They are thought to have arrived from western Africa from about 2,400 years ago. The African groups include the Owambo, Kavango, Caprivians, Herero, Himba, Damara, Nama and Tswana.

The Africans aside, other groups comprise about 15% of the population and have played an important role in the emergence of the modern nation. White Namibians amount to about 120,00 and are mainly of German and Afrikaner heritage. Germans arrived in significant numbers after 1884 when Bismarck declared the country a German Protectorate. Afrikaners, white farmers of Dutch origin, moved north from their Cape settlements, especially after the Dutch Cape Colony was ceded to the British in 1806. This strongly independent people, whose ancestors had lived in the Cape from 1652 resented British control.

Two other distinct groups complete the spectrum of Namibia's people - Basters and Coloureds. Coloured in Namibia and southern Africa refers to people of mixed racial heritage, black- white for example. They have a separate identity and culture. This makes sense considering that Namibia was run by South Africa after the First World War. Even in pre-Apartheid South Africa, racial classification was a fine art. The Afrikaans-speaking Basters, descended from Hottentot women and Dutch settlers of the Cape. Alienated from both white and black communities, they trekked northwards, finally founding their own town Rehoboth, in 1871. Baster is actually derived from "bastard", but it is not derogatory, and the Basters are indeed proud of it.

Namibia's barren and unwelcoming coastlines served as a natural deterrent to the ambitions of European explorers. That was until 1884 when the German merchant Adolf Luderitz established a permanent settlement between the Namib Desert and the Atlantic seaboard that afterwards took his name. Bismarck subsequently declared the territory covered by Namibia a German colony and named it Südwestafrika or South West Africa. As German settlers moved into the interior, conflict was inevitable with the inheritors of the land.

The German occupation was a particularly unhappy experience for the Herero. The Herero resented the German's harsh and racist rule and the effect of the encroachment on their lands on their livelihood and way of life. On the first day of the year 1904, the Herero led by Chief Samuel Maharero, rose suddenly and unexpectedly in arms against their colonial overlords. The Nama joined the insurrection and the authorities did not regain control even after six months of trying. Over 100 German settlers and soldiers died in the uprising. Historians now consider events that followed to constitute the first genocide of the twentieth century.

Lieutenant General Lothar von Trotha was furnished with a contingent of 14,000 soldiers and tasked to put down the rebellion. The governor general of the territory was then Rudolph Goering -the father of Herman Goering, Hitler's right hand man. Lothar von Trotha was a generation ahead of his time and his kind of thinking was to become government policy under the Third Reich. He argued that the Herero must be destroyed as a people and he did not wince at the murder of women or children. At the end of it all, 100,000 Nama and Herero were killed. The survivors were herded in concentration camps where unspeakable things happened. The Herero fared very badly and 80% of her people perished. The population of the Nama diminished by 35-50%.

Windhoek, the capital of 165,000 people is the only true city in the country. For those traveling to more remote regions, this is where you settle practical matters. The positive aspects of the German period can be seen in the charming style of older buildings in the city. Places of interest in the city include the State Museum, State Archives, and the Namibia Crafts Centre. The Dan Viljoen Game Park lies 24 Km west of Windhoek on the gentle hills of Khoma Hochland. In this resort you find ostriches, baboons, zebras and over 200 species of birds. The Waterburg Plateau Park, located 230 km from Windhoek is popular with weekenders. This extensive mountain wilderness is home to cheetah, leopard, kudu, giraffe, and white rhino.

Etosha National Park is what brings wildlife lovers to Namibia. The park is comparable in size and diversity of species with the best in Africa. The unusual terrain of Etosha holds savanna grassland, dense brush and woodland. But it is the Etosha Pan, a depression that sometimes holds water and covers 5,000 sq km, that is the heart of park. The perennial springs around the pan, attract many birds and land animals in the dry winter months. The effect of this background is magical and some of the best wildlife photographs have been taken here.

There are 144 mammal species in the park and elephants are particularly abundant. Some other interesting wildlife here includes giraffe, leopard, cheetah, jackal, blue wildebeest, gemsbok and black rhino. The birding is great at Etosha and over 300 bird species have been recorded. You will get best value by spending at least three days here. There are excellent accommodation facilities at the three rest camps of Namutoni, Halali and Okaukuejo. The best time to see animals is between May and September, when water draws them in huge numbers to the edge of the pan. Etosha is 400 km to the north of Windhoek by road.

The Fish River Canyon is unrivalled in Africa and only the Grand Canyon in the U.S in larger. The Canyon runs for 160 km and reaches a width of 27 km and depth of 550 m. But size alone does not explain the appeal of the canyon. You experience incredible views at various points along the rim. Adventure lovers do not merely come for the views. Hiking through the canyon is the ultimate endurance adventure for hikers. There is an established 90 km hiking trail that will take you 4-5 days to cover.

The trail ends at Ai-Ais hot spring resort where you can unwind. You are allowed to hike between early May and end of September. The hike is quite strenuous and needless to say, you must be physically fit. The authorities disbelieve the capacity of most people to undertake the hike and will actually insist on seeing a medical certificate of fitness before allowing you to start off. Fish River Canyon is 580 km to the south of Windhoek.

The Skeleton Coast has been the graveyard of seafarers and whales and deserves that morbid name. The problem is the dense fogs. And woe to the ship wreck survivor who expects respite onshore! Ahead is the Namib Desert, one of the driest and most unwelcoming places. Adventure travelers love trekking along the coastline as they enjoy the stark beauty of the area. To the south at Cape Cross, you find a seal colony carrying tens of thousands of seals. The Skeleton Coast Park covers 16,400 sq km and begins at 355 km northwest of Windhoek.

The Portuguese explorer Diego Cao reached this part of the world in the year 1486. He is probably one of the people whose experiences discouraged Europeans from venturing ashore until the arrival of the Germans 400 years later. Further south is the Namib-Naukluft National Park, a vast wilderness covering 50,000 sq km. The landscape is very diverse and covers mountain outcrops, majestic sand dunes, and deep cut gorges. For really spectacular dunes, the Sossusvlei area is unsurpassed. Here you have dunes rising to 300 m! The orange tint giants extend as far as the horizon and the area has an unreal, unforgettable atmosphere.

To the northeast of the country, the well-watered Kavango and Caprivi Strip region offers an unspoilt wilderness suitable for rugged game viewing and camping. The area also promises a feast for bird lovers. Game reserves in the area include: Kaudom, Caprivi, Mahango, Mudumu and Mamili. Poachers did great damage to wildlife during the years of the civil war in neighbouring Angola. Animal numbers are however building up rapidly. Some of the wildlife in the region includes leopard, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, lion and various antelope species. The Caprivi Reserve falls in an area of swamps and flood plains. Here you have an opportunity to partake fishing, hiking, game viewing safaris and river trips in traditional mokoro boats.

In Namibia you can enjoy up to 300 days of sunshine. The coast is temperate and thermometers run between 5C-25C. Inland, daytime temperatures range from 20C-34C, but can rise to 40C in the north and south of the country. Winter nights can be quite cold and frost occurs over large parts of the country. The rains inland fall in summer (November-April) and are heaviest in the Caprivi region. Rains do not much affect travel, but beware of flash floods in the vicinity of riverbeds. The best time to travel is over the dry months of March to October, when it is easier to see animals at waterholes. It is best to avoid the Namib Desert and Etosha between December and March when it can get unbearably hot. Before you travel to this country, make sure you review our Namibia safari and tour offers.

You can get by wearing light cottons and linens in summer. Over winter nights and mornings, you need heavier cottons, warmer wraps and sweaters. Comfortable walking shoes are essential, as the ground gets very hot. Some useful stuff to pack includes: camera, binoculars, sunglasses, sun hats, sunscreen and mosquito repellant. Be ready for dusty conditions and carry your clothing, equipment and supplies in dust proof bags. Do not be tempted to buy items made of ivory. You may not be allowed to carry them through customs at home. And it also good that you do not encourage the trade in ivory products that keeps poachers busy.

For An Adventure Of A Lifetime Travel Alaska

2010-09-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

Are you like John Locke of the TV series Lost and simply dying for an adventure? Or perhaps you're simply bored to death and you want to experience more of life. Have no fear because there's no need to travel half-way across the globe to taste adventure in the wilds of Africa or the rain forests of South America. Why should you when you've got Alaska. Alaska... the 49th state and fondly known as the Land of the Midnight Sun and The Last Frontier.

Most people believe that Alaska, a name which comes from an Aleut word meaning "land that's not an island" is simply tundra in the middle of nowhere because of it's distance from the lower 48 states and because most of the stories you hear about it are usually related to the cold and snow and so-called vast, desolate, open spaces. But you thought wrong.

Alaska - the largest state (by land mass) is also one of the least populated - is a land that combines the beautiful snowy scenery of the Alps with the challenge of an adventure trip to the Congo.

Don't believe me?

That's okay because I've got proof.

River Fishing
When someone mentions Alaska, people usually visualize a land of ice and frozen desert. So it's a bit hard to imagine people being able to fish in such a place. But like I mentioned earlier, Alaska is a place filled with adventure, a place well worth traveling to.

For your Alaska fishing adventure, you can try your luck at hooking any of a variety of prized fish like: Silver Salmon in Resurrection Bay during August and September, the King Salmon of the Lower Kenai River from May to July or Red (Sockeye) Salmon, Dolly Varden and Rainbow Trout in the Upper Kenai River.

Rafting
Yes, you can raft to your hearts' content and pretend you're a lone wanderer having an adventure in the midst of the vast array of Alaskan wildlife. Travel and encounter the many natural wonders of Alaska. Listen to the stories of the natives. Catch a glimpse of moose and bald eagles as you hold on for dear life while traversing the rapids of Kenai River Canyon - a trip that is highly recommended and one that you don't want to miss.

Backpacking
This is an adventure you must grab because there's virtually nothing that compares to backpacking in Alaska. You can of course choose your own adventure travel destination: Brooks Range, Artic Refuge, Talkeetna Mountains, and Wrangell-St. Elias to name just a few.

Sea Kayaking
This not so common adventure is one that only traveling to Alaska can bestow upon you. This is not for the feint of heart and make sure, that you don't attempt this alone.

Expeditions to Walrus Island
So you haven't seen any of those furry adorable creatures up close? Find yourself aching for more of a marine adventure rather than a landlocked one? Or perhaps you're content to simply watch. Have no fear because Alaska's Walrus Island has it all. You can view walrus, other marine mammals and rare bird species from the comfortable deck of a cruising yacht. But if you want a bit more of a challenge, you can take a hiking trip and see more of the Alaskan wildlife.

Dog Sledding
This is probably the most popular sport in Alaska and an adventure worth telling your grandchildren, great grandchildren, friends, barber or whoever will listen. If you so choose, you can simply watch the dog sled races or try it out yourself by mushing your own team. The Siberian huskies, are highly trained so there's no need to worry about your safety. Plus, if you have the time, you can also visit the renowned author, husky owner and Alaskan original Mary Shields.

Fjord Exploration
If you've ever dreamed of experiencing the sheer scale of an honest-to-goodness glacier that the pages of a book or movie screen just can't convey then Alaska is the place to be? Unless, of course you prefer Greenland or Iceland for your icy adventure. I think not... and just another of many reasons why we should be thankful for the great State of Alaska.

So... are you now convinced that traveling to Alaska is an adventure that you must not miss? I sure hope so because if you're not - what's wrong with you. Just kidding, however before making reservations be sure you've got everything you need like clothes for wide range of temperatures and a comfortable pair of hiking boots.

And clearly... compare the available travel packages being offered by the travel agencies that cater to Alaska or you can make your own travel itinerary and then simply hire a guide to assist you along the way. A great place to start planning your trip is Alaska - The Last Frontier. A website dedicated to being a complete resource on Alaska.

Packing For Adventure Travel

2010-09-18T03:45:00.000-07:00

There's a funny scene in Romancing the Stone when Michael Douglas' character meets Kathleen Turner's character and agrees to take her to a phone booth hundreds of miles away. He simply refuses to help her carry her completely impractical luggage and a few scenes later goes even further by chopping the heels off her shoes so she can actually walk in them. This little fiasco encompasses the essence of packing for adventure travel. Less is most definitely more!

When in a foreign country it is usually pretty easy to spot the experienced traveler from the novice. The novice is usually dragging a giant suitcase or trying to lug a brightly colored backpack that is even bigger than they are. They are dressed in the latest "must have" adventure gear from the most expensive adventure stores and have "trekking" shoes worth hundreds of dollars. This is not the way to do it for several reasons. The first is comfort. You will usually be doing a lot of walking whenever you go on a vacation and walking with 50 kg of luggage is both tiring and difficult. You will also, most likely, be getting extremely dirty and ruining whatever clothing you take (even if it's expensive "adventure clothing") and don't forget that some of your gear may even be stolen (sometimes by other travelers). If you show up with all the best and most expensive gear you are also a walking target for hustlers and thieves. With all of this in mind here are a few tips:

Luggage - If you are going to be doing anything even remotely physical and walking any further than a few hundred meters, then a backpack is definitely the way to go. But not all packs are created equal! Think small and inconspicuous. Dark colours like brown and black will attract less attention than a bright purple or red pack. Make sure it is the type of pack that has a flap on the top that closes over the pack's opening to keep out water (the types that zip up WILL get your stuff wet). You will also want to put your clothing in waterproof stuff bags - I use standard plastic shopping bags, but there are tougher ones that you can buy from disposals and camping stores. You also want your pack to be as small as possible. Especially if you are only touring (mountaineers may need something bigger). I use a 30 liter pack but would say 45 liters is an absolute maximum for general purpose use. You will be carrying it around a lot and if you cannot fit something in then you probably don't really need it.

Clothing - Think light and breathable! Cotton is always good. Three shirts is usually enough because you can wear one, wash one and have a spare. Take ones with collars to keep the sun off your neck if you are going anywhere remotely sunny. For pants, I like cargoes that can zip off the legs and turn into shorts (which can also double as swimming trunks). Dark colours are always going to hide the dirt and grime so that's also a good idea. Usually, other than underwear and socks, I don't take much more than this. Remember that if you need something you can always buy it there and usually for a fraction of the price than at home! Don't forget to take some type of hat as being sunburnt is a real drag when you are traveling.

Shoes - Unless you are doing some serious mountaineering then you probably won't need those $300 Scarpa trekking boots. In many poorer countries you can buy those $300 Scarpas at the local markets for $10 anyway, because some idiot tourist left them outside his door to dry and an enterprising local stole them to sell at the markets! Think comfort - I usually go for Converse All Stars, but any type of cheap canvas shoe will probably be ok. On a trek across England my Converse shoes allowed my feet to get wet about 10 minutes before my buddy's feet got wet - he was wearing the $300 Scarpas! Once again, if you need something better, you can probably buy it at your destination for a cheaper price.

Other stuff - There are a few things I will never travel without. Sunscreen is the main one because I REALLY hate getting sunburnt. A small multi-tool is often pretty handy too - don't get a leatherman because you will lose it or get it stolen. You can often buy multi-tools for $5 anyway that work perfectly well. I also always take a lighter ($1 plastic kind) for anything from lighting people's cigarettes to sealing the ends of ropes.

The trick to packing for adventure travel is to pack light, inconspicuous and cheap. This avoids you becoming a human pack-mule or a target for thieves and hustlers. You will also find that you will enjoy your traveling more because you won't be so tired nor worrying about your gear so much.

How to Enjoy the Best Places under the Sun

2010-09-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

There are people who are fond of traveling. They like to go to places where they can recharge their souls, unwind, release the tension from work, and simply enjoy what life has to offer.

And there are people who are more of the adventurous type who would rather enjoy the day exploring the forest canopy in Costa Rica or discover the beauty of the wilderness of Siberia.

However, whatever adventure travel most people would like to experience, it is always best to observe safety measures and precautions so as to avoid risk or perils of traveling to unknown lands.

Here's a list of tips for adventure travelers, whether they want adventures that are more inclined to wilderness or just the typical family adventure most people would love to experience:

1. It is best that people should know what the type of travel adventure they are getting into.

Adventure travel may provide the kind of adrenalin rush most adventurers long to experience every time they get out of their territory. It is the feeling of newness and uncertainty on what will happen that gives them the satisfaction and gratification that they need.

However, it is still important for them to know what they are doing. After all, traveling always involve risky activities especially to those who are set to gain adventure experience.

2. Have a fixed set on the adventure travel destination.

Because of the vastness of locations and adventure locations available today, people might get confused on what areas are best for their adventure travel.

One good tip is to choose a location that can baffle those adventurous minds and mystify the eyes with great mystery.

As much as new and exotic places can be adventurous, it is still best to stick to the classical and typical locations. It would be really risky to try areas which no one has ever dared to go to.

3. Consider the budget.

Adventure traveling can be pretty expensive especially when it entails going to places that entails great adventure packages.

So, it would be better for adventure travelers to shop around first and compare prices before deciding on what kind of adventure travel to take.

Indeed, adventure travel can be one of the most exciting and gratifying travel one can experience. However, with the exotic places, wilderness, and virgin forests that one might consider, it is a must that every travel must know the proper way how to protect themselves and what to do first before trying the place out.

After all, it should be safety that should always be on top priority.

Costa Rica Adventure Travel

2010-09-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica is the paradise of adventure lovers and adventure seekers. Costa Rica adventure travel will bring travelers to a world of great diversity of adventures, from various beautiful beaches together with great water sports, to acres of lush tropical forests, to an active volcano, and to some of the most excellent sports fishing in the world.

Travelers can wonder at the plentiful Costa Rica wildlife as they slither atop the trees in a canopy tour of their Costa Rica adventure travel. Or they can dive amidst the beautiful coral reefs and amazing marine life. Or gawk at caves and islands along the country's over seven-hundred fifty miles of shoreline, or simply stalk the splendid and mysterious quetzal, known to be the most striking bird on earth.

Organized Costa Rica adventure travel packages are very popular and they are the stress-free way to book a Costa Rica vacation. A lot of tourists combine different activities into one package and others concentrate on one sport such as fishing or golf. Costa Rica adventure travel tour operators are often able to offer lower rates because they are able to come up with certain number of guests promise to lodges and hotels, than rates that one can get on their own. Many of these operators also join up with the services of qualified guides or naturalist to help travelers who are part of the tour to get the most of their trip to Costa Rica.

Fishing is one of the Costa Rica adventure travel that visitors may want to indulge in. The country offers excellent big game and freshwater fishing with the Pacific coast thriving with billfish, marlin, snook, and sailfish. The Caribbean coast on the other hand is famous for its craggy coastline and its inlets, canals, and coves lively with tarpon. In the north central Costa Rica, Avenel Lake is filled with deep as well as stunning mountain scenery.

Eco-tourism is also one of the many reasons that tourists book Costa Rica adventure travel. The country is one of the world's leaders when it comes to non-invasive tourism. In general, an eco-lodge is dedicated to lessening its impact on the environment and supporting both the residents of the local community and the local conservation efforts. Poloma Lodge near Drake Bay is one of the excellent eco-lodges where wildlife and a variety of bird life sail nightly past your porch. The Corcovado Lodge Tent Camp is within a walk to the crashing surf, while the Tortuga Lodge is set along the Caribbean canal near the major sea-turtle nesting spot.

Diving and snorkeling in the country's many miles of shoreline, is an essential part of most Costa Rica adventure travels where the numerous reefs, caves, islands, and rocks off the coast creates an interesting water exploration.

Costa Rica adventure travels are limitless; this small country offers each adventurer a rich, unique, and enjoyable thrilling activities to make you next Costa Rica vacation unforgettable

Budget Travelling - Your Adventure Of A Lifetime

2010-09-15T18:14:00.000-07:00

You want to travel and see different places but you have a tight budget? Remember you don’t have to be filthy rich to go on a domestic or international holiday. With proper research you will find that you can actually travel within your budget. Traveling is not just meant for people with a pocket full of money, it is meant for everyone!

If you have chosen a domestic destination, then it is suggested that you stay at hotels and motels on the outskirts of your travel area. You can save a lot of bucks if you decide to lodge in one of the budget hotels or motels available commonly these days. If you are planning to rent a car, then it is better if you search for a place on the periphery of your vacation location.

It is not a difficult task to go on a budget vacation. The main requirement is proper planning. You must survey and do adequate research to avail the best deals. One of the best places to look for the most current packages is the Internet. Many a times you get a discount when you book online.

You can save a lot of money by staying in a hostel instead of a hotel and you can even take a tent. This will not only allow you to stay within your budget limitations but it would also be an adventurous experience for you.

One of the important tricks that you must know to travel real cheap is traveling during the off-season. Owing to less demand, the prices of traveling fares and accommodation will be comparatively lower.

You can also consult the various travel agencies because they often offer cheap packages. This will prove to be beneficial for you. If you do not want to go the travel agent way, then you can always contact the different airline companies directly and find out the most recent offers for those companies. Do not stick with only one Airline Company. The biggest advantage of budget travel is that you are going to be totally independent and be your own person.

One important thing you must not forget is about travel insurance. In case of any mishap like losing your belongings or any medical issues, you can at least recover some expenses if you have insurance.

Be practical and inquisitive. Try to gather as much information as possible about your dream destination so that you can cope in a better way in case of any emergency. If you are involved with any travel agency, find out about any budget tours that they might have available. By doing this, you can arrange your schedule and plan your trip well ahead of time.

The budget trip will really be an adventurous experience that you will treasure throughout your life. So collect as many souvenirs of the place as possible, but don’t get lured into the duty free shops—they always charge more!

With general awareness, being cautious and with the proper strategy you are bound to have a great budget vacation!

Adventure Travel : The Most Exhilarating "Must Do" Trips

2010-09-14T18:13:00.000-07:00

Ever since the man could walk, he traveled. At first, we traveled to escape harsh climate and find food, but as we evolved, we started traveling for fun. Thus appeared travel destinations and travel guides. As time passed, more and more people started traveling to various locations, for the landscape, traditions and thrills.

Here are a few travel locations that are sure to give you your thrills and kicks, somewhat like a top five, I guess, but don’t trust me - go check them out yourself out!

1. Himalaya

By far the greatest mountain range in the world, the Himalaya have captured the imagination of philosophers, mystics, mountaineers and empire builders from the earliest ancestors of contemporary Hindus and Buddhists to the present day. Mount Kailash, home of the greatest of the gods, and Meru, centre of the Hindu and Buddhist universe, rise from their surrounding ridges of the central Himalaya. From the high slopes to the foothills, people have carved out an often-meager existence in the harshest of environments with determination, subtlety and imagination enriched by powerful cultural identities. Tribal peoples living often at high altitudes have made their living from their tough environment through trade over the highest passes in the world, while farmers have developed agriculture on the man-made terraces of the warmer, lower-lying valleys and hills of the southern ranges. Although the mountain environment gives a common character to the whole region, each hamlet has its own identity. The villages of the arid high-altitude plateau of Ladakh could scarcely be more different from the homesteads of the monsoon forests of Arunachal Pradesh.

2. Kilimanjaro Climb

Just three degrees south of the Equator is the 5,895m (19,340ft) high, permanently snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain. It offers one of the best opportunities in the world to climb a peak at high altitude without needing technical climbing ability. Any normally fit, healthy person prepared for some physical exertion and exercise should be able to complete the ascent to Uhuru Peak, which involves approximately 70 kilometers of walking in total, and no technical climbing.

3. Torres Del Paine in Patagonia, Chile

Near the fjord area of Tierra Del Fuego and the Beagle Channel one may visit the famous Torres Del Paine National Park on the southern edge of the Patagonia Ice Cap. The area is easy to get to from Punta Arenas with transportation of buses, taxis and minibuses. It is possibly the most famous national park in South America with 60,000 visitors last season. It is some 100 km north of Puerto Natales. A 2422 sq. km park was given the World Heritage status in 1978 by UNESCO.

It gets it's name from three wonderful and very prominent polished columns of pink granite, the Towers of Paine (Torres Del Paine).

Here you may go backpacking and trekking, or you can join programs to do the mountain climbing as well. Nandu and Guanaco (Ostrich and Alpaca like animals) are frequently seen in the park refuge. There is a broad diversity of fauna y flora. Backpackers should have experience with overnight trips in rough country; those who desire to make ascents should have mountaineering ice and snow climbing experience.

4. Amboseli Safari

Amboseli National Park is one of Kenya’s most popular parks because of the stunning view it displays of nearby Mount Kilimanjaro, the world’s tallest freestanding mountain. When you go on your Amboseli Safari, be sure to get the famous photograph of elephants with the unforgettable views of Kilimanjaro in the background!

Streams from Kilimanjaro surface in the centre of Amboseli, creating swamps that attract and support a rich diversity of wild animals and birdlife.

As Amboseli is easily accessible, it forms a popular part of many of our safari itineraries.

Amboseli is one of the smaller game parks in Kenya and the vegetation ensures that the animals are easy to spot. Lions can easily be found and can occasionally be watched stalking their prey.
Buffalo, zebra, giraffe, gazelle and other plains game are plentiful in the park and hippos live in the open waters and swamp channels. The elephants found here are surprisingly relaxed around safari vehicles; they were largely unaffected by ivory poaching and have some of the largest tusks.

Nothing beats the experience of adventure travel, so pack up your rucksack and give it a go!

Overseas Adventure Travel In Nepal

2010-09-13T18:09:00.000-07:00

Thinking about overseas adventure travel? Have you put any thought into the best places to go when it comes to overseas adventure travel? Nepal is one of the most popular places of all, when you visit this magical country you will have the best adventures right there at your doorstep. Only overseas adventure travel in Nepal will give you these kinds of opportunities so if this is not on your list of possible places to visit yet then now is the time to put it on there!

In Nepal your overseas adventure travel is going to be fascinating. You will get to see the Himalayan Mountains and experience all that the rich Nepalese culture has to offer. They are an amazing people who have managed to hang on to their own culture and beliefs longer than most other countries. When overseas adventure travel takes you to Nepal you will have the chance to see all of the fantastic and one of a kind lakes and forests and you can even spend days or weeks camping out in their forests with a specialized guide. And the waterfalls in Nepal are to die for, you will never see anything more gorgeous in your life as their waterfalls! This should be at the top of your overseas adventure travel destination list for sure!

When you get into overseas adventure travel you are going to have to bring your own supplies, at least some of them. For example your hiking boots are a must, as well as special jackets and such. These can literally save your life when you are out there in the wilderness so don’t forget them when you are packing for your overseas adventure travel.

When you get to Nepal you will find that the most popular of all overseas adventure travel there is trekking. Thousands of people come to this fabulous country each year to trek through the mountains and the forests. You will generally go trekking with a group of people, most of them visitors in overseas adventure travel as well. You will all have a trained and specialized guide to take you on your trek and this trek can last from a day to weeks, all depending on the what kind of overseas adventure travel you are interested in.

Those who run the trekking will usually bring along their own staff, this staff is there to help you with anything that you need and to carry all of the camping gear. They will often even carry your bag for you when you go on this kind of overseas adventure travel. They are simply there to make your trip and trek easier and more fun and relaxing. This overseas adventure travel staff will also be the people who cook for you each day and who set up and break down the camp when called for.

There is no better place to go for your overseas adventure travel than Nepal. It is a friendly and hospitable place where you can get back to nature and enjoy the wonders of the world through overseas adventure travel.

Adventure Travel - Close And Cheap

2010-09-12T10:57:00.000-07:00

Adventure travel is becoming more popular all the time. It can be very expensive, though, and even a bit too dangerous for some of us. It doesn't have to either, though. Here are a few ideas for small adventures you can afford. They are followed by a definition of adventure that will help you add your own to the list.

Try treasure hunting. Rent or buy a metal detector and spend a relaxing but interesting weekend finding coins, jewelry and who-knows-what in the sand at the beach. No beach nearby? Look up the historical records for your town, to see where old picnic grounds were. Treasure hunters regularly find old coins at places like these.

Take climbing lessons. Whether this is on Mount Ranier in Washington, or Mount Washington in New Hampshire, it's sure to be an adventure. At least it will be more exciting than my trip up a local sledding hill with my ice-axe and crampons.

Travel form monastery to monastery. Make it a spiritual adventure or just relax. Most monasteries take in visitors, and usually have reasonably priced accommodations. The Buddhist ones in particular are most often in beautiful places.

Do a hot springs tour. This is for those who live in the west. Get a guide to hot springs or copy directions off the internet. Bring swimming suits (optional at some, for the more adventurous), towels and a cooler full of refreshments. Want more adventure? Seek out the ones that you have to hike into the wilderness to find.

The Cheapest Adventure Travel

Find and summit the highest peak in your state. This might be less-than-adventurous in some states, but it will at least be an excuse to get outside and get some good exercise. Be sure to bring your camera for the summit shot. You might try the highest point in the next state over for your next adventure trip.

Investigate and find the nearest hidden swimming holes. The best ones are ones that require a hike to get to. Watch for people heading down a trail with swimsuits and a cooler. Nobody hikes in swimsuit and drags a cooler into the woods, unless there is water involved.

Play Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Locate the nearest river that is large enough and has some public forest. Then build a raft from dead trees and float downstream for a day. We usually started by hiking upstream for an hour or more, so we could float back to the car.

A vagabond trip. Pack enough clothing and snacks for several days and just start driving, with no destination in mind. Who knows where you'll end up, and what you'll discover. Pack a tent or camp in your car to keep it really affordable.

That last one is a classic adventure trip in my book. Adventure is any activity you engage in that is new to you and doesn't have a predictable outcome. It doesn't need to be dangerous to be interesting and fun, and could even include a trip to the nearest large city for a weekend tour of the nightclubs. Of course, depending on the places you choose, this could be fairly dangerous adventure travel.

Travel Off the Beaten Path for a Great American Adventure

2010-09-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

When it comes to travel, most people opt for the vacation standards: a cruise, a Disney vacation, or booking a hotel in New York or another major city. Yet there are many American vacation destinations that are often overlooked - cities that offer wonderful sights and sounds, and even better value. When you book travel to one of these destinations, you're sure to be delighted and surprised - and all the more appreciative of what our great country has to offer.

Think about it. When was the last time you visited Cleveland? Unless you're from the Midwest, chances are you've never been there. That's means that you've never experienced the gorgeous architecture of I.M. Pei's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, nor have you seen Jimi Hendrix's handwritten lyrics to "Purple Haze." While you're in Cleveland, you can catch a Cleveland Indians baseball game, attend a performance of the Cleveland Orchestra, and visit the Cleveland Museum of Art. If you're into thrills and chills, you can rent a car and drive about an hour and a half to go to the "Rollercoaster Capital of the World" in Sandusky, Ohio.

If you've never been to the American Southwest, you're missing both rich history and fantastic fun. A vacation to Austin, Texas, gives you the best of both worlds: the features of a big city with the atmosphere of a small town. Home to the University of Texas and, of course, the Texas State Capitol building, Austin is known as the "Live Music Capital of the World." If an evening listening to music isn't your thing, perhaps hanging out with one and a half million bats under the Congress Avenue Bridge will do the trick. During the day, you can visit the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library or visit one of the city's 20 museums.

If you love outdoor adventures, Bangor, Maine, should definitely be on your travel itinerary. Home to author Stephen King, Bangor is the perfect place from which to explore the Maine Highlands, Acadia National Park, and quaint fishing villages. With nearby mountains, coastlines, lakes, rivers, and some of the best fall foliage to be found, Bangor is the perfect travel destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

In case you haven't heard, there's more to Florida than a Disney vacation. Sarasota, Fla., located on the state's Gulf Coast, offers spectacular white sand beaches and numerous small islands. It was also the resting spot for the Ringling Brothers, so when you're not clowning around, you can visit the Ringling Estate, two Circus museums, and an art museum.

One of the best things about vacation destinations that are a bit off the beaten path is that it's often a bargain to travel there and to stay there. Online travel packages often include both airline and hotel accommodations at steeply discounted rates. The best online travel companies allow you to choose, for example, the hotel room and type as well as flight options. So, the next time you think about packing your bags, consider travel to one of America's overlooked vacation destinations.

Travel Alaska... An Adventure of a Lifetime

2010-09-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

So you are like John Locke of the TV series Lost & basically (literally) dying for an adventure. Or maybe you are bored to death & you want to experience more of life. Have no fear. no need to travel across the globe to taste adventure in the wilds of Africa or the rainforests of South America. Why should you when you have got Alaska. Alaska. the 49th state & fondly known as the Land of the Midnight Sun & The Last Frontier.

Most people believe that Alaska, a name which comes from an Aleut word meaning "land that's not an island" is basically tundra in the middle of nowhere because of it is distance from the lower 48 states & because most of the stories you hear about it are usually related to the cold & snow & so-called vast, desolate, open spaces. But you thought wrong.

Alaska - the largest state (by land mass) is also one of the least populated - is a land that combines the attractive snowy scenery of the Alps with the challenge of an adventure trip to the Congo.

Don't believe me?

River Fishing
When someone mentions Alaska, people usually visualize a land of ice & frozen desert. So it is a bit hard to imagine people being able to fish in such a place. But like I mentioned earlier, Alaska is a place filled with adventure, a place well worth travelling to.

That's okay because i have got proof.

For your Alaska fishing adventure, you can try your luck at hooking any of a variety of prized fish like: Silver Salmon in Resurrection Bay during August & September, the King Salmon of the Lower Kenai River from May to July or Red (Sockeye) Salmon, Dolly Varden & Rainbow Trout in the Upper Kenai River.

Rafting
Yes, you can raft to your hearts' content & pretend you are a lone wanderer having an adventure in the midst of the vast array of Alaskan wildlife. Travel & encounter the plenty of natural wonders of Alaska. Listen to the stories of the natives. Catch a glimpse of moose & bald eagles as you hold on for dear life while traversing the rapids of Kenai River Canyon - a trip that's highly recommended & one that you don't want to miss.

Sea Kayaking
This not so common adventure is one that only travelling to Alaska can bestow upon you. This is not for the feint of heart & make sure, that you don't attempt this alone.

Backpacking
This is an adventure you must grab because there is virtually nothing that compares to backpacking in Alaska. You can of work choose your own adventure travel destination: Brooks Range, Artic Refuge, Talkeetna Mountains, & Wrangell-St. Elias to name a few.

Dog Sledding
This is probably the most popular sport in Alaska & an adventure worth telling your grandchildren, great grandchildren, friends, barber or whoever will listen. If you so choose, you can basically watch the dog sled races or try it out yourself by mushing your own team. The Siberian huskies, are highly trained so there is no need to worry about your safety. Plus, if you have the time, you can also visit the renowned author, husky owner & Alaskan original Mary Shields.

Expeditions to Walrus Island
So you haven't seen any of those furry adorable creatures up close? Find yourself aching for more of a marine adventure than a landlocked one? Or perhaps you are content to basically watch. Have no fear because Alaska's Walrus Island has it all. You can view walrus, other marine mammals & rare bird species from the comfortable deck of a cruising yacht. But if you want a bit more of a challenge, you can take a hiking trip & see more of the Alaskan wildlife.

So... are you now convinced that travelling to Alaska is an adventure that you must not miss? I sure hope so because if you aren't - what is wrong with you. kidding, however before making reservations be sure you have got everything you need like clothes for wide range of temperatures & a comfortable pair of hiking boots.

Fjord Exploration
If you have ever dreamed of experiencing the sheer scale of an honest-to-goodness glacier that the pages of a book or movie screen can't convey then Alaska is the place to be? Unless, of work you prefer Greenland or Iceland for your icy adventure. I think not... & another of plenty of reasons why they should be thankful for the great State of Alaska.

& clearly... compare the available travel packages being offered by the travel agencies that cater to Alaska or you can make your own travel itinerary & then basically hire a guide to assist you along the way. A great place to start planning your trip is Alaska - The Last Frontier. A web-site dedicated to being a complete resource on Alaska.

Adventure travel is the hottest new trend in travel holidays. Do you have what it takes?

2010-09-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

Even seasoned travelers, having visited the far corners of the globe, may be newbies when it comes to the adventure travel itinerary. If you're looking for adventure, the adventure travel agency is at your disposal! With the current dip in travel, travel agencies are looking for new travel experiences, with a tad more excitement and off the beaten track, that will entice both new and veteran travel junkies to take the plunge. Adventure travel has become a hot trend, appealing to people who want just a little more out of their vacation. How can you compare sightseeing in London, Paris or Rome with an excursion into the Australian Outback, exploring the rain forests of the Amazon, or four-wheeling across the Sahara Desert? There's simply no comparison.

These less conventional and little traveled roads are not for the faint of heart. Some adventure travel destinations are best suited if you're fit and strong, such as climbing the Himalayas, or boating down the Amazon River, where there are crocodiles and, yes, piranhas! However, there are adventure travel destinations to suit anyone who has the adventure bug.

For example, visiting the Galapagos Islands, while a less frightening than a pack of piranhas, is a beautiful adventure travel destination, home to wildlife such as the big lizards and giant sea turtles that are not found elsewhere. Think of the photo ops!

Patagonia is another breathtaking region, straddling Chile and Argentina, with its many rivers snaking their way through spectacular mountain ranges – including volcanoes - and down, through the wild plains of Pampas.

Have you ever wanted to sleep in an igloo? Well, you can! There are adventure travel tours operating in Greenland that allow you to experience life in an authentic igloo. And you thought Minnesota was cold!

There are countless such adventure holidays from which to choose, in locations all over the globe. So how do you find these exciting vacations? One good way to begin your search is with an adventure travel guide book, so you can get a bead on the types and styles of adventurous travel is out there. Once you've established the type of adventure you're looking for, get online and Google 'adventure travel agency name-of-country/region' and you're good to go. You'll find there are agencies strictly devoted to adventure trips for women.

Given the nature of some of these trips, you might also want to inquire about adventure travel insurance! This brings to mind one adventure itinerary I don't think I'd have the courage to book: Bolivia's Road of Death takes you through the Andes on a road consisting of hairpin curves, flanked with numerous cliffs that might go right into the abyss! I don't think that bus could go slow enough to suit me! Nonetheless, Bolivia's Road of Death tours are popular!

Many of these adventure holidays are geared towards more than increasing your adrenaline. The travel agencies like to strike a nice balance between the adventure and the relaxing features, nice accommodations and even a bit of shopping.

Any of the adventure trips will provide an unforgettable vacation. When you get home, you'll not be boring your friends with your photos and adventure tales. Everyone will want to, vicariously, enjoy your adventure travel holiday! They might want to book a trip, too!

Adventure Travel On Horseback

2010-09-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

When you think of "adventure travel," what crosses your mind?

• Hiking?
• White water rafting?
• Scuba diving?
• Something as sedentary as a cruise ship or land rover safari?

Those ideas lose their "adventure" status when you compare them to galloping on a horse in Africa with a zebra and wildebeest racing along side you, or quietly observing the elephant and giraffe.

How can a traveler visit the remote parts of the world’s most beautiful and interesting places while...

• Practicing a fascinating sport
• Avoiding polluting
• Keeping in harmony with history and nature
• Being free to explore exotic locations
• Making friends in remote places, and
• Sharing the experience with a willing animal?

Have you ever considered the tremendous advantages of adventure travel on horseback? A horse can take you to beautiful and remote places which are difficult to reach in any other way. At the same time, you can practice a challenging sport which has been a favorite of mankind for millennia.

Destinations like Africa, Asia, Europe and South America offer a wonderful variety of adventure tours on horseback. Though comparatively little known to Americans, the British and particularly the French have highly developed the riding tour concept in many parts of the world. In many locations in the United States rights-of-way for horses have been lost, but many still exist in other countries.

Horses and horseback riding are deeply woven into the culture and history of most cultures from Argentina to Ireland. This is how our ancestors traveled and for those with a sense of history there is no more appropriate way to go. If you arrive in a foreign place on horseback, you will most likely be enthusiastically greeted by locals with waves and smiles which greatly facilitate meaningful contacts. Those who arrive by bus, on foot or on a bicycle are usually ignored. Horses are a great introduction and ice breaker almost anywhere.

If you seek a wilderness adventure, then horses are the way to go unless you want to walk and carry your equipment. Riding tours can take you from inn to inn, castle to castle, palace to palace or from one comfortable camp to another. Costs are very reasonably compared to biking or bus trips.

Horseback riding adventures vary widely in the skill and experience required to handle them safely. Most of these tours move out at all paces and include some good gallops so that one can cover 15 to 35 miles in a day. Beginners need several days of instruction before attempting even an easy trip, but those who are reasonably fit, not too overweight and have open minds can catch on very quickly. A week of intensive riding with good instruction can easily prepare most people for the less demanding adventures.

One of the enormous advantages of travel on horseback is that you are sharing the adventure with a willing animal who is also interested in the sights and sounds and who loves a brisk gallop on a beach or open plain as much as you do. A day in the saddle is also great exercise and riding is an excellent way to keep fit while having fun. It is far more interesting and satisfying than sitting confined in a bus or land rover all day which really isn’t adventure travel at all. Another dividend is the keen appetite you develop after a day in the saddle for the delicious food you will be served.

On an African ride, a good horse can outdistance an irate Cape buffalo or elephant and keep you safe. Comfortable camps are set up for you each night, the food is excellent and the service superb. Or try a horseback tour visiting the castles of the Loire Valley and ride into the courtyards on your horse like a knight of old. You can gallop along forest tracks where the French aristocracy once chased the wild stag. There is a broad spectrum of possibilities available for horseback riding vacations.

If it appeals to you to travel in harmony with nature without using polluting, noisy machines or an unresponsive bicycle, then you should look into horseback riding tours.

Traveling for adventure is traveling for an unforgettable experience

2010-09-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

When think of adventure travel, we come up with the typical images of African plains, exotic animals, jungles with multi-colored birds looking scornfully, of lions side-stepping across our paths, and serpents hanging from trees. We think of boats plowing through tempestuous waters, the wind spraying ocean mist in our face, the smell of the salty sea. Adventure seems to require something hazardous, something that just barely puts our life at stake. We don't mean to actually put our lives at stake. We are talking about something that is meant to be entertaining as well as, ultimately, safe. What we are seeking is something stimulating, new, something we do not find in our city streets. Such adventures are motivated by our need to experience a new environment, one so foreign to our own, that we should remember it the rest of our life.

What is adventure travel if not an essaying out into some place strange and mysterious, some place that will bring up in us a wonder and awe that we have lost in the repetitious cycle of our daily lives? When the common and every recurring events of our lives begin to weigh like a cloudy sky and the same smells, sounds, the same sights, the same voices, faces we've seen year in an year out, become as if wrapped in a gray mist, we look longing across the sea and remember those stories we read in high school of ships with masts and buccaneers. We remember tales of exploration that those hearty discovers of new worlds brought home to amaze both common and royalty, tales of conflict, strange people dressed in animal skins and sporting spears. Adventure travel from this vantage means danger and victory.

The common conception of adventure might be thought, as we say, common. We all know the adventure will not pose the same tensions as it did to those earlier explorers of the unknown. If we're looking for danger, we can find it right here in our streets when we attempt to cross them a rush hour. We can venture out to the seedy side of town if we want that danger to involve other men, and put something real at risk into our travel, like our pocket books. There are certainly strangely dressed people on the east side, tattooed and wearing outrageous costumes, and many of them are concealing weapons that will surely chill the bones. Perhaps adventure is not the correct word for what we call adventure travel. What do we really mean to say?

In all adventure travel, are not looking for new experience? For some, art and culture lovers for instance, going to Greece to view the architecture of the ancients, going to Europe to gaze at aspiring Gothic steeples of ancient cathedrals, to cross stone bridges that have been walked by kings, artists, poets, to tour great castles and palaces overlaid with gold, while not suggesting danger at all, are still adventures. These offer something different, something mysterious, something that will bring us to wonder and awe. Not all adventures are dangerous at all.

So if you're looking for that adventure this year that will give you the experience of a lifetime, remember, adventure is only in the eye of the beholder. Bon voyage!

Adventure Travel on a Budget

2010-08-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

For many people the entire idea of vacationing is to relax and unwind somewhere serene and peaceful, with as little to do as possible. For them a quiet beach and some easy snorkeling might do the trick, or just laying out and working on your tan at the five star hotel and resort. For others, adventure travel is the ticket and they will not be satisfied until they have climbed mountains, hang glided, or zip lined into some hairy situations. For these adventure travel seekers the whole point of traveling and vacationing is to get to experience something that is not available in their regular mundane, nine to five life. They want to get out and explore jungles, kayak down grade three rapids, or shoot wild game (with their cameras of course). To these rugged individualists the thrill of facing danger and in some cases, almost getting killed, is what lures them to the life of great adventure travel.

The main problem with adventure travel is that it costs way too much for the average traveler. Today’s economic situation around the world makes voyaging to distant exotic ports just a dream for many, never to be realized. Because of the very fact that less people are traveling, however, adventure travel buffs can now find incredible bargains if they are persistent and can be flexible with their dates of travel.

One of the best and most convenient ways to book adventure travel is to surf the world wide web for deals and last minute getaways. Because the travel industry as a whole is really feeling the pinch of the recession, they are now offering tremendous deals on travel to many faraway lands and guided adventure tours.

If you live in the U.S. you can find some great adventure travel tours as close by as Mexico or Central America. In Central America you can travel to Belize and enjoy some of the finest jungle zip lining and deep sea adventure fishing in the world. In Costa Rica you can hike through remote rain forests at the base of mighty volcanoes like Arenal and see some of the most pristine habitats in the Western Hemisphere. Nicaragua has great volcanoes and jungle tours like Selva Negra near the northern city of Matagalpa, or Morgan’s Rock nature reserve near the southern beach town of San Juan del Sur.

There are great airfares available, though more expensive, to South America also. You can hike through the Andes in Chile if you are so inclined, or visit ancient ruins. If you go to Brazil you can take river boats down the Amazon and even spend some time with the beautiful indigenous people that live in the jungle in much the same way they did several hundred years ago.

Africa is a great destination but much more expensive. There are some companies that claim to offer discount or budget safaris but you need to be extremely careful and check out their references first. There are a lot of scams out there and you should definitely check the company out carefully before sending any money. Since most travel sites require that you put down a deposit this can get tricky so use some common sense when making these decisions on adventure travel options. If it seems to good to be true, you are probably right.

Adventure Travel for the Free-Spirited Individual

2010-08-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

Adventure tourism is now one of the fastest growing trends in travel business. It started with Leo Le Bon who co-founded the world’s first adventure travel company—Mountain Tours with other eight travel mates. Le Bon and others made the first commercial journey to the Annapurna region of Nepal. Since then, the travel business grew rapidly resulting to a plethora of travel companies that offer adventure vacations.

Classifying an adventure travel however pose a little difficulty in defining what exactly it means. Adventure travel depends on the level of strenuousness of activities involved. Adventure may involve leisure biking and hiking for some travelers or it may entail base jumping into an underground cave in Mexico.

Nevertheless, a travel involves some fundamental aspects to be classified as adventure. Adventure travel typically includes going to far-flung areas, intermingling with various cultures, and doing a physical activity.

Two categories of adventure travel are hard and soft adventures. Hard adventures fall under extreme and mostly dangerous sporting activity. Examples of hard adventures are rock climbing, surfing, paragliding, and scuba diving in remote locations. Soft adventures, on the other hand, are leisure activities that are often educational. It does not involve strenuous activity unlike hard adventures. Bird watching, religious pilgrimages and architectural tours fall under soft adventures.

But you might wonder who usually embark on an adventure travel? Travel Industry Association of America’s (TIA) study indicated an estimated 20 percent of adult travelers are adventure tourists. It is also parallel to The Wall Street Journal reporting in 2003 that revenues from adventure tourism has skyrocketed topping the adventure market with $245 million dollars.

While many studies say college-educated males in their 20s typically embark on hard adventures, it is harder to categorize people who go for soft adventures. They say baby boomers and seniors significantly affect the rise of number of soft travelers. However, adventure-seeking women have also substantially caused the continuous growing of the industry. For example, divorcees ages 40 and 60 usually turn to adventure travel as a shift into new lives.

In addition, adventure travels are physically and psychologically beneficial both men and women. Physical challenges like mountain climbing require both physical fitness and focus. It develops muscles as well as serves as an excellent mental workout. Achieving difficult tasks also help build self-esteem especially for people in midlife crisis.

There are several options to what kind of adventure travel fits a specific type of person. But you should determine first how adventurous you would like to be. A travel agency may actually help steer you through the multitude choices that you will face.

Sports-themed vacations are well-liked for athletes. Examples of these are baseball fantasy camps and NASCAR driving schools. Safari is one example of soft adventures popular to many of varying ages. This may involve driving and walking through the African plains and come into close contact with lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo.

Longtime popular destinations are the Seven Wonders of World that include biking and hiking to these locales. Some of the world wonders include pyramids of Egypt, expedition to Antarctica, cultural tour in Japan and Ethiopia, the Great Wall of China, and Taj Mahal in India.

If you opt to have an adventure travel however, be sure to be safe as much as possible. Take note that adventure travel has inherent danger involved.

Adventure Africa Travel

2010-08-27T10:49:00.001-07:00

The mention of the word adventure sends our adrenaline levels on a high and we cannot wait to be part of whatever it is. We visualize all we will encounter and we simply cannot afford to miss out. That is why an adventure Africa travel seems like the best recipe for an instant trial. Africa is a beautiful continent that gives us a sunny experience and their game life is to die for. That vacation you are planning to have sometime soon will not be complete without an adventurous African treat. Picture their awesome hospitality, the interesting people you will meet there and above all the tropical sun, which will leave you asking for more!

Africa is truly blessed and has a bunch of everything that can be considered exciting. It happens to be a melting pot for different cultures and you will thrill yourself as you interact with the friendly people who will be more than enthusiastic to host you. Africa has some of the best beaches in the world and you will enjoy basking in the huge African sun as you enjoy some of their best cuisines and biting. Your adventurous trip will meet the wild when you get into Africa’s best game parks that have the world’s big five. Thrill yourself with a close range roar from the lion and watch the elephants thump their way with authority. Marvel at how huge they can get and you have not seen this game anywhere else other than on the African soil.

Adventure African travel will open your eyes to fascinating flora and fauna you have only imagined in your dreams. South Africa would be a perfect stop now with the World Cup fever that has taken the world by storm. Enjoy the pure African hospitality and learn more about their culture. The vuvuzela, which is the official World Cup celebration instrument, will drive you crazy with enthusiasm. You can take an adventure African travel at any time of the month and you will be sure to enjoy it to the fullest. Travel to Kenya in August and marvel at the wildebeest migration that has found its way to the Wonders of the World list. While here, you can find your way to Mombasa and enjoy the inviting tranquil sandy beaches that will leave you mesmerized.

Tanzania is just some kilometers from here and you will have the thrilling experience of watching Mount Kilimanjaro and the elephants of Tarangire National Park. Rivers are long and fascinating in Africa and River Luangwa in South Africa will be a perfect inclusion in the adventure Africa travel. While at it, you will be sure to take a load of fascinating photos home for all to see and you will not hesitate to take the adventure Africa travel again. For ample preparation for an adventure African travel, it is important to read travel guides that detail important information for first-time travelers. They will also help you plan for your adventure Safari and give you guidance on when best to take that Safari.