Tirol’s Eagle Walk: Make Way for Emotions

What a wonderfully walkable country! © Tirol Werbung-Laurin Moser If walking is your great love, you’ll meet your match on Tirol’s Eagle Walk. “Those who walk a lot know their way around,” the German poet and aphorist Peter Sirius (1858-1913) once said. And right he is. Hiking is the best way to experience, enjoy and appreciate a country and its people, to discover its charm and character. Hiking in Tirol’s mountains allows you to discover the country’s soul. Those who do the Eagle Walk truly explore Tirol’s beauty. Consisting of 126 stages over a distance of 1480 kilometers with a total elevation gain of 87,000 meters, this walk of a lifetime takes you to Austria’s nooks and crannies, it’s most beautiful spots and most valuable cultural treasures. Osttirol has joined the Eagle Walk! © Tirol Werbung-Marlena Koenig Since 2007 Osttirol also boasts its own small Eagle Walk. One part of Osttirol’s Eagle Walk takes you to the foot of Austria’s highest mountain, the... Read More →

National Parks Are In Spotlight: Austin-Lehman Adventures Shares Advice for Planning 2010 Visits

BILLINGS, MT, Sept. 30, 2009 – National Parks are hot! With an economy that has people vacationing closer to home, a new Ken Burns film on PBS and an upcoming 100th birthday celebration for Glacier, “World’s Best” tour operator Austin-Lehman Adventures (ALA) is predicting a banner year. “National Parks are going to be huge in 2010,” says Dan Austin, ALA’s co-founder and director. “Our pre-bookings are way up which mirror’s USA Today’s recent report that overall attendance at National Parks in 2009 is up five percent over last year. As experts in national park adventures we are positioned well to take full advantage of the increased interest and desire.” According to National Park Service spokesman Jeffrey G. Olson, “parks could see more than 288 million visitors for 2009, topping the previous records 1987 and 1999.” Ken Burns’ 6-part “America’s Best Idea” that debuted on PBS Sept. 27 is expected to help keep interest high. Austin-Lehman Adventures,... Read More →

Country Walkers Turns a Focus on Value with New Adventures for 2010

Five new walking adventures fill the calendar for Country Walkers plus free local wine and beer, guaranteed departures, and added savings Waterbury, VT (September 2009) – In a travel industry gone cautious, Country Walkers is moving forward in 2010. The world leader in small group walking adventures, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, is pulling out significant stops with 5 new tours across 4 continents as well as a renewed emphasis on value for new and returning guests. New destinations include Northern Ireland, the Piedmont region of Italy, Brazil’s Pantanal, Tablelands, & Amazon, Turkey’s Lycian Way & Ephesus, Yosemite & Lake Tahoe in California. What else can guests look forward to from Country Walkers in 2010? Start with authentic local flavor by the mug and the glass, with complimentary artisanal beer and wine to accompany all dinners on every trip. Continue on to guaranteed departures – long a staple of Country Walkers, but now newly significant... Read More →

Hurtigruten Expands Expedition Offerings in Greenland, Spitsbergen and Antarctica for 2010; Early-Booking Savings Available on Most Departures

Two New 2010-11 Brochures Detail Expedition and Norway Offerings New York, September 2009 — Next year is shaping up to be a banner year for Hurtigruten as it continues to set the standard for expedition cruises – offering journeys to the world’s most remote destinations – as well as maintaining its dominant Norway position.  A new  2010-11 brochure has just been released detailing the expanding passenger expedition cruise choices in Greenland, Spitsbergen and Antarctica.  A second brochure has also been released that provides specifics on all of the Norway offerings including new theme cruises and shore excursions.  Early booking savings are available on many of the cruises – with additional details available online at the company’s web site, www.hurtigruten.us. The 60-page Explorer Voyages brochure outlines Hurtigruten’s portfolio of adventure expeditions to both ends of the world — pristine environments, unique wildlife and stunning... Read More →

Boundless Journeys Announces Move toward Paperless Communications

Boundless Journeys Announces Move toward Paperless Communications STOWE, Vermont—Boundless Journeys has announced a change of marketing plans for 2010. Traditionally, the award-winning small group tour operator has published an annual catalog to whet the travel appetites of their adventurous clients. For the coming year, however, focus has been shifted to their newly redesigned Web site, www.BoundlessJourneys.com, in lieu of a paper catalog. Company founder and president, Matt Holmes, explains the decision was made for several reasons. “By becoming more Web focused, we’ve been able to eliminate what we decided was a redundant resource. Why print a catalog when there is a much more comprehensive resource available that allows better service at a greater value to our clients? We are also members of The International Ecotourism Society and Sustainable Travel International, and have a responsibility to make decisions that continually move us toward less resource use, less waste, and a... Read More →

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to Mexico

Ay, Caramba! You’ve gone on that long awaited vacation to Mexico and all of sudden you 1. Are sick 2. Had your money stolen or 3. Are stuck alone on a roadside! At World Nomads we’re lucky to have lots of friends in the travel industry, we polled them to give you the very best tips staying safe in Mexico. 1. Learn the Lingo. A little bit of Spanish goes a long way! Try your hardest with the locals and it will get you a lot further than simply trying to get them to understand English. Daniel Radcliffe,  Volunteer HQ 2. Drink responsibly. The variety of tequila is simply overwhelming, so was the hangover! Drink responsibly and test new alcohols cautiously and with friends that can watch out for you. No matter what your friends say don’t eat the worm in the Tequila bottle!! Mat Lewis, i-to-i 3. Stay alert! If you get far off the beaten path (for example, deep in the Copper Canyon) and see fancy late-model pickups and gated driveways, know that you’re in a drug growing and trafficking... Read More →

When bears attack! Practical tips for staying safe in the wilderness

One of my favorite quotes from Hunter S. Thompson is “Civilization ends at the waterline. Beyond that, we all enter the food chain, and not always right at the top.” I feel the same can be said for those who venture into the wilderness. WorldNomads.com‘s roving medical and adventure expert Dr. Erik McLaughlin MD shares these practical tips to help you enjoy the North American wilderness from the top of the food chain. Adventurers who enjoy hiking, tramping, cycling, climbing and outdoor pursuits should always be prepared for conditions they cannot control.  You can run into stronger, nastier and faster animals than yourselves… and it’s vital to know what to do. Perhaps the most frightening animal to outdoor adventurers is the bear.  I have a very healthy respect for bears of all types.  Common sense should be used by those traveling through bear country and all bears should be considered dangerous. Bear safety when you are camping: Avoid camping in known bear... Read More →

Sun Safety: How to Beat the Burn this Holiday

A lot of European beach-goers have heard of Croatia.  Warm water, beautiful beaches and great food make Croatia one of the “Dream holiday” destinations.  A little bit of precaution can help that perfect beach holiday from turning into a sunburned and uncomfortable week of redness.WorldNomads.com‘s roving medical expert Dr. Erik McLaughlin MD talks through sun safety, skin protection and burn treatment you’ll need for a painless trip to sunny Croatia. Sunburns The main cause of sunburns is not the sun itself but the ultraviolet energy.  Just to complicate matters, there are three main types of ultraviolet (UV) energy, designated A, B and C.  Erythema is what your skin gets after a day in the sun, which is redness, some slight swelling and pain.  Doses of UV energy and its effect on the skin are measured in units called minimal erythema doses (MED).  This MED represents the smallest does of UV energy to cause that “sunburn” appearance. Beachgoers are typically... Read More →

Off the beaten track in New Zealand

New Zealand isn’t exactly world-famous for many things. In fact, if you ask your average person to locate it on a world map, they’re likely to point somewhere in Europe or Africa (hint: it’s down near Australia). However, this little island nation is world-renowned for one thing – hiking. This little pocket-sized paradise is home to some of the most amazing walks you’re ever likely to see, stuff that’ll knock the socks off even the most well travelled toes, with the most famous trails like the Milford and Routeburn drawing throngs of people from across the globe. Among the visitors have been writers from lofty publications like the New York Times and National Geographic Adventure, who’ve penned superlatives like, “jaw-dropping”, “primordial” and “breathtaking” to describe their experiences. However, what they and most other hiking visitors to New Zealand don’t realise is that the “great walks”, as these famous trails are known, are just the tip of the iceberg.... Read More →