Traveling to where the wild things are… still

New 8-day Wildland Adventure takes you deep into the heart of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula Kayaking at sunset near La Paloma. Wildland Adventures Seattle, WA – Twenty-five years ago, Wildland Adventure’s Kurt Kutay helped pioneer adventure travel with his trips to Costa Rica. Today, Wildland Adventures provides custom, authentic journeys all over the world, but the wildest, untamed areas of Costa Rica, and in particular the Osa Peninsula, hold a deep passion in Kutay’s heart. “Costa Rica has become one of the most sought after ecotourism destinations in the world,” says Kutay. “And while that means the country is more accessible than ever, they continue to protect natural areas throughout their territory including vast expanses of untamed rainforest wild lands essential habitat for many endangered species like jaguar.” Therefore, as one of its signature 25th anniversary trips, Wildland Adventures is bringing travelers back to where the company began, Costa Rica’s remote... Read More →

HORSE SENSE: Learning To Trust On A Mexico Equestrian Adventure

By Ellen Barone from EllenBarone.com Enduro Ecuestre co-owner Gloria Castellanos. © Rachid Dahnoun “Don’t worry, Elena,” said our host, Juan Rabasa, co-owner of Enduro Ecuestre, an equestrian outfitter based in San Cristobal de las Casas in the highlands of southwestern Mexico. “Palomo is the perfect horse for you. You can trust him.”   But could Palomo trust me? Everyone knows you can’t fool a horse. But fooling yourself? That’s easy. How easy it was to forget that the ‘me’ that is seduced by exotic adventures, is only a distant cousin to the ‘me’ reflected in the morning mirror, and – here’s the rub – a complete stranger to the nervous ‘me’ perched atop an Arabian horse in the wilds of Chiapas, Mexico. As we introduced ourselves – Ryan from British Columbia, Andres from Ecuador, and Rachid from Lake Tahoe – it became obvious that I was not only the sole female guest rider but also the least experienced. The voice in my head that parroted... Read More →

Austin-Lehman Adventures Announces New Yoga and Wellness Adventure in Chiapas, Mexico

Billings, MT – A March 19-24 wellness adventure on a private coffee plantation in Chiapas, Mexico, may well be the best way to deal with the winter doldrums of March, says Austin-Lehman Adventures (ALA), the active travel company setting adventure vacations standards in The Americas, Europe, Africa and most recently, Cuba. “This is ALA’s first-ever adventure itinerary built around wellness and yoga,” said Dan Austin, founding director. “But there’s no arguing with the curative powers of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas mountains around us, a tropical forest and a luxurious coffee plantation where we dine and lodge.” Argovia Finca Resort Yoga Retreat is a six-day / five-night program beginning and ending in Tapachula. Guests fly into Tapachula International Airport which offers daily service from Mexico City. The per person double rate (exclusive of air) is $2,198 with a $680 single supplement. “The combination of sunrise yoga accompanied by the sounds of the tropical forest,... Read More →

Black Friday, Bad – Adventure Tuesday, Good

Adventure Tuesday – 2011 For two years, ROW Adventures has opened shoppers’ eyes to even greater possibilities, stretched your imagination and enlightened your life by providing a new deal day that gives you much more than just another gadget from Black Friday or Cyber Monday. The new life-transforming temptation is none other than…ADVENTURE TUESDAY! Be mindful, Adventure Tuesday is not for everyone. If you are a slow dialer, over-thinker, procrastinator, or not persistent… your opportunity will go the way of the dodo bird. However, for the brave who act quickly…there will be joy and rejoicing in your spoils! Last year’s Adventure Tuesday was a playground of one and multi-day adventure mega-deals spanning from the Lochsa River in Idaho to the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. Many have already called, hoping to know what treasure will be found in this year’s chest. For now, it’s locked tight…but on Monday before the official email announcement,... Read More →

Don’t let the rain get you down! Fall is the best time of year in the Northwest for Wine Country with EverGreen Escapes!

Crush season is running late this year and it’s happening now! This is the perfect time to visit the wineries in your own backyard (if you live in Oregon or Washington that is.) Smell the grapes fermenting and see the wine process in action. The winemakers are busy in the production area and many times will explain the process during our visit. In the past decade Oregon has become a world-class wine state, with 15 approved winegrowing regions (AVAs) and more than 300 wineries producing 72 varieties. Our Willamette Valley Wine Trail Experience will take you on a tour of a few of the Willamette Valley’s most acclaimed boutique wineries in an intimate and relaxed setting. With us, the spotlight is on more than just the quality of the wine. Your naturalist guide will enlighten you with the rich ecology of the region while at each visit will dig a little deeper to explore the local winemaking history and the fine art of viticulture. We will visit at least threewineries, and if time... Read More →

Top 10 Family Travel Tips

We’ve been traveling with our kids for quite long now –over 17 years and six continents and we’ve learned a lot along the way. Some things you only learn by hard experience, but it always helps to be forewarned! So here are lessons we’ve picked up over the years, and we’re not talking about the things you see everywhere, like finding theme parks or restaurants with kids menus – we’re talking about real life family travel lessons we’ve picked up along the way. Our mantra we’ve developed over the years is that if your children are not happy traveling, you won’t be either. So if there’s a site or museum you really want to see, or a restaurant you absolutely have to go to, think twice about how happy your children will be. Because if they’re miserable, you will be too. You may need to improvise, but it’s worth it. Ultimately, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of discovery with your children. – Gideon and Philip, Owners, Quivertree Family Expeditions #1... Read More →

“Mountains for Water” Kilimanjaro Climb with Elevate Destinations

In January 2012, a dedicated group from Elevate Destinations will climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the highest peak on the continent of Africa, and the tallest free standing mountain on earth while fundraising to construct a water reservoir for a community in need in Northern Kenya. A few open places remain for interested climbers who care about how drought is affecting East Africa, most specifically, Northern Kenya. In 1998-2000, Kenya experienced a two year drought. Ongoing issues have prevented communities, livestock and wild animals from having enough water to drink. Daily, Samburu women have to walk for an hour or more to collect water. The shortage of water means ill-health and dehydration within the whole community – often leading to the prevalence of Trachoma, a leading cause of painful blindness. Reservoirs are of huge benefit to alleviate damage in times of drought. The plight of this community is serious, and you can make a tangible difference. This climbing effort... Read More →

Roll Back the Millennia for “Gorillas & Wildlife”: A Transformative Safari Experience in Uganda and Rwanda

KAMPALA Uganda – Through Premier Safaris, the Marasa* Group of luxury lodges in Uganda and Kenya is offering “Gorillas & Wildlife,” an exhilarating seven-day safari in Uganda and Rwanda: Safari-goers will meet mountain gorillas and other primates, elephants and buffaloes, as well as endemic species of birds and butterflies. The journey will take adventurers to the exotic Rwenzori range (the famous Mountains of the Moon) and into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, one of the densest, most bio-diverse rainforests on earth. Rates are $6675 per person for two people sharing and are all-inclusive except for airfares to Uganda/Rwanda, entry visas, airport taxes and incidentals. Travelers must also purchase gorilla permits at the time of booking. The safari includes a stop at the Equator for photo ops and experiments (does water flow in opposite directions?) before entering Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda, a game-rich area inhabited by elephant, lion, leopard, Cape Buffalo, hippo,... Read More →

Sea Turtle Monitoring and Sea Kayak Quick Tour Combo Baja

Why this trip: Provide vital assistance to sea turtle researchers while on vacation; itinerary combines an intro to sea kayaking and snorkeling in Mexico’s newest marine park (Loreto Bay National Park; also a UNESCO World Heritage Site) – novices welcome! LORETO, BAJA CALIFORNIA – Idaho-based Sea Kayak Adventures, Inc. is offering an exciting all-inclusive eight-day trip package where participants can spend three days hands-on helping researchers monitor and tag endangered sea turtles at their nesting beach in Magdalena Bay, then three days paddling a sea kayak alongside dolphins and sea lions in the clear waters of Loreto Bay in the Sea of Cortez. The itinerary offers opportunities for novices to paddle and explore uninhabited desert islands by stable sea kayak, snorkel with colorful fish along isolated coves in clear turquoise waters and learn all about sea turtles. All activities are led by naturalist guides. Sea Kayak Adventures is partnering with RED Sustainable Tourism... Read More →

River Rafting Pioneer Western River Expeditions Announces Lodge-to-Lodge Rafting on Oregon’s Rogue River

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Celebrating over 50 years of navigating the West’s wildest rivers, whitewater rafting pioneer Western River Expeditions inaugurates lodge-to-lodge rafting trips on Oregon’s Rogue River this summer, with three and four day trips scheduled weekly June 3 through Aug. 26, 2012. “Our lodge-to-lodge itinerary removes the camping equation, leaving guests to play like an otter on the river by day and hibernate like a bear in a private lodge room come twilight,” said Brandon Lake, vice president. He noted that most other Western River Expeditions are all-inclusive camping adventures. With legendary Pacific Northwest appeal stemming from deep roots in river rafting lore, the Rogue River rafting trip blends wildlife (think deer and black bear) wilderness with cabin comforts and family-style meals in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, a region so remote that mail boats still deliver letters to isolated residents on waters running over 200 miles from the Cascade... Read More →

Next Page »