Destinations
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Exploring the back of beyond in Bolivia's Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado
Beyond Kenya's endless plains lie the mythic Loita Hills, home to one of East Africa's last great swaths of wilderness. To a young Masai who gave up his birthright for the hustle and blare of Nairobi, a journey to the pure heart of Masailand offers a vision of what he left behind—and a glimpse of his people's fearful future.
Family outing: mom and the kids head downstream Q: I’m looking to take 30 to 40 people to Alaska for a two-week fishing/fun adventure starting in mid-June, 2002. The group will consist of some experienced Alaska fishermen, some city folks, and kids of all ages. Are there…
Follow your nose: elephants fall into line in Kenya Q: We are planning a three- to four-week backpacking journey through Africa in March. Any thoughts on where to go to get a good general impression of Africa? What about destinations preferred by typical backpackers?…
End of the road: Machu Picchu, terminus of the Inca Trail Q: I’ve heard that the Inca Trail in Peru will be closed starting in February for repairs. Despite the fact that this is a world-renowned destination, I can’t find out if this is true. Is it?…
Last spring, 41-year-old Andrew McLean and 29-year-old Brad Barlage set out into the arctic wilderness of northern Canada ‘s Baffin Island for a month-long expedition in which they would complete 19 first ski-descents on runs as long as 5,100 feet. The key to the journey was an arsenal of giant…
What does it take to steer across the Bering Strait? Guts, persistence, and—oh yeah—a seven-ton SUV.
IMAX mogul David Breashears aims for another really-big-screen hit with Kilimanjaro
The just-in-time, let's-party, fear-no-evil Winter Olympics get ready to rip in the country that needs 'em now more than ever
Warm, windswept, unfettered, ever-changing—North America's four great desert regions hide untold possibilities for classic winter adventure. They may be scorching and sere, with prickly dangers over every horizon, but if you know where to go—and how to explore wisely—you'll find these 500,000 square miles of desolation downright hospitable.
A tough-as-nails cadre of Russian and Ukranian speleologists wriggles and blasts its way to caving's grand prize: the mythic 2,000-meter mark
Aussie arch: waves and rock off Port Campbell, Australia Q: My girlfriend and I are looking for a two-week winter trip in a warm climate. We are pretty strong bikers but would like beaches and hiking, too. Any thoughts? — Bram Weinkselbaum, Venice, California…
Me, myself, and bike on a 1,253 circumnavigation of the South Island
Cigar-smoking santos, icy Belikin, crumbling pyramids, freshly spun tortillas, slithering vipers, and everlasting love
In the fall of 2001, big-wall climber Mike Libecki went from the vertical to the horizontal, ditching his ropes and portaledge for trekking poles and a sun hat to complete a grueling 600-plus-mile crossing of the Taklimakan Desert in northwest China. Beginning in late September some 3,000 miles west of…
Welcome to Bigfoot's winter hideaway, where unclimbed mountains, roaring whitewater, and a new luxury eco-lodge await you
Multi-sport kingdom: a river-top view of Beynac Castle in Dordogne, France Q: I’m interested in doing a two-week, multi-sport adventure (bike, hike, car) trip through and around the regions of France, and can’t find a good English Web site or guide to reference for ideas. Any thoughts?…
Our thoroughly opinionated guide to the five sexiest sporting islands.
Pura vida: mountain forest in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province Q: My friend and I are planning a trip to Costa Rica around January 2002. Is this a good time? Also, is it safe to hike and camp there? — Joe-Anne Brantford, Ontario Adventure Advisor: A: January…
Lazy river day: the Rio Grande winds through Big Bend National Park Q: A group of around five to ten of us intend to take a two-to three-day trip to Big Bend National Park during the Thanksgiving holiday. Any advice for a group visiting the park for…
For a preview of the Taklimakan Desert Traverse, click here Uighur people in the ancient market town of Kashgar, China October 23, 2001 The plan was relatively simple. Every few weeks during his 60-day, 870-mile walk across China’s formidable Taklimakan desert, 28-year-old Mike Libecki was supposed fire-up…
Hiking Dominica can get a little damp, but culinary surprises await at slog's end.
Amazon exposure: a toucan under the green in Brazil’s Amazon basin Q: I am traveling to Manaus, Brazil this fall. I know it is the low season, but I am hoping to do an adventure trip for a few days a bit off the beaten path. Do…
Rock-ride recipe: sun bathed cliffs and scrub at New Mexico’s Pajarito Plato Q: Where’s a good spot to go mountain biking near Albuquerque, New Mexico? Any suggestions for other types of outings in the area would also be appreciated. — Janet Washington, D.C.
Irish photographer Seamus Murphy’s work accompanies Patrick Symmes’s story of the Nepalese guerrillas who revere Mao and seek to take over the country. To bring his incredible photographs even more to life, Murphy answered some of our questions about the trip and about his work. Related Articles Photo…
Ride a sudden whim or a sturdy steed to arid expanses where solitude reigns
For newcomers—meaning most of us—they are merely picturesque. But for Native Americans, the sacred places of the Great Plains and Northern Rockies are alive with centuries of memory and meaning—and something much, much bigger.
Forming the ideal spitball, firing the propane, perfecting the Miss America wave—and other mind-expanding ways to spend your vacation
On a bicycle tour of Cuba, solidarity can only take you so far
Let the motorized leaf peepers have their New England. It'll keep them far away from ours.
Late fall in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area Q: Do you have ideas for great backpacking trails in the Flaming Gorge area of Wyoming? We will be with two children (eight and ten years old). Thanks! — Luckey, Avon, Connecticut…
Exploring remote canyons is dangerous fun, but expert advice will get you through it alive. Marc Peruzzi learns the ropes, deep in the Arizona backcountry.
On Ireland's western fringe, the mystic highlands of Connemara hide an unexpected kingdom of adventure.
East of San Lucas's sun-drunk hordes, the Baja that was still is.
New zealand may be smaller than Colorado, but it sure crams a lot of outdoor superlatives into a tiny space—mountains rivaling Europe’s Alps, fjords to match Norway’s, and beaches, forests, and hiking trails as beautiful as any in the world. If you have limited time to see it all, head…
Summer thaw: melting ice carves a canyon in Iceland Q: We are trying to plan a ten-day hiking trip to Iceland for the last two weeks in August. Would like to either camp or stay in huts (my partner would love the tent, whereas I would welcome…
Accompanying Outside's behind-the-lines special report on Nepal's Maoist insurgents ("The Last Days of the Mountain Kingdom," by Patrick Symmes, September) is this haunting photograph by longtime Kathmandu photojournalist Thomas Laird. Here, in an exclusive account, Laird offers an equally haunting first-person look at the most extraordinary 24 hours in
SB&WM, 25, sharp dresser, virgin, seeks companionship for long ocean swims, romantic herring dinners, and partnership for those difficult middle years. Must be loaded, have access to sonar and private fishing armada. Knowledge of marine biology a real plus!
Greetings from the quaint Welsh village of Llanwrtyd Wells, renowned for its fine ales, warm hospitality, and one of the oddest athletic endeavors on Planet Earth: floundering through noxious rural ooze! TIM BROOKES reports on the illustrious—if slightly smelly—history and modern-day mayhem of a certifiably insane sport called bog snorkeling.
Island appeal: sun-bathed St. Lucia Q: I’d like to hike and camp out in the Cayman Islands. Any suggestions of which islands and trails are best? An alternative to the Napali Coast of Kauai is what I am searching for. — John, Palo Alto,…
A comic tale, right? Not in Patagonia, where legends die hard.
The ever-soggy West Coast Trail isn't for everyone. You know who to thank for small favors.
Roman candle: Italy’s (active) Mount Vesuvius Q: I will be in Rome for ten days and would like to know if it’s possible to hike up Mount Vesuvius? — Marcelo Cardona, Irving, Texas Adventure Advisor: A:…
Got shocks?: a bird’s eye view over Canyonlands, and the Colorado River Q: We are planning a mountain biking trip to Moab and would like some advice on great places to camp. The private campgrounds I’ve looked into have all the amenities, but look like parking lots…
A half-mad dash to Hkakabo Razi seemed like a good idea at the time. And hey, how tough can it be to sneak past the Chinese Army?
Q: My husband and I would like to take a cycling trip in Northern Spain. We would prefer to do it self-guided and do not want to pay the $2500 to $3500 per person that the major luxury operators charge. Basically, we just need route maps, reservations for camping…
Beyond L.A.'s tangle of freeways, you can pedal, snorkel, and kayak your way to a truly great outdoor weekend.
Q: My family and I will be moving to Hanoi, Vietnam for a period of two years. We are rabid mountain bikers (and hikers) and will be taking our bikes. We want to do some quick day- or weekend-rides, and plan some longer trips (guided or unguided). Any…
An adventurer's guide to animal migrations—the greatest shows on earth
Q: I’m traveling to Ireland with a friend next week who wants to spend some time on the Aran Islands. Is there anything to do there besides stare at the ocean (hiking? biking?)? Trail trimmings: a winding stonewall in the Aran Islands — Alex Cohen, San…
It's a long line from the old salt to the swarms at Waikiki. So real Hawaiians head for the far sides of paradise.
The supernatural tour of Hawaii, where spirits live and enemies become fishhooks.
In any state, there are attractions that everyone’s heard of, that every guidebook touts, that every visitor has to see. Then there are the places the locals haunt, where the crowds are sparse and the mentions in Let’s Go are glancing. In Alaska, these places are the state parks, 3.2…
A tale of big money, prison, Disney World, and the world's foremost dinosaur-hunting twins.
Q: Where can I find inexpensive, tourist-free backpacking in Alaska? — Rosanne Clemente, Bay Shore, New York Adventure Advisor: A: The general rule with Alaskan wilderness is that you can have it cheap OR tourist-free, but rarely both. There’s a simple reason for…
A recklessly picaresque, highly philosophical, gloriously unmapped road trip in search of secret places you'll have to find yourself
She was making her way across Laos, when a jury-rigged bus slammed into her. A survivor's tale—and some hard-won advice.
Q: I am planning a trip to Scotland in the fall and need info about mountain biking the Highlands. Any suggestions or resources? Knobbies required: a rugged invite from the Scottish Highlands -Â Therese Ingram, Colorado Springs, Colorado Adventure Advisor: A: You can start by hopping a train to Aviemore, the…
Scoring big with your kids; unforgettable days in America's premier national playgrounds.
Dive (or cannonball, or belly-flop) into summer at these seven backcountry water holes and hot springs.
Eight great resorts on four islands with activities for all. Be there. Aloha.
Escape the monkey house and take your brood to where the wild things really are. Our kid-endorsed guide to sneezing lizards, daffy otters, and bellowing moose. (Sorry, no dinosaurs.) Koalas in Kangaroo Island Though the koala is right up there in the race for…
Q: I'm going to be in Teguicigalpa, Honduras for just a few days. What points of interest or adventure can I partake in with only two days there? A trailside view through the rich foliage of La Tigra National Park – David, San Antonio, Texas Adventure Advisor: A: Lucky…
On the rough road in Uganda, where visions past and future clash, and all things flow from the mighty river.
Q: I am looking for adventure in Canada — camping, hiking, wildlife — any suggestions? Canada, on the rocks: a sunlit berg off the Newfoundland coast – Rosanne Clemente, Bay Shore, New York Adventure Advisor: A: News flash: It’s a big country up there, with more adventure possibilities than human inhabitants.
Q: We’re headed to St. Lucia and we love to hike and snorkel. What weight clothing would you suggest? Would you recommend a guide or can you do the hikes yourself? We want to do all 29 miles of the hiking trails, and the more rugged and adventurous the better.
There's nobody more qualified to drag you to the top of the world than Babu Chiri Sherpa. And he'll gladly do it. But when he's through, he's got some business of his own to attend to. Namely, obliterating every last climbing record on Everest, shattering the myth of his people as high-altitude baggage handlers, and taking the Sherpa brand global.
It was a whisper, barely enough to flutter the sails of Agamemnon, that originally set me careening down the mountainous coast of Turkey in my puny Renault, searching for a colony of backpackers living in the trees. A 21-year-old wanderer from Iceland, whom I'd met in Egypt, had murmured of…
Discover the wild side of Greece and western Turkey with 12 getaways—from Spartan to Olympian.