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On a planet crowded with six billion people, isolated primitive cultures are getting pushed to the brink of extinction. Against this backdrop, a new form of adventure travel has raised an unsettling question: Would you pay to see tribes who have never laid eyes on an outsider?
What do you want—a printed invitation? OK, here it is: We’ve scouted the year’s coolest travel offerings—from new classics like cruising the Arctic, exploring the wild Caribbean, and journeying across Russia’s heartland to bold new frontiers like trekking Libya and tracking wildlife (and luxury lodges) in Sri Lanka. Going somewhere?…
On February 6, some 100,000 football fans will invade Jacksonville, Florida's Alltel Stadium for Super Bowl XXXIX, making this the worst day of the year to go there. Thankfully, most will depart the next day, leaving behind an oceanside city with 65-degree winter days and fast access to sporting pursuits that don't involve 350-pound men in tight pants. Here's o
Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! Thar she... might blow! When Mount St. Helens, America's very own all-natural weapon of mass destruction, threatened to go postal again, 24 years after her last tantrum, disaster groupies rushed to the crater—and hoped for the worst.
Real adventure means making a difference. Check out these ways to make philanthropy a part of your trip—and dare to get inspired.
Stash the skis and bust out the sequined thongs—it's Carnival time in the tropics. Seaside adventure and rum-fueled hedonism await.
An ANWR defeat would deal a major blow to the entire concept of wilderness protection. In this exclusive essay, Senator JOHN KERRY vows to take the fight to the GOP leadership.
Does President Bush have the votes to drill Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? The world is about to find out.
Read “The Light of Seven Mountain Suns,” about the Himalayan Cataract Project and Sight-to-Summit Expedition, by senior editor Nick Heil in the December issue of Outside, now on stands, then see more of photographer Ace Kvale’s shots here. Sight-to-Summit Gallery To view an exclusive gallery of the expedition, click…
Rod Liberal was climbing in the Grand Tetons when the worst happened—a flash of lightning blasted him and a group of his climbing friends, leaving one dead. What's life like after high voltage rips through your body? You don't want to know.
They say the Himalayan hideaway of Malana is Lotusland, home to the world's highest high. But here's what they don't tell you: Getting there can mean surviving a late-winter forced march over an avalanche-choked mountain pass, and dealing with locals who treat you like a loathsome alien. Wow. Sometimes Shangri-La can really suck.
A long-imagined journey to the spires of Africa marks the end of a dream—and the start of something new
WHEN OLYMPIC ORGANIZERS reintroduced the old-school sport of skeleton at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, after a 54-year hiatus, they had a hit. Skeleton, which sends competitors headfirst down icy tracks at up to 80 miles per hour, is the “moonshine of winter thrills,” as American gold-medal winner Jim…
Travel: Seven destinations where fine food complements a taste for adventure
In the February 2005 issue of Outside, Senator John Kerry argues that oil development in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would bring irreparable harm to a uniquely American treasure. His essay is the latest in a series of Outside reports exploring the pros and cons of drilling in ANWR. Here,…
An ANWR defeat would deliver a major blow to the concept of wilderness protection – and environmental leaders know it. Backs against the wall, green lobbyists are planning to fight, and one group at the forefront will be the D.C.-based League of Conservation Voters. Long feared by legislators for its…
Freed from a conflicted past, Mozambique's sublime islands are coming alive—and they've never been more spellbinding
This luxury-travel company delivers your wildest adventure dreams
From beach to jungle, cottage to castle: eight great island hideaways
Colonial Seduction Golden Rock Plantation Inn, Nevis Don’t fret about the colonialist fantasies you’ll start entertaining during your stay at Golden Rock Plantation Inn, a converted 1811 sugar mill and estate tucked into the hilly interior of Nevis. Here you are, with your run of the bougainvillea-and-bromeliad gardens and cool,…
Sea World Punta Caracol Acqua Lodge, Isla Colón Tranquilo is the operative word at Punta Caracol, located just off serene Isla Colón, 75 minutes by puddle jumper and boat from Panama City, via Bocas del Toro. Sheltered by the surrounding archipelago and mainland Panama, the resort’s six two-story cabanas with…
Twelve authentic islands, luscious resorts, genuine fun
Excellent animal encounters abound on winter's five best wildlife cruises
In these grand landscapes, there's hidden vitality and subtle beauty. Find adventure and renewal—not to mention some tasty tequila—at five fine oases in the Southwest and Mexico.
Forget hiking the Kalalau Trail on Kauai’s famed NA PALI COAST. You’ll get a much better view of these fluted green cliffs by boat—and winter is prime time to see humpback whales that have migrated here from Alaska. This season, Na Pali Explorer, a Kauai-based outfitter, is offering morning whale-watching…
The wedding's a wrap, the guests are gone, and now the real fun begins. these eight perfect honeymoons will launch your new life together.
This fall, workers are finishing construction on the world’s largest tree house, set among 16 lime trees in the Alnwick Garden, a 40-acre public space 30 miles north of Newcastle, England. Hardly a glorified kiddie clubhouse, the three-story, 10,000-square-foot turreted spread will contain a 120-seat restaurant, private dining rooms, a…
With a swell of rebel violence this past summer and a fresh attack in early November, climbers and trekkers are weighing the risks of travel to Nepal. How real is the danger?
Where can I find a decent-sized conversion pack (those backpacks with the flap that covers the hip belt and shoulder straps)? Eagle Creek's packs are too small, and they have the largest on the market, at least in the U.S. I'm looking for something between 80 and 90 liters; a panel-loader with a sleeping-bag compartment and a zip-off daypack. Bill Atlanta, Georgia
How to see your stomping grounds as a concrete jungle.
Americans like to keep score. What better way to keep track of who’s good, better, and best than by casting bronze busts and collecting premium castoffs, then sticking them all in one place? Baseball may have Cooperstown, but surfing gets Lihue, Hawaii. Here’s what else you’ll find in our favorite…
Can extreme pleasure and adventure coexist? Yeah, baby! Hop on a bike for a long, winding tour through the gourmet sweet spots of southern France.
Leave it to Bhutan—the Switzerland-size Buddhist kingdom wedged between Tibet and India that’s become the pinnacle of exclusive adventure travel—to be the new home of two ultra-indulgent lodges. Opening this month, Uma Paro, owned by Como Hotels and Resorts, is a 20-room, nine-villa mountain getaway set on 38 forested acres…
Panama's mythic Darién Gap—a 10,000-square-mile swath of jungle on the border of Central and South America—has swallowed explorers for centuries. Today, guerrillas, drug smugglers, poachers, and jaguars rule this vast no-man's-land. Our explorer spent six weeks trying to penetrate Darién's heart of darkness, but the Gap still fiercely protects its secrets.
Four luxurious north-woods hideaways where you can chill into fall
The single-malt whiskies of Scotland are a distillation of the rain-soaked Highlands and remote, sea-sprayed isles. Below, our fave picks of 18th- and 19th-century distilleries that combine the picturesque and the eminently quaffable. Single Malt Scotch Reviews Courtesy of ravenscroftcrystal.com »EDRADOUR (011-44-179-647-2095, www.edradour.co.uk),…
Bike racing's most hellish climb isn't L'Alpe d'Huez or Mont Ventoux; it's New Hampshire's Mount Washington
High-end RVs deliver comfort and convenience, but they typically keep you tethered to pavement and plug-ins—and often have you sacking out among snoring retirees. Enter the EarthRoamer XV-LT, a $155,000 built-to-order luxury rig designed for charging off the grid in grand enviro style. Powered by a Ford F-450 4×4 diesel…
On the high plains of the West, tough men still ride herd on the open range. But the new riders are lonely gauchos from Chile and Peru, and their 21st-century frontier is a place where the cowboy myth meets a harsh reality.
Best-selling novelist and serial muckraker Carl Hiaasen is mad as hell about what they're doing to Florida. His revenge? Vicious mockery of Sunshine State sleazeballs and greedy eco-thugs. An equally pissed-off Bob Shacochis tags along for a day of fantasy bonefishing and literary whup-ass.
Drop in for a day, stay a week, or put down roots for a lifetime. In these soulful, just-under-the-radar hideouts, distilled small-town pleasures still go down smoothly.
If British Columbia didn't invent the adventure lodge, the province sure has perfected the genre. Here are four that do it right, with a twist: You can't drive to any of them.
Welcome to the anti-Himalayas, a happy land of sunshine, frothy water, and extra-large boulders
Which of our 2004 Dream Towns is the best place for unbridled fun and outdoor adventure? Cast your vote now! Results will be reported in an upcoming issue of Outside. Lanesboro, Minnesota Etna, California Cashiers, North Carolina…
There’s more than one way to take in the adventure and splendor of America’s national parks. So we’re serving up a prize package of SECRET TRIPS—locals’ no-tell favorites, from Acadia to Yellowstone to wildest Alaska—along with a roundup of DREAM TOWNS nearby, the places to eat, drink, and dance after…
Week of May 7-13, 1998 Exploring Costa Rica en famille in June Planning a paddling adventure Tot-friendly & all-inclusive summer resorts Summiting Whitney in a day? Exploring Costa Rica…
Week of June 18-24, 1998 Packing for a fall biking trip in France Northern Utah’s Bear Lake and Flaming Gorge Adventuring in the Dominican Republic Seeking an educational wilderness experience…
Week of July 9-15, 1998 Planning a memorable trip to Australia Exploring the “Land of Enchantment” Backpacking in Ireland on the cheap Rafting Tennessee’s Olympic-famous Ocoee River Planning a…
Week of July 16-22, 1998 Dodging lightning in the mountains and canyons Off-roading in South Dakota’s Black Hills Navigating Nova Scotia Touring Asia by bike Touring Asia by bike…
Week of October 29 — November 4, 1998 Adventuring outskirts of Puerto Vallarta No-frills Jamaica Mountain biking around Taos Mountain biking around Taos By Amy Marr Question: I am looking…
Week of December 17 – December 23, 1998 Cross-country treks: a coast-to-coast drive Skiing centers in Vermont A February motorcycling tour A February motorcycling tour By Grant Davis Question: I’m…
Week of November 9-16, 1995 Swiss vacations for serious hardbodies Pitcairn, the Pacific’s most remote island Eco-tours of the Galapagos Tahiti bareboat sailing Bicycle touring in Costa Rica…
Week of October 12-19, 1995 Boundary Waters canoeing permits Bicycle touring across Labrador Canoe trips near Mammoth Cave, KY World-class whitewater in North Carolina Rio Grande-Big Bend remains runnable…
Week of November 9-16, 1995 Swiss vacations for serious hardbodies Pitcairn, the Pacific’s most remote island Eco-tours of the Galapagos Tahiti bareboat sailing Bicycle touring in Costa Rica…
Week of December 14-21, 1995 Hotspots in Nowheresville, IA Surfing safari to Costa Rica Rural China by bike and by foot Southern Patagonia for sea kayaking Skiing at Quebec’s Mont…
Week of January 23-30, 1996 Backcountry ski tours in New Hampshire Big Bend in winter Rafting Africa’s Zambezi River Best hikes in the Pacific Northwest Fat-tire touring in Colorado…
Week of February 14-21, 1996 Camping at Point Reyes Seashore, CA Alabama backpacking destination The new Crater Lake Lodge Camping on Florida’s barrier islands Bike touring Nova Scotia and…
Week of March 6-13, 1996 Tips on Great Smoky Mountains park Back to windsurfing school The primo treks on this planet Springtime getaway in Moab The lodge life in…
Week of April 4-10, 1996 Leavenworth: Washington’s backyard Bavaria The Midwest’s best paddling trips Hiking Mexico’s Copper Canyon Outdoor travel in Greece North Carolina’s Nantahala Outdoor Center…
Week of April 11-18, 1996 Biking and hiking in Nevada Utah’s Fishlake National Forest Camping in the Hawaiian Islands Exploring Canada’s remote Ellesmere Island Low-budget snorkeling in the Florida…
Week of April 24-May 1, 1996 Mountain biking Canyon de Chelly, Arizona It’s no joke: Skiing near San Diego Going backcountry in Yosemite Outfitter options for Baja, Mexico Chicago-area…
Week of May 16-22, 1996 Adventure-of-a-lifetime trips Rapid transit on the Kern River Trekking in India Dinosaur National Monument Puerto Rico’s El Yunque rainforest Red Rock…
Week of June 6-12, 1996 Canada’s warmest shores Alaskan cabins and lodges Georgia’s Civil War legacy Ditching D.C. for river R&R Hiking the San Jacintos in So.Cal.
Week of June 27-July 4, 1996 To shower or not to shower: Camping near Bend Buggy but crowd-free on Lake Superior Southbound to the Smokies The travel lady comes clean…
Heaven at the Edge of Nowhere Vignettes of Broome .avi format (1.5mg) or .mov (1.5mg) Video courtesy Kimberley Tourist Assoc. Tales and songs of Broome Settlement…
Week of October 17-23, 1996 Which way to Whitney’s summit? Programs for disabled athletes Getting outdoors in the Big Apple Discover sea kayaking near D.C. First Mount Washington.
Week of October 3-9, 1996 Moab for intermediate riders How to survive Death Valley Hike Collings Mountain in Oregon A Palm Springs fat-tire challenge Christmas in the arms…
Week of October 24-30, 1996 Best of Costa Rica in nine days Winter climbing at Joshua Tree A pop Civil War trivia quiz Sunny January hiking on a budget…
Week of November 28-December 4, 1996 Active getaway to Kauai Rock-climbing in Thailand Crested Butte a good early-season choice Kayak camping on Lake Mead Out-of-the-way trails in the…
Week of December 19-25, 1996 Whistler-Blackcomb on a shoestring Malaria precautions for Indonesia Local hiking clubs in New Zealand Romantic skiing trips in Wisconsin Skiing the Grand Canyon’s…
Week of January 30-February 5, 1997 Through-hiking the Appalachian Trail Hiking and rafting in Northern California Late-season skiing at Colorado resorts Making the most of five days in the Adirondacks…