guided hikes – Page 28

September 5, 2007

Torngat Mountains National Park, Labrador, Canada

One of the classiest and best travel photo sites is BluePeak edited by Rogier Gruys.

He is one of the few who have travelled to remote Torngat.

Even better, Rogier created a superb landing page for the Park where the rest of us now have a chance to see that weird, fantastical landscape.

… The Inuit refer to the far northern tip of Labrador as Torngait, the place of the spirits. It is thought that it is the home of Torngarsuak, the Inuit Great Spirit. To outsiders it is known for its deep fiords, the highest mountains east of the rockies, some of the world’s oldest rocks, the only tundra-dwelling population of black bears, and polar bears. Lots of polar bears. …

Access

The park, 9,700 sq.km, is probably one of the most difficult parks in Canada to reach. Even the parks in Nunavut are easier to get to. It’s not only the remoteness, but especially the weather and fericious winds that make getting here an adventure in itself.

If the weather is good, then the park is about 1 hours’ flying or up to two days by fishing boat north of Nain, Labrador’s northernmost community. There are no scheduled flights or boats to the park, and once you arrive, there are no facilities.

Safety is a real concern, as polar bears roam throughout the park. Since only Inuit are allowed to carry arms, visitors should always be accompanied by an Inuit guide. A good idea in any case, as the area is also infamous for its quickly changing weather and strong “ghost” winds that can appear out of nowhere.

Visiting the park

Due to the difficult logistics and its reputation for bad weather, there are currently very few if any organized treks into the park. Nature Trek has led expeditions into the park, but in the future they may only plan occasional treks, due to the extreme logistical challenges involved with organizing them. …

more photos – Torngat Mountains National Park – Rogier Gruys

September 2, 2007

Ace The Himalaya photos

Great photos hiking in the highest mountains in the world.

Here’s a sample:

Chomolhari Trek, Bhutan – more photos

An expensive guided trek to Bhutan would be great. But when will that country finally open to independent hikers?

I’d love to get to Bhutan myself the first year it opens.

August 15, 2007

Lost City Trek – Colombia – now safer

I loved the Lost City Trek â€” Ciudad Perdida â€” when I was there in 1997. It’s a steep climb up a lost jungle city.

Ten years later the adventure is much safer as Brian Rudert reports:

Just did the hike in 4 days/3nights …

The trail is safe, very safe â€“ with a large Colombian military contingent at the top. …

Most tour groups spend 4 or 5 nights along the trail which is a total of 21 kilometers one way with 4 major (steep) descents and 3 descents along with 9 crossings of the Buritaca river before you reach the final 1,300 narrow and steep steps up to the city. The starting point is 340 meters in altitude and the final destination is 1,100 meters.

The 21 kilometers are broken up with sleeping points at kilometer 8 and 16 with guides preparing your food and mules carrying supplies. However, the mules cannot go beyond kilometer 16 because of the condition of the trail.

… A fascinating Kogui (local indigenous group) village is at around kilometer 15 and you will see them again further up the trail and in Ciudad Perdida.

There is a reddish-brown dog with yellow eyes named NiÃ±o with no home or owner who goes up and down with different hiking groups (whoever feeds him the best). NiÃ±o knows all the best river crossings and will whine when he sees you crossing at the wrong place.

Colombia is my favourite country in South America mainly due to the friendly people.

Check out photos from a 2007 trek to get an idea of the unique landscape at the top:

adman_as more lost city trek photos – flickr

Lost City Trek information page – besthike.com

June 23, 2007

trekking Svaneti in Georgia, Asia

Ever since speaking with a woman from Kazakhstan, I’ve been reluctant to recommend treks in the former Soviet Union.

She told me, “Kazakhstan has wonderful trekking, but you will be robbed and possibly killed your first night in the mountains if you go alone.”

But I found an impressive website from Georgia. I would happily hike with these guides in Svaneti, surrounded by 3,000-5,000m peaks, the highest inhabited area in Europe.

Lonely Planet

Given the diversity of its relief and the richness of its history and the unique ethnic identity of its residents, Svaneti is one of Georgia’s most outstanding regions.

It had long attracted many tourists, but the political and economic decline experienced by Georgia following the fall of the Soviet Union and independence has hampered efforts to revive and further develop Svaneti’s tourist and recreational potential.

In order to achieve this, it is necessary to foster the development of the family-run tourism business, especially given that this business employs much of the population (host families, providing tourists with products and traditional crafts, vehicle transport, horses, guide services, museums, folk music ensembles and more), and provides the local people, many of whom live near the poverty line, with additional incomes.

Svaneti Trekking – About Us

They recommend a number of dayhikes in the region, all which look great. I’d love to get there.

Their longest route recommended is a horse trek called ZHABESHI-USHGULI.

Svaneti Trekking – English, German, Russian and Georgian

Ushba (4710m) larger original – flickr – Patricia Scherer

June 13, 2007

Shackleton Crossing, South Georgia Island

Selected by Outside Magazine as their “2004 Trip of the Year”.

In November 2000 we were the first company to guide travelers across South Georgia Island, following in Sir Ernest Shackleton’s valiant footsteps. …

The Shackleton Crossing is an outing for the adventurous and historically minded. Shackleton’s traverse of the mountainous island was the culmination of one of history’s great survival epics.

Al Read sums up the adventure: “The crossing is straightforward; however, the island can be a real weather factory. We rope up all the way, with glacier travel protocol, pulling sleds and carrying packs. But it is a fantastic adventure, one of which we are very proud.”

South Georgia: The Shackleton Crossing with Dave Hahn – Geographic Expeditions – To the ends of the earth

Many consider Shackleton’s 1914-16 Endurance Expedition hike to be the end of the greatest Explorer survival story of all time.

A DVD The Endurance is fantastic!

$The Endurance - Shackleton\'s Legendary Antarctic Expedition$

May 31, 2007

Guide Aitelkadi Hassan contacted me regarding tours including treks in the Atlas Mountains. He collects you from the airport, makes all arrangements, and delivers you safely back for your return flight.

Get some testimonials from other travelers, of course, before you sign on with any guiding service.

Their website is AtlasWalkers.com (French).

Here’s the home page translated from French to English using Google Translate. (Somewhat amusing, but still useful.)

May 3, 2007

why The Adventure Blogger went to Kilimanjaro

Having never been there, I was envious reading Kraig Becker’s Kili trip reports on his Adventure Blogger site.

Now he’s been interviewed on The Outdoor Weblog:

Honestly, I’ve been thinking about this trip for four years now. I saw an IMAX film by David Breashears on Kilimanjaro and I was fascinated with the thought of trekking and climbing the mountain. I think I went home and started researching it right after seeing the movie.
The Outdoor Weblog: The Outdoor Enthusiast Next Door: Kraig Becker (Part 2)

Kraig and guides Peter and Zawadi at the Lava Tower:

photo by Colm Donohoe

My turn is coming. One day. …

I want to try for a double: Mt. Meru followed by Kilimanjaro.

April 17, 2007

lost on a glacier in Pakistan

Ben Tubby and partner Kerry had problems on a trek to Snow Lake guided by Vertical Explorers Expeditions.

Ben’s detailed photo trip report is recommended reading for anyone â€” like me â€” considering an adventure in Pakistan.

Bad roads, cold rooms, disgusting toilets, illness, crevasses, rain, sunburn, freezing river crossings, communication problems with guides, …

Sounds like fun!

Northern Pakistan is beautiful. Amazing mountain scenery, honest, friendly people and lots and lots of ice. We spent 18 days wandering up the biggest slab of ice outside of the polar regions and then got lost in a white-out on the top, surrounded by crevasses.

Tubby: Lost on a glacier in Pakistan

(trip report)

Snow Lake Hispar La Experience – Vertical Explorers (a longer tour than Ben’s)

(via Nothing adds up)

Biafo Glacier

Ogre’s Thumb

April 12, 2007

Mt. Tahan trek, Malaysia

I don’t know much about this trek to the the highest point in Peninsular Malaysia, but it sounds great. This country without question is the most underestimated adventure destination in SE Asia.

The standard route is the Kuala Tahan trail â€” not recommended from what I can tell.

Of the other routes, instead hike the Merapoh (Sungai Relau) trail.

Taman Negara National Park, Pahang, Malaysia
Moderately Difficult Trek

… route is through Sg Relau, Merapoh … starts almost at the foot of the mountain. It takes only three days to reach the peak 5 days return, about 44km. (27mi)

… The starting point for the hike is at the National Park Headquarters itself.

DIY Hikes & Treks

Photos on the site give you a good idea of the terrain.

Guides are manditatory.

Mount Tahan – Wikipedia

We’ve not yet added it to our list of the best hikes in the world. Leave a comment below if you think it worthy.

March 19, 2007

photo – atop Kilimanjaro

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