Of the continents, Europe is most difficult for choosing the BEST of the BEST. There are simply too many great options.
However — so far — check our Europe hikes on a custom Google map. Leave a comment if your favourite trail is not included.
Shackleton’s route, South Georgia
Kraig Becker:
Twelve hundred miles off the southernmost tip of South America, there is a legendary place among travelers and historians. They speak of South Georgia Island in hushed, almost reverent terms.
This small and mountainous island, with peaks above 9,000 feet, is located hundreds of miles from the closest beaten path. But the rugged and remote wilderness is famous for another reason. South Georgia Island served as the final stage in one of the greatest survival stories of all time: Ernest Shackleton’s voyage to the southern seas aboard the Endurance. …
I hiked part of the very route that Shackleton, Crean, and Worsley trekked when they crossed the island a century ago. Hiking through the overgrown mountain trails and snowy paths, I finally arrived at the remains of the Stromness whaling station where the 19th century explorers’ desperate march came to an end. …
The interior of South Georgia is rugged and demanding to say the least, with towering peaks, steep valleys, and crystal-blue alpine lakes frequently presenting impassable barriers.
High winds, rain, and snow, coupled with rough terrain, made my walk a challenging one, even equipped with modern hiking gear and a clear path to follow. The men from the Endurance did it in clothing that was practically threadbare, wearing boots with screws tapped into the sole to provide extra traction. …
While wandering in silence through that wild landscape, I could almost feel the ghost of Shackleton trudging along beside me …
Popular Mechanics – Chasing Ernest: A Journey to South Georgia to Find the Ghost of Shackleton
(via Adventure Blog)
sleeping well outdoors
trek Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra
Sabbalot Photography:
… the largest wilderness area in South-East Asia and an UNESCO world heritage area since 2004. It is further part of the tropical rain forest heritage of Sumatra, allowing for spectacular experiences in this fortunately still widely untouched nature.
The hike itself is a unique experience for several reasons:
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No trails are available and one totally has to rely on the guide to find the way through the jungle (mainly following former rebel trails).
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4-6 porters accompany you and provide you with the most delicious hiking food you’ll ever get to taste (don’t forget to tip).
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You will not see ANYONE other than your party during the whole hike.
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The wilderness of the jungle and its inhabitants is just breathtaking.
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The river crossings are an adventure itself.
Gunung Leuser National Park
An amazing adventure. Click through for details.
They recommend local guides Expedition Jungle.
Battle For the Net
Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.
Hike Hong Kong blog
Guest post by Jean-Christophe Clement:
When I moved to Hong Kong in 2008, I had this idea of a concrete jungle. This was indeed the case. However, foreigners usually don’t realize that Hong Kong territory is less than 10% urbanized, and over 40% of the land is designated as country parks. I soon discovered that there was a world of outdoor adventures for me to discover. However, the information that was available back then on how to get to the nicest trails, waterfalls, and other lesser known spots was scarce and mostly in Chinese. Furthermore, the instructions on how to get to the trails, and stay on the trails were approximate, at best!
That’s how the HikeHongKong blog was born; out of a desire to make access to the wonderful Hong Kong trails easy and accessible to all.
The response from hikers has been beyond my greatest hopes; as of July 2017, HikeHongKong gets over 100,000 hit a month, mostly from Hong Kongers, but also from the U.S.
Today, I have over 150 documented Hong Kong hikes with full instructions on how to get there without a car, difficulty ratings, cel-phone reception, maps, etc.
There are 3 ways to get to all the goodies:
- https://sites.google.com/site/hikehongkongweb
- http://hikehongkong.blogspot.hk
- https://www.facebook.com/HikeHongKong/ (if you Like it, you’ll get a new Hong Kong hike every week on your wall)
In closing, I leave you with my Top Hong Kong hikes.
Happy trails!
Vancouver Island wildlife – coastal wolves
Some wolves on the Canadian west coast get 90% of their food along the water.
I saw a mother and her young feeding on a dead whale on my 2012 North Coast Trail hike. Sightings are quite common on that coastline.
Wolves were trying to take black bear cubs too. Momma Bear wasn’t too happy about that. (VIDEO)
more photos
related – British filmmaker Bertie Gregory – Meet the Rare Swimming Wolves That Eat Seafood
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
MAP – best hikes in the world
We’ve added a custom Google map with most of our best hikes in the world.
Those maps are linked from each of the 6 continent pulldown menu pages.
Click away to give it a try.
new Appalachian Trail photos
Outdoor Retailer: “Goodbye Utah. Hello Colorado.”
Denver has landed the coveted Outdoor Retailer summer and winter trade shows, sources confirm
Five year deal will bring 45,000 attendees to Denver, delivering estimated $45 million economic impact
Emerald and its show partner, Boulder’s Outdoor Industry Association, announced this year they were pulling the winter and summer Outdoor Retailer trade shows out of their 21-year home in Salt Lake City, citing Utah political efforts to downsize recent national monument designations, specifically the 1.35 million-acre Bears Ears National Monument created by the Obama Administration in December 2016.
The @UtahGOP hate the outdoors.
besthike.com 