Have you heard of this adventure in Canada?
Rick Mercer travels to the Purcell Mountains in British Columbia to climb Mt. Nimbus Via Ferrata. Watch the FUNNY video.
That would cost you about $2000 with CMH heli-hiking.
Mt. Nimbus Via Ferrata
Dientes de Navarino Circuit
Dientes de Navarino are a mountain range in Navarino Island, Chile, located just south of Puerto Williams, along the Beagle Channel coast.
The Dientes Circuit is recommended as one of the best hikes in the world.
Also known as:
* Isla Navarino Circuit
* Circuito Dientes de Navarino
* the teeth of Navarino
Charming, entertaining and original, be sure to watch this video trip report by rlciq from Brazil before heading to Patagonia for the Teeth of the Navarino.
This is the true last trek on earth! High mountain on low altitude. Few people. Lots of beavers. Amazing landscapes. No fee. Perfect balance between challenging and fun!
Click PLAY or watch part 1 on Vimeo.
Click PLAY or watch part 2 on Vimeo.
Check out Dientes information page.
new eBook – trek Everest Base Camp
In collaboration with Frank and Sue Wall, Jay Reilly announces a new eBook. Jay lived in Nepal for 6 years, a professional trekking and mountain guide:
It includes a comprehensive guide to frequently asked questions, the best time of the year to go, your health and required first aid supplies, training to get prepared for the trek, equipment you’ll need and where to find it, and comprehensive track notes.
This 70 plus page downloadable PDF eBook is written with the first time visitor to Nepal in mind. It is packed with inside knowledge and tips to help you plan and execute your trip.
Best still – as it is a downloadable eBook you can have it today (with no need for delivery fees) It’s just $A15.99.
Our Hiking Blog – How to trek to Everest Base Camp – a independent guide book
That’s the best link for details on the book.
Click to see a sample.
I have a review copy. It looks great.
In 2014 I prefer eBooks to hard copies. On my laptop, eBooks are a dream — so easy to search.
On my phone, on the trail, it’s a little more challenging to find exactly what I want, when I want it.
Having trekked to Everest Base Camp a few years ago, carrying two heavy guidebooks, I wish I’d had this resource instead.
One point of confusion in the book:
“The TIMS Card can only be issued by a trekking agency that is registered with TAAN (Trekking Agents Association Nepal)
Along with the TIMS Card, you are required to take a Nepalese “guide” with you. The cost of this should be about 1200 NRP per day for the guide. This includes his food. Be sure to negotiate this before you pay any money.”
Only 6 months ago you could purchase a TIMS card for yourself at the Tourism Board office in Kathmandu. It was not necessary to have a guide to go to Everest.
Has something changed?
Jay’s reply:
Nothing has changed, you can still get a TIMS Card at the Ministry for Tourism if you wish. It’s a different card than the one issued by trek agents, that registers you as an ‘independant’ trekker, not requiring a guide. However-not all the check post guys know this and to them you are a trekker without a guide, and in their eyes, doing something wrong. I’ve heard of people being turned back even though they have the Ministry issued TIMS. Buyer beware…
The guide suggests Rabies shots. I’ve not encountered many trekkers who have had them. Cyclists generally do, as they are at far greater risk of being nipped at by guard dogs.
Jay:
Regarding rabies, I never personally got the vaccination, but some doctors recommend people do. Bottom line-consult a doctor and make your descisions based upon professional medical advice.
I’m planning on Nepal again Oct/Nov 2014.
Giant’s Cup Trail, Drakensberg – day 3
Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles.
Easy day. Only 12km to finish the Giant’s Cup Trail at Bushman’s Nek Hut.
I departed Swiman hut late.
Glorious. Glorious.
Skies were clear. The landscape empty aside from me. And THIS GUY.
I later did some research … but couldn’t confirm the species. Leave a comment if you know.
Again, each time I got saw some significant shade, I cooled off.
This crude wooden bridge had obviously flooded recently.
BABOONS!
This afternoon I saw 4-5 different troops of Baboons in the distance.
This was my best photo.
DUNG BEETLE! … Actually, there are plenty of Dung beetles on this trail.
Frog.
I had great views of a big herd of Eland.
And again saw grey rhebok.
South Africa is a hot, dry country. But there’s no shortage of water in the Drakensberg during the rainy season.
Civilization.
I’d held on to a Summit Stone for the entire trip, waiting on some “highlight” of the Giant’s Cups Trail.
But there was no one highlight. The Giant’s Cup is all good. I left this one in the final cairn before dropping down to Bushman’s Nek.
I saw a sign pointing to Bushman’s Nek hut, but ignored it as the trail looked faint.
Instead I stayed on the trail more trodden.
Turned out that took me to the KZN Wildlife office. I had to backtrack about 1km in the rain.
Alone again. Bushman’s Nek hut is in a very pretty location.
It was nice to wash my dusty, hot feed in the nearby waterfall.
Rather than sleep under a roof, I again set up my tent under cover. And watched the night fall.
more photos from this day
___
Logistics
Next morning the KZN Wildlife office called a bush taxi from a local hotel. It took me to Underberg town for about $50 (expensive).
I was there for about 4hrs waiting for the mini-bus to Pietermaritzburg to fill. Though tourists are often advised not to take the local transport, in Underberg they are fairly used to shuttling hikers out from the Giant’s Cup.
You might consider starting at Bushman’s Nek and hiking to Sani Backpackers or Sani Pass Hotel. Travel logistics would be easier and cheaper if you don’t have your own vehicle.
If you wanted to hire a guide, I’d recommend booking through Drakensberg Adventures.
related:
• EKZ’s Giant’s Cup Trail page
• my hiking guidebook – Cicerone Walking in the Drakensberg
Giant’s Cup Trail, Drakensberg – day 2
Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles.
Between low clouds, the morning dawned blue, sunny, HOT.
This was the prettiest of the three days.
This day I again saw a “wild dog” with one or two young ones. Unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough to zoom the camera in time.
Locals told me they were most likely hyena.
I covered up from the strong sun.
Arriving Winterhoek hut under the trees.
Hikers are advised to lock everything up against baboon and eland.
I had lunch here, in the shade.
My biggest problem on the Giant’s Cup was the strong January sun. Locals thought I was crazy to be hiking in the hot, rainy season. I rested at as many shady spots as possible.
I was surprised not to see more Dassie. This was one of the few I spotted.
Late afternoon I slapped at something biting me under my pants. Turned out I’d killed a tic, the first that had ever bitten me. Contrary to common wisdom, I’d kicked it. After that I was quite ‘tic vigilant’. They can carry disease.
I arrived Swiman hut at dusk, quite exhausted. Too exhausted to set up my tent, I crashed into a bunk. After I enjoyed a HOT SHOWER.
Again I was the only hiker in the hut that night.
I did see a caretaker next morning on my way out.
more photos from this day
Giant’s Cup Trail, Drakensberg – day 1
Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles.
One of Lonely Planet’s South Africa’s top five multiday hikes:
The Drakensberg Mountains, rising to 3482m (11,423ft) on the Lesotho border, are one of Africa’s greatest hiking destinations.
Numerous day and overnight walks crisscross this World Heritage Site …
Closest major city is Durban.
The famous path starts in appropriately grand fashion at the foot of Sani Pass, South Africa’s highest mountain pass. Passing through the Drakensberg foothills, the trail takes in the Bathplug Cave with San rock art, streams and pools for swimming and breathtaking mountain scenery.
The Giant’s Cup (3256m/10,682ft), from which the trail gets its name, overlooks the Cobham Nature Reserve’s shimmering expanses of grassland, upland lakes, rivers jumping with trout and slopes carpeted with pink proteas. At the southern tip of the Drakensberg, the Garden Castle Nature Reserve is overlooked by sandstone buttresses, caves and the 3051m (10,009ft) Rhino Peak.
The trail ends at Bushman’s Nek Pass, where you can continue into Lesotho on foot or horseback, or unlace your boots in nearby Underberg or Himeville.
The basic 30-person sleeping huts have bunk beds with mattresses, and waking among cairns and circling eagles is an uplifting wilderness experience. With daily distances ranging between 9km (5.6mi) and 13km (8mi), it’s not a strenuous hike and can be managed by younger walkers.
Russell Suchet, author of A Backpackers Guide to Lesotho, is owner of Sani Backpackers where I started.
Russell and staff agreed that the Giant’s Cup was relatively “tame” for someone of my experience. With a tent.
But I loved it anyway. 🙂
Inexperienced in the Drakensberg, I took every precaution. I purchased maps #5 and #6 ($5ea at Sani Backpackers). And picked up the free “Giant’s Cup Trail Visitor’s Guide” trail description at the KZN Wildlife office at Pholela Hut.
Hiking alone, it would have been nice to have a phone in case of emergencies. There is mobile service on most of the route. But I hadn’t bothered to pick up a SIM card for my Canadian phone. 😦
I paid about $8 / night to stay in the huts — even though I carried a tent.
Happy to support the KZN trail system, I wanted the OPTION to stay in the huts if necessary. If it poured rain, for example. It pours rain nearly every afternoon in January.
I carried too much food, adding home made cheese from Sani Backpackers.
I skipped the first 5km as I’d done it the previous day. Here are a few photos starting at Gxalingenwa Cave.
These two ‘mericans had camped 2 nights in the overhang under a waterfall. Later I learned that you are not actually allowed to camp in that particular “cave”.
Officially, the Giant’s Cup starts on the Sani Pass Road at Ezemvelo KZM Wildlife field ranger outpost at 2847m. I started instead by walking out the door of Sani Backpackers climbing up to intersect the route.
That’s the Backpacker’s as seen from the parkland area fence.
The trail is super well marked. You follow white footprints.
Some locals feel there is too much signage.
I missed paying for my trip & filling out the Mountain Rescue Register at the start. Russell advised me to — instead — do the paperwork at the KZN Wildlife Office near Pholela Hut. I arrived there about 1:30pm.
Pholela Hut is a converted farmhouse offering 30 bunk beds in 4 rooms. Cold showers. Empty.
I carried on to the next hut.
Close to Pholela I saw my first herd of Eland.
Close to that herd I caught a glimpse of an African dog. Most likely a jackal.
The bridges on this trail are not impressive.
On the other hand, there’s no need to treat water in the Drakensberg.
Green. Peaceful. Pretty.
I arrived Mzimkhulwana Hut late and tired.
Rather than sleep indoors, I set up my tent under protection.
Alone, I hid my passport, money and credit cards. Just in case some sneak thief arrived in the night. It was a bit spooky.
Sipped wine. Ate my local cheese. Watched the night fall. Went to sleep early.
more photos from this day
Namibia camping – Brandburg – day 2
We were up early, taking advantage of the cool of the morning.
A desert garden at the White Lady Lodge.
After breakfast we made a second “mountain climb” with the kids. 🙂
The biggest “danger” of Namibian camping so far as I could tell were these deadly acacia thorns. I stepped on one. It went right through my shoe.
We saw black-backed jackals lurking around the cooking fires a couple of times. And these locals.
You must be TOUGH to survive this desert climate.
It had not rained at the White Lady lodge in 3 years — but it poured on us. Desert tents are not particularly waterproof.
Our not particularly waterproof bedding was soaked. 😦
The Ugab River rarely runs.
Here’s the river bed before the rain.
And after.
Playing in mud is a big novelty for Namibian kids.
We climbed yet another hillock.
And it was back to camp for another gigantic barbecue.
Ugab Wilderness Campground opened 2001. I can recommend it. Particularly if you want a base camp for climbing Brandburg and/or hiking Messum crater.
see ALL my photos from this long weekend trip
Namibia camping – Brandburg – day 1
My hosts in Swakopmund, Namibia run Ondjamba Safaris.
For the independence day long weekend, we loaded kids into one of their desert vehicles and headed north into the desert.
Our destination was Brandburg (Fire Mountain), Namibia’s highest massif at 2573m.
The temperature was about 40C when we arrived White Lady Lodge.
I love the Namibian campsites, sprawling under shade trees.
This technology was a first for me — showers are heated by wood fire. Campground employees light up the showers every morning.
Just before sunset we headed off to climb a mound of boulders.
The real attraction of Namibian camping is the Brai — a magnificent barbecue.
I slumped into my tent early. Too much wine.
see ALL my photos from this long weekend trip
besthike.com has MOVED
Our original site was increasingly growing outdated. And was difficult to update.
The ONLY besthike.com is this one — previously our blog.
Paklenica National Park, Croatia
Davor:
Paklenica is one of the most beautiful places in all of Croatia, and it’s a place to be for anyone who’s into hiking, climbing or mountain biking, or any other form of adventure sports like kayaking or snorkeling.
Click PLAY or watch an intro on YouTube.
details – An Invitation To Adventure In the Paklenica National Park
besthike.com 