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Ausangate Trek, Peru, without a Guide

Now that Nepal required you hire a guide for almost all high altitude treks, Peru might offer the easiest logistics for similar independent adventures.

Of many great options in Peru, we like the Ausangate Circuit best. You can side trip to the Rainbow mountain, if you like. And nearby Red Valley. AND Red Lake.

Megs from Wisconsin has traveled over 70 nations. Here’s how she trekked Ausangate independently.

  • Mileage: Around 45 Miles, depending on route
  • Difficulty: Extremely Difficult
    • The Ausangate trek without a guide is extremely difficult due to the trail’s remoteness, altitude, and being unmarked. Additionally, the weight of carrying all your gear and food for at least 5 days
    • This high-altitude trek in Peru never dips below 14,150 feet (4,000m)
    • The weather can change fast at this altitude and there are risks associated with doing the trek guided or not. NEVER HIKE ALONE
  • Duration: 5 – 7 Days

The most popular time to hike Ausangate is between the months of April to October. Peru has two main seasons, dry and rainy. In general, dry season is from May to October, while rainy season is from November until April. …

The altitude of the Ausangate trek is insane. Remember, this trek never drops below 14,000 feet!

Many of the passes are grueling and top out at over 16,000 feet. The mountains are Apus, or Gods, to the Indigenous, so go in with the mindset of respecting them. By the way, the mighty mountain of Ausangate is a staggering 20,945 feet (6,384 m).

Acclimation is key …

How To Hike the Epic Ausangate Trek Without A Guide | 6 Days

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$100 Million Donation to U.S. National Parks

Aug. 26, 2024

The National Park Foundation (NPF) today announced a historic $100 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

This transformative grant — the largest ever received by NPF and the largest grant benefitting national parks — celebrates a pivotal moment in safeguarding the future of America’s treasured national parks. …

Lilly Endowment’s grant will serve as a catalyst to scale and accelerate NPF’s impact. Working together with the National Park Service and park partners, NPF will allocate the funds to four key priority areas:

  • Inspire the Next Generation of Park Stewards: Creating opportunities for youth and young adults that will foster a deeper understanding of history, appreciation for environmental stewardship, and connection with our natural world.
  • Conserve and Preserve Threatened Parks and Wildlife: Addressing critical initiatives that will ensure the health and longevity of the fragile ecosystems and diverse species that call our national parks home.
  • Ensure a World-Class Visitor Experience: Securing a future where national parks can accommodate unprecedented growth and leverage new technology, while remaining accessible and awe-inspiring for all visitors.
  • Tell a More Complete Story of America: Delivering a more comprehensive historical narrative, including the experiences of communities whose voices and contributions have not been fully told as a part of the American story. …

To learn more about the National Park Foundation’s mission and donate today, visit nationalparks.org.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Lilly Endowment Inc., headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, is one of the world’s largest private philanthropic foundations.

… historically focused on three primary grant areas: community development, education, and Christianity. …

It has given to some politically and religiously conservative causes, especially in the 1960s.

… Climate change denial …

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TOP 10 Hiking Towns ➙ Grindelwald, Switzerland

I stayed in Grindelwald again in 2023. What a terrific hiking town.

Most hikers arrive by train from Interlaken. They share that journey with hundreds of thousands of camera clutching tourists all en route to Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe.

Grindelwald is a municipality in the district of Interlaken in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. The village is located at 1,034 metres (3,390 ft) above sea level in the Bernese Alps. …

Long famed as a winter tourist destination with slopes for beginners, intermediates and the challenges of the Eiger glacier for the experienced, there are activities for the non-skiers, from tobogganing to groomed winter hiking tracks. It is the usual starting point for ascents of the Eiger and the Wetterhorn. Nowadays Grindelwald is also a popular summer activity resort with many miles of hiking trails across the Alps. …

Grindelwald has a population (as of 2007) of 3,809 …

Many experienced hikers would pooh pooh Grindelwald as too touristy, basing themselves instead out of Lauterbrunnen, Mürren or even (our pick) tiny Gimmelwald, accessible only on foot or by aerial tramway.

There are no bad hikes out of Grindelwald. It is fantastic in every direction.

vista from the Grindewald hostel

But the Tour of the Jungfrau Region, a 2wk ultimate adventure, is our best recommendation.

See more “best hikes” in the Alps.

The best day hike is the Eiger Trail.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse of my June hike on YouTube.

Most hike June to mid-October but, surprisingly, there are trails open year round close to Grindelwald.

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Hiking Iceland’s Plane Wreck

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Increasingly popular is hiking out to see the 1973 US Navy C-117D Sólheimasandur Crash.

You might have seen it in Justin Bieber’s 2015 music video I’ll Show You.

  •  7.4-km out-and-back hike from the parking lot on the southern Highway 1 Ring Road
  • in high season you can pay to take a shuttle to and from the parking lot
  • close to Vik and Skógafoss, two of the most popular tourist attractions
  • flat black sand
  • many tourists on a nice day in high season

I found the wreck fairly interesting — but enjoyed more continuing to the big black sand beach on the ocean. I had that to myself.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The flight encountered severe icing and the crew were forced to land on a frozen river at Sólheimasandur.

All 7 crew members survived and were rescued by helicopter, but the aircraft was written off. The unsalvaged remains of the aircraft were left at the scene.

In January 2020, two Chinese tourists died of hypothermia near the wreckage after getting caught in a storm that went over the area.

A month later, SAR units had to rescue several tourists that had ignored a warning from the police to not trek to the wreckage due to deteriorating weather in the area.

AllTrails.

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TOP 10 day hikes ➙  Zion Narrows, Utah USA

One of our top 10 day hikes in the world.

Why?

Best slot canyon hike in the world.

  • in Utah’s Zion National Park
  • 16 miles (25 km) from Chamberlain’s Ranch to Temple of Sinawava in the Park
  • June through October best months
  • usually closed from mid-March to mid-May due to spring snowmelt and runoff
  • in places chasm up to 1,968 ft deep and 20 ft wide
  • about a 1500 ft descent
  • walk in water up to half the time
  • 9 – 13 hours. Confirm the time of the last shuttle out of the park!
  • a long, tiring day or you can camp overnight. Be aware that there are only 12 campsites available and they book quickly. Start as early as possible if you are doing it in a day.
  • Permit is required

World → North America → S.W. USA  → Utah → Zion Narrows

Water walking shoes recommended.

For details click over to our Zion Narrows information page.

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My Therm-a-Rest NeoAir® XLite™ NXT MAX

The most popular sleeping pad on the Pacific Crest Trail these days is NOT the lightest.

It’s the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir® XLite™ NXT.

I opted for the slightly heavier, rectangular Therm-a-Rest NeoAir® XLite™ NXT MAX Sleeping Pad. Not inexpensive at CAD $340.

That shape completely covers the bottom of my 1-person-tent, keeping everything cleaner. And dryer.

I hike and cycle in rainy, muddy destinations. Iceland in 2024, for example.

I’ll be carrying it a lot for BikePacking where weight matters less.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Great pad. But VERY SLOW TO FILL using the supplied inflation bag.

I decided to purchase the tiny USB powered FLEXTAILGEAR Portable Tiny Pump 2X. (CAD $46)

  • 96 grams
  • inflate sleeping pad
  • deflate sleeping pad
  • stoke outdoor fires
  • flashlight

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Cycling / Hiking the Faroe Islands

Challenging Logistics

Expensive.

The best way to travel the 500km of roads over 17 islands is by personal vehicle. This gives you the flexibility to go when the weather forecast looks … better. 😀

Otherwise you are limited by the infrequent public buses and ferries. AND ferries often don’t run when it’s too windy.

On the other hand, with a motor vehicle, you pay a fee for every undersea tunnel you drive through, and any ferry you need to take. It adds up quickly.

I went with gravel bike — but was too cowardly to cycle through most of the many narrow tunnels. It is allowed, however. Locals told me they don’t mind bikes in tunnels.

I did cycle 2 of them.

It’s easy to put your bike under the bus — and I did it every day.

BUT the buses run infrequently, especially on weekends and holidays. There are very few locals on them, only a few cheapskate tourists.

If you like coastal scenery, there is no place on the Faroe Islands more than 5km from the seas.

I had a bike shop in the capital do a tune-up and replaced the chain. Bike ran great — until the new chain broke. It was Sunday and there was no bus service. I had to hitchhike with my disabled transport.

Note: A number of the most famous hikes on the Faroe Islands cross privately owned land and have expensive fees. Similar attractions in Norway and Iceland are free.

There are campgrounds, but I’d recommend booking a roof over your head. I had an inexpensive room in a Vestmanna guesthouse, happy to be warm and dry my clothing every night.

Vestmanna

The Faroe Islands are great. But logistics are challenging. Book as many days as possible.

The easiest way to hike is with your own motor vehicle. Either rent — or take the only ferry to the Faroe Islands.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

related – 15 things to know before visiting the Faroe Islands