Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for adventure travel
The World’s Largest Cave
By Linda Tancs
Spelunkers, take note. Beginning this year, there’s a new cave to explore in Vietnam’s Quang Binh province. Known as the Son Doong, it was fully explored for the first time in 2009 despite being discovered in 1991. Over five miles long and nearly 500 feet high at its peak, the passage is the world’s largest known cavern, a title previously held by Deer Cave in the Malaysian section of the island of Borneo.
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Running the Rapids in Chile
By Linda Tancs
Where is the best whitewater in the Western Hemisphere? Some would say it’s the Futaleufú River in Chile. The stunning, turquoise-colored river is 65 miles in length, of which 44 miles are in Chile. With rapids boasting monikers like Throne Room and Terminator, you’re likely in for a white-knuckle ride.
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Fujisan’s Latest Milestone
By Linda Tancs
Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain (at 12, 388 feet), has been mesmerizing locals and wanderers alike since ancient times. So it might be surprising that this iconic ambassador only recently became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since June, Fujisan joins 16 other sites around Japan as a place of distinction. Other gems include Himeji-jō Castle, historic monuments of ancient Kyoto, Hiroshima Peace Memorial and the Ogasawara Islands.
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Alpine River Rafting
By Linda Tancs
Water sports enthusiasts adore the Soča, an Alpine river that rumbles for eighty-six miles through western Slovenia and northeastern Italy. Its tropical hue of green/blue belies the exhilaration it offers adventure travelers like kayakers, who are greeted with signage at various entry points warning them not to underestimate the river’s wrath. Don’t overestimate your talents; take some lessons at one of the many kayak schools all along the river. Bovec is a popular point of entry where you can obtain a river permit. Enjoy the season through October.
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The Bridge of God
By Linda Tancs
In southern Ethiopia the twin lakes of Abaya and Chamo are divided by a spit of land called the Bridge of God, seemingly named for its heavenly nature. On the Lake Chamo side, its animal inhabitants might seem equally divinely inspired–or otherworldly, depending on your perspective. For instance, the area sports the world’s largest population of giant crocodiles, measuring nearly 20 feet in length. A boat trip will take you safely through the so-called crocodile marketplace, where you’ll also see hippos and a magnificent array of birds (including rare species). The lake’s northern end lies in Nechisar National Park, east of Arba Minch.
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Bigfoot Sightings
By Linda Tancs
If someone were to tell you of a Bigfoot sighting near the K&O railroad line and the Ninnescah River (southern Kansas) between Pratt and Murdock would you believe it? It would be easy to brush it off as an April Fools’ Day hoax, wouldn’t it? If seeing is believing, then maybe you should sign up for an expedition with the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization. Open to non members, the four-day jaunts cover many areas of the country where Bigfoot has allegedly appeared, like Florida, Kentucky, West Virginia, California, Arizona, New Mexico and even British Columbia, Canada.
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Riding the Circuit in Patagonia
By Linda Tancs
Torres del Paine National Park is a UNESCO biosphere reserve in Chilean Patagonia. Rich with mountains (particularly the iconic Paine massif), glaciers, lakes and rivers, small wonder the area offers a plethora of activities like fishing, climbing, ice trekking, whitewater kayaking, environmental education and wildlife observation. The park offers a number of trails, or circuits, for day or overnight trekking. Those include the Pingo Zapata, Dickson and Grey Glacier circuits (leading to glaciers), the Paine Circuit (no pun intended–an arduous trail requiring seven to 10 days of walking), and Las Torres circuit (leading to the base of Torres del Paine). Get there via Santiago to Punta Arenas by air or via Puerto Natales overground.
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Simply Cool
By Linda Tancs
Amidst the aerial highway linking Zermatt and Matterhorn lies a castle of ice worthy of a princess. Zermatt’s palace of ice is the highest glacier palace in the world. Created in 1999, the 990-square-meter palace, 15 meters below the glacier surface, is accessible from an elevator at Matterhorn glacier paradise station. Your entry begins with a walk through an ice tunnel, accompanied by soft lighting and mood music. Besides the view, the site features ice sculptures and an ice slide. If you dare, walk back via a glacier crevasse.
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Costa Rican Adventure
By Linda Tancs
From the misty coolness of the cloud forest to the eternal spring found in the Central
Valley, there’s something for everyone year round in Costa Rica. Travelrific Radio®
looks at the following popular stops: San José, the Central Valley, Guanacaste, Arenal, Monteverde and the Nicoya Peninsula.
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Sharing the Sky in Nepal
By Linda Tancs
From November to March, you can share the sky with birds of prey in Nepal. Known as parahawking, you’ll paraglide with a trained bird in the Pokhara valley. The 20 to 30 minute adventure will set you back around $185, but approximately $10 from every flight goes towards vulture conservation projects in Nepal. Go ahead, fly like an eagle.
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