Hi,
I know that this may seem like a huge and vague topic to start, but I was hoping that through all your wisdoms someone may have some nice ideas. After a gap of a year, Ive caught the bug again and my need to travel has once again overcome me. I want to visit every continent, work as I go, but also go hiking, climbing, canoeing...etc. I was hoping that someone here may have had some great experiences that they could recommend...anywhere. I'm not necessarily talking about 'go visit Rio...its great' (although anything is welcome), but more specifically 'go cycle the Great North Road' or 'hike the Continental Divide'. The more obscure and least travelled the better. I'm looking to do something like this on every continent (although Antarctica may be left for a while) so any suggestions (however strange) are greatly appreciated! Please write...London is really starting to get to me....again.
Canoe the Green River from Green River, Utah to Spanish Bottom. It is a 100+ miles on flat water through great desert country. You have to arrange for a jet boat to pick you up at Spanish Bottom and shuttle you up the Colorado to Moab, Utah. If all this is more than you are interested in spending (it is worth every penny if you can afford it), hike through the Maze in Canyonlands National park. This area does have very limited access to 4wd vehicles, but most of it is available to foot traffic only and is not often visited in depth. The geological formation and archeological sites are wonderful. There are spectacular overlooks. PM me if you want details.
Mmm, yes. I was going to send you to southern Utah too (if you are short on time you can put in at Mineral Bottom instead of at Green River and shave off several days of the trip).
On another side of the world, spend a day or two in Vang Vieng, Laos. You can go caving with local guides and go tubing on the river. It was quite idyllic when I was there 5 years ago, but I don't know how much the travel situation has changed in Laos since then (it was still a pretty new destination for independent travellers back then - they used to just allow people on tours).
In Honduras, hike in Celaque National Park. There's a three-day summit trip with fairly easy bus/walking access from the town of Gracias. Nifty cloud forest and waterfalls, and everyone I know who has been there has seen quetzals.
Walk or bike the Salar de Uyuni and Lipez area in SW Bolivia - 500km. I am planning this trip myself next year. PM me if you want more info.
Kayaking in the Amazon region might appeal to you. We spent 6 days doing so. Another fun kayak was 9 days sea kayaking around some of the Fijian islands. Need to carry all your own supplies including food and fresh water.
With Laos: We travelled through there independently about 5 years ago and whilst Vang Vien was charming, it really was a back packer hang out centre. Apparently more so now. Southern Laos was better and with the Mekong islands down by Si Phan Dong some canoe possibilities.
A walk I haven't yet got around to, but would like to do one day:
The Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia.
Another one I did do and really enjoyed, also in WA, but in a totally different landscape was to walk up Picanninny Creek (dry creek bed in dry season May-Oct) in Purnululu NP in the Kimberley region. You hike up the creek until you get to the area where all the steep gorges branch off. You can spend days exploring each of them, swim in cold waterholes etc. You need to bring all your own supplies though.
A few years ago three of us bought mountain bikes for $100 in thailand and set of on the spur of the moment to cycle through northen thailand , laos, vietnam and cambodia. It took us 3 months of very hard cycling...camping most of the way. At the time , one of the hardest things I ever did both mentaly and physicaly..but still one of the best travel experiances I've had. It cost us basicly nothing...was at times scary and at times dangerous...but our overwelming feeling was one of openness and warmth to all the local people we met, and it was freely rocipricated.
My advice is ...dont plan too much...take an idea which is realy going to chalange you and you will probably regret your decision many times during your trip...but never after it.
good luck
Canoe the entire length of the Allagash. Starts in Mid Maine by Mount Katahdin and flows north to the border of Canada - about 120 miles. It's lovely. There are outfitters up there.
Hike the entire lenght of the Vermont Long Trail. It bi-sects the State of Vermont and follows the tops of the ridge of the Green Mountains. Passes through lovely country. Really lovely. Not heavily traveled (comparatively) either. Takes about 5 weeks.
Do a multi-pitch climb up Corcovado in Rio, and top out at Christ the Redeemer (I didn't get around to it while there, couldn't find the route or a guide; lame, I know!); since others mentioned SoUtah, I will add that you could do the hike into Horseshoe Canyon of Canyonland National Park to see the incredible pictographs/petroglyphs; if in the San Francisco, CA area, do a great white shark cage-dive at the Farallon Islands (this is on my list, hopefully this season); dive the wrecks of Truk Lagoon; dive La Paz, Mexico with the sea lions at Los Islotes and hammerhead sharks at El Bajo seamount; dive the Bonne Terre mine (about an hour south of St Louis, Missouri); see a futbol match in England (preferably Arsenal, in London) and try not to get beat down by hooligans; try to see a live volcano somewhere (Arenal in Costa Rica?), close up.......hope you get to do whatever it is you decide, though!
Canoe the Bowron lakes in Canada, the Yukon in Canada/Alaska, the Zambezi in Zimbabwe/Zambia
Take ferries town hopping down the Amazon
In North America Cycle the Continental divide, the Oregon Coast, Nova Scotia
Sea Kayak the Queen Charlottes
Trek the Annapurnas in Nepal, The Inca road in Peru
Raft the Grand Canyon
Hike Paria Canyon
Cycle almost anywhere in Europe
Trans-Siberian railroad
Climb Kilimanjaro
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