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Take the Machu Picchu Trek!

Guest Traveler — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 18:35:00 +0000

For anyone who enjoys backpacking, taking a hike on the ancient Inca Trail to the stunning Machu Picchu site in Peru is a must-do adventure. It is possible to go there the easy way, by taking a train and then a bus, but the experience of hiking along this awesome trail is incomparable.

You do need to be an experienced hiker and in reasonably good shape, but if you are, by all means don’t miss out on this world-class hike. Most hikers will get exhausted at times, but any pain you suffer will be immensely outweighed by the pleasure you will get from what you will see on your journey.

Starting From Cuzco

You will need to go in a group with guides, which can easily be found in the city of Cuzco, high in the Andes at the center of the Inca civilization. There are many Inca ruins to be seen here as well as many other attractions, so you should plan on staying at least several days in Cuzco before you start your trek.

As you explore the Cuzco area and arrange for your hike, you will also get used to the high altitude, which is important.

On the hike, try to travel as light as you can. Your guides will carry the tents and most of the food, so you will mostly be carrying clothing, photo gear, etc, and a lot of water. The Machu Picchu trek will take several days, and the most challenging part is when you go over the 13,000 ft. pass.

For a very small fee, have Peruvian natives carry your backpack for you if you get too tired, a common practice when approaching the pass.

Of the many ruins you will see, the Winay Wayna site near the end of the hike is the most dramatic, and in some ways better than Machu Picchu itself.

After your hike, spend some time relaxing at the nearby town of Aguas Calientes, with its invigorating hot springs. It’s the perfect way to bring this adventure to a close.

See Travel Tips, Gear and More for additional information.

Bike Buenos Aires Style

Guest Traveler — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:12:59 +0000

On first appearance Buenos Aires doesn’t come across as a cycle friendly city. It is a buzzing metropolis, filled with smoking buses, irate taxi drivers and cell phone talking drivers. But just like any capital city you need to look beyond the inner city streets to find the hidden back lanes and wide open spaces that appeal to cyclists.

Cycling in Buenos Aires has recently become a pleasure with the opening of a network of bike friendly lanes. These are well cordoned off from the traffic with small brightly colored walls and are thus a safe way to cruise around town. And it is only going to get better as the local government plans to expand the bicycle lane network.

Located on the edge of the River Plate Buenos Aires boats flood plain flat streets. There are virtually no hills so a multi-geared bike isn’t necessary. The current local trend is of one-geared cruisers with wide handlebars. Baskets aren’t compulsory but prove valuable if you need to carry anything extra.

Photo by blmurch

If you have landed in the city bikeless and are itching to start pedaling, head to the park land in the south, known as Costanera Sur. Here there are several small stores that rent bikes by the hour. The park land is the perfect place to warm up before tackling the tarmac.

An alternative is to join a knowledgeable guide who can lead you bike Buenos Aires style around the city and point out sights of interest without getting you lost. This is a great option for those who want to see more of the city but are somewhat geographically challenged. Let someone else do the navigating and explanations on what you are seeing so you can sit back on your cruiser bike and pedal through Buenos Aires to get an up close and personal view of this dynamic South American city.

Visiting Koh Chang Island

Guest Traveler — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 11:29:30 +0000

Koh Chang Island, the second biggest of Thailand, is a mountainous national park where over 70% of the surface is protected virgin rainforest. Because of this, the area is still less developed than surrounding islands and is in great condition (there are only 8 villages). It’s no surprise then that it is abundant with natural beauty. Expect to see scenic waterfalls, crystal clear marine waters, white sandy beaches galore, a great variety of wildlife, coral reefs, high mountains and, of course, magnificent forests.

There are quite a few activities that nature lovers and visitors to Koh Chang Island will be excited about. These include sunbathing on the paradise-like white sandy beaches, swimming, diving and snorkelling, yachting, mountain biking, tree climbing, canoeing, jungle hiking and elephant trekking. The name of the island means ‘Elephant Island’ but this is due to the shape of the land more than the presence of elephants.

A real paradise island!

The island climate is easy and enjoyable. The seasons vary from rainy to dry, followed by summer. The rainy season occurs from May to October, the dry season from November to February and then summer from March to April (hot!). In terms of temperatures, this configuration makes it ideal for people from the northern hemisphere to visit during the winter season – although expect the most tourists at this time (650,000 annually, most of them Thai). Going during the months of July and August will give you more breathing space and cheaper prices but it will also come with some rain everyday (but not necessarily all day).

While luxurious accommodations and establishments do exist on the island, bungalows and beach huts are widely available and should please low budget and easy-going travel enthusiasts. Spas, quiet beach bars and nightclubs are also present. As would be expected, Thai cuisine is abundant in tourist restaurants. A few Buddhist temples grace the area as well.

Awesome Eco Travel In Costa Rica

Jeff Gervais — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:43:40 +0000

Costa Rica means “rich coast” and anyone who visits the country’s stunning nature and eco friendly travel spots will want to go back there again and again.

Costa Rica is a favourite of the eco-tourist crowd (which won’t mind getting down and dirty) because it’s a land of extreme natural diversity and offers to its visitors rain forests, volcanoes, marshlands and everything in between. Costa Rica crams 6% of the world’s known animal and plant species in an area that measures only 51,100sq.km. – these include over 1,500 species of orchid and more than 800 species of bird.

Monteverde Forest Reserve

Eco-tourists traveling to Costa Rica can choose between several excellently preserved parks and reserves in different areas of the country and heading the list is the Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves. Situated in South Costa Rica and lying right on the continental divide, this reserve features an overwhelming collection of birds, big cats, insects, orchids and plants spread out across several different conservation areas.

Monteverde : image by Eljefe

Travellers in Monteverde are also faced with a dazzling array of activities and the only problem they will experience is deciding what to do first. Highlights of the jungle experience include the thrilling zip lines and canopy tours (try the exhilarating Selvatura tour), tree top suspension bridges, night walks, and insect museums and gardens. Those interested Monteverde should visit the reserve’s official web site at www.monteverdeinfo.com to obtain more information.

Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park

The Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park in Costa Rica’s North Zone offers tourists a splendid example of the type of eco-system that grows up around a live volcano. Although it has not erupted in over 3,500 years, Rincon de la Vieja, an andesitic stratovolcano, has been known to grumble from time to time and has interacted with the surrounding countryside enough to have created a vibrant and unique natural system.

Visitors to the park can look forward to climbing the volcano and inspecting the mud pots and fumaroles that are intrinsic to such a system before swimming in the natural lagoons and marvelling at the waterfalls. Animals to watch out for include the two-toed sloth, the howler monkey and the armadillo and the park has the largest concentration of Costa Rica’s national flower, the delicate Guaria Morada orchid, than anywhere else in the country. Learn more about this unique venue at www.liberiacostaricainfo.com

Cocos Island

Cocos Island lies 310 miles southwest of Costa Rica’s southern Pacific coast and is home to the UNESCO protected Cocos Island National Park. This park comprises the island itself as well as 240,171 maritime acres of surrounding ocean and features yet another of this country’s splendid natural systems: the marine ecosystem.

The inspiration for Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’, this isle was once a pirate haunt but is now best known for its tropical lowland eco-systems that lie only a short way away from its cloud forests. The marine areas that fall under the park’s protection are riddled with reefs where divers are likely to encounter friendly dolphins side by side with awe-inspiring giant manta rays and lethal hammerhead sharks. Diving is the park’s most sought after activity and exciting night dives are available for the more adventurous. Visit www.costarica.com to see what else this magical island has to offer.

Travellers who have visited Costa Rica and caught glimpses of the magnificent jaguar or the nocturnal margay count themselves extremely lucky and would recommend their Costa Rica experience to anyone even vaguely interested in the natural world.