MORAL COMPASS: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

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Adventure Travel, family-friendly adventures, National Parks, Nature Travel

Austin Adventures Offers Special Incentives, Live Webinar during March ‘Family Appreciation’ Month

March 10, 2019 MoralCompass

For the second year in a row, Austin Adventures, a leading family adventure company, is dedicating the entire month of March to “*Family Appreciation,” with special incentives and giveaways, plus an interactive child & parent “Take a National Park Vacation” webinar*

BILLINGS, MT –For the second year in a row, Austin Adventures, a leading family adventure company, is dedicating the entire month of March to “Family Appreciation,” with special incentives and giveaways, plus an interactive child & parent “Take a National Park Vacation” webinar that all ages will want to attend.

“Between work, school, athletic and social schedules, planning and scheduling a family vacation has never been more challenging, often to the point of missing the opportunity all together to create lasting bonds and memories within the family,” explains Dan Austin, president and founder of the company which has been taking families to national parks and around the globe for 35 years. “Austin Adventures is fully committed to helping anyway we can. Our goal is to take the stress out of vacation planning and then deliver an experience second-to-none.”

On Tuesday, Mar 12, 2019 at 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM EDT Austin Adventures invites kids and parents to a live webinar focused on helping families (especially the kids) with their vacation planning. Anyone considering a small group vacation tour now or in the future is encouraged to attend. For information and to register click here.

The seminar will be hosted by Kasey Austin, Outside Magazine 2014 Family Guide of the Year. Making a cameo appearance will be Dan Austin, company visionary and travel industry legend. Together, The Austin Family has set the bar for family adventure travel for decades, so much so, they are often referred to as “the First Family of Adventure Travel”.

During this informal and informative webinar focused on the younger generation, Kasey will offer tips and insights on planning and visiting America’s National Parks along with other popular family destinations.

As an incentive to register and attend, every family that participates will receive a coupon worth $250 off their next Austin Adventures family vacation. Plus, all participating kids (age 6-12) whose parents end up booking a 2019 family national park adventure will receive a logo-embossed backpack (on Day 1 of the trip) packed full of swag (logo water bottle, trip journal, field guide, hacky sack, stickers and more).

“I had so much fun sharing my passion for our National Parks last year, I couldn’t wait to do it all again this year. Sharing the parks with the next generation of adventurer really is my passion. I am looking forward to sharing what we know and have learned from our 35+ years of taking families deep into our national parks,” said Kasey Austin.

“Dan and I will draw from our own experiences and help families with real time information that can assist them in making the most of a park vacation, whether with us or on their own. There will be a follow-up email survey as well as ample time for questions and answers.”

The webinar will help Austin Adventures kick-off their second annual “Family Appreciation” Month. Dedicated to celebrating and encouraging family vacations worldwide, this observance comes on the heels of the company’s 2nd wildly successful “Alumni Appreciation” month held in December, 2018. Throughout the month there will be dedicated e-newsletters and blogs on family travel, special incentives, travel agent promotions and for extended families, an offer of a free trip for one guest in groups of ten or more booked.

To assist in vacation planning, Austin Adventures also offers a free Insider’s Guide to Planning the Perfect Family Adventure. See: https://www.austinadventures.com/free-family-travel-guide/.

Austin Adventures has led the field when it comes to family adventures (twice being acknowledged by Travel + Leisure Magazine as the #1 Tour and Family Tour Operator in the World). For 2019, there are over 40 family adventures planned across the globe. Here is a sampling of some of the more popular National Park itineraries on the current Austin Adventures roster. All adult rates are per person, double occupancy.

Grand Canyon National Park: 6-days/5-nights from $2,998; children from $2,398.

Alaska- Kenai Fjords National Park: 6 days/5 nights from $3,698; children from $3,328.

Bryce & Zion National Parks: 6 days/5 nights from $2,798; children from $2,518.

Yellowstone National Park: 6 days/5 nights from $2,898; children from $2,318.

Grand Teton National Park: 6 days/5 nights from $3,298; children from $2,968.

Yosemite National Park: 6 days/5 nights from $3,698; children from $2,958.

Glacier National Park: 6 days/5 nights from $3,298; children from $2,638.

South Dakota – Black Hills (Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monuments / Wind Cave NP): 6 days/5 nights from $2,898; children from $2,318.

Banff to Jasper National Parks 6 days/5 nights from $3,098; children from $2,478.

For more information and trip availability, call 800-575-1540 or email [email protected]. For a full roster of Austin Adventures’ 2019 trips, cruises and distinctive accommodations on seven continents visit: http://www.austinadventures.com. To access the 2019 digital catalog or order a print copy, go to: https://www.austinadventures.com/request-catalog/.

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Adventure Travel, Asia/Pacific travel, bike trips

Explore Laos by Bicycle with Grasshopper Adventures

February 21, 2019 MoralCompass

On Grasshopper Adventures’ 8-day cycling tour, guests pedal past karst mountains, alongside rivers, and through remote hill tribe villages.

(Bangkok, Thailand) — With its dense forests, limestone caves and seemingly endless waterways, Laos is a dream destination for intrepid travelers seeking an off-the-beaten-track corner of Asia. On Grasshopper Adventures’ 8-day cycling tour, guests pedal past karst mountains, alongside rivers, and through remote hill tribe villages. They boat down the Mekong River, hang out with Buddhist monks, take cooking lessons, learn about rice wine making, and visit both bear and elephant conservation sanctuaries.

“This tour gets people away from the large infrastructure works that are being undertaken throughout much of the country and closer to what Laos is all about, the villages, the tribes and the natural environment,” said Grasshopper Adventures founder Adam Platt-Hepworth.

The cycling offers nice variety, including back roads and quiet highways. There are some short, manageable climbs, but the stunning views and Hmong village scenery are ample rewards for the effort. Most days include undulating terrain, with a fair share of flat pedaling along winding river roads.

“When not exploring by bike, we make use of boats for some added variety,” said Platt-Hepworth. “There is a good mix of on and off-bike activities with a number of free afternoons to spend at your leisure, be it enjoying some R&R or delving deeper into the environment.”

Tour highlights:

Exploring Mekong Elephant Park
Taking Laotian cooking lessons
Boating down the Mekong River to see river/village life
Touring sacred Pak Ou caves filled with thousands of Buddha relics
Experiencing the traditional Monks Alms ceremony in Luang Prabang
Cycling to Wat Xieng Thong, one of Laos’ most important monasteries
Seeing how silk is made at Ock Pop Tock
Learning about rice wine making
Visiting the Free the Bears enclosure
Partaking in massage and yoga a luxurious resorts

The trips starts at $2,600 per person double and include 195 km of moderate cycling from Muang Xa to Luang Prabang. For more information, visit https://www.grasshopperadventures.com/en/scheduled-tours/lao-lao.html.

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Adventure Travel, Asia/Pacific

Pacific Delight Develops Active Tour of Vietnam & Cambodia by Boot, Bike & Boat

February 21, 2019 MoralCompass

Pacific Delight guests on the new Active Southeast Asia tour will enjoy an exhilarating eco-adventure with a bird’s-eye view of Cambodia’s jungle.

After launching a specialized program highlighting Vietnam’s Culinary Delights which includes a chef popularized by the late Anthony Bourdain, Pacific Delight Tours has now developed a 12-day Active Southeast Asia tour. The itinerary targets adventure seekers interested in delving off the beaten path to discover local life and culture both within and outside of major cities throughout Vietnam and Cambodia by bike, boat and boot.

Highlights include a luxury cruise through Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where participants will enjoy an onboard cooking demonstration in addition to exploring Sung Sot Cave and hiking 600 steps to observe the magnificent limestone formations (with an option to kayak around the islets). An overnight train to Lao Cai will bring travelers to the seldom visited villages of Sa Pa and Giang Ta Chai, in the mountainous region of northwestern Vietnam, where they will trek terraced rice paddies to interact with the Hmong, Dzay and Dzao ethnic minorities. Visitors will also observe Silver Waterfall cascading more than 300 feet from Vietnam’s highest mountain pass.

Exploration of Vietnam continues in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon), where guests will experience the city’s burgeoning nightlife scene by streetlamp with a vintage Vespa tour of the bustling streets and narrow alleyways of the colonial French Quarter. Participants will bike rustic Ben Tre, known for its peaceful orchards and coconut fields,for an immersive experience with the culture of the Mekong Delta. A local antique collector known as Uncle Six will welcome guests into his home and teach participants how to climb a coconut tree with their bare hands. Travelers will row across shaded canals to board a lunch cruise where they will sample local specialties including sweet coconut desserts.

In Cambodia, a bike excursion through the Angkor Wat temple complex will cross the UNESCO World Heritage Site’s vast moat and continue along its causeway to view more than 1,700 Asparas (celestial dancers) carved into the temple walls-the longest continuous bas-relief structure in the world. For an aerial view, a Flight of the Gibbons canopy zipline eco-adventure will traverse hanging bridges and provide inspiring views of the surrounding tropical rainforest as sky rangers impart knowledge of the Cambodian jungle.

Travelers will explore Chong Kneas Floating Village by boat to learn about the daily lives of local communities living around the lake. A visit to the Phsar Chas Market, originally destroyed by the Khmer Rouge in 1975 and rebuilt roughly 20 years later, will provide opportunities to sample unique food stalls and souvenir shops. The tour culminates with a quad bike excursion through Cambodia’s verdant countryside to observe laid-back villages, a local orphanage and Prei Monti-a Cambodian monastery dating back to the 9^th century.

Priced from $3,499 per person, based on double occupancy, the program includes deluxe hotel accommodations, intra-Southeast Asia transportation throughout Vietnam and Cambodia, and all meals & activities outlined on the itinerary (excluding optional add-ons). International airfare is not included, but can be arranged by Pacific Delight Tours at the time of booking.

For more information or to book, contact Pacific Delight Tours at 800-221-7179 or visit www.PacificDelightTours.com.

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Adventure Travel, Multisport adventures, river rafting

Moab Adventure Center Adds Space on Popular 4-Day Southwest, Westwater Canyon Trips

February 7, 2019 MoralCompass

*Westwater Canyon Multi-Sport engages Moab’s breathtaking backcountry via a red rock Hummer Safari and rafting the Class III-V rapids of the Colorado River while coursing through Westwater Canyon.*

MOAB, UT – Two popular multi-day adventure vacation packages invite active travelers to explore the wonders in and around the red rock playground of Moab, Utah, during the 2019 season. But visitors take note: due to the growing demand for quick escapes, space will go fast!

Moab Adventure Center, the go-to specialists for all the outdoor pursuits Moab is famous for, has seen bookings increase every year for its 4-day Southwest Sampler and 4-day Westwater Canyon Multi-Sport vacation packages.

“We’ve experienced unsurpassed growth over the past several years on our multi-day tours that include activities and lodging,” reports Brandon Lake, company CMO. “For 2019, we took action and have doubled our guest capacity on the ever popular Moab, Utah vacation package, the Southwest Sampler.”

There’s good availability now for the spring and summer on all Moab Adventure Center’s offerings, but Lake suggests booking soon for the coming season.

“These popular programs fit perfectly into the type of escape visitors are now into,” explains Lake. “They are short (just four days and three nights), the activities are thrilling but easy enough for most everyone to enjoy, as multisport programs the action never stops (think Hummer Safari, an Arches National Park Tour, and whitewater rafting), one package offers a mix of camping and hotel lodging, and with both, there’s ample time to fill out the week by further exploring Moab and the surrounding region pre- or post-trip.”

Bundling the activities rather than reserving a la carte also saves money.

Keeping pace with increased sales and demand, new for 2019 is a partnership between the Moab Adventure Center and the newly opened SpringHill Suites by Marriott for lodging. Offering twice as many guest rooms as the previous property utilized, it has enabled the tour operator to double guest capacity on its Southwest Sampler package. Widely considered to be the best family hotel in Moab, it offers multiple pools, hot tubs, and a kid’s canyon, complete with a splash pad and waterfalls.

Moab Adventure Center’s Southwest Sampler captures the best of the Southwest over four days and three nights from May through August. Guests lodge the first two nights at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott that enjoys the closest proximity to Arches National Park of any lodging in town. From here, guests enjoy an off-road Hummer Safari through a fantasyland of slickrock. Then comes a two-day, 19.6-mile river rafting adventure through Class I and II rapids, with one night of pampered beach camping on the banks of the Colorado River. The per person rate is $690 for ages 16 and up and $595 for ages 5-15. Thanks to the amenities and easy river passage this is a program that can suit the needs of young families with children as young as age 5. See: https://www.moabadventurecenter.com/southwest-sampler

Westwater Canyon Multi-Sport engages Moab’s breathtaking backcountry via a red rock Hummer Safari and rafting the Class III-V rapids of the Colorado River while coursing through Westwater Canyon. This is a four-day getaway available from June through September. The package includes three luxury nights of lodging at Red Cliffs Lodge situated on the banks of the Colorado River. National Geographic dubbed the 26-mile rafting adventure through Westwater Canyon “The West’s Best Short Whitewater Trip.” There’s an optional horseback ride in Castle Valley where movies and commercials are frequently shot. The package for ages 16 and up is $705; for youth 12-15 $675. Included are three breakfasts, accommodation, one dinner, one on-river lunch, activities and transfers to and from the raft put-in. For details see https://www.moabadventurecenter.com/westwater-canyon-package

Moab Adventure Center is at the epicenter of nature-themed rather than theme-park-style adventure, promising activities that include rafting, jet boating, stand up paddle boarding, hiking, mountain biking and hot air ballooning. Hummer safaris, rock climbing, canyoneering and horseback riding are also very popular pursuits. Many of these activities are conducted with guides, an arrangement that helps preclude the kind of damage to the land that can happen when uneducated visitors venture into sensitive areas. Guides help people understand where they can move through backcountry with the least impact possible.

The Moab Adventure Center is a division of Western River Expeditions (www.westernriver.com/) an adventure travel company headquartered in Salt Lake City, with operations and offices in Moab and Fredonia, AZ. The company is one of the largest single tour providers in Moab, Utah. Located at 225 South Main St., Moab, UT 84532, the center also has a 2,000-square-foot retail space selling adventure related gear, clothing, maps and souvenirs For information and reservations call 435-259-7019 or 866-904-1163, visit www.moabadventurecenter.com.

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Adventure Travel, Around-the-World, Best in Travel, Cultural Travel, experiential travel, Mystery travel

Last Call to Enter Global Scavenger Hunt for $50,000 Prize

January 31, 2019 MoralCompass

All you have to do to win $50,000 as the World Travel Champion is circle the globe and visit ten secret countries in 23-days in the one-of-a-kind travel adventure, while out-doing, out-thrilling and out-traveling a worthy collection of international travelers participating in the 2019 event for points for completing a series of highly participatory, authentic and challenging cultural site-doing scavenges scavenges. Trusting strangers in strange lands is required! © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

Only a few spots remain for adventurous Indiana Jones-types and intrepid Nellie Blys willing to compete in the Global Scavenger Hunt, a world travel championship that hands the winning team a cool $50,000 first place prize.

The 15^th edition of The Global Scavenger Hunt travel adventure competition aims to return the romance of travel while testing the travel IQ of the most travel savvy of globetrotters. They will complete a series of highly participatory, authentic and challenging cultural site-doing scavenges in ten secret countries over a 23-day circumnavigation between April 12 and May 4, 2019. Trusting strangers in strange lands is required!

Last call: interested travelers need to apply online at GlobalScavengerHunt.com as the deadline is nearing.

“The Global Scavenger Hunt covers a lot of extraordinary travel bases,” says author and Event Director William Chalmers, “Taking our blind date with the world is a 21st century version of spinning a globe and throwing out your finger. Maybe that’s why we’ve been called the ‘Super Bowl of Travel,’ the ‘Olympics of Travel’, and one writer even called our annual travel adventure the ‘Magical Mystery Tour’. I liked that one!”

The reviews for the annual world travel championship are in too: Conde Nast Traveler calls The Global Scavenger Hunt, “the best trip to take…”; Frommer’s lists it as one of “best adrenaline adventures…” in the world; Outside magazine bills it as, “One of the most amazing trips in the world…”; and National Geographic says that the event is, “…like Survivor, The Amazing Race and the Eco-Challenge all rolled into one except with much more cultural interaction.”

The 23-day around the world event is limited to 15 teams of two with the $25,000 per team entry fee including: all international airfare, first class hotels, 40% of meals and special event-sponsored travel gear. Single travelers are welcome to apply; and all travelers will be interviewed for suitability. Please contact GreatEscape Adventures at +1.310.281.7809 or apply online at GlobalScavengerHunt.com. (CST#2071053-40)

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Active Travel, Adventure Travel, bike trips, Cultural Travel, cycling trips

Imagine Exploring Uzbekistan by Bicycle. Grasshopper Adventures Makes it Possible

January 27, 2019 MoralCompass

*Grasshopper Adventures is offering a 14-day cycling tour through Uzbekistan*

(Bangkok, Thailand) – On a 14-day Grasshopper Adventures cycling tour through Uzbekistan in the heart of Central Asia, guests will experience mountain gorges, desert oases, ancient fortified cities, bustling bazaars, tented caravans, and the Great Steppe, all while absorbing the rich history that has shaped empires for millennia. The itinerary, offered exclusively by Grasshopper Adventures, includes exploring the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Shakhrisabz, and Khiva; cycling the incredible canyons and peaks of the Nuratau Mountains; overnighting in yurt camps along the old Silk Road, and more.

“Uzbekistan will not disappoint the adventurer in you, and nothing compares to taking it in on a two-wheeled odyssey stretching across the country,” said Grasshopper Adventures CEO Adam Platt-Hepworth. “The country is on the cusp of a massive opening and reform period, which makes now the perfect time to go.”

The terrain is mostly a mixture of sealed and unsealed secondary roads through rural villages. When cycling in the remote areas of Steppe and desert guests will be on primary/main roads with very little traffic. There are sections of riding on through mountainous terrain which is moderately technical with short, achievable climbs. During some sections, a 4WD support vehicle will follow the group.

“Uzbekistan’s cultural richness and turbulent history are evident today in its diversity, architecture, and tales of empires long forgotten by the modern world,” said Platt-Hepworth. “Riding your bike through a country with an ancient historical narrative and a mixture of no fewer than six distinct cultures is really an unforgettable experience.”

Tour Highlights:

Climbing the pass over Gaukum Peak before descending through the picturesque Nuratau Mountains

Exploring the ruins of Ayazkala

Overnighting in traditional yurts

Visiting the Memorial Complex of Khoja Bakhouddin Naqshbandii, one of the most important Muslim shrines

Cycling around Bukhara and its many historical monuments

Walking the ancient ruins of Ak Saray Palace

Riding the 95km road to Shakhrisabz

Touring the majestic madrassas, gigantic mosques, an ancient observatory, Siab Bazaar, the Necropolis, and mausoleums of Samarkand

Meeting villagers while cycling the path of the Urganchy River

The tour covers 505 km and starts at $4,950 USD. For more info, visit https://www.grasshopperadventures.com.

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Active Travel, Adventure Travel, Arctic/Antarctic Travel, ecotourism

Spend a Night on a Glacier with Polar Bears in Svalbard, Norway – Off The Map Travel Makes it Possible

January 27, 2019 MoralCompass

This summer, spend a night on a glacier with polar bears. Off the Map Travel enables guests will stay at the exclusive Nordenskiold Lodge located at the foot of the blue glacier on the island of Svalbard, high up in the Arctic Circle.

(Svalbard, NORWAY) This summer, the experts at adventure travel company Off the Map Travel invite you to spend a night on a glacier, in a prime viewing area for Norway’s polar bears. On the island of Svalbard, high up in the Arctic Circle, guests will stay at the exclusive Nordenskiold Lodge located at the foot of the blue glacier. There, with almost no sounds to distract, guests will hear the ice creaking and cracking as the glacier moves along its slow journey. Guests will also have the chance to observe the island’s variety of wildlife including its most famous residents, the polar bear. Bookable now, the new “Night on a Glacier” program is offered from May – September 2019). Each itinerary is customized to meet the interests and needs of the participants.

“This is a spectacular opportunity for adventure lovers,” commented Jonny Cooper, adventure travel expert and founder of Off the Map Travel. “Svalbard is one of the world’s best spots for seeing wildlife, with May to September the optimal months as the snow has melted. And at the expedition lodge, you’ll enjoy all manner of amenities and comforts with the chance to see polar bears.”

From Longyearbyen, the arrival point on the island, guests begin their Arctic journey with a summer dogsledding expedition before joining a guide on a Zodiac boat cruise around the coast to search for walrus, whales and polar bears on the way to the Nordenskiold Lodge.

The adventure continues at the lodge with a guided glacier climb to the source, kayaking, and a photo walk among spectacular scenery where a chance for wildlife encounters is possible around every turn. In the evening, guests enjoy camaraderie and meals at the lodge, a traditional sauna experience, and further opportunities for wildlife viewing from the indoor coziness of the lodge.

“Summer on Svalbard offers an Arctic destination where wildlife spotting and mild temperatures ensure its stature as a new luxury adventure holiday destination for 2019,” Cooper adds.

An example of a five-day “Night on a Glacier” itinerary with Off the Map Travel costs from £6599 ($8353 USD per person at the time of this writing), based on double occupancy. Included are all transfers, three nights in Longyearbyen on a B&B basis, two nights at Nordenskiold Lodge exclusively booked on a full board basis, kayaking, Zodiac boat safari, glacier climb, and summer dogsledding. Flights are additional. All itineraries can be customized to add additional days and nights.

This project is supported by Interreg Nord and the Visit Arctic Europe project, developing travel to the Arctic Europe region.

For more information on tailor-made Off the Map Travel itineraries visit www.offthemap.travel; call 1-646-701-0041; email [email protected] or join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or Pinterest.

Off the Map Travel is a team of travel experts who work with experiences and destinations that allow people to explore hidden wonders of the world. Specializing in soft adventure and viewing of the Northern Lights, Off the Map Travel creates tailor-made itineraries that offer a distinctive vacation based on first-hand experience. Off the Map Travel vacations anticipate travelers’ needs with pre-planning and customization. Each bespoke itinerary is tailored to the ages of participants, creating experiences for families, groups, couples and singles that are comfortable and luxurious, with activity levels appropriate for all participants. www.offthemap.travel.

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Adventure Travel, ecotourism, hiking, Nature Travel, walking vacations

Walking the World Offers 11-day Guided Walking Tour of Costa Rica

January 17, 2019 MoralCompass

Walking The World offers an 11-day Costa Rican guided walking tour offering natural beauty, wildlife, friendly people, political stability, erupting volcanoes, beautiful beaches, and mysterious rainforests. Tour dates are February 5-15 and March 5-15, 2019.

It’s hard to imagine that there can be such diversity in landforms and wildlife in such a small country. Proportionately, Costa Rica protects more of its land in parks and reserves than any other country in the world. Costa Rica’s parks shelter some of the planet’s most important examples of biological diversity, including 5 percent of all plant and animal species on Earth.

In addition to the amazing hikes on the walking tour adventure, guests will enjoy white water rafting with experienced local guides on the Rio La Balsa, an amazing unexplored world of tropical wilderness in a deep canyon with waterfalls, exotic animals, and tropical birds. Experience the cloud forests from the unique perspective of a series of zip lines in the forest canopy, including a super fun Tarzan Swing and a Superman zip line high above a hidden valley. Cruise the waterways in Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge, considered one of the world’s richest sites for bird watching. Guests will also see monkeys, sloths, caimans, lizards, and bats. And afterwards, a local guide will introduce you to a world of mystic tradition and living nature, demonstrated through dance by members of the indigenous people known as Malekus.

Outside the small town of Fortuna, enjoy a walk through one of the latest lava flows from Volcan Arenal. Also included on the Costa Rica adventure are visits to the Bat Jungle, a frog exhibition, a tour of a coffee farm where you can help pick coffee beans and learn about the process of making brown sugar from sugar cane.

On a visit to the world famous Monteverde Cloud Forest, a lush green garden of mosses, ferns, flowers and epiphytes, you’ll learn about the rainforest ecosystem. The air here is rich with the sounds of birds and the occasional scurrying of small mammals, all punctuated occasionally by the roar of a howler monkey. Walk the sky trams, high above the forest floor, where more than 80% of all rainforest species are found.

Spend your last several days at the lodge on the Nicoya Peninsula, relaxing on the beach, river kayaking, and visiting the beautiful waterfall Tobacco. And there is always the awe inspiring experience of watching sea turtles laying their eggs on the beach.
Space is limited to 14 people.

Since 1987, Walking The World has been designing and leading small group walking tours to more than 30 destinations worldwide.

Tour Dates: February 5-15 and March 5-15, 2019
Price: Rates include a $400/person discount: $2895 USD, Double Occupancy; $3495 USD Single Occupancy
Trip Includes: 11 days/10 nights, ground transportation, most meals, all entrance fees & tours, full-time naturalist guide & escort.

Tour Details: https://www.walkingtheworld.com/destinations/costa-rica

Walking The World: www.walkingtheworld.com
Phone: 970-498-0500
Email: [email protected]

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Adventure Travel, cruises, expeditionary cruises

Gift of Travel: Once-in-a-Lifetime Cruise in French Polynesia Aboard Aranui 5

December 13, 2018 MoralCompass

*The Aranui 5, a passenger-freighter vessel, sails among the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia.*

SAN MATEO, CA – This holiday season, surprise your loved one with a once-in-a-lifetime cruise aboard the Aranui 5, a passenger-freighter vessel to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia.

Atop any adventurer’s wish list, the soft adventure cultural voyage boards in Papeete, Tahiti, for a 13-day complete vacation experience sailing 800 miles north to some of most remote islands in the world including Fakarava and Rangiroa in the Tuamotu Archipelago, Bora Bora in the Society Islands, as well as Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou, Hiva Oa, Fatu Hiva, Tahuata and Ua Huka in the Marquesas Islands.

Passengers are fully immersed in Polynesian heritage with onboard activities and offshore excursions to delight in, such as breathtaking hikes, visits to sacred ritual sites and small museums, encounters with local inhabitants, a visit to French artist Paul Gauguin’s grave, snorkeling in the translucent waters of the atolls, on-island picnics and restaurant lunches featuring local food, a visit to a pearl farm and more.

Featuring a crew primarily of inhabitants from the Marquesas Islands and throughout French Polynesia, and with expert lecturers and guides, Aranui 5 combines mesmerizing scenery and culturally enriching experiences to create an unforgettable vacation.

With six sailings sold out, travelers can enjoy their holiday gift of an all-inclusive adventure throughout the year on 14 available dates between April and December 2019.

The cruise includes three meals daily with complimentary wine for onboard lunches and dinners, guided excursions as outlined in the itinerary, picnics and meals on shore, cultural activities and Polynesian entertainment. Travelers booking a stay aboard the Aranui 5 can choose from eight different cabin categories.

Prices for a 2019 Aranui 5 vacation start at $2,920 per person and do not include port tax, cruise tax and tourism tax.

For more information or to book an Aranui vacation, visit www.aranui.com, call 800-972-7268 or email [email protected].

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