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

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land preservation, Responsible Travel

NYS Completes Largest Addition to Adirondack Forest Preserve in a Century: 20,758 acre purchase of Boreas Ponds Tract

May 12, 2016 MoralCompass

New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the completion of the state’s largest Adirondack land acquisition in more than 100 years, with the purchase of the 20,758-acre Boreas Ponds Tract. This is the final acquisition in a series of land purchases the state has completed under a 2012 agreement with The Nature Conservancy to conserve 69,000 acres of land previously owned primarily by the former Finch, Pruyn & Company paper company. The Tract is located primarily in the town of North Hudson in Essex County, south of the High Peaks Wilderness Area.

Governor Cuomo also sent a letter to the Adirondack Park Agency requesting the agency begin the classification process for the Boreas Ponds Tract. Since 2010, through the Governor’s efforts to promote recreation in the Adirondacks, tourism-related employment is up nearly eight percent, tourism spending is up 10 percent and visitation is up 15 percent in the Adirondack Park.

“The Adirondack Forest Preserve is a national treasure, and adding nearly 21,000 acres to the Preserve by completing the acquisition of the former Finch lands will benefit the region for generations to come,” said Governor Cuomo. “By acquiring this remarkable tract, we are helping to conserve the region’s natural beauty while also creating new economic opportunities for communities in the park. This will provide even more unparalleled settings for outdoor tourism and recreation, and I encourage New Yorkers to visit the region and see what they’ve been missing.”

The state purchase the tract with $14.5 million from the Environmental Protection Fund, providing the resources necessary to protect this treasured resource and its remote character, while expanding outdoor recreation opportunities including hunting, hiking, paddling and wildlife observation. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is in the process of developing interim plans to provide trails, parking lots and waterway access sites for public use in the summer. With this announcement, the public may access and recreate on the lands and waters by non-motorized means only.

The Nature Conservancy purchased 161,000 acres in 2007 from Finch Paper Holdings LLC, the company that purchased all of Finch, Pruyn & Company’s assets. In 2010, the state purchased conservation easements on 89,000 acres of these former Finch lands. In 2012, Governor Cuomo announced the planned acquisition of the remaining 65,000 acres of former Finch lands in fee, along with 4,000 acres of other Nature Conservancy lands. Under the agreement with The Nature Conservancy, the property was sold to the State in a phased five-year contract. Using the EPF, the State paid a total of $47.3 million for the property over five years.

In addition, DEC and The Nature Conservancy provided 15 grants in 2014 to local businesses and communities to implement tourism and recreation projects related to former Finch lands. These grants – adding up to $500,000 provided by The Nature Conservancy – are supporting equestrian staging areas, modernized lodging, campground improvements, marketing initiatives and professional outdoor guiding businesses.

The Nature Conservancy will now also provide an additional $750,000 in grants to be administered by DEC to assist the local municipalities to strengthen the critical links between local economies and conserved lands. These grants will greatly enhance local tourism infrastructure within these municipalities and assist in further expanding economic development initiatives in the Adirondack Park.

A large portion of the Boreas Ponds Tract is a lowland area between the North River Mountain Range to the west and the Boreas Mountain Range to the east. The summits of the Boreas Mountain Range are on the tract. Spectacular views of these mountain ranges and mountains in the High Peaks Wilderness – such as Marcy, Haystack, Gothics, and Saddleback – can be seen from a number of locations. This new purchase, when combined with the Casey Brook Tract acquired by the state in 2013, connects three major Forest Preserve areas.

Boreas Ponds, the namesake of the tract, form a 320-acre body of water, now one of the largest in the park completely surrounded by Forest Preserve. Other waters on the tract include LaBier Flow, Boreas River, LeClaire Brook, Casey Brook, Slide Brook and White Lily Brook, which provide habitat for cold water fish, including brook trout. A portion of this parcel serves as the divide between the Lake Champlain and Hudson River watershed.

While more than 80 percent of the former Finch lands are in Newcomb, North Hudson, Long Lake, Indian Lake and Minerva, the entire property lies within 27 towns across the Adirondacks. The state will pay full local property and school taxes on the land. These land acquisitions are one component of a larger conservation plan under which some 95,000 acres of former Finch lands are now protected by working forest conservation easements, and a collection of tracts in Newcomb, Long Lake and Indian Lake were set aside for community purposes.

Together, Forest Preserve and conservation easement lands throughout the Adirondacks provide an abundant variety of recreational access opportunities, including hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, paddling, mountain biking and cross-country skiing. These large forest areas, interspersed with towns and villages, distinguish the Adirondack Park from other parks around the world and are integral to the local economy and way of life.

The Boreas Ponds Tract and the adjoining Casey Brook Tract will be available for limited public access while the Adirondack Park Agency leads the process to classify the lands under the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan. This process involves, among other factors, careful consideration of the natural resources’ capacity to withstand use. After the land is classified, DEC will develop a management plan to fully identify and develop the recreational infrastructure on these lands.

A handful of leaseholders will continue to have driving access to their camps on the Boreas Ponds Tract through September 30, 2018. TNC will also have administrative access to the property for several years to tend to camp removal, including the removal of Boreas Lodge, which is anticipated to take place this spring.

“We applaud Governor Cuomo and DEC for this extraordinary accomplishment. Larger in size than Manhattan, the addition of the Boreas Ponds tract to the Forest Preserve is one for the history books,” Nature Conservancy Adirondack Chapter Executive Director, Michael Carr said. :”This property is of National Park quality. We are proud to partner with New York to protect such a priceless resource.”

Bill Farber, Chair of Hamilton County Board of Supervisors said, “This acquisition, is the final piece, of a historic transaction. Through the leadership of TNC, DEC, and particularly Governor Cuomo, these additions to the Forest Preserve have been historic, not just for their environmental significance, but in the way communities have had a chance to partner in this process. Communities continue to benefit from the Governor’s commitment to Tourism, and the commitment the State Agencies have made to working with the Towns and Counties. When there were questions about whether the Lodge could be sustained on site, or moved, TNC, DEC, and the impacted municipalities explored the options together. When all the options to sustain the Lodge, or salvage the Lodge, had been exhausted, TNC and DEC again stepped up to assure $750,000 in funding would be available to develop Tourism infrastructure in the communities. This partnership is historic, and long overdue!”
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Latin America, Responsible Travel, Sustainable Travel

Ecuador Turns to Facebook Campaign to Aid in Post-Earthquake Recovery

May 12, 2016 MoralCompass

EcuadorNOW tourism recovery campaign is a crowd sourced, social media campaign to advise visitors that Ecuador is open for business and that places they want to enjoy were physically unaffected by the recent earthquake.

QUITO, ECUADOR–EcuadorNOW, a tourism recovery campaign modeled after a program in Nepal, is a brand-new crowd sourced, social media campaign to advise friends and visitors that Ecuador is open for business as usual and that places they want to enjoy were physically unaffected by the recent earthquake. The campaign showcases Ecuador as it is now, with reliable, up-to-the minute information, facts, photos and stories.

The EcuadorNOW campaign is a collaboration between tourism experts, both national and international, with special support and guidance coming from the Nepalese team who launched NepalNow after Nepal’s spring 2015 earthquake.

The campaign encourages tourists in Ecuador now to help by;

Taking a selfie holding the message: #I AM IN ECUADOR NOW (It could be hand-written or download a printed message here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vmkzgodkfj6zydu/PRINT_OUT.pdf?dl=0)

Share it on your own Facebook page, Twitter or lnstagram feed with the hashtags #EcuadorNOW or #StillStrong, or post it to the EcuadorNow Facebook page (be sure to hit ‘like’ while there).
To maximize the impact, please add a short story to your post. Something such as where you are, what you are doing, eating, looking at or discovering.

This tourism recovery campaign’s success depends on social media tools to crowd-source potential and current visitors to Ecuador to tell the story that all’s well and to please come! Messages to potential travelers, friends back home, tour operators and others play into how quickly tourism, a key economic driver, can get back on its feet.

A new website (soon to be launched), will keep the news and campaign current while inspiring the public to use these hashtags in social media; #EcuadorNOW and #StillStrong.

“How can people help Ecuador? Just keep visiting us,” says Jascivan Carvalho, EcuadorNOW advocate and president of the award-winning eco-tourism company Tropic (http://www.destinationecuador.com/). “Tourism can and should be a powerful tool for recovery.”

On April 16, 2016, the northern Pacific coast of Ecuador suffered a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that took more than 500 lives. Although many buildings and roads were extensively damaged, tourist favorites remain untouched. Unaffected were the High Andes, such cultural heritage sites as colonial centers and markets, the Galapagos Islands, cloud forests and the Amazon rainforest.

“The earthquake was terrible, but it did not destroy us. And so we bring you stories from travelers who have come here and seen for themselves the resilience of this land and its people. The hard data we provide will give you an accurate picture of when and where to make your trip. What we want most of all is for you to enjoy your trip to our country; safely, securely and without apprehension,” Carvalho adds.

Established in 1994, Tropic is an award–winning ecotourism company specializing in responsible, community-based tourism in Ecuador. Programs combine life-changing, active-but-cultural ecotourism experiences focusing on nature, conservation, diversity and sustainability. For its work with the Huaorani Community and on Floreana Island in the Galapagos, Tropic was awarded National Geographic Society’s 2015 National Geographic World Legacy Award in the category of Engaging Communities.

For information on all of Tropic’s programs in Ecuador, Phone: 1-888-207-8615 or visit www.destinationecuador.com.

Facebook      ecuadornow             https://www.facebook.com/Ecuadornow-1070056193061989/
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family-friendly adventures, walking tours

Context Travel Adds Prague to List of Family Walking Tours in Great Cities Around the World

May 11, 2016 MoralCompass

*Prague © 2016 David Leiberman/Travel Features Syndicate*

Prague – Context Travel, organizer of critically acclaimed walking tours, unveils a new addition to its family program: a child-focused tour of Prague’s castle complex and historical center.

The walk, entitled Prague Discovery for Families takes children and adults alike on a journey back in time, thanks to the astonishingly well-preserved architecture that makes up Prague’s ancient core. Led by an expert historian and guide, the walk introduces families to the city’s history and includes a series of activities designed to engage children under age 12, using contemporary principles of pedagogy and drawing inspiration from Prague’s complex and vivid cityscape.

The walk begins on the grounds of the world’s largest castle complex: Prague Castle. This sprawling medieval site is perched above Prague, overlooking the city and the river Moldau that runs through it. The route continues downhill through the Lesser Town, across the storied Charles Bridge, and winds in and out of the historical Old Town towards Wenceslas Square.

“The family program is really a touchstone for our goals of promoting lifelong learning,” says Stephanie Taralson, Context’s Associate Program Manager for Central Europe. “Prague’s compact size and beautiful architecture make it the perfect playground for families, and it’s exciting to offer such an interactive and fun opportunity for even the youngest of visitors to become ‘Deep Travelers.’”

Prague Discovery for Families lasts two and a half hours and is available Monday through Sunday. Private tours cost CZK 6300 per party. As with all Context walking seminars, private walks are limited to (6) six participants and are led by a credentialed expert.

Family Walks in Cities Around the Globe

Context offers family walks in cities across Europe, Asia, North America and Australia.

From mosaic workshops on the Amalfi Coast to spy adventures along the Berlin Wall, boredom will not be on anyone’s schedule this Summer. Fun, “totally cool” interactive experiences to engage kids are offered in the cultural capitals of the world:

Take the kids for a private tennis lesson on Henry VIII’s court in London
Turn the whole family into samurais for the day in Kyoto
Children will never want to leave Paris after this sweet immersion into French food
Go underground to the forgotten streets and houses buried under Rome
Capture all of these adventures with frame-worthy pictures care of Flytographer

Context’s family program has been designed by museum educators and always includes hands-on activities that inspire creative learning opportunities. Walks are led by passionate and knowledgeable docents who make our cities come to life for children of all ages.

Context can also create a custom family tour in one of our 37 cities across the globe.

Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and designer Lani Bevacqua, Context Travel is a network of English-speaking scholars and professionals, including art historians, writers, architects and gastronomes, who organize and lead walking seminars in thirty-seven (37) world cities, including: Florence, Rome, Venice, Naples, Milan, Paris, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Cartagena, Istanbul, Athens, Beijing, Shanghai, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Amsterdam, Dublin, Tokyo, Kyoto, Hong Kong, Vancouver, Montreal, Melbourne, and Sydney. A certified B Corporation, Context Travel was named one of the fastest growing American companies in 2011 by Inc Magazine. Travel + Leisure has called Context one of the top European tour companies for its innovative approach to travel and the depth of its programs.

Contact Context at [email protected], call 800.691.6036.or visit www.contexttravel.com.

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Journey by boat and bike along the Erie Canal: Macedon-Fairport-Pittsford and slideshow

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cruises, Cultural Travel, cycling trips, Historic Preservation, small ship cruising, US Travel

New York’s Canal System Opens for Season; Opportunities Abound to Explore Historic Waterways

April 28, 2016 MoralCompass

Exploring the Erie Canal on one of Mid-Lakes Navigation's self-skippered Lockmaster canalboats © 2016 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com — *Exploring the Erie Canal on one of Mid-Lakes Navigation’s self-skippered Lockmaster canalboats © 2016 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com*

New York State’s Canal system has just opened for the 192ndconsecutive season of navigation. The April 27 opening date marks the earliest start to the navigation season since 1982 thanks to a mild winter which allowed staff to complete maintenance projects, and opening preparations, ahead of schedule. The Canal system includes the Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga-Seneca Canals in upstate New York.

“New York’s Canal system is an engineering marvel of epic proportions and its construction demonstrated the sort of vision, determination and boldness that define us as New Yorkers,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “Nearly two centuries after its completion, the Canal system continues to be an important tourist destination, while also playing a vital role supporting industries throughout Upstate New York.”

The Erie Canal represents one of the most significant engineering achievements in New York’s history and along with its adjoining canals, it continues to play a pivotal role in supporting the state’s economy. According to a 2014 report, the system generates nearly $380 million in tourism spending annually across upstate New York, and more than $6.2 billion from non-tourism uses such as agricultural irrigation, commercial shipping, and renewable power generated at 27 hydroelectric facilities located along the Canal. The report also determined that the Canals support 26,472 jobs, $1.6 billion in personal income, and $702 million in tax revenue, both directly and indirectly.

The Canal system plays host to several special events each season, including races, festivals, and other recreational activities which can be found by visiting the Canal’s Calendar of Events. New Yorkers are strongly encouraged to take part in these events that last throughout the duration of the navigation season.

Twenty-four hour service is available to commercial vessels such as tour boats, tugboats, charter boats, cruise ships, and hire-boats operating on the Canal system. Registered commercial operators should call (518) 471-5016 during regular business hours and (518) 499-1700 after hours to make arrangements for lock and lift bridge service outside of the Canal’s regular operating schedule.

“Each year, our iconic Canal system draws scores of visitors from all over the world to travel along America’s most storied manmade waterway and to enjoy walking, biking, and fishing along its banks. It is a historical marvel that has consistently fueled New York’s economy through recreation and tourism, and I look forward to seeing what this year’s Canal navigation season adds to that already-rich history,” New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said,

The Canal navigation season is scheduled to end on November 20, weather permitting.

Self-Skipper a Canalboat

A fabulous way to experience the Erie Canal is to rent an easy-to-operate Lockmaster canalboat and really explore at your own pace. Mid-Lakes Navigation has a full fleet of boats – completely outfitted with galleys and showers and even bikes and BBQ gear – that range in size. You are given a complete orientation on how to drive the boat and navigate through the locks (the most fun) and the boats have excellent radio controls (which you need that to get the lift operators to raise the bridges). You feel like a real explorer.

This year, they have added a new boat, the Harriet H. Wiles, which offers a/c, a queen-size bed in master suite, large master bath, flat screen TV/DVD player, microwave and coffee maker among its amenities.

Mid-Lakes also offers Cruise and Dine programs on its own boats on the Erie Canal and on Skaneateles Lake.

Contact Mid-Lakes Navigation, 11 Jordan St., Skaneateles, NY 13152-0061, 800-545-4318, www.midlakesnav.com, [email protected].

See:

Erie Canal journey by boat, bike: Exploring canaltowns from Pittsford to Albion and slideshow

Erie Canal journey: Albion-Medina bikeride is most scenic, illuminating and slideshow

Erie Canal journey by boat and bike: Palmyra, ‘Queen of Canal Towns’ and slideshow

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Adventure Travel

For Mothers Day, Give the Gift of Travel: Here are 8 ‘Bucket List’ Adventures Sure to Thrill

April 28, 2016 MoralCompass

*This Mother’s Day, you can fulfill a bucket list wish of giving the gift of travel to Iceland, Land of Fire and Ice © 2016 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com*

This Mother’s Day, spice things up by giving her the gift of travel. Travel expert Adam York has selected eight bucket list adventures that span the spectrum of Moms, but are sure to make this the most epic Mother’s Day ever.

Nicaragua Escape– Retreat to a tranquil hideaway overlooking the white sands beaches of the Pacific Ocean at Aqua Wellness Resort. Mom will enjoy two days in charming Granada City where she will kayak, volcano hike, and zip-line, before heading to her exceptional beachfront retreat. She will relax, play, and decompress in a beautiful rainforest setting.
Alaska Northern Lights – Join Gondwana EcoTours on a Northern Lights tour of Alaska. Mom will get a dose of local culture by day, and by night have the opportunity to photograph the Aurora Borealis under the massive Alaskan sky! She will zip between snow-covered trees on the back of a dog-sled, soak in the mineral-rich waters of geothermal hot springs, walk through the frozen art of an ice-sculpture museum, and sip martinis out of glasses made of ice.
Argentina Wine + Photo Adventure– Mom will join renowned Argentine photographer, teacher, and documentary filmmaker, Ossian Lindholm, on the first-ever photography + high-altitude wine tour of Northwest Argentina. This is a magical journey that is perfect for photographers and wine lovers of all levels. Mom will be immersed in the region’s geography, wildlife, cuisine, and culture.
Barge Cruise through France– Fine wines, delicious cuisine, and a leisurely approach to the enjoyment of each day await Mom on a barge cruise down France’s picturesque waterways. From the rolling vineyards of Burgundy to the tree-lined Canal du Midi in the Languedoc region, Frontiers International Travel’s selection of handpicked vessels provide a range of options suitable for anyone in search of a unique holiday with like-minded people.
Moscow, the Golden Ring and St. Petersburg– Mom will discover where Russian art, architecture and culture began. In between the urban centers of Moscow and St. Petersburg, she’ll experience the Russian countryside. The oldest and loveliest churches in Russia, Sergiev Posad’s wooden crafts, and Fedoskino’s glowing lacquer boxes all put a shine on Russia’s Golden Ring that Mom will never forget.
Cycle Villages of Provence – Take Mom on Ride & Seek’s Provence cycling tour through the most beautiful villages of France as ordained by the group Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. This tour emphasizes authentic cuisine and local wines. There is a wonderful correlation between fine wine growing areas and world-class cycling.
Dude Ranch Retreat– The 25,000 acre Red Reflet Ranch in Ten Sleep, Wyoming is both working ranch and luxury resort. Mom will hike, ride horses, skeet shoot, fly fish, mountain bike, dine on gourmet food, and play cowgirl on this fun-filled getaway. From cattle drives to branding, the true western lifestyle thrives at Red Reflet.
Diamond Circle Tour of Iceland– The land of fire and ice, active volcanoes and glaciers! Countless geysers, hot pots, and fumaroles dot the landscape. These unique features create a landscape filled with incredible waterfalls, lakes, mountains and stories of trolls and elves. On this six-day trip, Mom will travel by 4WD car from Reykjavik through the Skagafjordur Region to see the highlights of the Diamond Circle in the north, and return to Reykjavik by plane.

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bike trips

Celebrate National Bike Month This May with Amgen Cyclists, Beach Cruising and Mountain Biking in Morro Bay CA

April 28, 2016 MoralCompass

The quaint seaside town of Morro Bay, CA is a perfect place to celebrate National Bike Month. Download the Morro Bay Bike Map and you are on your way (PRNewsFoto/Morro Bay Tourism Bureau)

May is National Bike Month, and the quaint seaside town of Morro Bay, CA is a perfect place to celebrate! This bicycle friendly town, honored as such by the League of American Bicyclists, offers year round cycling, mountain biking and beach cruising in an absolutely gorgeous seaside setting. Amgen Tour of California agrees that Morro Bay is a perfect stop for cyclists on Highway 1 and chose the quaint town for stage 4 of this year’s Tour de France-style cycling road race on May 18. If you want to see just how beautiful the terrain is, check out this fun video of biking around Morro Bay, including great footage of the new Morro Bay Bike Park. The BMX-style bike park, the only official course of its kind in San Luis Obispo County, is open from sunrise to sunset and is free to riders of all ages.

Morro Bay makes it easy for cyclers to get around town, offering a detailed Bike Route Map that highlights the towns many bicycle friendly trails. Begin your cycling adventure in downtown and ride to Morro Bay State Park and Marina on the Back Bay. From there, travel to North Morro Bay over the newly opened Morro Creek Trail Bridge through Cloisters Park, and down to the Embarcadero where you can ride the Harbor Walk path out to the iconic Morro Rock. From the Rock, pedal down onto the beach and enjoy miles of bike friendly paths along the gorgeous Pacific shoreline. Didn’t bring your bicycle with you? Not to worry. Surreys, bicycles and beachcombers are available for rent at Farmer’s Kites and Surreys located on the Embarcadero.

“Morro Bay is recognized as a Bicycle Friendly town and we are so proud of the miles of beaches, paths, trails and bridges we have that connect the entire town, and showcase all there is to see and do here,” explains Brent Haugen, Morro Bay Tourism Bureau Executive Director. “And now this May the Amgen Tour of California is going to put an international spotlight on Morro Bay, showing the breathtaking beauty found biking, cycling and beach cruising right here in Morro Bay. We couldn’t be happier!”

Plan your trip to Morro Bay now and celebrate National Bike Month in style by visiting www.morrobay.org.

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Adventure Travel, Asia/Pacific, Asia/Pacific travel

Wildland Adventures Introduces 3 New Tours to Myanmar for 2016

April 27, 2016 MoralCompass

SEATTLE, WA– Myanmar today is a most curious place. Driving through the countryside visitors see farmers working their water buffalo in fields nestled beneath hills covered in pagodas and experience first-hand day in and day out the effects of Buddhism that permeate this long hidden culture.

This mystery realm known as Myanmar (Burma) is a must-visit-now destination, says Kurt Kutay, founder and owner of Wildland Adventures. He gives three reasons. First, decades of self-imposed isolationism stalled globalization, thus preserving here a throwback Asia. Second, Myanmar has transformed itself to a democratically elected and installed government and now welcomes the outside world. Third, Myanmar is one of the safest countries in the world to travel to now and exemplifies a peaceful and friendly population.

Known for blazing new trails in adventure travel, Wildland Adventures (http://www.wildland.com/) is introducing three new itineraries that explore Myanmar in 2016. In keeping with a 30-year custom of exploring worlds afar in style, these tours delve deeper into daily life and sacred sites than simply posing at a monument. In line with Wildland’s founding ethos three decades ago, the company supports community based projects across the country that are run by locals from among its 135 eclectic ethnic groups creating intimate interactions for their travelers with the Burmese people.

“While visiting iconic sites we take roads less traveled to meet local people, hear their personal stories, and see how we can help them improve their lives after the military junta. For example, we bike between the colonial-era hill town of Kalaw and Inle Lake. We experience the drama that is Bagan on foot and from the air,” Kutay explains. “Whether chatting with a local Shan farmer in Northern Shan state, or with villagers in the countryside in Yandabo on the banks of the Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady), or with an Intha woman showing how to make traditional foods in her house on stilts on the lake, it’s always about making a connection and understanding Myanmar by getting to know its people.”

Kutay promises that his guests will be stunned by the time capsule they explore as they stroll through Shan and Kayin villages, bike around Mandalay, tour a pottery-makers’ village, awaken to the sounds and scents of local markets coming to life, bathe elephants in the river, gaze in awe at the fabled temple field of Bagan, and circumnavigate on foot the 2,500-year-old Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon (Rangoon) with Buddhist pilgrims.

Here are sketches of Wildland’s three new trips to Myanmar…

Mystical Myanmar is a 13-day journey from $4,415 per person, double, that discovers Myanmar’s mystical depths revealed in timeless rural life where few travelers venture. On this easy active adventure guests walk amongst hill tribe villages, kayak on Inle Lake, cycle down rural roads, trek through the jungle to an elephant conservation sanctuary and venture into the mountainous states of Mon and Kayin to overnight in Hpa An village. Combining the iconic sites with the unknown, guests explore the vast complex of temples at Bagan and visit three of Myanmar’s most sacred sites: Golden Rock Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, Shwedagon Pagoda and Mahamuni.

Myanmar: Highlights of a Golden Land is a 15-day journey from $4,650 per person, double. Unique to this tour, at the conclusion of an active pursuit of Myanmar’s cultural classics, guests unwind for a day and overnight at Ngapali Beach, a resort situated in a fishing village on the Bay of Bengal. Here guests will be loathe to leave a country that has imbedded memories of a hot air balloon adventure over the Bagan temples, bicycle rides through small villages, riding the rails across the countryside and boating along waterways, sipping tea with the Palaung on tea plantations in Shan State, and marveling at the white and gold of temples shimmering in the dusky light.

Myanmar Family Adventure is a 10-day journey from $3,440 per person, double. Picture the kids bathing elephants, on bicycle rides, soaring in a hot air balloon adventure, taking a jeep safari to discover hidden temples straight out of Indiana Jones, walking through dense jungles to tribal villages and always meeting families and hearing their stories.

In addition to helping support local guides and community-based tourism services like boutique hoteliers and local restaurant entrepreneurs who interface with Wildland’s guests, the company contributes to building much-needed water wells in the dry zone. Through the generous contributions from previous travelers, three wells (and counting) have already been built in these remote villages just since the start of 2015. See: http://www.wildland.com/destinations/asia/myanmar-(-burma-)/givingback.aspx

Rated by National Geographic Adventure as the #1 Best ‘Do –it –all ’ Outfitter on Earth and Fodor’s as one of the World ’s Best Tour Specialists, Wildland Adventures offers more than 150 unique itineraries on 6 continents in 38 countries.

For more information Wildland Adventures’ worldwide programs, availability and reservations call 1-800-345-4453, email [email protected], or visit http://www.wildland.com/.
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bike trips

BikeTours Launches ‘Gold Star Tour Collection’: 16 ‘stellar experiences, exceptional values’

April 27, 2016 MoralCompass

*Biking on the Danube Bike Trail, one of 16 “stellar experiences at exceptional value” in BikeTour.com’s Gold Star Tour Collection © 2016 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com*

CHATTANOOGA, TN– BikeTours.com has announced its new “Gold Star Tour Collection” to highlight its top picks for bicycle tours around the world that stand out for their exceptional experiences and value.

The Collection features 16 cycling vacations across the globe, from popular bike tour destinations in Europe like Croatia and Spain to offthebeaten path locales such as Burma/Myanmar. Tours were carefully selected from more than 450 tours the company offers in 70 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas.

“These tours are our gold standard the best of the best,” said Jim Johnson, president and founder of BikeTours.com. “These trips have been carefully selected after years of partnership with local operators for their superior quality of service, unique experiences afforded to the traveler, and exceptional value.”

Picks for Every Level of Bike Traveler

The collection is divided into categories for three types of travelers: leisurely, novice, and experienced.

For example, tours for novices include the perennial European favorite, the “Danube Bike Path (Service Plus),” which features easy cycling on a dedicated bike path and lots of client services like a GPS console and cell phone rental. “Cotswolds and Stonehenge” was selected for well-designed, off-the-beaten-path routes, as well as its exceptional client service and iconic itinerary.

For leisure cyclists, “Cycling and Cooking in Tuscany” made the list thanks to its unique focus on Tuscan culinary arts (including multiple cooking classes and tastings and range of dining experiences), high quality rental bikes, and outstanding traveler feedback. “Wine and Bike in Hungary’s Balaton Uplands” was chosen for its wonderful and friendly local guides who offer an inside experience into Hungary.

Picks for more experienced cyclists include “Tastes and Trails of Scotland,” a mountain bike tour that takes riders to some of the most remote corners of the west coast in Scotland and “Chile’s Lake and Volcano District,” which features food, culture, and great service in South America.

See the complete Gold Star Tour Collection https://www.biketours.com/gold-star-collection

BikeTours.com represents more than 100 local tour companies worldwide. A team of tour advisers helps travelers choose, plan, book, and go on the tour of their dreams. Learn more at www.biketours.com, 877.462.2423.

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