Tag Archives: hiking trips

Active Travel, bike trips

Backroads Launches Private Reserve Trips in Europe Exclusively for Private Groups

A Backroads private Canadian bike tour (photo: Backroads)

Berkeley, CA – Backroads, a leader in active travel, introduced Private Reserve, a collection of trips and dates available exclusively for private bookings for a limited time, through December 31. These hand-picked Biking, Walking & Hiking and Multi-Adventure trips offer departures for the company’s most sought-after European locations during the highly requested travel months in the fall. Destinations include Portugal’s Algarve & Alentejo, Spanish Pyrenees to Costa Brava, German & Austrian Alps, Scottish Highlands, the Dolomites and Basque Country.

Backroads Private Reserve caters to the unique needs of private groups, giving them first access to some of the company’s most popular European trips before opening the dates to the public. With competition for travel dates—especially in September—at an all-time high, Backroads decided to offer a block of departures solely for private bookings.

The company has been running trips for private groups for over four decades and recognizes the logistics involved in coordinating and booking a trip for multiple people with different schedules. Private Reserve gives private groups more options for active travel and more time to get members onboard, and offers a remarkable experience for groups, including smaller parties.

While Backroads has over 6,000 dates available for booking, more people than ever are choosing to go private and these new dates are expected to fill fast.   

Private Reserve trips for 2025 are available for booking now through December 31, 2024; on January 1, 2025, any unreserved dates will open to the general public.

Biking

Walking & Hiking

Multi-Adventure

“We know the effort it takes to corral your private group, choose a destination and settle on a workable date. We also know what it feels like when everything finally comes together, only to fall apart when you discover that trip has been booked by someone else in the meantime,” said Backroads Founder, President and CEO Tom Hale. 

“We created Private Reserve to give private groups first crack at those hard-to-get locations and dates—especially those coveted September departures—giving organizers a little more breathing room and less competition for preferred dates. And with our online private trips search tool, reserving that ideal date for your group is a snap.”

For more information on Backroads’ Private Reserve trips, visit Backroads.com or call 800-GO-ACTIVE.

Backroads was founded in 1979 by Tom Hale and has been a leading innovator in active and adventure travel for over 45 years, offering expertly planned active adventures highlighting the unique character of each destination. The company offers multiple ways to go active: Biking, Walking & Hiking and Multi-Adventure tours; Private Trips, Women’s Adventures and Family Trips designed for three distinct age groups: Families with Kids & Teens (best for ages 7–17; all kids 4+ welcome); Families with Older Teens & 20s (for ages 17+; younger siblings 14+ welcome); and Families with Young Adults 20s & Beyond (for ages 20+; younger siblings 17+ welcome), plus Active Ocean & River Cruises and Dolce Tempo trips for travel at a more relaxed pace but still decidedly active. Backroads also offers Safari, Culinary, Home Base and Snow Adventures. For more information, visit backroads.com or call 800-462-2848.

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Uncategorized

KURU: Top 10 National Parks for Hiking in 2024

Yosemite National Park, California, ranked highest for hiking in KURU Footwear’s list of Top 10 national parks for hiking © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

With Memorial Day around the corner, many are planning their summer travel. In fact, 48% of Americans say visiting a National Park is on their bucket list.  KURU Footwear has analyzed all 63 U.S. National Parks to rank the top 10 based on number of trails, miles of trails, average trail rating, and park crowd levels. 

Highlights from the report:

  • Three of the top 10 best national parks for hiking are in California.
  • If you tried to hike every single National Park trail in the United States, it would take 11 years if you did one trail per day!
    • 325.5 million Americans visited a national park in 2023, up more than 13 million people than the previous year.

Top 10 National Parks for Hikers in 2024:

  1. Yosemite National Park (CA)
  2. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC/TN)
  3. Yellowstone National Park (WY)
  4. Olympic National Park (WA)
  5. Shenandoah National Park (VA)
  6. Glacier National Park (MT)
  7. Rocky Mountain National Park (CO)
  8. Sequoia National Park (CA)
  9. Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
  10. Kings Canyon National Park (CA)

Methodology: KURU used data from the National Park Service and AllTrails to find the number of available trails in all 63 National Parks in the United States, then ranked each on a scale of best to worst based on number of trails, miles of trails, average trail rating, and park crowd levels.

See the full ranking and report: https://www.kurufootwear.com/a/blog/best-national-parks-for-hiking

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Active Travel, European travel, hiking

Trekking Hellas Offers 8-Day Hiking Tour to Greek Islands of Andros, Tinos

Hellas Hiking is offering an eight-day hiking tour of the Greek islands of Andros and Tinos

Trekking Hellas is offering an 8 day/7 night hiking tour to the Andros and Tinos Islands in Greece.
 
During the tour, guests explore magnificent paths and trails with breathtaking views. Discover traditional Greek villages, local craftsmen and the unique Cycladic architecture and history. Enjoy sandy beaches and beautiful sunsets.   
 
The Cyclades is a group of islands scattered over the deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea, cooled in the summer by the ‘Meltemi’ wind. One of the most ancient European civilizations was born and prospered here:  the Cycladic civilization (3000-1000 BC). Although some of the Cycladic Islands are famous to the tourist crowds and the international jet set, there are a few that are still left to be discovered, from travelers that are seeking authentic vacation experiences: Andros and Tinos are among them.
 
Andros  is the most northerly island of the Cyclades and the second largest after Naxos. Thanks to its water springs it’s irrigated with plentiful running water and thus verdant with a large numbers of olive trees, pines and fruit trees. Tinos, just one mile away, famous for its characteristic dovecotes, is full of picturesque villages and windmills. Tinos is today exactly what Delos Island was to believers in ancient times. Twice a year, on March 25th and August 15th, pilgrims inundate the island to visit the famous church of Virgin Mary (in Greek: Panagia).

The tour is available throughout the year; the cost is   785€/pp on self guided more.


Rate Includes: 8 days /7 nights accommodation in double rooms in selected accommodations with breakfast Lunch box on self guided mode during the hiking days. All ferry tickets from/to Athens and from Andros to Tinos Return transfers from ports to hotels. All necessary transfers for the hikes Self Guided Service: welcome briefing, gpx files, maps and booklet, emergency phone support.

For more information, visit https://trekking.gr/en/product_en/authentic-cyclades-tour. [email protected], Phone: +30 2103310323, https://trekking.gr/en 
 

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Historic Preservation, walking vacations

In the footsteps of ‘Downton Abbey’: Castle that ‘Stars’ in ‘Downton Abbey’ Episode Highlights Wayfarers Walking Vacations’ New Program for 2015

Alnwick Castle in England’s Northumberland, which will take a leading role in a special Christmas episode of "Downton Abbey," highlights a new 2015 Wayfarers Walking Vacations trip.
Alnwick Castle in England’s Northumberland, which will take a leading role in a special Christmas episode of “Downton Abbey,” highlights a new 2015 Wayfarers Walking Vacations trip.

In what can be classsed as truly “In the footsteps of Downtown Abbey,” Alnwick Castle in England’s Northumberland which has a leading role in a special Christmas episode of “Downton Abbey” as Brancaster Castle, also is a highlight of a new Wayfarers Walking Vacations 2015 program.

No stranger to the cameras, Alnwick (pronounced ‘Annick’) was also the setting for Harry Potter’s Hogwarts.

The cast and crew of “Downton Abbey,” PBS’s hugely popular Masterpiece Classic series, spent two weeks at the castle last summer, filming extensively in the spectacular State Rooms, as well as in the castle’s grounds and at the semi-ruined Hulne Abbey in the Duke of Northumberland’s parklands in Alnwick.

Visitors to Alnwick Castle in 2015 can explore a brand new Downton Abbey exhibition, featuring photography, costumes, and props from the filming.

The castle is a centerpiece of The Wayfarers’ new itinerary, ‘Northumbria – Land of Castles, Saints and Vikings’, based on the ancient kingdom of one of Britain’s most remote and beautiful landscapes.

It is one of three Walks new to the schedule. The others are in Italy’s Puglia region and a new take on the historic pilgrimage route of the Via Francigena in Tuscany.

A Wayfarers’ “Downton Abbey” vacation already includes a visit inside the ‘real’ Downton, Highclere Castle, in the south of England, other key locations and hiking amid classic English villages and countryside.

In festive spirit, the company, which has been providing all-inclusive hiking tours for more than 30 years, is offering ‘a walk in an envelope’ – Gift Certificates which can be redeemed by the recipient for a Wayfarers’ vacation in one of 20 countries across the globe. The vouchers are available for values from $500, up to the full price of a Walk.

“‘Our Walk in Northumbria was designed before we knew Alnwick would be a location in Downton Abbey, because it is such a wonderful place, steeped in more than 700 years of history,” The Wayfarers’ founder Michael West said. {As on our Downton Abbey Walk, we aim to give our guests much more than just a sight-seeing stop – we really aim to get beneath the skin of a place and I guarantee that Northumbria will be unforgettable.  Meanwhile, our Gift Certificates are the chance for someone to give a truly wonderful gift of one of our Walks as a surprise on Christmas morning – or at any time of the year!”

Founded more than 30 years ago, The Wayfarers Walking Vacations was named by National Geographic Traveler as purveyor of one of the ‘50 Tours of a Lifetime,’ and by National Geographic Adventure as one of the ‘Best Hiking Companies,’ The Wayfarers offers an eco-sensitive walking vacation of both culture and fitness in 19 countries with 40+ itineraries.

Walks cover England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, New Zealand, Patagonia, Alaska, Colorado, Southwest USA, and a barging/walk combination in Burgundy, France.

Wayfarers Walks offer exclusive entrees into homes and gardens otherwise closed to the public, graceful accommodations, outstanding cuisine, and meetings with local residents. Walks are from 6-13 days and are rated on a five-level challenge scale. Price per person is all-inclusive from Day One: including all transfers, hotel accommodation, full board plus twice daily snacks, wine with dinner, tips, entrance tickets, maps and postcards.

The Wayfarers is a member of Trusted Adventures, www.trustedadventures.com, dedicated to the highest standards of small-group travel and supporting local economies.

The Wayfarers Walk Away Guide explains the benefits and practicalities of walking vacations and is guaranteed to inspire new walkers. Available at www.thewayfarers.com/walkawayguide

The Wayfarers 2015 Brochure http://bit.ly/1t2wwkr

For more information on all the Wayfarers Walks or the Gift Certificates contact www.thewayfarers.com, 800-249-4620 or email [email protected].

Facebook The Wayfarers Walking Vacations; Twitter @wayfarers; Instagram Wayfarerswalks.

 

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