Adventure Travel Bargains

Posted Tue, 2005-09-13 02:42 by virtualDavis

Check out Josh Roberts' article "The 10 best bargains in adventure travel today" if you want some great pointers for where you should be planning to travel next.

"Machu Picchu. The Pyramids of Egypt. Kilimanjaro. The Himalayas. More than just the domain of daredevils and globetrotting archeologists, these and other popular adventures are done every year by real travelers on real budgets. Cutting through the jungle of tour operators to get the best deals, though? That can be as hard as hiking the Inca Trail itself."

Well, not quite that hard. Especially when you start can find amazing travel deals right here at e-Margaux.com! So here's the list:

  • Valley of the Kings, Egypt
  • Machu Picchu, Peru
  • Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
  • Treasures of the North, Thailand
  • Gates of Lodore, Green River, Western USA
  • Everest Base Camp Trek, Nepal
  • The Grand Tour, France and Switzerland
  • Forbidden City and The Great Wall, China
  • Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho, USA
  • North Island, New Zealand

Mostly places we've all been or dreamed of going for some time, but a few surprised me. I'll need to do a little more research, but I'm particularly intrigued by three. Josh Roberts clarrifies Treasures of the North, Thailand briefly but enticingly:

"Hilltop temples, elephant rides, Thai cooking classes, horse-drawn carriages, cycling and 12th-century ruins await travelers to the north of Thailand."

And his two US destinations also grabbed my attention. I'm familiar with the Green River area in a very general sense (read, "I've wandered and camped in the general vicinity, but never rafted the rapids!"). I missed the Gates of Lodore, however. Now his pitch has me sold on returning:

"The Green River runs through Dinosaur National Monument between Eastern Utah and Southern Colorado, and it's perfect for families or travelers looking for whitewater excitement without the extreme element. Couple that with exploratory hikes along the river shores, quiet beach camps and some of the best scenery in the world — the renowned Gates of Lodore tower on either side through part of the journey — and you get one of the best moderate river excursions in the world, right here in our own back yard."

I even seem to recall petrified dinosaur footprints... And the second US destination the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho could even be tagged on, two cool destinations linked with a road trip! Roberts emphasizes not only the top drawer whitewater

"...the legendary Middle Fork of the Salmon River, famous for its 100 miles of rapids and rugged scenery through Idaho's Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness..."

but he also draws attention to the side trips:

"hiking, fishing and visiting waterfalls, hot springs and native pictographs..."

So what are you waiting for? Grab your calendar, find your free blocks and start the adventure!