International Adventure Travel

International travel can be an adventure in itself, but if you need more than lost luggage and being robbed, you have a lot of adventures to choose from. Safaris, balloon tours, swimming with dolphins, bicycling down volcanoes, trekking in the Himalayas, trips to Walmart near Christmas - the list is almost endless. This will not be a comprehensive page of all the adventure opportunities out there. The intention here is to whet your appetite and point you in the right direction for more information.

My Own International Adventure Travel

Even before I hitchhiked across the country at sixteen-years-old, I had a taste for adventure. At fourteen, a friend and I bicycled hundreds of miles in a few days during one summer adventure. At seventeen, I finally went international with my adventuring. I hitchhiked from Michigan to Mexico, and then across much of that country. By the time I was nineteen, I had hitchhiked over 20,000 miles in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Having reached forty, I no longer put out my thumb - not very often, anyhow - but I still love to travel.

More recent international adventure travel took me to Ecuador, where in 2001 I climbed to the furthest point from the center of the earth. Everest is the highest mountain above sea level, but because of the way the earth bulges at the equator, the peak of Mount Chimborazo, at 20,600 feet, is the furthest from from the center of our planet. The top is covered in snow, ice, and glaciers. My guide didn't speak English, and thought I was a mountaineer. I had once used an ice axe and crampons to go forty feet up a sledding hill, in Michigan. For the rest of the story, go to the page, "Climbing Mount Chimborazo."

Adventure Travel Options

Below are a few of your options for international adventure travel. Rather than update this page continually, I leave out specifics, like who is offering a given tour, or when. This is just an introduction, to get you started. Then you'll need to research a bit to find out more. One of the best sites I've seen for this, is Adventure Travel Tips.com.

A Jungle Book Safari

In the Royal Chitwan National Park in southern Nepal, you can see tigers, leopards, rhinos, and sloth-bears. Where better to see them from than the back of large elephant? These tours are lead by experienced naturalists and park rangers. You can stay in the comfortable Safari Lodge and take daily tours into the jungle.

Horseback Treks In Mongolia

You can travel with, and better understand one of the great nomadic and horse-based cultures of the world. These trips take you far beyond tourist routes, and you can customize your trek to fit your schedule and budget. The operator of these tours has an office in Mongolia, and provides experienced guides that are multi-lingual.

Rock Climbing In Rio

Want an outdoor adventure that doesn't take you too far from the city nightlife? How about a rock climbing tour in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There are routes for all skill levels in the Sugar Loaf, Urca, Corcovado and Pedra da Gavea mountains. The tours include bilingual instructors, complete equipment rentals, and transportation, and they start at under $100 per person.

Swimming With Dolphins In The Croatian Sea

This winter you can escape from the cold to the Cres-Lošinj group of islands, which is known for it's mild climate. Mali Lošinj on the island of Lošinj is widely known for its health resort, but recently, the area is becoming famous for something else. Bottle-nosed dolphins have made their homes in the clear and clean waters of the Cres-Lošinj group of islands. You can mingle with them by boat or in your swimsuit.

Climbing Mount Kinabalu

Mt. Kinabalu (4101m) is the undisputed King of the Borneo sub-continent. It rises 3000 feet higher than the other mountains in the area; far above the jungle. It attracts international climbers of all skill levels, who come to scramble, climb and trek in its unique jungle-alpine environment. Kinabalu lies in a world heritage site boasting a wide variety of plants and animals. Experienced guides can take you trekking, or take you to the top.

Note: Another good resource for information on adventures around the world is Advenquest. They have news, tips, tours, photos and more. You can visit them at http://www.advenquest.com . Check out the page on cheap international plane tickets before booking a flight.

Coming Soon: More International Adventure Travel