FEATURE TRIP
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5 COUNTRY SAFARI
CHILE, BRAZIL, BOLIVIA, PERU, AND ECUADOR
Forget all that time-consuming land travel: Now you can knock off a slew of South America's ecological hot spots—the Atacama Desert, Lake Titicaca, Colca Canyon, the Pantanal—in one 19-day extravaganza. The trick is a privately chartered airplane, a 46-passenger Fokker-50 that whisks you from flamingo-flecked salt flats to open savanna to Peru's magnificent city of Cuzco (for a visit to the Manu Biosphere Reserve or a hike around archaeological wonder Machu Picchu). And thanks to a close partnership between the World Wildlife Fund and Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions, you'll be introduced to some of these wild places by the people who are fighting to keep them wild—and who know them best. In Chile's Atacama Desert, you'll ascend to 14,800 feet in the Andes to walk among spouting geysers and fumaroles, see cool salt formations in the Valley of the Moon, and visit a pink flamingo colony on Chaxa Lagoon. In Brazil's Pantanal, South America's largest wetlands, you'll stalk giant anteaters, armadillos, maned wolves, and jaguars—as well as meet with WWF field staff to learn about conservation projects in collaboration with local ranching communities. On Lake Titicaca, on the Peru-Bolivia border, keep an eye out for the rare Titicaca flightless grebe; in Peru's Colca Valley, look for condors, Andean deer, and llama-like vicuñas. The place to watch red and green macaws feasting on clay from behind biologist-developed viewing blinds is Peru's Manu Biosphere Reserve, where you'll also hike to see five kinds of monkeys—emperor tamarin, black spider, capuchin, squirrel, and red howler—perform acrobatics above your head in the forest canopy, and spy 550-pound tapirs, a.k.a. "jungle cows," foraging about a mineral lick at dusk. End up in Quito, Ecuador, for a day trip to the famous Otavalo market.
High Point: Seeing the giant, cobalt-blue hyacinth macaw, which measures three feet from tail to beak, high in palm trees on the Pantanal's savanna. Low Point: Realizing that at least 10,000 hyacinth macaws were taken for the parrot trade in the 1980s, and that these exotic birds now number fewer than 10,000 worldwide. Travel Advisory: You'll be hitting five countries in 19 days: Because this trip is highly scheduled, leave your taste for a moseying, come-what-may pace behind. This is all about getting the most out of your time down south. Price: $19,950 Outfitter: World Wildlife Fund, 888-993-8687, www.worldwildlife.org/travel; Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions, 800-628-8747, www.zeco.com
When to Go: April
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ARGENTINA
CYCLING THE COUNTRYSIDE FROM INN TO INN
Thanks to its spectacular American-Southwest-meets-California-wine-country scenery, colorful Inca-rooted culture, improving infrastructure, and good value, northwest Argentina is on American tourists' radar. On this nine-day loop from Salta, the country's best-preserved colonial city, you'll pedal about 25 to 40 miles a day (hardcores can opt for rides as long as 63 miles) on dirt and paved roads through the terra-cotta-colored Andean foothills and adobe villages of the Quebrada de Humahuaca canyon, then south into the lush subtropical Las Yungas Biosphere Reserve and across the stark, giant-cactus-punctuated altiplano of Los Cardones National Park. You'll spend the last two days in the tranquil wine lands of the sunny Cafayate Valley, where acres of vines hang heavy with black malbec grapes. Among the highlights: a screaming descent from an 11,000-foot mountain pass, overnights in restored haciendas, and the chance to feast on empanadas, chorizo, and roast llama. OUTFITTER: Backroads; backroads.com PRICE: $4,500 DIFFICULTY: Challenging WHEN TO GO: May, September–October
TREK THE NORTHWEST
Amid the deep red gorges of Argentina's rugged northwest, aboriginal adobe huts stand as reminders that this country's rich history far predates the tango. This nine-day trip covers both past and present, from the pre-Spanish Calchaquis relics in Quilmes to the up-and-coming wineries of Cafayate. After a stay at a comfortable bodega lodge, you'll embark on a three-day trek through the Cachi Mountains, where you and your packhorses will hoof it 29 miles up the Belgrano River Gorge to the multicolored sandstone formations of the Pukamayu Valley. Price: $1,375-$1,735
Outfitter: Adventure Life, 800-344-6118, www.adventure-life.com
When to Go: April-October
ARGENTINE AND CHILE
BACK-COUNTRY-SKIING THE ANDEAN CORDILLERA
On this ten-day trip, combine volcano climbs with lift-served skiing and snowboarding. In Chile, you'll ascend the back side of 9,318-foot Volcán Villarrica, where you might see lava boiling below the caldera rim. In Argentina, you'll ascend the flanks of Volcán Lanín (12,388 feet) and Volcán Domuyo (15,446 feet), recuperating in the area's hosterías and abundant hot springs.Price: $2,000
Outfitter: ATAC (Adventure Tours Argentina Chile), 866-270-5186, www.adventure-tours-south.com When to Go: July to October
BOLIVIA
TREK THE ANDES/MOUNTAIN BIKING TO AND RAFTING ON THE AMAZON
Most Mountain Madness itineraries assume clients have high-altitude expertise. Not this one—though there's serious peak bagging to be done if that's your thing. The trip starts in the upper reaches of the Andes, where you'll hike through 50 miles of high mountain passes and decide as a group whether or not to scale 18,600-foot Cuchillo 2. Next up: three days and 10,000 feet of jeep-supported mountain-bike descent to the Amazon basin. After dismounting, guests hop into three-man rafts and Huck Finn it through untamed Madidi National Park on the Class II Beni River. Keep your eyes peeled for giant river otters. June 10–21 or 10–28; 12 OR 19 DAYS, $2,750 OR $4,600. mountainmadness.com.
BRAZIL
VISIT TRIBES DEEP WITHIN THE WEBSITE
Very few outsiders have traveled to the heart of the Xingu Amazon Refuge. The 9,000-acre forest reserve is the isolated home of the Kamayura Indians; no roads link it to the modern world. Tribal elders have granted special access to trip leader John Carter, a former Texas cattle rancher, because of his years spent lobbying the federal government to protect their surroundings and way of life. This translates into one of the most authentic cultural-immersion experiences you'll find anywhere in the Americas. After being deposited by Cessna on a hand-cleared runway, you'll hike and canoe beneath the thick rainforest canopy, then sleep in hammocks inside the chief's own hut before flying out the next day. The rest of the 12-day trip is only slightly less remote, with a visit to a frontier cattle ranch and the Xingu Refuge Lodge—a simple riverside retreat built to resemble a native village—and an overnight stay with the Waura Indians. Price: $5,386-$6,983 Outfitter: Ker & Downey, 800-423-4236, www.kerdowney.com
When to Go: June-August
CHILE
TREK THE TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK
Situated on the east side of Torres del Paine National Park, Adventure Life's new EcoCamp—a series of wind-powered, fireplace-equipped domes—is your launchpad for four days of guided treks. Highlight: an 11-mile round-trip to the glacial lagoon at the base of the granite towers of Los Torres. Bonus highlight: Colchagua Valley cabernet back at the dining dome. Trips leave between October and April; 7 DAYS, $2,280 adventurelife.com.
TREK THE THREE JEWELS OF AYSEN
This isolated piece of Patagonia, where the population density is just 1.2 people per square mile, is framed by vast icefields that feed blue-green rivers and streams so pure you can drink from them. The 27-day, 132-mile expedition combines three seldom-traveled routes: the Cerro Castillo hike, where you'll camp amid the basalt spires and crags that gave Castle Hill its name; the Aysén Glacier Trail, a year-old hut-to-hut circuit through an unspoiled wilderness dotted with glacial lakes; and on to the icefields surrounding 11,073-foot Fitz Roy, where iconic Andean peaks rise dramatically from the frozen lowlands. OUTFITTER: Patagonia Adventure Expeditions, 011-56-67-219894, adventurepatagonia.com; PRICE: $4,850; DIFFICULTY: Challenging; WHEN TO GO: January
SNOWSHOEING THRU PATAGONIA
When American Eric Shipton crossed Chilean Patagonia's Northern Ice Field, in 1963, it seemed like a frozen hell. But with porters, resupply camps, and a less severe route, Azimut 360's 11-day Ice Field Circuit will feel posh. After a three-hour flight from Santiago to Balmaceda and a long drive down the winding Carretera Austral, Azimut's 37-mile circuit sets out from the tranquil Terra Luna Lodge into the Leones Valley. After crossing Leones Lake, it's on to the Neff Glacier and six days in snowshoes or crampons. The route spits you out in the village of Puerto Bertrand, on the shores of the mighty—and dam-threatened—Río Baker. Monthly departures between November and March; $1,890 per person with a group of four; azimut360.com
Heli-fishing
Trout fishing in the Chilean fjords has always been popular, if a little rough around the edges. But you'll be living large when the brand-new, 120-foot custom expeditionary yacht Nomadsofthesea begins offering heli-fishing excursions from its base in Puerto Montt in January 2007. The 22-passenger boat, equipped with a helicopter, Zodiacs, and jet boats, offers unprecedented access to both fresh- and saltwater fishing in the Ríos Baker, Cisnes, and Simpson, among others. The myriad travel options mean that it's possible to cast a fly every day, despite the sometimes dicey weather, during Chile's peak trout season.
Price: About $10,000 Outfitter: Orvis Travel, 800-547-4322, www.orvis.com/travel
COLOMBIA
TREKING THE ANDES
After a 33-year hiatus, Mountain Travel Sobek returns to the Colombian Andes for a high-altitude lake-to-lake traverse. A 12-hour drive from Bogotá brings guests to the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, a 1,181-square-mile national park where days are spent trekking and camping among receding glaciers and virgin alpine lakes. Highlight: On day eight, guide Sergio Echeverria leads an ice-ax-and-crampon-assisted summit push up one of three potential peaks: Pulpito del Diablo (15,748 feet), El Concavo (17,061 feet), and Toti (16,733 feet). July 20–30 and August 3–13; $5,000; mtsobek.com
ECUADOR
DIVING AND TREKING THE GALAPAGOS ISLAND
Seeing the Galápagos from a yacht deck is akin to seeing the World Series on a luxury-box TV screen: inadequate and obnoxious. Get closer on Big Five Tours and Expeditions' new eight-day Galápagos Safari Camp Diving trip. Guests stay on Santa Cruz Island, at the Galapagos Safari Camp, a new series of 89-square-foot luxury tents on a recently reforested cattle farm. From there, divers of all experience levels can opt for guided, two-dive day trips to sites full of sea turtles and hammerhead sharks; landlubbers can comb Santa Cruz's white-sand beaches alongside sea lions and pelicans before lounging in the camp's infinity pool. Departures year-round; $2,700; galapagos.com
KAYAK THE GALAPAGOS ISLAND
Straddling the equator 600 miles off the west coast of Ecuador, these far-flung volcanic islands have been the focus of scientists and wildlife lovers since Charles Darwin first scratched his head here in 1835. Now that the Galápagos have become one of the most popular destinations on the planet—120,000 yearly visitors come to spy on the islands' famous giant tortoises, fur seals, and blue-footed boobies—the Galápagos National Park Service keeps tight control on where boat passengers disembark and how long they spend at designated land and underwater visitor sites. The best way to avoid crowds? Charter a private yacht that's stocked with dive gear and sea kayaks. Mountain Travel Sobek can arrange private one- to two-week yacht charters (from $3,795; 888-687-6235, mtsobek.com). Or join Adventure Life's new nine-day hiking trip, with overnights in small inns (from $2,095; 800-344-6118, adventure-life.com).
SEA-KAYAKING THE GALAPAGOS
When a turtle the size of a grizzly bear glides beneath your kayak, you'll understand the significance of Lindblad's new status as the first and only large-ship operator with a Galápagos paddling permit. The conservation-minded company has been escorting visitors to the islands since 1968. Travelers onboard the 80-passenger MS Polaris have access to another perk when not snorkeling, beachcombing, hiking, or viewing wildlife: outdoor spa services administered on a glass-bottomed pontoon. Price: $3,650-$6,280 Outfitter: Lindblad Expeditions, 800-397-3348, www.expeditions.com When to Go: Year-round
GUYANA
TREK THE BIG EMPTY
Guyana has the land mass of Idaho, a population of 770,000, and exactly one road passing through its rainforest-rich interior. Which is to say, the place is wild. This year, high-end operator Geographic Expeditions leads an exploratory trekking trip in the country. After landing in the capital, Georgetown, guests are whisked into the jungle. First stop: 741-foot Kaieteur Falls, one of the largest single-drop waterfalls in the world. "There are no signs, no handrails, and no people," says Michael McCrystal, GeoEx's associate director of operations, who scouted the trip last year. Guests then hop between lodges via bush plane and canoe. (One lodge, the Karanambu Ranch, houses a small clan of rescued giant river otters, in addition to visitors.) Local guides lead the way on four-hour jungle hikes and harpy-eagle-nest-finding missions, but, according to McCrystal, "if you want to take the machete and bust into the jungle, we can arrange that." Year-round; 10 DAYS, $4,600. geoex.com
WILDLIFE WATCHING
Picture Costa Rica pre–tourism boom—gorgeous, wild, and practically empty—and you've got Guyana, a new frontier in South American travel. For ten days you'll head from lodge to lodge (some run by local Amerindian communities), exploring savannas and jungles and possibly adding jaguar and exotic-bird sightings to your life list. You can kayak lazy rivers to watch giant otters, venture out with flashlights to see black caimans hunting at night, and stand at the rim of Kaieteur Falls, which drops more than 740 feet, almost five times the height of Niagara. Price: $2,835 (airfare from U.S. included) Outfitter: Journeys International, 800-255-8735, www.journeys-intl.com When to Go: April, August, November
PERU
TREKING THE INCAN TRAIL/MOUNTAIN BIKING THRU ROCK SPIRES/KAYAKING THE TAQUILE ISLAND
Haute outfitter Austin-Lehman ups the ante on the classic Peruvian adventure by turning Machu Picchu into a starting block. After hiking seven miles of the Inca Trail and entering the big city via the Intipunku, or "Sun Gate," you get the rest of the day to explore the ruins. Then it's off to the Tinajani Canyon for two days of mountain biking through 100-foot rock spires. The trip wraps up on the shores of Lake Titicaca, where your sea kayak awaits. After a day of paddling to stark Taquile Island, you'll be ready to crash at the Sonesta Posadas del Inca Hotel, in Puno. Four departures between April and October; 9 DAYS, $4,000 austinlehman.com.
CORDILLERA BLANCA CLIMB
This triple-summit foray into high-altitude climbing in the Andes requires little technical skill, but the thin air and occasional crevasses make the two-week journey anything but easy. After a few days of acclimatization in the foothills of the Cordillera Blanca above the town of Huaraz, you'll trek through the lupine-carpeted meadows of the Quebrada Quilcayhuanca valley. The hike takes you on pre-Inca trails that trace the edges of alpine lakes. Here you enter crampon country, where you'll camp and, in less than a week, top three snowy peaks—Maparaju (17,470 feet), Huapa (17,761 feet), and Ishinca (18,138 feet)—before returning to civilization and a well-earned Peruvian feast. Price: $2,750 Outfitter: Mountain Madness, 800-328-5925, www.mountainmadness.com When to Go: July
RAFTING THE LOWER APURIMAC
To reach some hard-won whitewater, this ten-day trekking-and-rafting expedition starts with a six-hour hike down the western slope of Peru's lush Cordillera Vilcabamba. Follow this the next day with a 5,900-foot ascent to Choquequirau, ruins of one of the most remarkable Incan cities discovered to date. Then make history of your own, on the rarely run, Class IV–V Lower Apurímac River, home to parrots, monkeys, cormorants, and countless waterfalls. High Point: Peering into what guides call the Acobamba Abyss and realizing you're headed for expert-kayaker territory.
Low Point: If water levels are low, portaging a particularly narrow section of the Abyss. Travel Advisory: This is an exploratory trip, so be prepared for changes and delays. Price: $2,500 Outfitter: Bio Bio Expeditions, 800-246-7238, www.bbxrafting.com When to Go: October
URUGUAY
GALLOPING THE DESERTED COASTLINE OF ROCHA
It's hard to find a beach so deserted you can take a solitary stroll, let alone a weeklong horseback ride like this one, through eastern Uruguay's Rocha region. On this 140-mile journey, you'll visit fishing villages atop South American criollo horses, fuel up on lamb and steak, and gaze at capybaras (the world's largest rodents). Worthy detours include a sea lion conservation area and a botanical garden filled with dozens of orchids. Price: $1,850 Outfitter: Boojum Expeditions, 800-287-0125, www.boojum.com When to Go: March to April, October to December
