Of the 120,000 or so trekkers who visit Nepal every year, only 5 percent go beyond the Annapurna, Langtang, and Everest regions. That’s just 6,000 trekkers actually trekking off the beaten path.

Since we at Embark are always seeking out the path less traveled (i.e. we climb the least-traveled Lemosho Route up Mt. Kilimanjaro), we are thrilled to announce that Nepal is about to open both the world’s longest and highest alpine trekking route as part of their Nepal Tourism Year 2011 initiative.

Called the Great Himalayan Trail, this route–officially opening in January 2011–will spread out across 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers), allowing adventurers to explore the far reaches of the Himalayan region. Eventually, this trail will connect several countries:

“The long-term aim is to connect the six Asian countries of Pakistan, China (Tibet Autonomous Region), India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar via a route covering more than 4,500 km of the Great Himalaya range,” said Lisa Choegyal, consultant to the project and Honorary Consul designate for New Zealand in Nepal.

Highlights of the route include views of the world’s 14 highest peaks, winding along the sacred headwaters of the Ganges in India, traversing the entire length of Nepal in the shadows of Annapurna, Everest, and Kanchenjunga, and dabbling in Myanmar and Tibet as well.

Technically the GHT, as it is being called, already exists in the form of several old and new routes. This recent unveiling and naming is the result of better connecting and mapping these routes for the world’s most ambitious trekkers.

See pics and stories from various portions of the trail here, and learn more about the Nepal section through trekker Robin Boustead’s stunning documentation of his journey in 2008, when he covered an upper section of 1,000 miles, a high-altitude portion that mixes high passes with alpine valleys. His guidebook is set for a 15 November 2010 release.

Nestled deep in the heart of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania’s legendary Serengeti lays the Ngorongoro Crater–a large, unbroken caldera that formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself a few million years ago.

Today, the 2,000-foot-deep, 1,000-square-mile Ngorongoro Crater boasts a richness and diversity of wildlife that lives up to its big bang start. Home to an estimated 25,000 animals, the crater boasts not only the Big Five (rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalo) but zebras, gazelles, wildebeests, and more.

And yet the crater, because of its geographic enclosure, is also home to interesting genetic experiments. Some animals–most notably lions–face serious problems as the result of generations of inbreeding, and when migrating male lions try to dip into the local gene pool they are easily bested by the unusually large lions that have benefited from generations of abundant food.

Archaeologists estimate that hominids have also occupied the crater since its inception a few million years ago, with pastoral farmers replacing hunter-gatherers a few thousand years ago. The Maasai have roamed the crater since the 1800s, and still do, in a situation unique in Tanzania that allows for the human occupation of a protected conservation area. Since 1979, the conservation area has also been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For those who come to Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, we at Embark are compelled to at least offer an extended stay post-climb to safari through the region, with the Ngorongoro Crater being the ultimate highlight. In the summertime, the area is witness to one of the largest migrations in the world as millions of wildebeest, 470,000 gazelles, and 260,000 zebra pass through the plains of the reserve, to name just a few. It should be noted that cheetahs, which are common in the reserve, have grown scarce within the crater itself, and that the African wild dog has all but disappeared from the crater and throughout the country, too.

April:
Nepal – Everest Base Camp
This 15-day hike up to Everest Base Camp is a classic for anyone hiking in the Himalayas or visiting Nepal for the first time. This trip can be completed by anyone in good physical shape, and does not require mountaineering skills. There is an optional Island Peak climb on this trip for those interested in mountaineering. This is a non technical 20,000 ft peak that looks at Everest.

June:
Boliva & Peru – Exploring the Andes
This trekking and cultural trip exploring the Andes, with visits to Lima, Isla Taquile, Isle Del Sol, La Paz, Tiahuanaco, and the snow-covered peaks around Tuni. This trip begins and ends in Peru, but spend a bulk of its time in Andes in Bolivia.

July through October:
Tanzania – Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb & Safari
This is Embark’s classic climb up Africa’s highest peak, followed by a wildlife safari through the Serengeti National Park. Our most popular trip includes multiple dates throughout 2011. We already have 6 scheduled groups in 2011 that others can join.

September:
Mongolia – Altai Mountain Trek
This exploratory trek will encompass 14 days of trekking in Western Mongolia’s rugged Altai Mountains, exploring the surroundings and meeting the nomadic Kazakh herdsmen, and keeping our eyes out for the elusive snow leopard. Email us to get on the mailing list.

October:
Bhutan – Chomolhari Trek
This trek takes us into the outback of Bhutan where we hike to over 16,000 ft, visiting remote villages, learning about the traditional lifestyles of yak-herders. This trek is one of the most popular trek in Bhutan that endows you with great variety of Bhutanese landscape and is considered one of the most beautiful & unspoiled trekking areas in the entire Himalayas.

As your sort through the following options, keep in mind that we at Embark pride ourselves in customizing trips around your dreams and logistics, so keep in mind that most of our adventure trips are available year-round and open for groups on any dates in addition to the ones outlined below. More adventures for 2011 will be added soon.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us, and as always, adventure on!

Over the weekend, travel writer Shawn Donley featured Embark Adventures in The Oregonian as the best way for Portlanders to find a local guide up Mt. Kilimanjaro. He has this to say of Embark founder Donovan Pacholl:

The Tanzanian government requires all climbs to be guided and supported. If you’re looking for a local option, I doubt you’ll find anyone in Oregon who knows Kilimanjaro as well as Donovan Pacholl. He spent several years living at the base of the mountain and in 2003 helped establish the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project. He now runs Embark Adventures (www.embarkadventures.com), which specializes in climbs up the beautiful Lemosho route.

Props also to Donley’s second local pick, Nicole Apelian’s Trackers International. She leads nature lovers on trips to Botswana’s Okavango Delta.

Occasionally, those who climb Mt. Kilimanjaro make it a mission to help the locals in meaningful ways through pledge drives, etc., as they work toward the summit. Embark is proud to be guiding a duo in late August that has founded Operation Elevation.

David and Ingrid are, in their own words, “seeking to give back to the country and community that we have the privilege of visiting.” So they’re partnering with Amani Children’s Home at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro in the hopes to raise money for Moshi’s street children and orphans.

The goals of Amani, which is Swahili for “peace,” are to provide healthy food, education, counseling, and medical care for every child who turns to the group for help. Since it was founded in 2001, the Tanzanian-run Amani group has rescued hundreds of children from the streets, where risk of HIV transmission, malnutrition, and abuse is high.

A small amount goes so far in Tanzania. Take the following list provided by the group as an example:

$20 – Feeds one child for one month
$50 – Provides medical care for one child for one year
$150 – Pays complete primary school fees (tuition, fees, uniform, school lunch, etc.) for one child for one year
$348 – Provides full care (school, clothing, food, medical care, and counseling) for one child for one year

If you plan to climb Kilimanjaro, consider setting up your own pledge drive with the Amani. And if you donate to the group in the name of Operation Elevation, it will be all the more inspiring for David and Ingrid to push to the summit of Africa’s highest peak.

At Embark we’re not shy about picking favorites–that’s how we decide where to go and what to do in the world–and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro sits high at the top of our list. But while in Tanzania, we consider foregoing a safari through the Serengeti truly lamentable. You just have to try to make the time for this unforgettable post-climb event.

The Serengeti National Park is Tanzania’s first and most famous park and a major portion of the entire Serengeti region, which makes up 14 percent of Tanzania’s land area and comprises not only the park but also the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Maswa Game Reserve, the Loliondo, Grumeti and Ikorongo Controlled Areas and the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

More than six million hooves pound the legendary plains of the Serengeti, which is renowned for its wealth of leopard and lion. The vast reaches of the park also help the black rhino fight extinction and provide a protected breeding ground for the vulnerable cheetah. Every year, triggered by the rains, nearly two million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra, and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle gather to undertake the long trek to new grazing lands.

At least 2,000 years before Europeans first explored what is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Maasai lived off this fertile, wild land that was eventually established as a protected park in 1951 and covers 5,700 square miles (14,763 square km) of some of the best grassland range in Africa. One of our favorite parts of the safari is spending time with Maasai–an honor few tourists have.

Serengeti’s ecosystem is also known as one of the oldest on earth, whose climate and vegetation have barely changed in the past million years. With plants that range from dry scrub and grasslands to towering baobabs, this park goes from burnt yellows in the hot, dry summers to a rainbow of flowerbeds that streak across green fields during the springtime rains.

You may have heard of the Big Five–lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo–and the Serengeti is one of the world’s only parks that boasts them all. Our guides are so passionate about their work they have been known to get a bit emotional if and when they are able to track down and show all five. But these impressive beasts aren’t the only wildlife to get excited about. Cheetahs, gazelles, hyenas, baboons, impalas, giraffes, and wild dogs populate the rugged terrain, not to mention more than 500 species of birds and 100 types of dung beetle, trees so beautiful and strange they’ll distract you from the animals, and a night sky so full of starlight you might not need your head lamp.

Check out our Serengeti Safari itinerary, our audio slideshow with John Leary on his recent trip, and details on the tents and lodges we prefer on what is arguably the greatest safari in the world.

After meeting in Peru’s largest airport in the capital city of Lima, we fly up to Lake Titicaca on the eastern border with Bolivia and adjust to both the higher altitude and the southern hemisphere as we explore the lake’s floating islands and the people who have inhabited them for thousands of years.

Winding our way down to Bolivia’s capital city, La Paz, and enjoying free time in open-air markets and along archaeological sites, we soon leave city life behind and trek deep into the mountains, where the stars have a dazzling quality and angle unique to the southern hemisphere. Hikers and trekkers alike can enjoy a wide range of climbing grades as local guides and porters help us reach new heights, find new meanings, and still eat like kings.

We all know that ultimate adventure involves ultimate risk, but that knowledge rarely makes rough news any easier to take.

And so the world watches with bated breath as news of 16-year-old Abby Sunderland, trying to solo-circumnavigate, indicates that the young and determined adventurer may be lost at sea. She sailed into a big storm in the Southern Indian Ocean earlier today, and activated her emergency beacon locating devices after losing contact over satellite phone with her family. In her blog on 7 June, Abby reported that winds had reached 45 knots and that she was expecting gusts up to 60. Her older brother Zac (pictured) became the first person younger than 18 to solo-circumnavigate back in July 2009. Comments on Abby’s blog continue to pour in.

Today’s blog has a report from her family reassuring followers: “Abby has all of the equipment on board to survive a crisis situation like this. She has a dry suit, survival suit, life raft, and ditch bag with emergency supplies. If she can keep warm and hang on, help will be there as soon as possible. Wild Eyes is designed for travel in the Southern Ocean and is equipped with 5 air-tight bulkheads to keep her buoyant in the event of major hull damage. It is built to Category 0 standards and is designed to self-right in the event of capsize.”

At this point, Abby has set off two of her three emergency beacons. The third–a deep-water automatic beacon–is triggered by salt water and goes off when the boat has reached a depth of about 15 feet. We’re all hoping this means that in spite of what has clearly been an epic struggle, the 40-foot Wild Eyes is still afloat.

One of our favorite adventure writers, Kraig Becker of The Adventure Blog, has published his latest Himalayan High musings on Gadling today, and this time it’s about trekking to Namche Bazaar.

One of the most popular pockets of civilization on any trek through the Himalayas, Embark spends days 3 and 4 on our trek to Everest Base Camp in and around Namche as we acclimatize at just over 11,000 feet, resting and explore the hamlet. We also spend a night at Namche on our way back to Kathmandu on day 11.

Perched high on the steep slopes of the Khumbu Valley, Namche Bazaar has some of the best tea houses in the region, although as Becker points out, making your way around Namche does require stair climbing. But we don’t think of it as a hassle; getting around Namche Bazaar is a fun way to keep your legs moving in one of the most beautiful and quaint settings anywhere in the world.

Lemosho Route

With fewer than 10 percent of climbers on the trail and potential to see a variety of wildlife on the first day through dense jungle, the Lemosho Route is Embark’s favorite and most frequent way to enter the mountain. At 72 km (almost 45 miles), the longer route allows for more thorough acclimatization, resulting in a higher success rate from start to finish.

Starting on the western edge of the mountain, Lemosho is considered the route of rich flora and wildlife, with great side treks across the Shira Plateau and up to Moir Hut – from which climbers encounter some of the mountain’s most dramatic views. The Lemosho Route is also the best approach to the Western Breach, and the best way for those who want to enjoy each step of the way with the greater certainty that they’ll make the summit.

Western Breach

After five days up the Lemosho Route, the Western Breach offers the only ascent up the Western side of Kilimanjaro, and is one of the most demanding and impressive non-technical climbs chosen only by mountaineering-style companies. The scrambles and exposures up parts of the breach make this the least-trafficked and most rewarding way up the mountain. While most mountaineers choose the Western Breach with competent guides like Embark, less than 5 percent of the total climbers on Kilimanjaro take this route.

An optional stop is Crater Camp, perched high at 18,000 feet and just an hour’s trek to the summit, so you don’t have to launch your bid at midnight. The final ascent can then be slow, with the most epic morning views. With time to explore the mountain’s glaciers, the Crater Camp Route creates the strongest sense of adventure, isolation and wilderness of all the ways up Kilimanjaro.

Machame Route

Known as the Whiskey Route, the popular Machame Route follows the old climbing adage, “climb high, sleep low,” combining the beauty of what might be the most stunning approach to Kilimanjaro’s summit with the speed of steeper paths and faster elevation gain. The summit is typically sunrise of day 6, with a steady descent into day 7, but a few do the climb in 5 or 6 days, depending on the group’s level of fitness.

At 67 km (almost 42 miles), the Machame Route is ideal for those who want to take the safest trip up the mountain in the shortest period of time while camping outdoors. Like Lemosho, the trail passes through five ecosystems, from dense forest and heather up through moorland, alpine desert, and finally, the glorious summit. Soak up breathtaking views of icecaps, forests, and the massive base of Africa’s highest giant.

Marangu Route

Dubbed the “Coca-Cola” route, Marangu is considered the easiest, fastest (5 days), and most-trafficked way to the summit of Kilimanjaro. Those looking for serenity as they make their summit bid might find Marangu disappointing, as it can see hundreds of climbers at various stretches along the route.

Horombo Hut, at 3,720 meters, is more like a village and can fit 120 hikers, guides, and porters at a time. It is from the hut that most climbers make their summit bid at midnight, climbing eight hours to reach Uhuru Peak as the day breaks, only to turn around and head back down to Horombo before nightfall. With 14 hours of climbing in one day, Marangu is fast and easy until the end, when it turns into the most grueling ways to summit and descend.

Rongai Route

The Rongai route approaches Kilimanjaro from the northeastern side of the mountain, along the border between Tanzania and Kenya. Because of the long drive down a difficult road, it sees relatively few groups and is for the climber who wants all quiet on the eastern front.

Experienced guides consider the Rongai route to be both easier and more scenic than the more-trafficked Marangu Trail, which it intersects on the final day. Most climbers descend Rongai via the Marangu route, totaling 65 km (roughly 40 miles). Some descend via Mweka. If you want an extra day on the mountain, which usually happens at camp Mawenzi Tarn, this is the route for you.

“My adventure in Africa, and especially my climb of Kilimanjaro, was planned, organized and executed by Donovan Pacholl of Embark. The trip progressed flawlessly, and I couldn’t be happier that I chose Embark to be my adventure travel company. I would definitely travel with them again.”
Jim R, Feb 2010

“Embark Adventures with Donovan Pacholl as our leader truly provided a trip of a lifetime for me to Tanzania. Donovan organized our trek to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, which everyone in our group reached successfully via the spectacular Western Breach route. He put together an unbelievable wildlife safari, which was beyond my expectations and arranged for us to visit several villages and interact with the local people. I can’t imagine that anyone else going to Tanzania could have had a more rich and unique adventure. The trip was simply amazing and a dream come true. Thank you, Donovan.”
Jann B, Feb 2010

“From start to finish, Embark handled every aspect of our climb with professionalism and aplomb. The guides were knowledgeable and friendly, the gear was top-notch and the meals on the mountain were the best we had in Africa. I’d happily recommend the company to anybody looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience on Kilimanjaro.”
Erik J, Jan 2010

“Taking the less-beaten path, Embark sets itself apart from other tour providers on the mountain as a company that isn’t just about getting you up and down the mountain, but doing it in a way that would give the best experience. While other groups slogged through barren trails packed with other climbing groups, we spent most of the trip hiking in peace and quiet, soaking in the gorgeous landscape. Embark’s experience and professionalism and unique itinerary ensured that we would have the best chance to summit – my entire crew made it to the top!”
Ben H, Feb 2010

Embark specializes in climbing Mt. Killimanjaro through the less-traveled Lemosho Route and up the Western Breach. The Lemosho route takes 4 to 5 days before it reaches the true base of the mountain, where the Western Breach section begins. This approach is the only one that travels up the western, steep side of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

The Western Breach is an alternative route off the Lemosho Route, and can be taken on the final two days prior to the summit. The breach is essentially a steep, 3,000-foot scramble (from 15,000 to 18,100 feet in altitude) done by less than 1 percent of the total Kili climbers. It’s only mildly dangerous (all mountain climbing is, right?), and is typically only done by mountaineering type companies boasting high caliber guides who, if needed, can kick steep, with an ice axe for 11 hours up a route that is not visible by the snow.

We truly believe the Lemosho and Western Breach combo is not only the best, most advanced non-technical route up Mt. Kilimanjaro, but it also affords many things that the average person climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is not able to access using different routes. We are so committed to climbing this route up Mt. Kilimanjaro that we now lead this route exclusively.

There is a secret behind the Machame and Marangu routes that other outfitters do not share.

Authentic experience

Less than 10 percent of the Kilimanjaro climbers come up the Lemosho Route and less than 1 percent up the Western Breach. Why?

First, the Lemosho Route is hard to get to. It’s a three-hour drive from Moshi on a bad road, and as such it is difficult and expensive to transport gear and people to this side of the mountain. There is a forest fee for reaching the start of the Lemosho Route that makes it more expensive for outfitters. They would prefer you to climb the easily-accessed route. We believe the more remote and difficult to get to, the better! After all, you’ve traveled thousands of miles for this.

Acclimatize

On the Lemosho Route, you have to commit to spending more time on the mountain, as the Lemosho route is best done over eight days, whereas other routes requires only 7, 6, or even 5 days.

Should you climb up a 19,000-foot mountain in five days? Any mountaineer will tell you no. It is too high, too fast. You need to acclimatize your body in order to climb that high, and you have a much higher chance of success if you climb the Lemosho / Western Breach route and take a full day of rest at 15,000 feet.

For Mountaineers types

Most of Mt. Kilimanjaro is essentially a big hill hike. You hike to 19,341 feet while walking. The Western Breach, however, is much steeper, has a few places with exposure, and even has some fifth-class climbing.

It mountaineering terms, you sometimes use both your feet and hands to climb up various steep rocks. While the Western Breach can be done by anyone in good physical shape and does not require ropes, this type of climbing is much more suited for a mountaineer versus someone who just wants a hill hike The last day is steep, the trail is not wide, and you must take the climbing seriously.

Any mountaineer who has climbed Kilimanjaro will tell you to climb the Western Breach, as it truly affords you the best experience. If you are adventurous, we highly recommend the Western Breach.

Crowds

The dirty secret of Kilimanjaro is that there are loads of people climbing the mountain. During certain times of the year, you can easily be in a camp with 300 to 500-plus people. It is often dirty and loud.

Because the Lemosho route is more expensive, and because the Western Breach requires a certain caliber of guide and outfitter, most people do not use it. Therefore on the Western Breach, you may find a group or two, but not 500 people like the sheer volume of people on the Machame and Marangu routes. On the Western Breach you will hear the quiet mountain; on the Machame route, you will hear all the other people.

The Machame and Marangu routes see more than 80 percent of the climbers, which means you have loads of people on trails, too. It can be a sea of hikers, with hundreds of people at each camp.

Touch The Glaciers & Explore the Ash Pit

Most people want to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro to see the beautiful glaciers at the summit–the ones we hear are melting. Due to their locations and because climbers have been at it for eight hours by the time they summit, the Machame and Marangu routes afford climbers little opportunity to explore.

When you come up the Western Breach, you cross the rim of the mountain and into the inner cone of Kilimanjaro, and therefore can see all the glaciers, from the Northern and Eastern icefields to the Furtwangler Galicer. You can touch the famous Furtwangler Glacier, walk around it, and explore the Ash Pit of the Reusch Crater. Check out Embark’s picture at the Furtwangler glacier.

Crater Camp

The highest camp on Mt. Kilimanjaro is Crater Camp, which is best accessed through the Western Breach. It sits at more than 18,000 feet and is a great way to only have a one-hour climb to the summit. If you want to sleep at the summit, then you’re best off climbing through the Western Breach. This camp should only be used by those who take climbing Kilimanjaro serious

One of our clients’ favorite tented safari lodges are run by Tanganyika Wilderness Camps. From mobile tented camps to farm houses and full-on lodges, these are ideal for people who want what we’ll call luxurious rustic.

The mobile camp option moves during the migration, perched in private areas rich in fauna and wildlife and alongside local tribes and farmers. The company’s focus is on long-term conservation, and they’ve seen up these lodgings to ensure that the locals and the environment are benefited by tourism without resulting in communities that feel “touristy.” Check out more photos of different lodging options here.

The BBC has released a news report today that sherpas who regularly climb Mt. Everest say global warming is rendering traditional climbing methods with crampons and ice picks hazardous.

Mt. Everest, the earth’s highest point at just over 29,000 feet, is said to be experiencing a rise in temperatures faster than anywhere else in South Asia. As such, the sherpas say they are seeing snow and ice melt faster than in recent years, exposing sheer rock that metal objects don’t bite into.

It currently costs a climber at least $70,000 to pay for the climbing permits, guides, equipment, and travel to Everest, but if the mortality rate rises, guides (and likely permits) are bound to increase with those risks. The world’s highest point will still likely be climbable, but will require even more advanced rock climbing skills, the sherpas say.

Todd Merkel and Stephen Ashbrook embark on 14-mile hiking adventure in the Columbia River Gorge. Don’t worry, Stephen’s hair usually looks much longer, like a rock star, and Todd wants you to check out Portland Charcuterie Project for some information about charcuteries, whatever that is.

Earlier this week, we wrote about the Ndarakwai Tented Lodge, one of our favorite places to stay on the eve of our climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro. But where we spend our final night in Tanzania is of equal importance as we kick our feet up and reflect on the journey of a lifetime, and the Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge is at the top of our list.

What makes this lodge so exceptional isn’t only that it looks down on the town of Karatu with epic views, or that it is so close to the Ngorongoro Crater, or that it is the idyllic place to relax and rest before the long haul home. The Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge is ultimately great because of its mission: to provide a home for the children of Rhotia Valley who have none. The great folks behind the lodge call their project “two hills one goal,” and they currently care for 24 children, ages 6 to 17.

Traveling halfway around the globe to climb a mountain and witness an entirely new world of wildlife is not just the adventure of a lifetime, but a chance to truly connect with local people and local missions, and this is but one of Embark’s ways of becoming a part of the places we visit. Because like the Rhotia Valley lodge, Embark is not just a company – it is a philosophy.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Adventure Junkie blogger Kraig Becker recently returned from a trek to Everest Base Camp, and is writing a mini series of tales from the front for Gadling.

His first and introductory post, Himalayan High: A Trek to Everest Base Camp, came out earlier this week, and his second, Kathmandu – Gateway to the Himalaya, appears today.

Becker, who you can also follow via Twitter at KungFuJedi, is one of those casual, sentence-fragment writers who manages to share his wealth of knowledge about all sorts of adventure goings-on around the world without talking down to his readers. He also turns out to be a natural photographer (see above pic). In his musings on the chaos of 21st Century Kathmandu, he maintains a perspective on his place in the gateway to the world’s greatest mountain range:

All of these experiences in Kathmandu, both good and bad, are just a prelude to what really brings you to Nepal. A Himalayan adventure of a lifetime. In my case, that meant a trek to Everest Base Camp and a once in a lifetime hike through the most incredible scenery on the planet. Soon, I would trade the heat and smog of the city for clear blue skies, roaring glacial rivers, and incredibly thin mountain air. Something I was more than ready to experience after two days in the Nepali capital.

And in the end, we’re probably all better-equipped to handle the complexities of modern civilization after escaping to – and surviving – the parts of the world that remain so lightly tread.

Over the years, Embark has cultivated great relationships with all sorts of local resources around Mt. Kilimanjaro, and the Ndarakwai Tented Lodge is no exception.

Instead of driving three hours from Moshi to start our journey up Kilimanjaro, Embark much prefers to enjoy a night or two at Ndarakwai, which is just 30 minutes from the gate to the Lemosho Route. Big on character, the lodge is surrounded by wild animals (they report having identified more than 65 large mammals and 350 species of birds) that provide the perfect pre-climb open-air jeep adventure.

The privately-owned ranch calls itself “an experiment in self-sustaining conservation,” and works to preserve a variety of habitats that are home to the Amboseli / Ngasurai Basin eco-system, including helping preserve seasonal elephant routes. Starting the climb up Kilimanjaro from the Ndarakwai Tented Lodge provides us with a stunning contrast in scenery from day one to the summit.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Sleeping mainly in tea houses along the route, ease into the vibrant Sherpa culture, pose alongside friendly herds of yaks, breathe in the spring aromas of hedgerows and Rhododendrons bursting to life, and run your fingertips through the rush of glacial water as you approach that most illustrious of giants, Mt. Everest.

This outing will not only include a trek through the heart of the famed Khumbu region all the way to Everest Base Camp, but will also include a climb of Island Peak, known to the Sherpas as Imja Tse. At more than 20,300 ft. in elevation, Imja Tse provides unobstructed views of some of the world’s highest mountains, including Everest, Nuptse, Lohtse, the Lohtse Wall, and Makalu.

Costs, exclusive of your international airfare to Kathmandu, will range from $3755 to $3943 depending on party size, and will include all in-country meals and lodging, all trekking, access and climbing permits, and all guides, porters and equipment. Your application must be received by September 30, 2010, and a deposit of $500.00 will be required upon acceptance.

GorpTravel has just been revamped into the bigger and better AdventureFinder.com, a website that tries to help you find your own dream spots. Think of Amazon or Netflix helping you comparison shop–”users like you liked this”–but with destinations and activity types as the results. Even if you don’t plan to take advantage of the results anytime soon, it’s worth checking out; the experience is its own adventure, as far as websites go.

For those who have no idea what they’re looking for, AdventureFinder also showcases featured activities of general awesomeness, and currently points to some of Embark’s favorite trips as sure winners, from climbing Kilimanjaro to exploring Costa Rica by foot, bike, and raft. Beyond hunting by destination or activity type, the site also allows you to check out who else is going. Looking for adults only? Solo travelers? Seniors? Gay friendly? Narrow your trip type based on these parameters, too.

We wish AdventureFinder great success, and hope it helps more people discover their inner explorer.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Ethan-Todras Whitehill for The New York Times

The New York Times has a thorough and stunning account of trekking the world-famous Annapurna Circuit, Last Footfall in Nepal, as well as an update on the plans to build a road in place of it by 2012. This harsh reality is something that visiting writer Ethan Todras-Whitehill has no qualms bemoaning; he says it will be considered “the last nail in the coffin of what was once the greatest trek on earth.”

If he’d seen the 150-mile Annapurna Circuit by jeep, Ethan writes, he’d have memories of beauty mid-blur instead of swaying footbridges over thunderous gorges; rocky footpaths jammed with goats, donkeys and water buffalo; terraced rice paddies thrusting green shoots against the olive hillsides; and the low hum of chanting monks seeping out of brightly colored Buddhist monasteries. For an interactive, photo-filled map, click here.

Embark will be disappointed to say the least if cars affect the beauty, culture, and serenity of one of Nepal’s–and the world’s–most epic treks, not just for visitors but the locals, too.

No Finnish woman has ever reached the summit of Mt. Everest, so two on Everest this season are locked in a dead heat (or in this case, freeze) in the hopes to claim the top spot, according to Alan Arnette’s Everest coverage:

“The concern is that summit winds are currently in the 80 mph range. The forecast calls for a reduction on Saturday night and then regaining strength. Climbers like to see the summit winds under 30 mph at max. With extreme winds, if something creates a delay, there is a high likelihood of frostbite, hypothermia or even death–especially on the descent.”

Statistically, most Everest summits have occurred in a rather narrow window, between May 20 and  May 25, but summits have been recorded as early as February, so pushing this hard in mid-May isn’t out of the ordinary. Still, Peak Freaks’ Carina Räihä and Sky Climbers’ Anne-Mari Hyryläisellä are said to have summit fever, that stubborn mental itch that costs lives and is nearly impossible to shake off.

The latest reports indicate that all the teams stuck at Camp 2 amidst destroyed tents will attempt the summit on Sunday. For the sake of their own lives we hope the women will have enough time to reflect on their true purpose on the mountain to embark only when the conditions are right.

Adventurer Ripley Davenport embarked on the world’s “longest solo and unassisted walk ever completed” in Mongolia back in April, but unfortunately had to cut things short just two days in due to a “design flaw” in his gear. The good news is that Ripley shall not be deterred, and plans to re-launch on the 25th of May from the exact spot he stopped. Check out his site here and a regularly-updated team blog here.

Ripley’s Biggest Trek Ever will cover more than 1,700 miles as he travels west across one of the planet’s most rugged terrains. He’s likely to encounter raging blizzards and sub-zero temps at some points and desert conditions at others as he covers the Eastern Mongolian Steppe, the Gobi Desert (where he plans to celebrate his 40th birthday), and the Altai Mountains. How can he make it so far without assistance? He’ll be pulling a trailer of gear behind him. And if you want to know how he can manage that for 1,700 miles, check out his resume:

RIPLEY DAVENPORT
Adventurer | Humanitarian | Speaker

Ripley Davenport is a renowned explorer, adventurer, humanitarian, and
inspirational speaker and best known for his demanding expeditions to the
isolated areas of the world, notably accomplished solo and unassisted without
any machine or animal but on foot by hauling or carrying all his equipment.
He avoids the worn tourist paths, and eminent landmarks, favouring instead to
position himself unaided in potentially hostile environments. Without any film
crew, Ripley can continue to pioneer the filming of his genuine experiences
authentically in unforgiving surroundings as his journey develops.

In 2001, he completed a solo and unsupported snowshoe/ski of the Kungsleden
Trail in Northern Sweden from Abisko to Hemavan, via Kebnekaise, in 32 days.
In 1999, he spent several weeks in the company of the Air Tuareg of Niger. The
purpose was to learn about desert living and their culture.
In 1998, Ripley completed a solo trek across the Karakum Desert in 21 days.
Then in the same year, Ripley successfully crossed the Namib Desert, solo and
unassisted, with two camels in 82 days.

Since then Ripley has been fixated with desert exploration and adventure and
he intends on traversing across many of the worlds most isolated deserts.

Courtesy of PeakFreaks.com

It’s that time of year on Everest, that little window of opportunity as climbers launch their final bids for the summit.

And while the media go all-out to cover these bids, and the teams themselves boast ever-shinier blogs and self-reportage, little is said about the sherpas who are so key to every one of these missions as they help mountaineers navigate the world’s highest peak. But let it be known that, while we await the “first summits” of 2010, which some set out for this morning, a group of nine sherpas actually made the year’s first summit yesterday, along with a Himex guide. Western climbers are not allowed join this first group of sherpas even if they want to, but still, the sherpas’ purpose was not glory or news coverage but finishing fixing the lines to the top so that the glory can go to others.

We at Embark applaud the sherpas, porters, medical crew, and all who help any expedition team safely reach the summits of mountains worldwide. We could not do what we do without them, and their bravery, work ethic, and mountaineering skills are second to none.

Jordan Romero reaches the high point of his life, literally, at 24,900 feet on 1 May 2010.

Jordan Romero has had his eye on the summit of Mt. Everest since he was 9, but he didn’t start making headlines until he embarked to the mountain as a 13-year-old earlier this season. All the requisite arguments for and against such a young climber tackling such a dangerous peak continue to mount, but in the meantime, the kid is climbing Mt. Everest, and he’s climbing hard.

According to the Team Jordan blog, updated mostly by Jordan’s pops, the group made it to the North Col camp Saturday despite a lightning and thunder storm and then descended off the shoulder of Everest to hunker down and wait out a series of coming storms at ABC. Jordan reached his highest point over the weekend at 24,900 feet. His report is: “A tad tired and in need of sleep before we make the biggest climb in the world, but strong as expected.”

Listen to their most recent audio update:

Jordan’s Everest expedition is costing $150,000, supported by a pretty hefty group of sponsors. Jordan, his father and his father’s girlfriend are making the ascent with three sherpas.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s James Temple, who ordinarily spends his time on the paper’s business desk, recently embarked up the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro and felt inspired to share his stories in the paper’s Bad Latitude travel section. He’ll be updating with new posts over the coming days; check out his first five installments under the title, The Call of Kilimanjaro.

Of course, Temple dutifully did his research, and he quotes from Hemingway’s Snows of Kilimanjaro as well as musings from George Mallory and more. While the experienced mountaineer may find Temple’s personal journey a bit smooth around the edges (there isn’t much in it about what was really going on in his head, and as we know, Kilimanjaro is a head game more than anything), it at least spells out the general outline of what a novice can expect, and well worth the time to follow as he narrates his way to the summit.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Athletes and mountaineers have long been familiar with the importance of hypoxic (altitude) training. Preparing our bodies to be able to continue working hard with less oxygen is every bit as important as maintaining a level of fitness necessary to trek and climb for hours on end. And some of the new devices hitting the market are a perfect combination of being both overkill and awesome.

First, the above image from the company Hypoxico’s sleep systems page. Yes, this is an altitude chamber. Stick your desk or bed in there and you can get used to both sleeping and thinking in a hypoxic environment. And even though the idea is to train for, well, dealing with misery, this chamber boasts “the utmost in spacial and air conditioned comfort” that is “perfect for a completely unobtrusive night’s sleep or a long quiet day at the office.” Yes, it comes with air conditioning.

If a chamber is out of your price range but you really want to try out a little hypoxic training, you could always go for the simple sleep mask. And if a breathing apparatus is exactly what you are trying to avoid, check out their bed tent, compatible with a high-altitude adapter that will have you feeling like you are at 21,000 feet. And we thought our bed tents when we were kids were cool….

Hypoxico and other companies also provide a range of workout machines and training gadgets.

If you are interested in a company that offers Tanzania Safaris, please contact Embark, or visit our Tanzania Safari Tours section for more information.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

If you are interested in a company that offers Tanzania Safaris, please contact Embark, or visit our Tanzania Safari Tours section for more information.

If you are interested in a company that offers Tanzania Safaris, please contact Embark, or visit our Tanzania Safari Tours section for more information.

If you are interested in a company that offers Nepal Treks, please contact Embark, or visit our Nepal Trekking Tours section for more information.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Italy’s Reinhold Messner became the first person to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-plus-meter peaks back in 1986, and has since been renowned as one of the world’s best (if not the best) mountaineers. A quarter century later, two climbers, Edurne Pasaban (above) and Oh Eun-sun, are vying to become the first woman to do the same.

Pasaban, of Spain, conquered the 8,091-meter Annapurna last Saturday, and has already left for Tibet to make her way up her final peak, the 8,027-meter Shishapangma.

Meanwhile rival Eun-sun of Korea is already on the slopes of her final challenge, Annapurna, where she is currently acclimatizing at Base Camp Two. Stay tuned this Saturday, April 24, when she makes what could become an historic bid for the top.

In a new twist, rumors are flying that Eun-sun did not actually reach the top of Kangchenjunga (the world’s third-highest mountain) last year in the absence of a summit photo, adding a dimension to the final days of this decade-long race that has left the world on edge to see what transpires this weekend.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

A safari will take you to Africa; a yoga safari will take you into your heart while experiencing the uniqueness of Tanzania. Sunrise yoga blends into game drives that will expose you to an animal kingdom unparalleled elsewhere in Africa. The raw beauty of Tanzania informs your sights and senses as you watch a heard of elephants, a stalking cheetah or listen to nature during an outdoor evening savasana.

Embark’s ability to offer a truly cultural safari experience means that you will not only see nature at it’s finest, but also the homes and hearts of the locals. A once in a lifetime experience for your body and soul, safaris are a type of intensity that you’ve never experienced but will love upon arrival.

Tibet has long been a draw for travelers. The mysticism and beauty of the people and the land are interwoven with ancient yogic practices and wisdom, and it’s amazing high-plateau strikes an average elevation of 16,000 feet. The stark beauty of Tibet is not to be missed or underestimated.

This 5-day trek connects two of the country’s most important monasteries, Ganden and Samye, where a yoga practice in and around the monastery is invited. Yaks and local guides lead the way to historical and holy sites both in the capital of Lhasa and on the high passes between monasteries. Yogis both new and experienced will find new interpretations of their practice and pranayama in Tibet’s ancient beauty.

One of the most common questions we get at Embark is how to train for a big trek or climb. As with any goals in life, it’s always best to attain a certain level of fitness by setting a series of mini goals so that the end goal doesn’t feel so far away. And by taking things one step at a time, we are also mentally preparing for how to face a mountain.

If you’re looking for more specific tips, adventX out of Seattle is a great resource. Rooted in outdoor adventure fitness, their mantra is “challenge by choice.” You set goals based not just on specific activities and areas of interest, but also on the level of effort you are able to (and want to) invest. Not surprising, the ultimate goal that drives adventX is in and of itself spot on: “a knowledge of movement, physiology, nutrition and training techniques that can be applied to your lifestyle in a way that ensures that fitness is a source of joy, health and balance for life.”

Regardless of how close you are to Seattle, check out the group’s fitness activities (which include a 10-week fitness challenge and endurance cross-training) here and specific event training (which includes a Fit 2 Climb program) here. Specifically, adventX helps clients prepare for a wide range of climbs, including Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Mount Adams, Glacier Peak, Mount Shuksan, and beyond the Pacific Northwest any of the Seven summits: Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Carstensz, Mount McKinley (Denali), Mount Vinson, Mount Elbrus, and Mount Everest. Pricing info here.

Prior to 1989, hundreds of thousands of tourists flocked to the Indian side of Kashmir–known then as the Switzerland of the East–to trek through grasslands and forests and along glacier-fed streams and staggering peaks.

Then came the start of the separatist insurgency, and the saucer-shaped valley of fruit orchards and wildflowers saw fewer and fewer tourists each year, which further fueled the region’s poverty and violence.

But the Indian government announced this week that 2010 is “Visit Kashmir” year now that, thanks to the region’s peace process efforts that began in 2004, the security situation has so profoundly improved.

“We are optimistic that the decision will give a big boost to tourism and attract more and more foreign tourists,” Farooq Ahmed Shah, a state tourism official, tells The Associated Press.

Indian climbers have been scaling the peaks, which range from 9,800 feet to 26,246, for years. Now the world once again has its turn. The heavily militarized region borders not only Pakistan but China, and some 68,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed during the crackdown.

Opening the borders could be a major victory for the region’s civilians population, for whom a booming tourism industry could reap great rewards, both economically and in terms of local pride as the gorgeous region can once again reveal itself to those who love to wander.

Strapped for cash? Not enough vacation days in 2010 to venture overseas for a big climb? Outdoor Research has just unveiled its Climb a Northwest Icon sweepstakes, where winning may be a challenge but at least entering is easy. Just fill out their form here, and if you’re drawn for the grand prize, you get airfare to and from Seattle, $1,500 in Outdoor Research gear, and a 3- to 4-day guided climb up Mount Rainier. Two second-place winners will each get an Outdoor Research jacket, and five third-place winners will get gloves.

At 14,411 feet, Mount Rainier is the highest peak in both Washington state and the killer Cascade range, with a topographic prominence greater than K2’s. Anyone who lives in the Pacific Northwest knows that it not only dominates the southeastern views out of Seattle, but on a clear day can even be seen from Portland. It’s also the most heavily glaciated peak in the lower 48, and great training for anyone setting their sights on higher elevations and bigger climbs, from Mt. Kilimanjaro to various treks throughout the Himalayas.

Enter by Sept. 30, 2010, and stay tuned as the drawing occurs on Oct. 5, and winners will be announced by email or certified mail on or around Oct. 10.

When he was just 9, California native Jordan Romero got it into his head to climb the Seven Summits–the tallest peak on each of the world’s seven continents.

By 10, he found himself standing on top of Kilimanjaro, setting his first record as the youngest American to climb Africa’s highest peak.

Now 13, little Jordan has defeated North America’s McKinley, which some consider more technical than Asia’s Everest, the world’s tallest peak and where he is now focusing what can only be described as determined eyes.

If he reaches the top, Jordan will be the youngest person to summit Everest. The current record holder, Nepal’s Temba Tsheri, was a 16-year-old Sherpa–and lost five fingers to frostbite in the process.

Jordan is young, but he is clearly skilled, with sights set quite literally as high as possible. (Please, mainstream media, don’t start calling him Air Jordan.) And while few of us truly believe we are mortal when we are tender 13-year-olds–which is a case against encouraging this expedition at such a young age–we can’t help but cheer the little dude onward.

While Mt. Kilimanjaro is not a technical climb, summiting Africa’s highest mountain is a huge mental and physical challenge. It’s not easy in any sense and should be recognized as a serious undertaking. 19,341 feet above sea level is not easy. Therefore, it is important to develop a comprehensive training program – 6 to 8 months in advance – to help increase you odds of making it to the summit. Embark has a training document that we recommend clients use; please request it if you are interested.

The general rule for training for a Kilimanjaro climb is that the more you exercise and prepare, the more you will enjoy the climb. The Lemosho and Western Breach climb – especially after Arrow Glacier Camp – is a strenuous, highly demanding scramble, and requires a proficient level of general fitness. The altitude makes it even more difficult.

If you do not exercise on a regular basis, you need to begin now. Try to incorporate jogging, overnight hikes, walks, swimming, or biking into your weekly routine. The more cardio development you build into your exercise routine, the better.

If possible, hiking at higher altitudes to see how your body reacts to altitude is extremely beneficial. The more time and experience at higher elevation, the better accustomed you will be to navigate the pitfalls that can come with altitude sickness.

Unfortunately, since many people live where there are no major hills or mountains, the next-best choice is repetitive hiking. One or two hikes on the weekend are fine, but try hiking every day. Add weight to your pack to make it more difficult, keep a training log, and try to find small hills to climb. When time permits, try to hike seven to nine miles per day and try to do this multiple days in a row.

Perhaps most importantly, the body will not adapt well if you don’t start training until a month or two before your trip. For example, it takes about four months of solid training to finish a marathon, and the vast majority who do not properly train never make it to the finish line. The same can be said for mountaineering.

Once you sign up for a climb, request Embark’s Kilimanjaro training plan to help develop a comprehensive plan for your adventure.

Ken Stober and his family embark on a custom wildlife safari, staying in tented camps and wildlife lodges in the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. Photos courtesy of Ken Stober.

On every Embark trip – especially our adventure trips in East Africa – we take people way off the beaten path, in areas rarely visited by tourists. Our goal is to surround them with the unexpected, take people safely out of their comfort zones, and to see what transpires. It usually turns out great!

This is exactly what happened when we descended upon a remote village about 20 miles away from Mt. Kilimanjaro, way out in the bush. Within 20 minutes or arriving at the village, there were more than 50 Masai tribesmen surrounding us. This picture shows us Kellie Marshall, surrounded by Masai, who were intently listening to the Masai woman tell Kellie that she should come to the village and teach.

Here is a great rafting wipe out on one of our rafting adventures on the Deschutes River in Oregon. Not only did we hit this class 4 rapid in the dead center, we managed to eject everyone in the raft. We were able to catch up with the raft a half mile downstream. Fortunately, everyone was okay, and it turned out to be a great story.

This is a classic Nepal trek from Pokhara to Annapurna Base Camp, the starting point and natural amphitheater that mountaineers use to climb the Annapurna mountain range.

Before climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, most climbers often start worrying about the porter and guide’s tip before the climb starts. They want to know how much it will affect their budget, and to make sure they are paying a good tip. Embark’s philosophy is just like service in a restaurant, a climbing tip should only be given if you received good service from us.

If you have a climb planned through Embark or another outfitter, here are some basic guidelines, which are recognized as standard from Kilimanjaro’s Porters Assistance Project, which Embark is a recognized member.

A typical porter on an eight day climb, on the Western Breach or the Lemosho, should receive around a $40 tip; a cook could receive about $80; and a head guide could receive $100 or more. These tips are divided by the total number of people in the group, not per person. A porter on a seven day climb on the Machame route would receive around $35.

A general estimate, for your budget, per Kilimanjaro climber runs from about $175 to $250 per person depending upon the following factors: the number of people in your group, the number of the porters (which is often quite large), number of guides, cooks, and sometimes the route. It’s impossible to predict an exact tip in advance because it really depends upon how much gear is brought up the mountain, and how much weight is brought up the mountain. There is not a de facto standard of tipping for all companies, it’s only a recommendations from organizations, NGOs and the Tanzanian government. Some higher-end companies have seen tips in excess of these recommendations. Some budget companies have seen tips lower than this.

A couple things to remember when tipping Kilimanjaro porters:

• Tip directly to the porters, not the guides.
• Bring a packet of 50 letter size envelopes to distribute the tip
• Determine a tip for each component of your climbing group: the porters, cooks, assistant guides, and the lead guide.
• Distribute it on the final morning of the descent usually at Mweka Camp or the Park Gate
• Tip in either Tanzanian Shillings or US Dollars
• The average Tanzanian makes $40 per month. A $40 tip for difficult work for many days is a great wage and supports the local economy.

Generally speaking, an example of a tips break down like this:

• Porters $5 per day per porter
• Cooks $8 to $10 per cook
• Assistant Guides $8 to $10 per guide
• Kilimanjaro Guides $20 per day and up per guide
• Safari Guides $20 per day and up per guide

In other words, if you had four porters, 2 assistant guides and 1 lead guide. The total trip would be around $420.
4 porters X $40 = $160 Total
2 assistant guides X $80 = $160
1 lead guide X $100 = $100
Total = $420 / Number of people in the group

If you have any questions about tipping, please contact Embark before your trip, or contact the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project which is based in Moshi Town.

To find the best rates, start looking for your flights four to seven months in advance of your Kilimanjaro climb. Typical rates as of 2010 to East Africa run anywhere from $1,500 to $2,300. Several airlines service several airports in East Africa directly – from hubs in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Before deciding your route, it is best to first determine whether you are looking for the lowest cost, the fastest travel time, or a multi-destination route (i.e. do you plan to travel elsewhere in Africa?). Here are the three major airports into East Africa and the pros and cons associated with each one.

Kilimanjaro International Airport:

The closest, easiest route is to fly into the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), located just outside of Moshi, the small town where you would be based prior to your Kilimanjaro climb or safari. Flights service Kilimanjaro most regularly from Amsterdam, London, and Ethiopia. Flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport is for those on a tight schedule, but not necessarily a tight budget. JRO enables climbers to land one day and begin climbing the mountain the next, as well as fly out immediately following the climb. Embark highly recommends that you use this airport unless you plan to spend considerable time in the country. This airport is best for those who have a limited amount of time in Tanzania. KLM Royal Dutch has the best flight structure, arriving and departing at night

Pros: Close proximity to Mt. Kilimanjaro allows for speed and efficiency
Cons: Can be more expensive

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport:

The cheapest way to get to East Africa tends to be through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, Kenya. Most flights into NBO are via London through Kenya Airlines or British Airways. From NBO, several shuttle services will get you to the mountain in about six to eight hours.

Pros: Tends to be inexpensive – sometimes $500 cheaper than flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport
Cons: Requires an eight hour bus ride down to Moshi, which is arrange by Embark. It also requires a Kenya visa and several additional travel hours (for those arriving after the morning shuttle to Tanzania, you will likely have to spend a night in a hotel)

Dar es Salaam International Airport:

The last major airport into East Africa is the Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. DAR is even further from Kilimanjaro than Nairobi, but ideal for those interested in visiting Zanzibar in addition to Mt Kilimanjaro. Many people like to fly into Nairobi or Kilimanjaro for the climb, and then out of Dar to bet within a two-hour boat ride from the great beach island of Zanzibar. This option can be more expensive and time-consuming, but some find it well worth the effort.

Pros: Good departure airport for those planning to visit Zanzibar after the climb; great city to explore
Cons: Not conveniently located; can be more expensive

Airlines that service East Africa:

From Europe:

• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: www.klm.com
• British Airways: www.britishairways.com
• Swiss International Air Lines: www.swiss.com

From United States

• There are no direct flights from the US, but several airlines have partnerships in other major hubs, i.e. Northwest Airlines partners with KLM to go from the US to Europe to Africa.

From Middle East and Asia:

• United Arab Emirates: www.emirates.com
• Qatar Airway: www.qatarairways.com
• Air India: home.airindia.in

From Africa:

• South African Airways: www.flysaa.com
• Ethiopian Airlines: www.flysaa.com
• Kenya Airways: www.kenya-airways.com

Domestic Airlines:

• Air Tanzania: www.airtanzania.com
• Precision Air: www.precisionairtz.com

Many of the Asia and Middle East airlines service Europe at very reasonable prices, so one cost-effective option is to fly from Europe to Africa through these airlines.

Embark is happy to arrange domestic flights between Nairobi, Kilimanjaro Airport, and Dar es Salaam, whether it be before or after the climb. Please contact us for details three months prior to departure.

We recently had some Embark clients who could not make the second flight from Jomson from Pokhara in Nepal due to weather. They were going to hike from Jomson back to Pokhara on the Annapurna Circuit. We had to detour them to Annapurna Base Camp which turned out to be a great trek.

Embark finds the Annapurna circuit one of the most remarkable treks in Nepal. Fortunately, Nepal has so much more to offer the trekker that we hope to continue to find new routes, new villages, in areas like Mustang which are less visited by tourists. Until now.

Here is my favorite picture from a recent “cultural” safari through Embark. The group got to experience the Wadzabe tribe hunting birds. From what I understand, they shot an arrow through a bird’s wing. When they caught the bird, this guy decides to bite its head off.

This trek explores the capital city of Lhasa while also taking a classic trek between Ganden and Samye monasteries, high in the mountains.

When travelers explore Tanzania, they get to visit some of the tribes – the Masai and the Hadzabe.

A 100 mile rafting adventure, on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho, that featured more than 100 rapids!

As if Nepal wasn’t mesmerizing enough, the country recently announced it is going rogue, marrying–gasp!–gay couples, according to The New York Times. ‘‘They are high-spending consumers,’’ a spokesman for the Nepal Tourism Board said of gay tourists.

Back in January, the Times predicted this move based on whispers about the world’s most famous base camp: Started by Sunil Babu Pant, an openly-gay legislator, Pink Mountain Travels and Tours promises to marry adventure travel[ers] with gay weddings. With talk that Nepal may legalize same-sex marriage this year as the country hammers out a new constitution (and, perhaps more importantly, deals with recent bouts of civil unrest), Mr. Pant is offering to hold nuptials at the Mount Everest base camp, jungle safari honeymoons and bridal processions on elephant back.

Whether these marriage certificates will be honored once back home depends entirely on where home is, but destination weddings to Nepal are about to become a whole lot more common, and adventure tours of such places as Island Peak and the Annapurna Circuit a whole lot more colorful. Let’s just hope those pride flags don’t clash with the Buddhist prayer flags.

One week wildlife safari in Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park and Tarangire National Parks.

This Embark group conquered the Western Breach in perfect January weather.

Cascade range Diamond Peak climbed by Louis, Donovan, Craig and Steve. Vive les mosquitos!!!

Each year, Embark has a handful of adventure trips that are looking for extra adventurers.

One of our most popular treks continues to be Kilimanjaro as it has several departure dates this summer and fall: July 5, August 16, September 6 and a New Year’s eve summit. Find out more details about our climb up Kilimanjaro. We are looking for more people for all the departure dates – but are trying extra hard for the Sept departure!

Climbing and trekking continues in Asia as well. October 16 is the start date for the 19 to 23 day Island Peak/Everest Base Camp in Nepal. Climb Island Peak and explore Everest Base Camp in the best time of year to visit the country. Nepal is a great, affordable country for trekking, climbing and exotic culture

Embark is fortunate enough to be leading a group through Bhutan, a country that only allows a very limited number tourists in per year. Bhutan’s self-enforced isolation and contrasts never disappoint. Explore Bhutan on the Chomolhari Trek. The Chomolhari Trek in Bhutan departs October 31 and should not be missed.

Embark’s newest venture is into the world of adventure yoga holidays. Beginners, experts and complete novices can benefit from a practice while traveling. Our 14 day Nepal Yoga Trek offers trekkers the option to open mind and body on the Annapurna range and departs October 23.

And, as always, Embark has other adventure trips around the world: Uganda, Costa Rica, Tibet, Morocco and other destinations.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

If you have any questions, send us an email to inquire about any of our expeditions or adventures.

To many, planning a climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro seems like such a daunting task, with countless details and variables to consider. Each of us has a unique way we go about planning a trip, but Embark has developed a checklist of the most important highlights with planning an expedition to climb Africa’s highest mountain. Read and consider these tips carefully; most of the details are common sense, but can be easily overlooked.

1. Make A Mental Commitment

It’s too easy to start down the path toward an enormous, life-changing adventure, and then give up in the preparation stage due to logistics, cost, conditioning, family reaction, etc. For most people, climbing Kilimanjaro is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you make the commitment, even if it’s not going to happen until next year, stick to it and make sure you will follow through. You do not want to be plagued by regret or resentment for not putting all the pieces together to make it happen.

2. Begin Your Training

This is the central and probably most important aspect for climbing any mountain in the world. Start your training early. In fact, the earlier you start, the better. Try to start training at least six months in advance, in order to ensure the highest probability of success, even if this just means short jogs or climbing stairs in the beginning of your regimen. Embark has a training program for you to use prior to your climb up Africa’s highest mountain.

3. Save

Traveling half way around the world and spending 7 to 10 days climbing a mountain can be expensive. Make sure to start saving as early as possible. Including gear, airfare, and the climb itself, the trip can easily range from $4,000 to $8,000 per person.

4. Find Others Looking For a Challenge

It’s always exciting to include others in your adventures, as it build strong relationships, it holds you to your word, and it gives you someone to train with. Since climbing Kilimanjaro can be done by just about anyone (those who take their time), you should consider bringing friends, family, and others interested in an adventure of a lifetime. Just make sure the people you bring are people you can cope with under sometimes demanding conditions.

5. Pick Your Outfitter and Guide

Whether you choose to pick your outfitter when you arrive or in advance, it’s important to establish a relationship with someone early that can get your climb up Kilimanjaro organized. You should start having conversations with the outfitter 8 to 12 months in advance, as it gives them plenty of time to organize guides, logistics, permits, etc. There are times in the year that are busy (Feb & Aug) and sometimes the best guides are booked a year in advance. The earlier you book, the better.

6. Determine Your Dates/Routes

After you pick your outfitter, you should start to determine the following: dates, number of people, routes, and other important aspects of your adventure. You will need to make sure you choose the proper route up Kilimanjaro, as well as the right time of year. For example, you would not want to plan a trip during the rainy season (April & May), unless you don’t mind walking in the rain all day, ever day. Likewise, in terms of the climbing routes, an experienced mountaineer, or someone who likes a little adventure, would most likely do the Lemosho or Machame Route, with an option up the Western Breach, instead of going up the Marangu Route.

7. Keep Training

Again, the central point for a successful trip is training, training, training. However you choose to prepare, be sure you are consistent with your training program.

8. Purchase Your Airfare

Once your dates and outfitter is finalized, it’s time to sure your flights. It’s best to shop around, as you can find huge price variations. You will want to purchase your airfare 3 to 7 months in advance. Make sure to check alternative, non-US-based carriers such as Ethiopian Airlines or Qatar Airlines if you want to keep the prices low.

9. Get Your Immunizations

Talk to you local travel clinic about 4 to 6 months prior to your trip. This will be the time you decide which immunizations you should get. Make sure to plan this into your budget, as sometimes these shots can be a significant addition.

10. Prepare Your Gear

Test all your equipment in advance. Try your new boots and jacket. Determine if you like to use Nalgene bottle or a Camel back for your water. All of your equipment should be tested and used as much as possible in advance.

11. Organize Your Visas

As of the time of this writing, you could get your visa upon arrival at the Tanzania airport, or at any border crossing. If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of organizing your visas upon arrival, you can get these sorted at the Tanzanian embassy in Washington, DC. Expect to take about 3 weeks to get your passport back.

12. Departure

The day has come. Say goodbye to your friends and family, and take off on your adventure!

Heather Griffin and Joe Vine embark on a 12 day trekking and cultural tour of the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal through Embark.

Erik Jones and his college buddies spend 8 days climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro’s Western Breach, via the Lemosho Route, in Tanzania.

Anyone who lives in or has traveled throughout Oregon knows that Mt. Hood and the Oregon coastline are two of the most dramatic destinations in a dramatically beautiful state. Which makes the famous, 197-mile Hood to Coast relay–the “mother of all relays” that hits 29 years this August–all the more suitable as the subject of a quirky and exhilarating documentary on what it means to push your body and mind, invigorate your lifestyle, and party with your friends for 36 straight hours in the process. The trailer was just released before the film will be aired at SXSW 2010 next week; watch it above.

We’re looking for a few more people to sign up for our October trip to Island Peak, a trek/climb that even a beginner mountaineer could handle but that offers up full views of Mt. Everest and a hike to the famous Everest Base Camp. Island Peak, also known as Imja Tse, maxes out at 20,000 feet at its peak in eastern Nepal.

Imja Tse was first climbed in 1953 by a British team as a training exercise in preparation for Everest and is today an insider trekking favorite the world over.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Just back from an early February climb, Erik Jones talks about why the Lemosho Route may be the best way up Kilimanjaro.

If you are interested in Climbing The Lemosho Route, learn about Embark’s Kilimanjaro Tours.

Mercer Island’s Ang Chhiring Sherpa wants to help his native Nepalese people, 30 percent of whom live below the poverty line, according to the Mercer Island Reporter. So he is launching the Sherpa Seven Summit expedition, climbing the highest mountain in each of the planet’s seven continents, in the hopes of raising money and awareness for the health clinics, schools, hydroelectric project and airplane strip that he intends to establish in the Salleri area of Solu Khumbu, Nepal.

Sherpa, who is 37, has set his first sights on Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina on Feb. 22. Next up is Mt. Denali in Alaska, followed by Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mt. Elbrus in Russia, Mt. Kosciusko in Australia, Carstensz Pyramid (in Indonesia and therefore Oceania), Vinson Massif in Antarctica (he is climbing both since there is contention over which one should count), and of course saving the highest for last, Mt. Everest on the edge of his homeland, Nepal.

It remains to be seen whether climbing eight of the world’s tallest mountains will be tough for Sherpa, who spends four months every year as a sherpa and whose record in 14 years of mountaineering is just over 21,000 atop Mera Peak in the Himalayas. Sherpa says he is inspired by Sir Edmund Hillary, whom he trekked with once and who “gave so many things to Sherpas–four high schools, six medical clinics–in the district area.”

This is going to be a truly thrilling expedition to follow. Sherpa’s cause is noble, and he is clearly the right man for the job.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

As you trek above the clouds and into the shimmering snows of Mt. Kilimanjaro along this remote, secluded Lemosho Route, you steal breathtaking glimpses of the base of volcanic cone Kibo Peak’s south-facing glaciers. At 19,341 feet, Kilimanjaro is among the world’s gentlest high summits, whose awe-inspiring views bear maximum reward.

Embark was founded on the slopes of Africa’s highest peak, guiding countless people up one of the world’s most famous seven summits. Opting for the road less traveled (fewer than 10 percent of climbers take the Lemosho to the Western Breach Route), Embark boasts a climber’s dream combination: a high success rate with very low foot traffic. We also specialize in camping at the highest camp on Kilimanjaro, Crater Camp. Enjoy a high ratio of guides to clients with expert climbing expedition gear (mess tents, toilets, oxygen, gamo) on a summit that can be climbed by an adventurous person in fit shape.

If you are looking for a quick, fast way to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, it’s best you look elsewhere. We believe (and know) that Mt. Kilimanjaro should only be climbed on the best route – Lemosho route up the Western Breach – and with the goal of making it to the summit. The key to a successful summit is taking your time, a minimum of 8 days, and having a full day of acclimatization at 15,000 ft. The Western Breach is for those who want a mountaineering type experience and not just a hiking experience, without the crowds and a true wilderness experience.

While climbing Mt Kilimanjaro does not require specialized equipment, you do need to make sure all your gear is in order. Consider both standard and personal demands for comfort and safety before embarking up the mountain: Do you have warm climbing pants? A 10-degree bag? Trekking poles? Have you hiked more than 100 miles in your boots to break them in sufficiently? Each person we ask names a different item as the most important piece of equipment to bring, from the perfect jacket to a specific brand of baby wipes. Ask around, think about what it takes to keep yourself comfortable and happy, and get your checklist in order well before your departure date. Below is just a recommendation from Embark on the items that are best for Kilimanjaro.

That aside, one of the most important pieces of equipment you can bring is a waterproof pack/duffel bag, as it must hold all your gear for the entire trip, as well as keep it dry. Porters carry your main bag during the day, and you carry a smaller day pack with food, water, rain gear, and your camera. Be sure to test and clean all your gear in advance, including breaking in your boots. The worst thing you can do is try to sort out all the details in the days before you leave. NOTE: Embark provides tents, mess tents, chairs, lanterns, silverware, and a toilet.

Gear List

• 2 synthetic shirts, long sleeve
• 2 synthetic t-shirts
• 2 pairs of synthetic hiking shorts
• 1 pair of synthetic trekking pants
• 1 pair of warmer hiking pants
• 1 or 2 pairs of fleece long underwear/ trousers
• 1 pair of leg gaiters
• 1 pair of socks per trekking day, with at least 2 pairs of lighter (synthetic)
• 6 pairs of socks and 3 pairs of heavy wool/synthetic blend
• 1 pair of underwear per day
• 1 warm fleece jacket
• 1 goretex rain/wind shell
• 1 pair of goretex rain/wind pants
• 1 durable poncho
• 1 fleece sweater
• 1 pair of fleece glove liners.
• 1 pair of cold weather gloves or mittens
• 1 pair of light windproof gloves
• 1 warm hat
• 1 sun hat
• 1 balaclava
• 1 pair trekking boots (medium weight, waterproof)
• 1 pair of walking/camp shoes
• 1 pair UV-blocking sunglasses with side-gussets

Other Equipment For Kilimanjaro Climbs

• 1 soft duffel bag, preferably North Face Base Camp
• 1 daypack
• Plastic bags of different sizes (to protect clothes against rain)
• 1 warm mountain sleeping bag (10 degree rated (F))
• 2 trekking poles
• 1 head lamp (with extra batteries and light bulb)
• 1 emergency foil blanket
• 1 pocket knife
• 3 One-liter water bottles, or substitute with hydration pack
• Sun block. We suggest the highest possible SPF rating
• Water purification tablets or filter. We recommend tablets as the best and most fool-proof way to purify water.
• Helmet – if you are hiking the Western Breach

Gadling has just published a list with related videos of seven of the world’s scariest, craziest, most dizzying hikes. This video is from Angel’s Landing in Utah, which contains some of the most narrow portions of a trail with sheer drops on both sides anywhere in the world. The other six are: El Caminito del Rey (Spain), Mount Hua (China), Mount LeConte (Tennessee), portions near Machu Picchu (Peru), Mount Pinatubo (the Philippines), and Hua Shan (China).

Planet Fear has published a great photo montage of a recent journey up one of Embark’s favorite routes, the Lemosho Route. Kudos to writer/photographer and Planet Fear editor-in-chief David Pickford for a great glimpse of what the climb entails.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Kenna, Jessica Biel, and others raise awareness for clean water via their recent Summit on the Summit climb.

If you didn’t catch it the first time around last year, we’re taking a look back at an article in the BBC enumerating what is and is not hard about a typical Kilimanjaro climb.

The most notable comment comes from Jon Garside of the British Mountaineering Council: “You have got to walk so incredibly slowly; imagine an arthritic 90-year-old walking backwards–that’s probably too fast.”

OK, this may be something of an exaggeration, but as Donovan can attest to when he gets back online after this week’s climb, you do have to pace yourself, drink more water than usual, and keep your head on straight even as you battle the inevitable affects of the altitude.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Kilimanjaro Safari Journals has compiled a pretty decent gear list, pointing out that a Kilimanjaro climb does involve trekking through five climates. While a bit over-the-top in places (probably catered to those more accustomed to 4- and 5-star hotels), the list still has some valuable subsections, including this one on important docs:

• Cash (to buy drinks, tipping etc.) – USD or Tanzanian Shilling
• Other money: credit card (Visa is best) and/or travellers cheques
• Passport & relevant visa papers
• Flight ticket(s)
• Africa travel insurance policy
• Notebook & pen/pencil
• Your itinerary & Kilimanjaro operator contact numbers
• Emergency phone numbers
• Addresses and mobile numbers (postcards/e-mails/texts)
• Medical history
• Vaccinations certificates (e.g. yellow fever)
• Phone card and international access numbers
• Extra passport photos
• Copy of your passport, kept in a separate place than your passport (or scan a copy electronically and keep it in your e-mail box where you can access and print at an internet terminal)
• Back-up ID (e.g. driver’s license)

If applicable to you/optional -

• Kilimanjaro guide book – worth more to read prior to your trek
• International Youth Hostel card (depending on your type of trip and accommodation)
• Copy of marriage certificate, especially if you recently tied the knot
• Copies of prescriptions
• Business cards

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

The body of 52-year-old Joseph Bohlig, who fell into the crater of Mount St. Helens in Washington Monday when an ice shelf collapsed under him while having his photo snapped, has been recovered and airlifted.

According to this story from the Daily Mail, a Navy helicopter discovered Bohlig’s body on its second pass through the crater, although it was already partially covered with snow. It appears that he died of injuries sustained from the fall.

Bohlig had reportedly hiked to the top of Mount St. Helens 68 times, and was well-equipped with both gear and knowledge of the mountain. In what seems to be a cruel twist of fate, he took off some of his clothes and his backpack for the photo, so he fell 1,500 feet without most of his gear.

As Bohlig’s father says of the tragedy, at least Bohlig died doing what he loved. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

Donovan and others are leading 13 Mazamas up the Western Breach of Kilimanjaro this week. One of the climbers is blogging the expedition here and describes Sunday as follows:

We headed back up to the foothills where Donovan had lived. We saw the house where he lived and offered a hostel type environment to travelers. We then hiked around foothills for about 2-3 hours, seeing many Chagga, touring a school and church and several homes. Tonight we’ll have our preclimb meeting and check out equipment. Tomorrow we head off the Londorossi Gate to start the climb.

Good luck, guys!

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

If you haven’t seen the documentary Everest: The Other Side, you are missing out. And if you have, and loved it, then good news–there is more, and it is called The Rest of Everest.

In September 2007, the final episode from the 2003 expedition was released. The podcast began as a way to expand upon the story told in the film but has grown into an entity all it’s own. Since launching the podcast in 2006, Jon has returned to Everest twice to film more content specifically for the show. Another return visit is scheduled for Spring 2010. More recent episodes of the show also cover an entire expedition to Annapurna IV which Ben Clark and his climbing partners Josh Butson and Tim Clarke attempted in 2008. That “Beyond Everest” series brought the podcast back to its mountaineering roots.

The Rest of Everest is far more than a look into the alien world of high-altitude mountaineering. It is a look at the places, cultures, people, travelers and mountaineers that call the Everest region and the Himalayas home. Watch a few episodes and you’ll discover that the world portrayed in this series is hardly alien at all.

Sign Up

The famous Summit on the Summit project–consisting of more than 200 porters, guides, documentary crew members, and famous faces–has just released the trailer for the documentary’s much-anticipated March release. It looks well-filmed and well-edited, and I’m not naming names, but it also separates the strong-willed from the whiners. And yes, there are some whiners.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Fortunately for all, Alan Arnette has decided to weigh in, and the latest post to his blog provides tons of info on how the Supersuit actually works. It uses Aerogel, a hi-tech product Arnette describes as “warmer than down,” “breathable,” and “unbreakable.” It is such a good insulator, he says, that it “keeps hots things hot and cold things cold.” He also points out that there has been other gear on the market that have used Aerogel in the recent past; climber Anne Parmenter wore a pair of Aerogel socks on her Everest bid back in 2006, and her main complaint was said to be that the socks were too warm.

Sounds like the Supersuit may be worth a shot.

An astronaut at the International Space Station has apparently been granted permission to tweet some of his photos from outer space, and man oh man are they glorious. This one is of Mt. Kilimanjaro, in all her looming glory. It’s pretty cool how mountains can look more like footprints from so high above.

Meanwhile, Flight engineer Soichi Noguchi is now sending back images via his Twitpic account as the ISS orbits the Earth, and astronaut Jose Hernandez, who flew on the Shuttle Discovery mission STS-128, has also posted to Twitpic from his mission as well.

We lowly earthlings are lucky after all.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

The long-awaited PBS documentary Extreme Ice is out, and Wend blogger Kyle Cassidy is glowing so hot he’s at risk of contributing to global warming:

Documenting melting glaciers in the most remote corners of the planet is no small feat, but when that documenting is being led by professional nature photographer and all-around badass James Balog you just know it’s going to be good. But Balog’s new film, Extreme Ice (which you can watch for free here), is more than impressive. It’s incredible. I’m going to risk hyperbole here and go ahead and say that it could be one of the greatest environmental documentary achievements I’ve ever seen.

Go check it out now. You won’t be sorry.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

How’s this for inspiring? Climber Erica Davis, who has been paraplegic for four years, and her partner Tara Butcher, who has been a below-the-knee amputee for almost 5 years, have just reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The women are both athletic to begin with, but by raising awareness of how to stay strong through injuries that would bury most of us emotionally, these two are not just athletic, but heroes. The project is still open for donations.

Check out the trailer for the upcoming documentary being made on their climb here:

Through the Roof – TEASER from Captured Life Productions on Vimeo.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Enjoy our latest audio slideshow, this one with John Leary telling tales from his safari with Embark after climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.

We’re calling this eco-luxury. There are no TVs or AC, but there are ocean views from all rooms, as well as hammocks, ocean view showers and an open yoga studio.

Set just up from the ocean, the entire retreat is the best of jungle and beach. The retreat is a 30min boat ride from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and incorporates the best in local nature, a belief in enhancing and supporting the local community and a new type of adventure yoga retreat. Along with daily yoga sessions, there are options to take a trek into the jungle, horseback ride, whale watch, surf, fish and on and on.

There are four accommodation options ranging from a communal 8 bed/2 bath sleeper to bungalows going from comfy to chic. Pricing fluctuates depending on the season and accommodation options All of our week long retreats include three meals a day (vegetarian unless otherwise requested), accommodation, yoga, transportation from Puerto Vallarta and local tax.

100% natural Mexico, 100% wellness and conscious traveling, 100% yoga-adventure.

BD athlete Colin Haley wears a helmet camera during a solo ascent of Aguja Guillaumet in Patagonia from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo. According to The Adventure Blog, he plans to climb in Patagonia for three months, and has already taken on some of the peaks in the Fitzroy Group, with even more ambitious climbs ahead.

They came, they climbed, they conquered the 19,000 ft peak. Although they did not get to see Jessica Biel while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro (only 2 days ahead of them), Erik Jones, Shane “Hello Kitty” Kimzey, Paul Matuch, Mike “Johnny Mountain Sausage” Wigert and dog whisperer Tae Kwon Do expert Shawn Riley all made it to top of Africa’s highest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro. Thanks guys!

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Sixteen-year-old Aussie Jessica Watson reports from her sailboat, Ella’s Pink Lady, that her recent sunny spell ended in a bang. You have to read her blog post, written in the storm’s aftermath on Sunday, to get a real feel for what the teenager trying to become the youngest to circumnavigate has just survived:

We experienced a total of 4 knockdowns, the second was the most severe with the mast being pushed 180 degrees in to the water. Actually pushed isn’t the right word, it would be more accurate to say that Ella’s Pink Lady was picked up, thrown down a wave, then forced under a mountain of breaking water and violently turned upside down.

With everything battened down and conditions far too dangerous to be on deck, there wasn’t anything I could do but belt myself in and hold on. Under just the tiny storm jib, the big electric autopilot did an amazing job of holding us on course downwind, possibly or possibly not helped by my yells of encouragement! It was only the big rogue waves that hit at us at an angle (side on) that proved dangerous and caused the knockdowns.

The solid frame of the targa (the frame that supports the solar panels) is bent out of shape and warped, which provides a pretty good idea of the force of the waves. Solid inch thick stainless steel tube doesn’t exactly just bend in the breeze, so I think you could say that Ella’s Pink Lady has proven herself to be a very tough little boat!

With my whole body clenched up holding on, various objects flying around the cabin and Ella’s Pink Lady complaining loudly under the strain, it was impossible to know what damage there was on deck. It was a little hard at times to maintain my positive and rational thoughts policy, but overall I think I can say that the skipper held up us well as Ella’s Pink Lady. It was certainly one of those times when you start questioning exactly why you’re doing this, but at no point could I not answer my own question with a long list of reasons why the tough times like that aren’t totally worth it!

So in the middle of all the drama, back at home Mum received just about the worst phone call possible from the Australian Rescue Coordination Center (RCC), telling her that one of my EPIRBs (emergency signaling devices) had been activated. One of the knockdowns had caused the automatic EPIRB mounted under the dodger to turn on without me knowing. Luckily I called in only a few minutes later before anyone could really start to panic. I was pretty annoyed at the stupid thing for going off and giving everyone such a scare!

Leave it to Jessica to worry most about whether her mom is worried, and to work so hard and so well to maintain her “positive and rational thoughts policy.” Her latest post from today shows Jessica in high spirits after getting her stove working again, and reporting that she is flying across the Atlantic so fast she worries she might hit the finish line before she is ready to actually finish. What a resilient young woman. Seriously. Major props.

One of the most common questions for climbing Kilimanjaro is “Where do we go to the bathroom?” Unlike most outfitters, Embark has its own toilets to bring up and down the mountain. Now Embark has its own personalized toilets on Mt. Kilimanjaro, complete with its own signage in case you can’t find it.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

While on the surface this could be cool for travelers, critics argue the new airport, as well as the recently completed railway, allow China’s ethnic Han majority to more easily flood Tibet, exploit its resources, and consolidate political control. China argues it is helping raise the standard of living in the region.

Meanwhile, adventure travelers continue to trek–or in some cases kayak–their way through the mystical region:

Tibet Kayak Mission from Kayak TV on Vimeo.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour trailer is out! Check here for tour dates/locations (in Portland in April at REI). This collection of images is so inspiring; this is a festival you are not going to want to miss.

Climber Will Gladd heads to the island of Labrador off the east coast of Canada, finds himself a little ‘berg, and scrambles the fairly short way to the top. The 38-year-old tells National Geographic, “Soon after I jumped off this brittle, 10,000-year-old berg, a dump truck-size block broke off right where I’d been perched! We learned that mountain boys may well be out of their depths in the North Atlantic.”

Is this genius or incredibly dumb? You decide.

Good friend and intrepid adventurer Louis-Martin Guénette is demonstrating the new art of taking the “Embark” sign as far as you can on a recent trek to Mt. Hood.

Bring one yourself to wherever your travels take you, snap a photo for colorful evidence, and send it to us to enter into a yearly drawing for a variety of gifts we give away every year. Winners will also get 10 percent off their next Embark adventure. Dood. That’s some good savings.

I find this really hard to believe, as I can pick out four of my immediate neighbors that actually receive a copy of this magazine (and I don’t live in the nice part of town). All my friends, and colleagues read it, and yet for some reason it must not have been doing well. They approached me about one year ago to pay $900 per month to advertise in the back, in the tour operator section. Funny, the last issue of the magazine is still jam packed with big fancy advertisers, so I am not quite sure what happened here.

I have it admit, there was a side of National Geographic Adventure that I despised. It felt too commercial; it’s like every issue was paying homage to all their advertisers. I mean, c’mon guys, I know you want to sell magazines, but how many times do you have to publish “Top ten adventure towns” or “Top 10 adventures of the year,” or “Top 10 outfitters,” with lists of the companies that serve them. Maybe I am too much of a purist, or an idealist, but it got old quick. I thought National Geographic (the original magazine) was dedicated to “education, research and conservation” and not to making a bunch of money off selling ads to North Face.

Although this magazine closure is bad news for the adventure travel industry, there are still some good things to highlight. First, I was at a bookstore the other day, and saw that Lonely Planet launched a magazine. It looked interesting, and wasn’t your standard bag of trips.

Also, we have Wend magazine, which in my opinion is almost the perfection of an adventure travel magazine. It seems to be written by real adventure gurus, with long lengthy articles of substance. And, they don’t have stupid ads in the back promoting millions of destinations around the world, paid for by tourism boards. Wend rocks, and I hope it succeeds. It’s online edition is nice too.

Rest in peace Nat Geo Adventure. I am sure National Geographic Traveler will take up some of your slack.

All right people, it’s time to initiate daily check-ins with the Summit on the Summit crew. You may know that the project, spearheaded by Kenna, has joined forces with the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, amongst others, and is hoping to deliver clean drinking water to remote places all over the planet as people sponsor a foot of their climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro. With Kenna are rapper Lupe Fiasco, actors Jessica Biel and Emile Hirsch, and explorer Alexandra Cousteau, among others. Sure there’s some eye candy at play, but they still have to put one foot in front of the other like anyone else.

And they can’t fake it. Because Summit on the Summit is also a well-documented climb; the super-slick site is updated daily with information on each team member, listing heart rate, O2 level, and even the grade of the trail they are currently trekking. Talk about pressure to make it to the top. You can also follow via Twitter at @SOTSK.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

In one of her last snowshoe treks on Mt. Hood, Quebecer Marie-eve Sirois joins the staff of Embark for a classic Glade Trail snowshoe. We will miss Marie and hope she returns to Oregon again.

Photo by Lonnie Dupre

Polar explorer Eric Larson on Saturday reached the first of three major poles he plans to conquer in 2010 when he stood at the South Pole’s Amundsen-Scott Research Station. After 47 days of dragging gear-laden sleds across the Antarctic ice, Larsen and his two partners, Dongsheng Liu and Bill Hanlon, toured the research station at the far reaches of the planet only to realize that he recognized one of the workers as an old friend from Grand Marais, Minnesota, which Larson calls home. Check out his audio dispatch here.

Before the end of 2010, Larson also plans to stand on the North Pole and the summit of Mt. Everest. If he succeeds, he will be the first. Larsen will be writing a first-hand account of his journeys for the first issue of Wend magazine this year, whose headquarters, like Embark’s, are in Portland, Ore.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive travel guide, replete with top destinations, activities, and a great group of ideas for what to do where, check out Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2010, which will set you back just $10.

The travel guide’s top 10 countries for 2010 are El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Portugal, Suriname. Of course, we definitely agree with Nepal, but would likely add Tibet, Mongolia, Bolivia and probably Ethiopia to the top of our list. All of these are upcoming destinations for Emark.

The guide’s best value destinations for 2010 are Iceland, Thailand, London, South Africa, Malaysia, Mexico, India, Bulgaria, Kenya, and Las Vegas. Clearly, this is the Planet’s most egregious mistake, placing Kenya and Vegas in the same sentence, so we’ll just encourage you to visit both and decide for yourself.

Finally, next year’s best activities in the world according to LP include witnessing the total eclipse of the sun on June 11 from Easter Island; watching the FIFA World Cup soccer championship games in South Africa; making a pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Spain; attending the Olympics in Vancouver; and visiting the Pushkar Camel Fair in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, India. Here is where we’d have to note the unfortunate absence of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, not just because we’d like to take you there, but also because the summit’s glaciers are melting. It’s kind of like recommending going to Venice before it sinks, although not this week, as it is currently flooded.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Do you think this looks bad ass? Wait until you are holding it on the Western Breach of Kilimanjaro, on the remote river trip in Bhutan, or while on a wildlife safari in Botswana.

Also, if you send us a picture with your Embark banner, not only will you receive 10 percent off on your next trip, but you will also be entered into our annual giveaway.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

NOVA is airing a fantastic series this week on a scientific expedition up Mt. Kilimanjaro as researchers measure how quickly Mt. Kilimanjaro’s glaciers are melting. They are taking the same Western Breach route that Embark does. Tune in and visit the mountain’s six ecological zones, from steamy rain forests to the arctic summit, as scientists explain what can live where and how those six zones are changing due to climate change in general and the retreating glaciers more specifically:

Ecologically, Africa’s tallest peak is a world in miniature. On what other mountain can you journey from dry fields and farms into steaming jungles, then up through exotic heaths and moorlands to an alpine desert and finally a glaciated summit? Each of Kilimanjaro’s six distinct ecological zones has its own climate and coterie of flora and fauna. Beginning with the band of rain forest that girdles the mountain’s base starting at about 6,000 feet, this microcosmic Gaia gets gradually drier, cooler, and more inhospitable to plants, animals, and people as one ascends to the sparkling summit at 19,340 feet…. By the end, if nothing else, you’ll know what kinds of clothes you’d need to bring for an ascent (hint: all of them).—Peter Tyson

The series airs on Oregon Public Broadcasting Thursday, Dec. 17, at 11 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 20, at 4 a.m.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Mountaineer Mark Curran shares stories from his 2008 trip up Mt. Kilimanjaro. For more, check out our Kilimanjaro page.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

The search for two missing climbers is now in its third full day after the body of Luke T. Gullberg, who at 26 had climbed the 11,240-foot Mt. Hood six times, was recovered at 9,000 feet on Saturday. Due to what has been called extreme avalanche danger, the search has been limited to helicopter surveillance since Sunday morning, and the only climbers who set out early Sunday morning returned by 6:15 a.m. due to the poor conditions.

Gullberg, of Des Moines, Wash., was found on Reid Glacier after what looks like an apparently big fall. Gullberg was thought to be leading his friends Katie Nolan, 29, of Southeast Portland and Anthony Vietti, 24, of Longview, Wash. On Sunday, searchers took out a Black Hawk helicopter, a Civil Air Patrol fixed-wing aircraft, and a Coast Guard C-130 plane, but didn’t find a single sign of Nolan or Vietti. Prayer vigils have cropped up in Portland and other cities, as well as online.

Mt. Hood has claimed the lives of at least 18 people, a number that includes Gullberg, in the past decade. This time of year tends to present not only risk of avalanche, but falling into crevasses as well. The search-and-rescue mission is complicated by the fact that there are conflicting reports of the route the climbers planned to take, so the search net has had to be cast wider than usual.

Pen Hadow became the first person to complete a solo and unsupported trek to the North Pole in 2003.

Tarquin Cooper, writing for The Guardian, “charts the daredevils, never-say-die attitudes and disasters that came to define the people who pushed themselves to their limits and beyond during the past 10 years.” From trekking, climbing, skiing, motorcycling, sailing, and sledding to distant and dangerous destinations around the world, these are the icons of a new era in adventure travel.

Equally fascinating is the “misadventure” list, detailing disaster, tragedy, and controversy when expeditions didn’t quite go as planned:

2000 Peter Bray’s first attempt to cross the Atlantic in a 27ft kayak ends after he capsizes off Canada.

2001 Brian Milton’s attempt to recreate Alcock and Brown’s 1,800m direct flight across the Atlantic in a microlight crashes on take-off.

2002 A few days into their bid to row the Indian Ocean, Simon Chalk and Bill Greaves are shipwrecked after hitting a submerged object.

2003 Jennifer Murray, 63, and Colin Bodill, 54, narrowly escape death after crashing their helicopter in Antarctica.

2004 Frenchwoman Dominick Arduin disappears a day into her attempt to become the first woman to ski solo to the North Pole.

2005 Sir Ranulph Fiennes’s first attempt on Mt Everest fails after he suffers an angina attack, 300m from the summit.

2006 Huge controversy on Mt Everest as climbers are accused of walking past the dying climber, David Sharp.

2007 Roz Savage gives up her Pacific rowing attempt 10 days in, after stormy weather causes her boat to capsize three times in 24 hours, losing vital equipment.

2008 The British-built Vestas Sail Rocket becomes the fastest boat on water after nudging 50 knots, but then spectacularly crashes.

2009 Olly Hicks sets off from Tasmania to row around the world, but gives up three months later, after getting no further than New Zealand.

A single traverse is incredibly difficult – physically, mentally and logistically. A double amplifies the challenge…. To be clear what a double traverse entails, the climber starts from the north side, for example, climbs to the summit then, instead of returning to north base camp, continues to the south base camp. There they replenish their energy through excellent rest and food before the next phase in short order. They climb again, almost as a new expedition altogether, to the summit and continue to the original base camp. There is a reason it is rarely attempted and has never been done.

Climbers David Liano and Bill Burke have also told Arnette they plan to attempt a double traverse in 2010 as well. Good luck to all as they continue to push the limits of what is possible in the Himalayas.

Gadling has just released its top 10 adventure travel destinations for 2010, and we think they’re onto something with their number one choice: Nepal/Tibet/Bhutan. Here is the explanation:

Okay, so I lied when I said this list would include ten places for adventure travelers, but in my defense, when it came time to select a destination from the Himalaya, it soon became abundantly clear I couldn’t choose just one. The legendary mountain range is amongst the most breathtakingly beautiful places on Earth, offering great trekking opportunities, wild paddling expeditions, and the most challenging climbing trips anywhere. Throw in a healthy dose of unique culture and spiritualism, and you have the makings of a trip that can only be described as “life altering”. If any of that appeals to the adventurer inside of you, then you can’t go wrong with a visit to either Nepal, Tibet, or Bhutan. They each have their own unique appeal, and to visit any of them, you’ll have to go through Kathmandu, a city that is as eclectic and fascinating as the Himalaya themselves.

Check out our Asia page for trip details to Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan, where trekking, paddling, yoga, and more await.

Embark’s favorite new tented lodge for our Wildlife Safari in the Ngorongoro Crater is on the rim of the lush, dense Ngorongoro Crater shortly before reaching the Serengeti National Park. The Lhotia Valley Tented Lodge is doubly cool because it not only provides support to visiting adventurers, but also to its own community. Its “two hills, one goal” combines the Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge on one hill with the Rhotia Valley Children’s Home on the opposite hill. In their own words:

“At the lodge you can enjoy every comfort in a typical African atmosphere. With only 15 en-suite tented houses, it offers intimate charm and personal service. By staying at Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge, you directly contribute to the well-being of the children of the adjacent Children’s Home.”

Kayaking Metlako Falls – Headcam from Dave Hoffman on Vimeo.

Kayaker Dave Hoffman has just posted raw footage of his weekend kayak trip to Metlako Falls near Eagle Creek outside of Portland, Ore. There are plenty of videos floating around out there of kayakers taking this fall, but this is a unique view from Hoffman’s own perspective. If you’re wondering what’s going on at the bottom, the visor on his helmet broke and slammed into his face, and his spray skirt imploded. Hoffman writes, “I cannot wait to do it again.” Warning: This video is not for the faint-of-heart, or for kids who should not hear cursing.

Enter Tawang Chu Part: 1 from Ben Stookesberry on Vimeo.

Mountaineer and all-around adventure addict Ryan Waters, who got his feet wet, so to speak, in the Himalayas, is trekking to–and perhaps across–the South Pole. He’s in good hands with Norwegian mountaineer Cecilie Skog, who is the only woman in the world who has climbed the highest mountain on every continent. She’s also reached both the North and South Poles unsupported on skis. It’s a good thing the two have so much experience between them, because their current mission includes skiing more than 1,000 miles to traverse the world’s least-hospitable continent: Antarctica.

Follow Ryan and Cecilie on their Dispatch blog.

If you haven’t heard that Jessica Biel, Kenna, Alexandra Cousteau, and other celebs plan to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro in January, you’ve been spending too much time out in the wild. The Summit on the Summit project is a celebrity climb trying to raise awareness and money for the need to preserve clean drinking water by asking that people sponsor a foot of the 19,340-foot climb. Today the group releases a training video that is meant to be funny. Whether it succeeds is frankly beside the point; the group’s rallying behind a good cause, and they’re having to do more than walk a few hours to make it all happen.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

No distractions. This remote valley trek locked deep in the heart of the Annapurna range offers a profound interaction with a variety of landscapes and cultures. The region’s stark isolation provides a quiet existence ideal for combining trekking and yoga. Throughout the journey you will be accompanied by a Nepali trekking guide and a certified yoga instructor as you visit Muktinah (Muktinath in Hindi), one of the world’s 24 Tantric places and one of the Hindu Vaishnavas’ eight most sacred shrines.

Each day you will trek between tiny Nepali and Tibetan villages as you follow an ancient route used by pilgrims. This trail traverses a valley surrounded by several of the world’s tallest mountains, from Dhaulagiri (6th tallest) and Manaslu (7th tallest) to Annapurna I (10th tallest).

From a yoga session in a studio in Kathmandu to ashtanga under the wide-open Nepali sky, we will experience a full practice with meditation and pranayama, at one point poised atop an exposed plateau at 12,000 feet above sea level – a true pinnacle point for devoted yogis and newcomers alike.

Watch a video of the Nepal Trek.

NatGeo Adventure has posted a great piece on a pair of climbers helping archaeologists explore high-perched caves in the Mustang region of northern Nepal. Locals say they’ve seen old manuscripts fluttering out of one of the caves, but the altitude and nature of the rock made the task too daunting for anyone but the best to venture up.

“The challenges were daunting,” says Peter Athans, aka “Mr. Everest,” of scaling a set of crumbling cliffs—more mud than rock—for the benefit of science. “At times we were climbing what looked like overhanging drip sand castles. We’d kick at a feature that we thought was a massive boulder, only to watch it collapse and fall in a cloud of sand and dust.”

With special permission from the Nepalese government, Athans and climber Renan Ozturk fixed three-foot-long anchors deep into the crumbling walls. The going was slow: At one point, it took 14 hours to cover 328 feet. The duo eventually reached a series of tunnels and shafts, fixing a route inside the cliffs while dodging rockfall. “It was like climbing through a dust storm,” Ozturk says. After working their way to the top of the complex, the climbers traversed from one opening to the next and soon entered a large domed room littered with more than 8,000 ancient manuscript folios, the illuminated pages filled with images of pre-Buddhist Bön deities. “It was the first time in my career that I got to use climbing techniques for something other than mountaineering,” Athans says.

After the climbers lowered the manuscripts in rucksacks, at which point nearby monks did an initial cleaning, anthropologist Charles Ramble of Oxford determined that they date back to the 15th century. It looks like the region’s first kings actually practiced Bön, not just Buddhism, which is an unsettling discovery for the locals, who tend to consider Bön to be a primitive religion full of black magic.

Either way, hats off to the climbers, whose expertise was clearly essential in this impressive “rescue” mission.

Walking boots and sandals
A water & wind proof jacket
Synthetic T-shirts
A thick pullover fleece
Shorts
Synthetic Hiking Pants
Thermal underwear
Water bottle
Warm socks(wool)
Pocket knife (Swiss army knife)
Flashlight with spare batteries
Extra bootlaces
Sunglasses
Sun lotion
Personal medical supplies
Small Towels
Day bag (for yourself) and rucksack or duffel bag (for porter)
Down jackets, sleeping bags (on your request, we provide)
Warm hat
Large plastic bag to line duffel

It is not necessary to buy anything in advance. It is possible to rent and buy many of the items in Kathmandu – for very cheap – as there many trekking equipment shops. If you do not like carrying sleeping bags long distances, you can find many of them here, both new and used.

Office Visit $59.00
Vaccine Administration, first vaccine $19.00
Vaccine Administration, each additional $9.00
Hepatitis A – Adult $79.99
Hepatitis B – Adult $89.99
Influenza $34.99
Meningococcal Meningitis $134.99
Pneumococcal $59.99
Polio $54.99
Rabies ?
Tetanus $39.99
Typhoid Injection $69.99
Yellow Fever $109.99

Ultimately the choice is yours on what vaccinations you should, and should not take before entering East Africa. Remember, you will need proof of Yellow Fever. While it’s always smart to error on the side of being safe, it’s smart to do your research to determine if you really need all the recommended shots.

Of course, whether you should try any of these feats at home is up for debate. Just last night a 40-year-old skydiver from Boston fell to his death in a wingsuit; his name has yet to be released.

National Geographic has posted this amazing point-of-view footage of Andrew Master from Rivers in Demand as he kayaks the eighth longest river in the world (2,920-ish miles). The swells are so big it looks like Master is battling an ocean. Be sure to watch to the end of the two-minute video; the kids who cheer his return to shore have got to be the best kind of finish line around.

If current conditions continue, experts say the glaciers that line the uppermost reaches of Mt Kilimanjaro will be gone in just 20 years, reports Azadeh Ansari for CNN.

“In a very real sense, these glaciers are being decapitated from the surface down,” reports Lonnie Thompson, professor of earth sciences at Ohio State University. Thompson is co-author of a study on Kilimanjaro published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Previous studies of Kilimanjaro’s glaciers have relied on aerial photographs to measure the rate of the retreating ice. For this survey, scientists climbed Kilimanjaro and drilled into the glaciers to measure the volume of the ice fields atop the 19,331-foot peak. Kilimanjaro’s ice cover shrank by 1 percent a year from 1912 to 1953, then jumped to 2.5 percent a year from 1989 to 2007. Since 2000, Kilimanjaro’s three remaining ice fields shrunk by 26 percent, scientists found.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

A group of Embark’s clients are getting ready for their adventure climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain. We recently received a spoof picture from one claiming that he was getting his gear ready for the mountain. Check this guy out! This is exactly the gear you should not bring on the mountain. Cotton kills! No Leather. You might want to bring the hat and the whip though.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Trailspace.com is publishing a four-part series on how to plan for, and conquer, long-distance hiking. While the first article focuses on a few of the monster trails in the US, the advice–based on input from hundreds of trekkers–applies to just about any long-distance situation. In addition to this video of a family that hiked the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail over six months in 2004, highlights include:

* Get by on as little gear as possible
* Train regularly, and with extra weight
* If you plan to travel alone, train alone

Meanwhile, Kiwi adventurer Malcolm Law is about to set out on his 7 in 7 challenge in New Zealand: Hiking 223 miles of trail (7 of New Zealand’s Great Walks) in just 7 days. He says he plans to “make pain my friend.” Good cause, good goal. Happy trekking, Mal!

Today we’ve found something different, but like all places rarely explored by humans, we thought it worth a nod.

Adam H. Graham reports for Travel + Leisure Magazine on the world’s creepiest abandoned places, from vacant medical hospitals (like the above one in Norway) to sunken villages and derelict amusement parks.

“Young creatives have made a hobby out of photographing derelict and discarded buildings and uploading the images to sites like Abandoned-places.com and Weburbanist.com, along with Flickr’s numerous user groups, like Abandoned Motels, Abandoned Sweden and Best of Abandoned. The most popular group, simply called Abandoned, has 20,000-plus members and remains a go-to source for those looking to find new terrain.”

Check out the slideshow here.

National Geographic Adventure reports on a cool new find:

An inflatable wing—part balloon, part paraglider—used in skiing or snowboarding to extend jumps, ease landings, and pull off absurd leaps over crevasses and ravines. “It feels almost as if you are on the moon,” says Laurent de Kalbermatten, 53, the Woopy’s creator. “You are weightless, like Peter Pan.” Though the Woopy is not yet available in the United States and is still in development for commercial sale, there are two “Woopy Parks” in Switzerland, the wing’s homeland, for test runs. There’s also a Woopy-Fly glider, for making Woopy in the summertime (woopyjump.com). ~Anne Hay

Whether Laurent de Kalbermatten knows what the moon feels like was not reported, but we’re going to trust him on this one.

Jessica Watson, 16, has set sail after a few false starts, including this widely-reported yacht collision on Sept. 9. The Australian left out of Sydney on Sunday, and hopes to achieve two goals: be the youngest person ever to circumnavigate (breaking the record set last year when 17-year-olds Zac Sunderland and Mike Perham circumnavigated as well), and doing it in just 10 months.

Jessica is sailing a 33-foot yacht, which she calls Ella’s Pink Lady, and is already reporting via her blog good winds and pleasant weather. She plans to head northeast toward New Zealand, past Fiji and Samoa, then out into the great Pacific before steering south to navigate beneath Cape Horn. From there she passes the Falkland Islands and the Cape of Good Hope, and then through the notoriously choppy waters of the Southern Ocean before steering back into Sydney. She sleeps on deck in brief spurts while having to navigate (aka dodge) the big ships, which she’ll soon be able to more easily avoid in the open waters of the Pacific.

Good luck, Jessica! May you have not only the physical strength necessary for such a rigorous journey, but the mental stamina, as well.

Adventure Travel Trip Types

• Travel Culture – Adventure Travel Company, Climbing, Treks, Tours
• Adventure Travel Expeditions – Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, Nepal, Bhutan, Tanzania
• Safaris – Tanzania Safaris, Kenya Safaris, Safari Adventure Tours
• Treks & Trekking – Nepal Treks, Bhutan Trekking, Trekking Tours
• White Water Rafting – White Water River Rafting Tours

Adventure Travel Destinations

• Africa Adventure Tours – Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania Safaris, Kenya Safaris
• Americas Adventure Trips – Oregon River Rafting, Costa Rica Tours, Mexico
• Asia Adventure Travel – Nepal Trekking, Bhutan Trek Tours
• Adventure Wildlife Safari – Wildlife Safaris, Tanzania Safaris, Kenya Safaris
• Annapurna Circuit – Nepal Trekking
• Best of Kenya Safari – Kenya Safaris
• Chomolhari Trek – Bhutan Trekking, Bhutan Treks
• Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro – Mt. Kilimanjaro Climbing Tours
• Costa Rica Multi Sport – Hike, Bike, Raft
• Crater Highlands Trek – Tanzania Trekking
• Culture & Wildlife Safari – Tanzania Wildlife Safaris
• Cycle Around Kilimanjaro – Mt Kilimanjaro Trip
• Deschutes River Rafting – Oregon River Rafting Trips
• Eclectic Morocco – Morocco Adventure Trip
• Everest Base Camp – Mt Everest Base Camp Trip
• Ganden to Samye Trek – Tibet Trek Tours
• Goat Rocks Traverse – Oregon Mountain Climbing
• Island Peak – Nepal Expeditions, Nepal Trekking
• Mera Peak – Nepal Trekking, Nepal Trek Trip
• Mexican Volcanoes – Mexican Adventure Travel
• Mt. Hood Snowshoe – Oregon Snowshoe Trip
• Mt Kailash – Mt Kailash Trek Tours
• Oregon Coast Bike Adventure – Oregon Bike Tours
• Owyhee River Rafting – Oregon River Rafting Trip
• Rogue River Rafting – Oregon White Water Rafting
• Sun Kosi River Rafting – Nepal River Rafting
• The Great Himalaya Trail – Nepal Trekking Tours, Nepal Treks
• Uganda Rafting & Gorilla Trek – Adventure Trekking

While Embark organizes the classic treks, it also is planning to start exploring the Humla region of Nepal, which has a great access to Mt Kaliash in Tibet.

While Embark organizes the classic treks, it also is planning to start exploring the Humla region of Nepal, which is a great access to Mt Kaliash in Tibet.

When J.J. Kelly and Josh Thomas met on the Appalachian Trail back in 2003, they ended up spending three months trekking those blue mountains together, and ultimately decided to plan an extravagant–and this time intentional–crossing of paths down the, er, river. What ensued promises to make for one of the best adventure films of the year.

Paddle to Seattle chronicles the adventures of these talented but let’s admit it, also lucky, friends as they paddled their way down from Alaska to Seattle in handmade wooden Pygmy kayaks. Three months and more than 1300 miles of some of the most remote terrain in North America later, the two braved all sorts of conditions, mishaps, and general raucousness suitable for this kind of adventure, which has been brilliantly edited into what Paddler Magazine calls “80 minutes of the best feature film about paddling produced in the last decade.” It’s their loss to not have made it just a bit further south to the brilliant paddling waters of Oregon, but still, we’re all very, very jealous.

Adventure Travel Websites & News

• Adventure Blog – Adventure Travel Blog, Climbing, Trekking, Safaris, Expeditions, Rafting
• Gordon’s Guide
• www.adventuretravelbudget.com
• Check out..
  
• Alpine Adventure Club Treks & Expedition – Nepal – An eco-friendly, socially responsible, travel and trekking company specializing in Trekking, Expedition, Rafting, Jungle Safari, Sightseeing and Cultural Tours, Hotel Reservation, Air Ticketing and all type of Adventure Packages in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and India.
• Uniquetreks.com

Outdoor Life and Activities

• Peak To Peak

Travel

• Travel Forum and Travel Blog – The premier online travel forum! – All Travel Talk | the premier online travel and vacation site. Find great places to travel to for vacation and more, plus a travel forum and directory
• Travel Links Directory – Hotels Flights Destinations – Directory of travel related web sites with links to – flights hotels vacations destination guides travel agents agencies and travel information.
• www.davestravelcorner.com – Founded 1996, offers travel articles, photos, links, classifieds, message boards & much more. California, USA & International destinations.
• Tours.com – The WorldWide Directory of Tours & Vacations
• 1 Travel Directory – Worldwide Travel Links
  Comprehensive Travel Directory provide quality travel site listing. Free submit to world wide travel business directory. Human editor reviews with search engine friendly.
• itravelnet.com Destination Travel Guide – Worldwide travel and tourism information destination guides.
• www.traveljunkies.com – traveljunkies – directory and guide to the best value adventure travel, activities & accommodation worldwide.
• http://globenavigation.com/
• Travel Directory
• www.letusexplore.com – www.letusexplore.com is an internet travel information site for all your travel needs, let it be country guides, city guides or any other travel information, Travelers can get all the information about accommodations in hotels, budget hotels, hostels, B&Bs and also their official contact details.
• HQ Travel Directory – Categorized online travel directory.
• Headingthere.co.uk – A travel community where travelers can share their experiences and personal recommendations. The site focuses on promoting hidden gems and helping small local businesses to connect with travelers to offer them unique and authentic travel experiences.
• Touristpick.com
• Travel Guide – Travel Resource Directory, Worldwide Trip Guide and Service.
• Recommended by Simonseeks.com
• Travel Agents Santa Clara – For Personalized service call Let’s Travel Vacation planners.

Friends of Embark

• ENRG Kayaking
• Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project
• Mazamas

Africa

• www.claudioustours.com – For wildlife safaris, cultural tours, and hotels in Africa, photographic tours in Kenya, game safaris in Tanzania, budget camping holidays in East Africa, luxury vacations in Uganda, beach tours in Kenya and Tanzania, Mt Kilimanjaro, Southern Africa Travel and other Africa Holiday Packages
• Travel Directory of Africa – free online catalog of relevant and useful web sites. Free submit a site to Africa web directory and link exchange.
• Tour To Kenya – offers online booking for tours to Kenya. With information on tourist attractions in Kenya. safaris in Kenya and Kenya tours, you can choose from the different varieties of tours available on Tour To Kenya. Whether you want to book a beach safari, adventure safari or wildlife safari you can find it on Tour To Kenya.
• Overland Travel Africa Adventure Directory – Overland Africa Truck-Travel, East-Africa & S.Africa Safari, Couch Tours, West-Africa Cultural Trips, Gorilla Trek, Beach Holidays
• Safaris in Tanzania – Kilimanjaro – Zanzibar – Tanzania Adventure – we offer tailor made private Safaris in East Africa for the discerned traveler, Kilimanjaro climbs and Zanzibar holidays.
• African Travel Gateway – Offers African safaris and tours in Southern and East Africa including accommodation, adventure tours, car rental and more.
• Safaris Kenya Tanzania – An African vacation shall always be an interesting and rewarding experience with us as your ultimate guide. We know the bush and the African wild, we have been there and will take you there.

Asia

• Mount Everest The British Story – For all information concerning the British on Mount Everest, we will provide the answers to many questions. From their first expedition to those of today, you will find a comprehensive history, list of summiteers, amazing facts, a gallery and much more.
• Dubai travel guide – Tourism and travel guide, find the best of Dubai.
• Travel to Vietnam with Viet Value Travel – Vietnam local expert in offering Vietnam travel packages, family vacation or honeymoon holiday. Booking hotels in Vietnam is also available. Travel services taken care by professional staffs at most prompt service 24/7.
• Nepal trekking, trekking in Nepal, Nepal trek, Everest base camp trekking Nepal – Nepal Hiking Team offers affordable packages for Nepal trekking including Everest base camp trekking, Annapurna base camp trekking, Manaslu trek, Langtang treks and more.
• Nepalclimbing.com
• Nepal Trekking – Explore Himalaya Travel & Adventure – Nepal trekking, mountain climbing, Himalayan Expeditions, overland tour, mountain biking, cultural tour, wildlife safari, adventure holidays in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, and Indian Himalayas.
• Adventure Travellers Club – Professional and courteous travel agents to assist with the planning of your next trip, It provides highly comprehensive travel and tour support for local and international guests while creating culturally appropriate and environmentally sensitive travels on the reasonable price for your itinerary in the majestic Himalayas of Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and India. http://www.nepaltravellers.com

Europe

• Berlin travel guide – Travel guide to Berlin, tourist information, hotels and maps.
• Greece – Travel guide with information about the popular destinations in mainland Greece and the Greek islands.
• http://www.globetrotters.co.uk

Misc.

• Link tracker

Dave Watson navigates Broad Peak at 23,000 feet by skis.

Stephen Regenold has a great story in the Star Tribune on the world’s first attempt to ski down K2 this past August.

“It’s essentially skiing down a climbing route,” says skier Dave Watson of K2’s infamous Bottleneck Couloir, the crux section on the mountain’s freefalling southeast face. Watson, a ski guide and climber who has twice made it to the summit of Mount Everest, guides high-altitude ski trips in India’s Kashmir region and considers skiing an overlooked and important tool in conquering the world’s giant peaks.

For more about Watson’s feat, and to see pictures of his stunning descent, check out k2tracks.com.

Ama Dablam

Climber Alan Arnette writes about two almost-8,000-meter peaks in the Himalayas: Ama Dablam and Pumori:

“When people think of climbing in the Himalaya, almost everyone thinks of Mt. Everest. But the post-monsoon period of Fall is difficult on Everest with higher winds, more snow plus ever-shorter and colder days so many commercial companies turn to the lower and slightly logistically easier Cho Oyu, Manaslu and Shishapangma as their primary Fall 8000m expeditions. However, two other peaks, not in the 8000m club, come into focus: Ama Dablam and Pumori. With easy access completely contained within Nepal, these climbs offer something for everyone, including extreme danger.”

Not up for the “extreme” danger aspect of these summits? Consider Ana Dablam and Pumori as just two more breathtaking reasons to trek in the Himalayas….

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

If you haven’t been following Wired contributor Brendan Ross‘ masochistic mission to live in airports and planes for a month-long stretch, you are missing out. After 50 flights, Ross finally admits to fatigue.

“I’m really tired. Not tired of the trip, or flying, or anything like that, which surprises me. I fully expected that by this point I’d be fostering an unhealthy animosity towards all things related to aviation, picking fights with ticketing agents and leaving half eaten sandwiches in seatback pockets. But somehow it just hasn’t happened yet.”

It hasn’t been all bad. Ross did get to crash-land a jet airliner, after all. But even taking the time to glance at his Google Maps flight tracker, all domestic, is exhausting. Being a frequent flyer has never looked so tedious and tiring. But still, it’s a bizarrely fun blog to follow, much in the way we have trouble not staring down car crashes as we drive past.

Gbenga Akinnagbe, who plays Chris Partlow in The Wire, has just published a travel piece in The New York Times on his journey through the Annapurna Circuit to climb Thorong La (17,769 feet).

It’s a great read, and includes such amusingly (on reflection) discoveries as the water bottle conundrum: “Sitting down for a break, I pulled out a one-liter bottle of water wedged in the webbing of my backpack. Frozen solid. I could not believe it. But then again, I could.”

Or the cold, hard truth about the last push to the summit: “Whenever I was short of breath, I hyperventilated and I slowed even more. I felt like the dying son of Krypton, desperately waiting the return of the Earth’s sun to give me my strength back. Adding to my distress, Tim and Diana teased me about my slow pace.”

But my favorite observation (spoiler alert) is his discovery upon reaching the top: “For the longest time, competition was the engine that allowed me to succeed. It was a loud engine, however, and my mind was always running. But at that moment, I felt a stillness and peace, and I realized that those could be a more powerful inspiration.”

After the summit, Maloney’s team descended to one of their prepared high camps to rest after a long day at altitude. Reportedly he told one of the other climbers: “I am the happiest man in the world. I just climbed a beautiful mountain.” He then crawled into his sleeping bag for the night, and never awoke. Maloney is survived by several women–his wife, mother, sister, and two daughters.

Cho Oyu, perched a dozen miles west of Mount Everest and often considered the softest of the world’s 14 8,000-meter peaks to climb, is the sixth tallest in the world at 26,906 feet. Maloney’s family is working to get Clifton’s body down the mountain; due to his age and the extreme altitude, he most likely suffered from cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. According to this table, Maloney will be considered the 42nd person to ever die on Cho Oyu.

The only downside to the entire climb was the sheer volume of mosquitoes located in the forest. Once we were above the timberline, we were fortunate to have peace. We slept just off the road near the base, and started early in the morning. Round trip, I think it took us about 10 hours.

Diamond Peak

What’s he up to today? In his own words: “We’re testing and putting the finishing touches on the winch—a self-tailing sailing winch that will allow me to climb a fixed rope. An alternate chain will attach my cranks to the winch. Through pedaling, I will pull the rope towards me, effectively moving myself up the mountain. The loose surface will matter less as I roll along the top instead of digging in with the back wheels.”

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

We just added to two recent videos of our adventures in East Africa – one on safari, and the other climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro!

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Here is a group of clients who climbed Africa’s highest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro. We profiled their multi-day adventure.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

Here is a group of Masai performing a traditional dance for our clients who were on safari in the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania.

If you are interested in a company that offers Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro Tours, please contact Embark, or visit our Kilimanjaro Tours section for more information.

During down time, take a rest from the saddle with your feet in the sand, or snap shots of the gorgeous lighthouses that rise up out of the rocky ravines, or sip on a rich cup of espresso as you explore the quaint beach towns that even native Oregonians know little about. This is truly an insider’s view of paradise, and your legs will be all the happier – and healthier – for taking it.

Named in the early 1820s as an alternate spelling of Hawai’i, from which three trappers had come to explore the uncharted waters, Owyhee River played temporary host to gold diggers in 1863 but has very few living along any stretch of it now, in spite of its beauty rivaling the far more touristy Grand Canyon. As such, the stretch of the river in southeastern Oregon near the Idaho border is an untouched, rarely visited gem in the region’s semi-desert. Navigate Class III rapids while scoping out the region’s extreme biodiversity, from bobcats and mountain lions to antelope, bighorn sheep, and even wild horses. And steal rare glimpses of Badlands-like moonscape terrain, where sandstone spires jut out of rare rock and clay, their burnt golds and ambers a rare display of nature looking painted.

With Class III rapids, enjoy the thrill of rising and falling through some of Oregon’s most lush forest while learning about the region’s rich past, home to Native Americans, gold prospectors, explorers and trappers alike. Rogue River rapids are world-famous, with sections like Blossom Bar, Wildcat, and Rainey Falls providing the perfect adrenaline rushes to color the calmer floating in between. But the adventure is not just on the water. Explore sandy beaches, hike to Kelsey Creek, and stay on the lookout for bald eagles, heron, deer, bears, and turtles along the way.

Whether you’re looking to bring the kids or just feel like one again, Oregon’s Rogue River is waiting for you.

El Pico de Orizaba, also known as Chitlalcotepetl, or “Star Mountain” (18,850 feet), soars out of a cluster of jagged volcanoes perched in the heart of Mexico about 800 miles south of the US border, not far from the historic city of Puebla. This is one of the few truly first-rate volcanoes so close to the US, an excellent opportunity to travel fewer hours, spend fewer pesos, bypass fewer crevasses, and yet still reap the benefits of going for the summit of a lifetime.

Ease into the journey in the shelter of a quaint rainforest lodge before venturing past the edges of the jungle and into the region’s unparalleled beauty, its waterfalls, plants, and tangled ravines lit up by the strong equatorial light of the sun fighting its way down to the forest floor. After several days of exploring by foot, raft the riveting Reventazon and Pacuare Rivers, the sounds of the jungle in full stereo effect as it travels past wild flora and reaches the riverfront. At the base of Arenal Volcano, ditch the rafts in favor of bikes and navigate the awesome lava fields.

The trip culminates with a guided tour through Cloud Forest Reserve, a bird watcher’s mecca. Don’t miss the waterfalls, a butterfly garden, suspended bridges that soar about the tree line, and one of the most exhilarating canopy zip lines around.

The Goat Rocks, named after the many mountain goats that inhabit the region, comprise the core of the Goat Rocks Wilderness that lies between Mount Adams and Mount Rainier. Trek through the flowers that color the low meadows of Snowgrass Flats; traverse giant glaciers packed with snow even in the heat of summer; and dare to dip your toes in the chilly blue streams that rush down from the high ridge line as you take in the spectacular scenery that stretches out before you.

Prepare yourself to experience the bush of Africa in its raw, uncensored entirety as you become increasingly attached to the litter of lion cubs by the minute, your heart races for the wildebeest desperately fleeing the leopard, your mind rushes to comprehend the skillful tactics of the wild dogs and your stomach aches from laughter at the hilarious antics of the meerkat.

The unpredictable adventure of tracking and observing Africa’s wildlife will quickly develop into a lifestyle that you’ll want to permanently adopt. Hot tea and warm bites early in the morning await in the wildlife lodge, as you watch the savannah unveil itself in the rising sun; – and sun-downers drinks at sunset will close the day that you never want to end. It won’t stop there, though, as you hear lions roar in the distance and drift off to sleep you’ll be dreaming of what is in store for the next day.

Throughout the trek portion of the trip, peer into the lives of not only the magnificent gorillas, but also leopards, buffalo, elephants, some 1,000 species of birds – the list goes on. As you make your way up from lush lowlands along the colorful shoreline of Lake Victoria, plunge into the white rapids of the White Nile and soon run your fingers through the warm, green pools of calm as you pass the magical line of the equator. This is truly the experience of a lifetime.

Between exciting tours through the Imperial Cities of Fez and Marrakech, explore the edge of the Sahara Desert, stay in a Bedouin tent amid the ruins, ride a camel into sunset, climb or hike the Todra Gorge, sample some of the world’s best-spiced meat and vegetarian dishes in a Berber family’s home, and bargain for deals in the covered markets that border Morocco’s myriad palaces and tombs.

Don’t be alarmed if, while watching the snake charmers, acrobats, and storytellers throughout this region, you forget it is the 21st – and not the 12th – century. This is possibly the most eclectic adventure traveling the world over – a journey to stop dreaming about and finally realize.

The Crater Highlands rise from the edge of the Great Rift Valley, boasting world-famous peaks such as Oldeania, Empakaai, Ngorongoro, and the still active Ol Doinyo Lengai (“Mountain of God”), a unique volcano whose lava is so much cooler than most that it appears black instead of the typical molten red. With the trek culminating in a summit of this mythical feature, view Lengai’s many sister craters that rise up out of the colorful tropical highlands that stretch out as far as the eye can see.

This 22,000-foot peak has the world traveler’s dream distinction of being both the most sacred mountain in the world as well as the least visited. It rises up out of far western Tibet in a landscape that is at once cold, desolate, and mind-bogglingly beautiful. The few thousand pilgrims who make the trek to the base of Mt Kailash each year are true adventurers, no question about it.

Without planes, trains, or buses coming close to the mountain, the mere approach is a rare opportunity for Westerners to blend in with pilgrims from every corner of the world. Mt Kailash is often called Mt. Meru, and is considered to be the birthplace of the entire planet. According to Hindu legend, Kailash is home to the immortal Shiva, who passes his days practicing yoga, making love to his divine partner Parvati, and smoking ganja. (This is not mere Western whimsy!) For a Hindu, to reach Mt Kailash and see Shiva’s home is to attain release from the clutches of ignorance and delusion. The mountain is sacred to other religions as well, including Jains and Tibet’s pre-Buddhist Bon followers.

The Tibetan word for pilgrimage, “neykhor,” literally translates to “circling around a sacred place,” because the travel itself is of more value than the destination. This is one reason Kailash is a mountain to be circumnavigated, not summitted. Even without climbing the peak, enjoy breathtaking views of Lake Manasarovar and, not too far in the distance, the gigantic Gurla Mandata. Expect to encounter several wary pilgrims, as Buddhist legend holds that one achieves nirvana by circling Kailash 108 times – quite a feat given the circumference is 53 kilometers.

With great views to the south of Everest, Mera Peak dominates the watershed between the forested valleys of Hinku and Hongu Drangkas. This classic ridge climb is technically straightforward, with a final push for the summit from the Mera Glacier and up to the higher Western summit, and rewards with some of the most stunning views in Nepal, as well as an easy descent to Tangnag.

This trip involves strenuous trekking, but requires no mountaineering experience as you navigate the cool shadows of bamboo forests up into cedar groves and thick conifers. From the higher-altitude meadows, take in close-up views of a variety of birds, herds of blue sheep and musk deer, and dozens of snow-covered peaks looming above, including Chomolhari, Gangchenta, Tserimgang, and Masagang. Make your way past meditation caves carved out of steep yellow cliffs, traverse ancient stone staircases, and slip past untouched waterfalls. Even when you are not alone in wilderness, the daily life of the highly spiritual Bhutanese will entrance: Watch the spinning of prayer wheels, listen to the murmur of mantras, and feel the glow of butter lamps that light up the gentle faces around you. Bhutan, Land of the Thunder Dragon, is a place of true serenity and unadulterated charm.

Visit the monasteries and shrines in the capital city Lhasa before venturing out into the high passes and secluded valleys that boast an ancient beauty still largely untouched by the modern world. This 5-day trek connects two of the country’s most important monasteries, Ganden and Samye, combining – with the help of yaks and local guides – the exploration of historical sites with the calm retreat into one of the planet’s most solitary high-altitude deserts.

After a three-hour drive from Kathmandu, put in among the region’s breathtaking high mountains. As you meander through varying levels of rapids (starting with class 3) and camp at night along the river around slow-burning driftwood, eventually descend into open valleys, past richly diverse tree-lines, and through some of the world’s quaintest, most remote villages. The final stretch takes you to Chatara, a busy town in the heart of vast, open plains.

The Sun Kosi River trip is one of the few in the world that combines the high-intensity focus and teamwork of navigating exhilarating rapids with the peaceful solitude that can only accompany such stunning scenery – a truly fantastic combination of ingredients out of which to build friendships to last a lifetime.

Embark specializes in custom adventure travel – each group typically has a unique itinerary, works with us on their itinerary, and picks the dates of their travel. Sometimes we have pre-planned depature dates, which you can locate on the trip page.

Embark Adventures is always working toward two main priorities, developing trips that are both active and cultural, with an extreme focus on interacting with local communities and breaking down cultural barriers. Every year Embark adds new adventure travel destinations to our list, continually expanding and refining the most life-changing trips in the world. In the coming months, we will introduce a host of new trips to exotic locales in Mongolia, Columbia, India and more.

What sets Embark apart from the rest:

EXPERIENCE
We are a team that lives and breathes travel; we know what our clients want, and as such we see them as travelers, not tourists. We have organized hundreds of adventures around the world, focusing on destinations we know and understand. Ask us for some of our references.

HANDCRAFTED TRIPS
Lots of companies provide region-standard trips; Embark goes above and beyond. We organize unique itineraries along the roads less traveled, designing adventures that allow our travelers to be pioneers and really get inside the head of a place.

LEADERSHIP
We focus on finding and training the best guides in the industry, with specialists who are prominent in several fields – mountain guides, historians, archaeologists, cultural anthropologists, and much more.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
First and foremost, we believe in paying fair wages and supporting the people and the environments where we travel. We believe in the places we travel, and invest money back into these communities, supporting local nongovernmental organizations such as the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project in Tanzania.

Embark is not just a company – it is a philosophy.