Experts in Less-Traveled Regions of Russia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe

If you're eager to visit less-explored places in Russia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, the imaginative and award-winning trips offered by MIR may be for you. The company's president founded the company after traveling to Russia on a goodwill volleyball tour during the Cold War.

Today, the trips are designed so adventurous and curious travelers discover what they share in common with people in other countries by visiting with locals and sharing experiences, as well as touring. MIR offers dozens of intriguing tours, including ones that were listed on National Geographic Traveler's? annual "Tours of a Lifetime" lists.

Photo courtesy of MIR Corporation

View the original article here

Sweepstakes: Fiji, a Galapagos Cruise, Gear for Your Next Adventure

What are the odds of you winning a trip to Fiji, a cruise to the Galapagos Islands, or great gear for your next hike, bike or backcountry trip? Somebody has to win these contests, so why don't you enter the latest round of contests and sweepstakes for adventure travelers.

View the original article here

Free Adventure Travel & Gear

Adventure travel contests, sweepstakes and giveaways are a route used by many adventure travel companies, and companies that make adventure travel gear, to get you visit their Web sites. Almost every week or two, a new contest or sweepstakes giving the winner a free trip or gear that can be used during adventures, pops up on the Web.

Whether you're entering a sweepstakes or a contest (which may require action such as creating a video showing why you should win), some demographic information may be required and your email address will be required. Increasingly, you may be asked to sign up on the company's Twitter or Facebook pages. Usually, there's a line asking if you want to have free email newsletters mailed to you. On some sites, the box is already checked, so you must un-check it if you don't want to receive newsletters.

Read the contest or sweepstakes rules carefully before you click "Enter." The rules may exclude certain states, be allowed only in certain countries, and may have a minimum age limit. Be sure to check the time of day the contest ends.

CONTEST FOR ADVENTURE TRAVEL: Angry Bird's Asian Challenge With Finnair Angry Bird is one of the current hot phone apps, and Finnair is going to take the birds' best fans on a ride from Finland to Singapore. During the flight, fans will be playing the Angry Birds Asian Challenge.

Enter here

Enter By Sept. 12, 2011

CONTEST FOR ADVENTURE TRAVEL: Eight-Day Cruise to the Galapagos Islands

The Banff Mountain Book and Film Festival in conjunction with World Expeditions is giving away an eight-day cruise to the Galapagos Islands.

Enter here

Enter By Oct. 15, 2011

Learn more about Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival

CONTEST FOR ADVENTURE TRAVEL: Seven-Night Trip to Fiji

Fiji Waters has a contest with a grand prize of a seven-night luxury trip to the all-inclusive Turtle Island Resort in Fiji, with business class airfare courtesy of Air Pacific. Other winners will get a two-night getaway with luxury hotel amenities to Chicago, Miami or Los Angeles. Additional runner-up prizes include free FIJI Water Delivery Service for one year or FIJI Water gift bags.

Enter here

Enter By Oct. 31, 2011

Contest for Adventure Travel Gear: Women's Adventure Travel Magazine Women's Adventure Magazine often runs contests for great gear. The current list of giveaways includes a range from a Marmot Angelfire sleeping bag and a pair of Brooks Ghost shoes to a Fisher Hydration pack.

Enter here

Enter By November 30, 2011

Learn more about Women's Adventure Magazine

More Tips to Find Free Adventure Travel

Packaged and custom adventure travel trips with tour operators aren't free, of course, but there are lots of adventures you can enjoy and sample for free. Are you looking for tips and ideas about where to find an event or store where you can demo sports equipment free, or ski or snowboard without buying a lift ticket? Would you like to know how to snag a free trip? Visit Free Adventure Travel Tips.

View the original article here

Travel With Gap Adventures

Gap Adventures has again been recognized by National Geographic Traveler in the magazine's 2011 "Tours of a Lifetime" list. For seven consecutive years, National Geographic magazine has selected a Gap Adventures tour as one of its "25 Best New Adventure Trips of the Year". This company offers more than 1,200 adventure travel trips to all seven continents.

Gap Adventures puts together small group adventures, safaris and expeditions. The trips are a mix of cultural journeys, wildlife encounters and active adventures designed for travelers who want off-the-beaten track,sustainable and face-to-face travel experiences, whether riding on the roof of a train in India, navigating the Amazon in a dugout canoe or hiking on back roads through Europe.

Gap Adventures was founded by Bruce Poon Tip as a 20-year old in 1990 with just two credit cards (total credit limit of $20,000) and the belief that other travelers share his same desires to experience authentic adventures in a reasonably priced and sustainable manner. Bruce's love for local cultures and his commitment to change the way people vacation have helped him negotiate his way to the top of the fast-growing adventure-travel business.

The Boss' Pitch: Why Take a Tour With Gap Adventures

Bruce Poon Tip, the founder/CEO of Gap Adventures, says "Gap Adventures provides an authentic experience that is sustainable, affordable and fun. Because we draw people from all over the world, our tours provide travelers with a diverse group of friends with whom to travel. Our travelers also choose us because we have over 1,200 trips to over 100 countries, providing tours that work with anyone's interests and needs. Gap Adventures has more than 100,000 travelers a year, a lot of whom are repeat customers-- that may be the best endorsement of our company!"

Popular Adventure Travel Outings with Gap Adventures

The most popular tours year in and year out are usually linked to destinations as opposed to specific tours. Some of the popular outings include Essential China, Inca Discovery, Costa Rica Quest and Essential India.

To Learn More About Gap Adventures

For more information visit Gap Adventures, or call 888-800-4100.

Looking for Specialty Adventure and Sports Travel Companies?

Are you looking for Dream Bicycle Trips & Adventures?
Are you looking for adrenalin-charged Multi-sport Trips?
Are you looking for Extreme Adventures for physical or mental highs?
Are you looking for Women's Adventure Travel?
Are you looking for Best Rafting Trips Worldwide?
Are you looking for sources for great Family Adventure Travel Trips?
Are you looking for entertaining Learning Vacations around the world?

Equipment, Supplies and Gifts for Adventure Travel.

If you're looking for more of the best equipment and supplies needed to make any adventure travel trip easier and a lot more pleasant, visit Equipment, Supplies and Gifts for Adventure Travel.

View the original article here

Dig This - an Adult Sandbox

The Details -- So You Can Play at Dig This, a Heavy Equipment?Arena

Learning to drive an excavator at Dig This, a heavy equipment play arena in Steamboat, Colorado

Photo courtesy of Ed Mumm

When you need a break from from Las Vegas glitz,visit Dig This or call 888-DIG-THIS.

Playtime here isn't cheap, but it's so much fun. A half-day learning to handle the bulldozer or excavator is $400. The fee includes orientation and safety instruction and 2-3 hours of operating time. Excavate and Exfoliate packages include time at Dig This, two hotel nights and a spa treatment. Dig This offers Corporate Team Buildings programs, too.

View the original article here

Who's Offering Trips to Cuba, the New "In" Place to Visit?

Now that the regulations have been softened, several adventure travel tour operators are offering trips to Cuba.? Gap Adventures has several trips that include exploring and home stays. National Geographic Expeditions trips to Cuba are led by the prize-wining author of the Society's book about Cuba. Road Scholar, created by Elderhostel to offer trips for all ages, also has new trips to Cuba where visitors will meet artists to intellectuals.

You can find out more about these adventure travel companies and others offering Cuba trips in Top Adventure Travel Companies.

View the original article here

Dig This - an Adult Sandbox

Kids play with toy bulldozers and excavators in a sandbox. At Dig This, in Las Vegas, Nevada, adults get to spend a half- or a full-day using real bulldozers and excavators building roads, digging ditches and moving rocks, in the only heavy equipment arena in the United States.

I must admit that I felt powerful driving a CAT312 Track Excavator and moving one-ton rocks. Playing in this gigantic sandbox we were creating our own carnival rides. My chance to play in this adult theme park came in Steamboat, the original home of Dig This.

Since then, Dig This has moved to Las Vegas. Want to bet your friends who can build a road or dig a deep hole faster? Read on to see how easy it is to learn to drive these machines (in a controlled environment) and much fun you have.

View the original article here

Fall Foliage Hiking & Biking

Only Mother Nature knows the exact dates to enjoy the fall foliage colors while hiking or biking, because how quickly leaves change color depends upon temperatures and moisture. In September to mid-November, there's bound to be a place in North America where you can put on your hiking boots or hop on your bike and enjoy the changing colors.

1. The Aspens Turn Gold in Colorado

Matt Inden/Weaver Multimedia Group/Colorado Tourism Office

Colorado.com has a good fall foliage guide, with tips on where to see the leaves change in the Rockies and other parts of the state. Almost every Saturday or Sunday, one of the chapters in the Colorado Mountain Club has hikes in the mountains on trails where the aspens are turning to gold.

?

2. New Hampshire's White Mountains Blaze With Fall Color

Francine Bigney

New Hampshire's White Mountains are ablaze with color in the fall. If you're looking for itineraries visit NHGrand.com. For information about where to go biking, visit New Hampshire Outdoor Biking Adventures. If you want to more information about hiking and climbing visit Hiking and Climbing in New Hampshire

3. Bike Rides in the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains

Coordinator, Fall Foliage Bike Festival

Join the group rides during the annual Shenandoah Fall Foliage Bike Festival, Oct. 21-23, 2011, in Staunton, Virginia. Each day there is a variety of rides offered that are different lengths and for different skill levels.

Peak colors in this regions are usually toward the end of October into early November.

4. Biking & Hiking the Columbia River Gorge and by the Pacific Ocean

In a blog on TravelOregon.com, Mikhael Romain has some excellent sugggestions for hiking or biking in prime fall foliage regions throughout Orego. The routes range from right in Portland and along the Columbia River Gorge to trails on cliff tops overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

5. Fall Foliage Colors Are Glorious in New England

About.com's Guide to New England, Kim Knox Beckius, has fall foliage covered. To learn where to go and the peak times for fall foliage in the New England states visit How to See New England Fall Foliage at Its Peak. She also has a list of companies that offer Fall Foliage Bike Trips.

6. Hike & Bike Through Colorful Fall Foliage in Northern California

If you want to hike or bike during the fall foliage season in Sacramento, Yosemite and the Central Valley in Northern California, visit DiscoverGold.org for suggestions.

View the original article here

Dig This - an Adult Sandbox

Kids play with toy bulldozers and excavators in a sandbox. At Dig This, in Las Vegas, Nevada, adults get to spend a half- or a full-day using real bulldozers and excavators building roads, digging ditches and moving rocks, in the only heavy equipment arena in the United States.

I must admit that I felt powerful driving a CAT312 Track Excavator and moving one-ton rocks. Playing in this gigantic sandbox we were creating our own carnival rides. My chance to play in this adult theme park came in Steamboat, the original home of Dig This.

Since then, Dig This has moved to Las Vegas. Want to bet your friends who can build a road or dig a deep hole faster? Read on to see how easy it is to learn to drive these machines (in a controlled environment) and much fun you have.

View the original article here

Multifunction GPS Watch

Hi-tech gadget lovers will thrive on downloading routes and creating their own routes, then tracking their speed, distance and later reviewing their route on the Sunnto X9i watch. Travelers who love to explore the wilderness but aren’t particularly interested in tracking every step may never have a strong urge to own this watch.

It takes time and some patience to set up and learn how to use the Suunto X9i. It’s not as easily an intuitive process as learning how to use a digital camera, for example. You need to have an interest in downloading or pre-planning a route if you want to use the navigation mode, set up the GPS mode, make sure the compass is calibrated properly before every hike, and check that the altimeter and barometer are set, for starters.

We took it on a hike through some remote canyons in Mesa Verde National Park and even the guide, who had a GPS with her, couldn’t quite figure out how to set up the watch so we could track the trip. (Suunto has a service department that will answer questions about using the watch.) On the flip side, according to some of the reviews on the Suunto website, some of the soldiers in Iraq are using the watch and love it.

Suunto has also released a new version, called the Suunto X9M/i, which was designed specifically for the military.

View the original article here

Day Mountain Hiking Tips

Hiking mountains brings you up close with nature, from the sweeping views of pine-fringed peaks and stark rock cliffs above tree line to the colorful faces of tiny flowers at your feet and a warbler's whistle. But mountain hiking takes thought and planning, even if you're just hiking for a few hours or a day on trails laid out in a map at a resort in the Rocky Mountains.

As I hiked on the Ridge Trail at Telluride, the only sounds were the clacking of the cicadas, shrill tweets of unidentified birds and the shivering of the aspen leaves as the wind swept through them. Flashes of light through thick pines highlighted tiny purple flowers at my feet and patches of green lichen on fallen logs. The far view through trees that towered 50 - to 60 feet overhead revealed sheer striated cliff bands still capped by snow in July.

I met just one other group of hikers on this usually popular trail, so while I walked along some hiking tips began rattling through my mind.

Tips for Hiking Mountains Even on Marked Resort Trails

• Before starting, get information about the trail you want to take at the tourist information office or booth, the Forest Ranger's station or a local store that selling hiking and biking gear. Take any buff local's advice carefully - if he or she says the trail is easy, it may be for them by not for desk-anchored city folk.
• Choose trails carefully, so young kids can't get in trouble, by walking into the woods or off a cliff.
• Decide in advance if you want to spend most of your time hiking uphill, downhill, or both. Sounds obvious, yes? But, take the Ridge Trail as an example of what's not easily apparent. The name and the map suggests you are walking on a ridge line. While that was true, I choose the route (unknowingly I admit but happily I later realized), that was almost entirely downhill. I learned this from the group I met, who had been steadily climbing since they started at the other end of the Ridge trail. Even their dog was panting heavily.
• Always check the local weather report to see if thunderstorms are predicted. (They often start in the afternoon.) Take your hike early in the day. If it starts thundering and lightening, head back down.
• Some trail maps, especially at resorts, indicate whether the trail is just for hikers, only for mountain bikers, or for both. If you prefer quiet and not having to worry about constantly moving a few steps off the trail so bicyclists can get through, pick a path accordingly.
• We're all told that we should never hike alone. This is certainly true in the backcountry. On resort trails, however, I've seen many people hiking alone (and I was hiking alone that day). In either case, always let someone at home or a friend know exactly which trails you are planning on taking. If you hurt yourself and can't get back to the trailhead, people will know where to start looking for you. Living in the Rockies, during TV news hours we often hear of successes in finding lost or hurt hikers and of bad endings, sometimes because no one knows where to search.

What to Take on Mountain Hiking Day Trips

• Always bring several layers of clothing. When it's in the 80s at the base of a mountain the temperature up top, where it's several thousand feet higher, will be lower. On the rare occasions, it can even snow in the Rockies and often drops down to below 50 degrees at night. (At times, even in the 30s.) If you start out in a t-shirt, toss a long-sleeved shirt, a fleece and spare socks in a daypack or a hip pack. Lightweight rain gear is handy if it starts pouring.

• Wear shoes with a good grip, because most trails are a mix of rock and dirt. Over the ankle hiking boots may help save you from twisted ankles on rough trails, where shale or rocks stud the dirt to keep the paths from eroding.

• Several people I know who have knee problems use walking sticks. You can get lightweight ones at many sporting goods stores. I've used them on hikes when there you have to work your way up, down or around larger rocks and dirt steps, and they make it much easier.
• Bring a small first aid kit, a flashlight, a compass and a map. Sounds low-tech, but there are places in the wilderness where you can't get a signal and the GPS or other apps on your Smartphone won't be available to you.

Bring Food and Water

You get dehydrated faster at higher altitude, so bring lots of water. Don't forget energy bars or other food that gives you the power to keep hiking.

Watch Out for Wild Animals

You are on their turf, so don't be surprised if you see elk, deer, even a bear or - although scarce - a mountain lion. Here are some suggestions for avoiding confrontations with wild animals.

View the original article here