Eco-Travel, Cultural Vacation » Europe, South America, Africa

The Mesas, Canyons & Crystal Caves of Chapada Diamantina

Eco-Adventure across the landscapes of Brazil

Take a landscape of mesas, weird and fantastic rock formations above ground, a system of quartzite caves with crystal clear lakes and underground rivers, and you have the setting for some of the wildest eco-adventures in Brazil.

Add in an historical diamond boom, prospectors, natural monuments and you have the 152,000 hectare Chapada Diamantina National Park in the northeast state of Bahia. At the beginning of the 19th century, two German prospectors discovered a huge vein of diamonds in a region of unusual rock formations, tablelands, subterranean rivers, waterfalls, valleys and mountains called morros. When word got out, the ensuing diamond rush brought a rush of prospectors, called garimpeiros who formed the town of Lencois as a base for explorations into what is now known as the Chapada Diamantina, or Brazil´s Lost World.

Now the park, created in 1985, is an unforgettable region of mixed terrain: verdant slopes and red-rock mesas fed by the underground water system, waterfalls and pools contrasting with the nearby drought-ridden semi-arid SertÃ£o. This topography is the cake-like layers of sediment once collected on a primeval ocean floor and pushed up to be carved by wind and water into mesas, canyons and caverns. Your walking exploration of the Lost World will be one you will never forget!

Your trip ends in vibrant Rio de Janiero, second-largest city in the country - cosmopolitan nightlife, beaches, culture, and rhythmic music make it an exciting way to end your trip to Brazil.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: Brazil, SOUTH AMERICA
AVAILABILITY: February, April, September, October
FROM: $4,995 pp
DURATION: 12 days
AUDIENCE: Family Vacations & Adventure Travel
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: More Information...

South Vietnam: Bicycles and Beaches

Cycle the Mekong Delta on 21-speed new Taiwanese bikes, visiting markets, eating and sleeping in local homes and hotels, and traveling as the Vietnamese do. Watch people planting rice, visit coconut and fruit orchards, and enjoy the pace of life along the Mekong River and its canals. Take sampans, local ferries, and get inside the life of South Vietnam. Finish with two luxurious days on the beach in Phu Quoc, an island at the southern tip of Vietnam.

ACTIVITY: Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: Vietnam, ASIA
AVAILABILITY: March, November
FROM: $2,995.00
DURATION: 11 days
AUDIENCE: For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!

Spaaah! Ecuador

Oh my champagne and wine, sweet chocolate, and daily spa treatments! This is the ultimate in soft adventure travel. Your accommodations range from Quito's newest and hottest boutique hotel, a small Swiss-run mountain retreat, a private cabin just steps way from bubbling hot springs, and a luxurious forest resort. Along the way, shop for bargains at handicraft markets, hike to scared waterfalls, go birding in a cloud forest and photograph rare orchids. Perfect for 'just the girls' or for a romantic getaway.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: Ecuador, SOUTH AMERICA
AVAILABILITY: February, April, June
FROM: $3,450.00
DURATION: 9 days
AUDIENCE: For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!

Nepal READ Expedition: Mountains, Monkeys and Books

This intimate view of intriguing Nepal offers a unique opportunity to see how READ Global can change a country, one village at a time. You'll get inside the culture by spending time with a host of Nepalis, from farmers, local officials, monks and saddhus, to university chancellors and former ambassadors. Travel from bustling Kathmandu to the serene mountains of Mustang and down into the jungles of the southern Terai.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: Nepal, ASIA
AVAILABILITY: October
FROM: $2,995.00 Plus a $300 pp donation to READ
DURATION: 11 days
AUDIENCE: For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!

The Litang Horse Festival

Be one of the few western tourists to witness this unspoiled Khampa horse festival, high on the Tibetan Plateau. Get acquainted with the Khampa warriors and women, visit their monasteries - on horseback, if you wish. Dance, sing, and revel in the diversity of the people. Explore the nomadic grasslands of Litang and Batrang and stare down into the spectacularly deep Mekong Gorge.

ACTIVITY: Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: China, ASIA
AVAILABILITY: July, August
FROM: $4,995.00
DURATION: 17 days
AUDIENCE: For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!

Wilderness Passages of Discovery

Wildlife, waterfalls, and deep fjords accent the 900 nautical miles between Seattle and Juneau. Whether you choose May or September, both are optimal times for vivid foliage, fewer crowds, and active bears and other animals foraging along the shoreline.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration, Wildlife, Safaris and Photography Vacations, Adventure Cruises
WHERE: Alaska, USA
AVAILABILITY: May, September
FROM: $2,995
DURATION: 15 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, Family Vacations & Adventure Travel, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: Wilderness Passages of Discovery

Southern China: Holy Mountains and Magical People

Visualize yourself in Qufu, birthplace of Confucius, and climbing Tai Shan, the most famous of China's five Taoist mythological mountains. Wander Wuyi Mountain, whose beauty attracts scholars, Taoist masters, and Buddhist monks. Tour villages just opened recently to foreigners, explore the living castles of the Hakka, or take a boat through the small canals of Shaoxing. Taste the glorious food and enjoy the markets.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: China, ASIA
AVAILABILITY: March, April, October
FROM: $8,695.00
DURATION: 20 days
AUDIENCE: For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!

Arizona | Havasupai

Not many people know that nestled deep in an offshoot of the Grand Canyon is a hidden treasure:an oasis of cascading waterfalls, spring-fed travertine pools and lush, verdant vegetation.It’s called Havasu.

Trek through narrow side canyons as you make your way to Havasu base camp, accessible only by foot
Cool off in the turquoise waters at the base of the thundering Havasu Falls
Hike through underwater grottos and gardens of grapevines, pausing to soak up awe-inspiring overlooks of the 200-foot Mooney Falls
Explore an old galena mine and hunt for fossils in Carbonate Canyon
Send a postcard from the Native American village of Supai, the most remote village in the country,where food, mail and supplies are delivered by packhorse
Relax in the mineral-rich waters of a natural whirlpool before feasting on grilled lemon pepper chicken and wallowing in the quiet comfort of your deluxe base camp

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration, Multisport Trips - Active Adventure Vacations
WHERE: United States, Arizona, NORTH AMERICA
AVAILABILITY: March, April, May, June, July, September, October
FROM: $1,698
DURATION: 5 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, Family Vacations & Adventure Travel, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: Havasu Falls Hiking Trips

The Silk Road: Mummies, Deserts, Caves, & Markets

Traveling humankind’s greatest path of ideas, culture, and wealth!

Imagine departing Xian in a camel caravan laden with silk, spices, incense and gems for the faraway Mediterranean. Your path will not take you all the way to Italy, but only to the border with the Stans.

You can see the famous terra cotta soldiers of Xian, drive across the menacing Taklimakan Desert, explore the oasis towns of Turfan, Kuqa, and Khotan, spend a day with the nomads near the Heavenly Lake, shop the famous Sunday Market in exotic Hotan (far better than Kashgar today), and mingle with the people of Xinjiang – Uighurs, Kazaks, Tajiks and others.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: China, ASIA
AVAILABILITY: May, June, September
FROM: $4,495.00
DURATION: 19 days
AUDIENCE: For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!

Inca Magic: The Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco

Machu Picchu and More - Visit vibrant and mythical Peru on this cultural holiday to the Sacred Valley, Cusco and Machu Picchu.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: Peru, SOUTH AMERICA
AVAILABILITY: All year
FROM: From $1200
DURATION: From 5 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, Family Vacations & Adventure Travel, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: Inca Magic: The Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco