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Adventure Travel: Most Popular Articles

These articles are the most popular over the last month.
Carry-on Plane Bags
Here's an update on the rules because the Transportation Security Administration, including the amount and you can carry gels and liquids in your carry-on plane bag. Plus, details on where to get continually updated info.
Heavenly Zipline
Heavenly Mountain Resort in California claims it has the longest zipline in the United States. During the 80-second ride, you're guaranteed spectacular views of Lake Tahoe and the ski slopes you underneath as you descend.
Take a Zipline or Canopy Tour
Are you taking a zipline or canopy tour on your next vacation and would love to know just what to expect? It's a trendy activity, especially in Costa Rica and a growing number of mountain resorts, from Whistler to Park City. But before you hook onto a line and start zipping, reputable zipline tour operators give you basic trainng,which may include a fast ride on wire close to the ground.
PacSafe Travel Purses
PacSafe offers secure and light travel purses in several sizes ranging from the smaller citysafe 100 model to the spacious metrosafe 300 shoulder bag. The shoulder straps and purse bottoms are slashproof and clips attached to zippers keep thieves from sliding hands inside the purse.
Types of Adventurous Travel
Check out these ten unforgettable types of adventure travel. These adventurous travel experiences range from scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef or hot air ballooning over a desert in New Mexico to kayaking with the kids in the Pacific ocean by Vancouver, Canada.
Hot Air Balloon Festivals
When hundreds of hot air balloons rise en masse at a balloon festival, it's among the most colorful events on earth. Here's a gateway to some of the most spectacular hot air balloon festivals.
Top Adventure Travel Companies
Your choice of an adventure travel company could ensure wonderful vacation-- or a memorable time but not-so-good memories. Here's a selection of reputable companies offering adventure travel trips.
Photo Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Photo - Angkor Wat is a massive Khmer temple in Angkor, Cambodia
10 Summer Family Vacations
When temperatures climb in the city, head to the mountain resorts for beat-the-heat family vacations.
Plan Custom Trips At NileGuide
You can create a custom trip on NileGuide.com, which is chock-full of information about major destinations and popular resorts towns around the globe. Move your itinerary back and forth with friends who are traveling with you, then print it off and head out the door.
Photo - - Bucharest, Romania
Photo -- Woman in Bucharest, Romania
Canopy Tours
If you want to swing from tree to tree for up-close views of the birds and animals that live there take a canopy or zip line tour. One way you walk on a swaying bridge strung between two trees; the other route you are zipping on a cable strung between trees. Either choice will put you anywhere from 20- to80 feet in the air.
Photo - Village Museum Romania
Photo -- The Village Museum in Bucharest Romania
Ho Chi Minh Museum, Vietnam
Winners write history. The Ho Chi Minh Museum is a stylish museum that traces this leader's deeds in Vietnam before and during the Vietnam War. A home he lived in is also on exhibit.
Bridge in deep Colca Canyon
A bridge crossing Peru's Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world.
5 Fantastic Family Vacations
Taking the kids on a family trip ensures vacation memories you can talk about around a dinner table.
Photo-Biking in Vietnam
A local woman rides her a bike through a village in Vietnam
Photo - Romanian violinist
Violinist on street in Bucharest, Romania
Picture - - Parrot in Peru
A parrot nibbles on a snack provided by workers at a jungle lodge next to the Amazon River in Peru
Top VolunTourism Sources
These Web sites and companies are the best sources for travelers who want to find and book volunteer travel, service-based travel, or a vacation with a volunteer components
Photo - Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam
Today Cam Ranh Bay, the site of battles during the Vietnam War, is a popular beach with locals and tourists.
Photo- Jewish Synagogue Brasov
Photo - Jewish Synagogue in Brasov, Romania
Multifunction GPS Watch
The Suunto X9i is a multifunction GPS watch that avid outdoorsmen, hikers and multi-sport enthusiasts who play in the wilderness will love. It interfaces with National Georgraphic TOPS mapping software, shows your current speed and distance, has an altimeter and thermometer, plus lots more.
Reach Humans for Service
Get Human is a website loaded with specific directions when calling to reach human beings in customer service at hundreds of places ranging from travel companies and airlines to phone, car and insurance companies.
Photo - Sighisoara, Romania
Photo - Sighisoara, Romania is on the UNESCO World Heritage Center list
Photo- Barn in Romania
Photo- A rustic barn in the Romanian countryside
Photo-Romanian countryside
Photo - A farmer moves his hay in the Romanian countryside
Old Fortress in Romania
Picture - Old Fortress on Hillside in Romania
Imperial City, Hue, Vietnam
Vietnamese royalty lived in the Imperial City in Hue for hundreds of years. The walled Hue Citadel was the scene of key battles during the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War. When the American soldiers took over the Citadel they reportedly found aging concubines still living in one of the buildings.
Climbing up Angkor Wat
Climbing the dozens of steep step to get into Angkor Wat temple
Photo -- The Lodge at Molokai Ranch, Molokai, Hawaii
The Lodge at Molokai Ranch, Molokai, Hawaii
How to Start Scuba Diving
Scuba diving through gardens of colorful coral surrounded by a cloud of fish is like touring an underwater art museum. But before you start scuba diving past coral walls 90-feet deep, or with dolphins or sharks, there's a lot you need to learn.
Photo -- Hanging Heliconia and Other Flowers Grow Wild on Molokai, Hawaii.
Hanging Heliconia and Other Hanging Heliconia and Other Flowers Grow Wild on Molokai, Hawaii.
TSAlocks
TSA approved locks will keep your suitcase closed as it works its way through the baggage system when you're taking a flight. The Transportation Security Administration guards have the keys to open them, if they want to look inside.
Photo-Bucharest, Romania
Photo -- Store in historic center of Bucharest, Romania
Zipline Tours at Whistler
Summer or winter, you can take a zipline Tour in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. It's a nice break from skiing at the resort with North America's longest vertical, or after a day of hiking or playing golf.
REI Adventures Active Trips
REI Adventures offers great active travel trips, such as canoeing on a lake here in the U.S., cycling in Vietnam, or sea kayaking and hiking in Croatia. And, these are just a few of the 90plus weekend-to-multiweek trips offered by REI Adventures, part of the REI that has more than 80 stores in the U.S. chock-full of equipment and clothing for adventure travelers.
River Rafting - - River Rafting
River rafting is a lot of fun. Whitewater river rafting offers thrills, chills, and even an occasional spill. You'll find great river rafting rides in water from Alaska and Colorado to Peru and Fiji.
Photo - A temple in Vietnam
A shrine The temples in a temple in Hue, Vietnam
Package or Solo
This piece discussed the differences between purchasing a travel package and planning the adventure travel trip yourself.
Picture of Giant Condor Flying in Peru's Colca Canyon
Giant condors swoop on updrafts in Peru's Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world.
Get Your Passport Expedited
Want your passport faster? Here's how to get your passport application expedited, when you need that document so critical to traveling abroad in a hurry?
Photo- Viscri, Romania
Photo -- Man and child in horse-drawn wagon in Viscri, Romania
Photo - Old Church Bucharest
Photo - Hand-painted scenes on an old wooden church in the Village Museum in Bucharest, Romania
Last Minute Adventure Travel
If you're looking for last minute adventure travel deals visit LastMinute.com for a big selection.
Women's Travel Club
The Women's Travel Club offers adventure travel trips that set women in exotic locales, on sandy island beaches and in sophisticated cities.
Photo - Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Photo – Visitor in Temple at Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Fisher Price Active Gear
Parents who enjoy taking the kids to national parks, on hikes and camping will appreciate this Fisher Price's new Active Gear line.
Voluntourism.Com - A Web site
Voluntourism.com is a gateway to learning more about taking volunteer vacations, and the site lists specific trips that let you combine volunteerism and travel.
Photo - Church in Bucharest
Photo - Church in Bucharest, Romania
Photo - Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo - Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo -- Woman working in taro field on Molokai, Hawaii
Woman working in taro field on Molokai, Hawaii
Scuba Shore Dives
If you love to go scuba diving, but are happiest walking off the shore and sinking into the water instead of jumping off a dive boat, you'll find these islands appealing. Each one has a variety of shore dives opening up underwater coral gardens and clouds of fish.
Finding Sky High Adventures
Here are seven entertaining ways to view the earth from up high.
Prep for Family AdventureTrips
Choosing and preparing for a family adventure trip that everyone, from your 5-year-old to your teen, will enjoy can be a family venture. Here are some tips for finding and getting ready for your first family adventure travel trip.
Photo - Angkor, Cambodia
Photo – temple in Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo - Romanian Church
Photo - Romanian Church
Luxury Travel Gifts
When your wallet is flush and you're seeking luxury adventure travel gifts for a spouse or special friends, give them something truly outrageous. How about a watch with GPS, golf trip to China, a Burton Audex outdoor jacket with a panel on the sleeve where you can switch iPod music, or a gift certificate for an adventure of their dreams.
Photo -- Swimming at Moaula Falls on Molokai, Hawaii
Swimming at Moaula Falls on Molokai, Hawaii
Photo -- Vietnamese woman in a small boat on Perfume River in Vietnam
Vietnamese woman in a tiny boat on Perfume River in Vietnam
Picture - Angkor Wat Cambodia
Picture - Temple complex at Angkor Archeological Park Picture -in Cambodia
Vicunas in Peru
Vicunas live in the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve, high in the Peruvian Andes.
pacsafe stashsafe Hip Pack
The anti-theft features on the pacsafe stashsafe 100 makes this hip pack great travel gear. It has wire-reinforced, slash-proof front and bottom panels, lockable zippers and several pockets to keep your stuff organized.
Working Cattle Ranches
If you're the horseback rider who wants to play cowboy for a week vacation at a working cattle ranch or join a cattle drive.
Aquarium Scuba Dives & Snorkel
Nose-to-nose with a 250-pound grouper, the scuba diver waved at the crowd on the far side of the glass in the aquarium. Did you know aquarium scuba diving and snorkeling programs are offered at more than 10 aquariums in the U.S., as well as in other countries?
Photo - Bucharest glassmaker
Photo - Artisan Glassmaker in Bucharest, Romania
Photo of Ollataytambo, Peru
A View of the ruins in Ollataytambo, Peru through an ancient archway
Mountain Biking in Hawaii
Mountain biking on Oahu, Hawaii, can be an adventure. Especially when dodging cows, splashing through streams and watching monster movies being made.
Church in Colca Canyon, Peru
Iglesia de Ichupampa is just one of several catholic churches in Colca Canyon, Peru
Photo - Weaver in Cusco, Peru
A Peruvian weaver un Cusco work while her daughter watches.
Nature & Wildlife Adventures
Nature and wildlife adventure travel trips are growing in popularity. Would you like to dive with whale sharks, watch thundering herds during the annual animal migration in Africa or track wolves with your camera in Yellowstone National Park.
Theftproof Travel Camera Strap
PacSafe's theft-proof travel camera straps keep cameras and binoculars safe from 'slash-and-grab' thieves. The company has a neck strap for cameras and shoulder straps for laptops and other bags.
Photo Temple Angkor, Cambodia
Photo - Wall Frieze on Temple in Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo- Romanian street market
Photo - Street market in a Romanian city
Image- Machu Picchu from above
Peru's Machu Picchu, One of the World's Great Wonders
Photo -- World's Highest Sea Cliffs on Molokai, Hawaii
The world's highest sea cliffs guard Kalaupapa National Historic Park on Molokai, Hawaii
Yellowstone in the Winter
Visiting Yellowstone in the winter you can snowmobile or cross country ski past steamy clouds drifting from hot springs, watch Old Faithful erupt framed by the setting sun, photograph bison from the safety of your snow coach and watch wolf packs through a spotting scope.
Scuba Diving Off Bonaire
Bonaire, one of the ABC islands in the southwestern Caribbean, is the tip of a submerged mountain whose flanks are lined with coral reefs. There are 86 marked sites where you can just walk offshore and start your dive.
Travel -UN World Volunteer Web
The United Nation’s World Volunteer Web is an online global clearing house for volunteerism. Here, you'll find links to organizations running volunteer vacations and trips, information about the annual Volunteer Day and more.
Who Should You Book With?
Not all companies are experienced in adventure travel, so choosing a reputable one is key to having a good trip.
Photo -- Honeymooners on a hike at Moaula Falls on Molokai, Hawaii
Honeymooners on a hike at Moaula Falls on Molokai, Hawaii
Photo -- Learning about taro fields on a cultural hike on Molokai, Hawaii
Learning about taro fields on a cultural hike on Molokai, Hawaii
Photo -- An Ancient Temple in Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo -- An Ancient Temple in Angkor, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Photo Festival in Chivay, Peru
Peru picture-- The winter solstice festival in Chivay, a town at the edge of Colca Canyon.
Ride to Colca Canyon, Peru
The ride from Arequipa to Colca Canyon, Peru, goes over high mountain passes, with a 20,629-foot-high volcano in the distance.
Image - Machu Picchu at dawn
Image - Machu Picchu at dawn
Photo -- Riding in a Horse-drawn Wagon at the a Coffee Plantation on Molokai, Hawaii
Riding in a Horse-drawn Wagon to tour the coffee fields at Coffees of Hawaii Plantation on Molokai, Hawaii
Photo - Vietnamese Woman
Women in the Vietnamese villages often carry food and even live animals in two buckets that hang from a stick on her shoulders.
Keep Travel Documents Safe
KeepYouSafe.com has a great concept: Storing copies of your travel documents and other vital records in an online safe deposit box. The company claims all information is encrypted using the same encryption technology that the military employs to protect sensitive data.
Girlfriend Getaways TV Show
Are you psyched to escape from dealing with kids, a husband or work? If so, you’re a prime candidate for an all girls getaway. A new television show, [b]All-Girl Getaways[/b], shows you the type of adventurous trips other women are planning, along with tips to make it easy for you and your female friends to plan a vacation.
Travel With Maps from Maps.com
Maps.com bills itself as the world’s largest map store - and the selection of maps, guidebooks, globes and map accessories is astonishing.
Photo -- Horseback riding on the beach on Molokai, Hawaii
Horseback riding on the beach on Molokai, Hawaii
Popular Family Vacations
These adventure travel companies offer entertaining family vacations that are so popular these trips are repeated almost yearly. It doesn't matter if you want to take the kids on a family beach vacation, an overseas trip, an all inclusive family vacation, an affordable trip or a luxury experience, you'll find it here.
Photo -- Big Wind Factory Kitemaker on Molokai, Hawaii
Big Wind Factory Kitemaker on Molokai, Hawaii
Photo -- Tents in The Beach Village at Molokai Ranch
Tents in The Beach Village at Molokai Ranch
SteriPen Easily Purifies Water
The SteriPen water purifier is great travel gear because it's lightweight and compact. Use the Steripen water purifier to sterilize water in your hotel room in a foreign country with questionable water or when drinking from streams.
Colca Canyon's Condors
Colca Canyon's giant condors are at home in the world’s second deepest canyon, in Peru. Life in this remote Peruvian canyon continues at a pace set centuries ago.
Picture - Ecolodge in Peru
Picture--The view of two-mile deep Colca Canyon from Parador del Colca, Peru
Adventures in Jackson Hole
Picture Jackson Hole, Wyoming, as the base camp, from which you can ski, hike, mountain bike or go horseback riding on the sides of mountains or broad valleys, go fly fishing in golf-medal streams and explore Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.
Machu Picchu, Peru, at sunrise
People Gather at Machu Picchu, Peru to Watch the Sunrise
Vietnam Trips & Vacations
Vietnam is a feast to your eyes and other senses because the countryside and the living styles are so different than in the United States. Trips to Vietnam, especially biking and walking vacations, are offered by several adventure travel companies.
Buddhist Temple in Vietnam
Worshipers burn incense in a Buddhist temple in Hue, Vietnam
Winter Lodging in Yellowstone
Yellowstone in the winter is an astonishing sight. Spend a few nights in the park, staying at the Old Faithful Snow Park Lodge or the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel.
Photo - Stonecutter in Vietnam
An artisan stonecutter carves a sculpture in Hue, Vietnam
Photo of Mesa Verde ruin
Photo gallery of ancestral puebloan ruins and hiking at Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Travel Deals on Auction Sites
If your travel dates are flexible, check out these auction sites for deals and discounts on adventure travel (and more sedate) – vacations.
Picture - - Colca Canyon church
A church in a small village in Colca Canyon, Peru , is being restored.
Austin-Lehman Adventures
Looking for a company that offers personalized, reasonably priced adventure travel trips that are limited to 12 people? Here's where to learn more about Austin-Lehman Adventures
Photo- -Amazon River, Peru
Boating on the Amazon River in Peru at dawn
Image - Cambodian village
Picture - Villagers live in huts and boats on a river in Cambodia. Picture -
Photo- River in Cambodia
A Woman Living in a River Village in Cambodia Travels by Boat
Photo -- Roasting Coffee at Coffees for Hawaii Plantation
Roasting Coffee at Coffees for Hawaii Plantation`
Walking in Colca Canyon, Peru
Walking with a dog along rim of Peru's Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world.
Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite
The fall packages at Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite promise an antidote to urban stress. The Lodge near the western edge of Yosemite National Park is a good base to go hiking, biking, fly fishing or rock climbing in Yosemite.
Biking at Winter Park
Many ski resorts have racks or special cargo boxes to take mountain bikers uphill in the summertime.
Smith Turbo Fan Goggles
Ever have your goggles fog while skiing down a mogul run and you can no longer see the slope, or have them go white in a powder storm? Smith’s Turbo Fan Prodigy, Phenom and Knowledge OTG goggles are a blessing for people who love snowsports and sweat a lot, but even more so for people who wear glasses that constantly fog.
Dude and Guest Ranches
Many travelers enjoy horseback riding but want other activities, such as fly fishing, hiking and spa treatments, too. Here are some dude and guest ranches that offer horseback riding and much more. Some also prefer more luxurious setting than a rustic cabin after a day on the trail.
Adventure Travel & Travelocity
When you're seeking adventure travel trips at good prices try Travelocity.
Llamas live at Machu Picchu
Image --a Llama Up Close and Personal at Machu Picchu, Peru
Hyatt Hike Week to Climb 14er
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek in Colorado offers the luxe route to climbing one of Colorado's "fourteeners" -- mountains that peak out higher than 14,000 feet above sea level.
Global Scavenger Hunt
Have you watched the Amazing Race and wondered if -- or were sure you could -- compete? If so, the Great Escape 2008 is looking for globetrotters and adventurous travelers to join its annual Global Scavenger Hunt.
Image -Llamas at Machu Picchu
Image - Llamas Wander Around the Ruins at Machu Picchu, Peru
A Baby Ocelet at a Jungle Lodge in Peru
A baby ocelet gnaws on a backpack at a jungle lodge in Peru
Gifts for Adventure Travel
Are you looking for special gifts for your favorite adventure traveler and willing to spend up to $200? Here's a selection of gifts ranging roughly from $75 to $200, which adventuresome travelers will want to take along on their next vacation.
Banjees Wrist Wallet
The inexpensive Banjees Wrist Wallets are the ticket when you want to take a credit card, a room key and a bit cash with you, whether walking in strange city, sitting on the beach or jogging.
Photo- farming in Colca Canyon
Peru picture -- Photo -- Farming on Terraces in Remote Colca Canyon, high in the Andes.
Photo - Hue, Vietnam
Boats are the main means of transportation for many families who live along Perfume River in Hue, Vietnam. Visitors can cruise the river in vibrantly colored dragon boats.
Heli-ski & Cat-ski Magazine
Where do you go to find the best and most experienced helicopter and snowcat skiing operations? The Heli-ski & Cat-ski Journal is a coffee table-style magazine (and a website)where you'll find colorful articles, photos and more information about the 95+ operators around North America.
health tips
Here are sources to find travel safety and health tips, such as which vaccinations you may need for your trip, plus tips for staying healthy while on vacation.
Deals at ShermansTravel.com
Seeking value for your vacation dollars? ShermansTravel.com is a Web site that lists hundreds of travel deals, vacation and cruise packages and airfare bargains.
Image - Hiking in Machu Picchu
Image - hiking on the trail to the Sun Gate in Peru's Machu Picchu, One of the World's Great Wonders
Llamas at Peru's Machu Picchu
Image - Llamas and People Share the Ruins in Peru's Machu Picchu, One of the World's Great Wonders
Multi-Sport Trips & Vacations
Here are several companies offering multi-sport trips and vacations guaranteed to keep your adrenalin flowing.
Inbounds Backcountry Ski&Ride
Looking for places where you can find extreme backcountry-style skiing or snowboarding experiences but inbounds at resorts so there's avalanche control and ski patrollers around? Look no farther: Here's a list of some of the best places that expert skiers and riders love to explore.
Fall Getaways
These fantastic fall getaways are as close to home as the covered bridges shaded by colorful fall foliage in New England and as far away in distance and atmosphere as the world's biggest camel fair in Pushkar India.
Image - Family at Machu Picchu
Image - Dad and Child Hiking in Peru's Machu Picchu, One of the World's Great Wonders
Image - Rock at Machu Picchu
Image - The Sacred Rock at Peru's Machu Picchu, One of the World's Great Wonders
Photo -- Mule Skinner on Mule Ride to Kalaupapa National Historic Park on Molokai, Hawaii
Mule Skinner on Mule Ride to Kalaupapa National Historic Park on Molokai, Hawaii
Photo of residents in Cusco, Peru, celebrating the winter solstice with parades
In Cusco, the gateway to Macchu Pichu, residents celebrate the winter solstice with many parades and festivities.
CheapTickets,com Voluntourism
CheapTickets.com has teamed up with United Way to offer travelers a route to setting up volunteer vacations, or adding a day or more of volunteering during a planned vacation.
Diving off Curacao
On Curacao, one of the ABC islands that are surrounded by reefs, you just have to walk offshore and swim a few minutes to see colorful coral. There are more than 60 marked sites on this island in the southwestern Caribbean.
Utah's Olympic Park
The Utah Olympic Park is a playground for adventurous winter travelers. If you want to zip down a bobsled run behind a world cup bobsled pilot, try skiing down one of the nordic ski jumps or take an extreme zipline ride here's the place to visit. If you simply want to learn more about the 2002 Winter Olympic Games you can take a tour while your friends test themselves in these special sporting venues.
Wild Planet Adventures
Wild Planet Adventures promises exhilarating encounters with exotic wildlife.
Photo- - boy playing in street
A boy in Ollataytambo, Peru, entertains himself while waiting for his mother.
Photo -- St. Philomena Cemetery at Kalaupapa National Historic Park on Molokai Hawaii
St. Philomena Cemetery at Kalaupapa National Historic Park on Molokai Hawaii
Volunteer Travel
Voluntourism -- combining a vacation or trip anywhere in the world with a few days or weeks volunteering is one way a growing number of travelers are making a difference. How do you decide if volunteer travel, whether it's spending a day at an African preserve feeding lion cubs or two weeks helping build a town hall in a third-world country, is for you?
Bike Gear and Clothes
Avid bikers claim these "must take" bike gear and clothes will increase your comfort while riding during your next bicycle trip.
Photo - Monks Praying
Buddhist monks praying in a temple in Hue, Vietnam
Girlfriend Getaways & Trips
You're a prime candidate for an all girls getaway if you want a temporary time-out from dealing with kids,a husband or work. Here's a list of companies that offer girlfriend getaways where it's okay to think about yourself first!
La Casitas del Colca in Peru
Las Casitas del Colca in Peru is small ecolodge on the edge of Colca Canyon, which managed by the posh Orient-Express Hotels, Trains and Cruises company.

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