Lonesome George, the famous Pinta Island tortoise of the Galapagos, has died. George was a beloved icon of the Galapagos Islands and his death comes as a shock to some. Scientists estimated his age at around 100 years which may seem old in human years but is actually middle-aged for giant tortoises who live to be 200 years. George was also the last surviving member of the Pinta Island subspecies [...]
Adventure Life is attending the annual members meeting of the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA) this week. The theme this year is both ambitious and admirable: Defining and Achieving Sustainable Tourism in the Galapagos. Adventure Lifer, Erin Corriea, is attending and she’ll be in fine company — special guests and speakers include Swen Lorenz, Executive Director, Charles Darwin Foundation; Eliecer Cruz, Director, World Wildlife Fund; Oswaldo Rosero, Operations Director, [...]
When deciding when to visit Antarctica, time of year does make a difference, but deciding which time of year is “best” depends on what you are looking at getting out of your Antarctica adventure. Specific wildlife sightings – mating season – new hatchlings – weather – icescapes – mud – penguins poo smell at its worst/best…? While January is typically considered the heart of the Antarctica travel season, visitors shouldn’t [...]
Adventures Life’s Bolivia Backroads trip was selected by Outside Magazine as the go-to trip for exploring Bolivia’s stunning and stark Salar de Uyuni. In her feature “The Top 10 Desert Getaways” writer Stephanie Pearson highlights fantastic deserts around the world that beckon a bit of adventure. She describes Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni: The appeal of this place is the play of light on these wide-open spaces: Sitting at almost 12,000 [...]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDR6E9hCUjY&w=640&h=480] Adventure Life travelers, Greg and Bridget Litten, share with us a bit of their Amazon adventures in Peru’s Tambopata National Reserve. The Tambopata National Reserve (TNR) is part of a 3.7 million acre reserve in southeastern Amazonian Peru. It protects the biological diversity of the entire watersheds of the Tavara and the Candamo Rivers and most of the watershed of the Tambopata River. The motivations and the design [...]
On Dec 21, 2012, the Maya calendar will complete its 5,125 year cycle, marking the calendar’s finality and the beginning of a new era. This date, at this moment in time, is shrouded in mystery; the meaning and the significance that Dec. 21, 2012 held for the creators of the Maya calendar continues to cause debate among scholars. These two Central America tours invite you to be in the heart [...]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mavy4kH1Utw&w=560&h=315] On March 4, 2012, lucky visitors to Argentina’s Perito Moreno glacier had the rare opportunity to witness a massive ice fall. It’s been nearly four years since Perito Moreno glacier experienced an ice fall as major as this — and it will likely be at least another four until such an incident occurs again. This natural phenom is caused by the clashing forces of the advancing glacier and [...]
As of February 2012, Adventure Life travelers have raised over $83,000 for conservation efforts in the Galapagos Islands. Those are impressive numbers – you should be proud of yourself, I know I sure am! These monies where raised through our Galapagos Traveler-Funding program; a program we launched with IGTOA (International Galapagos Tour Operators Association) in 2006. Here’s where your dollars went in 2011: CDF (Charles Darwin Foundation) received a total [...]
A hardy hike deserves nothing less than some hardy food — and on our Inca Trail treks you’ll get it; sometimes with little extras that leave a big impression. For example, last time I was traveling in Peru my husband was celebrating a birthday during our trek. Surprise — a cake and candles were presented at his birthday dinner. Another personal touch the cook added en route was freshly picked [...]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZEED4iMv8c&w=420&h=315] Guatemala’s Semana Santa — the Easter Festival — in the former colonial capital are beyond comparison to anything in the northern hemisphere. Along cobblestone streets, intricate carpets of colored sawdust are painstakingly laid down. Later, a solemn procession of Roman centurions march over the carpets, carrying an image of Christ on the cross. Music and swinging incense burners accompany the robed cofradia. During these lively days leading up [...]
