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Gabs enjoying the Morpho Waterfall on our mother-daughter trip to Costa Rica

Costa Rica Travel Video: My 12 year old and I take on the Morpho Falls

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqA1xF1WB7c] Earlier this year, I had the rare opportunity to travel with my 12-year-old daughter, Gabs, to Costa Rica. Exclusively a mother-daughter trip, all other siblings, husbands, grandparents, friends and what-have-yous were strictly instructed they were NOT invited; this was a trip just for Gabs and I. We didn’t waste a moment of our 8-days away, traveling through this beautiful country on a Beaches and Rainforest trip. We ascended to [...]

 

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The Madidi River -- Enroute to the Bolivian Amazon's Chalalan Lodge

Adventure Life Favorites Featured in National Geographic Traveler 2011 Stay List

National Geographic Traveler’s annual Stay List is out. For 2011, they focused on a region of the world we know a thing or two about — South America. Three of Adventure Life’s favorites are recognized in the Stay List: Ecuador’s Sacha Lodge; Bolivia’s Chalalan Lodge; and Patagonia’s EcoCamp. Traveler’s approach to selecting great accommodations: With the help of seasoned travelers, journalists, and local experts, Traveler discovers properties that exhibit strong [...]

 

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A Parrot at Yasuni Nacional Park

Amazon Travel Video: Parrots at Yasuni Clay Lick

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy1HQ12nmpQ] Adventure Life traveler, Julia, returns home from a trip to the Ecuadorian Amazon with this clip from the Yasuni Clay Lick. Located along with Napo River, this is one of the most accessible licks in the Amazon. Hundreds of parrots visit this lick each day. This is a very popular stop for guests of Sacha Lodge — just short canoe trip from the lodge down the Napo River. The [...]

 

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A penguin searches for pebbles on the rocky shore

Antarctica Travel Video: Leave the Pebbles for the Penguins

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px9-eBAdteM&feature=channel_video_title] A little reminder in the principles of Leave No Trace is always a good idea. This short video from my last Antarctica trip provides just that. Although a tiny pebble might seem insignificant, they are incredibly coveted by Antarctica penguins — penguins make their nests from small pebbles, that are not always easy to come by in the snowy, stark environment. Seen here in a short clip are Gentoos [...]

 

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A capuchin monkey in the Amazon

Adventure Life and Rainforest Alliance in the Amazon

  Adventure Life continues to grow our partnership with the Rainforest Alliance. Our current project is the “Conservation Alliances for Economic Viability”– a very academic title for a very promising initiative. The goals of this USAID approved project include the preservation of at least 200,000 hectares of Amazonian rainforest in Ecuador — combined with training and technical assistance to four community-owned lodges located in or adjacent to protected areas. The [...]

 

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Getting closer as the clouds move in, Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador

New Ecuador Service Projects Tours Combine Great Adventure With Giving Back

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7H9rWwnc4E] Our new Cotopaxi Group Service projects in Ecuador combine the best worlds of travel — some excellent adventure, along with the opportunity to give back to the people and places that provide such amazing memories. In other words, a simple way to say thanks. In Ecuador’s Cotopaxi National Park and Condor Biosphere, you’ll ride, hike and bike for a little multisport adventure. Then roll up your sleeves to help [...]

 

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The Giant Tortoise - A Galapagos Superstar

Galapagos Cruise Update: 15 Day Cruise Itineraries in the Galapagos

Earlier this year, the Galapagos National Park Service (GNPS) issued a notice to all Galapagos boat operators that they must start operating 15-day itineraries. Original announcements stated all boats would adhere to the new 15-day itineraries as early as Feb. 1, 2011 — later reports pushed the official effective date to Jan. 1, 2012 to allow more lead time for boats to make changes. With the changes already on the [...]

 

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Adventure Life traveler, Doug McCallum, assists biologists at the Pacuare Reserve

Featured Trip: Protecting Leatherback Turtles in Costa Rica

The Trip: Turtles and Rainforest 8-day Costa Rica Tour The Pacuare Nature Reserve, or Reserva Pacuare, was established by the Endangered Wildlife Trust in 1989 and protects 800 hectares of lowland tropical rainforest and 6 km of deserted beach on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. The special mission of the reserve has been to protect the Leatherback Turtles, which nest along its beach – one of the most important nesting sites [...]

 

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Travelers visit breeding centers for giant tortoises in the Galapagos, and meet some of the newest residents. Photo by Alicia Cruz

Galapagos Travel: After 40 Years, Giant Tortoises back on Pinta Island

In late May 2010, thirty-nine giant tortoises were released onto the Galapagos’ Pinta Island. Called the “Pinta Project 2010“, the release and monitoring of the tortoises is definitely a team effort that includes Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment, the Galapagos Conservancy, Galapagos National Park, State University of New York, and the Huston Zoo. Pinta Island has not seen tortoises on its shores for nearly 40 years, when the last known Pinta [...]

 

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Giant Tortoise - the Galapagos' namesake

Galapagos Wildlife: Charles Darwin Foundation Releases the Ultimate Wildlife Checklist

      Following an intense two years of research, the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) has recently released their Galapagos Known Species Checklist. Teachers, students, scientists, travelers and wildlife enthusiasts in general are encouraged to download and utilize the comprehensive list to further understand the delicate environment of the Galapagos. While this list is just phase one of an ongoing project to fully understand and categorize the known species in [...]