Winter Wildlife Viewing in Japan
Zegrahm Expeditions offers a range of overland and small-ship tours, but the 19-day Snow Monkeys and Cranes of Japan trip is the perfect fit for the avid animal photographer. With their eyes peeled for native wildlife, guests on this trip will spend hours birding, hiking and trekking, from the southern Arasaki Crane Reserve on Kyushu to Akan National Park on the Shiretoko Peninsula. Asian cranes gather around the coastal village of Arasaki during winter, and travelers will have a chance to observe approximately 12,000 birds snacking and playing in the rice paddies. In Jigokudani, troops of Japanese macaques, a native species of monkey, play in the snow-covered trees. In Kushiro, Steller’s eagles, sika deer and red fox await. The tour departs Feb. 14, 2015, and begins at $13,980 per person.
www.zegrahm.com
Farm Stay in the Aussie Bush
The team at boutique tour company Aussie Farmstay and Bush Adventures is ready to introduce rough-and-ready explorers of all ages to the Australian bush. On the four-day Venture West Tour, travelers will road trip through the Central West region of Australia, visiting national parks, mingling with locals in pubs and sleeping under the stars in a campsite near Inglevale. A farmstead stay gives guests the opportunity to shear sheep and sample kangaroo meat after a long day’s work, and visits to the Abercrombie Caves and the World Heritage Blue Mountains National Park are other trip highlights. Tours depart every Sunday through 2014, though dates are subject to change near Easter, Christmas and New Year’s. Prices begin at $1,010 for adults and $640 for children. It is recommended that young travelers be at least three years old.
www.aussiebushadventures.com.au
Explore the Amazon By Kayak
Kayak adventure company Tofino Expeditions is now offering a tropical itinerary along the Amazon River. Once they have arrived in Quito, Ecuador, travelers will fly to Coca and head to the Napo River, the largest tributary of the Amazon in Ecuador. In these waters, guests will get acquainted with their kayaks and brush up on their rowing skills before padding through the jungle, where native wildlife such as white-bellied spider monkeys, pink freshwater dolphins and colorful macaws make their homes. At the end of each day, kayakers will return to one of three deluxe jungle accommodations, spying nocturnal wildlife en route to the lodges. The trip departs April 25, Oct. 31 and Dec. 17. Travelers must be 12 or older to participate, and prices begin at $4,390.
www.tofino.com
Heli-Skiing in Iceland
For advanced and expert skiers, going heli-skiing is the ultimate mountain experience. On the Heli-Ski Iceland: Skiing in the Land of the Vikings adventure with EpicQuest, lead guide J.B. Bergmann helps trailblazers navigate more than 1,500 square miles of mountain and glacier. In the winter months, the Northern Lights delight guests; in the spring, there’s adventure to be had under the midnight sun. The tour is available February through June and is run out of Raven Hill Lodge in Ski Valley in Northern Iceland. Four- and six-day trips depart regularly and begin at approximately $8,000.
www.epicquest.com
