January 21, 2017 - Trekking the World

Elisa's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 82 DAYS

Some of the World’s Greatest Treks

Happy Saturday!!!

The weekend is here and with it comes a list of errands and to do's.

Today, the girls have a birthday party to attend, so we had to forego horseback riding. It's okay, we'll be back next week.

After riding we will head over to our friends' house for some dinner to end the evening.

One thing I am very proud of is that the girls did any and all homework due next week yesterday so that they have the weekend free to relax.

Several weeks ago, while vacationing in Boca Raton, Florida, I came across an article about 7 of the world's greatest treks in GAdventures.com.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and told Tanya I thought we needed to feature hiking and treks in an upcoming Daily Scoop.

Well, peeps, today is the day!!  And I know I speak for Tanya when I say that we are so excited to share a few of our personal hiking adventures with you, as well as some of the ones we look forward to experiencing in the future!

Let's take a look...

Take a Hike: 7 of the World's Greatest Treks

1. Peru’s Inca Trail | ~43km | 4 days
Best time to go. May to September

(credit: YouTube)

The Inca Trail is probably South America’s most iconic trek. Tracing the footsteps of an ancient civilization.  Most treks travel north from the old capital of Cuzco through the verdant Sacred Valley and the ruins of Ollantaytambo, and then on to the forgotten city of Machu Picchu.

Our own Tanya did her own share of trekking while she was in Peru several years ago, which is #1 on the list of the best treks.  Please read all about it in Tanya's blog.

​2. Colombia’s Lost City | ~44km | 5 days
Best time to go. December to March​

The entrance to the Lost City of Teyuna in the Sierra Madre in Colombia – photos by Dominic Degrazier

The Lost City Trek, as it’s called, takes you 46k meters or 28 miles round trip through the jungles, hills and river valleys of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in northern Colombia.  The highlight is La Ciudad Perdida.

La Ciudad Perdida is a Pre-Inca civilization hidden in the Santa Marta Sierra Nevada mountain range of northern Colombia. Built by the Tayrona people around 800 AD, the city was “discovered” in the early 1970s by looters searching through the region. The quotes are used because the local descendents of the Tayrona (Arhuaco, Kogi, and Assario indigenous groups) already knew about the city through the ages.​
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​3. Nepal’s Everest Base Camp | ~62km | 13 days
Best time to go. August to November

(credit: nestadventure.com)

Everest Base Camp is either of two base camps on opposite sides of Mount Everest South Base Camp is in Nepal at an altitude of 5,364 meters, and North Base Camp is in Tibet at 5,150 meters.

Along a route dubbed by some as "the steps to heaven," every bend in the trail provides another photo opportunity – beautiful forests, Sherpa villages, glacial moraines, and foothills. ​

​4. Tanzania’s Mt Kilimanjaro | ~34km | 8 days
Best time to go. September to March

(credit: 8thingstodo.com)

Mount Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, "Kibo", "Mawenzi", and "Shira", is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It is the highest mountain in Africa, and rises approximately 4,900 meters from its base to 5,895 metres above sea level.

The fastest ascent-descent has been recorded by the Swiss-Ecuadorian mountain guide Karl Egloff (born 16 March 1981 in Quito), who ran to the top and back in 6 hours and 42 minutes on 13 August 2014. The female ascent record is held by Anne-Marie Flammersfeld. On 27 July 2015, she climbed to the summit in 8 hours, 32 minutes via the Umbwe Route, which is about 30 kilometres (19 mi) long. ​

​5. Europe’s Mont Blanc | ~125km | 8 days
Travel across high passes and through Alpine meadows. The Tour du Mont Blanc covers more than 100 miles and passes through three countries: Switzerland, Italy, and France. 

Best Time to go: June to September

The Tour du Mont Blanc covers more than 100 miles and passes through three countries: Switzerland, Italy, and France. (credit: gaadventures.com)

Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco, both meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps and the highest in Europe after the Caucasus peaks. It rises 4,808 m above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence.  

​kThe mountain lies in a range called the Graian Alps, between the regions of Aosta Valley, Italy, and Savoie and Haute-Savoie, France. The location of the summit is on the watershed line between the valleys of Ferret and Veny in Italy and the valleys of Montjoie, and Arve in France. 

​6. Patagonia’s Torres del Paine Circuit | 133km | 10 days
Best time to go. December to March

(credit: EcotripsChile Patagonia)

The Torres del Paine W Trek and Circuit Trek (or ‘O’ Trek) have a well deserved reputation as world class backpacking trips with stunning views at every turn. Massive glaciers, including the vast Heilo Sur (Southern Ice Shelf) the second largest non-polar ice field on the planet. There are immense towers of rock, rushing mountain streams and waterfalls, huge azure lakes, and sublime fields of wildflowers​

​7. Trekking Venezuela's Mt Roirama | ~34km | 6 days
Best time to go. Roraima can be hiked year round; however, some argue that the best time to go is from November to April when it’s drier and warmer.

(credit: hike-venezuela.com)

MT. RORAIMA, located on Venezuela's border with Brasil and Guiana, is the highest of the tepuis (flat-topped mountains) in the Gran Sabana, topping out at 2810 m. It was the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel "The Lost World"

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Cousins' Hikes...

Now, me and my dear cuz and our kiddies have dome some fun hiking on our trips - take a look at a few of these memories from our hikes in New Mexico, Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks...

AT GIBBONS FALLS, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (April 2015) (c)travelincousins.com

HIKING AWAY IN YELLOWSTONE (April 2015) (c)travelincousins.com

Hiking Grand Teton together (April 2015) (c)travelincousins.com

Our gang hiking one of the trails at Petroglyph National Monument (c)travelincousins.com

At the top of our Petroglyph trail (Oct. 2014) (c)travelincousins.com

Yesterday, I did manage to get out for an hour to get a manicure.  I just wasn't in the mood to sit through a pedicure, so I'll have to go back for one in the coming week.

Here's to a great day folks!!
-E
xoxo

Tanya's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 16 DAYS

Great U.S. Treks and Hiking Memories of Peru
​

Hey Hey Hey!

We've got a bit of Blue Skies today - which is a bit of a change since we've been having so much glorious rain!!!

And since we've been having rain, the mountains have been getting even more SNOW!

So much snow though - that it has become too much.     If you recall we spent the entire week of our first ski trip / first trip of 2017 snowed in :(

The ski resorts have received so much snow in small bursts that they can't keep up, nor is it very safe.

In fact after all the snow that we got up in Tahoe while we were there, in addition they just got over 40" some inches in the past 7 days and Mammoth Mountain is BOASTING the MOST SNOW IN THE COUNTRY with a staggering base of 150"-280" that is pretty insane! 

Mammoth - Credit: Expedia.com

I am truly hoping that the winter is nice and long and that the snow pack and new freshies continue well into early April at least. Hey I want some of those rockin' awesome conditions saved for our March trip to Park City & Lake Tahoe. Cross your fingers for me ;)

Speaking of mountains, today Elisa and I are chatting about some fabulously amazing and epic mountain treks! 

While Elisa shares a list of 7 of the Worlds Greatest Treks, I am going to share in pictures 3 very memorable/close to my heart treks that I've been so lucky to have embarked on.
And why not begin with the most EPIC of them all:

Peru's Inca Trail

Beginning our trek on the famed Inca Trail (c)travelincousins.com

Mid-hike on the Inca Trail with Dave and my friend Jeff (c)travelincousins.com

Donkey on trail (c)travelincousins.com

Map of the trail (c)travelincousins.com

Steps up to Dead Woman's Pass (c)travelincousins.com

Machu Picchu behind me (c)travelincousins.com

I would do this again in a heartbeat! I loved Peru and cannot wait to go back!!

Related reading:
When in Peru...

Scrambling back in Cusco (Peru)

About to starve in the Jungle!

Famous in Peru!

Next up is Kauai's Kalalau Trail, this strenuous hike is rated THE MOST INCREDIBLE in America as well as one of the most dangerous!

Kauai's Kalalau Trail

Warning sign - deaths occur here! (c)travelincousins.com

So pretty, yet so dangerous! (c)travelincousins.com

Amazing coastline (c)travelincousins.com

It was a bit windy! (c)travelincousins.com

Danger ahead! (c)travelincousins.com

Getting close to camp (c)travelincousins.com

Just a shadow in the cave! (c)travelincousins.com

I made it! (c)travelincousins.com

Another very memorable trek and one that I'd love to do again is The West Coast Trail (more like an obstacle course) in British Columbia, Canada. 

Vancouver Island's West Coast Trail

Climbing one of many many many ladders (c)travelincousins.com

Very muddy conditions (c)travelincousins.com

Ahhhh the Pacific Northwest! (c)travelincousins.com

Picture break (c)travelincousins.com

One of the suspension bridges (c)travelincousins.com

Relaxing on a log (c)travelincousins.com

Gorgeous scenery! (c)travelincousins.com

Ahhhhh the memories! I can't wait to have another trek on my calendar - but which will it be???

​Patagonia’s Torres del Paine Circuit
​(number 6 on Elisa list) is on my Dream Destinations List!!

As for today folks, I had planned on going to the fairly new OUE SkySpace Los Angeles and to have brunch in Pasadena...
But then realized that there was over Half a Million protestors taking over the streets pf downtown Los Angeles.  
​
We SOOOOOO did not want to deal with that, so we've postponed the observation deck to next Saturday.
Instead we are heading into one of my favorites - the Huntington Library and Gardens.

I hope that you have a wonderful Saturday, and that nothing stands in your way of dreaming!

​-T