Adventure World Blog

Nestled within the embrace of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Ollantaytambo acts not only as a gateway to travellers on their way to Machu Picchu, but has its own Inca legacy.

Originally a royal Inca estate, Ollantaytambo has some of the oldest continuously occupied dwellings in South America. Tumbling terraces, elaborate waterworks and impressive storehouses cling to the side of the steep hills which were used as a defence against Spanish attacks from Cusco.

The town seems to drowse in the late afternoon sun which casts long shadows across the vast stone structures which run up the mountainside. From the top of the terraces the vista is amazing, with the modern town stretching out across the valley floor. The railway line we are to take to Machu Picchu snakes alongside the Urubamba River, disappearing between mountains in the distance.

Arriving as the sun rises the following morning, the train station itself looks like it would be more at home in Disneyland. We join the small crowd milling about the platform, gathering proof of their journey as they pose in front of the iconic blue and gold livery of the Vistadome trains. The journey is smooth, the only interruption is from the smiling Peru Rail attendants who deliver a morning snack of little sandwiches and Coca Tea to our seats.

Blog courtesy of Alison O’Loughlin from Adventure World Australia. Get there… Adventure World Travel offer a range of tailor-made and tours to the magnificent Machu Picchu. For more information contact us on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049 or NZ: click here / AU: click here.

In no time at all we arrive in Aguas Calientes. Souvenir vendors slowly uncover their wares and chat with each other as we cross the footbridge over a bubbling stream to board the coach which will take us the last kilometres up the mountain to Machu Picchu.  The buses wind back and forth all day, passing tourists who have elected to walk the final leg up the mountain.

I find myself trying to catch a glimpse of the mountain which hides the citadel, but they all look alike! There is excited chatter inside the bus, Spanish, English, any language you can think of. As we arrive at the entrance to the site, our guide Celina leads us along the winding stone path, stopping every now and then to chat about the history of the Incas and their legacy. “I first came here in 1979 with my father, who was an historian,” she says with great pride, “and since then I have been here over 40 times, each one different.”

We finally round the bend of the path that brings us face to face with what we have come to see. It is breathtaking. The terraces stretch up into the low cloud hovering around the mountain peak behind us and we spy the Sun Gate off in the distance, where weary travellers emerge from their 4 day trek. We wander through the ruins, which over many years have been restored and rebuilt. It seems astonishing that when they were rediscovered only 100 years ago by Hiram Bingham, the ruins were surrounded by thick cloud forest and had been largely forgotten by all except a handful of locals living in the valley nearby.

As we sit and take in the vista, tiny people as big as ants scale the ancient stone stairs up Huayna Picchu, or “young peak” in Quechua language. Only 400 people per day are allowed to climb the peak which towers over the citadel, but we decide our view is spectacular from where we sit, watching the llamas as they wander in and out of people’s pictures.

We explore the ruins as the shadows lengthen, from the artisan workshops to the Temples of the Sun and Moon, before it’s time to begin our return journey. As the area surrounding the ruins are within a protected park, there is only one hotel at Machu Picchu itself, the luxurious Sanctuary Lodge, which offers rooms with a view over the ruins, and the chance to explore the site after the last bus has gone.

Machu Picchu; a mountain shrouded in mystery and untouched for centuries, the remnants of a lost civilization. As an iconic travel landmark it’s certainly on the top of most people’s bucket lists.

It’s difficult to miss the Inca legacy when you’re in Peru. The signs are everywhere. From the bright yellow Peruvian soft drink of choice, “Inca Cola,” to the ancient agricultural terraces and huge stone structures carved into the side of lush green mountains, the Inca’s left behind a lasting impression in many ways, the most impressive of which is Machu Picchu.

And while we are still uncovering much of the detail of the rituals and day to day existence of the Incas, this iconic mountain citadel is more accessible that most would think.

I knew that you could get there on foot, trekking the Inca Trail; four days across treacherous mountain passes, through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, camping by the Urubamba River which winds its way through the valley at the base of lush green peaks. It sounded idyllic, like a rite of passage for anyone possessed of an intrepid spirit.

Little did I know that that the Inca Trail we know today was only one path on a well-trodden Inca Highway which stretched for kilometres from the centre of the Inca Empire in Cusco, running from Quito in Ecuador almost the length of the continent to Santiago in Chile.

But my journey to Machu Picchu wouldn’t be retracing the footsteps of the Inca’s. Instead it would begin in the quaint little town of Ollantaytambo where we would board the train to transport us on a 90 minute rail journey in picturesque comfort!

Blog courtesy of Alison O’Loughlin from Adventure World Australia. Get there… Adventure World Travel offer a range of tailor-made and tours to the magnificent Machu Picchu. For more information contact us on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049 or NZ: click here / AU: click here.

There’s a whole other world out there. Just three hours from Vientiane, Laos lays the spectacular Kong Lor Caves, an amazing network of 7.5 km of limestone caverns, carved out by the Hinboun River. The cavern is a huge piece of limestone masterpiece located in an equally impressive natural masterpiece in the National Protected Forest Area of Hinboun Mountain. If you are an avid outdoorsman, then what are you waiting for!? Let’s head out there!

Your drive to Sala Hinboun takes you through awesome Lao countryside scenery. The whole country is pretty much like this; green tropical trees, rolling hills and smooth meandering rivers. If the weather is right (usually during the May-October rainy season when the water rises), you can do all this on slow boat instead.

Just to let you know: the caves are only reachable by boat. That means that you will slice through the area on a peaceful boat ride and be treated to some spectacular views. After that, enter Kong Lor Caves. The cavern is a seven and a half kilometer long subterranean limestone tunnel network and can be anywhere between 30 and 90 meters wide and about 100 meters high.

While you are in the cool interior of the caves, check out the stalactites and various other limestone formations. They never cease to amaze! Just so you know, Kong Lor is still used by local fishermen today as a route around the region and beyond. There are also some great picnic locations riverside. We’ll take you there for lunch. Afterwards, swim in these pristine Hinboun River waters and cool off from the always hot and humid Laotian weather.

Many people overlook Laos when travelling in Southeast Asia. Big mistake guys! This is an up and coming country, filled with natural wonders, glittering temples and colorful hilltribe folks. 

Blog courtesy of our Laos ground supplier. For more information on Laos or to view our Kong Lor Caves package click here or call us on AU: 1300 295 049 / NZ: 0800 238 368.

The Sabi Sands Game Reserve recently teamed up with the Rhino Rescue Project to embark on a mission of treating the horns all the rhino in the reserve with a indelible dye and ectoparasiticides in order to protect them from poaching. Guests and staff of all the lodges in the area were invited to witness the procedure, and much excitement hung in the air as we watched a huge step being taking to protect these magnificent creatures.

The rhino are quickly darted from a helicopter, with the ground team ready to start the treatment as soon as possible.

The Sabi Sands team working together with the Rhino Rescue Project team.

The red indelible dye and ectoparasicitides being injected into the horn, as well as being fitted with a tracking device.

The cow happily walks off after a speedy and painless experience.

Blog courtesy of Savanna Lodge and was written by Neil Whyte. Adventure World offer a 3 day package staying at Savanna Private Game Reserve priced from NZ$1759 per person, twin share (travel to 31st October 2013). For more information contact Adventure World on NZ: 0800 238 368 or AU: 1300 295 049.

Is trekking Kilimanjaro on your bucket list? Here are 10 reasons why you should climb Kilimanjaro…

1. Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa
2. It is the lifer & on the list of 100 things you should so before you die
3. Mt Kilimanjaro forms part of the famous 7 summits. Other 6 are: Mt Everest- Asia, Aconcaqua – S America, Denali AKA Mount McKinley – Nth America, Mt Elbrus – Europe, Mt Vinson – Antarctica and MT Kosciusko – Australia.
4. It is the highest Freestanding mountain in the world
5. Arusha National Park is 30kms from Mt Kilimanjaro – perfect game experience for those with limited time.
6. The climb can be attempted all year round.
7. It can be easily combined with either Serengeti or Zanzibar for the ultimate Tanzanian holiday.
8. Kilimanjaro is easily assessable with direct flights on KLM, Qatar and Ethiopian Airlines.
9. There are different route options, and level of treks, to suit individual preferences
10. Acacia Africa offer 3 amazing trek routes: Marangu, Machame and Rongai You can start and finish these amazing routes in Moshi or Nairobi and you can add an Acclimatisation day to each which gives you more chance in reaching the summit. Check out our Acacia Africa tours on offer that will make you dreams come true and will get you to the summit of Uhuru Peak at 5895Metres:

Marangu Route

The most direct and most popular climb of all of the Kilimanjaro routes. This path is well defined and climber friendly to make your adventure a little easier. The camps on route have solar powered sleeping huts and beds in communal dormitories. The trail runs via rainforests, waterfalls over high moorlands, where you will trek amongst giant plant life! The final steep push takes place in the morning before you stand, elated, on the Roof of Africa! The decent follows the same route down the mountain.

Machame Route

This route is the second most popular route and a little more strenuous than the Marangu Route but I am not going to lie it is one of the most beautiful of routes. The camping train climbs Shire plateau on the west side of Kibo and ascends the imposing Barranco Wall, below stunning ice fields before it converges with the other trails of the summit.

Rongai Route

This less frequented route approaches from the north with great views over the Amboseli Plains in Kenya letting you climb this magnificent mountain and view game at the same time! Passing through alpine meadows and giant vegetation, we camp near mountain caves before joining the steep route to the summit. The descent follows the Marangu route which allows you to trek right over Kilimanjaro.

Why not hop on a safari to the Serengeti or enjoy relaxing time on the beach in Zanzibar? Here are a few Acacia tours you can do after your trek to the summit:

Tanzania Game Parks  – This tour is a wildlife game viewing experiece on the vast sun-baked plains in search of the ‘Big 5′, while lakes, acacia forests and rocky outcrops, harbour numerous other animals and birds.

Or

Zanzibar Island Getaway – The exotic island of Zanzibar is famed for its stunning white-sand beaches lapped by the warm Indian Ocean for a relaxing getaway. Commonly referred to as the ‘Spice Island’.

Blog courtesy of Leanne Haigh – Acacia Africa, Marketing Manager. For more information on Acacia Africa contact Adventure World on NZ: 0800 238 368 or AU: 1300 295 049. To order a copy of the Acacia brochure please NZ: click here / AU: click here.

Authentic Neapolitan Pizza by PazzaRella food truck, $8

Vancouverites are always looking for cheap eats – an inexpensive bite with flavour to match the value. But that’s not quite enough. We want to eat this bounty in a hospitable atmosphere. So where do we go for quality cheap food?

It can’t be that hard to pin down. According to The New York Times, “The number of truly outstanding restaurants in Vancouver is astonishing, and the prices are ridiculously low when compared to other food capitals.”

Whether you’re looking for a filling breakfast, an affordable beer snack, rib-sticking dinner or something to satisfy your sweet tooth, here are some of your best bets for good stuff under $10.

A list like this needs contributions from many avid eaters. Pound the pavement; fill your bellies. And help us add more restaurants.

Best cheap eats in Vancouver? Here’s what we have so far:

Steam pork buns by Flickr user avlxyz

1) Steam buns/dim sum: The pillowy steam buns at New Town Bakery in Chinatown are considered the best in town. Fillings range from spicy pork to sweet black bean paste and veggies. Each bun costs between $1-$2. And every Vancouervrite should know that dim sum at restaurants like Kirin and Floata offers amazing value for money when it comes to brunch/lunch. You can stuff yourself silly with delicacies, washed down by tea, and leave with a minimal bill. The cart service makes it that much more fun.

2) Food cart food: PazzaRella Wood Fired Pizza is not only remarkable because they’ve managed to maneuver a wood fired pizza oven into a food truck, they’re one of the few places in town where you can still get authentic Neapolitan pizza for under $10. Another great option is La Brasserie Street, who serves up a fat, filling beer-brined rotisserie chicken sandwich with buttermilk fried onions for $6.25.

3) Breakfast: Everyone talks about the super cheap menu at Bon’s Off Broadway. Fair enough. It’s possible to eat cheap and up the value/flavour/atmosphere at East Van’s iconic Save On Meats. The satisfying SOM breakfast sandwich (a buttermilk cheddar biscuit, scrambled egg, cheddar and ham) is only $4. Step it up with the  ham and cheese Le Croque sandwich, served with hashbrowns, for $8.50.

4) Beer snacks: For the best inexpensive and creative snacks to accompany craft beer, both Tap & Barrel in Olympic Village and Bitter Tasting Room in Gastown have tasty deals and and exhaustive beer lists. The addictive bacon chips with scratch catsup beer snack is $5 at Tap. Upgrade to sticky yam fries with burnt marshmallow fluff for $8. Meanwhile sli-dogs – two mini hot dogs, one‘Polish’ dog with saurkraut, dijon, and one  ‘American’ dog with French’s and ketchup – are $8 at Bitter. Start with those and you may forgo dinner. Other fun snacks, such as Scotch eggs (sausage wrapped egg) are $4.25 while deviled eggs with chives and paprika, are only $1.20.

Lee’s Donuts

5) Eats with a view: Nothing beats the view from the various waterfront locations of Boathouse restaurant. Sidle up to their bar at “appy hour” between 3 and 6pm and enjoy options like ahi tuna tacos for $6.99, prime rib sliders for $8.99, calamari with tzatiki for $5.99 and more.

6) Dinner: Affordable Vancouver dinner options  are more difficult to source, but Japanese genres like sushi, donburi, ramen and izakaya have a lot to offer. Robson Street, for example, has no shortage of hopping noodle joints including the new Maruko Ramen. Hapa‘s Chipotle Beef Curry Ishi-Yaki (
Rice, slow-braised AAA beef, chipotle curry, egg, served in a hot stone bowl) is under $10. Another option is a hearty sandwich. Kitsilano’s buzzing about new rotisserie Nosh who ups the sandwich ante with their generous, locally-sourced, house roasts. Try the pork banh mi with pork pate, pickled vegetables, fresh herbs and whipped butter for $9. The second most popular – short ribs with celeriac and horseradish aioli on toasted sourdough – is also $9.

7) Dessert: In the midst of the fancy doughnut craze, with prices over  $3 for fried dough, you can still count on Lee’s Donuts in foodie destination Granville Island Public Market to keep their prices below $2. Folks line up for their classic honey dip doughnut, although tempting seasonal flavours are always available. Meanwhile a fancy-pants macarons (in flavours like lychee and salted caramel) from French patisserie Thierry on Alberni will only set you back $1.95.

All this and we haven’t even touched on tacos…

Blog courtesy of Taraneh from www.insidevancouver.ca. To read more visit www.insidevancouver.ca/2013/02/25/vancouver-cheap-eats-restaurants-budget-dining/.

For more information on Vancouver or to view the tours, accommodation and sightseeing that Adventure World offer there, please NZ: click here / AU: click here or call us on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049.

The Coastal First Nations Dance Festival is a celebration of the stories, songs, and dances of indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast.

Presented by Dancers of Damelahamid at the Great Hall in The Museum of Anthropology March 6 – 10, the festival includes a wide range of performances. This is a taste of B.C. and the Pacific Northwest that is too unique and special to pass up.

Internationally lauded artists are coming to Vancouver from communities throughout Canada, including B.C., Manitoba, Yukon and Manitoba, as well as from U.S. states Alaska and Washington, to participate in the sixth annual festival. Metis jiggers, Inuit throat singers, Prairie hoop dancers and Chinook song catchers are some of the performers who will don traditional garb and perform in the Museum of Anthropology’s Great Hall.

Members of the Gitxsan (“people of the river of mists”) tribe founded The Dancers of Damelahamid in the 1960s out of a need to ensure that the knowledge of their ancestors was not lost. According to Gitxsan history, Damelahamid is the original city where the first ancestors were placed on earth from heaven. The Gitxsan are part of the coastal group of cultures that have the distinctive button blanket regalia.

Since forming, the Dancers of Damelahamid have kept traditional Gitxsan culture alive while creating new pieces that draw on their ancestral culture. Through dramatic dance, captivating narrative, intricately carved masks and elaborate regalia, the Dancers of Damelahamid bridge the ancient with a living tradition.

Besides the Dancers of Damelahamid, this year’s line-up includes a range of returning audience favourites as well as first-time festival performers. Among the performers scheduled are Spakwus Slolem, Dakhká Khwáan, Git Hayetsk Dancers, Nukariik, Rainbow Creek Dancers, Alex Wells, Git-Hoan Dancers, Kwhlii Gibaygum, Kwa Kwa Ka Wakw, and Yvonne Chartrand with Compaigni V’ni Dansi.

In addition to signature evening performances, the Coastal First Nations Dance Festival includes afternoon festival stage events and school workshops.

The Coastal First Nations Dance Festival is held in Vancouver from March 6th – 10th 2013. Blog courtsy of www.insidevancouver.ca. To read more visit www.insidevancouver.ca/2013/02/27/coastal-first-nations-dance-festival.

For more information on Vancouver or to view the tours, accommodation and sightseeing that Adventure World offer there, please NZ: click here / AU: click here or call us on NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049.

Who would have guessed in 1882 when William Purvis brought the first Macadamia nut tree to Hawaii from Queensland, Australia that the Aloha State would become the world’s largest grower of macadamias?

Kristin Roth, Senior Fleet Expedition Leader from Un-Cruise Adventures had the opportunity to visit Purdy’s macadamia nut farm while visiting Moloka’i.  Trudy, the owner and operator, was kind enough to give us an energized tour of the operation.  He’s been running the farm since 1980 when he acquired it through the Hawaiian Home Lands Act.

Trudy has about 200 trees, in various stages of growth, since it takes about seven years for the fruit to mature.  The fruits must ripen and fall from the tree to be harvested by hand from the ground.  The fruits can be harvested year round, with the lowest production being in July. Once the nuts are gathered from the ground they still have a long way to go. 

The nuts are gathered into a sort of trough for processing. 

The nuts are shelled, which can be done by gently striking them with a hammer on a flat stone surface.

A guest learns how to shell mac nuts with a hammer.

After shelling, the nuts are rinsed and dried.  Then, they are seasononed (if you like) and placed on a baking sheet to roast in the oven, turning them periodically.

Mmmmmm yummy

Enjoying them in this manner leaves behind all the additives and preservatives that we find with store-bought macadamia nuts.  They are actually healthy this way! (And of course, delicious!)

The macadamia nut farm is part of  farm day on Moloka’i when taking part on Un-Cruise’s eight day Hawaiian Seascapes.

Get there… with Un-Cruise Adventures. Blog courtesy of Kristin Roth, Senior Fleet Expedition Leader from Un-Cruise Adventures. For more information on Un-Cruise Adventureus, please contact the Team at Adventure World NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049 or NZ: click here / AU: click here.

Marrakech is a chaotic yet mesmerising city, which entices and captivates its many visitors. This vibrant hub of energy is the perfect starting point for any North African journey.

It’s a city in perpetual performance, where the world rushes and laughs with an acrobatic nonchalance. Fragrances curl down narrow streets, catching on corners and fading almost before they’re detected, leaving you with lingering sense of thwarted curiosity.

Marrakech makes you earn its secrets, guarding its jewels and pleasures behind imposing petal-pink walls. Be prepared for a dim alleyway to evolve into an beautiful courtyard full of ancient mosaics and sixteenth century tombs. Expect to be surprised by lush gardens with cool shaded walkways and tinkling fountains.

If the world has a meeting place, it’s Dima el Fnaa. The city revolves around the main square, the gateway to the famous souks. Step inside into a web of shaded canvas alleyways, every nook and cranny stuffed to the rafters with goods and wares; leather belts coiled like sleeping snakes, glinting rainbow lanterns and swathes of many-coloured scarves adorn the shelves in their thousands.

Get there… with Exodus small group adventures. Blog courtesy of Exodus small group adventures. For more information on their range of discovery, culture and wildlife holidays, please contact the Team at Adventure World NZ: 0800 238 368 / AU: 1300 295 049 or email NZ: discover@adventureworld.co.nz / AU: info@adventureworld.com.au.