Life-Changing Trips
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World explorers like Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus would likely balk at the modern luxuries of adventure travel. Treks through Mongolia and sea voyages across the Atlantic are now completed in mere days or weeks. Some travelers are driven by a desire to explore an unknown landscape, while others turn such vacations into learning experiences about distant cultures, histories or environments. These trips still offer all modern travelers a sense of accomplishment and discovery:
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Up Next: Mount Kilimanjaro -
Mount Kilimanjaro
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro has become popular on the informal-adventure travel circuit, but tour company Geographic Expeditions promises a unique experience. By climbing a less traveled route with trained guides, the tour avoids foot traffic while also summiting the peak at 19,340 feet. The campsite for the final night of camping before reaching the summit is near the Furtwangler Glacier, offering hikers a glimpse of one of the world's great natural beauties.
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Up Next: Alaska -
Alaska
Those with major wanderlust have long considered Alaska one of the greatest adventures. On this two-week trip, travelers will spend one day viewing bears in Redoubt Bay. A train then takes them to Denali National Park, where they spend three days hiking. Finally, a chartered flight takes them to Anchorage, where a yacht awaits. Guests cruise the Prince William Sound for the remaining five days.
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Up Next: Mongolia -
Mongolia
The Gobi Desert and Lake Khovsgol, the country's largest freshwater lake, are the tour's main attractions. The 16-day trip starts in the capital Ulaanbaatar for visits to museums and Buddhist temples. Travelers then fly to Gobi and explore the desert by camel-back, switching to horses and jeeps at the lake. The area is home to nomadic reindeer herders, whom travelers may get a chance to meet.
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Up Next: Antarctica -
Antarctica
This 15-day trip is perfect for those who like the idea of a classic expedition. Travel to Antarctica takes several days and includes crossing the famed Drake Passage, which is located between Cape Horn and the Antarctic Peninsula. While you're on the "white continent," several days are spent kayaking and cruising through iceberg fields. Guests will learn how to identify penguins and hear the sound of gas being discharged from icebergs, otherwise known as the "Antarctic seltzer."
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Up Next: Atlantic Ocean -
Atlantic Ocean
Sail the Atlantic as Old World explorers once did. This trip begins from Lisbon, Portugal; pauses to explore the Canary and Cape Verde Islands; and ends at Salvador, Brazil, after 19 days at sea. Naturalists aboard the boat will teach passengers about the geology, history and marine life of the Atlantic. Guests will even visit the house that Columbus lived in while he awaited additional supplies for his ship on the island of La Gomera.
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