Gobi desert Motorcycling

Gobi desert motorcycle tour in Mongolia

COUNTRY: Mongolia HOLIDAY TYPE: A small group adventure PRICE: From 2450 (10 days) excluding flights Price includes motorcyle hire, petrol,accommodation, meals, transportation, tour leader and entrance fees. The motorbike is a fine way to discover Mongolia. Riding off-road for hundreds of kilometers across the vast open steppe and mountains of the Gobi, you will experience the ride of a lifetime and observe an ancient culture that has changed little in centuries. Start this ride from the capital, Ulaanbaatar, ride south through Middle Gobi and on to the province of South Gobi, then return to complete the circular 8-day route. The trip is fully supported and is suitable for experienced bikers or people with off-road experience as much of the route is on rough rocky tracks or sandy trails. The scenery during this one and a half thousand kilometre journey is varied and we will pass through mountain, desert and steppe regions in very remote parts of the country inhabited only by a few nomadic families with their herds of camels, horses, yaks, goats and sheep. It is an opportunity to escape from everyday life and enjoy real freedom and adventure.

Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: Day 4: Day 5: Day 6: Day 7: Day 8: Day 9: Day 10: Arrive Ulaanbaatar. Meet the tour crew and allocate motorbikes. Ride out of the city and head south on rough jeep tracks to Baga Gazriin Chuluu, a rocky granite mountain. Ride through Mandalgov town and on to Tsagaan Suvraga, an amazing landscape of pink and white limestone cliffs. Gobi Desert riding this is Mongolia as one imagines it: distant horizons, dry rocky earth and a huge blue sky. Ride up into the mountains and walk into Yoliin Am Vulchurs Mouth canyon. Ride to Khongoriin Els sand dunes. Ride to Bayanzag, a small forest of saxaul trees and the flaming cliffs, where many dinosaur remains have been found. Ride north through Middle Gobi and Saikhan Ovoo on the Ongi river. Continue riding to Zorgol Khairkhan, a dramatic granite mountain with bizarre rock formations jutting out against the sky. Return to Ulaanbaatar across the lush green hills of Tuv Central province. Depart.

Small group adventure holiday

Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.

Konig Ludwig Lauf cross country ski race, Germany

COUNTRY: Austria, Germany DEPARTURES: 2012: 29 Jan PRICE: From 1249 (8 days) including UK flights MORE INFO: From 999 excluding flights. Single supplement 100 Germany's finest cross-country ski location, the Ammergau's extensive network of skating trails offers some of the best skiing in the Alps. It is also the location of one of the most famous crosscountry skiing races in Europe: the Knig Ludwig Lauf in Oberammergau. This year is the 40th anniversary of the 50km race and it promises to be one of the most exciting ever. Eric Woolley, a Snow Sport England Coach/Tutor will focus on the preparation for the race, offering coaching in skating technique, so we can be fully prepared for the big event. Thanks the Ammergau Valley's excellent loipe system, we can enjoy many circuits to practice on in the area. For those who feel like 50km are too much of a challenge, it is possible to enter the shorter race of 23km, which takes place on the same day.

Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Day 2-7: Day 8: Fly from Gatwick to Innsbruck; transfer by road to Oberammergau. (approx. 1hr15mins). 5 days skate skiing (including race day), one day for race registration and one free day. Return transfer to Innsbruck. Fly Innsbruck to Gatwick.

Everest hiking holiday

COUNTRY: Nepal

LOCATION: Everest region HOLIDAY TYPE: High altitude, moderate walking holidays PRICE: From 1250 (15 days) excluding flights Price includes: 14 breakfasts, 11 lunches and dinners, airport transfers, flights Kathmandu/Lukla/Kathmandu valued at US236, expert bilingual guide, group medical kit, quality accommodation in Kathmandu, use of trek pack inc. sleeping bag, down or fibre filled jacket and insulated mat, souvenir kit bag, private transport, all park, site entrance fees and trekking permits, porters to carry all personal and group equipment, porter's insurance & welfare supplement, sightseeing in Kathmandu. We can arrange flights from the UK

Experience the magic of the Everest region without having to walk all the way to base camp The most popular introduction to trekking in the Everest region. A short trek that leads through the famous Buddhist villages and monasteries of the Sherpa people while affording unparalleled views of some of the world's highest peaks. The highlights of this trip are the days spent trekking above Namche Bazaar enjoying spectacular mountain views as well as enjoying the camraderie of your fellow trekkers at our exclusive campsites at Ghat and Monjo. Beyond Thyangboche we get beyond the established trails to our alpine camp (4800m - the highest point on the trek) beneath the awesome flanks of Ama Dablam. From our spectacular vantage point we gain a breathtaking 360 degree mountain panorama that culminates in the distinctive summit of Everest looming above the Nuptse-Lhotse Wall. A further dimension to our trek is a visit to the Sherpa villages of Khunde and Khumjung where we visit some of Sir Edmund Hillary's projects that we proudly support though the Himalayan Trust. Meals on trek For added comfort, convenience and safety we are one of the few operators to provide all meals on trek. Who wants to search for a hygienic & hearty meal after a hard days trekking? Our trained cooks will cater for your dietary requirements and ensure a high level of hygiene. You are free to go back for seconds - or thirds - which is not possible without incurring extra costs when purchasing meals.

Karakoram Highway holiday

COUNTRY: India, Pakistan

LOCATION: Kashmir DEPARTURES: 2012: 28 Jul, 22 Sep PRICE: From 3450 (21 days) excluding flights

This totally unique itinerary takes you on a wonderful journey along the southern branch of the Old Silk Road from northern Pakistan to the Indian Himalayas. Starting in Kashgar where you will witness the famous Yakshmbe Bazaar otherwise known as the Sunday Market you will continue through the stunning mountains of northern Pakistan to the tranquil foothills of the Indian Himalayas. On a journey that traders, warriors, poets and pilgrims have been taking for millennia you will drive the famous Karakoram Highway the eighth wonder of the world through Hunza and the beautiful Fairy Meadows and on to Lahore. From here you will cross the border to the Sikhs holy city of Amritsar, visit the Golden Temple and then head to Dharamsala to relax in the mellow forest clad mountains that the Tibetan refugees have come to call home. All in all, this is a pretty amazing adventure with some fascinating culture to boot.

Rio Futaleufu rafting holiday in Chile

COUNTRY: Chile LOCATION: Patagonia DEPARTURES: 2012: 28 Jan, 6 Feb, 16 Feb, 17 Feb PRICE: From US $1595 (8 days) excluding flights MORE INFO: Price includes all rafting and camping equipment, fully qualified, experienced river guides and safety kayakers, necessary permits and licenses

The Rio Futaleufu in Chile is no ordinary river on which to take a white water rafting adventure challenge. Born in the Los Alerces National Park in Argentina, the Futaleufu flows west into Chile. These are landscapes dominated by snow capped volcanoes and rich rain forest. The Futaleufu, which Great River in the local Mapuche dialect, eventually arrives at the coastal town of Chaiten. It has astonishingly clear waters and flows through deep canyons and pristine wilderness. This helps to create explosive and untamed white water, unparalleled anywhere in the world. This trip is designed to immerse you in the beauty, magic and culture of Patagonia. We also offer a similar 11 day/10 night trip over Christmas and New Year rafting trip.

Kayaking holiday in Indonesia, Komodo Dragon expedition

COUNTRY: Indonesia PRICE: From 1500 (10 days) excluding flights

We lead and encourage our clients to take responsibility for the environmental impact of the expeditions and we try to minimise the impact of our challenges on the environment within which we operate. We are therefore committed to continual improvement in our environmental performance, preventing pollution and minimising our effects through a complete programme of annual reviews of our expeditions and try to make our activities environmentally and socially positive. To greatly reduce our impact on the environment there is a maximum of 8-12 team members, which helps to minimise the damage associated with large scale tourism. On our trips we do not leave anything behind where we camp, trek, raft, kayak or sail. We leave places like we found them, in fact we sometimes leave them in better condition. Most of our expeditions do involve some sort of environmentally friendly power such as trekking by foot, paddling a raft or sailing a boat. As part of this expedition, you will be helping to preserve the local eco-system by cleaning the park of all plastics as we go. Through the work that we and other like minded organisations do, we hope that the Komodo National Park will remain an attraction for our children's children. Accommodation on the Island of Flores is the Bajo Komodo Eco Lodge which is a beach side Lodge located near Labuan Bajo on the Island of Flores. The view out to the Komodo islands from the upstairs restaurant and bar is especially beautiful at sunset. Part of the grounds is set aside as a Coucal (pheasant-like bird) breeding area. The Eco Lodge has adopted Green Globe principles into their management systems. Green Globe is the global Benchmarking, Certification and improvement system, assisting the international travel and tourism industry to attain sustainability. Green Globe provides a certification system that responds directly to the major environmental problems facing the planet, including climate change, over-use of freshwater resources, destruction of biodiversity, production of solid and biological waste and social issues. EcoLodges Indonesia also supports the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC Partnership) - a coalition of 32 organizations working together to foster increased understanding of sustainable tourism practices and the adoption of universal sustainable tourism principles. The Partnership, which was initiated by Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Foundation, and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), launched the Sustainable Tourism Criteria at the World Conservation Congress in October 2008. These criteria provide the minimum standard that any tourism business should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the worlds natural and cultural resources while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for poverty alleviation. We aim to: - Achieve zero litter, and when appropriate remove local litter - Avoid pollution from our camp and accommodation activities - Achieve zero damage and impact to local flora and fauna - Encourage understanding of the local environment and its fragilities - Encourage the eating of local foods therefore preserving traditional farming practice - Encourage the use of biodegradable products especially washing products. - Ensure good practice on all toilet activities, i.e. avoiding pollution to water courses - Ensure waste is minimized and recycled whenever possible - Minimise the use of water Our commitment to our environmental policy extends to our working environment and all staff recycle and make business decisions with an ethical dimension such as using public transport and maximising the use of email. We are committed to running a business that has as little environmental impact as possible.