28 Dec 9 Unforgettable Adventures to Take in 2017
A new year brings new goals and new challenges—and for many of us, that means new travel plans. From exploring Cuba by kayak to sleeping in one of the most remote places on earth, these unforgettable journeys by Adventure Collection members each offer a distinctive experience you can have in the coming year.
Kayak Cuba’s Coastlines
Kayakers share the water with flamingos in Cuba. ©OARS
Dates: departs Feb. 17, March 31, and April 14, 2017
Until recently, Cuba was off-limits to most Americans, but new regulations have opened the country to U.S. visitors. Among the most intriguing new itineraries there is an eight-day adventure tour—mostly by your own paddle power—exploring Cuba’s coastlines and cities with O.A.R.S. Feast on local food like fried green plantains in Havana, snorkel through coral reefs in the Bay of Pigs, kayak through secluded lagoons, and view exotic birds such as flamingos, spoonbills, and herons. You’ll stay in hotels and private houses, and you’ll have several opportunities to connect with Cubans on this people-to-people trip.
Follow the Nile to the Far Reaches of History
A portrait of a young woman in Sudan. ©GeoEx
Dates: September 2016-February, 2017
In Sudan, you can follow the Nile to explore pyramids, tombs, and temples of royal cities that emerge from desert sands and basalt mountains. On an 11-day cultural and historical tour by GeoEx, you’ll explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more than 40 pyramids, stand before the fabled statues of the Nubian Black Pharaohs, and meet Bisharin nomads traveling with caravans and camels. You’ll also experience a henna ceremony in a local home, stop at chai houses to sip tea, and sleep for two nights in cushy tented desert camps.
Go on Safari by Air
Young safari-goers watch wildebeest cross the Serengeti during the Great Migration. ©Bushtracks Expeditions
Dates: June 12-24, 2017 or June 18-30, 2017
On this trip to Tanzania by Bushtracks Expeditions, a private plane will shuttle you and a handful of other guests to exclusive, five-star safari camps and lodges across Tanzania. The 13-day trip is perfectly timed to coincide with the Great Migration, when more than a million zebra and wildebeest move across the Serengeti in search of food. In addition to exceptional wildlife viewing, you’ll have plenty of time on the ground to take part in activities like river boating, biking, canoeing, star-gazing and more.
Learn Leadership Skills in Alaska
NOLS students at a glacier class in Valdez, Alaska. Photo by Devin Duffy, ©NOLS.
Dates: June 30-July 7, 2017
On the Executive Leadership Kayak Expedition from NOLS, you’ll enhance your outdoor skills while growing as a leader and problem solver. As llamas carry the bulk of your supplies through grizzly bear country, you’ll be divided into groups of three or four people for cooking and camping. In addition to learning camp skills, you’ll enhance your leadership toolkit while working alongside other proven leaders. Along the way, you’ll hike through the Prince William Sound, one of the most pristine wilderness areas in North America
Discover the Wild West (and Yellowstone)
Bison frame Yellowstone’s Old Faithful geyser. ©Off the Beaten Path
Dates: July 2-7, July 16-21, or August 13-18, 2017
Uncover the wildlife and incredible geology of America’s first national park, Yellowstone, during this six-day trip by Off the Beaten Path. On this excursion perfect for active families, you’ll stay at a historic guest ranch, walk through limestone caves, and explore Yellowstone’s springs, pools, and geysers. In addition to plenty of time in the outdoors, you’ll also take a trip to the rodeo and learn about the history and culture of the American west at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyoming.
Get a 360-Degree View of Iceland
Jokulsarlon glacier, Iceland. ©Lindblad Expeditions
Dates: July-August, 2017
Each day brings a new adventure when you circumnavigate Iceland on a 10-day voyage aboard the National Geographic Explorer with Lindblad Expeditions. Walk along lava fields and ice sheets, see one of Europe’s largest ice caps, kayak into fjords and serene bays, and snowmobile over a glacier. On your small ship of less than 150 guests, you’ll be able to interact with eight veteran naturalists, a National Geographic photographer and a photo instructor, an undersea specialist, and other experts.
Explore Japan on Foot
Fall colors decorate a bridge in Japan. ©Backroads
Dates: May-October, various dates
Walk on centuries-old paths, visit shrines and sacred temples, and stay in a traditional ryokan-inspired hotels on this eight-day trip through imperial Kyoto and the Northern Alps of Japan with Backroads. You’re sure to find that the landscape is as rich as the culture as you experience the sweet fragrance of more than 5,000 cherry trees in bloom, sip green tea during a traditional ceremony, and take a trip aboard a high-speed Japanese bullet train.
Sleep at a Secluded Arctic Base Camp
A kayaker explores the fjords of Greenland. Photo by Olaf Malver. ©Natural Habitat Adventures
Dates: July-September, 2017
Take a scenic helicopter ride to the edge of the Greenland ice sheet—one of the most isolated places on the planet—and stay in the only “luxury” base camp in Greenland. Natural Habitat Adventures will help you explore a maze of fjords and islands by boat, learn from nightly lectures by Arctic naturalists, and visit with local Inuit in the tiny village of Tinit. For the majority of the nine-day trip, you’ll stay in spacious safari-style tent cabins with private verandas that offer views of the bay and Greenland ice sheet.
Unwind during a Timeless Wilderness Safari
The Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. © Tim Copeland.
Dates: offered year-round
The scale and magnificence of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, an oasis in one of the world’s most uncompromising deserts, helped it secure a position as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and landed it on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife: elephants, buffalo, hippos, wildebeests, giraffes, rhinos, and zebras, to name a few species. Explore this expansive wilderness on a 12-day adventure with Micato, and find sanctuary in boutique hotels and luxurious safari camps.
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