2010 Travel Planner

The Annapurna Circuit

Trekking (Western Nepal)

TEXT: Kenneth Koh
PHOTOS: Kenneth Koh/Adventure Nomad

The Annapurna Circuit trekking route has been hailed as one of the best long distance walks on the planet. It’s an ancient footpath, about 300 kilomeres long, that has been used for centuries as the main trade route in these hills.

The sights, sounds and smells as you trek in the shadow of the world’s loftiest mountains and the experience of living amongst the rugged mountain people will be something that you will long remember, and you may find yourself drawn back time and again to this beautiful, awe-inspiring place.

Tropical Ice

Trekking and climbing (West Papua, Indonesia)

TEXT & PHOTOS: Carl-Bernd Kaehlig

As 17th-century Dutch explorer Jan Carstenszoon sailed along the south coast of Papua, he suddenly shouted “Iceward-ho!” His spyglass showed vistas of snow- and ice-capped mountains of the Sudirman Range, part of Papua’s Central Highlands, probably near present-day Timika. His report to his superiors of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in Batavia (now Jakarta) and Amsterdam was met with sheer ridicule and loud laughter.

It’s likely that Jan Carstenszoon (known also as Carztensz) didn’t have the last laugh during his lifetime because these highlands were only explored by a Dutch expedition as late as 1909. It wasn’t until 1962 that Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer of Himalayas fame became the first person to conquer Puncak Jaya (5,030 or 4,884 metres, depending on your source), the highest point between the Himalayas and the Andes (main picture).

Caves, Mystery Cities, Waterfalls – and Human Sacrifice!

Kayaking, cycling and hiking (Southern Laos)

TEXT & PHOTOS: Steve Van Beek

Whilst the vast majority tourists give the relaxed capital of Vientiane and the historical city of Luang Prabang most of their time, Laos also boasts some of South East Asia’s most picturesque scenery as well as great possibilities for adventure travel. Armed with an inflatable kayak, you can explore a cave several kilometres long and traverse the world’s largest waterfalls, twice the size of Niagara.

The fun begins in the capital as you wander through majestic temples, unique markets, and a famed Lao silk studio. A drive south through rice fields provides your first glimpses of the world’s 11th longest river, the mighty Mekong, before turning east and climbing into the amazing Khammouane Range with its otherworldly limestone karsts. Deep in the heart of these mountains is the entrance to the cave; penetrating it reveals a hidden valley perched on the Vietnam border. Explore a remote village still pursuing traditional agriculture and house construction, a marvel of self-sufficiency, and walk along the remnants of the Ho Chi Minh Trail of Indochina War fame.

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