“Spring Break” in Iceland
Iceland is one big volcanic island, with enough underground geothermal activity to heat the water that bubbles up out of the ground to an average 176° F. That boiling water gushes out of the ground and collides with the ice-cold water of the flowing mountain streams to make over 800 steaming natural hot springs across Iceland’s beautiful landscape. Ironic as it may seem, Iceland has more hot springs than any other country in the world.
And, as part of the arctic region, Iceland has many months of long days by which to trek and soak. During the summer solstice, the sun can hover just above the horizon for 20 hours, giving you enough light to read by night, while never blazing hot overhead. And what you’ll see is a naturally pristine landscape: The country’s 3,700 miles of coastline surround varieties of geography from glacial lakes to wide grassy basins to volcanic mountains. As you hike, you’ll pass large stretches of fields covered in beautiful purple lupines, vast plains dotted with sheep, peaks, and cliffs, and more waterfalls than can be individually named. This unspoiled countryside is a hiker’s paradise, and the warm pools along the way are nirvana to a hiker’s feet, back, and spirit after a long day of trekking.
But, Iceland is largely uninhabited. Over half the population lives in Reykjavik, the main capital, and the rugged countryside is something of a wild frontier, meaning you’re not likely to run into a Motel 6 or Courtyard Marriott out there. If you want to walk across Iceland, hopping from steamy pool to steamy pool, your best bet is to hire a guide. Check out a company called Iceland Rovers at www.icelandrovers.is. The company has been providing tours of Iceland for a decade, and offers six- to nine-day tour packages of the country’s hot springs.
Outback adventure in Australia
Australia’s outback, sprawling, mostly uninhabited, and fabulously rugged, is one of the last frontiers of the modern age. The indigenous Aboriginal people have honored the ancient tradition of the walkabout as a signal of coming of age from youth to adulthood, spending up to a month on a solitary walk through this wild countryside.
What better adventure than to take your own walkabout across the Australian outback? Because so few people inhabit the area, it is left to the graces of nature, unspoiled by modern expansion. There are beautiful flowers, exotic birds, and plentiful wildlife, a combination that draws thousands of tourists every year.
You can choose between self-guided tours and group excursions…go for a few days or a few weeks…and choose from a variety of routes from a trek through the Australian Alps to a hike through the Red Center to a guided tour of Sydney’s beaches. One company you can work with, or at least get some introductory information from, is Auswalk. The company’s website is www.auswalk.com.au. Prices vary depending on the length of your hike, and whether or not you choose a self-guided tour or a guide-led group outing, but expect to pay between $1,000 and $2,500.
Best Island: Bermuda
A subtropical archipelago of 181 volcanic islands, Bermuda won the bid to host the 2017 America’s Cup, thanks to near perfect North Atlantic sailing conditions. Beyond wind, the British Overseas Territory, just a two-hour flight from New York City, has 75 miles of pink-sand beaches interspersed with jagged limestone cliffs, many of which are perfect for deep-water soloing and hucking into the Atlantic from the top. Stay at Elbow Beach, a 50-acre hideaway with a private stretch of sand on the southern shore (from $455).
Best of the Wild West: Montana
Since 2001, the nonprofit American Prairie Reserve has been working to restore the northern great plains to the pristine condition Lewis and Clark found them in more than 200 years ago. The resulting reserve, in northeast Montana, is now 305,000 acres. The aim is to reach 3.5 million by 2030, creating a U.S. Serengeti and the largest wildlife park in the lower 48, where herds of elk, mule deer, and bison thrive. But don’t wait to go. You can sleep under the stars now at the 11-site Buffalo Camp ($10), four miles north of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, and take a DIY mountain-biking safari on old ranch roads, passing grazing bison and scanning the skies for American kestrels, Sprague’s pipits, and Swainson’s hawks. Or paddle the Missouri River past pioneer homesteads and historic tepees to Kestrel Camp, a set of five luxurious yurts, each with AC, a hot shower, and a veranda for sundowners (from $4,800 for six days).
Best Splurge: Greenland
Natural Habitat Adventures’ brand-new eco base camp, with high-thread-count linens, hot showers, and a gourmet chef, is as close to a luxurious safari-style camp as you can get in these parts. Set on Sermilik Fjord at the edge of the Greenland Ice Sheet, one of the least explored regions of the Arctic, the camp is within view of 5,000-foot peaks that plunge into the sea. Why pay top dollar to sleep in polar bear country in temperatures that barely hit the fifties in August? Because as Olaf Malver, the Danish camp founder who has spent 26 years exploring this coastline, says, “You will be dazzled by its dizzying beauty, strength, and simmering silence.” Guests can take guided ten-mile hikes through tundras, kayak among humpback whales, and visit Inuit villagers who live by centuries-old traditions. From $8,995 for nine days.
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