Modern Herder Life in Mongolia

This is the second in a series of posts from Deepali Patel, a native of Washington D.C. and Fulbright Fellow working in Mongolia.  This week, her guide to eating in Mongolia. Read more on her blog Herder Life The mystique of nomadic life is one of Mongolia's biggest tourism draws, though "nomadic" in its strictest definition, is not the most accurate term.  Mongolia has 3 million residents, 60% of ...

Christina On “Road Trip Nation”

Check out our very own Christina Heyniger on Road Trip Nation! Christina was interviewed by the Aussie Girls on their Road Trip of America.  Watch the preview and tune in (see here for listings) for the whole episode to catch her views on redefing 'regular' life and working in the adventure business. Read more about the show here.

New Music: Feathership

The music that comes out of Montreal rarely disappoints, including: Arcade Fire, the Dears, Sam Roberts, the Stills or Wolf Parade.  With the debut of the EP, new band Feathership joins this impressive group.  Whilst this quintet is decisively closer to alternative-folk than the aforementioned indie-rock bands, Feathership’s music blends in enough colour to its fundamentally folksy sound to soon move from off the radar to the charts. The band which started as a casual project between members of already well established Montreal-based groups has since taken a sharp turn as the release ...

Surf Nonprofits to Benefit from Kickoff Charity Event for NY Surf Film Festival and Unsound Pro

Two big pieces of news from our friends at WAVES for Development (WAVES). They have hired a new Program Manager and this past September, co-hosted an event and 'unconference' with the New York Surf Film Festival (NYSFF). Australian Naomi Godden joins WAVES as the Program Manager of the organization’s surf voluntourism program in Lobitos, Peru.  In addition to an interest in surfing and volunteering, Naomi, a trained social worker, brings with her years of experience working in community development, research, and as a PADI Divemaster and Emergency First ...

October, 2009 Photo Contest

This month, be the first to tell us where you can find the statue shown in this image and we'll send you some Eagle Creek gear. Hint: a larger version of this statue watches over Guanabara Bay. Last Month Congratulations to Pamela West for correctly identifying the public square in last month’s photo contest. It was Baščaršija square in Sarajevo.

Road Tripping Through the Southern Caucasus

Kazbegui, in Georgia The people in the Southern Caucasus simultaneously love, admire and curse their land, but above all will be surprised that you’ve chosen to visit their place.The landscape here consists of deep valleys hidden between walls of snow-capped mountains. And although the legacy of wars is visible and tensions especially noticeable at the many border crossings, you’ll find many quiet, ancient villages with stone churches and people with a warmth that transcends language. We spent a month taking ...

Xola Consultant Jessica Reilly Supports Endangered Species Research in the Mojave Desert

September 5, 2009 Xola’s Jessica Reilly is supporting desert tortoise research in the Mojave desert ecosystem throughout the fall.  This long-term project seeks to determine the effects of the translocation of tortoises from expansion areas of the Ft. Irwin Army Base north of Barstow, CA.  Jess is tracking and monitoring individual tortoises fitted with radio transmitters from both the translocated and local populations. Jess’s research area is 35 miles south of the notoriously hot and arid Death Valley.  The Mojave desert is one of the driest places in North America, receiving less than 9 inches of rain per year.  The desert ...

Off the Radar Editor Natasha Martin Attends Service Summit in Guatemala

September 25, 2009 Off the Radar editor Natasha Martin represented the Adventure Travel Trade Association September 10-12 at the Service Summit in Guatemala.  The government is seeking to promote sustainable tourism as one of five service sectors.  Natasha met with tourism providers to develop an understanding of the tourism landscape in Guatemala, then traveled to Tikal and Chilasco, the highest waterfall in Central America, to witness community-based tourism. Natasha was encouraged by the site visits and Guatemala enthusiasm for sustainable adventure tourism development.  “It’s clear that Guatemala has a lot to ...

Our Photographer in Smithsonian Magazine

Congrats to our photographer, Adam Vaught, for the inclusion of his photo in Smithsonian Magazine this month.  This photo was taken outside Kamakya temple in Guwahati, Assam.  Click here to read our story on the North-East Indian state.    

Try This: Man Camp!

The man-cation now has an option other than golf or Vegas. This November, in Carmel Valley, CA – the Original Man Camp launches its inaugural weekend. The three-day camp offers guys a menu of activities, mostly designed to beef up manly skills like gourmet grilling, fixing a car’s engine, improving poker skills, guitar playing or refining the beer palette – all led by world experts. It is also pioneering a new ...