Visual Blog Archive

SEE Turtles is an Ocean Revolution Conservation Project that takes the “leave only footprints” mantra one step further by encouraging tourists to have a positive impact on the places they visit. SEE Turtles is teaming up with EcoTeach for a week long trip starting June 7th, to visit turtle conservation projects in Costa Rica. As well as supporting these important conservation efforts, you’ll also visit leatherback sea turtle nesting beaches and indigenous reserves, go white water rafting, and hike in the rainforest. Here, they’ve shared a few photos of what you can expect on one of their trips.

Polar Expedition

The photography of Charles Berkinshaw

Great images from Argentina thanks to our friends at socompa.com.

Adam Vaught took these great pictures while traveling in Assam, India.

Portraits taken by Adam Vaught in Myanmar.

Paige Stringers wonderful photos of Yellowstone National Park.

Photos by Samantha Joseph taken in Antarctica

Matthew Schwartzman-Stubbs took these photos during his travels in Japan, including the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri festival which he describes in exciting detail on the

Frank McMains captured these images of Shanghai's architectural diversity while on leave from his full time career as a restaurant and bar owner in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in June 2007. See more of his work at lemonsandbeans.com.

Voluntourism in Vietnam: Amazing photos by Buffalo Tours

This compilation of photos entitled, "Cradle of Civilizaton," was taken by Dan Kapner, on his travels through Egypt, Israel and Ethiopia. You can contact Dan here.

Altue Sea Kayaking, a pioneer in Chilean adventure travel and a family run business, runs an 8-day kayaking trip through the fjords of northern Patagonia. The trip begins and ends in Puerto Varas in the Lake District, under the impressive watch of Osorno, a picture-perfect volcano. Kayaking through the magnificent fjords of Comau, Quintupeu and Cahuelmo, the eastern side of the Gulf of Ancud, during the Chilean summer brings fantastic changes in weather, wind and scenery. Glacial valleys, temperate rain forests and marine wildlife create a unique experience on every paddle and hike. And no one can turn down the chance to enjoy the fjord vistas from the comfort of a natural hot spring, courtesy of local volcanic activity. The following five photos are from my time in the Lake District - Joey Parr

StepOut Experience hosts unique eco-experiences on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. Travel in a green and sustainable way and discover why National Geographic calls this place “the most biologically intense place on earth”.

In March 2008 Long Way Home begins construction on a prototype "Tire House" in rural San Juan Comalapa, Chimaltenango, Guatelmala. The house is planned to be a free-standing single round room (thirteen foot interior diameter) that will test rammed-earth tire building as well as raise consciousness in an area suffering from rapid environmental degradation. Rammed-earth tire building is an attractive alternative building method for the Guatemalan highlands because in addition to being affordable, it effectively uses solid waste, provides appropriate insulation for the mountainous climate and offers increased earthquake protection. Scroll over the pictures to learn about the process.

These photos, provided by AWF and Sigrid Johnson and Donald McMaster, offer snapshots of AWF's inaugural trip to the Lomako Conservation Center in Equateur Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This month's visual blog comes from the Colorado Dude and Guest Ranch Association. An association of dude ranchesacross the state of Colorado who seek to rekindle the essence of the Old West, with faded jeans, wide-brimmed hats and time spent with friends and family. Here are some of our favorite images from the ranches.

In Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico, not far from the wild and scenic Chamas River and the historic adventures of the Toltec Railroad, there is another adventure worth having: a visit to a Wild Horse Sanctuary. Sitting on 4500 acres of pristine wilderness, the Monero Mustang Sanctuary was founded six years ago in an effort to stave off the extinction of these descendants of the original Spanish Mustangs. Sandi Claypool lives on the Sanctuary and dedicates her life to these horses and their livelihood; she offers tours of the Sanctuary as well. If you're lucky, you may find yourself standing in the middle of 70 wild horses. Learn more about Monero Mustangs and how you can support the Sanctuary by visiting www.moneromustangs.org.

Follow the Kali Gandaki river up from the Gangetic Plain, passing through the world's deepest gorge, to reach the Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang.  You will find it sandwiched in an arid valley abutting the Nepalese border with Tibet.  Hidden here, amid high peaks and isolated villages, is one of the last vestiges of Tibetan culture, fortuitously protected from annihilation by an agreement with an ancient King of Nepal.  Centuries of salt traders, monks, and legendary warriors have passed through this valley, tracing the path through one of the easiest navigated passes over the Himalaya.  These travelers have left marks in the haunting landscape - here, in the ancient home of Bon, a pre-Buddhist Tibetan religion, a shepherd recently found 12th century cave paintings that depicted the life of the Buddha.  To this day, solemn meditation caves dot the landscape, serving to heighten the otherworldly atmosphere.    As new types of traders pass through this valley - and as new political and environmental challenges surface - the subjects of Mustang have found themselves confronting the unexpected challenges of the 21st century.   As in all places, the future promises substantial change for this ethereal kingdom.  It's tough to remain hidden even here, high amongst the mountain peaks. Photos by Jordan Bower.

This Visual Blog comes from 21 year old Astri Nordløkken, from Norway. She recently traveled to the occupied territories of Palestine (with a company we recently wrote about, Holy Land Trust) and sent us these pictures. When our group of eight curious Norwegians went to visit the West Bank, we found the lively city of Ramallah, the historic center of Bethlehem, and the wild and beautiful desert. We met friendly people who invited us into their houses for Arabic coffee and falafel, curious and playful children, committed youths who told us about their fears and hopes for the future. Still, one cannot ignore the fact that Palestine is an occupied nation. Visiting the checkpoint and seeing miles and miles of concrete and barbed wire stretching along the horizon is clear evidence of this. We visited the lively city of Ramallah, the historic centre of Bethlehem, we saw the wild and beautiful desert. We met friendly people who invited us into their houses for Arabic coffee and falafel, curios and playful children, committed youths who told us about their fears and hopes for the future. Still, you cannot ignore the fact that Palestine is an occupied nation. The Wall that stretches around most of the West Bank is a clear evidence of this. This crude structure of eight meters high concrete blocks makes the unfairness of the situation very obvious. Visiting the checkpoint, seeing miles and miles of concrete and barbed wire stretching along the horizon, it all gives you a shudder of times long gone, of the Second World War, of Apartheid.

Click your heels three times: Xola explores the Sunflower State. Photos by Jess Reilly and Christina Heyniger.

Hiking the Northern Albanian Alps with Robert Bart – teacher, explorer and writer based out of Hood River, OR. His next adventure can be found here: www.kamchatkaproject.org

The Bali Bird Park is located just north of Denpasar on the way to Ubud, encompassing two hectares of botanical landscape, the park provides sanctuary to almost 1000 birds of 250 different species. Incorporating a breeding, research and veterinary facility within the complex, the park has a high success rate in the captive reproduction of exotic birds such as the Bird of Paradise and Hornbill. Photos by n Carmichael-Willis.

This visual blog was taken by Ion David of Travessia Ecoturismo in Brazil. This series shows Indians from Acre, Kaxinawás, one of the most isolated tribes of the Amazon Forest. They live near the Peruvian border.

Congo Wildlife Adventures operates in Nouabale-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo and Dzanga-Ndoki National Park in the Central Africa Republic.These remote parks receive very few visitors but are extremely rich in wildlife. Based in Brazzaville, they are able to provide services for both independent travelers and tourist agencies.

In Greenland, dogsledding is one of the main modes of transportation during the winter time - and a thrilling way for a tourist to see the country. This visual blog comes from the Arctic Circle Region. They have recently launched the blog www.ilovedogsledding.com.