Your walking holiday may be planned by yourself or purchased from a tour company specializing in this type of vacation. A common question is which company to purchase your walking holiday with.
Consider the following 7 items when purchasing a walking holiday:
1. Destination – you will not only want a destination that you personally find exciting but you will need to consider any flight or train connections to get you there. Are you looking for something exotic like the Inca Trail in Peru or a more traditional walking holiday in the English Lake District.
2. Years in business – how long has the walking holiday tour company been in business. Companies that have been in business for years have the experience to plan great routes which have been over time by other hikers. This is considered green travel and many walkers are environmentally sensitive, what is the policy of the walking holiday tour company?
3. Variety of walking – consider the level of fitness required on the walking holiday. Some companies only offer one walk each day for everyone and as long as that fits your level of fitness that is fine. Other companies offer easy, immediate and advanced walking so that you are challenged at your own ability and will be walking with other hikers of the same fitness level.
4. Walking leaders – how experiences are the walk leaders and how large is the group size. Can they point out local vegetation or historic sites? Do they know the best lunch and snack spots? Can they find their way? Are they qualified to handle any emergency that may arise during the walk?
5. Accommodation – consider the rating of the accommodation. You may prefer a more rustic type of accommodation and some companies specialize in using basic local hotels while others use 4 or 5 star properties. Which do you prefer? And how close is the accommodation to where your will be walking? How is luggage handled if you are moving from destination to destination?
Many walking holiday tour operators offer a single share program so that if you are traveling alone you can save on the price by sharing with another guest.
6. Meals – which meals and snacks are included in the base price. Food can be expensive in destinations such as Switzerland. If not included be sure to visit a grocery store on arrival to stock up. In addition some walking holiday tour companies have a welcome or farewell cocktail or wine party and other extra inclusions.
7. Local transportation is transportation from the railway station or airport to your accommodation included or can it arranged easily. Also are local buses or chartered coaches used to take you to the start of the walk each day.
In addition some most companies will have requirements regarding the insurance coverage.
The cost of walking holidays to a similar destination will vary between walking holiday companies but is usually a result of the quality and inclusions of your walking holiday.
Originally posted 2009-09-15 17:36:59.
Filed under Walking Holidays by on Feb 1st, 2010. 1 Comment. 
One of the most interesting hiking trails in the world, the historic Chilkoot Trail is a challenging 53 kilometer (33 mile) long hike up 3,500 feet. The Chilkoot high mountain pass is located in the Coast Mountain range between Dyea, Alaska and Lake Bennett, British Columbia.
Originally this trail was used by the Tlingit natives for trade. On August 16, 1896 a gold nugget was discovered in Bonanza Creek in the Klondike and the rush was on. To get to the gold over 100,000 prospectors sailed to Skagway, Alaska and hiked loaded up one of two routes. The White Pass trail (nicknamed dead horse trail) is today a railway line.
In hiking up the Chilkoot Trail, the prospectors were required to carry sufficient supplies to support themselves for a year, generally 900 kg of food and equipment. At the top of the Chilkoot Pass the North West Mounted Police (forerunners of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) checked to ensure they had the required amount. It could take the prospectors over three months to move the supplies from cache to cache.
The goods carried included 350 pounds of flour, 150 lbs. of bacon and 100 lbs. each of beans and sugar, sleds, stoves, medicine, picks, shovels, etc. It was said that if you stepped out of line along the trail, it could take as long as half a day before someone would let you back in line. Along the sides of the trail, even today, are littered rusting equipment the prospectors left out of exhaustion. Of the 4,000 who actually discovered gold, only a few hundred ultimately emerged rich.
However today it is a rewarding experience for many hikers. You can plan the hike yourself and obtain the required hiking permits. There are also tour companies you can get the permits and handle the logistics.
The trail can be hiked in either direction, but almost every one chooses the west to east option, and for a good reason. Leaving from Skagway puts the steepest part of the trail, the Golden Stairs, on the uphill side. This is the quarter mile section where you climb over 1000 vertical feet. The weather on the Chilkoot can be seriously bad, by starting at the coast and working inland, most of the wind and rain rolling in off the Pacific will be at your back.
The character of the Chilkoot Trail changes along the way, first it climbs steeply from sea level at Skagway to the pass, and then descends only slightly over to 2,000 feet at Bennett Lake.
On the return you may continue your visit of Whitehorse and the Yukon or take the restored White Pass & Yukon narrow gauge railway down to Skagway. This railway was completed in 1901 and today is used mainly by cruise passengers for day trips. In fact it is the busiest tourist railroad in the world today.
People hike the Chilkoot Trail for the history and the natural beauty. Are you up for this challenging hike?
Chilkoot Trail: Heritage Route to the Klondike
Price: $18.96
Pages: 182, Paperback, Lost Moose
Filed under Hiking Trails, Hiking in the North America by on Feb 2nd, 2010. Comment.
Walking Holidays are have been gaining in popularity the past few years. Here areseven reasons you too should consider a walking holiday for your next vacation.
1. A variety of destinations.
A walking holiday can be close to home on the trails in the forests of a nearby National, State or Provincial Park. Make your walking holiday ever more exciting by visiting another country, continents away. You can hike the rolling countryside of England, through the forests of the Appalachian Trail, into the mountains of the Canadian Rockies or ever New Zealand. You can see nature, and perhaps some wildlife, at it’s finest anywhere in the world.
2. Active vacation
With a walking holiday you will get lots of exercise and fresh air. The physical demands will vary depending on the length and the terrain of the trails you pick.
3. Cost
Necessary equipment starts with a pair of hiking boots and a pack. Other hiking gear including hiking poles, specialized clothing can make your journey along the trails even more enjoyable.
The price will vary depending on the length, transportation and accommodation of your chosen destination. You can have an inexpensive weekend hiking a trail in a nearby park and staying in the campground or a guided tour in the Dolomites with accommodation in a great hotel which captures the local essence.
4. Be adventurous
You can take a one week adventure along Vancouver Islands rugged West Coast Trail or a most simple walk in the Cotswold’s of England stopping for lunch at a pub or tea room. What is an adventure for one person can be easy for another, however do try something new to you.
5. Self guided or with a walking holiday travel company
There are travel companies that specialize in walking holidays arranged with experienced guides, accommodation and providing local knowledge of the trails. It is also easy to purchase a guidebook to plan your own hike and accommodation should you wish. Great reference Joy Of Hiking: Hiking The Trailmaster Way
6. People
Walking holidays are suitable for families, groups of friends. If traveling solo many travel companies can find a roommate to keep the prices low. You will meet people along the trails who are usually naturally friendly.
7. Green travel
Is this age of green travel a walking holiday is environmentally good as well.
A walking holiday is always a fun with great scenery, wildlife, great exercise and new experiences, it’s the best vacation ever!
Joy Of Hiking: Hiking The Trailmaster Way
Price: $17.95
Pages: 288, Paperback, Wilderness Press
Originally posted 2009-10-06 17:23:59.
Filed under Walking Holidays by on Feb 2nd, 2010. 1 Comment.
On a few of my recent hikes I have left the trails behind and gone off trail hiking essentially getting lost on purpose. Off trail hiking is also known as bushwhacking.
Why would I do such a thing? Off trail hiking gives you a sense of freedom, adventure and exploring new territory. It can be amazing what you discover along the way.
I usually do this in county forests or large provincial or state parks with big wilderness sections. Please be respectful if any park requests you do not leave the trails.
What is required for off trail hiking could include:
- Compass, which can range from a basic and very functional Suunto A-10 Compass
to the popular Suunto Core Wrist-Top Computer Watch with Altimeter, Barometer, Compass, and Depth Measurement
which offers amazing features to enhance your hiking
- GPS specifically for hiking such as the Garmin Oregon 400i – GPS receiver – hiking
- Topographical maps
- Bushnell GPS BackTrack Personal Locator
is a very basic GPS which gets you back to your starting location
How to go about off trail hiking:
- Review the general area where you are planning your off trail hiking journey noting closest roads and natural landmarks including rivers or streams
- Always pack a first aid kit, emergency blanket, extra food and water
- Advise someone of your plans should you be delayed in returning
With a small and very flexible group of hikers start off down a marked trail to get away from the parking lot - After a distance just head off into the woods
I note the time so I can start planning a return about half way during my off trail hiking - Personally, I use natures compass, the sun as a guide to set a direction and just change direction as I notice interesting hills, lakes or whatever along the way
Could you get lost? Absolutely, on the rare occasion I cannot figure my way back using the sun or a compass I head in one set direction until the group reaches a road or identifiable landmark. It fact that I am writing this post means the system works.
For a great adventure in the woods why not try an off trail hiking and get lost on purpose.
Filed under Best Walking Holidays by on Feb 22nd, 2010. Comment.
Poison ivy grows all over North America and like all hiking safety issues prevention is best achieved with knowledge. If you know what poison ivy looks like you can easily avoid contact. A good resource for all outdoor hiking safety issues is Wilderness First Responder, A Text for the Recognition, Treatment, and Prevention of Wilderness Emergencies
What does poison ivy look like?
Poison ivy is a hearty plant that can be found growing in tall grass, along roadsides, in the woods and even in campgrounds. It has three pointed leaves that are smooth with the center being slightly longer than the two on the sides. The leaves changes color throughout the year: reddish-yellow in the spring; green in the summer months; and red, orange or yellow in the fall. Also small greenish flowers in bunches along with clusters of small white berries develop in late in the season.
Are there any benefits of poison ivy?
Surprisingly yes, no for you or I, but for many small animals and birds which eat the berries and are not impacted by the oil.
Why is poison ivy so poisonous?
Poison ivy contains urushiol oil which can penetrate deeply and quickly into your skin, in fact in a matter of minutes or a few hours. For about 85% of us our immune system reacts to the poison urushiol oil as it is seeping into our skin and leads to unpleasant blistering, itching and a rash.
Later a red inflammation of tiny bumps, blisters with a clear fluid ooze forms. This fluid from the blisters can even cause the rash to spread so never break open the blisters. It can take a few days to five weeks for the itching rash to go away by itself if left untreated as each individual reacts differently.
Urushiol oil is tenacious, it is not water based and does not evaporate. It can contaminate and stick to items such as hiking clothes, shoes and gear for over a year. It is therefore possible to because infected long after your original hike. Also it can stick to dogs as well.
Poison ivy treatments
It is always a good idea to see a medical professional immediately if in doubt as to how to procedure. If you experience blistering or your eyes swell shut do consult a doctor. People will react differently to the poison.
There are many home remedies out there and over the counter products are also available from your drug store. Whatever you do you need to react quickly before it spreads.
· First immediately wash the affected area in warm water and rubbing
alcohol on the rash and immediate area. This is to help the rash dry out.
· Then immediately take a full body shower using soap, not a bath to help get
rid of the oil. Some recommend dish soap as it is made to cut grease.
· To help with the itching try white vinegar, hot tap water, baking soda as a
paste. And calamine lotion Gold Bond Medicated Anti-Itch Cream
additional suggestions
Have a safe hiking experience and hopefully you never get poison ivy along the trails.
Originally posted 2009-11-03 07:55:59.
Filed under Hike Safety by on Feb 22nd, 2010. Comment.
