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Three up-and-coming coordinates for adventure
travelers' compasses.
SPACE MAY BE THE FINAL (and soon recreational) frontier, but there
are still a few surprises here on earth. Take Nicaragua, Mongolia, and
Morocco, for example – three countries that have as yet registered
very small blips on the eco-traveler's radar, but which are fast proving
themselves some of the more adventurous outdoor playgrounds on the
planet. Experience them now before they join the pantheon of "been
there, done that" places.
NICARAGUA: 13° NORTH, 85° WEST
Lush Life
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, be glad for Nicaragua's
genuine intent. Sharing a border with Costa Rica, an unparalleled
ecotourism success, has inspired this largest of the Central American
nations to refocus its economy in the same direction. Like its neighbor,
Nicaragua lies in the lush latitudes just north of the equator, with
rugged highlands capped by cloud forests and coffee plantations, and
lowlands marked by rain forests and coral-ringed islands on the
Caribbean side and a volcanic necklace along its Pacific coast. Unlike
Costa Rica, these areas of protected natural beauty remain
undiscovered by all but the most prescient of travelers. The country's
history of political turbulence may have dissuaded travelers in the past,
but today Nicaragua is a young and stable democracy offering an open
invitation to tap its adventure potential.
With tourism infrastructure still in its early stages, most expeditions
center around Managua and Granada. That's not just for logistical
reasons: These thriving cities lie on the shores of lakes Managua and
Nicaragua, the latter Central America's largest inland body of water.
Kayaking trips bring volcano views even closer, and hardy souls can hike
past fumaroles and lava caves. Dormant peaks reward hikers with cloud
forests sheltering howler monkeys, resplendent quetzals, and, on
Mombacho, salamanders and butterflies found nowhere else on earth.
Other slumbering summits culminate in lake-filled calderas like Masaya's
Apoyo Lagoon, whose warm waters beg for a dip. Speaking of swimming:
Beyond the volcanic zone that stretches along the western edge of
the lakes lies a coastline of sandy bays, sea-turtle nesting sites and
great surf spots. Over on the eastern coast, diving takes precedence in
the Corn Islands, where a barrier reef teems with ocean denizens, a
Spanish galleon adds undersea intrigue, and cars and nightclubs are
conspicuously absent.
MONGOLIA: 46° NORTH, 105° EAST
Steppe It Up
Mongolia takes getting away from it all to a new plateau. No longer the
sole province of extreme adventurers, this vast Central Asian high
country opened its department of tourism a mere three years ago, a
decade after becoming a democracy. Geographically speaking,
Mongolia could be termed the anti-tropics, with bare-rock mountains
butting against grass-covered steppes that fade into arid desert. So
what’s the attraction? Remoteness, a top-of-the-world feeling, and the
romantic notion of riding horseback across unending plains beneath
cloudless skies. Put together, it’s a land of liberating wildness,
tempered by a most hospitable people.
As development pushes farther out from Ulaanbaatar, the country's
capital and only metropolis, tourism has become a way of both
promoting and saving the rugged and pastoral landscapes. Most
travelers' itineraries are highlighted with UNESCO biosphere reserves
and national parks, such as Hustai Nuruu, a preserve of forest steppe
that successfully reintroduced the native Przewalski's horse to the
wild, and Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, the most easily accessible of
Mongolia's protected areas, which encompasses alpine forests and
meadows and the country’s first "eco-gers" (yurts). Lake Hovsgol, the
largest freshwater lake in this landlocked country, draws paddlers,
anglers, and, thanks to its status as a major migratory stop, bird-
watchers looking to spy black storks and Altai snowcocks. Hikers and
mountain bikers delve into the surrounding pine-covered mountains or
across meadows that extend from the water’s edge.
In stark contrast to Hovsgol's northern lushness, but rivaling it in
popularity, is Gurvansaikhan National Park, part of the world's fourth-
largest biosphere reserve. Mongolians claim there are 33 different
"Gobis" (think of them as micro-deserts), and the towering canyons,
giant dunes, hidden ice caves, eerie sandstone formations, and rolling
steppes give the claim credence. In fact, dramatic geological contrasts
may be the best way to sum up this destination-with-a-buzz.
MOROCCO: 32° NORTH, 5° WEST
Casbahs Rock
African and Arabic heritage, fabled locales such as Casablanca and Fès,
and the timeless appeal of souks and medinas have enticed travelers to
Morocco for decades, but what makes it so hot now lies outside the
ancient cities’ limits. Mountain bikers are discovering new singletrack
from the High Atlas Mountains to the Todra Gorge. Rafters and surfers
are hitting the rivers and beaches. And yes, camel treks still answer
the siren call of the Sahara.
But of all of Morocco's outdoor destinations, it is the High Atlas range,
that snowcapped backdrop to Marrakech's minarets, that tempts
travelers to gear up and go. Though the mountains are rugged and
formidable – they include 13,665-foot Mount Toubkal, North Africa's
highest summit – they're not desolate. Trekkers pass through adobe
Berber villages and meet nomadic herders in montane pastures on their
way up the slopes. Green basins, red-rock canyons, and the ski resort
of Oukaïmeden (snow falls January through April) dispel any
preconceptions of a monotonous desert landscape.
Across the High Atlas lies the Todra Gorge, where tawny limestone
cliffs draw rock climbers like iron files to a magnet. From the southern
city of Ouarzazate, horseback treks cross the Draa and Dadès valleys,
broad arid expanses speckled with verdant oases and date palm groves.
The Oum-er-Rbia River of the Middle Atlas cuts through canyons with
placid and white-water stretches that have created a growing passion
for rafting. And despite the Saharan image that North Africa conjures,
beach buffs should remember that Morocco's western boundary is all
Atlantic Ocean coastline – with steady trade winds and consistent
point breaks calling sailboarders and surfers to hot spots such as
Essaouria and Sidi-Kaouki as if they were pilgrims en route to, well,
Mecca.
© 2007 Lisa Costantino, as first published in VIRTUOSO LIFE magazine.
travelers' compasses.
SPACE MAY BE THE FINAL (and soon recreational) frontier, but there
are still a few surprises here on earth. Take Nicaragua, Mongolia, and
Morocco, for example – three countries that have as yet registered
very small blips on the eco-traveler's radar, but which are fast proving
themselves some of the more adventurous outdoor playgrounds on the
planet. Experience them now before they join the pantheon of "been
there, done that" places.
NICARAGUA: 13° NORTH, 85° WEST
Lush Life
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, be glad for Nicaragua's
genuine intent. Sharing a border with Costa Rica, an unparalleled
ecotourism success, has inspired this largest of the Central American
nations to refocus its economy in the same direction. Like its neighbor,
Nicaragua lies in the lush latitudes just north of the equator, with
rugged highlands capped by cloud forests and coffee plantations, and
lowlands marked by rain forests and coral-ringed islands on the
Caribbean side and a volcanic necklace along its Pacific coast. Unlike
Costa Rica, these areas of protected natural beauty remain
undiscovered by all but the most prescient of travelers. The country's
history of political turbulence may have dissuaded travelers in the past,
but today Nicaragua is a young and stable democracy offering an open
invitation to tap its adventure potential.
With tourism infrastructure still in its early stages, most expeditions
center around Managua and Granada. That's not just for logistical
reasons: These thriving cities lie on the shores of lakes Managua and
Nicaragua, the latter Central America's largest inland body of water.
Kayaking trips bring volcano views even closer, and hardy souls can hike
past fumaroles and lava caves. Dormant peaks reward hikers with cloud
forests sheltering howler monkeys, resplendent quetzals, and, on
Mombacho, salamanders and butterflies found nowhere else on earth.
Other slumbering summits culminate in lake-filled calderas like Masaya's
Apoyo Lagoon, whose warm waters beg for a dip. Speaking of swimming:
Beyond the volcanic zone that stretches along the western edge of
the lakes lies a coastline of sandy bays, sea-turtle nesting sites and
great surf spots. Over on the eastern coast, diving takes precedence in
the Corn Islands, where a barrier reef teems with ocean denizens, a
Spanish galleon adds undersea intrigue, and cars and nightclubs are
conspicuously absent.
MONGOLIA: 46° NORTH, 105° EAST
Steppe It Up
Mongolia takes getting away from it all to a new plateau. No longer the
sole province of extreme adventurers, this vast Central Asian high
country opened its department of tourism a mere three years ago, a
decade after becoming a democracy. Geographically speaking,
Mongolia could be termed the anti-tropics, with bare-rock mountains
butting against grass-covered steppes that fade into arid desert. So
what’s the attraction? Remoteness, a top-of-the-world feeling, and the
romantic notion of riding horseback across unending plains beneath
cloudless skies. Put together, it’s a land of liberating wildness,
tempered by a most hospitable people.
As development pushes farther out from Ulaanbaatar, the country's
capital and only metropolis, tourism has become a way of both
promoting and saving the rugged and pastoral landscapes. Most
travelers' itineraries are highlighted with UNESCO biosphere reserves
and national parks, such as Hustai Nuruu, a preserve of forest steppe
that successfully reintroduced the native Przewalski's horse to the
wild, and Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, the most easily accessible of
Mongolia's protected areas, which encompasses alpine forests and
meadows and the country’s first "eco-gers" (yurts). Lake Hovsgol, the
largest freshwater lake in this landlocked country, draws paddlers,
anglers, and, thanks to its status as a major migratory stop, bird-
watchers looking to spy black storks and Altai snowcocks. Hikers and
mountain bikers delve into the surrounding pine-covered mountains or
across meadows that extend from the water’s edge.
In stark contrast to Hovsgol's northern lushness, but rivaling it in
popularity, is Gurvansaikhan National Park, part of the world's fourth-
largest biosphere reserve. Mongolians claim there are 33 different
"Gobis" (think of them as micro-deserts), and the towering canyons,
giant dunes, hidden ice caves, eerie sandstone formations, and rolling
steppes give the claim credence. In fact, dramatic geological contrasts
may be the best way to sum up this destination-with-a-buzz.
MOROCCO: 32° NORTH, 5° WEST
Casbahs Rock
African and Arabic heritage, fabled locales such as Casablanca and Fès,
and the timeless appeal of souks and medinas have enticed travelers to
Morocco for decades, but what makes it so hot now lies outside the
ancient cities’ limits. Mountain bikers are discovering new singletrack
from the High Atlas Mountains to the Todra Gorge. Rafters and surfers
are hitting the rivers and beaches. And yes, camel treks still answer
the siren call of the Sahara.
But of all of Morocco's outdoor destinations, it is the High Atlas range,
that snowcapped backdrop to Marrakech's minarets, that tempts
travelers to gear up and go. Though the mountains are rugged and
formidable – they include 13,665-foot Mount Toubkal, North Africa's
highest summit – they're not desolate. Trekkers pass through adobe
Berber villages and meet nomadic herders in montane pastures on their
way up the slopes. Green basins, red-rock canyons, and the ski resort
of Oukaïmeden (snow falls January through April) dispel any
preconceptions of a monotonous desert landscape.
Across the High Atlas lies the Todra Gorge, where tawny limestone
cliffs draw rock climbers like iron files to a magnet. From the southern
city of Ouarzazate, horseback treks cross the Draa and Dadès valleys,
broad arid expanses speckled with verdant oases and date palm groves.
The Oum-er-Rbia River of the Middle Atlas cuts through canyons with
placid and white-water stretches that have created a growing passion
for rafting. And despite the Saharan image that North Africa conjures,
beach buffs should remember that Morocco's western boundary is all
Atlantic Ocean coastline – with steady trade winds and consistent
point breaks calling sailboarders and surfers to hot spots such as
Essaouria and Sidi-Kaouki as if they were pilgrims en route to, well,
Mecca.
© 2007 Lisa Costantino, as first published in VIRTUOSO LIFE magazine.