If you like green landscapes and don’t mind some rain, Ireland offers endless opportunities for mixing movement with gorgeous views and deep history. It’s a place to take your time and travel on foot if you can. Take a beach walk along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, or tackle the MacGillycuddy Reeks, the country’s only three peaks over 1,000 meters high. Talk to the locals. Listen to the old stories. Look for fairies. These experiences will get you outside while grounding you in Ireland’s geology, history, and culture.
Many people find Irish weather most pleasant in summer. But you can beat the crowds and enjoy mild days in May, September, and October. During your trip, you can try these outdoor activities.
We were 10 snorkelers gliding above tens of thousands of black-striped Salema fish. They stretched ahead of and behind us, seemingly endless. Every rock on the seabed 40 feet below was visible in the clear water. It felt like floating through a fish cathedral. Underwater, we heard the crackling sound of sea life going about its business. Above water, the retching noise of male sea lions reminding us who was boss of Champion Rock in the Galápagos Islands.
I was on a new four-night western Galápagos itinerary with Hurtigruten Expeditions. The Norwegian brand is best known for cold water cruising but expanded into the warmer Galápagos in 2022.
Photo by Ashton Ray Hansen courtesy of Hurtigruten Expeditions
If the word “cruise” makes you think of casinos, nightlife, and a moving city at sea, know that expedition cruises are a different beast. The Santa Cruz II holds up to 90 passengers and is about getting outside and experiencing nature without sacrificing comfortable beds and upscale meals. As seasoned Hurtigruten guide Jhover Alvarez puts it, “Are the Galápagos for you? If you have a genuine interest in science. The thing is to understand what you’re looking at and the importance of conservation.”
Getting to know the islands
The Galápagos Islands are 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador and have been part of that country since 1832. Scientists estimate the oldest of these 127 volcanic islands to be around 4 million years old. They were formed by the Galapagos hotspot, part of the famous “Ring of Fire” around the Pacific Ocean. Magma came up through the Nazca plate, forming volcanoes. The volcanoes move with the plate, so subsequent eruptions through the hotspot formed more islands. Underwater volcanic activity is almost constant. “We are floating in an ocean of liquid rock,” Alvarez explained.
About 25,000 people live in the Galápagos, mostly concentrated in a few towns. Most of the islands are uninhabited and only reachable by boat.
Santa Cruz Island. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
Because of the area’s delicate ecology, the Galápagos strictly regulates visits. Ninety-seven percent of the land is a national park, and visitors must be with a licensed national park guide. You can fly into one of two airports in the islands and arrange tours on your own, or take the much cushier option of joining a cruise, where activities and permits are arranged for you.
Animals of the Galápagos
Africa has the Big 5 must-see animals. Guests of Hurtigruten Expeditions look for the Big 15. Since different animals live on different islands, you won’t see all of them unless you visit the right combination of places. On my short four-night cruise, I saw 12.
Land iguanas nest at Cerro Dragon on Santa Cruz Island. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
Galápagos wildlife watching takes place on land and in the water. Our activity choices included walks, rides in Zodiac boats, glass bottom boat rides, snorkeling, kayaking, and paddleboarding. On the more populated island of Santa Cruz, we also had a short bike ride.
Kayaking off Floreana Island. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
The Zodiac boats, also called pangas, were great for animal sightings. At Punta Vicente Roca on the west side of Isabela Island, we saw six of the Big 15 — flightless cormorants, blue-footed boobies, Galápagos penguins, sea lions, marine iguanas, and fur seals — on a single panga ride. Plus lots of animals that didn’t make the cut, like pelicans, manta rays, sea turtles, and a bright orange wrasse. Don’t forget your sunscreen and water shoes for this action-packed tour.
Searching for wildlife on a panga, or Zodiac. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
Our walk at Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island was a highlight for lizard lovers. The area is home to immense quantities of marine iguanas. The animals lay in vast formations of scaly glory, draped over each other on rocks, sometimes with a sharp-clawed arm around a neighbor like reptilian BFFs. These are some of the oldest animals in the Galápagos.
The theory is that the marine iguana’s ancestors floated over from mainland Ecuador on rafts of reeds millions of years ago. Lacking much to eat on the stark volcanic islands, they adapted to living on algae, diving underwater and scraping it off the rocks with their teeth. Most marine iguanas have evolved to be darker than other iguanas, “until the whole skin turns black and is working as a huge solar panel,” our Hurtigruten guide Daniel Moreano explained. This solar power is important, as marine iguanas can lose up to 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) of body heat in a single hour of algae foraging.
Can you believe Darwin called these cuties a “hideous looking creature, of a dirty black colour, stupid, and sluggish”? / Photo by Teresa Bergen
We also saw flamingos in several brackish spots around the Santa Cruz and Floreana islands. The lava really complements their pink.
Flamingos of Floreana Island. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
Giant tortoise research
The Galápagos are famous for giant tortoises, so most visitors want to see these prehistoric relics. The Charles Darwin Research Station is the place to learn everything tortoise. This site has been essential for tortoise conservation and the repopulation of disappearing species. Workers hatch eggs in incubators, then number the hatchlings’ shells and color code them by island of origin. Giant tortoises are born with soft shells. The first few years are critical to their survival, as they’re easy prey for snakes, feral cats, and other hungry critters. A local exhibition center has more info on the center’s conservation programs and research.
A giant tortoise in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
Interesting as the science center is, a trip to the highlands of Santa Cruz to see wild tortoises is more exciting. As our bus approached Rancho Manzanillo, we saw tortoises in the fields, then on the sides of the road, then in the road. Our driver carefully navigated around them — not only would it be terrible to accidentally run over an endangered tortoise, but doing so carries a ruinous fine.
The tortoises roam freely on the land. Our Hurtigruten guide Veronica Sanchez told us about tortoise life as we examined the animals’ giant shells, elephant-like legs, and skull-like faces. If you get too close, they seem to be hissing, but Sanchez explained that’s just the noise they make drawing their head into their shells — like an airlock door. We also watched fascinatingly bizarre tortoise copulation. The much smaller females look squished and long-suffering as the males slowly thrust and grunt. “The females usually try to escape,” Sanchez said.
A long weekend cruise
Hurtigruten offers several Galápagos itineraries. I was on the new western loop. For people who dream of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Galápagos, four nights might be too short. You can choose a longer itinerary, or combine two cruises for nine nights, which many of my shipmates were doing. Or you can explore more of Ecuador by adding on a few days in Quito, or the Cloud Forest, or the many other special places in the country.
Turtles nest on this white sand beach on Floreana Island. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
If you like outdoor activities, science, and wildlife, it’s hard to imagine a more perfect place than the Galápagos. As I paddleboarded in a calm turquoise bay watching sea lions leap and play, it really didn’t seem that life could get any better.
Why do people endure an increasingly bumpy three-hour ride from Quito, Ecuador, to visit an ecolodge out in the boonies? Because the stunning Mashpi Lodge sits in the middle of the glorious wet and wild cloud forest. Guests come to explore the 6,177-acre private reserve, which features a staggering amount of plants and wildlife, from over 400 bird species to six kinds of wild cats.
It all starts with the boot station. When you arrive at Mashpi, you’ll be issued a pair of rubber waders and a long, hooded rain jacket. Now you’ll fit in and be ready for the forest activities.
Rubber boots, the foundation of all activities at Mashpi. / Photo by Teresa Bergen
Most people who go to the Galápagos Islands are there to see the wildlife. On my recent five-day cruise with Hurtigruten Expeditions, the passengers chattered about which animals they were most excited to see. Birders, binoculars in hand, anticipated a flightless cormorant sighting. I dreamed of swimming with a marine iguana. And everybody wanted to see the iconic blue-footed boobies do their mating dance.
Africa has its Big 5 of charismatic megafauna. But in the Galápagos, wildlife enthusiasts relish the scaly, smooth, or feathered glory of the Big 15. Here’s what you can see if you visit these remote islands 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.
Death Valley in eastern California holds records for being the lowest place in North America and the hottest place on earth. In July 2018, the national park reached highs of 127 degrees Fahrenheit four days in a row. So why would anybody visit such a hellish place? Despite its ominous name, Death Valley is full of beautiful landscapes, history, and fun things to do outdoors. But we recommend going in winter when the average temperatures are in the 60s and 70s with a low of around 40 degrees. Here are a few of the places you might want to stop on a Death Valley road trip.
If you’ve ever gone ziplining, you know it’s hard to carry snacks with you. Anything you bring will likely be lost to you forever if it drops into the tree canopy below. But don’t cry over spilled trail mix. At Soneva Fushi, a luxury eco-resort in the Maldives, you can zipline straight to a fine dining restaurant.
Courtesy of Soneva
On February 1, Chef Alberto Faccani, who can usually be found at two-Michelin-starred Magnolia Ristorante in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, began a three-month residency at Soneva Fushi. Magnolia’s Chef de Partie, Sean Conti, is joining Faccani at the treetop restaurant. Guests will fly about 39 feet in the air on the roughly 600-foot zipline before landing at the Flying Sauces dining platform.
Flying Sauces chefs Sean Conti and Alberto Faccani. / Courtesy of Soneva
Flying Sauces originally opened at Soneva Fushi in late 2021. Flying Sauces has also hosted a few high-profile visiting chefs before Faccani. Chef Julien Roye of Singapore’s acclaimed three-Michelin-starred Odette restaurant worked at the zipline restaurant from February to April 2022. Chef Pascale Barbot of Paris’s two-Michelin-starred Astrance restaurant was there from October 2022 to January 2023.
Why dine high in the trees? “This new experience gives our guests a new perspective of our unique island eco-system, allowing them to reconnect with the sights and sounds of nature while enjoying fine dining hospitality at the same time,” said Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and co-founder of Soneva.
Courtesy of Soneva
Faccani is excited to be cooking in the Maldives. “The sea is a part of me, and feeling it close to me gives me the energy and strength I need,” he said. “Its breeze accompanies me, every day, all the way to the kitchen. This allows me to unleash my creativity through different forms, giving traditional recipes a new and contemporary twist.”
A six-course dinner at Flying Sauces costs $350, or $204 for guests on a full or half board plan at Soneva Fushi. Dishes include toasted wahoo with tosazu, celery, green apple, and nori seaweed and a meal of ravioli, cacio e pepe, red prawns, lime, and chives.
Flying Sauces at night. / Courtesy of Soneva
Despite the high price tag, there is no dress code at Flying Sauces. Soneva Fushi has a come-as-you-are policy, no shoes required. Though you might want some sneakers for the zip line ride.
Every year, the third Saturday of August marks International Geocaching Day. For seasoned geocachers, the day is an opportunity to celebrate a fun, adventurous hobby. For those out of the geocaching loop, the day likely raises a lot of questions. What is geocaching? How does it work? How can I get started? Jumping into a new hobby can be overwhelming, but you can find all the answers you need here.
Since the early 2000s, geocaching has grown into a massive, worldwide phenomenon. While plenty of resources exist to introduce you to geocaching (such as the essential Geocaching.com), here is a simple guide to help beginners get started.
Geocaching definition
As the official Geocaching.com blog explains, “geocaching is a real-world, outdoor adventure that is happening all the time, all around the world. To play, participants use the Geocaching app and/or a GPS device to navigate to cleverly hidden containers called geocaches.”
Put simply, geocaching is a hobby where participants can find hidden items (geocaches) and leave hidden items for others to find. Described as “the world’s largest treasure hunt,” geocaching makes the perfect outdoor adventure. Not only does geocaching get you outside and exploring the world, but it also rewards you with interesting trinkets and connects you to other geocachers in your area. Experienced geocachers have kept up guest books in their hidden containers and even found geocaches with gift cards, polished stones, and more.
How to start geocaching for beginners
First, you’ll want to download the Geocaching app. The app offers premium plans for dedicated geocachers, but beginners can access all the important functions for free. After creating an account, you can explore a map of geocache locations near you. Beginners can start by locating one in their neighborhood. Geocache locations will be marked on the map with a green dot. Check each geocache’s profile for a difficulty rating, a brief description of its size and type, and hints to help you find the treasure.
What do you do once you find the geocache? There are many options. Often, geocaches include a guestbook that logs every person who has visited the location. Bring a pen on your geocaching adventure so you can add your name. You can also mark your find in the Geocaching app and leave future visitors hints. Once you learn the ropes of geocaching, you can even set up a geocache of your own.
For every nature-loving outdoorsy type, there is a person who detests going outside. The buzzing insects, unpredictable weather, and bright sunlight that outdoor adventurers find charming can simultaneously send the nature-averse running. Still, no one wants to miss out on incredible life experiences because they were cooped up inside all day. So, what can people who hate the outdoors do to find the fun in nature? Here are eight outdoor activities to try.
Watch: Two ice climbers were forced to take a swim in the frigid waters of the Arctic when the iceberg they were climbing suddenly flipped over.
Two ice climbers were forced to take a swim in the frigid waters of the Arctic when the iceberg they were climbing suddenly flipped over.
Mike Horn, an explorer for 30 years, told France Bleu he thought about it for a long time before posting video of the mishap on Instagram on Wednesday.
“I’ve been doing my stupid things for 30 years all over the world. I’ve had quite a few accidents, but we always try to make the right decision at the right time, to come home alive,” Horn told France Bleu.
He explained that by posting video of the misadventure he hoped other people would learn from his mistakes because, “We all have icebergs to climb in our lives.”
As they began to climb, the iceberg, as they are known to do, starting to flip. They attempted to quickly climb upwards but ultimately were too slow, and they were sent scrambling into the water and out of the way of the iceberg.
“Opps, should not have eaten breakfast,” Horn quipped on Instagram.
Icebergs are usually formed from freshwater and their weight distribution changes as they melt, causing them to flip.
Fortunately, their boat was nearby and quickly plucked them uninjured out of the water.
Horn kept his sense of humor about the unfortunate episode, quipping to France Bleu, “It’s safer to see ice cubes in your gin and tonic than to see ice cubes falling on your face in the Arctic.”
