I’ve got a week off at the end of February that I don’t know what to do with and am toying with heading to somewhere abroad to go hiking for a week. Have any ideas? – Chris
Lucky you! The end of February is a great time to travel as it is more of a “shoulder season” so deals should be plentiful and you can head into Central America for warm days or to the Southern Hemisphere to catch the tail-end of summer! DIWYY did some sleuthing and has some suggestions for you to explore:
-Head down to Loreto, Mexico for 7-day Baja Multisport organized by REI Adventures. In addition to hiking, you will also get a chance to mountain bike, sea kayak, and snorkel. And to make your life easier, the price of all sports equipment is included in the tour cost. Tour starts at $1,699 (land only) and has two February departures: February 14th and February 28th.
-Have you hiked the Inca trail? GAP Adventures has a 7-day tour called The Inca Trail which will allow you to spend a few days hiking before seeing awe-inspiring Machu Picchu. The tour is priced at $749 and includes accommodations (combination of hotels and camping), several meals, guided tours, and support staff during the trek. GAP Adventures has numerous February departures.
-Why not head further south into South America and explore Argentina or Chile? Places like Patagonia, Cordoba, and El Calafate, would provide the right mix of relaxation and adventure. If you want to do something informal, look into buying a return ticket into a major city like Santiago (SCL), Buenos Aires (EZE), or even smaller Argentinean cities like Cordoba (COR) or El Calafate (FTE) and explore! If you opt for Cordoba, check out Qualia Tourism. Although the website is in Spanish, the owner, Martin, speaks English. The website features several excursions on varying lengths. Use Google Translate if you need help deciphering the site.
-Morocco is another option. We found a reasonably priced tour from Top Deck with their 9-day Moroccan Explorer trip. While it does not include hiking, it does include lots of culture and adventure! They have availability on February 20th for only $825 (land only). Flights into Marrakesh from the US will transit through Europe.
Do you have a travel question? Be sure to visit the DIWYY homepage and use our question submittal form!
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Other suggestions
There are many walking trails both guided and non guided in New Zealand. The better tracks are on the South Island. Length of the walk varies from 2 days tio 11 days. Most notiable are Milford Track, Routeburn Track and Abel Tasman Track. Check out http://www.newzealand.com.au/walks/hiking-safaris web site
Cradle Mountain Tasmania also have guided walks for 4 days or 7 days run by Craclair Tours Tasmania.