August
August
Cycle from Baños to Puyo, Ecuador
Why now? The highlands’ dry(ish) season - June to September - offers the most comfortable cycling conditions.
When it comes to incredible views of the upper Amazon Basin, it doesn’t get much better than the stretch of road from Baños to Puyo in the central highlands of Ecuador. The bus ride is great, but taking in the views from the seat of a mountain bike is even better. It’s mostly downhill - the road follows the Río Pastaza canyon as it drops steadily from Baños, at 1800m, to Puyo, at 950m - but there are some definite climbs, so ready those legs for the 60km ride. Along the way you’ll pass Pailón del Diablo waterfall, one of Ecuador’s most impressive waterfalls. Parts of the road are unsealed, and there’s passport control at Shell, so carry your documents. From Puyo (or earlier), you can simply take a bus back to Baños, putting your bike on the roof. Several companies in Baños rent mountain bikes.
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Kayak in Glacier Bay, USA
Why now? Cold seas, warm summer.
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Ten tidewater glaciers that spill out of the mountains and fill the sea with icebergs of all shapes, sizes and shades of blue have made Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve an icy wilderness renowned worldwide. It’s also a kayakers’ paradise, despite the expense of getting there. Using the tour boat MV Spirit of Adventure to drop you and your kayak off means your paddling options around Glacier Bay are extensive because the boat can put you ashore at one of several spots up bay. The landing sites are changed periodically in order to avoid habituating bears to human presence at any one spot. Sebree Island, near the entrance of Muir Inlet, is a good spot to be dropped off because it allows you to avoid the long paddle from the park headquarters at Bartlett Cove. Many kayakers then travel the length of the inlet to McBride, Riggs and Muir Glaciers at the north end before returning to Sebree Island for a pickup. Such a trip would require five or six days of paddling. Those with more time but less money can book just a drop-off and then paddle back to Bartlett Cove, an eight- to 10-day trip. A round-trip paddle out of Bartlett Cove to the glaciers of Muir Inlet is a two-week adventure for most people. Whatever your paddle, keep a watch for humpback whales, which are migratory residents here over summer. The most dramatic of Glacier Bay’s eponymous blocks are in the West Arm, but the upper areas of this inlet are usually closed to campers and kayakers due to seal-pupping and brown bear activity. www.nps.gov/glba
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Mudwalk in Groningen, Netherlands
Why now? Buried knee-deep in a sea of mud, you’re going to want a warm time of year.
At low tide in the northern Dutch province of Groningen, mud flats stretch from the coast all the way to the Frisian Islands. Undeterred by this sloppy mess, the locals have turned it to their advantage, creating the unique activity of wadlopen (mud walking). Treks of up to 12km from the mainland to the islands are possible, though the 7km walk to Schiermonnikoog is the most popular. The centre for wadlopen is the tiny village of Pieterburen (22km north of Groningen), where you’ll find several groups of trained guides. Don’t head out without a skilled guide as it’s easy to get lost on the mud flats, and without a good knowledge of the tides you can end up under water, permanently. www. wadlopen.net (in Dutch).
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Dive with Hammerhead Sharks, Costa Rica
Why now? For the sharks, school is in.
In the opening minutes of the film Jurassic Park, a small helicopter swoops over and around a lushly forested island with dramatic tropical peaks descending straight into clear blue waters. That island is Isla del Coco, or Cocos Island, around 600km southwest of the Costa Rican mainland in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It’s extremely wet, with about 7000mm of annual rainfall, and legend has it that a band of pirates buried a huge treasure here - despite more than 5000 treasure-hunting expeditions, it’s never been found. For divers, however, there is indeed a great treasure chest here, one reflected in the title of an IMAX film shot here: Island of the Sharks. This film wasn’t fantasy; the waters around Cocos Island offer probably the best shark diving in the world and some of the most memorable underwater experiences on the planet. Though it’s the wet season in Central America, it’s also the busiest time for sharks. Due to Cocos Island’s isolation and the fact that you cannot stay on the island, live-aboard boats are your ticket to the sharks - two companies, Undersea Hunter and Okeanos Aggressor, operate eight- to 10-day diving trips out of San Jose. The customary first dive is in the protected waters around Manuelita Island, a shark cleaning station off the northern tip of Cocos, but it’s the submerged mountain at Alcyone that is the great drawcard. Here the largest schools of hammerheads are found, white-tip reef sharks mill about like ants and whale sharks have been known to cruise by. You’ll wonder if Jacques Cousteau was looking above or below the ocean surface when he described Cocos as the ‘most beautiful island in the world’. www.aggressor.com, www.underseahunter.com
Why not check out the Thorn Tree forum at lonelyplanet.com to find out more?
Hokkaido, Japan
Why now? Come at the end of August and you can witness the beginning of the wave of autumn colours.
The northernmost of Japan’s islands, Hokkaido accounts for more than 20% of the country’s land area yet it contains just 5% of the population. The real beauty of the island lies in its wilderness regions, where there are no cultural monuments but there are superb opportunities for outdoor activities. There are 10 active volcanoes on Hokkaido, and while some are occasionally closed to hikers, it can be an intriguing experience to scale a volcano with sulphur shooting out of cracks in the rocks. Daisetsuzan National Park - Japan’s largest national park - is both the island’s crown and jewel, covering Hokkaido’s highest peaks and dominating the tourist scene. Most visitors, however, only travel around its boundaries, riding the gondolas for no more than a glance at its beauty. To really appreciate this landscape you must walk - a five-day traverse can take you across the summits of more than a dozen alpine peaks, including Hokkaido’s highest, the active volcano Asahi-dake (2290m). Eight more Hokkaido national parks will continue to challenge any preconceived ideas you have about an urban, neon-powered Japan. In Shiretoko National Park you can choose your poison: the active volcano Io-san, or Japan’s highest concentration of brown bears (numbering around 600). Akan National Park contains several volcanic peaks, and while there aren’t many extended hikes, there are plenty of day-walk options and postcard-perfect crater lakes. Shikotsu-Toya National Park offers an even more personal look at volcanoes - Showa Shin-zan erupted in 2000 - with fast and easy access to the island’s major airport if you’re in a hurry. A welcome by-product of all this thermal indigestion is the presence of so many onsen, or natural hot springs. Soaking in one is an activity as Japanese as sumo. You’ll even find a spring at the end of your Daisetsuzan traverse. Hokkaido’s relative sparseness also makes it a great cycling destination, as you can pedal 2500km around its perimeter roads. The lively city of Sapporo is Hokkaido’s major centre, with good air and rail connections to Tokyo. Hokkaido summers are fleeting things, with July and August the best months.
Why not check out the Thorn Tree forum at lonelyplanet.com to find out more?
Angel Falls, Venezuela
Why now? The best time to see Angel Falls is during the wettest months of August and September.
The world’s highest waterfall, Angel Falls has a total height of 979m and an uninterrupted drop of 807m, 16 times the height of Niagara Falls. It’s in a distant wilderness without any road access. The village of Canaima, about 50km northwest, is the major gateway but it also doesn’t have any overland link to the rest of the country. A visit to the falls is normally undertaken in two stages, flying into Canaima and then taking a light plane or boat to the falls. In the wet months of August and September the falls will be voluminous and spectacular, though frequently covered by cloud.
Why not check out the Thorn Tree forum at lonelyplanet.com to find out more?
Climb Tavan Bogd Uul, Mongolia
Why now? The best time to climb is August and September, after the heaviest of the summer rains.
At 4374m, Mongolia’s highest mountain forms the borders of three nations, and for this reason it’s also known as Nairamdal (Friendship) Peak. Atop the summit you can simultaneously be in Mongolia, China and Russia. Tavan Bogd is also one of Mongolia’s most spectacular peaks, and the only one in the area to be permanently covered with large glaciers (including the 19km long Potanii Glacier, the longest in Mongolia). To climb it, you need to be with an experienced group equipped with ice axes, crampons and ropes. Don’t even consider attempting it solo. If you have your own vehicle, you can drive to within about 40km of the base of the mountain. From here, it’s a 17km trek to the first glacier, where most climbers set up base camp. The climb up the glacier is about 25km, and you can expect to encounter icy temperatures, crevasses and very volatile weather.
Why not check out the Thorn Tree forum at lonelyplanet.com to find out more?
Windsurf the Columbia River Gorge, USA
Why now? The winds are only suitable in summer.
In the Columbia River Gorge, forming the border between Oregon and Washington State, the 1.6km-wide river has carved a 1000mdeep chasm through the Cascade Range. What has formed (beyond a spectacular array of waterfalls) is a natural wind tunnel, with 30-knot winds pushing through the gorge from the cool, coastal west in summer. These westerlies, which directly oppose the river’s flow, create optimal windsurfing conditions, and are generally strongest at the eastern end of the gorge. Experienced windsurfers head for a couple of heavy-duty sites near Maryhill, while the Wall is a small launch spot that attracts expert windsurfers who can handle huge swells. If you’re new to windy ways, you’ll find windsurfing schools in the town of Hood River. www.fs.fed.us
Why not check out the Thorn Tree forum at lonelyplanet.com to find out more?