Location: New Zealand, Otago, Mt. Aspiring National Park

Hike to the Aspiring hut and then packraft back to your car via the beautiful West Matukituki River – an awesome way to experience this excellent national park!

Location: New Zealand, Otago, Queenstown area

Two lesser-known short hikes (Lake Alta and Shadow Basin Lookout) to awesome alpine views.

Location: New Zealand, Otago, North Lake Wakatipu

Beautiful valley with nice packrafting options of varying degrees of difficulty.

Location: New Zealand, Canterbury, Mt. Somers area

Location: New Zealand, Otago, Haast Pass area

Awesome swiftwater canyon with beautiful rappels, great jumps and slides, and pure New Zealand splendor!

Location: New Zealand, West Coast, Franz Josef area

Awesome glacier accessed via helicopter; local guide companies offer nice ice climbing and glacier hiking options.

Location: New Zealand, Canterbury, Castle Hill Basin area

Awesome subterranean adventure through a 0.36 km cave following a stream with lots of small water features.

Location: New Zealand, Canterbury, Aoraki/Mt. Cook National Park

Great lesser known hike to awesome views of the Tasman Glacier.

Location: Nevada, Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon
Awesome canyon in the Red Rocks area with loads of rappels through beautiful sculpted narrows; requires a strenuous approach.

Location: Nevada, Las Vegas, Black Canyon Area
Excellent canyon with nice scenery, fun rappels, and an optional packraft exit.

Location: California, Northern, Death Valley (North)
Remote sand dunes offering beautiful scenery, nice camping options, and the potential to hear the dunes sing.

Location: Iceland, Southern, Vatnajökull area
Although every ice cave is different, and they constantly change, they’re always fabulous.

Location: California, Northern, Death Valley (Beatty Junction area)
Technical canyon descent through an area with lots of great mining ruins

Location: Laos, Central, Khammouane Province
Explore the stunning karst landscape of the Khammouane Province by trekking through the jungle and exploring rarely visited caves.

Location: Laos, Central, Khammouane Province
Swim through a pristine cave filled with crystal clear aquamarine water and beautiful cave formations above and below the surface.

Location: Laos, North Central, near Luang Prabang
An incredibly beautiful multi-tiered series of falls with perfect pools of turquoise water, ideal for swimming. Pause on your way in (or out) to see the Asian Black Bears at the Bear Rescue Center!

Location: California, San Diego area
Explore the “secret” caves at Pappy’s Point including the famous “Rum Runner’s Cave”.

Location: California, Eastern Sierras, West of Bishop
Great hike to a picturesque mountain basin with alpine lakes surrounded by towering peaks – best done as an overnight backpacking trip.

Location: California, San Diego
Excellent set of sea caves on the San Diego coast

Location: Utah, Zion National Park
Highly scenic, remote technical canyon best done as an overnight.

Location: Iowa, Eastern
State park with 13 non-technical caves that can easily be explored.

Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Iconic Byzantine-era cathedral turned mosque and now a museum; characterized by spectacular architecture and decorative elements including numerous mosaics

Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Breathtaking Classical Period mosque, particularly notable for its stained glass windows and decorative tiles

Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Impressive Byzantine-era cistern supported by marble columns, two of which are notable for having Medusa heads carved into the bases.

Location: Turkey, Istanbul
One of the oldest bazaars in the world and featuring over 4,000 shops – a wonderful combination of history, culture, and modern wares.

Location: Turkey, Antalya Region
Well-preserved ruins of an ancient fortified city in the mountains including numerous impressive remaining structures

Location: Peru, Sacred Valley
Checkpoint and outlook for the Incan city of Tipon, with beautiful views, ruins of the city walls, and ancient petroglyphs

Location: Peru, Sacred Valley
Beautifully appointed train offering a luxury travel experience to and from Cusco and Machu Picchu

Location: Peru, Sacred Valley
Large, less visited Incan archaeological site characterized by huge terraces and an extensive canal system

Location: Peru, Cusco Region, La Convención Province
Backpacking through spectacular Andean scenery to the ruins of a remote and extensive Incan city

Location: Belize, Western, Cayo District
Swim into a beautiful cave notable for its excellent cave formations in addition to remarkable Mayan artifacts

Location: Canada, Alberta, Banff National Park
Fun non-technical winter canyon hike that also offers ice climbing options and features hoodoos and a cave.

Location: California, San Diego, Balboa Park
Little-known walking archery range set amidst the scenery of Balboa Park

Location: California, San Diego, Mission Beach
Advanced dive (due to depth) to a 1930’s era Coast Guard cutter beautifully covered in barnacles

Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Hike to a great abandoned mine at the end of a non-technical canyon which includes a nice waterfall

Location: California, Los Angeles, San Gabriels
One of the best technical canyons in the area – like a descent of a technical waterpark with numerous slides and jumps and fun raps

Location: California, Los Angeles area, Santa Monica Mountains
State Park where Planet of the Apes and MASH were filmed; offers nice hikes and various fun climbing spots

Location: California, Easter Sierras
Super fun Class C technical canyon with numerous jumps and slides

Location: California, South Central Desert, Northeast of Los Angeles
Abandoned buildings and infrastructure of a 1940’s era Health Resort on the edge of the Mojave Desert

Location: Finland, Lapland
Cruise through beautiful frozen landscapes with your adorable team of sled dogs who are super stoked to pull you (or to pull anything, to be honest)

Location: Finland, Lapland
Cruise through beautiful frozen scenery like the locals do and escape from other tourists on back country trails

Location: Iceland, Southern, Skógar/Vík area
Beautiful unmarked and less-visited waterfall – you can even walk behind it for bonus photo opportunities!

Location: Iceland, Southern, Skógar/Vík area
Stunning sheer-walled non-technical canyon lined with moss and clear water, perfect for hiking up-canyon in the watercourse

Location: Iceland, Southern, Thjórsárdalur
Delightful hidden valley with nice rock formations and waterfalls

Location: Iceland, Southern, Vatnajökull area
Pristine black sand beach littered with ice chunks, creating a stunning and unusual visual effect

Location: Iceland, Southern, Vatnajökull area
Iconic Iceland location: beautiful glacial lagoon dotted with an ever-changing array of icebergs breaking off from nearby glaciers

Location: Iceland, Southern Iceland, Thórsmörk
Fantastic hike through stunning glacier and volcanic sculpted hills and mountains

Location: Iceland, Southern, Thórsmörk
Nice non-technical canyon that gets an intrepid top pick rating because of the great side canyon leading to an impressive hidden waterfall in a sculpted, high-walled chamber

Location: Iceland, Southwest, Northern Capital Region
Beautiful hike to an impressively tall waterfall tucked in an imposing sheer-walled canyon

Location: Iceland, West, Borgarfjörður district
Lovely and unique set of waterfalls that appear to be magically pouring from the hillside