Seven Trips On Seven Continents To Enjoy Or Book This Fall

 Austin Adventures (www.austinadventures.com/)
enjoys a legacy spanning more than four decades of engaging travelers on small group trips to the world’s best destinations for active travel. With another record-setting summer winding down, the company turns its focus on the fall and upcoming winter seasons and recommends seven best-in-class adventures on seven continents.

Since inception, Austin Adventuresfounder, president and trip visionary, Dan Austin, had the goal of spanning the globe with world-class adventure itineraries for the intrepid traveler. This was finally accomplished in 2015 with the addition of Asia and small ship river cruising in Vietnam and Cambodia(departures offered December through April).

“While it’s hard to beat summer in Montana, my favorite time to travel is in the fall when the crowds thin out and you get the feeling you have a special place all to yourself,” shared Austin. “We put our collective heads together and have come up with a list of trips to either be taken in the fall when conditions are ideal or booked now before space disappears for prime-time winter travel.”

All of these trips listed include accommodations, most meals, transfers, required equipment, knowledgeable guides and more. Prices are quoted per person based on two people sharing an accommodation. More details are available by calling (800) 575-1540, visiting online at http://www.austinadventures.com/ or by contacting the company via email at info@austinadventures.com.

North America
Fall is prime time in Southern Utah, and Austin Adventures’ Bryce/Zion National Park Adventure (multisport or all-hiking versions) covers the best of two national parks. From $2,398 per person for 6 days/5 nights, departures are scheduled Aug. 23 (hike) and 30, Sept. 6, 13, 20 (hike) and 27 (hike). This intimate tour brings guests past multi-colored hoodoos and spires, slot canyons and hanging gardens. Hiking Zion’s Virgin River Narrows, ranked one of America’s best adventures by National Geographic, is a must-do fall activity. The miracles of geology and ultra-clear nighttime skies play stellar roles enroute. See: http://www.austinadventures.com/packages/utah-brycezion/

South America
No better time to head to the tip of South America than during fall and winter (their spring and summer). Chile – Northern Patagonia is the trip choice, priced from $5,898 per person for 10 days/9 nights, with weekly departures September through April on a custom basis with a minimum of two people. Hiking, biking, rafting and horseback riding reveal the jaw-dropping scenery in the Northern Lake district between Chile and Argentina. Artisan villages, deserts, a choice of 20 different treks and an end-of-day local Malbec to sip with exemplary local cuisine makes this journey to the end of the world worth it.
See: http://www.austinadventures.com/packages/chile-northern-patagonia/

Europe
It’s the favorite time of year for locals! Austin Adventures’ France/Provence Multisport (from $3,698 per person for 7 day/6 night departures Sept. 6 and 27 and Oct. 11) is the escape of choice. The tapestry of fertile vineyards becomes more vibrant in the fall, as ancient Roman ruins mingle with the oh-so-present fragrances of lavender, honey and thyme, and markets rife with summer’s bounty tempt between-meal snacking. But wait! A bouillabaisse and baguette with fromage de chèvre paired perfectly with a glass of crisp local rosé await. See: http://www.austinadventures.com/packages/france-provence/

Asia
Now is the time to reserve a December 2015 through April 2016 vacation in Bali (recommended travel months for this region). Bali – Indonesia Luxury Adventure, bookable with just a minimum of two people (from $5,398 per person for 13 days/12 nights), offers the seduction of this exotic Indonesian island laced with terraced rice paddies and ancient temples. Standup paddle boarding, hiking through clove plantations, chasing a pod of dolphins from the nose of an outrigger, snorkeling in a reef and biking back-country roads bring paradise up close and personal. See:http://www.austinadventures.com/packages/bali-indonesia/

Africa
After a brief hiatus as the world’s leading wildlife destination, Africa is back and prime season bookings are now being taken. Austin Adventures’ Iconic Botswanadeparts weekly from April through November 2016 on 11 day/10 night adventures from $8,798 per person. Wildlife on the delta viewed from your own safari tent deck, flora and fauna teeming in the wetlands of the legendary Okavango Delta and the spray of Victoria Falls mingle with the magic of the Big Five scouted on guided walks and game drives. See:
http://www.austinadventures.com/packages/botswana-iconic-botswana/

Polar
One of the last great wildernesses to be explored, Antarctica is always in high demand and anyone wanting to reserve a space on a cruise must act now. Antarctic Peninsula Small Ship Cruise starts at $9,300 per person for 11 days/10 nights exploring the southern-most continent, a frozen desert revealed by snowshoe, kayak, zodiac and from the deck of the 114-passenger M/V Plancius. Think sliding penguins, slumbering seals, 3,000-foot ice walls, and surreal sunsets.  See:http://www.austinadventures.com/packages/antarctica-peninsula-expedition-cruise/

Australia
Another superb destination for small ship cruising, Australia: Kimberly Wilderness Cruise offers weekly eight day/seven night departures in 2016 from April through August with rates from $11,095.  Champagne sunrises, helicopter flight-seeing, rainforest explorations, aboriginal drawings, hiking, mud crabbing and billabongs come with passage on the 36-passenger M/V True North that plies in luxurious fashion the waterways of northern Australia’s Kimberley Region.  See:
http://www.austinadventures.com/packages/australia-kimberley-wilderness-cruise/

About Austin Adventures
Based in Billings, MT, Austin Adventures (formerly Austin-Lehman Adventures) has spent more than 40 years building an international reputation as a provider of scheduled small group tours and customized trips to all seven continents. In 2014, Kasey Austin, Vice President of Operations, was named the World’s Top Family Guide byOutside Magazine. In 2013, Austin Adventures joined theXanterra Parks & Resorts® portfolio of experiential leisure offerings. Xanterra Parks & Resorts has operations in theGrand Canyon, including Grand Canyon Railway and The Grand Hotel; Yellowstone;Zion; Crater Lake; Glacier, Rocky Mountain and Petrified Forest National Parks; Mount Rushmore National Memorial; Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley National Park and five Ohio State Park Lodges as well as the Geneva Marina at Ohio’s Geneva State Park. Xanterra Parks & Resorts also operates Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., Windstar Cruises, and VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations.

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Argentina Adventures Announces Three-day Tour Of South America’s Grandest Waterfall, Iguazú

 
A leader in customized travel itineraries to the farthest corners of Argentina and Chile, Say Hueque | Argentina Adventures (http://sayhueque.com/), is unleashing a new tour Power of Nature - Iguazú  Waterfalls, a three-day, two-night immersion in one of the world’s most stunning waterscapes that defines part of the border of Argentina and Brazil. 
 
The destination is Puerto Iguazú on the Argentina side of this waterfall, coveted by enthusiasts of stunning waters. Here guests are transferred to their hotel in preparation for next day’s splash into the flora, fauna and wildlife surrounding a force of nature whose rivals include Victoria Falls in Africa and Niagara Falls in the United States.Iguazú is ranked sixth in the world in terms of average annual flow, just behind Niagara.
 
Iguazú National Park and Brazil’s sister park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are approached on foot, by boat and by train, all the while through the trained eyes of a naturalist guide who helps guests to spot tanagers, ant birds, toucans, manakins, parrots, trogons and tyrant flycatchers, among other species in this tropical rain forest.
 
Lower and upper walkways permit up close and personal experiences as guests explore the falls. Trails through the 210-square-mile reserve provide visitors with various views and vantage points, especially of the largest chasm, Devil's Throat. A train ride through the ecology is part of the visit.
 
Included in the starting rate of $435 per person, double occupancy are transfers, one night accommodation, breakfast, a lunch tour of the falls on the Spanish-speaking side, a nautical tour to the base of the falls on the Portuguese-speaking side and the services throughout of a bilingual naturalist guide. The rate varies depending on the level of hotel selected for this visit. For more information please see
http://sayhueque.com/argentina_tours/iguazu_falls/iguazu_power_nature.php
 
This three-day immersion in a rainforest jungle environment can be an add-on to otherSay Hueque tours.
 
As Say Hueque owner Rafael Mayer explains, “We are a group of Argentine travel professionals who are passionate about our country. We have hiked in Patagonia, felt the mist of these falls on our smiling faces, walked along glaciers and cruised the deep blue lakes of South America. We have visited hundreds of hotels, sampled hundreds of restaurants and discovered the best wineries around, so we know exactly where to get a delicious steak, a sublime Malbec and a comfy bed along the way.”
 
Established in 1999, the company creates customized tours for independent travelers throughout Argentina’s and Chile´s national parks and cities. Popular destinations and experiences include Buenos Aires, Iguassu Falls, Perito Moreno Glacier, hiking in Patagonia, wine tasting in Mendoza, horseback riding at traditional estancias and glacier cruises.
 
Say Hueque adopted its name from the last tribal chief that surrendered to the Europeans in their conquest of the American lands, in 1885. The Great Cacique Say Hueque was the leader of a powerful tribe that occupied the region of central Patagonia. Their cultural influence is still very strong at some locations close to the Andes Range.
 
About Say Hueque
Say Hueque specializes in customized travel itineraries to the farthest corners of Argentina and Chile.  Careful focus is placed on creating unique travel experiences that embrace local cultures and celebrate the natural wonders nature.
 
Based in Buenos Aires the Say Hueque staff is comprised of young, enthusiastic English-speaking professionals who share the passion of traveling as much their clients. With intimate experience and strong local connections they provide 24/7 assistance and support when traveling.
 
Popular destinations include Patagonia, Iguacu Falls, Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Atacama Desert, Uyuni Salt Flats and the Salta region as well as many other lesser known but equally captivating marvels. Say Hueque has been recommended by the world’s most popular travel guides such as Lonely Planet, Frommer’s, Footprints, and Time Out year after year. The company has partnerships with and membership in Sustainable Travel International (STI), Responsible Travel, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), ASTA and LATA.
 
For more information please call +1.718.395.5504 (US and Canada) visit:http://www.sayhueque.com/ or Email: info@sayhueque.com.

Natural Habitat Adventures Announces Exclusive “Grizzly Ship” For Close Encounters with Alaska’s Giant Brown Bears

 
 The world’s premier nature travel company, Natural Habitat Adventures (Nat Hab - http://www.nathab.com/), announces the exclusive charter of a legendary vessel it has rechristened the M/V Natural Habitat Ursus, to take guests as close as possible in safety to the largest coastal grizzlies in the world.
 
The new adventure, Alaska’s Coastal Grizzlies: Kodiak to Katmai, will accommodate just eight guests at a time aboard the Ursus for the planet’s most intimate bear encounters.
 
Two versions of the trip are scheduled weekly from mid June through mid September 2015: Alaska’s Coastal Grizzlies: Kodiak to Katmai (seven days) and Alaska’s Coastal Grizzlies: Kodiak to Katmai Photo Tour (eight days). The rate is from $7,995 per person, double occupancy. Photo-focused departures are led by a naturalist guide who is also a professional photographer.
 
M/V Natural Habitat Ursus (Latin for ‘bear’) has been recently refurbished to provide comfortable accommodations. It was originally built in 1984 as a crab fishing boat called Time Bandit, which plied the stormy waters of the Bering Sea and gained fame in the Discovery Channel TV series "The Deadliest Catch." Its shallow draft allows cruising near the shoreline, where guests can watch bears forage in meadows and dig clams on the tide flats in remote Katmai National Park on the Alaska Peninsula.
 
The route is flexible in order to follow the bears while aboard this classic 73-foot-long wooden vessel. The Ursus accommodates a maximum of eight travelers in four guest cabins with upper/lower bunks. It carries a full complement of state-of-the-art navigation and safety equipment. The ship’s interior is intimate and simply appointed, with ample space for meals and activities. Guests share two toilets and two showers. A well-lit galley and dining area provide for convivial conversation over gourmet meals prepared each day by the onboard chef. Fresh Alaskan seafood, including halibut, salmon and crab, highlight the menu.
 
“With Ursus providing our offshore expedition base, we are able to visit some of the planet's most pristine wilderness in Katmai National Park without leaving an impact. Shore excursions, which get us even closer to the bears, take place via Zodiac rafts carried on board,” explained Ben Bressler, founder and president ofNatural Habitat Adventures.
 
Nature puts on few displays as arresting as Alaskan brown bears feeding on summer’s bounty. These bears – the largest coastal grizzlies in the world – gorge on spawning salmon as the fish swim up the rivers that pour onto these wild beaches. “Nothing can prepare you for the drama of an actual encounter with these magnificent beasts, just yards away,” says Bressler. Since these bears live in protected habitat and have never had negative experiences with humans, they are nonchalant to the group’s presence and are safely approachable at close range.
 
The adventure begins on Kodiak Island where guests are introduced to Alaska Native and Russian cultures. A local boat excursion follows rocky shorelines for sightings of sea lions, otters, puffins, bald eagles and occasionally whales. A floatplane on Day 3 flies guests to Kukak Bay to meet the M/V Natural Habitat Ursus, which immediately begins cruising slowly along the coast toward Hallo Bay to spot the first bears. Days 4 through 6 unveil the drama of multiple encounters with North America’s largest land predators (an adult male can weigh 900 pounds).
 
Via skiff guests reach shore to explore on foot, guided by a highly experienced Expedition Leader. It’s not uncommon to find massive grizzlies in great numbers; previous trips have seen as many as 30 to 40 of them at once. And far from dozing lethargically, these bears put on quite a show in their efforts to fill up on enough protein-rich food to prepare them for a long winter in hibernation. Depending on the time of the visit, bears may be mating or cubs gallivanting. On Day 7 guests depart from Kodiak.
 
NHA Expedition Leader Brad Josephsleads the Kodiak to Katmai Photography Tour (10 dates have been scheduled for 2015). A noted bear expert and Alaska resident (when he is not guiding bear adventures around the world from China to Churchill), he is one of Alaska’s premier naturalist guides, as well as a superlative professional wildlife photographer who is gifted at sharing photography tips and guidance with his guests.
 
About M/V Natural Habitat Ursus
M/V Natural Habitat Ursus was built in 1984 and transitioned for research use by the National Park Service in 1989, conducting scientific study and monitoring. It has since been converted and comfortably appointed for custom marine charter use. In addition to Nat Hab’s grizzly adventures, the ship has outfitted two international filmmaking projects, the 2012 BBC/Discovery Channel documentary Great Bear Stakeout, and an NHK (Japanese public television) program on orcas hunting gray whales and humpbacks.
 
About Natural Habitat Adventures
Natural Habitat Adventures is a world leader in responsible adventure travel and nature-based ecotourism. Since its founding in 1985, the company has offered eco-conscious expeditions and wildlife-focused small-group tours to the planet’s most remarkable nature destinations. Inspired and created from years of scouring the planet for the singular and extraordinary, Nat Hab’s itineraries are artfully crafted experiences that are far from “typical.” Trips are guided by professional naturalist Expedition Leaders, and Nat Hab enjoys a longstanding reputation for hiring some of the world’s best guides. Conservation is at the forefront of everything NHA does, and its philosophy is simple: tourism must work with and benefit local communities, which will in turn find value in protecting natural resources and wildlife. NHA is proud to be the travel partner ofWorld Wildlife Fund, sharing a mutual commitment to travel as a means of helping to protect the world’s wondrous natural places.
 
For trip information, descriptive itineraries, date availability and reservations, call 800.543.8917 or visit http://www.nathab.com/. Click HERE to order a copy of the 2015 catalog.