TRAVEL SPECIAL................... DREAM VACATIONS WORLD SPECIAL

 DREAM VACATIONS WORLD SPECIAL 

Dare to Dream

    Mother Earth never ceases to surprise her inhabitants with wonderful creations. There are so many unique things to see in different parts of the planet that the sooner you start exploring, the better. It’s impossible to list down all the must-see dream like destinations at a go. But here’s a start... Luckily, many of the gorgeous places, now have access as tourism departments have worked hard to build connecting roads, pathways, observation decks and provide additional facilities that visiting travellers might require. The Grand Canyon, Arizona, for instance, is a must-visit for both adventure seekers and plain nature enthusiasts too. The skywalk built here is a transparent horseshoe-shaped bridge, walking on which is a liberating experience, to say the least. There is more to do at the Grand Canyon than just observe and take photographs. Horse riding, rappelling, rafting, hiking, helicopter rides, canyoneering, the options are many!
    The act of seeing a glacier is mostly associated with Antarctica, but what if we were to tell you that you can see one such specimen in Argentina, South America? Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, or the Glacier Park in Argentina holds beauty that is beyond mere words. One can even see icebergs being formed from various observation decks!
    The views from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, is reward enough for the hard work endured during your climb up. You won’t regret it!
GRAND CANYON
REGION: Arizona
    The Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA, is like the mother of all adventures. There are so many ways to spice up a vacation here that it will take you at least a week to experience the destination in its entirety. The best part is that it’s not only seasoned adventurers who can enjoy the Grand Canyon, there are activities designed to suit kids and families too.
    RAPPELLING: This is a challenge for experienced hikers. Get to Deer Creek and rappel your way through two small falls before coming down the big fall. Keep a whistle handy to communicate through the immense noise of the gushing falls.
    SKYWALK: The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a major tourist attraction. You can walk on the glass-bottomed skywalk and soak in the views around, above and under you as, well. The U-shaped observation deck is a photographers delight and it’s fun to see many people treading carefully on the glass floor, scared that it may give in.
    RAFTING: Novices can go for half-day river rafting trips on the Colorado River or even embark on week long adventure trips. As evening sets in, you can camp at nearby points. Almost all trips begin from Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry. Motor trips usually take a week to reach Diamond Creek, but those who wish to, can even get off mid-way and hike it out.
    HALF DAY TRIPS: Typically a one hour ride, sit on a mule and take a tour of the different trails in the Grand Canyon National Park. An advantage of this is that the mule will help you gain access through rough terrain with ease. On the North Rim is the North Kaibab Trail, which is open to children as young as seven. While little kids can avail of one-hour rides, older kids and adults can embark on half day trips.
PARQUE NACIONAL LOS GLACIARES
REGION: Argentina
    Snowy glaciers and green mountains are two contrasting features that are difficult to spot in one gaze. But the Los Glaciares National Park, located in Austral Andes, Argentina, offers visitors such a spectacular view. This national park has often been billed as the best place in all of South America to see glaciers in action. Viewing one of the unique glaciers left on Earth makes for a memorable trip and one worth travelling the extra mile. A remarkable feature of glaciers in Los Glaciares is that they are still advancing and at times you can even see them slowly inch their way forward!
    Luck factor: If you are lucky, you can see bits of the glacier collapse into the crystal clear blue waters and create a mighty roar in the process. On a good day, you can see gigantic parts of the
glacier cave in, making a huge noise, before drifting away with their new found identity as icebergs. This kind of glacial activity, however, is mainly found around lakes Argentino and Viedma. Lake Argentino boasts of amazing sights what with three glaciers and its offspring, the resultant icebergs, floating around its waters. Viewpoints: You don’t have to worry about not getting a good view of the glacier at the national park. There are a series of walkways set up here for numerous vantage points from where you can witness and capture panoramic views of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    Trek on ice: Yes, you can trek the ice blanket in this glacier park, but if it’s your first time, make sure you have an experienced guide with you. On your way you’ll even get climb on the Torre Glacier. So keep your crampons, glacier sunglasses, ice axe and other ice climbing glear ready. DID YOU
KNOW
ICE MAGIC What makes the glacier at the Parque Nacional Los Glaciares in Argentina so unique in the world of ice is that it’s constantly advancing, sometimes upto 2m per day, causing building-sized icebergs to cave into the water
MOUNT KILIMANJARO
REGION: Tanzania
    Hiking your way to the peak of the approximately 19,336 feet, snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, is no easy feat. Of course, there is a significant rise in the number of hikers taking on this trek off late as part of guided tours to the top. But if you achieve your goal, you deserve a pat on your back. Mount Kilimanjaro has a reputation of being the world’s tallest walkable mountain and expect to endure five varied climatic zones before you finally reach the summit.
    Best time to visit: January to March and September to October are the most preferred months to go climbing because of the apt weather conditions that make hiking safe.
    Route it: Trekking routes to the summit vary in degree of difficulty and can be embarked upon depending on the scenic beauty you’d like to come across. Beginners can take on the Marangu and Rongai routes which are considered to be the least difficult. The experienced lot can go for the more difficult routes of Machame, Shira and Limosho.
    Tips to reach the top: Don’t try to rush your way to the summit. Short cuts mean that you are not giving your body enough time to acclimatise to the constantly changing weather conditions. Your guide will also reiterate the importance of going slow each time he or she feels that you’re hastening your pace. Your hike to the top should ideally last at least six to seven days.

Compiled by Sujata Reddy ETTR130725