Quito's Plaza Grande square, Ecuador. AFP Photo
Quito's Plaza Grande square, Ecuador. AFP Photo

Get on the wild side with these exotic travel trips



Ecuador

Mountain Bike Worldwide has an eight-day cycling tour of Ecuador that begins in Quito, a Unesco World Heritage Site and the capital city, before moving north to the Ibarra area. You'll explore indigenous markets and attempt challenging climbs and descents in and around El Chota Valley through the Andean desert. Highlights include the "Infernillo" trail from the Páramo (highlands) down an ancient Inca route to Ibarra, and a ride to the mouth of the Pululahua Volcano.

The trip costs US$2,500 (Dh9,180) per person, including accommodation, some meals, the services of guides, entrance fees to sites and national parks, and local transport. Bike hire and international airfare not included. For more information, visit www.mountainbikeworldwide.com.

Tanzania

Spend three nights at the Sands Rivers Game Reserve in Selous, southern Tanzania, for a safari holiday that includes daily wilderness walks, game drives and camping under the stars. Accommodation is in the luxurious Sands River Selous lodge, which has a mix of comfortable, well-appointed rooms, suites and cottages, and offers activities that include boating and fishing on the Rufiji River and a gourmet dinner in a bush camp.

The package costs from £1,348 (Dh7,980) per person, full board, with accommodation in an open-fronted cottage with a view over the river, including transfers, domestic flights, game viewing with an expert guide, transport by a luxury 4x4 and park and conservation fees. International airfare not included. Visit www.africarosetravel.com to book.

Alaska

This week-long "Alaskan Kenai" camping trip in Alaska is organised by TrekAmerica and follows a route south from Anchorage, along the Cook Inlet to Resurrection Bay. Stay in a wilderness camp set up at Kachemak Bay, framed by the dramatic Kenai Mountains towering above. Highlights of the trip include hikes through the Kenai Fjords National Park and the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, plus sea kayaking (keep a lookout for killer whales and dolphins), white-water rafting, and daily treks and walks.

The seven-day camp costs from $1,139 (Dh4,184) per person, including all camping equipment, meals, local transport, the services of an experienced guide and tour leader, entrance fees to parks and reserves, and taxes. International fare not included. Visit www.trekamerica.com to book.

Turkey

Sail along Turkey's Lycian coast on a luxury gulet and explore pirate caves, ancient cities and little-known canyons along the route. The eight-day trip includes visits to the Saklikent Gorge, the old city of Aperlai, the port town of Andriake and the Lycian city of Myra, with plenty of time for kayaking in Tersane Bay over the sunken city of Kekova, and snorkelling and diving in the crystal-clear waters off Kas.

The week-long trip costs from Dh2,935 per person, full board, including offshore tours, accommodation in a cabin on board a comfortable gulet (based on two sharing), the services of a guide, and offshore excursions as mentioned in the itinerary. International airfare not included. Book through www.responsibletravel.com.

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