It`s a big world, yes, but not too big. Adventure then, isn`t so much unearthing the never-before-seen, but creatively exploring what we already know. Climbing Everest may be humdrum to elite mountaineers, for instance, but parapenting off its top is definitely the cutting edge. Trip outfitters have taken this modern ingenuity to heart. Want to ski the Himalayas? Then be prepared for a helicopter ride. Maybe the world does get a bit smaller each day. So what? The ways to see it, as our 10 trips attest, have never been greater.
Mountaineering in Bolivia
If you intend to join the American Alpine Institute`s Bolivian climbing expedition, you must keep yourself busy for six full days while you acclimate to the altitude. You can probably think of worse ways to spend a week than exploring Machu Picchu, Pisac and Lake Titicaca.
When the climb begins, you`ll find yourself in some of the finest, although least-known, alpine climbing areas in the world. The technical challenges posed by the peaks of the Bolivian Cordillera Real plus the high ratio of guides to climbers, give the trip a balance of flexibility and rigor ideal for learning. By the end of the second week, even beginners will be skilled enough to climb the final peak, the 20,000-foot Huyana Potosi.
Five trips will run between April and August; Cost for 19 days is $1,730. American Alpine Institute, 1212 24th St., Bellingham, Wash. 98225; (206)
671-1505.
Mountain-biking in China
What could be more appropriate for touring China than a bicycle? Of course, to be truly authentic you`d need a few chickens tied to the handlebars and your mom on the seat. But Boojum Expeditions makes a nice gesture with its mountain-bike tour of southeast Szechwan province.
Your trip starts at an elevation of 11,000 feet and moves gradually downhill through forests and deep river canyons, between snow-dusted peaks and down rugged mountain roads into small villages, where your lightweight mountain bike and funny helmet will provide the local farmers and herdsmen with many an evening`s amusement.
Five 22-day trips leave between July and November and cost $3,200. Boojum Expeditions, 2625 Garnet Ave., San Diego, Calif. 92109; (619) 581-3301.
Skiing the Himalayas
Ski the Alps. Ski the Rockies. Ski them all first and save this one for last, because once you`ve heli-skied the Himalayas, the rest will be all downhill. Adventures on Skis` 10-day Kashmir heli-skiing excursion should be restricted to only the most jaded skiers.
Your base will be Srinagar, the capital of the state of Kashmir. Every morning a helicopter will pick you up at your hotel and fly you out to the snowfields like you`re a five-star general on your way to the frontlines. The valleys that you will ski are some of the longest and wildest in the world-where villages get snowed in for months in the winter.
The trips depart every Thursday, January-April; cost is $5,800, including airfare from New York. Adventures on Skis, 815 North Rd., Route 202, Westfield, Mass. 01085 (413) 568-2855.
Fishing on Christmas Island
Pound for pound you won`t find a feistier saltwater fly fish than the bonefish, say the light-tackle cognoscenti. When nabbed, the tropical fish heads straight for deep water, taking your rod and reel with it if you`re not careful.
If you`re game for the challenge these elusive suckers offer, there`s no better place to go than Christmas Island, an atoll in the Republic of Kiribati, 1,200 miles south of Hawaii in the Pacific Basin. The atoll surrounds a shallow-water, coral-floored lagoon that goes on for miles and miles, making conditions ideal for bonefishing. Frontiers International runs trips to the island weekly, and will feed, house and outfit you for eight days.
Trips leave every Wednesday from Honolulu and cost $1,695, including airfare to and from Hawaii. Frontiers International, Box 161, Wexford, Pa. 15090; (800) 245-1950.
Boardsailing in Aruba
The ideal conditions for boardsailing combine strong, steady winds with flat, calm waters, a pairing about as likely as tropical heat and snow. It is the simultaneous occurrence of wind and calm water off the shores of Aruba, however, that makes the tiny island a world-class windsurfing destination.
Aruba is further enhanced by a naturally arid climate, not so great if you`re into extravagant botany, but just fine if you`re into sun. Vela Travel will set you up on this southern Caribbean island with room, board (surf) and instruction for less than $500 a week.
Trips offered year-round. Vela Highwind Centers, 125 University Ave., Suite 40, Palo Alto, Calif., 94301; (800) 223-5443.
Diving the Red Sea
There`s no mention of marine life in the Book of Exodus: Fleeing Israelites had other things to worry about. But talk to anyone who`s been to the bottom of the Red Sea and he`ll go on and on about the huge, colorful fish and the larger, more colorful coral down there.
This summer Team Sea Safaris plans two specialized scuba expeditions to the area, one led by a marine biologist and the other by an underwater photographer. The 10-day, live-aboard trip begins and ends in the town of Sharm El Sheikh, on the Sinai peninsula, with extensive options on each end for exploring pyramids or holy lands.
Trips are available year-round; cost is $1,650. Team Sea Safaris, 3770 Highland Ave., Suite 102, Manhattan Beach, Calif. 90266; (213) 546-2464.
Sea-kayaking off Ellesmere
When you look at a map of Ellesmere Island, Canada, it`s often hard to find the Arctic Circle. This is because that imaginary line is so far south of the island that it doesn`t always appear on the map. Only the tip of Greenland reaches farther north than Ellesmere, and not by much.
Summer comes hard and fast up there, and as the midnight sun takes over and the polar ice caps recede, out come the walrus, musk-ox, killer whales and red-throated loons. And the sea-kayakers. Ecosummer Expeditions` Ellesmere sea-kayaking jaunt will bring you through the middle of this Arctic playground, taking you in and out of the fjords and icebergs; you`ll even spend a night on a polar ice cap.
The trip runs Aug. 6-20 and the cost is $2,675. Ecosummer Canada Expeditions, 1516 Durnleau S., Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6H 3S4; (604)
669-7741.
Climbing Mt. Waddington
”An incredible nightmarish thing that must be seen to be believed.”
That`s how one early Canadian explorer described Waddington, the highest peak in British Columbia.
Despite its horrific appearance, the quality of its granite makes the 13,777-foot peak a climber`s delight. Alpine Ascents Unlimited is looking for a pair of climbers to take on the mountain this summer. As is the style these days, AAU is leading three-person expeditions; the itinerary depends on the skill level of participants. Although described as ”moderately difficult,”
Waddington offers excellent climbing for greenhorns and vets alike.
The trip is planned for the first week of August. Cost is $1,550 for 14 days. Contact Alpine Ascents Unlimited, 1712 Northeast Ravenna Blvd., Seattle 98105; (206) 522-2167.
Hang-gliding in Mexico
If you`re serious about hang-gliding, you`d better read quickly. Because while you sit there, Wind Gypsy Expeditions has already begun its weeklong Mexican hang-gliding safaris.
As you read about the 2,000- 3,500- and 5,000-foot vertical drops in Tequila, Tapalpa and Colima, one of your gliding cohorts is actually flying them, in one of four new sets of high-performance wings. And while you`re looking foward to the end of this paragraph, someone else is anticipating the final ride of the week, an aerial descent of Nevado de Colima, the tallest active volcano in the Western Hemisphere.
Trips leave weekly, through Feb. 27; cost is $699 plus food. Welcome Aboard Travel, 315 E. Plumb Lane, Reno, Nev. 89502; (800) 824-2584. Advance flying experience is required.
Heli-biking in B.C.
What`ll be next, heli-golfing? KMB Tours Ltd. of British Columbia, Canada, has put together a five-day heli-biking tour through the Selkirk and Purcell mountain ranges in the southeastern corner of the province.
Each morning the copter will carry you and your wheels over glaciers and ice fields to the top of one of the area`s 7,000- to 8,000-foot peaks. You`ll have the rest of the day to explore abandoned mining trails and descend to the lodges and hot springs.
Trips run July-September; cost is $1,500, including room, board and transportation. KMB Tours Ltd., Box 867, Nelson, British Columbia, Canada V1L 6A5; (604) 354-4371. –
