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Embrace the Outdoors!
Discounts on 10 of REI's adventure packages, from cycling in France to white-water rafting and hiking around the Canadian Rockies.
Monday, May 7, 2007;
REI's annual in-store sale returns May 4-13, with discounts of up to 65 percent on outdoor gear. This year, the company has upped the ways to save by also putting 10 of its guided adventure packages on sale well beyond the in-store sale's dates--until availibility runs out.
All the rates quoted below are per person and for REI members only (nonmember rates can be hundreds of dollars more expensive). You must become an REI member to get the sale rates--and we'd recommend joining anyway; it only costs $15 per person and membership is good for life.
Even with the discounts, some of these guided trips are on the expensive side. Yet keep in mind the very small group size (no more than 16 people, and often only half that number) and REI's commitment to responsible travel. The company recently became carbon neutral, meaning that it has already purchased credits to offset the estimated amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the flights, bus and boat rides, etc., taken by the maximum number of travelers who could participate in the 2007 programs. (For details on how the program works, click here.)
The Fine Print: Lodging taxes are included. Airfare is not included, but can be purchased through REI at an additional cost. Trips are limited to 16 people. For general guidelines on evaluating deals, click here.
Book By: No deadline; based on availability.
Contact: REI Adventures, 800/622-2236, rei.com/adventures.
Mono Lake Kayak, $320 ($55 savings)
Moosalamoo Inn-to-Inn Hiking, $760 ($100 savings)
Thailand Explorer, $1,199 ($300 savings)
Canadian Rockies Multisport, $1,399 ($200 savings)
Santa Fe & Taos Multisport, $1,699 ($300 savings)
Costa Rica Tropical Multisport, $1,799 ($400)
Scotland Highlands & Islands Hike, $1,899 ($400)
Provence Cycle, $2,099 ($400 savings)
Kilimanjaro Climb & Safari, $3,999 ($500 savings)
More on Adventure Travel:
Trips That Can Change Your Life: Biking Cross-Country
Splurges: Adventures You Can Brag About
Expert Tips for Jogging on Vacation
The Mono Vista Campground in Lee Vining, Calif., is the home base for this three-day, two-night kayaking and hiking trip. Instruction, guides, five meals, and equipment are included. When: Aug. 3, 7.
The trip includes four day-hikes in Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest, one night at the Churchill House Inn, and two nights at the Blueberry Hill Inn. The price covers breakfast daily, picnic lunches, professional guides, lodging taxes, luggage transfers between inns, and van transportation to and from trailheads as needed. When: Sept. 6, Oct. 18.
Among the highlights of the northern Thailand eight-night guided trip--which has an optional Southern Beaches Kayaking extension--are hiking in the teak forests outside Chiang Mai, riding astride elephants, and browsing among the lively market stalls in the Golden Triangle area. Most meals are included, and accommodations are in rustic village huts without electricity or modest hotels. When: Oct. 14, Oct 21.
This seven-night package begins and ends in Calgary, Alberta, with the glaciers, ice fields, canyons, and majestic peaks around Lake Louise, Banff, Yoho, and Jasper sandwiched in between. Hiking (sometimes at high elevations), canoeing, and white-water rafting are the main activities. Airport transfers, camping tents and equipment, admission to national parks, local taxes, and nearly all meals are included. When: June 30, Sept. 1.
While traveling from Albuquerque to Santa Fe to Taos and back to Albuquerque, you'll hike among the mesas of Ghost Ranch, mountain bike along the edge of the Rio Grande Gorge, and white-water raft down the Rio. Airport transfers, van support, mountain bikes, rafting gear, entrance fees, and most meals are included during the six-night guided trip. When: Sept. 1, Sept. 8.
The first part of the seven-night guided trip is devoted to cycling among the rolling hills and (mostly) paved roads in the Turrialba region east of the capital, San Jose. Next come two days of rafting on the Rio Pacuare past waterfalls, lush scenery, and monkeys. Hikes around Arenal volcano complete the trip. Airport transfers, local transportation, English-speaking guides, mountain bikes, rafting gear, and most meals are included. When: July 29, Nov. 4.
Heather-covered moors, dramatic cliffs, picturesque villages, and historic castles, such as Eilean Donan Castle, form the backdrop for this seven-night hiking trip. Skye, an island in the Hebrides, is a standout. Accommodations are in local hotels, and transfers to and from the Inverness train station, luggage transportation, guides, and nearly all meals are included. When: Sept. 15, Sept. 23.
By night you'll sample fine wines and stay in modest country hotels, and by day you'll bike along the scenic, sleepy roads of the Vaucluse and Drôme areas in much-loved Provence (expect to clock at least 30 miles daily). The seven-night package includes bicycles, vehicle support, luggage transportation, wine tasting, and some meals. When: Sept. 22, Oct. 13.
The most ambitious of these REI adventures entails a 14-day trip to Tanzania, where a team of African guides will lead a climb along the "strenuous but nontechnical" Marangu route towards the 19,340-foot summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Afterwards, go on safari at the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park. Lodging is split between mountain huts (five nights), lodges and hotels (five nights), and camping (three nights). Camping gear, taxes, transfers, and virtually all meals are included. When: Nov. 3, Dec. 3.