Blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer found himself in an odd situation a few days back. Canoe & Kayak magazine is reporting that Erik was detained by locals in Peru while kayaking down the Marañón River, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon River. Weihenmayer is in South America with a group of 20 paddlers training for an attempt on the Grand Canyon next year and the team was mistaken for a group of scouts looking for suitable locations to build a dam on the Marañón. This is a highly controversial plan in Peru that has many of the locals up in arms.

According to the C&K report, the kayaking team was held overnight after being confronted by locals who warned them if they had proceeded further down river they would have been met by hostile villagers at the next location. Fortunately, the situation was resolved when it was revealed the paddling team's leader – James “Rocky” Contos – is a conservationist who is campaigning against damming efforts and has even made a film about the situation.

Weihenmayer is best known as the first blind person to summit Everest, but if you check out his website, you'll see that is just one of his many adventures. Erik has also climbed the rest of the Seven Summits, raced in the Leadville 100, competed in marathons and adventure races and a host of other activities.

After it was determined that the paddlers were not part of a dam survey team they were allowed to go on their way. But the situation underscores how passionate many Peruvians are about this topic. Commercial organizations have reportedly identified 20 locations to build a dam on the river, which will substantially alter its course and the landscapes around it.

These kinds of water rights issues are major points of contentions in South America at the moment. Chile is also facing similar resistance to several of it's rivers as well.

A couple of months back I wrote a story about David and Katharine Lowrie, a husband and wife team who were running the length of South America, south to north. The couple set out in July of last year with the intention of running 5000 miles (8046 km) along their planned route. Yesterday they announced that they had completed the run, reaching the Caribbean Sea in Carupano, Venezuela. The actual distance they ran? An astounding 6504 miles (10,467 km)!

The run, which David and Katharine had dubbed the 5000 Mile Project, began in Punta Arenas, Chile, the southernmost town on the continent. From there, they began traveling north, passing out of Chile and moving into Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and finally Venezuela. Along the way, they passed over the Andes Mountains and through the Amazon Rainforest, two natural obstacles that are daunting under any circumstances.

As if running 6500 miles across a continent isn't an impressive accomplishment on its own, the couple also managed to launch their Big Toe Classroom along the way as well. This portion of their website is filled with lesson plans and other educational tools for teachers. These free resources are designed for 7-11 year olds and were created to help them learn more about South America and the plants and animals that live there.

All told, it took David and Katherine 14 months, 23 days, 19 hours and 24 minutes to run from the southern tip of the continent to the northern coastline in Venezuela. That's a lot of time on the road and I'm sure they are relived to be done.

Congratulations to the Lowrie's on the completion of an impressive expedition. Well done!

On July 28, David and Katharine Lowrie set out on a run like no other. The pair have hit the road to run the length of South America. Yes, you read that right. They are planning on running south to north across the entire continent and they're doing so to raise awareness and funds to protect the wildlife that lives in threatened areas there. Their expedition is aptly named the 5000 Mile Project, as that is the distance that they will cover before they are through. (That's roughly 8046 km for most of the world.)

The began their epic adventure last month by setting off from Punta Arenas, Chile, the southernmost settlement in South America. They'll now work their way north through Patagonia, crossing between Chile and Argentina as they go. Eventually they'll cross into Bolivia before continuing on to Brazil, where they'll face one of the biggest challenges to the expedition – a crossing of the Amazon Rainforest. If successful there, they'll emerge into Venezuela and finish the journey with a run to the Caribbean coast.

The Lowrie's hope to wrap up their journey approximately a year after they started. That seems rather ambitious considering the difficult miles that lie ahead. The couple aren't just out on the road running unencumbered. They're pulling specially designed carts behind them that carry all of their gear and supplies as well. David and Katharine are hoping to cover roughly the length of a marathon each day (26.2 miles/42.1 km), which is a challenge but highly feasible while on roads. But once they hit the Amazon, things will be completely different and much more difficult in general.


The husband and wife team have undertaken the 5000 Mile Project to raise funds for Asociacion Armonia, BirdLife International and Conservacion Patagonica. The hope is to collect enough money to help fund the purchase of threatened habitats in South America to protect the wildlife that lives there. As part of the project, they are also recording the various animals they see along their run including the many bird species that inhabit the continent.

Their efforts don't end there however. They've also launched the BigToe Classroom which contains lesson plans and projects for teachers to use with their students to get them engaged with conservation projects as well. There is even a way to contact David and Katharine and set up a video conference call with them directly from the road.

You can learn more about the 5000 Mile Project in an interview that the couple did with Explorers Web earlier in the week. You can also follow along with David and Katharine's blog or on Twitter and Facebook.

German equestrian explorer Guenter Wamser is nearing the end of an epic journey on horseback that has covered more than 25,000 km (15,535 miles) and nearly two decades of his life. Back in 1994, Guenter set out from Patagonia on horseback with the intention or riding north to the very top of Alaska. Now, he is deep in the Alaskan backcountry and nearing the end of his expedition, which has become not just an adventure but a way of life.

Guenter has dubbed his wandering journey the Transhumanica expedition and over they years it has taken him to some wild and remote places. His path began in Argentina and wandered into Chile, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, carrying him to the top of South America, which he reached in 1999 after five years in the saddle. But the ride didn't end there. In 2001 the German set off once again, passing through Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and eventually Mexico which he reached in 2005.

The journey across Mexico was a long and rewarding one and reading Guenter's journal it is clear that he enjoyed his time there. But when he reached the border with the U.S. he ran into a bit of trouble. He seems that his horses had contracted a tropical disease on their journey and they were not allowed to enter the States. The horses were found a good home however and Guenter found new mounts in the form of four mustangs that he adoptedf rom the Bureau of Land Management. Those horses have been his companions through the final phase of his journey, a ride along the Continental Divide Trail.

In 2007 Guenter and his traveling companion Sonja Endlweber, began traveling north on the CDT, passing through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana before eventually passing into Canada. As of last fall, they were in the Yukon territory, where they settled in for the winter. Earlier this year they returned to the trail with an end in sight and while the two riders are currently out of contact somewhere in the Alaskan wilderness, they will soon reach the northern most point of that state, thus bringing an end to the ride at last.


In his journal, Guenter says that his journey started simply as an adventure with his focus on riding across the Americas. But along the way it became less about getting to a destination and more about exploring the landscapes he was passing through and interacting with the people and cultures that he connected with along the way. He adopted a nomadic life that was its own reward. What he'll do after this trail comes to an end remains to be seen, but after so many years traveling on horseback, I have to imagine it'll be a challenge to return to a "normal" life.

Guenter is one of the founding members of the Long Rider's Guild and as such his journey by horseback has been an exemplary one in terms of distance and time on the trail, but also for how he has treated the animals that have helped him along the way. His horses have been cared for very well and not treated simply as beasts of burden but as companions and partners who came along on this adventure like any other teammate. It is admirable that this incredible journey is soon coming to and end, but even more so that Guenter will complete it in such an ethical manner.

Thanks to my friend CuChullaine for sharing this wonderful and amazing story.

Freya Hoffmeister, the queen of long distance paddling, has returned to South America and is planning on resuming her epic journey around that continent by kayak. If all goes according to plan, Freya will hit the water again tomorrow and resume a journey that has already consumed many months out on the water.

Freya arrived back in Colombia on Tuesday and is now preparing to return to the border between that country and Venezuela where she'll climb back into her boat and once again continue her journey. She has been back home in Germany since May and during that time she has gathered her strength, taken care of pressing business and generally been getting ready for the next leg of the journey. If all goes according to plan, she'll soon round the top of South America and start heading south, back to Buenos Aires where she first launched her expedition in September of 2011, early two years ago.

Initially Freya believed it would take 24 months for her to cover the 24,000 km (14,913 mile) circumnavigation of South America. She is rapidly closing in on that date and there is no way she can finish in the time frame that she has set for herself. She still has thousands of kilometers to go and plenty of challenges ahead. Nothing she can't handle of course, after all we are talking about a woman who managed to paddle around Australia a few years back. Yes, Australia.

If you want to follow Freya's progress as she turns for home, check out her blog, which she updates on an almost daily basis while paddling. Sometimes it's just to report her daily mileage and location and other times it's more in depth about what she is experiencing while out on the water.

Another impressive adventure. It looks like Freya will be on track to wrap up her expedition sometime later this year. There are some big challenge that remain but she is determined and razor focused. I know I'd certainly never underestimate those qualities in a German woman.

To truly get a sense of South America, filmmakers Clemens Krüger, Vincent Urban & Stefan Templer traveled its length in a classic Land Rover, wandering through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil. Along the way they captured some striking images from road and compiled them in the amazing video you'll find below. Those images are sometimes haunting, sometimes enchanting and always compelling. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Really beautiful footage.

Deep in a remote section of Venezuela is an area known as the Lost World. It is a wild and untamed place that is famous for its table-topped mountains, including Roraima, the inspiration for the fantastic Pixar film Up! Recently a team of climbers visited the Lost World where they filmed themselves highlining over some impressive open spaces. A teaser for what will presumably be a much longer film is below and it is spectacular.

Roraima is on my bucket list of places I'd like to go someday. Seeing this spectacular setting only gets me more interested in visiting the place. Oh, and the highlining is amazing too. Enjoy!

Venezuela Salto Angel Highline Expedition WEBTEASER from HALSUNDBEINBRUCH FILM on Vimeo.

If you're looking for yet another reason to visit Peru, check out this fantastic video which was shot on GoPro cameras by friends Ali Goulet, Chris Van Dine and Aaron Chase. The three men recenly visited the South American country where they had a chance to ride some gnarly mountain biking trails while interacting with the local culture. The result was this fine short film that may inspire you to want to follow in their tire tread.

Filmmaker Vadim Sahaklan and a friend spent six months traveling through 13 countries on three continents. Along the way they documented their journey with a video camera and the result is the beautiful short film you'll find below. The two men first drove from Alaska to Los Angeles, then flew off to Africa to explore on foot, before ending their globe-trotting adventure on motorbikes in South America.

The 39-minute video manages to convey a fantastic sense of wonder and whimsey as Vadim and his friend visit some amazing places, learning more about themselves and the world around them as they go. This is definitely a video you won't want to miss. Excellent stuff.

Temporary Story from Vadim Sahakian on Vimeo.

Peru is one of those countries that ever adventure traveler should visit at least once in their lifetime. Travel blogger Dan Moore recently discovered this for himself when he allowed the Facebook followers of Covermore travel insurance to dictate his entire trip, starting with the destination. Dan chronicled his travels using a GoPro camera and along the way he visited classic sites like Machu Picchu, the Nazca Lines and Lake Titicaca. The essence of his trip is captured in the video below, which is likely to inspire you to want to visit Peru too. Looks like he had a great time.

Yesterday I shared part one of a new series of climbing films that follow a team of Dutch climbers who traveled to the Peruvian Andes to put up a new route on Puscanturpa Este, a 5440 meter (17,847 ft) peak that had to be conquered along its North Face. The team spent three weeks climbing the new route, naming it Poco Loco after they successfully completed it.

In Part 1 of the series we saw the team traveling all over Europe to train for the challenges they'd find in Peru. In Part 2 which you can watch below, the crew travels to Peru and makes the long journey to Base Camp. Along the way they experience the colorful culture of the country before setting off into the rugged backcountry for their ultimate objective.

Peru Expedition episode 2 of 4 - Road to Basecamp from vincent van beek on Vimeo.

We're now just about halfway through the month of February, which means we're far enough into the new year that we should be thinking about our own adventures for the year ahead. Our friends over at The Active Times are here to help with this task, offering their selection for the 30 Best New Trips for 2013.

The AT broke their list of suggested destinations and activities down into region, offering the best options for Africa, The Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe & The Middle East. Each of their selections in those regions is a wild adventure that is far from the norm and decidedly not for the traveler who likes to sit on the beach watching the world go by. On the contrary, these are active, often demanding, journeys that will be reward adventurous travelers with once in a life time experiences and satisfying cultural, physical and historical encounters.

For instance, one of the options for intrepid trekkers is a 100-mile long hike through Kenya's Tsavao National Parks. The trek takes 11 days to complete and guarantees some memorable animal encounters along the way. Other options include new backpacking options in Patagonia, exploring the Mongolian Steppe on horseback and mountain biking the Himalaya in Bhutan. No matter what activity or destination you love, there are some good suggestions here, most of which will fill your adrenaline quotient while also providing plenty of amazing experience that simply can't be found elsewhere.

Over the past week or two I've been lamenting the fact that I've been home for far too long. Lots of work and a few bumps in the road of my personal life have kept me firmly rooted at by base of operations for far longer than I would like. I'm hoping to change that soon, as the wanderlust is certainly becoming harder to ignore. I see plenty of tempting options on this list for places I'd love to visit and experiences I'd like to add to my travel resume. It's time for me to choose my next adventure. How about you?

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