colombia Colors. Coffee. Coasts. Oh, Colombia. A land of plenty: plenty of people, plenty of cultures, plenty of wildlife and of course, plenty of exciting adventures. From snorkeling along the Caribean Coast to wandering around historic colonial ports to trekking in a place that reminded me strongly of Mars to exploring forests of the largest palm trees in the world. Colombia is the type of place you could spend years exploring and still feel like you only scratched the surface. Luckily, it is a great place to slow down and stay a while. Explore my in-depth Colombian adventure travel guides below. best time to visit The weather doesn't fluctuate very much, but holidays - especially Christmas and New Year's - are very busy. top adventures Hiking in the Andes, exploring some of the major cities like Medellin and Cartagena, and visiting the very quiet Pacific Coast. ​ number of national parks 59 time needed to explore 3 - 4 weeks should be enough to quickly see the major sites. pre-trip planning for colombia Everything Travelers Need to Know About Entering Colombia 11 Things to Know About Traveling in Colombia How to Take Buses in Colombia colombia adventure travel guides Slow Travel in Colombia: 6 Things We Learned A Complete Adventure Guide to Hiking in Colombia The Ultimate Colombia Travel Guide A Comprehensive Food Guide to Salento, Colombia The Perfect 6 Day El Valle, Colombia Travel Itinerary Your Guide to Hiking El Tigre Waterfall: A True Jungle Adventure in Choco, Colombia Exploring Colombia’s Pacific Coast: Everything Travelers Need to Know Everything Travelers Need to Know About Entering Colombia Exploring Colombia’s Wine Country | La Union, Valle del Cauca 1 2 3 4 5

ecuador I didn't originally plan on traveling to Ecuador during my first big post-college South America trip. But then after doing a bit of research, I realized that the small South American country had a lot of amazing things to offer: magical hiking trails, off the beaten path destinations, and culturally rich cities. ​ While I only got to spend about two weeks in the country, I really tried to fit in as much adventure as possible. This included backpacking to a volcanic lake, visiting the equator, walking around the beautiful capital of Quito, exploring Banos, and taking a trip around the very modern city of Guayaquil. best time to visit Along the coast, Decem ber - April, in Quito there are 12 hours of sun every.single.day. top adventures Hiking the Quilotoa Loop, summiting Cotopaxi, and visi ting the G al apagos Islands. ​ number of national parks 11 time needed to explore 2 - 3 weeks, not including the Galapagos Islands. ecuador adventure travel guides The Ultimate Quito, Ecuador Travel Guide How to Survive Giardia While Overseas The Ultimate Banos, Ecuador Travel Guide Trekking the Quilotoa Loop | 15 Helpful Tips

gear & packing Knowing what to bring with you on a trip or outdoor adventure can really lead to some unwanted stress. Seriously - having the right gear can really impact how an adventure goes: from being one epic, can't-stop-smiling-trip to I-might-actually die sort of horror sh*tshow. Explore my comprehensive gear guides as well as in-depth packing lists for both short and long adventures and travels below. adventure gear guides What's in the Backpack: My Mountaineering Gear Guide My Complete Trail Running Gear Guide Our Favorite Sustainable Gear for Eco-Friendly Travel A Complete Gear Guide for Your Fall Adventures 5 Must-Have Items for Slow Traveling in Colombia let's get packing Minimalist Packing Guide: How I Fit 2.5 Weeks of Stuff into a Personal Bag

trip reports everything is better outside Explore our adventure guides on all things the Great Outdoors; including, hiking and backpacking trails, mountain biking routes and of course, plenty of travel guides on off-the-beaten-path outdoor destinations around the world. ​ You can get even more adventure inspiration by checking out our real-time, offline outdoor adventure maps on Gaia GPS. Explore them here . let's get exploring THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO HIKING IN THE DESERT THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO HIKING A 14ER THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CANYONEERING trail beta and adventure guides A Complete Guide to Climbing Mount Saint Helens How to Be a Respectful Adventurer: 7 Trail Etiquette Tips to Know What to Know About Summiting Mount Hood: My Experience The Complete Guide to Mountaineering Middle Sister in Oregon The Ultimate Guide to Hiking Acatenango Volcano in Guatemala The Top 8 Hikes in Pucón, Chile A Complete Hiking Guide to Nevados de Sollipulli in Chile Hiking in Chile | Exploring the El Cañi Sanctuary Near Pucón A Complete Hiking Guide to the Kendall Katwalk in Washington 1 2 3 4 HIT THE TRAILS FASTER Download our FREE HIKING GEAR CHECKLIST so you know exactly what to bring with you while out adventuring! Our Hiking Gear Checklist includes all of the essential items you will need while out exploring the Great Outdoors. Subscribe to Backroad Packers to get yours today! subscribe + download Thanks for submitting!

usa Welcome Oh, America. With your multiculturalism, thousands of miles of roads, and countless natural wonders, you are the perfect place to spend a month, a year, a lifetime exploring. As someone who was born and raised in the United States of America, I know how fortunate I am to be able to have so many different places to explore. And believe me, I have tried to see as much as possible. ​ Looking for sharp, snowcapped mountains? Head to Colorado . Looking for red rock desert and deep slot canyons to get lost in? Then Utah is the place for you. Looking for a lush green rainforest? Then explore the Pacific Northwest, and the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state specifically. Those are just a few of the (many) wonderful places that can be found within the bounds of the United States - a country that encompasses almost 3.8 million square miles, 95,471 miles of coastline and countless mountain ranges. ​ While I love traveling internationally, I also love being able to explore so many unique places in my own backyard. For me, jumping in the car and going on a road trip is one of the best ways to see the country. Keep reading for inspiration and information to inspire your next trip to the United States. best time to visit The best ti me to visit depends on where you want to go and what adven tures you want to do. Overall, summer (June - August) is a safe bet - especially in the W estern half. ​ top adventures This is tough. But if visiting the USA, you should try to go backpacking or hiking in th e Rocky Mountains, hit Highway 101 in California and explore Utah's C anyon Country. ​ number of national parks 63 ​ time needed to explore A year, haha. Again, this totally depends on what you want to do. A safe bet (for one or two states) is a month or two. explore a specific destination canyon country in utah the rocky mountains in colorado the southwest desert in arizona usa adventure travel guides Exploring the PNW: A Quick Breakdown of All the Park Passes The Perfect Olympic National Park Itinerary | How to Spend 3 Days Adventuring The Ultimate Planning Guide to Climbing Mount Hood in Oregon The Ultimate Grand Teton National Park Adventure Guide The Ultimate Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary | Exploring the Big 5 Everything You Need to Know About Visiting and Staying At a Fire Tower Where to Find the Darkest Skies in the USA | The Top 9 Sites for Stargazing Is Capitol Reef National Park Utah’s Best Kept Secret? Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park | Top 5 Things to See and Do 1 2 3 4 5

national parks Often called America's "Best Idea," the incredible USA National Park System - which presently includes 63 national parks and 400+ other protected areas - is by far one of the most amazing things about the United States of America. ​ If you have any interest in exploring and adventuring in some of the USA's most stunning landscapes, then you must add a couple of these national parks (or heck all of them) to your adventure travel itinerary. Below you will find lots of inspiration and information in my ultimate national park guides and national park travel itineraries. explore the usa national parks Blue: a USA national park // Red: a national park with guide national park adventure guides A Short Adventure Guide to Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve The Ultimate North Cascades National Park Adventure Guide The Ultimate Olympic National Park Adventure Guide The Ultimate Redwood National Park Adventure Guide The Ultimate Arches National Park Adventure Guide The Ultimate Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Adventure Guide The Ultimate Canyonlands National Park Adventure Guide The Ultimate Colorado National Monument Adventure Guide The Ultimate Rocky Mountain National Park Adventure Guide 1 2 national parks for every season 8 Best National Parks to Explore in Summer 8 Best National Parks to Explore in Fall 8 Best National Parks to Explore in Winter 8 Best National Parks to Explore in Spring national park inspiration The Ultimate Stehekin Adventure Travel Guide The Perfect Olympic National Park Itinerary | How to Spend 3 Days Adventuring A Short Adventure Guide to Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve The Ultimate Grand Teton National Park Adventure Guide The Ultimate Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary | Exploring the Big 5 Is Capitol Reef National Park Utah’s Best Kept Secret? Hiking in Chile | Huerquehue National Park Adventure Guide Hiking in Chile | Exploring the El Cañi Sanctuary Near Pucón Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park | Top 5 Things to See and Do 1 2 3 4 5

chile While my first go at visiting Chile was mostly due to a necessary visa run (taken during a 3-month stay in Peru and Ecuador), I have now officially landed with the sole desire of exploring as much of Chile as possible. Take a look at my in-depth adventure travel guides, and learn why Chile needs to be on every adventure traveler's bucket list. THE BEST TIME TO TRAVEL January (the middle of the summer) is the most popular time to visit, especially in the southern Patagonian region. ​ THE TOP ADVENTURES Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park, the Atacama desert. ​ TIME NEEDED 3 weeks minimum, more if you want to visit Patagonia, Santiago and the Atacama. ​ NUMBER OF NATIONAL PARKS 41 ​ CURRENCY The Chilean peso. ~ $1 USD = 890 pesos chile adventure travel guides The Top 8 Hikes in Pucón, Chile A Complete Hiking Guide to Nevados de Sollipulli in Chile The Perfect Pucón, Chile Itinerary | How to Spend 5 Days Adventuring Hiking Volcan Quetrupillan in Chile | A Cinematic Adventure Film The Ultimate Pucón, Chile Travel Guide Hiking in Chile | Huerquehue National Park Adventure Guide El Cani Sanctuary, Chile | A Cinematic Adventure Film Hiking in Chile | Exploring the El Cañi Sanctuary Near Pucón Chile Entry Requirements: What to Know Before Traveling 1 2

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peru 10 weeks in this wonderful country was somehow still not enough. In fact, most of that time was spent in the southern half of the country: Ica, Cusco, Arequipa, etc. And while I absolutely loved that area of Peru - and had quite a few memorable adventures - I definitely feel like a second trip is in order. ​ In my opinion, the trick to seeing, really seeing, Peru is to completely get off the beaten path and explore the country's wide array of hidden gems, including small towns on the edge of the jungle, high mountain passes with wild horses, and rich green coffee plantations. Explore some of these amazing adventures in my below Peru travel guides. best time to visit It is driest/sunniest from May-October, so if you are looking to do some tr ekking (including to Machu Picchu) you will want to visit then. top adventures The Inca or Salkantay Trails to Machu Picchu, trekking near Huaraz and vis iting Colca Cany on. ​ number of national parks 15 time needed to explore 3 - 4 weeks, especially if you are planning to do more than one big hike. peru adventure travel guides Rainbow Mountain in Peru | Worth the Visit? Machu Picchu is Overrated The Adventurous Route to Machu Picchu: Our Motorcycle Ride to the Famous Ruins Exploring Oxapampa, Peru | A Top Hidden Gem How to Get the Yellow Fever Vaccine in Peru Trekking in the Andes of Peru: Exploring Huaraz

mexico Oh, Mexico. While I haven't seen all of you - it is definitely on the list. Whether you are seeking out empty, white sand beaches, big waves, ancient ruins, culturally rich cities, or just darn good margaritas, Mexico has it all. And all at pretty affordable prices. It is also chock-full of adventure. Be it snorkeling in picturesque coral reefs at Cabo Pulmo , exploring ancient ruins in the Yucatan, swimming with sea lions and whale sharks in La Paz, climbing in Potrero Chico , or canyoneering in La Huasteca . You honestly cannot go wrong with a trip to Mexico - especially if you are looking to get off the beaten path and have some authentic experiences. best time to visit While this definitely depends on the destination in Mexico, I would say for the drier areas (like Baja) you should try to visit between January and March. top adventures Swimming with whale sharks in Baja, exploring ruins like Chichen Itza, and swimming in the cenotes of the Yucatan. ​ number of national parks 67 time needed to explore Like many countries, Mexico is super diverse. You should put aside at least 2 weeks for ONE destination. mexico adventure travel guides The Ultimate Monterrey, Mexico Travel Guide Unexpected Adventures in La Huasteca National Park, Mexico Your Guide to Climbing in Potrero Chico National Park Escaping the Cold in Baja California, Mexico

laos The idea of visiting Laos came about from various discussions with people who had traveled all over Southeast Asia. While they loved Cambodia, treasured the southern coast of Thailand, and greatly enjoyed the vibrancy of Vietnam, many of them explained that if you were looking for a truly off-the-beaten-path adventure then Laos was the place to go. So off I went on a night bus from Chiang Mai, Thailand to the border and then onto another long bus ride through the twisty jungles of northern Laos until eventually I landed in a somewhat soggy Luang Prabang. From there it was just days of exploring temples, the Mekong and a fair number of French-inspired coffee shops. best time to visit October - April for warm and dry weather; and November - January for boating on the Mekong River. top adventures Exploring the exciting town of Vang Vieng, kayaking the Nam Song River or 4,000 Islands, and checking out the many limestone caves. number of national parks 14 time needed to explore 2 - 3 weeks to make sure you can d o all of the major adventures. laos adventure travel guides The Ultimate Luang Prabang, Laos Travel Guide BETA: Laos