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The Mount Everest Base Camps are traditionally used by mountain climbers as a resting place before and after the Everest climb, but today they have become a popular destination for hikers and trekkers. Many tour groups and companies offer multi-day treks (usually 14 – 18 days) to both the South Everest Base Camp (5,360 meters or 17,600 ft) in Nepal, and the North Everest Base Camp (5,208 meters or 17,090 ft) in Tibet. Intrepid Travel offers a few different trips to the South Base Camp. The North Base Camp requires a permit from the Chinese government in addition to the permit one already needs to visit Tibet, so the South Base Camp in Nepal is a much more popular hiking destination. Those wishing to make the trek must be in good physical condition and be able to hike around 6 hours a day while carrying a small pack, but no previous mountaineering experience is required. For most treks the majority of the supplies and food are carried by porters and Sherpas. To visit during optimal weather conditions you should aim for the beginning of March to mid May or from the beginning of September to mid November. The Mount Everest peak is not visible from the base camp, so most treks also include a trip up Kala Patthar (5,643 meters or 18,514ft) which provides a view of Everest.

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Skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and wildlife lovers should not miss this incredible Canadian destination: Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. This glacial lake is located near the Trans-Canada Highway and the tiny town of Lake Louise. The Eastern shore of the lake is home to the large luxury resort hotel Chateau Lake Louise. Accommodation for the budget-minded traveler can be found in Lake Louise town only 3km (2 miles) away. Other activities to be enjoyed at the lake and surrounding area include mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, dog sledding, snowshoeing and more.

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Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon located in Arizona on Navajo land. It was formed over the years by flash flooding that eroded the sandstone. Flash flooding is still a danger to visitors today with the last major flash flood occurring in 2006. Tourists may only visit the canyon with a guide because of this flood danger. There are two sections of the canyon: Upper Antelope Canyon (also called The Crack) and Lower Antelope Canyon (also called The Corkscrew). The Navajo call the Upper Canyon Tse’ bighanilini, meaning “the place where water runs through rocks.” The Lower Canyon is called Hasdestwazi, meaning “spiral rock arches.” The canyons can both be found within the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation, in Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park. There are entrance fees for both canyons, and these fees provide the Navajo Nation with much needed income.

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The city of Bagan (previously spelled “Pagan”) in Myanmar (previously called Burma) is an ancient city that is home to over 2,000 temples and pagodas. Many ancient kingdoms have claimed Bagan as their capital city throughout its history. The majority of Bagan’s 67 square kilometers (26 square miles) worth of buildings were constructed between 1000 CE and 1300 CE. Bagan became a thriving center for Theravada Buddhism under King Anawrahta’s rule in the early 1000s. Visitors to Bagan can enjoy a variety of accommodations, cuisine, and activities, including touring the city by car, bike, or horse-cart, enjoying local art, and taking a boat trip on the Ayeyarwady River.

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Navagio Beach, or Shipwreck Beach, can be found on the Northwest side of Zakynthos Island, which is in turn off the West coast of Greece. Because the isolated beach is home to the wrecked smuggler ship Panagiotis it is also referred to as Smuggler’s Cove. The picturesque white sand beach is only accessible by boat. Tourists can catch a boat from the capital city of Zakynthos, Porto Vromi to the South, or from Saint Nikolas in Volimes to the Northeast. The Panagiotis was an alleged smuggler ship that was transporting illegal cigarettes when it wrecked in 1983. Navagio Beach is the least crowded in the months of May and November, and the best time to go is in the morning. Since the beach is so popular, many tourists opt to rent a car and simply enjoy the spectacular view of the beach from the top of the hill.

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Located on the border between the state of Paraná in Brazil and the province of Misiones in Argentina, you will find the stunning Iguazu Falls dividing the upper and lower parts of the Iguazu River. These massive falls, four times the width of Niagara Falls, moved First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to famously exclaim “Poor Niagara!” Iguazu Falls is made up of 275 individual falls, the tallest of which is 82 meters (269 ft) high. The most popular single waterfall among tourists is the impressive 82 meters (269 ft) tall, 700 meters (2,297 ft) long Devil’s Throat (or Gargantua del Diablo). The falls can be accessed from the Brazilian town of Foz do Iguaçu or the Argentine town of Puerto Iguazú. There are many trails and walkways around the falls, and the more adventurous types can enjoy rock climbing and water sports.

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The world’s largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni, is located in Southwest Bolivia. At 10,582 square kilometers (4,085 square miles), the Salar de Uyuni becomes the world’s largest mirror when covered in water. If this fascinating phenomenon alone wasn’t enough to entice tourists to visit, there is also an antique train cemetery in the area, 3km outside the town of Uyuni. Because the Salar de Uyuni is so flat, NASA is able to utilize it to calibrate some of their satellites. While the Salar de Uyuni itself is devoid of wildlife, it is used as the breeding grounds for some species of pink South American flamingos once a year in November. There are hotels for tourists nearby and they are almost all built out of salt blocks, including the furniture.

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Nosy Iranja is a small tropical island located off the Northwestern coast of Madagascar, 45km (28 miles) South of Nosy Be, a slightly larger and more popular island. Nosy Iranja consists of two islands that are connected by a bank of white sand only visible at low tide, but can still be traversed at high tide. Nosy Iranja is emerging as a popular tourist destination in Madagascar due to the idyllic white sand beaches and the excellent diving and snorkeling that can be had there. Visitors also come for the interesting wildlife, including green and hawksbill sea turtles, large coconut crabs, and many varieties of bird life.

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On the border of China and North Korea, in a caldera at the top of Baekdu Mountain, you will find Heaven Lake. The caldera was created when the volcanic mountain erupted in 969 CE. Visitors to the lake can enjoy stunning walks, hiking, and horse rides along the mountain paths. Canvas yurts are the most common accommodation for tourists, but there are also more upmarket hotels. The semi-nomadic Kazakh people inhabit the area seasonally. Staying in traditional Kazakh yurts and using their guided horseback tours help them earn the income that they live on for the rest of the year. It can get quite cold in the area, so warm clothes are suggested.

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Remote but absolutely breathtaking, Disko Bay off the Western coast of Greenland is poised to become a popular arctic vacation destination. Travelers to Disko Bay enjoy boat and kayak whale watching trips among the icebergs, year-round dog sledding, and spectacular hiking excursions. The area has very warm summers for Greenland, with temperatures reaching up to 27° Celsius (80° Fahrenheit). The nearby town of Qasigiannguit features Greenland’s oldest wooden house, now the town’s museum. The museum has a permanent collection of artifacts from various prehistoric cultures from the area, dating as far back as 2400 BCE.

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