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New Zealand’s north island is home to Mount Taranaki, or Mount Egmont, a 2,518 meter (8,261 ft) tall active volcano. Taranaki is quite young for a volcano, having become active only 135,000 years ago. Its most recent activity was a mere 160 years ago. Mount Taranaki is the center of the Egmont National Park, the circular tree-line boundary of which can be seen in two of the photos below. Visitors to the mountain can enjoy the Manganui ski resort for skiing and snowboarding. Those more adventurous types can trek to the summit during the summer months. The closest major town is New Plymouth, just north of the mountain, where all types of hotels and other accommodation can be found.

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The majestic Mount Roraima is the highest mountain in the Pacaraima Mountains. Roraima lies on the three borders of Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana. The mountain is part of Venezuela’s Canaima National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Angel Falls is also part of this beautiful park. Mount Roraima’s highest point is Maverick Rock at 2,810 meters (9,219 feet), and the whole of Mount Roraima’s fairly flat top surface area is surrounded by 400+ meter (1,312+ feet) high sheer cliffs. Mount Roraima can be climbed, though all routes besides the Paraitepui route require technical climbing gear. Visitors can get a stunning view of Mount Roraima and the greater Canaima National Park from a memorable helicopter ride.

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The massive Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a sandstone rock formation in central Australia. Officially located in the Northern Territory, Uluru is an inselberg (literally “island mountain”) which is a leftover section of a mountain range after erosion has removed the original mountain range. The formation is home to ancient wall paintings, springs, and caves. Uluru stands 348 meters (1,142 ft) tall. It is popular with photographers during sunset when it appears to glow red. Many visitors opt to enjoy a steep hour-long climb to the top of Uluru. Uluru is located inside the Uluru – Kata Tjuta National Park and visitors must pay a $25 fee to enter the area. There is a nearby airport for those interested in a short and easy visit to Uluru. Visitors wishing to stay longer can find accommodation in the nearby town of Alice Springs. To find cheap airfare and hotels in Australia, please visit our Travel Help page.

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Towering over nearby Portland, Oregon, is the Majestic Mount Hood. It stands 3,429 meters (11,249 feet) tall and is home to 12 glaciers. Mount Hood has 6 ski resorts: Timberline, Mount Hood Meadows, Ski Bowl, Cooper Spur, Snow Bunny and Summit. Timberline is the only year-round ski-lift in all of North America. Mount Hood is a dormant volcano, but it is consider the volcano most likely to erupt in Oregon with a 7% chance of eruption in the next 30 years. It is popular with climbers in addition to skiers, and about 10,000 people reach its summit yearly. Hikers can enjoy trekking on the Timberline Trail which circumnavigates the mountain, and the Pacific Crest Trail also passes by via the Timberline Trail. Most of the ski resorts have beautiful lodges to stay in, and any kind of accommodation can be found in the city of Portland, 124 km (77 miles) away. There are also many small towns in the area that offer some accommodation, including Government Camp, the closest town to the ski resorts. For coupon codes and discounts on accommodation and airfare booked online please see our Travel Help page.

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The Dolomites are a section of the Alps mountain range in Italy. Besides the spectacular views, visitors to the Dolomites can enjoy skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, ice skating and sledding in the winter months, and hiking, mountaineering, mountain biking, base jumping, paragliding and hang-gliding in the summer. The Dolomites were recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in August, 2009. Marmolada, the Dolomites’ largest peak, stands 3,344 meters (10,972 feet) tall. The Dolomites span three Northeastern Italian provinces: Belluno, Bolzano-Bozen and Trento. Accommodation can be found in any of the many cities and villages in the area.

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One of the most famous tourist attractions in Norway, this massive 604 meter (1982 feet) tall cliff in Forsand, Norway is known by any of these five names: Preikestolen, Prekestolen, Preacher’s Pulpit, Pulpit Rock or Hyvlatonnå. Those who make the steep 3.8 km (2.4 mile) trek are treated to an amazing view over the Lysefjord. There is a lodge and a youth hostel nearby, and more accommodation can be found an hour away in the city of Stavanger.

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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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China’s Hua Shan is one of the Five Sacred Daoist Mountains located in the country. Hua Shan has five main peaks, with the 2160m (7086ft) tall South Peak being the highest. Hua Shan, literally Splendid Mountain, has been home to Daoist temples as far back as the second century BCE. Today, it is popular with monks and tourists alike, though tourists have only been visiting the mountain for a few decades.  Traditionally, a journey up Hua Shan’s dangerous steep and narrow pathways was reserved only for the most determined monks. But in the 1990s cable cars, pictured above, and handrails were installed to allow easier access for tourists. Hua Shan is located roughly 100km East of the city of Xi’an in China’s Shaanxi Province.