Solo Gen Y travelers take guided tours of Europe with Topdeck.

Are you a solo mountain traveler?  Every summer, mountain destinations worldwide attract solo travelers.

Summer hiking and walking can be the most rejuvenating and life changing holidays.

Mountain holidays can also be simple and affordable for solo travelers.

They can save money by backpacking, camping, staying at mountain cabins and buying cheap travel insurance from companies such as Good2Go.

For mountain destinations farther afield, travelers can save money on flights by booking through flight price comparison websites like Cheapflights.co.uk.

Here are Cheapflights.co.uk’s Top Solo Travel Tips:

• Tell your loved ones: “Always inform family and friends where you’re heading, how you can be reached and provide them with a full itinerary of flights and transportation. If you’re being collected from the airport, ask the tour operator or hotel sending the transportation for the name of the person or service picking you up. Select flights that arrive during daylight hours.”

• Leave your valuables behind: “Apart from your passport, wallet and any other travel documentation you might need for your specific destination, it’s best to leave valuables at home. Keep the trip light and casual, leaving more room to pick up souvenirs from the destination itself.  Take the necessary amount (of cash) for use upon landing in the destination and additional amounts withdrawn when there.”

• Choose destinations closer to home: “(If) traveling solo for the first time, (you) may want to choose a destination closer to home. For UK travelers, European destinations such as Spain and Italy are a great starting point. Flights to these destinations are frequent and short, the locals are friendly, people will most likely speak at least a bit of English, and getting around is easy.”

• Dining out alone: “Dining out alone is almost always a daunting prospect. The first step is to smile! A smile is inviting and encourages others to approach. Select a restaurant with a casual atmosphere. Pick a table that offers good people watching or take a laptop, book, iPad, or other form of ‘companion’ along.”

Image courtesy of Topdeck.

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A traveler revels in Antarctica. Photo credit: Aurora Expeditions.

Dreaming of an Antarctica adventure?

Travel company Aurora Expeditions is launching new Fly/Sail options to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia.

The new trip departing South America has been designed to reduce sea time and increase time at Antarctica.

Aurora Expeditions specializes in ship-based adventures and small, low-impact groups to Antarctica.

Popular Antarctica adventure activities include sea kayaking, camping, photography, climbing and scuba diving.

Need to inspire your spirit of adventure for an Antarctica trip-of-a-lifetime?

Here are 15 fascinating facts about Antarctica via Aurora Expeditions:

1. “It’s the best place in the world to find meteorites.”

2. “One of the biggest icebergs ever broke free from the Ross ice shelf in Antarctica in 2000.”

3. “During the feeding season, a full grown blue whale eats about 4 million krill per day, that’s 3600 kg every day for 6 months.”

4. “Antarctic fish have lived at between +2°C and -2°C for 5 million years (-2°C is the freezing point of sea water, below zero because of the salt).”

5. “The largest land animal in Antarctica is an insect, a wingless midge, Belgica antarctica, less than 1.3cm (0.5in) long.”

6. “In 1981 a swarm of krill was tracked by US scientists that was estimated at being up to 10 million tonnes.”

7. “Antarctica is the only continent with no indigenous species of ants.”

8. “Antarctica is the coldest continent on earth, as the lowest temperature recorded here was -89o C.”

9. “The ‘Dry valley’ region on the continent has been bereft of rainfall for 2 million years.”

10. “If Antarctica’s ice sheets melt, the level of the world’s oceans would rise by 60 to 65 meters.”

11. “At the deepest point, the ice in Antarctica is around 3 – 4 km thick.”

12. “Antarctica is the windiest continent on earth.”

13. ‘The water of the Antarctica is so cold that nothing can rot here.”

14. “Owing to the chilly water in Antarctica, codfish have antifreeze in their blood to save them from freezing.”

15. “The ice cap at Antarctic contains 29 million cubic kilometers of ice.”

For more info on Aurora’s Antarctica’s adventures, visit the company site.

Image courtesy of Aurora Expeditions.

Silva Field 1-2-3 Compass.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!  We’re heading out on a mountain holiday break and we’ll return next week.

Leading compass company Silva has redesigned their compasses for beginner to expedition use.

The compasses have been slimmed down and redesigned with contrast color on the compass needle, a larger mirror on mirror sighting compasses and a more secure grip.

Silva Metro Compass in all colors.

Silva Sweden AB is part of Fiskars Outdoor division. The Silva and Gerber brands in the portfolio produce headlamps, compasses, pedometers, multi-tools and knives.

The Silva Field 1-2-3 compass uses the 1-2-3 system for finding the compass bearing.

Silva developed the Silva Expedition S compass for high precision navigation.  Silva Metro compass is the best option to find the right direction in the city.

Here are the different compass features:

Silva Field 1-2-3:

• Self-explanatory compass reading system;
• Orange compass needle contrasting from common map colors;
• Compass housing made from Dryflex rubber and
• Best choice for navigation beginners such as schools or scouts.

Silva Expedition S:

• Mirror sighting compass;
• Large mirror with 45 degrees angle assistance and sighting;
• Compass housing made from Dryflex rubber;
• Clinometer;
• Magnifying lens;
• Luminous markings for night navigation;
• GPS navigation scales, 1:25k, 1:50k, mm/in;
• Adjustment for magnetic declination and
• Best choice for mountaineering, rescue and military users.

Silva Metro:

• Rubber housed compass with carabiner.

Images courtesy of Silva Sweden AB

If you’re planning a road trip in the Dolomites, take a look at the UK company Wicked Campers.

The bargain campervan company is known for its “funky accommodation and wheels all rolled in to one wicked campervan.”  For mountain travelers in Europe, it’s a brilliant way to travel and  camp in style, comfort and on a budget.

Wicked Campers offers a choice of two and five-seater Toyota vans equipped with a bed for two, table, basic built-in kitchen, camping chairs, CD player and storage space and additional tents for larger groups.  What makes the campers “funky” is each van is individually graffitied like no other.

All Wicked Campers’ vans come with insurance and 24-hour roadside assistance which is valid in the UK and the rest of Europe.  They are available for one-way or round-trip hire.  Depots are located in London, Dundee, Loch Ness, Belfast, Amsterdam, Munich, Barcelona, Malaga, San Benedetto and Verditz.

For more info, check out Wicked Campers online.

Image courtesy of the Italian State Tourist Board.

Heading Bush Outback Adventures is featuring a new three-day Mountain Safari into South Australia and its Flinders Ranges and Outback.

The company specializes in small group tours of the Australian Outback in off-road vehicles, highlighting Wilpena Pound, Rawnsley Park, Aboriginal art sites and wine tasting in the Clare Valley.

Says the company:

“Whatever type of accommodation selected at Rawnsley Park Station, guests will wake up to the call of the kookaburra and enjoy glorious morning views of South Australia’s iconic Wilpena Pound and the surrounding area home to elusive yellow-footed rock wallabies, as well as kangaroos, emus and bold wedge-tailed eagles.”

Eco-accredited Heading Bush Outback Adventures follows established guidelines for responsible travel including supporting Aboriginal communities and Outback businesses and hiring guides who are both professional “bushmen” and accredited tour guides.

Tour highlights will include:
• Camping in the bush and sleeping under the stars.
• Hiking, bushwalking, wildlife spotting and swimming in desert springs.
• Seeing Flinders Ranges including Wilpena Pound.
• Going on camel safari into a mountain camp.
• Meeting local Aboriginal elders to hear about their culture and history.
• Enjoying a cool Aussie beer at a real Outback pub in William Creek..
• Exploring the famous underground opal mining town of Coober Pedy
• Traveling on the famous Oodnadatta track.
• Exploring rarely visited regions including the Painted and Simpson Deserts.
• Bathing in natural hot springs at Dalhousie (winter only).
• Driving 4WD to Australia’s geographical centre at Lambert’s Pole.
• Experiencing Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kata-Tjuta (The Olgas), King Canyon and the
Western MacDonnell Ranges.

For more info, check out Heading Bush Outback Adventures online.

Image courtesy of Heading Bush Outback Adventures.