The Seven Seas just got a bit more crowded: Nine new world cruises have recently set sail, joining Royal Caribbean's ongoing Ultimate World Cruise in a quest to travel around the world in 2024.
02.01.2024 - 21:07 / nationalgeographic.com
The start of a new year is often the time people resolve to tackle bucketlist travel goals: rafting the Colorado River, scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, exploring the poles. But how does an entry- to intermediate-level adventurer start preparing to make those big dreams a reality?
In 2010, to train for an assignment that required me to live for weeks at Mount Everest Base Camp (elevation 17,598 feet), I snuggled into my cold-weather sleeping bag on the deck outside my home in northern Minnesota during a few weeks of sub-zero temperatures in January. I started with a few hours in daylight and eventually slept out all night without a tent. That exercise helped me discern the number of clothing layers I would need to stay warm and put to rest my fear that I would freeze to death.
The best training isn’t always physical, sometimes it’s psychological or even spiritual. And every adventure requires developing a specific set of skills. That’s why we’ve asked the following experts for their advice on how to approach seven iconic travel experiences.
“It’s preferable to learn to dive in a place where there’s warm, clear water, as poor visibility can be disorienting and cold water makes it difficult to equalize and draw deep breaths,” says Carrie Miller, co-author of National Geographic’s A Diver’s Guide to the World. Neither should be a problem on the Great Barrier Reef, off the northeastern coast of Australia. There, visibility ranges between 30 to 100 feet depending on the season and water temperatures range from 72 degrees Fahrenheit in the austral summer to 84 degrees in the austral winter.
With many dive training organizations, she says, you can do the coursework and pool sessions in your hometown and complete your course on the Great Barrier Reef.
“Some people don’t take to scuba diving straight away and that’s okay,” she says. “It’s common to struggle with skills like mask clearing and the experience can feel overwhelming.” Practice doing laps in a pool wearing a mask that’s half full of water. This will help you get used to the sensation of water sloshing around your nose.
(Scared to scuba? Here are five reasons it’s finally time to learn.)
One thing to know about the reef is that it has already lost half its corals, so instead of expecting to dive in pristine beauty, use your trip as “an opportunity to learn about the pressures facing the reef,” says Miller.
Extreme heat and submersion are two major risk factors when rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon—neither of which are easy to prepare for in advance, says Kevin Fedarko, a former Colorado River guide and author of the forthcoming book, A Walk in the Park: The Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon.
“There’s an
The Seven Seas just got a bit more crowded: Nine new world cruises have recently set sail, joining Royal Caribbean's ongoing Ultimate World Cruise in a quest to travel around the world in 2024.
A small homebuilt aircraft crashed off the coast of California on Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
For three grand, I could have wandered the cobblestone streets of Dublin, Ireland.
If you’re an American traveler, you’ve likely done this sort of calendar math, spotting where all the paid holidays fall this year and figuring out how to combine them with your own limited paid time off (PTO).
If 2024 is the year to complete a bucket-list trip to discover a destination that's a little different, or to travel to a one-off event, then here are a few ideas—new long-haul flight routes from the U.S., unmissable one-off global events, 'new' European places to discover and new cruise lines venturing into dramatic waters in Australia. Here's what's waiting to be ticked off on your 2024 travel bucket list.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Sundance Film Festival. It’s a big milestone for the festival, which takes place January 18-28 in Park City, Utah. The years following COVID have been muted, with parts of the festival taking place virtually. This, of course, impacted party attendance and the overall festival vibe, which traditionally does a full takeover of Park City’s historic Main Street corridor. The sense is that 2024 will restore Sundance to its full capacity, which also means Hollywood will truly bring the party to Park City this year.
Nevada is getting a brand-new state park this month. It’s one every would-be Indiana Jones (or maybe more like the Ross Gellers among us) will love, and as a bonus, it’s within a quick driving distance to The Strip.
The 2023-24 ski season is off to a rocky start in much of the U.S., despite an El Nino weather pattern having promised another snowy winter.
Are you, like 300 million Americans and international visitors, thinking about visiting the US National Parks this year? Do you like to plan your summer vacation several months ahead?
Predicting the future hasn’t always been synonymous with tarot cards and crystal balls. Centuries before astrology apps and dial-in psychics existed, people who wanted a glimpse into the future worked with what they had—food.
Move over South Beach, Palm Beach and other chic South Florida enclaves: when it comes to the next big luxury destination, Hobe Sound is where it’s at.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with John Barnhart, a 32-year-old who left Tampa, Florida to travel, and work, around the world.