- rafting
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During my stay in Albania, I decided to try something new: rafting. This experience completely exceeded my expectations; rafting gave me a kick, the water of the river was crystal clear, and I saw maybe the most wonderful scenery I have ever seen! It has been one of the greatest and most special experiences in my life.
I booked this trip at Outdoor Albania (www.outdooralbania.com), who specialise in sustainable tourism
This can be done in half a day if time doesn't extend to the Colca Canyon as it is only a 45 minute drive. The rapids are grades III and IV and the views of El Misti as you go along are spetactular. We had local guides who were great about making sure everyone felt safe (even the nervous First Timers) and all equipment was provided. It a great contrast to the sightseeing in Arequipa.
There are lots of places offering trips, we went through a place just on Jerusalen road.
This canoe ride is really exhilarating. A fantastic feature of Slovakia's Pieniny National Park is the 10km-long gorge. Canoes and traditional rafts (called plt') sail past narrow limestone cliffs and get up quite a speed. Rafters dressed in traditional Goral (the local mountain people) costume give talks on the surrounding sights, flora and fauna. The Polish peak of Trzy Korony (Three Crowns) looms like chunks of white Toblerone. En route there is plenty of opportunity to marvel at the local flora and fauna in spectacular, unspoilt and relatively undiscovered scenery. A gem.
Rafts and canoes usually set off from near Cerveny Klastor (Red Monastery), a fascinating museum in itself.
Check out www.rafting-pieniny.sk for more details.
The white water rafting on the Soca River is among the best in Europe. The mountain scenery is spectacular.
There are fast and furious stretches of the river, and other places where it is calm and the most beautiful turquoise colour, overlooked by summer meadows and snow-capped peaks.
Although most people use Bovec as a base, there is a better place to stay: Tolmin. It's friendly and cheap.
I went here with a group of people I had been working with and it was the best day of my year long trip.
Advertised as class 2-3 rapids but they were very strong - we were getting thrown over frequently by the rapids, really exciting. Guides were excellent - we also jumped off the riverbanks which was a good 20 metre drop, had mud fights - we were covered. It was just a great day, real adrenaline flowing, funny, exciting and can't say enough about it. Had been rafting before and have been since and they have been tame experiences compared to this.
It's on the main street just by the bridge over the river - you can't miss it.
Bed and breakfast/farmstays with local families in and around San Luis de Pambil, Bolivar Province. Very basic (it's a poor, agricultural area) but friendly people and beautiful scenery, great for hiking, trekking, etc.
Not at all touristy, well off the beaten track (you need to speak some Spanish) but well worth the journey to experience genuine village life in Ecuador. They do river raft trips, too, and you help build the balsa wood raft. They have some suggested tours, and help you arrange whatever you want to do (in one case, a bug-hunt for a 10-year old and a 12-year old fascinated by the local insect life!) and make you feel very welcome.
It's run by a reforestation charity, so you plant a tree for each day that you stay there.
San Luis de Pambil, Bolivar, Ecuador
www.farmstaysecuador.org/
You can go rafting on the Black River which is the longest river in Jamaica where you can see Manatee and Crocodiles.
You can also visit the YS Falls and the very picturesque Holland Bamboo which is a cove of bamboos stretching for miles along the road.
The locals are very polite and friendly. All this is still some of the virgin attractions, this is the paradise for relaxation which will embalm your mind and captivate your spirit.
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