Adventure Quickies: Nepal's Best Hikes, Overtourism at Famous Sites, and More!

It’s Friday, which means it’s also time for my weekly Adventure Quickies post. This is where I share my favorite stories, gear reviews, travel news, and other items from the week that has passed, but I just didn’t have time or space to post elsewhere. You’ll find everything from outdoor and adventure news to travel deals to gear reviews in these articles. So, here’s what we missed from earlier in the week:

Best Hike Shares Updated List of Top Hikes in Nepal: My friend Rick McCharles from BestHIke.com has just returned from some autumn hiking in the Himalaya. This has given him some fresh new insights on the best treks to explore in the big mountains and as such, he’s updated his list on the best independent treks to do in Nepal. If you’re planning a visit to that country, you owe it to yourself to check this article out before you go or plan a trek of your own.
22 Places Ruined By Tourists in the Past Decade: Overtourism is becoming an increasingly difficult challenge for popular destinations to deal with. On the one hand, the economic benefits of travelers coming to a place are great, but on the other it can be bad for the environment or the sites that are pulling them in. To illustrate that point, Business Insider has shared a list of 22 places that have been ruined by tourists over the past decade, some of which are incredibly famous places.
Ring in the New Year on a Guided Hike: If you live in the U.S. and you’re wondering what to do on New Year’s Day (Other than watch a lot of football that is) why not go on a guided hike? StateParks.org is sharing opportunities to do that in all 50 states in what they call “First Day Hikes.” Or, you know, what the rest of us call a regular January 1.
Nat Geo Shares Best Animal Photos of 2019: If anyone knows good photography, it’s probably National Geographic, after all, the organization and its famous magazine have been delivering outstanding photos for well over a century. Earlier in the week, the Nat Geo website shared a gallery of the best animal photos taken this past year, and as you can imagine they are pretty spectacular. Have a look here.
Black Diamond to Match Donations to Protect Public Lands: The use and care of public lands is under siege in the U.S. and to combat this problem, gear brand Black Diamond has announced that it will match contributions to protect public lands dollar-for-dollar up to $80,000. The company has even created a Fight for Public Lands Toolkit to help us all get involved.
Hero Postman Delivers Mail 350 KM on Foot — in Siberia: A Russian postman takes the motto “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night” very seriously. This past May, when his 4×4 vehicle broke down, Afanasiy Polyatinskiy walked 350 km (217 miles) to pick up a waiting post bag, then carried the 97 kg (213 pounds) bag back to his constituents. Now that’s dedication.
Good To-Go Continues its #DoBetter Campaign for 2019 Holiday Season: If you like tasty meals around the campsite, then you’ve probably already heard of Good To-Go. The company makes some of the best dehydrated options for campers, backpackers, and hikers for sure. For the 2019 holiday season, Good To-Go has announced that it will continue its #DoBetter campaign by donating one meal for every two that are purchased throughout the month of December.
IAATO is Searching for a New Executive Director: If you’re looking for an interesting new line of work, then listen up! The International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) is searching for a new executive director. The organization is dedicated to promoting safe, sustainable, ecologically responsible travel in the Antarctic and wants someone to take the helm that holds those same interests. If you think you qualify, head over to the IAATO website to learn more.
Exodus Travel Has 50% Amazon Rainforest Travel: Adventure travelers who have always dreamed of visiting the Amazon are now in luck. Exodus Travel is offering select trips at half price provided you book before December 9. The company has one of just a handful of five-start ships that operate on the river, making this a luxurious excursion into one of my favorite parts of the world.

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Kraig Becker

Kraig is an outdoor and adventure travel writer based in Nashville, TN. Over the course of his career, he has contributed to numerous online and print outlets, including Popular Mechanics, Gear Junkie, Outside Online, National Geographic, Digital Trends, Business Insider, TripSavvy, about.com, and of course The Adventure Blog.