Every year our Myths and Mountains staff spend time traveling in our destinations, scouting hotels, researching new places to visit, and ensuring that our suppliers continue to maintain the high standards our travelers expect from us. Our operations coordinator, Julie Ganski, recently returned from her first Myths and Mountains site inspection trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos. She came home filled with enthusiasm for these amazing destinations. Here are some excerpts from her field reports: 

Arriving at Cafe Cultura, our hotel in Quito, was mystical. It was drizzling rain, green and lush like entering a secret garden laden with a foggy mist. The room was gorgeous and enchanting, with fresh roses everywhere. From Quito we traveled north to the Equator and then on to Otavalo. The best thing about the journey was the surprises our guide showed us along the way. We stopped to sample chirimoya – an incredibly sweet fruit unlike anything I’d ever tasted – from a roadside vendor and hand-rolled pastries at the best bizcocho place in Ecuador. We also visited Huarmi Maki, a women's center in Peguche. It was really interesting to learn about the traditional food preparation, dress, and methods for weaving sheep and alpaca wool without machines. Upon arrival at the beautiful Hacienda Cusín, we enjoyed an afternoon horseback riding adventure in the lush green Andes.

Then it was on to the Galápagos. Our ship, the Legend, was extremely comfortable, and the itinerary was carefully planned and packed with activities, with at least two – sometimes three – excursions per day. Snorkeling was a dream come true – we swam with a giant sea turtle, a very pompous sea lion, sting rays, sharks, and of course, tons of fish! I was fascinated to gain a bit of insight into such a mysterious and intriguing underwater world.

On land, we had to laugh as we were charged by a baby sea lion on his way to the ocean. He swam around and posed for us in inches of water as we stood on the shore of the beach, putting on a sort of show, until a big barking male sea lion came over to pull him from the crowd – almost a "shame on you" kind of moment.  We also saw another baby sea lion suckling milk from his mother. I could have watched them interact for hours. Still, some of the most interesting animals to observe were the giant tortoises. It's like witnessing a prehistoric creature – seeing a dinosaur in real time.

One of the best parts about the Legend was watching the wildlife at night. The ship has giant lights on both sides so you can watch birds and sea lions feeding, and also see an occasional ominous shark lurking in the water below. The richness of the islands, both the landscapes and unique wildlife, is hard to comprehend until you visit and experience it firsthand. The entire trip was quite a whirlwind, and unlike anything I'd ever dreamed. People kept commenting about the giant smile I couldn’t seem to wipe off my face.

This summer is the 60th anniversary of the Tibetan "Liberation" and the 3rd anniversary of the 2008 uprisings in Tibet. To forestall more unrest, the Chinese have closed Tibet to tourists from June 25 until at least the beginning of August, perhaps later.  

Fortunately, a wonderful alternative exists for travelers. High in the snowcapped Indian Himalayas lies Ladakh, often called "Little Tibet." Ladakh boasts a culture and ecosystems similar to those of the neighboring Tibetan Autonomous Republic, as well as thriving Buddhist traditions and intact monasteries.

Summer is a time of festivals in Ladakh, including the Hemis and Dak Thok festivals celebrating the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, Padmasambhava (Guru Rimpoche). To experience these colorful celebrations, join us on our 'Festivals, Monasteries, People, and Waters' or 'Taste of Ladakh' trips. Spend time talking with the Ladakhis, get a sense of the vibrancy and exuberance of their monastic life, as well as their flourishing arts and culture, and gain an appreciation for the harsh life on the "top of the world" across the Himalayas.

Ladakh also played a pivotal role in preserving Tibetan Buddhism. When the 9th-century king Langdarma tried to wipe out Buddhism in Tibet, the religion survived in the west in what is now Ladakh. From there it later spread back into Tibet.

 Visiting Ladakh now and Tibet after it reopens is a wonderful way to understand the similarities and contrasts of life in these two worlds.

Traveling with a family or multigenerational group involves a lot of coordination. Here are some tips for making the experience as smooth and easy as possible.

1. Lock in rates by booking a year in advance. Prices for hotel rooms and other services frequently rise from year to year, but by reserving early you can avoid many of the rate increases – sometimes we’ll be able to negotiate lower 2011 rates even if you’re not traveling until 2012.

2. Remember that larger groups need more rooms, meals, airline seats, and other spaces. The further in advance you can book, the more likely it is you’ll get what you want.

3. To keep hotel costs down for your group, consider booking triple and quad hotel rooms instead of singles and doubles. 

4. Be flexible with your travel plans. Often shifting your arrival and departure dates by as little as a few days can get you significant discounts.

5. Remember that not everyone will want to do the same thing at all times, so choose itineraries that offer flexibility for different interests, such as lodge stays, adventure cruises, and other programs that include a wide range of activities.

Beth and Stu Finklestein took advantage of a school break to bring their daughter Julia and son Sam on a culture-filled Southeast Asia exploration.

Curiosity about the world and an openness to other cultures are among the greatest gifts you can give your children or grandchildren. What better way to do so than through travel? Family vacations are no longer just about camping trips, amusement parks, and beach resorts. These days families are seeking out special experiences in a wide range of destinations. Whether it’s trekking, a wildlife safari, or cultural exploration, travel is a great way for extended families to spend quality time together while creating memories to last a lifetime.

 At Myths and Mountains we welcome the opportunity to work with families and other groups. Some of our itineraries are specifically designed for multigenerational appeal, such as our “Kids and the Equator” program in Ecuador. We’re also happy to customize itineraries to meet the needs of family groups – we’ve recently arranged everything from family reunions to the Galapagos to wildlife safaris in Africa to family gatherings at an Indian tea estate. No matter what your needs, we’ll work with you to create the experiences that fits your family’s ages and interests.

 Advance planning is essential for larger groups. Book early to enable us to secure the hotel rooms and other reservations you need, particularly if you are traveling during busy periods such as school breaks.

Bob Weissman invited 31 of his nearest and dearest to join him on a holiday aboard the LEGEND ship in the Galapagos. 

Bruce and Barbara Exstrum recently returned from a custom Myths and Mountains journey to Peru! Below is an intriguing account of their experience and a few photos, snapped along the way.... 

We wanted to celebrate our milestone birthdays with a special trip.  Our planning started with Machu Picchu and escalated from there.  How much could we fit into 14 days but spend enough time to get to know each place?  Allie took our wish list and turned it into a well-crafted custom itinerary:  deep rain forest for a week, then Cuzco-Machu Picchu-Sacred Valley, followed by a scenic bus ride to Puno with a home stay on Lake Titicaca, and just enough time for a day’s tour of Lima before heading home.  We emerged at the other end exhausted (by design) but very happy and with many wonderful memories.  We made all of our connections, the accommodations were as advertised, and our guides were very professional, knowledgeable, and fun to be with.    

We highly recommend the Tambopata Research Center for getting the full rain forest experience, complete with a rare spider monkey sighting (plus watching the expert river pilots in both low water and very high water), Machu Picchu of course (no pictures prepare you for how breathtaking that first view is), the bus from Cuzco to Puno (we were dubious about the wisdom of taking a 9-hour bus ride, but it’s a really comfortable bus with interesting stops and as it turned out, we appreciated the chance to sit for a while), and the home stay on Taquile Island in Lake Titicaca, which  came with beautiful people, beautiful views, and some of the best food of the trip. 

However, we may not yet be able to claim membership in the Adventure Travel community because 1) Everything went as planned.  2) The closest we came to a “crisis” was having the soles of Barb’s hiking boots come apart (both shoes!) halfway through our visit to Machu Picchu. In an uncharacteristic fit of packing light, Barb had brought only these shoes on this part of the trip, but was saved by a kind vendor at the market in Aguas Calientes who not only had superglue for sale, but helped us apply it to make sure it would work (temporarily, but long enough to get us through the day). 3) We spent our last several hours before our late flight from Lima observing the local culture at the high-end cliffside Larcomar shopping center (but there is a small satellite of the Gold Museum there).  Did we mention we were exhausted and not thinking clearly?

Thanks again to Allie, Katie, and everyone at M&M and their excellent local providers for giving us such a memorable experience and several future months of sorting and editing the photos. 

We've recently setup a Facebook profile page.  Come and be a fan of Myths and Mountains and check out some of our trip photos.  Click here to see our page.

Here is a quick sampling of some of my favorite photos from our private trip to Peru. We have so many grand tales about our trip to Peru - from drinking homemade strawberry beer in a tiny, dirt-floored local bar, to being invited to the private ceremony celebrating the first haircut of a 4-month-old Aymaran baby (his mother was our guide), to rafting with a guide who was a member of the Peruvian Olympic kayak team. The topography, the people, the culture, the colors of Peru—from their yarn to their dirt, all together create an irresistible photographic journey.

About the pictures: 1) Machu Picchu, 2) from the drive to Colca Canyon where one really does feel like he is at the top of the world (the moss you see below the girls’ feet takes over a hundred years to grow), and 3) from Uros. The bird is indeed an Andean condor, the largest in the world. It was captured as a baby by one of the boys of the island and is almost full grown. I took four or five pictures of him and the two boats, but in this one he seemed to look straight at the camera. All together, they tell a wonderful tale. I am fascinated by the company that you have created.

I am a retired Advanced Placement English teacher, now pursuing my three passions, travel, writing and photography and hope one day we can travel again with you.

Sally Vihlen

I would rate the overall value of this trip quite high.

Days did not always turn out as we had hoped, but that's part of adventure travel. For instance, one day we traveled 2+ hours up treacherous mountain roads only to have to abort our plans for trekking to El Morado because the road was impassable (due to recent heavy rains). That I might add, however, that not following the planned itinerary many times allowed us to do and see things we would not have experienced otherwise.

All the hotels were very nice, except for one. However, upon learning of the situation, Myths & Mountains immediately took steps to move us to nicer accommodations. The breakfasts in the hotels were quite hearty, especially in comparison to breakfasts in hotels in the U.S, and the lunches that were included afforded us the opportunity to enjoy some of the local cuisine.

We were upgraded to the premium package on the Wine Train. With the sun shining, breezes blowing through the open windows of the dining car, guitars strumming, musicians singing, and food & wine flowing, we literally floated on air by the time we reached our destination in Santa Cruz. This experience was definitely a highlight of our trip!

Louise Girvin

It's late on Monday afternoon and before we head off for an hour massage given to us by blind men for only sixteen bucks - AN HOUR!!! - just wanted to let you know that we arrived here on Saturday afternoon and have been having just a fabulous time.

On our first day, we were picked up in Managua and driven an hour to Granada, an old colonial city that reminds me of Cuzco, Peru. Sans altitude and attitude. We checked into our lovely little hotel and wandered half a block to discover that we were literally just footsteps away from the main plaza, which was hosting a huge literary and music festival. It was hopping. I broke every rule in the book - I talked to strangers, ate freshly peeled mangos sliced and salted in plastic bags, walked around cobblestone streets that were unlit, etc. That night we ate at a pizza place that was fantastic.

Sunday we spent most of the day at the huge handicraft market, shopping for bargains, stopped at a volcanic crater lagoon, and ate tons of local food for about $5 each. That afternoon it rained, so we sat in the courtyard of the hotel and played cards, then had dinner at a vegetarian restaurant.

Today we had an early start and went kayaking in the lake for a few hours around the hundreds of islands that dot the lake. It was windy and quite a workout, but really beautiful. This afternoon, we drove an hour up boulder strewn dirt roads to the top of a volcano to a rainforest, where I shrieked and screamed and cried through seven zipline courses, throwing myself off the top of trees, zooming to another tree while howler monkeys and parakeets buzzed me. So we're all tired and sore and ready for our one hour sixteen dollar massage by some blind men on the street corner spa.

Tomorrow we're off on a two hour drive that leaves at 5 am to catch a one hour ferry to an island in the middle of a volcanic crater. We're there for one night before returning to Managua and flying to the Corn Island for four days of seafood and snorkeling. Everyone's having a great time and WISH YOU WERE HERE.

UPDATE:  Now back from Nicaragua and enjoyed the last few days of relaxing beach time on Corn Island, a little gem of a Caribbean island which receives few American visitors.  Though it has a long way to go until it reaches Costa Rica or Ecuador Rock Star Eco-Tourism status, Nicaragua's rough edges has its advantages - quite inexpensive and few crowds.