WalkingBuddies.com

Compiled and Written by Mrs Njuguna
Game Searchers Tours and Safaris

Kenya’s national parks and reserves rate among the best in Africa. Obviously the tremendous number and variety of birds and mammals is the main attraction, and the more popular parks such as Masai Mara National Reserve and Amboseli National Park see huge numbers of visitors.

The highlight of the Masai Mara is without doubt the annual wildebeest migration, when literally millions of these ungainly beasts move north from the Serengeti in July and August in search of the lusher grass, before turning south again about October. It is truly a staggering experience to be in the reserve at these times - and one that is likely to have a profound effect on your own feeling of insignificance.

On a wildlife drive in the peak season (from January to February), you can observe at close quarters the daily habits of the wanderer of the plains. There is such a dazzling array of animals that viewing them in the national parks is one of the main attractions of a visit to Kenya. All of the Big Five (Lion, Buffalo, Elephant, Leopard and Rhino) can be seen in at least two of the major parks, plus huge variety of other less famous but equally impressive animals.

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Submitted by Myer Henderson
TrekAmerica, Footloose & Lets Trek Australia

Let us show you the twists and turns, the valleys and peaks, and all the natural beauty of the Northeast on America’s oldest and most popular footpath!

As we leave New York City behind, you will soon discover a different New York as you pass through the Taconic and Catskill Mountain ranges before entering the state of Massachusetts where Mount Greylock, the highest point in the Berkshire Mountains and the famous Appalachian Trail awaits.

On your first night, your leaders will provide you with the hiking options for the first few days. Relax as you stroll along the wooded paths of the Berkshires that once inspired the famous American authors, Melville and Hawthorne. From here, we drive north into the foothills of the Green Mountains where we set up camp and relax around the evening campfire, topping off a relaxing first day.

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Written by Hilary Achauer
Classic Journeys Cultural Walking Adventures

I took a few steps up the slight incline. My heart raced, my breath coming in shallow gasps. I stopped to rest, and tried it again. A few steps forward and I felt dizzy. I looked at the gentle slope leading to the hotel with suspicion. My mind went back to the hills I ran every morning, the wind sprints on the track, the hours sparring in the ring. That training meant nothing at 10,900 feet. I looked over at my mom. In her 50s, a runner and a skier, she looked equally disoriented.

My mom and I had just taken the hour-long flight from Lima, Peru to Cusco, Peru for an 8-day walking tour of Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. To go from above average fitness level to a gasping wreck in an hour was unsettling and humbling. I had agreed to go on this walking tour with my mom, not thinking it would be much of a challenge. Except for an afternoon trek on the Inca Trail, the hiking was advertised as easy-going. I was interested in the archaeology, the scenery and of course, Machu Picchu, which most people place on their top ten list of places to visit in their lifetime. Since I am in my 30s, a runner, a surfer, and an amateur boxer, I didn’t think I would encounter any physical challenges. I saw how wrong I was the minute I got off the plane in Cusco.

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Written by Leigh Kemp

The legendary Kruger National Park is South Africa’s premier reserve and is the place where the greatest diversity of wildlife in Africa can be experienced. Siyabona Africa Travel is the leading advisory on the Kruger Park, and with access to previously inaccessible areas of the park, provides an experience that until recently was not possible.

The Kruger National Park is renowned for Walking Safaris in pristine wilderness areas. There is no more invigorating way of experiencing a wilderness area than on a guided walk. All walking safaris or hiking trails are guided by experienced rangers with an extensive knowledge of the area, wildlife, birds and indigenous vegetation. To maximize wildlife sightings, one or two game drives are also included in these walking safaris.

Siyabona Africa Travel offers the widest range of Kruger National Park accommodations from the main rest camps with chalets, cottages, bungalows, tents and caravan and camp sites to bushveld camps, bush lodges and private safari lodges.

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Written by Carol Nesbitt

Over the years since the Civil War battle in 1863, stories of scores of sightings, stranger than reality, have emerged from the quaint houses and gentle fields in and around the town of Gettysburg, PA: Stories of sightings of these soldiers, moving again in battle lines, across the fields where they once marched. . . and died; tales of visions through a rip in time into the horrible scene of a Civil War hospital; whispers of a look at men long dead held eternally captive by duty. These apparitions and more come back to remind us, in one way or another that they are not to be forgotten for what they did here. . .

In 1994, Mark Nesbitt started the first ghost walk in Gettysburg, The Ghosts of Gettysburg Candlelight Walking Tours (registered trademark). Armed with tales from his Ghosts of Gettysburg book series - and with a few that aren’t in the books - guides dressed in Civil War period attire take visitors on evening tours through sections of town that were bloody battlefields 13 decades ago; through night-darkened streets to houses and buildings where it’s not as quiet as it should be; to sites on the old Pennsylvania College campus where the slain once lay in rows, and the wounded suffered horribly, waiting to become corpses themselves; to cemeteries where the dead lie. . . sometimes not so peacefully.

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Canon City, Co is truly a unique part of Southern Colorado. The attractions, activities, weather, and small town atmosphere make Canon City a great destination for year around vacations. Enjoy one of America’s most spectacular attractions, the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park.

The Royal Gorge Bridge is the world’s highest suspension bridge, which spans 1,053 feet above the Arkansas River. Take a ride on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. The Museum of Colorado Prisons is housed in Cell House 4, the original Women’s Correctional Facility constructed in 1935. At the Dinosaur Depot, museumgoers can view the progress of an in house preparatory lab, which works with fossil finds from the Garden Park Fossil Area, the world’s largest known Jurassic period graveyard. Take a Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Canon City. The Quality Inn is adjacent to Colorado’s newest winery, The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey.

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Written by Letty Zook

The Mid-Florida Milers invite you to walk just for the fun of it! Our walking club is a member of the American Volkssport Association (AVA), an umbrella organization made up of more than 400 local walking clubs nationwide that promote recreational walking. We call our walks “volksmarches” which means “people-walks.” That’s what they are-walks for everyone, of any age.

Walking is the most natural and probably most ancient way to stay fit. Non-competitive walking demands no special training or expensive equipment. Age isn’t an issue since it’s the walking that matters not the time it takes to get somewhere. You only need a comfortable pair of shoes and the desire to view your surroundings from a less hectic vantage point than an automobile.

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Hiking vacations are a nice change of pace out of the normal vacations. We’ve located a company called “The World of Outdoors” in Boulder, CO that offer just thought type of vacation experience.

While millions of visitors travel through the nation’s national parks every year, few of these outdoor enthusiasts experience the true beauty and grandeur of these areas like guests of The World Outdoors’ Yellowstone/Grand Teton and Glacier/Waterton hiking and multi-sport adventures.

The pristine wilderness and rugged beauty of Americas most beloved national parks - Grand Teton and Yellowstone - set the stage for the company’s action-packed Grand Teton/Yellowstone multi-sport offering. In six extraordinary days, guests discover waterfalls, buffalo herds, and thundering geysers while biking back roads and rafting renowned rapids.

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Explore the wonders of nature in winter as part of Metro Parks’ 32nd Annual Winter Hike Series. Park naturalists and volunteers will guide hikers on trails ranging from one to six miles while pointing out the seasonal beauty of each park.

All hikes are free and participants can join in as many hikes as they’d like. A decorative patch will be awarded to anyone completing seven hikes. Warm beverages and a snack will be served after each hike.

Click here to see the winter hiking schedule.

Written by Amy Lynwander - Owner

Fells Point Ghost Tours was named Best Tour, City Paper’s Best of Baltimore, 2003 & 2002. Ranked #2 ghost tour nationwide by DigitalCity.com, 2003.

Make a Day of it in One of Baltimore’s Most Interesting Neighborhoods - Follow the brick promenade east past the skyscrapers that overlook Baltimore’s famous Inner Harbor and you’ll suddenly find yourself in an 18th century maritime village known as Fell’s Point. It’s easy to imagine the neighborhood bustling with sailors, immigrants, and ladies of the night calling out of windows to passers-by and walking in and out of the boarding houses and taverns that lined the streets. Beneath you, paving the quaint narrow streets of the neighborhood, is the Belgian block that arrived in Fell’s Point as ballast for cargo ships returning from Europe over 100 years ago. Before you are the Federal and Victorian style rowhomes where dashing captains-turned-privateers and ship carpenters lived side by side.

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Written by Susan Hilliard Fusiarski

Lace up those walking shoes and start your walking experience in Florida today. Florida is rich in both nature and history so whether you are looking for a historical walk through some of the historic districts throughout Florida or your looking for that perfect walking trail with photographic opportunities, Florida is your spot. Let us not forget the healthful benefits of a walk or stroll throughout these areas too.

Some of the walking tours of Florida could include a few of the Spanish and British homes and buildings in St. Augustine, Florida. This city is well known for it’s historic spot in history. St. Augustine is the oldest city in the nation and you can take nightly walking ghost tours through it’s historical streets. Visit the website for St. Augustine.

A historical walk through the streets in Key West is quite an adventure, between viewing old wrecked ships treasures, to historical homes and estates, Key West is worth the drive to walk through these old streets. Why not visit the official website for The Keys Chamber of Commerce.

If you’re more into nature trails why not visit Sanibel - Captiva Islands, which are known for their beautiful natural scenic walking and biking paths. It is a good idea to carry a camera on this walk to capture some of the most beautiful scenery and animals in their natural habitat. Why not contact the Sanibel - Captiva Chamber of Commerce for more information.

Florida Volkssport Association was organized for non-competitive walking, bicycling, swimming, and/or cross-country skiing and it is for all ages. For more information on the Florida Volkssport Association and where you can find events and clubs near you, please visit their website.

Written by Bill Bussey

Note: This article is meant to update or clarify parts of Kelly Evenson’s article at “Some Highlights From This List.”

Chatham County, with a population of just over 52,000, is located in the geographic center of North Carolina about 20 miles west of the capital city of Raleigh, and thirty miles southwest of Greensboro. The county seat of Chatham County is Pittsboro. Siler City is Chatham’s largest city. Chatham County is also home to Jordan Lake, one of the larger man-made lakes in the state. Many of the trails listed on this page are located at or near Jordan Lake.

While most Chatham County residents regard Chatham as being rural and agricultural, it is being encroached with development from the major population centers to the east and lesser extent the northwest. Thus, Chatham County is rapidly changing to a suburban area. Trails advocates and county officials are working hard and quickly to ensure that trails and future trail sites are not gobbled up by development, and are working with developers to incorporate trails and greenways as part of their projects.

Some Highlights From This List:

Trails in or near Pittsboro

1. THANKS (Trail for Health, Art, and Nature for Kids to Seniors)
The length of this recently sealed asphalt fitness loop trail, which encircles the Central Carolina Community College Campus is 4485 feet as measured by this writer in 2002.

2. Pittsboro Jaycee Park Trail
This trail is not a loop. However, local activists are working Town of Pittsboro staff to make it a loop and the centerpiece of a greenway system in Pittsboro.

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Written by Susan Hilliard Fusiarski

Pure Florida is natural Florida at it’s best and we’ve located a great website which highlights walking trails in native Southwest Florida. Natural Florida or Pure Florida, as acclaimed by the Charlotte county website, is the best hidden secret in Southwest Florida. Here is a list of some of the towns and cities featured on this site which have walking trails; Port Charlotte, Rotonda, Punta Gorda, Englewood, and Cape Haze.

Why not take a drive to Charlotte county and spend a weekend enjoying what Florida is all about. One of these locations might be just what you’re looking for to spice up your walking experience, whether you are looking for walking trails or other outside activities in a natural setting. Here are just a few of the offerings at some of these locations; nature preserves, boardwalks, walking trails, canoe & kayak launch, fishing pier, salt marsh, boat launch area, picnic shelter, playground, restrooms, fresh-water canals, flatwoods, fishing, sandy beaches, coastal and scrub ecosystems, wading tours, exhibits and activities.

(*Note: Not all activities available at each location - To read more about each location and what you will find at that location, please visit their website, Pure Florida.

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