| Cost From: | $5395 |
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| Length: | 11 days |
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| Activity: | Hiking / Trekking, Cultural Adventures |
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| Difficulty: |
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This was my first hiking trip - what a way to begin. It was the trip of a lifetime. The hotels were in wonderful settings and our meals were excellent. We all had a wonderful time.A. Brown—Orlando FL
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Hike the spectacular emerald-green rice terraces of mountainous Banaue (the famed “stepping stones to the sky”), then don your snorkeling gear and slip into the warm waters of the Coral Triangle to swim amid a staggering abundance of vibrant reef life.
Special Discount of $400 off per person (limit 4 people) on the April 16 - 26, 2010 departure! *New sign-ups only.
Corsica is a wildly beautiful French island, scented with myrtle and possessing one of the most diverse landscapes in Europe, from crescent bays with white-sand beaches to rugged peaks. Miles of untouched coastline, sun-splashed mountain villages, and traditional music sung a capella are among its many enchantments. Neighboring Sardinia, belonging to Italy, is an island-world with its own language, a colorful pageant of traditions, churches where Christianity and paganism blend, and a cuisine born of the richness of the sea. Our journey of coastal rambles and mountain hikes brings us the best of these alluring islands, and we’re never far from the glittering blue sea.
$5395 (11-15 members)
$5895 (6-10 members)
Single supplement: $790
Prices are for 2010 dates
Apr 16-26, 2010 Stefano Baldi
Nicos Caravellas, Mike Browder
May 25-Jun 4, 2010 Stefano Baldi
Nicos Caravellas, Richard Munro
Oct 2-12, 2010 Nicos Caravellas
Annie Hawkins
*There may be up to 3 leaders on any departure. Please call for details.
Reading list, click here.
We meet in Ajaccio, Corsica, and stretch our legs with a walk among the dramatic standing stones at Filitosa, a striking reminder of Corsica’s prehistory. Another hike takes us through mystical oak woods on the high, maquis-covered plains of Cauria and along the coast for gorgeous Mediterranean views. Overnights are in the delightful hilltop village of Sartène, with its perfectly preserved medieval center.
Some of Corsica’s most beautiful scenery awaits us on trails in the Bavella mountains. We hike through a beautiful forest of Corsican pine by way of a majestic natural arch, and along towering limestone cliffs above the turquoise sea. Overnights are in cliff-perched Bonifacio, whose Old Town is a maze of tiny streets with a Renaissance flavor. Bonifacio’s perfect natural harbor has been a magnet for fishermen and traders for many centuries.
Ferrying to Sardinia, we hike through sweet-scented maquis scrub and old Roman quarries on spectacular Capo Testa, a granite promontory with dramatic bays and sea-sculpted rocks. Hiking the magnificent limestone headlands of Capo Caccia (Hunter’s Cape), we follow trails made by wild animals and enjoy dramatic seascapes. Our hotel in Alghero overlooks a romantic blue bay.
After a hike into Sardinia’s wild interior cork woodlands, we visit Santa Cristina, an extraordinary underground temple dating to 1,000 BC. At the peaceful Stagno di Cabra coastal lagoon, local fishermen prepare a traditional lunch for us, and later we explore the Phoenician ruins of Tharros on the coast.
At rural Sant’Antine de Sedilo, we visit an evocative sanctuary where Christianity and paganism intertwine in every detail. Hiking up to Tiscali, we find a mountaintop village of the mysterious prehistoric stone dwellings found in Sardinia. A canyon path brings us to Cala di Luna, a tiny half-moon beach of white sand. Overnights are at the luxurious Hotel Su Gologone, with its mountain setting and noted restaurant offering Sardinian specialties. We depart on Day 11 from Olbia.
This is the Itinerary-at-a-Glance. For the complete trip description, Download Full Trip Brochure
