South America Travel

South American Explorers.org - Home to everything for South American Travel! Best Info Sheets, Trip Reports, Clubhouses, Volunteer options, and more! Home | About SAE | Help Out | Site Map | Search | Contact Us TRAVEL INFO | COUNTRIES | CLUBHOUSES | MAGAZINE | VOLUNTEER | JOBS | DISCOUNTS | TRAVEL STORE | MEMBER SERVICES Member's Area Login Username & Password New Issue of SAE! Subscribe Back Issues of Magazine Updates about S.A. Receive our eNews - Free! View eNewsletter Archives Recommended pages Store Items on Sale Holiday Gift Ideas Discounts page, Save $ Events Calendar SAE Wishlist Top 10 reasons to join SAE: 1. Clubhouses in key countries 2. Trip planning advice 3. Discounts on lodging, trips, etc 4. 64 page quarterly Magazine 5. Member-written trip reports 6. Free Internet, Mail & Fax 7. Knowlegeable Staff 8. Up-to-date, hard-to-find Info 9. Libraries, databases 10. Free storage in Clubhouses Not a member? click here. Join SAE today and receive a FREE Lonely Planet Phrasebook Headlines Headline full story... Welcome to South American Explorers.org Planning to study Spanish? Raft the Amazon? Hike the Inca Trail? Work on an archaeological dig? Find volunteer work? Explore the Galapagos? Scuba dive? Climb Aconcagua? Kayak the Apurima? Soak up sun on the beach? Drive or bicycle around the continent? Join an expedition? Or look for birds? Whatever you want to do, South American Explorers can help with trip planning, member recommended guides and outfitters, discounts on lodging, schools, travel...and much more. We are not a travel agency or a tour opperator, rather, we specialize in assisting independent travelers and groups make the most of their experiences. We provide personal help and attention to details backed up with nearly 30 years of experience. That’s how long we’ve been assisting scientists, researchers, students and others heading to South America . So, take some time to explore all our website has to offer and contact us today to see how we can help you ! Choose a Destination... Fresh web pages... Discounts in Cusco, Peru and More! . NEW Travel Store! BA Clubhouse page Bulletin Boards What the Guidebooks are saying... “For many long-term travelers, journalists, scientists and expat residents, this club has become almost legendary since it was founded in 1977. An information center for travelers, adventurers, and scientific expeditions, providing excellent advice about Latin American travel. A relaxing place to do research or just chat with the friendly staff in Lima or Cusco.” Lonely Planet, Peru “ The non-profit South American Explorers is widely recognized as the best place to go for information on South America. Highly recommended as a source for specialized information, member written trip reports, maps, lectures, and library resources. SAE publishes a 64-page quarterly journal, helps members plan trips and expeditions, stores gear, holds post, provides expert travel advice, etc. The SAE membership card is good for many discounts. Clubhouses are attractive and friendly.” South American Handbook 2006 “…an information network for South America. Since 1977, researchers, explorers, students, and long-term travelers from all over the world have used the SAE as a base…a leading source of information on Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Latin America as a whole. Services include trip reports, storage, discounts, use of library and map room, extensive volunteer database, South American Explorer magazine. Excellent for all information and advice.” The Bradt Trekking Guide, Peru and Bolivia “A gold mine of information about Peru and the rest of South America and the number one spot in the country to meet people.” Moon Guide, Peru "This outfit is well respected and is the ultimate resource for information about outdoor experiences. If you only make one call—or surf one website—this should be it." Let’s Go Story Title Lorem About Us | Site Map | Contact Us | Advertising | e-Newsletters | Magazine | Maps | Guidebooks | Discounts | Jobs | Volunteer | Store | Travel Insurance | Bulletin Boards | Travel Advisories | Trip Reports | Info Sheets | Donate | Clubhouses | Countries | Staff Only ©2005 South American Explorers

Russia Travel Guide, climate:

Russia Travel Guide - Information and Advice Russia Travel Guide Information and Advice 'A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma' Churchill St Petersburg Travel Guide | Moscow Travel Guide Russia Map | Russia Pictures Russia Travel Guide, climate: Best: May, June, Sept, Oct. July/August can be wet . Worst: Nov-March [winter is long, dark and extremely cold with short days, but the snow scenes will be stunning. Early Spring is muddy, slushy and falling icicles kill! ] Length of stay: Minimum worthwhile stay, not including flights: Moscow or St Petersburg are excellent for a wild and wooly underwear weekend. Recommended: 2 weeks to take in Moscow, St Petersburg and some of the surrounding towns - such as the Golden Ring - and countryside. The Trans-Siberian Railway to Irkutsk [Lake Baikal] will require at least 5 days. Main Russia Festivals Guide : 25 Dec- 5 Jan, Russian Winter is celebrated with traditional activities such as music, dance, sleigh rides, folk shows. New Year's Eve tends to be a family/friends occasion, so not wildly exciting. late Feb-early March, Goodbye Russian Winter, as above. Easter Sunday, Moscow, procession and service in stunning Kolomenskoe [Orthodox] church. April/May, Moscow Music Spring Festival , classical music. May 9, Victory Day Parade, Moscow. A stirring military procession. June, the White Nights arts festival is St Petersburg's liveliest event. April/May, St Petersburg Music Spring Festival , classical music. For some precise dates, more suggestions and information see: Colourful Festivals or European Festivals Activities Guide: The country is spacious - to say the least - and outdoor activities are popular but facilities and safety measures can be primitive so get specialist advice before undertaking anything halfway dangerous. Hiking: There is no shortage of excellent trekking terrain, just a shortage of marked trails or maps, so extracting information from locals regularly is essential, and as a consequence a few words of the language are vital. Either that or get a good guide. Lake Baikal [see Russia travel favourites, right], the Elbrus area of the Caucasus, west Ural Mountains and Altay Mountains are prime targets. Check the travel safety situation . White Water rafting: The Katun River in the Altay Republic, Vladisvostok and Kamchatka. Climbing: The Elbrus area of the Caucasus are superb but get specialist advice before arriving in Russia, safety aspects included . Cycling: roads are often in bad shape, cars and drivers even worse shape, but bike travel can still be rewarding, with care, a tough bike and essential spares. Local hospitality is tremendous. Canoeing: rivers can be heavily polluted so inland water travel is difficult to recommend, though the Volga River delta is supposed to be alive and delightful, while the coasts up north offer prospects of isolated adventure. Boat cruises: either on posh tourist boats or cheap, dilapidated Russian craft. The main highway is the Volga River and boats go to/from Moscow, Novgorod, Volgograd and many other attractive cities. Volgograd to Rostov-Don is supposed to be the most interesting section. June-September only. Fishing: mostly salmon out east e.g. from Vladivostok and Khabarovsk. Skiing: Cross country skiing is traditionally more popular than down-hill skiing; snowboarding is becoming increasingly popular and heli-skiing is available and remarkably good value. There are more than a hundred ski areas, many of which need modernisation, though some resorts in the Caucasus Mountains offer good facilities and comfortable accommodation. For instance, Cheget in the Baksan Valley offers challenging runs, including the longest of 2.5 km; or Mount Elbus - Europe's highest peak at 5,642m [1,8513 ft] - hosts one of Russia's largest resorts, Prielbrusye. There are at least 20 ski slopes within 50 miles of Moscow and some can even be reached by metro! Ice Skating: Possibly the country's most popular pastime with frozen lakes and outdoor rinks all over during the long winter and even indoor rinks open in the summer. Inexpensive and very cheerful. Banya bathing: this Russian style sauna is a good way to experience authentic Russian social life, particularly if you are a graduate of an old British public school where extreme heat, cold and beatings were a way of life. There are banyas everywhere, ranging from appallingly dilapidated to highly polished. The Trans-Siberian Railway This week long, non-stop 10,000km [6,000mls] or so ride travels from Moscow to either: - Vladivostok on Russia's Pacific coast. - via Mongolia to Beijing. - via Manchuria and Harbin to Beijing. This is reputedly one of the world's great train journeys but does not necessarily deliver a comfortable or fascinating experience for everyone. Downside: - there are no showers, except for a few lucky 1st class travelers. - conditions will be cramped. - dining car food will be abysmal. - the scenery is mainly dull, tending towards endless forests and grassy plains, interspersed with the occasional log cabin, log village or vast lake. The train stops for 10 minutes a few times a day, leaving no time to explore, just time to aquire emergency supplies from the platform. - As a consequence, life on the train is paramount, and this depends on various factors coming together. Is your car attendant cordial? Are your fellow passengers interesting? Does anyone snore? Do you mind living off fairly basic food for six days? Can you happily stare out of a dirty window looking at birch trees for hours on end? Is TV an integral part of your life? Do you have a good selection of books with you? Do you like vodka? And so on... Upside: - you can arrange to take a stop over at key points en route, for example attractive Irkutsk [see Russia travel favourites, right] and nearby huge, mountain-hemmed Lake Baikal. Siberian timber buildings are often charming, colourfully decorated and carved. - due to the fame of the train and the number of serious travellers on it there will almost always be someone interesting you can find to chat to for days , though a good companion and a monster picnic hamper [loaded with - you've guessed - vodka] would be a useful starting point. - if you are actually going east/west for a purpose - such as for work in Japan or China - you will be saving the air fare. Train Survival hints: - don't drink the tap water. A samovar [hot water pot] in each carriage supplies sterile water. - clean your window to improve views and photos. - stand well clear when flushing the toilet , it can backfire if the train travels at speed. - learn a few key Russian phrases to charm your surly attendants. - take lots of vodka with you . You can buy some snacks, fruit, cigarettes etc during 15 minute stops at stations, but no alcohol, and you will be doing a lot of socialising! Russia Travel Star Guide: Monuments **** Shopping and souvenirs *** Walkability *** Food Quality and Variety *** Value for Money *** Hotel Prices and Value *** Beaches black sea Wildlife * Landscape *** Local People **** Architecture **** Safety ** Nightlife and Clubbing ***** Health Problems ** Museums ***** Why Travel to Russia? This vast and diverse country, occupying the top chunk of a continent all the way from Poland to Japan - and a big chunk of world history too - demands travel attention. The architecture is both glorious and hideous, the history is monstrous, the art is sensational and the people can be touchingly friendly . Absurd Fabergé eggs? Extraordinary onion domes? Caviar crepe? Yes, please. A hard day's White Night in St Petersburg? Slamming vodka with your taxi driver? Da! Big , brutal, beautiful and intriguing, Russia is an enigma that's got to be sampled by any serious traveller. Downside: - Accommodation is hardly cheap if comfort is an issue, though plenty of budget options are available. - Hygiene can be a problem. - Officials are often unpleasantly boorish . - Crime and corruption in the cities requires an ever-open eye . - Despite the size of the country, internal flights are unreliable and Russian airlines have the world's worst safety record. Some Russia tra vel favourites: 1] ***Moscow, a diverse and interesting city with masses of history, action and must-see spectacles, though not on the same planet as St Petersburg for elegance. See Moscow Travel Guide . 2] ***St Petersburg , one of the world's most beautiful cities, with many splendid buildings and museums, including the spectacular Hermitage, with a sophisticated service industry. See St Petersburg Travel Guide . 3] ***Novgorod, 190 km [118mls] south of St Petersburg , an important political and artistic centre from the 9th century and still holds a wide and varied collection of magnificent structures including Russia's oldest cathedral, frescoes galore, and plenty of glorious oddities. 4]***The Golden Ring,a few hours travel northeast of Moscow, are a collection of attractive historic towns dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. These can be visited on day trips, but better, hire a car or join a boat with a guide and take your time to enjoy: ***Suzdal , the most important town in the Golden Ring, Suzdal used be a political and religious centre and has more than fifty quaint and well-preserved old structures. About 210km [131 mls] from Moscow. It is a major tourist attraction, yet still retains an enchanting, pre-Soviet atmosphere. **Vladimir is famed for its Golden Gate and two splendid cathedrals. About 180km [112 mls] from Moscow. **Rostov. This quiet, rustic town offers the usual churches but also a lovely lake and spectacular kremlin. **Yaroslavl is much bigger than other towns in the Ring but totally crammed with gorgeous churches, if you haven't seen enough. 250kms [156mls] from Moscow. 5] **Irkutsk , the 'Paris of Siberia', is a long way from anywhere except Mongolia, but is on the Trans-Siberian train route [see more info left] and well worth a stop-off. The city is mostly charming, with considerable Chinese influence and some magnificent architecture, including typically elaborate Siberian 'gingerbread' houses. Another of Irkutsk's attractions is the proximity to lovely, 636km [398mls] long Lake Baikal where hiking, biking, horse trekking, fishing and boating are big time. The north end is the most beautiful and isolated. Listvyanka village is a popular place to stay for tourists. 6] ***Cruising the Volga River via some superb old towns like Kazan [ancient Tatar city], Shiryaeva and Ulyanovsk [Lenin's birthplace]. See Boat cruises, left. 7]**Black Sea, Sochi. This is a Russian beach resort town with a warm climate and sophisticated health spas [sanatoria], with beaches and tennis courts, scenically situated at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains. 8] ** Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains is a pretty, pleasant city except perhaps for Tsar Nick II and his family who met their end here and the USA's U2 spy pilot who was shot down in the area. The place offers excellent architecture, museums, entertainment and access to the Urals for varied activities. Cuisine Guide: You can eat well and inexpensively nowadays, especially in cafés and fast food places in the cities. Do choose places that look clean and are busy , poor hygiene could result in intestinal blowout. Moscow and St Petersburg in particular have seen an astronomical growth in cafés, bars and restaurants, including classic Chinese, Japanese and Italian offerings, western fast food chains and traditional Russian cuisine . Russian food tends to be rich and on the heavy side in winter , such as meaty dumplings, meaty cabbage rolls, cabbage soup with sour cream, and the national icons - borscht [beetroot soup], blinis [pancakes] and caviar, while lighter foods like superb soups and salads are around in the summer . Avoid eating shellfish except in St Petersburg and street ice cream anywhere. Drinks: We all know the varied pleasures of vodka, particularly drunk chilled and in one gulp, but Russia also does a fine line in local beers with lively flavours, good champagne, not such good wine , passable tea and effective coffee. Russians love to press drinks on foreigners so prepare your excuses now. Or practice chugging. Accommodation guide: You are supposed to have a place booked in order to get a tourist visa . There's a wide range of accommodation from luxury hotels at silly prices to cheapish hostels at around $20 pn, but it's important to book well ahead for the June-September season. Private home stays are widespread , giving the tourist relatively good value rooms and a close look at real Russian life. The downside is that the place may be out of the way, the bed lumpy and the morning-after breakfast provider in-your-face during your recovery time. Camping is fine in many places though - as usual - check with locals before bedding down. Organised camping sites are rare and usually open mid-June to mid-September. Russia Tours Tour operators offering travel to Russia can be found in our listings here: Russia Tours For links to Tourist Offices, Embassies, Cheap Air Tickets, Currency Converter, Climate, Language advice, other online Travel Guides and more, visit Bugbog Travel Directory Map of Europe Travel Safety: Travel to Chechenya and the north Caucasus is not recommended; check the Foreign Office site or tour operators for up-to-date warnings. Otherwise stay on the regular tourist routes. Don't flash your cash! Pickpocketing and bag filching may occur on crowded public transport while hotel rooms are by no means thief-proof. Lock everything into your bags before leaving the room and use a safe deposit if there is one. Take care with taxis. Don't get in if there is anyone other than the driver inside, and don't necessarily trust the driver. See Safety page. Travel Health: Do not drink Russian tap water , not even for cleaning your teeth. Check you are up to date with all jabs, and consider including vaccinations for diptheria, typhoid, hepatitis A and B. A flu jab is also useful if you plan to travel to Russia in spring or autumn when the bugs are rampant. Foreigners usually prefer to be treated at private clinics, which are very costly. Get Insurance! Costs: Russia can be good value if you don't mind slightly crude accommodation and eat/drink at local establishments rather than typical tourist places. Change money for roubles only at official exchanges or banks. Cash is easier to change than travellers cheques. Tipping: About 10% to taxi drivers and 10-15% to waiters in restaurants. Electricity : Electric sockets are 230v and take 2 round pin plugs. Internet: There are masses of reasonably priced web cafés in bigger cities. Local travel: The big cities have good metro and bus services at low prices . Locals enjoy life as illegal taxi drivers for extra cash. Beware though, some are pure evil, others wonderful, hospitable guides. Hitch-hiking is common for Russians but not advisable for tourists . Intercity travel: Trains connecting Moscow to St Petersburg are common, efficient and inexpensive . The Aurora day train takes 6 hours, the evening train 4 hours. Passenger boats are common between cities - tho' slow - including Moscow to St Pete. For exploring the countryside around big cities consider car hire, with or without a driver/guide. It's not expensive and very convenient. International travel: Moscow and St Petersburg are both easy to reach from many European cities by fast, efficient trains and buses ; other Russia cities are more difficult to access directly. Language: Some locals speak English, French, or German but ability to recognise the Cyrillic alphabet and a few words of Russian would really help your experience along. Visas: All visitors need a visa which needs a hotel/hostel booking . If you plan to travel in Russia you may want to see our: China Travel Guide Japan Travel Guide Austria Travel Guide Czech Republic Travel Guide Finland Travel Guide Hungary Travel Guide Turkey Travel Guide Travel Pictures | Destination Finder | Exotic Places | World Festivals | World Wonders | Safari Wildlife | Beaches | Top of Page European Places | Walking Tours | Travel Health | Travel Safety | Travel Directory | English Speaking Places | Tours Gap Year | Site Map | Travel Guide Homepage | Contact | Press | Advertising | Legal | Maps | Travelogue © 2000-2005 Bugbog

Germany Travel Guide Travel

Travel to Germany. German travel and tourism destination guide. Travel Germany German travel and tourism destination guide. Home Destinations Europe Germany Travel Guide Travel Directory Search Travel Directory Notes From the Editor Travel Blog Travel Photography Travel Photos Destination Guides Africa Asia Europe • Albania • Andorra • Armenia • Austria • Belarus • Belgium • Bosnia-Herzegovina • Bulgaria • Croatia • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Georgia • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Ireland • Italy • Latvia • Liechtenstein • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Macedonia • Malta • Moldova • Monaco • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Russia • San Marino • Serbia-Montenegro • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • Switzerland • Turkey • Ukraine • United Kingdom • Vatican City Latin America Middle East North America Oceania TRAVEL GERMANY DESTINATION GUIDE Baden-Wrttemberg Bavaria Berlin - Berlin Brandenburg Bremen Hamburg Hesse Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Lower-Saxony North Rhine-Westphalia Rhineland-Palatinate Saarland Saxony Saxony-Anhalt Schleswig-Holstein Thuringia OFFICIAL TRAVEL SITES germany-tourism.de German National Tourist Office. Germany Tourism INDEPENDENT TRAVEL SITES germany-travel.net Germany Travel justgermany.org Online germany travel guide including hotels, museums, shopping, nightlife, where to eat, transportation, useful telephone numbers and weather. Germany Travel Guide Airfares | Car Rental | Hotels | Rail Europe | Travel Insurance Home | About us | Contact us | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Add a travel site

ski vacation or for

for rent ski homes and ski condo rentals vacations ski home rentals ski condos for rent for rent ski homes & ski condo rentals at ski resorts in the United States & Canada For rent ski home and ski condo rentals for your ski vacation or for the ski season from private owners and ski rental property management companies. Ski Homes and Condos has access to hundreds of listings of ski homes for rent and ski condos rentals for rent by owner and for rent by ski home rental companies at premier ski resorts in the United States, from Stowe to Aspen to Heavenly. Let us help you find your ski vacation home or condo winter rental or advertise your ski home or ski condo for the world to see online. Skiers and winter vacationers, what you will find on ski homes and condos are links that take you directly to the ski home or ski condo for rent website or the ski home rental company web. All the information they have provided on online about their ski home for rent and ski condo rental will be at your fingertips. Enter Ski Resort Homes design by WebTekDesigners hosted by Acewebhost Ski Resort Quick Links Aspen Colorado | Beaver Creek Colorado | Vail Resort | Big Sky Resort | Breckenridge | Colorado | New Hampshire | Vermont | California | New York | Maine | Pennsylvania | New Mexico | Utah | Jackson Hole Wyoming | Idaho | Montana | Oregon | Washington | Winter Park Resort | Telluride Colorado | Copper Mountain | Keystone Resort | Stowe Vermont | Sugarbush Ski Area | Killington Resort | Okemo | Stratton Mountain | Mt Snow Vermont | Steamboat Colorado | Whistler - Blackcomb Canada | Mont Tremblant Quebec Canada | Park City Mountain Resort Utah | Mammoth Mountain Mammoth Lakes | Squaw Valley Lake Tahoe | Heavenly Resort Lake Tahoe | Mount Hood Oregon | Mount Bachelor - Sunriver Ooregon | Advertise with Ski Homes and Condos SkiHomesandCondos.com website updated - 03/11/2004