Continuing the trend of "Best of" and "Top [insert number here]" lists, I've got a pair of really good ones today from National Geographic Adventure Magazine.
First up, we have the annual list of the Top 25 New Trips for 2008. The list is decidedly for adventure travelers, and is broken down by continent, with some really amazing ideas for anyone looking to get away. For instance, while in Africa, you can be amongst the first to experience the nearly undistrubed wildlife in Gabon's new national parks. If that's too tame for you, seek out true adventure in the Wakhan Corridor between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, an area that few Westerners have traveled since the time of Marco Polo. of course, there are plenty more for the other continents as well, including the first carbon neutral trips to Antarctica. The list really does have something for everyone.
The other article of interest is their ratings of the best Adventure Travel guides in the world. They take a look at 157 outfitters spread across the globe, and offer up a rating for each of them. Top of the list, with a rating of 97.5 out of 100, is Mark Thornton Safaris, which operates out of Tanzania, and takes the unique approach of capping their clients at only 100 per year.
The full methodology for their rating system is explained here. Essentially, each of the outfitters is rated from 1 to 100 in a number of categories, including Quality of Service, Sustainability, Spirit of Adventure, and more. The numbers are then averaged to get their overall score. The list may prove quite useful when planning your next trip, and of course all the trips on their Top 25 are guided by one of the more highly rated outfitters.
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