WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

On April 9, TotalAdventure returned to China for the first time in 12 years.

Cathay Pacific is the best route from JFK New York to Hong Kong.Because it’s a Chinese airline it’s permitted to fly though Russian airspace, saving several hours of travel time and making it un necessary for West Coast layovers.

Economy Plus is a pleasant and not so costly way to travel. On this return flight I had no one next to me. Food is good and Chivas is available upon request.

Over the Danish Colony of Greenland. The flight left New York at 2 AM Wednesday April 8 and arrived in Hong Kong at 5 AM on April 9, a total of 15 hours and a 12 hour advance in time. Dark on either end, with about 5 hours of Arctic Midnight Sun in the middle.

Irkutsk near Lake Baikal. First time seeing Russia in 2 years, when I was on the Georgia-Russia border. TotalAdventure was in Irkustk in 2014.

From Chep Lap Kok ,it’s another 2.5 hours to Chongqing. Immigration is fast and efficient. TotalAdventure haas a 10 year unlimited entry visa.

DIdi is right on the Alipay App.

Alipay is used for everything. Payment, car, train, plane, All charged to your credit or debit card. Hardly any need for cash. I exchanged US 100 on arrival and only used it up buying trinkets at the airport when leaving.

Chinese Yuan, known as RMB is 6.77 to the US Dollar. Prices in China are significantly lower than the USA and Europe.

The 4 following stories cover TotalAdventure’s return to China. From Chongqing to Chengdu, to the mountains of Sichuan – East to Shanghai and back West to Enshi and then Chongqing to Hong Kong. BE SURE TO WATCH ALL THE VIDEOS !

On April 9th, TotalAdventure arrived in Chongqing, the world’s largest city with a metro area of over 50 million people. It was my first voyage to the People’s Republic since 2014. Above is the Grand Theater.

Chongqing has become world famous for its’ fantastic building light shows, though Shanghai’s architecture is more impressive.

View from one of my hotel rooms – Raffles Center.

In another hotel room – Words of Warning !

Chongqing lights up every night.

SEE THE VIDEO AT TOP FOR ROBOTICS .

Conjoined Chryslers.

April is a perfect time to visit, as the summer can be ferociously hot at 40 C. In general it was about 25 to 30 by day and about 20 at night.

Saturday Night Drone Show .

From My 38th Floor Hotel Room.

The Mighty Yangtze.

Chongqing North Rail Station.

Floating Entertainment And Sightseeing.

A midnight meal of delicious yak noodle soup and a cold beer for 35 RMB, around US 5. One needs a minimum of 3 days to explore the world’s largest city, but could easily spend weeks seeking all its’ corners.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

From Chongqing, TotalAdventure boarded a high speed train and took the 2hour , 350 kph journey to Chengdu the Capitol of Sichuan Province.

208 mph. Most of the journey is through tunnels. I was welcomed by Miya Liu, Adventure Travel Trade Association Chief for China and her husband Yang Lei. They first took me for an amazing traditional Hotpot lunch in a local place a tourist would never find. You can view an interview with Miya IN THE VIDEO AT THE TOP.

Afterwards we toured the Volvo factory. Many of the cars for the European market are made in China and then transported by train through Russia to Europe.It is a hybrid robot/human assembly line. Photos and video were not permitted.

I stayed 2 nights at the Buddha Zen Hotel in an old section . For RMB 540 US 80 I had a 2 room suite with two balconies.

For dinner that night I had Chinese River Turtle. SEE VIDEO ABOVE. Viewer discretion is advised.

The Chairman Is Forever.

Relics of the Revolution in the Chengdu Museum.

Checkers at Nightfall.

A Peaceful Temple In A Busy City.

Another high speed train took TotalAdventure from 500 meters in Chengdu to 2780 Meters in Juizhai Valley in just over two hours. The climate changed from warm humid sprig weather to crisp late winter weather in the mountains. Snow covered the mountains and was on the roadsides in many areas. Nighttime temperature were – 10 C in mid April. Here is where the real adventure began.

Miya Liu had introduced me to China Exploration, also an ATTA member. I needed an SUV with a knowledgeable driver to explore distant areas of Sichuan, where mountains reach 6250 M 20000 ft. and also explore Tibetan communities. There is a large Tibetan culture and unlike Tibet itself, no Tibet Travel Permit is needed. China Exploration put together an excellent plan according to my input., SEE THE VIDEO AT THE TOP.

My beautiful room with balcony at Juizhaigou Valley Abluzi . 550 RMB per night. Very warm and comfortable in the frigid nights.

Like A Painting .A freshwater gull in a lake in Juizhaigou National Park.

Runoff from glaciers give the lakes their aqua color.

A Cold ShangriLa.

Spring sunshine in the Eastern Himalayas.

On The Grasslands. More Central Asia Than East Asia.

Yaks are long haired cattle who can climb easily and survive the extreme cold of the Himalayas.

Amazing Tibetan Yak Dumplings.

TotalAdventure explored many temples. Tibetan Buddhism thrives alongside modern Chinese life.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT TOP TO TOUR INSIDE.

Power From The Heavens.

Ornate Home Of Dietys.

All Seeing Itinerations.

On Sunday April 20th , TotalAdventure arrived by cable to the top of Mt.Degu . SEE THE VIDEO AT TOP. The elevation is 4860 M 15795 F.

At 32 North it is further south then Savannah,. Mt Everest is further southwest in the Himalayas.

The snow recedes enough in summer that the permanent glacier can be seen.

That’s canned oxygen in my hand. Nice to have after a raid ascent. The next day TotalAdventue departed Sichuan for Shanghai.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

A high speed train took me from Shanghai to Enshi in about 6.5 hours . The equivalent distance would be New York to Chicago at 1353 km. Amtrak would be over 18 hours without the inevitable breakdown. The train is not even China’s fastest , averaging only 220 kmh. .From rainy Shanghai I arrived in sunny Enshi, TotalAdventure’s last stop before returning to Chongqing and the flight to Hong Kong and then New York and Miami. DeepSeek, The AI for China, told me to go to Enshi , for a totally different China experience !

View from my beautiful $ 67 a night 460 RMB suite at the Mövenpick.

Spicy Crawfish Hotpot is the city speciality.

Washed down with cold local beer. Enshi is a late city, this was at 11 PM .

About 80 km from Enshi is the lost village of Luyuanping. Not actually “lost” ,but roadless. There are 2 ways in and out – a path that first travels along the side of a cliff followed by 1582 steps down, or a funicular elevator that takes one 2/3 of the way to and from the valley floor. There is also an electric pulley that carries freight bringing in heavy essential supplies. SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE ! There are no cars, but some golf cart type electric vehicles.

The village from above. Everyone is related to either one of two klans.

A very basic hotel for overnight hikers.

Smoked fish for dinner.

Up from the elevator.

Helpful advice.

Back in Enshi to board the train back to Chongqing.

The TotalAdventure 2026 Return To China focused mainly in Central and Southwest China . Towards the end of the trip I went to Shanghai for about 72 hours to take meetings and explore an automated machine tools trade show at the Shanghai Expo and Convention Center.

2 AM Arrival from Chengdu on Air China. At PVG Pudong.

The Bund is Wedding Central Or Wedding Selfie Central.

There are many photographers setting up paid shoots for aspiring models.

Old Shanghai. Zhonghui Building.

Fresh Meat Mooncakes. Use camera translation to read characters.

The Bund By Night.

While sunny skies were prevalent in Central China, Shanghai was cool, foggy and rainy, making it difficult to visually capture the skyline, greatly expanded since my last time there in 2013.

TotalAdventure dined at Michelin Starred Yidao Restaurant. I had three tasting courses and beer for about 600 RMB, about US $92. Above is Braised Duck’s Foot on Quinghai Lake Fish Head. A well deserved Star.

TotalAdventure went to explore interational trade first hand at the China Machine Tool Fair at the National Exhibition and Convention Center – the world’s largest at 500,000 m2 in 16 halls.

With Trade War challenges worldwide, China has pivoted to new markets and expanded current ones, as other nations extend free trade agreements to China. The US had a pavilion also.

Inside the very cool 1930s hotel the Z Hotel.

Deco Bar. Great breakfast also.

From my balcony overlooking overlooking Guangdong Rd, The room was 700 RMB, about $ 103.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

On the cold spring morning of October 4th TotalAdventure arrived in Santiago, Chile on the way to three separate adventures in the 6000 kilometer long nation. After spending the weekend with a boarding school friend, I was joined a pre-Adventure of the Adveneture Travel World Summit in Cajon de Maipo , a beautiful mountain region just west of Santiago. The theme was adventure in the countryside, followed by two days of exploring Chile’s capitol.

Our Adventure Crew. Names and links to companies will soon be listed here.

Our first activity was rafting down the Rio Maipo. The rapids were fast, about Class 3 ,withspring snowmelt from the glacial mountains. The runoff is dark with sediment and doesn’t slow down until summer in December. Company : NatExplora. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR EXCELLENT RAFTING FOOTAGE !

That night we drove up to 2500 meters to observe the Southern Hemispher stars – three times as many as are visible in the Northern Hemisphere. While I was not able to capture photos through the telescope lens – I did see the rings of Saturn for the first time !

The next morning was canyoneering – rappelling down the side of waterfalls .

We drove high into the valleys ,where strong October spring sunshine melted the snow above. Just a few days before the snow levels had reached down to our level.

A panorama shot of the valley.

Though were are at 9000 feet, 2700m the terrain was once part of a seabed.

Evening festivities at the local community center of Maipo.

Like the USA, German heritage is common in Chile.

In a small valley village.

East towards the glaciers.

Our group enjoyed many local festivities and the excellent wine of the region. Soft adventure here.

A view from the room at Cascada de Las Ánimas. Much like a treehouse looking at the surrounding forest and mountains, with decent WiFi.

The very cold pool which apparently warms in summer.

We descended from the mountains to the vineyards.One of the world’s largest producers – Santa Rita.

They have a historic museum with ancient Inca artifacts – Here – a cuy.

Nearly 40 years old !

The hotel features a billiards room.

A chapel.

A gourmand dining room.

A lunch worthy of a Michelin Star.

A palette to Japan.

After lunch , a tasting of the whites. We had Tinto ( Red) with lunch.

We arrived back in the capitol on time for sunset from the top of Latin America’s tallest tower – Sky Costañera – 300 meters – 980feet 82 stories tall. Impressive for a major earthquake zone ! VIIEW THE VIDEO AT THE TOP !

From the 82nd Floor of Sky Costañera.

La Moneda – The Presidential Palace.

Many Cathedrals dominate this Catholic City.

On Sunday, October 12, predawn transport to the airport, thistime the domestic side, for our 4000 km 4 hour flight to Puerto Natales for the Adventure Travel World Summit.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

On Sunday October 12 TotalAdventure soared over the Andes, above the Patagonian Icefields , the world’s largest in the temperate zones, for a 4 hour flight from Santiago to Puerto Natales.

Over 700 delegates from all 7 continents flew in to this remote spot on the Planet to take part in the 20th Adventure Travel World Summit . TotalAdventure took part as a buyer. We buy trips to sell to our worldwide following of adventurers. TotalAdventure has been to over half of the ATWS events – Seattle 2006, Whistler 2007, São Paulo 2008, Lucerne 2012, Swakopmund 2013, Puerto Varas 2015, Anchorage 2016,Salta 2017, Gothenburg 2019,Sapporo 2023 and now, Puerto Natales for 2025. 2026 is in Quebec City.

Shannon Stowell is Our Leader. of the Adventure Travel Trade Association. He estimates about 50,000 Adventure Travel leaders have taken part in events over the years. The industry is estimated to generate $1.16 Trillion in revenue annually worldwide generating many millions of jobs. Tourism is the 2nd largest source of jobs in many countries, especially poorer ones. The ATTA’s message is one of sustainability . Travel enterprises should have minimal effect on the environment, recycle and reuse whenever possible, hire local people as guides and storytellers. Most members are small entrepreneurial companies.

One of the main events at ATWS is the marketplace. Agents and providers meet each other to sell amazing worldwide experiences.TotalAdventure had 30 meetings leading to 18 new listings. Here I meet with Pia Abboud of Discovery Beyond Borders, Lebanon.

I first came to the Far South of Patagonia in February, 1991. I drove to Puerto Natales from Rio Gallegos, Argentina. I was one of 5 cars to cross the border that day. This photo is on Glaciar Moreno in El Calfate, Argentina. 35 years later, I am happy to report that the nature has not been changed much – due to strict and well planned conservation and sustainable tourism. Of course there are many more hotels, restaurants and tour companies catering to adventurous travelers from all over the world. Also technology is far more advanced. That’s a Sony Hi-8 video camera – considered quite advanced for the time with 480 lines . I had a custom made battery belt that powered it all day. To edit, I had to rent a $ 200 per hour studio in New York. Now I shoot on a GoPro 12 with up to 5300 lines and edit on my MacBook Air with FinalCut Pro.

My next trip here, in September 2022 , for Adventure Next took me on the 4 day W Trek. You can read about it HERE.

TotalAdventure has explored 106 countries. Torres del Paine is perhaps the most beautiful place on Earth. Torres del Paine is the broken end of the Andes, stretching 12000 miles North to Alaska via the Rockies.

Empty land makes for pure mountain rivers going from glacier, to lake to river to another lake and eventually into the icy Pacific.

The water runs very fast and very cold. SEE THE VIDEO AT THE TOP OF THE ARTICLE.

Tens of thousands of gallons per minute.

ATWS held a huge welcoming party at Torres del Paine National Park. A huge asado of local lamb was amazing – eaten right off the bone, Large helpings of pisco helped attendees endure the numbing cold, rain and sleet.

For our entertainment – Chile’s top band – Los Jaivas !

A small cottage along the fjords of Puerto Natales. Firewood is needed year round.

The weather never truly warms up due to proximity to Antarctica and a frigid ocean. He we see the southernmost reaches of the Pacific Ocean. When people think of the South Pacific, they imagine palm fringed tropical paradises. Not here. October is spring but still 3 C with 60 kph winds. The fjords often have floating ice chunks . wWnter lows in July can be -22C 0 F and in summer rarely goes above 22 C 72 F.

51 43 South.

Parihuela- a seafood stew of local delicacies.

Swans and their offspring.

Downtown Puerto Natales.

From Puerto Natales it is not possible to drive to the rest of the country without driving though Argentina. Navimag Ferries take cars and people on an amazing two day journey to Puerto Montt through stunning fjords.

From Puerto Natales, TotalAdventure flew North to Puerto Montt for the third and final phase of Adventures in Chile.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE !

On Saturday October 18, at the conclusion of the Adventure Travel World Summit in Puerto Natales, Chile, TotalAdventure flew 2 hours north to Puerto Montt, with other delegates, where we were greeted by Scarlett Riquelme of Mawida Adventures. From the airport, we departed for Huilo Huilo Reserva Biólogica a vast privately held expanse of 60,000 hectares of forest,lakes,waterfalls, hot springs and the volcanic Andes Mountains.

The Northernmost region of Chilean Patagonia from 40 to 38 South Latitude, and 72 to 73 West Longitude.

We arrived at the amazing Huilo Huilo Hotel,where we would reside the next two nights. The hotel is huge with wild architecture, yet blends in perfectly with the huge silent forest around it.

Private Balcony In The Forest.

After a morning hike by the waterfalls, our group took an amazing fast boat ride on Lago Pirihueco. The lake is part of the Ruta Lagos Y Volcanes. You can experience the motion in THE VIDEO UP TOP.

Guanacos graze peacefully within the Preserve.

Our Group. of Travel Professionals. The women were faster hikers than the men.

Huilo Huilo Sunset.

An evening foray into the reserve to view the waterfalls under lights. October water volume is very high due to spring snowmelt.

By summer the water slows to a trickle.

We descended steep slippery trails with headlamps.

From Huilo Huilo, our adventurers moved North, towards Pucón.On the way we bathed in the very hot springs of the Termas Geométricas. There were many pools, ranging in temperature from 37 to 44 C. The water felt great on a cold 8 C rainy day.

The next 3 nights were at the beautiful boutique Hotel Aldea Naukana in Pucón.

The Mapuche Tribe are the original people of Central and Southern Chile. Despite challenges from European invaders and settlers, their culture has remained intact, with some modern conveniences. We spent a morning in a small village learning from one of the elders.

A traditional lodge,where we dined inside.

Bread is prepared in the firepit.

We played Palin, a game very similar to field hockey.

Now the real adventure begins. Class 3 rapids on the Rio Trancura.

SEE THE VIDEO UP TOP TO EXPERIENCE IN MOTION !

Spring Snowmelt – Water is 7 C. ( 45 American temperature)

A Roller Coaster Ride.

On the final day we ascended Villarrica Volcano, 2860 M , 9380 Feet. One of Chile’s most active volcanoes, the last major eruption was in 2015, with a plume of lava and ash just last year in 2024. The Andes are actually part of a 12000 mile chain of mountains beginning in Alaska and ending at the Drake passage. The Ring of Fire, around the Pacific Rim, is largely volcanic.

Warning !

Experienced guides lead the expedition.

The early morning cold ,about -2 C made the snow crunchy and icy. By nid morning it has softened in the strong spring sunshine.

Only 4 Kilometers, but takes several hours due to 45 degree slope.Many people ski up and down, which is much faster.

Once again, the women were in the lead. The summit was reached by mid day. SEE THE VIDEO AT THE START OF THE ARTICLE.

Mawida Adventures ( TotalAdventure Logo is automatically stamped on all media) is the leading agency for adventure in the Pucón Region. Right now Mawida offers an amazing trip : Volcano Trilogy. The next trip is from December 1st to December 7th . Enjoy the long sunny Southern Hemisphere summer days as you experience the adventures above, but with three volcanoes ! $ 2576 US. Contact Us Directly with any questions.

Since The Algerian War of Independence against France from 1954 to 1962, Algeria has been off the travel radar. Although close to Europe and bordering heavily touristed Morocco, not much is known about the vast nation, 9th largest in the world, by the traveler community. Years of instability followed the Revolution, and Algeria was often aligned with movements unfavorable to the West. Income from vast oil and gas reserves provided income for the government and its’ people making the necessity for tourism a low priority. Above Is The Interior of Emir Abdelkader Mosque iin Constantine.

Indeed, even as tourism is opening up, it is still quite a process to procure a visa. TotalAdventure had to submit, along with the form and two photos – work and residential history, name and birthplace of parents, passport, driver’s license, 3 months of bank statements, complete itinerary with name and address of hotels ( changeable ) and reservation plan for transport in and out of the country. Once this is all submitted with the US $ 160 fee,it’s approved in about 7 business days. My visa is multiple entry and good for two years – I shall return !

Algeria is 99% Islamic. The Mosques are beautiful and also open to non-Muslim observers.

Just after Mid Day Prayers.

Street Scene.Algerians are extremely friendly and happy to meet foreigners. Never are there aggressive sales tactics.

A Sealed Portal.

Sharia Law does not apply. Alcohol is permitted in private,but not widely availabe ,except in international hotel bars. About half the women wear the hijab, while many also wear modest Western style attire.

TotalAdventure’s hotel in Central Algiers. The city architecture is Parisian with an Arabian mix. SEE THE VIDEO AT TOP OF PAGE !

An interior of an apartment building.

Fending Off Pirates And Infidel Invaders.

The National Post Office. The postcards I mailed from there have yet to arrive

Notre Dame d’Afrique. Beautiful Moorish design to blend in with Mosques. Algeria is 1% non Muslim – including Catholics and Jews.

SEE THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR A GREAT EXPERIENCE OF ALGIERS !

The view from Notre Dame d’Afrique.

The Martyrs Memorial , high above the city. Underneath is an amazing museum of the Revolution, however no photos are permitted.

A Fighter Against France.

The Algerian Dinar is officially 130 to the US Dollar ; the street rate is 220. This makes prices very low compared to the USA or Western Europe. By paying in cash your hotel rate can be less than half. Large delicious meals are $8 to $ 10, with several courses, coffee and mineral water. Do not keep any more than for souvenirs, as the currency is unconvertible anywhere.

Lunchtime. Tasty lamb and chicken kebabs.

My lunch order was about $3.50 and could not finish it.

Red and purple olives, like I’ve never seen before.

About 120 km West of Algiers is the ancient seaside Roman City of Timgad. It was built around 100 AD and is mostly in original form – nothing has been rebuilt.

Arches With A Seafront View.

Timgad overlooks the effervescent Mediterranean . Algeria has great potential for resorts, but let’s hope it doesn’t happen the way it has in Europe.

There are so many coliseums in the Roman Empire that they must have been a chain.

The Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania, also known as Kbor er Roumia, is a large, circular tomb located near Tipasa, Algeria. It was built in the 3rd century BC and is believed to house the remains of King Juba II and Queen Cleopatra Selene.. The monument is a significant example of Numidian funerary architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage site, SEE THE VIDEO AT TOP OF PAGE !

On Tuesday May 27th TotalAdventure hired a car to Bou Saada – about 4 hours southeast of Algiers – The Gateway To The Sahara. Temperatures in summer reach 50 C , but it was only 36 on this late spring day.

Center of Bou Saada.

Poolside Lunch At Hotel Caid.

A Very Fertile Stork.

Modesty And Beauty.

From the desert we ascended to the eastern highland city of Constantine.Perched upon the mountaintops it is united by chainlink suspension bridges. Above, is Algeria’s second largest – Mosque of Emir Abdelkader.

Islamic Stain Glass.

Minarets Reaching To The Heavens.

Children Taking Part In Bismillahkhani  – Introduction To Learning The Quaran.

Open To Everyone.

Travelers -Your Phone Is As Important As Your Passport. Soon Even More So. See http://www.adventuretravel.ai To See The Future Of Travel.

From Near And Far. The Gorge Is 150m Deep.

By Night From Igherssan Restaurant.

Lamb With Couscous.

Sparkling Water Cocktail.

Arabian Nights.

SEE THE BRIDGES IN THE VIDEO AT TOP OF PAGE.

On the final day in Algeria I explored the Roman Ruins of Tiddis, in the hills about 40 km from Constantine.

I had the entire site to myself – a benefit of being in sparsely visited Algeria.

Ancient tales live on.

Shelter From Summer Sun And Winter Cold. It snows in this part of Algeria.

Nightfall in Constantine.

The Crescent Moon Heralding The Arrival Of Eid Al Adha.

On Sunday June 1 , TotalAdventure boarded the Anaba – Tunis Express, only recently resumed running after many years. Three hours later I crossed the border into Tunisia . We will soon return to Amazing Algeria !

On April 21, TotalAdventure flew from Miami to Campos Grande, Brazil , the Capital of the State of Mato Grosso Do Sul, via Sǎo Paulo. Our international group of travel industry buyers, suppliers and journalists was hosted by the Adventure Travel Trade Association , Estado do Mato Grosso do Sul, Adventure Travel companies in our host town of Bonito and EMBRATUR for Adventure Elevate Latin America 2025.

Our first morning out of Campo Grande, our team rappeled down the Inferninho Waterfall. We literally came through the waterfall! WATCH THE VIDEO UP TOP TO EXPERIENCE !

Afterwards we had a scenic 3 hour drive to Bonito. Along the way we saw a herd of capybara walking and feeding in a vast field by the highway. Capybaras are the world’s largest rodent at up to 150 pounds or 68 kilos. Unlike their undesirable smaller cousins, the grass eating capybara are friendly. Their range is from the Amazon to Patagonia.

From a great distance we observed an anteater. Photos of this elusive creature are hard to get. They live on ants and termites and are prey for jaguars and pumas. Their range is from Honduras to northern Argentina.

We also saw ostriches. A bit smaller than the African version ( about 2 meters in height) the Southern Hemisphere birds are known as Rhea in South America.

Our leader Rogerio Alves with the propetieress of Bacuri Restaurant, one of the many amazing restaurants in Bonito. It has specialties like Brazilian Picanha steak and grilled local river fish including Pacu. Rogerio is a Bonito native who is an amazing guide. his knowledge and expertise of the region are limitless. You can check out his information HERE.

Thursday April 24th was a fascinating day underground . In the morning our group descended down hundreds of stone steps into the Gruto do Lago Azul.

Ancient stalactites hang from the ceilings.

Looking out and up to the jungle above.

That afternoon was an experience like no other – Abismo Anhumas ! One is lowered 72 meters ( 234 feet) by a powered rappel almost like a rope elevator. It is dark, eerie and silent in the subterranean underworld. The lake reminded me of the River Styx, in Greek mythology, where spirits cross into Hades. Video was difficult ,as the GoPro does not do well in the dark. Nevertheless you will see some interesting footage in the VIDEO UP TOP.

Unfortunate animals, such as deer have sometimes fallen down the hole, which is not easily found in the forest.

Once in the cave we donned wetsuits and snorkeled in the dark waters. Some people scuba dived many meters below.

The next morning we were off for a day at Boca Da Onça .It was a day of hiking through the sometimes rainy forest, rappelling 90 meters down a cliff and swimming by amazing waterfalls. VIDEO UP TOP will portray these experiences in detail.

The final day we snorkeled in the the Rio Da Prata. The above photo is from a nearby waterfall. The Rio da Prata has the world’s best freshwater snorkeling in the clearest waters of the world. It is like a giant aquarium where one swims and floats for several kilometers. THE VIDEO UP TOP OPENS WITH INCREDIBLE UNDERWATER SCENES OF FISH IN THE RIO DA PRATA.

And finally it was time ot get down to business – the Business of Adventure Travel and Ecotourism. Gabriella Stowelll opened the Adventure Elevate Latin America Conference. Gabriella, who hails from Brazil, now resides in Colorado with her husband Shannon Stowell, President and Founder of the ATTA. For two days ,on Monday Arpil 28 an Tuesday April 29, there were speeches, seminars and one on one meetings between companies. TotalAdventure met with Brazilian adventure companies from the Bonito region, and also outfitters from Bolivia,Chile,Guyana,Colombia,Argentina, Peru,Ecuador and Paraguay. Paraguay is less than 100 km from Bonito.

Leonardo Persi is the Coordinator for Ecotuorism in EMBRATUR – the Ministry of Tourism for Brazil. He spoke of the amazing natural treasures that Brazil has to offer – the Aamzon,The Pantanal, the Atlantic Coast, Fernando Da Noronha, Bahia – in the world’s 5th largest nation ! Brazil is also practicing and promoting sustainable tourism. Our travel professionals can get the word out to the rest of the world – many in the USA only know of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

The night before the events, the Town of Bonito hosted a huge party for a local and international crowd. The Brazilian Beef was amazing !

Bonito – the Center of Tourism in the Pantanal – is a laid back country town – with amazing food just like big Brazilian cities.

The Brazilian Real currently trades at 5.62 to the US Dollar. Prices are moderately lower than the USA and Western Europe. Electronic payment is accepted almost everywhere.

Our Amazing Adventure in Mato Grosso Do Sul had come to an end. LATAM has flights everywhere in Brazil, all of South America, and direct flights to all of the Americas, Europe and Southern Africa. Above is Campo Grande airport.