Albania, only 40 miles from Italy, is a world unto itself. From 1946 to 1991 it was completely cut off from the outside world , by the Evil Dictator Enver Hoxha. I had an an opportunity to visit back in 1995 and recently scanned some pre-digital photos. Above is a young lady sporting an AK-47.

A horseman in the countryside outside of Vlorë.

A pillbox on the beach near Durazzo ( Durrës) Hoxha built one pillbox for every four people in the country . Pillboxes are everywhere ! Fences have iron spikes to puncture parachuters.Hoxha was convinced of imminent invasion from Yugoslavia or Italy. Albania at one point had no diplomatic relations with any country .

Albania is quite open to visitors now – GO HERE to see ArcticTropic’s link to Albanian Adventure.

FOR ADVENTURES IN CHILE, CLICK HERE

Papua New Guinea is as Back of Beyond as one can travel. Ice capped volcanoes rise from steamy equatorial jungles populated by Stone Age tribes.

ArcticTropic links to 3 adventure travel destinations in Papua New Guinea. CLICK HERE.

Ancash is the Shangri-La of South America – high in the Andes, far form the tourist tracks. Though it is well within the tripic , the incredible height has the region buried in snow almost year around.

FOR ADVENTURES IN PERU, CLICK HERE

The country that bought you bungee jumping now presents the ZORB – a new way to bounce unimpeded down a hill.

Except for Antarctica, New Zealand is as far as one can travel from Europe or North America. Nowhere else in the world does such dramatic Alpine scenery meet South Pacific panoramas. Heliskiing, snowboarding, and surfing can all be done on the same day.

FOR ADVENTURES IN NEW ZEALAND, CLICK HERE

Nigeria, the most populous contry in Africa, offers Argungu International Fishing Festival, Oshun Oshogbo Festival, Sallah Durbar, Iri-Ji festival, Cross River Christmas festival. Our packages take tourists to Obudu Cattle Ranch, Drill Monkey Ranch, Tinapa, Idanre Hills, Abeokuta, Oshun Grooves, Jos, Yankari National Park, Kano, Kaduna, Nok, Kafanchan, Kagoro, Lokoja, Calabar, Ijebu Ode, Ife, Akure, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Gurara Falls, Assop falls, Riyom Rocks, Kurra falls, Slave Trade Museum, Badagry, etc. Special opportunities are available to see Nok Terra Cotta, the Rocks of Jos, Sukur World Heritage Site, Bilikisu Sunbo Shrine, Long Juju of Arochukwu, Kofa Mata Dyeing Pits, Gidan Makama, Old Kano City Walls, Emir’s Palace Zazzau, Emir’s Palace Kano, numerous endangered monkey species of equatorial tropical forests, Slave Relics at Badagry, Museums in Lagos, Kaduna, and Calabar !

Sarawak is a Malaysian State on the island of Borneo – home to lost tribes and as yet undiscovered flora and fauna. Besides the Sarawak River, the Baram River, along with the Lupar and the Saribas, are the only way to penetrate the hot and hostile jungles. The Iban tribes, while modernizing, still live mostly in traditional villages.

Mali is the true West African Adventure. The ancient cities of Timbuktu and Mopti are early African civilization centers. The Dogon and Tuareg tribes are fascinating to travel with.

The Gobi Desert and grassy steppes cover most of the vast nation – one of the coldest and driest in the world. The Gurvansaikhan Mountains are best for hunting and the lakes and rivers have some of the best fresh water fishing in the world.

FOR ADVENTURES IN MONGOLIA, CLICK HERE

Long Lost Laos was cut off from the world for nearly 20 years after the Communist occupations. The country had never changed much before that – a great advantage if one is looking for the Old Southeast Asia – much like Thailand might have been 40 years ago. Jungles, mountains, Holy villages, the limestone forest of Khammouane and caves such as Xe Bang Fai are all part of Laotian Adventure.