Issue 143: Sapo National Park

Hey Explorer,

This is Adventure Fix, the newsletter that helps you discover extraordinary journeys and experiences across the globe.

Here’s what we've got for you today:

• Paddling: Kayaking expedition in the Sea of Cortez

• Wildlife Encounters: Searching for Pygmy Hippos in Sapo N.P

• Stays: Cotopaxi Sanctuary Lodge

Kayaking Expedition in the Sea of Cortez

Wedged between the Baja California Peninsula and mainland Mexico, the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California.

With generally sunny weather, warm, clear water, and a ton of wildlife, Baja is one of the best places in North America for a kayaking expedition.

Kayakers spend the days paddling, snorkeling, and looking out for wildlife. Nights are spent camping on remote beaches.

Paddling from Loreto to La Paz is a classic trip that explores the remote and roadless shores of the Sierra Gigante Range.

Another option is to spend a week in the Loreto Bay National Park searching for playful dolphins, Blue and Fin Whales.

Regardless of which route you choose, you’re guaranteed to see stunning landscapes of rugged desert cliffs, secluded coves, and sandy beaches.

Adventurers are drawn to this part of Mexico for the sense of solitude and serenity that can only be found amidst the vast expanse of the sea.

Explore more:

• Sea Kayaking Baja California (video)

• Baja Kayaking Adventure (tour)

Searching for Pygmy Hippos in Sapo National Park

While West Africa may not boast the same abundance of big game animals or extensive tourist infrastructure as East and Southern Africa, it is home to some of the world's most endangered species, such as the pygmy hippopotamus.

Sapo, Liberia's only national park, contains some of West Africa's last remaining primary rainforest.

Here, you can wander beneath towering hardwood trees in hopes of spotting forest elephants, chimpanzees, Upper Guinea Red Colobus monkies, and of course, the tiny hippo.

Explore more:

• Sapo National Park (website)

• Lovely Liberia (tour info)

Cotopaxi Sanctuary Lodge

Picture yourself falling asleep with the majestic Cotopaxi, the world's tallest active volcano, looming in front of you.

Having slept in a tent at the base of this volcano, enduring rain and wind, I recommend a more comfortable option: the Cotopaxi Sanctuary Lodge.

Located at 11,800 feet (3600 m) above sea level on the slopes of the Sincholagua Volcano in Ecuador, the lodge is surrounded by beautiful and wide-open grasslands in the Andean plateau.

Here, wildlife roam freely including red-brocket deer, Andean fox, Andean pumas, White-tailed deer, and even the rare Andean-speckled bear, along with wild horses and many endemic birds. 

The lodge offers domes with large windows that show off the incredible views of the Cotopaxi Volcano. Protected from the harsh high-altitude weather, the domes are kitted out with comfy beds, a bathtub, and heaters.

Around the lodge, you’ll find trails for hiking, horseback riding, and biking, giving you the perfect blend of adventure and comfort.

Explore more: 

• Cotopaxi Sanctuary Lodge (website)

Nature: Geometry is the language of nature.

Wow: Flying frog glides through the rainforests of Borneo.

Animal behavior: What is ‘kelping’? Why whales are making hats out of seaweed?

Photo: Get awesome color in your underwater photos.

Mindset: Be all in to unlock your full power.

Where in the World

Wanna flex your adventure geography skills? Guess where this pic was snapped!

Stumped? No worries. The answer is at the end of this email.

This week on Summit, Adventure Fix reader Tatjana Aleksic shares a picture of her current trip.

Do you know where this place is? It looks amazing!

Find out on Summit »

I’d love to hear what you think of this issue, scroll down to the poll to let us know.

Until next time…

Keep exploring,

-Amanda

 ANSWER: Hussaini Hanging Bridge, Pakistan