In the Destination of Excellence in Finland (DEEF) competition, Wild Taiga has been selected as Finland`s emerging tourist destination 2008, highlighting the local culture and way of life. In this region there are great opportunities for observation of bears, uncommon species of birds, rare mammals like flying squirrel or carnivores like wolverines.

The tour operator Coex Amazon, Lima, Peru, offers trekking in the Maranon valley to the lost but very idyllic mountain town of Chachapoyas. Here you can admire one of Peru`s biggest ancient wonders, the 2000 year old town fortress of Kuelap. On the way you will get in touch with Indians living in their traditional way. This tour is for genuine adventurers who want to experience something special. Are you ready for the off beaten tracks in Peru?

The City of Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Manu National Park, the Sacred City of Caral, the Great Inka Trail, the Nasca Lines and many other sites are inscribed on the UNESCO`s World Heritage List. Peru has a remarkably rich cultural heritage, ancient monuments, huge mysteries, extensive wild life, stunning landscapes from high mountains, deep valleys, dense jungles, beautiful lakes to coastal desert, and deep rooted colonial and indigenous traditions.

The dramatic ascent the Italian Franco Mount Franco D'Astassi did was incredible. He knew that Mount Kenya – Mt. Kenya is the second highest peak in Africa after Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, but that didn’t stop him. The mountain is located in the central highlands a couple of hundred kilometres north of the equator. It is here where the Kikuyu god ngai resides. The name of the country Kenya has been known to have been derived from Mount Kenya which was formerly known as Mount Kirinyaga.

The red rocks of Isla Guadalupe blazed in the morning sun, a clear sky welcoming us after a stomach-churning 14-hour crossing. Lapping waves and the cries of fur seals on the nearby shore were the only sounds to be heard one hundred fifty miles from the mainland. The water roiled as foot-high fins sliced the surface like a knife through cerulean silk. It was a perfect day for a dive.

Can a leopard change its spots? Scientists have discovered that the clouded leopard found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra is an entirely new species of cat. The secretive rainforest animal was originally thought to be the same species as the one found in mainland South-east Asia, but it was more than that.

Get face-to-face with the wildest wild life in the middle of African savannahs. The tour operator Eriksen Adventure offers a wide variety of tour opportunities in East African countries as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. For travellers with genuine adventurous spirit, the dramatic wildbeast migration between Masai Mara and Serengeti is really something to experience.

Kenya is a dream world for genuine adventurers who like breathtaking nature and wild life. Well worth to experience is the properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. These are Cultural Lamu Old Town (2001), Natural Lake Turkana National Parks (1997), and Mount Kenya National Park and Natural Forest (1997). There are also properties submitted on the UNESCO Tentative List as Mombasa Old Town (1997), Fort Jesus (1997), Lake Nakuru National Park (1999), Lake Naivasha (1999), Lake Bogoria National Reserve (1999), The Mijikenda Sacred Kaya Forests and groves (1999), and Great Rift Valley Ecosystem (2001). Another amazing opportunitity for an unique adventure is the incredible annual migration of over a million Wildbaest from the Serengeti plains to the Masa Mara. It has been described as being one of the most wonderful and inspiring sights on earth.

Gorillas are known to be very intelligent, and now its proved again based on a new research. They are the humans` closest relative. Gorillas live in east-central Africa and equatorial west Africa. Based on differences in size, physical features, and location gorillas are classified into three subspecies. In an almost impenetrable forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, gorillas try to make their home far away from humans,and here it has been done some amazing observations ....

No pain, no gain! There is always a risk for being serious injured, but the reward is high. By winning the fight antelopes males achieve a big harem. It gives them the right mate the most beautiful females. Their horns are their hardest weapon.

There have been many rumours the previous years about huge Dinosaur-like reptiles in Papua New Guinea. It`s an adventurer`s dream to observes big monsters, but when they feel their presence it`s certaintly with mixed feelings. I know!

Svalbard in Norway is one of the world’s last frontiers. It’s a paradise for genuine adventurers, but not without risks. A tour guide shot recently a polar bear on Storøya on the northeast side of Svalbard (31 July 2006). It was claimed to be in self-defence, and done to protect tourists from the aggressive bear.

Just one kilometres from the summer cottage I stayed in, a local told me that he had observed a big bear when it crossed his way. Another person told me that he had shot a big bear in the area previous year. In Finland`s 12 wilderness areas, which together cover 15,000 sq. km of land area, there are plenty of opportunities for wild adventures in natural sourundings.

You will see the big five, said the guide. He meant the elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo, and leopard. After I had admired ten thousand of zebras, gnus, and other herds of animals in Serengeti, my pulse started to beat faster; would it be possible to observe an elephant, or maybe two? At that point I took terrible wrong. Soon we drove through herds of these majestic animals.

Scientist have recently found new species of fish and other sea life during a more thoroughly exploration of the Great Barrier Reef. The wonderful coral area is a paradise for Scuba divers and snorklers. It draws two million tourists a year, and discoveries new sea life will probably attract more visitors to the reef. Is the ongoing survey just a start for more discoveries? Could there be other uknown species hiding in the deep tropical water here?