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Canada Toronto skyline
Monte Alban the ruins of the Zapotec civilization in Oaxaca Mexico
USA monument valley2

Definitions differ, but for our purposes, North America is Canada, the United States and Mexico – a vast area that stretches from within 500 miles of the North Pole, down past the Tropic of Cancer and well on the way to the Equator. That’s some 10,300 kilometres (6,370 miles).

To many, North America is dominated by the US, and for understandable reasons: Those fantastic, world famous national parks, the vibrant cities, the exciting if controversial history, and the cultural scene from high art to pop music which is loved around the world. It’s little wonder that the US is a magnet for travellers.

But let’s pause. National parks? Canada has no fewer than 38 immense national parks of jaw-dropping beauty; Mexico has 67, taking in coral reefs, volcanoes and unsurpassed opportunities for both sport and solitude.

Vibrant cities? The US is definitely hard to beat on that score. But pause again. Vancouver is consistently placed in the top five cities in the world for liveability; Toronto is one of the fastest-growing cities in North America, and bilingual Montreal has been voted the best city in which to be a student. And let’s not forget Mexico City, one of the liveliest urban centres on the planet, or Guadalajara, a byword for cosmopolitan swagger.

History and culture? We’re steeped in US history and arts scene thanks to countless films and TV shows, but civilisation in Mexico goes back three millennia – now that’s history. And the country boasts such cultural giants as Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and the writer Carlos Fuentes. Both Mexico and Canada are rich in indigenous art, and Toronto and Montreal in particular, are home to thriving and innovative contemporary arts scenes.

So yes, the US soaks up much of the attention, for many good reasons. But don’t overlook the other worlds of adventure and excitement that lie both north and south of its borders.

Alaska's national parks

Alaska's most stunning national parks and how to visit them

There’s the great outdoors and then there’s the wilderness. And then, in a category all of its own, there’s Alaska. Just over two million tourists visit Alaska each year: a drop in the ocean for a space that is larger than the next three states combined...read more

4 days

Denali Express

Four day basecamp hiking in Denali National Park
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9 days

Prince William Sound, Chugach & Denali

Hiking, kayaking, backpacking & ice climbing
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9 days

With the current

Embrace a traditional way of Travel
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9 days

Iconic Canada

Paddle into the Ontario hinterland
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4 days

Striker's Point Lodge

Full-service lodge-based trip
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5 days

Miminiska Lodge

Lodge-base guided adventure
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21 days

Discover Western USA

A route combining top cities and wilderness attractions
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14 days

Self-drive California

A scenic coastal route
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  • The United States

    The United States

    A wonderful, wacky, continent-sized adventure
    From sea to shining sea…the wonderful and wacky, beautiful but bizarre, mesmerising and maddening United States of America is not so much one country as a collection of countries under a single star spangled banner...
  • Alaska

    Alaska

    Super-sized wilderness
    If you thought everything about the USA was big, well, Alaska is just...
  • Anchorage

    Anchorage

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  • Turquoise Lake

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  • Chugach National Forest

    Chugach National Forest

    Extending for roughly 495,000 acres north, south and east of Anchorage and connected to the Southcentral Alaska road network, Chugach State Park is one of the state’s more accessible adventure spots...
  • Noatak National Preserve

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  • Kongakut River

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  • Kobuk Valley National Park

    Kobuk Valley National Park

    Located entirely above the Arctic Circle in the western Brooks Range, Kobuk Valley National Park is a broad valley encircled by the Baird and Waring mountain ranges, with the Kobuk River snaking through its middle for 61 miles...
  • Aleutian Islands

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  • Katmai National Park

    Katmai National Park

    Broad river flats, looming mountains, and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes; the stunning, desolate remains of the 20th century's largest volcanic eruption...
  • Denali National Park

    Denali National Park

    Denali National Park and Preserve is a sprawling, 6-million-acre land of snow-clad peaks, tundra-carpeted hills and rushing glacier-fed creeks...
  • Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

    Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

    If you live in or near Anchorage and want a quick day of bear viewing, you head for Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, which is just a short hour's flight away...
  • Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

    Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

    If you think of sprawling coastal plains and seemingly endless streams of caribou, you're probably thinking of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR to locals)...
  • Gates of the Arctic National Park

    Gates of the Arctic National Park

    Although it's one of the most visited parks in the Arctic, Gates of the Arctic is still populated by far more caribou and birds than human visitors...
  • Wrangell-St. Elias National Park And Preserve

    Wrangell-St. Elias National Park And Preserve

    Wrangell-St...
  • Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords National Park

    Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords National Park

    Prince William Sound (PWS) sits in a calm, well-sheltered inlet on the Gulf of Alaska...
  • Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve

    Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve

    The six-mile-wide caldera in the heart of Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve showcases what's left when a mountain literally blows its top...
  • Fairbanks

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  • Great Kobuk Sand Dunes

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  • Matanuska Glacier

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  • Bering Land Bridge National Monument

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  • Cape Krusenstern National Monument

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  • Kenai Fjords National Park

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  • Talkeetna Mountains

    Talkeetna Mountains

    Nestled between the Alaska Range and the Chugach Mountains, Talkeetna offers rugged trails and remote areas dense with glaciers...
  • Seward

    ...
  • Western USA

    Western USA

    Adventures on an American scale
    The American West...
  • Wyoming

    Wyoming

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  • Jackson Hole

    Jackson Hole

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  • Arizona

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  • Page

    Page

    Page is a small town in Coconino County, is the ideal jumping off point for multiple Grand Canyon sights including Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend and Glen Canyon Dam...
  • San Francisco

    San Francisco

    California's greatest city
    Crammed into less than 50 square miles and with a population of less than a million, small San Francisco packs a mighty punch...
  • Los Angeles

    Los Angeles

    Stroll along Hollywood Boulevard, spot your favourite TV and film stars on the Walk of Fame, and you can’t miss the hillside Hollywood sign...
  • Las Vegas

    Las Vegas

    Spend a day or two discovering the grandeur of Las Vegas and its famously flamboyant attractions...
  • San Diego

    San Diego

    A two hour drive south from L...
  • Yosemite National Park

    Yosemite National Park

    The most popular national park in California, Yosemite includes the world-renowned Yosemite Valley, which is beneath notable granite peaks including Half Dome and El Capitan – famous among rock climbers for their stunning views and difficult climbs...
  • Grand Canyon

    Grand Canyon

    Once in Grand Canyon National Park, there’s much more to do than stare into the world-famous chasm...
  • Spencer Canyon

    Spencer Canyon

    Spencer Canyon offers both beginner and intermediate climbers access to a variety of routes to explore as well as a popular campsite to stay with access to key Grand Canyon sights...
  • Death Valley National Park

    Death Valley National Park

    In Death Valley, you will be in the largest national park in the continental United States...
  • Napa Valley

    Napa Valley

    Napa Valley is filled with lush vineyards that can be visited on foot or with the vintage railcars of the Napa Valley Wine Train which covers 36 miles...
  • Palm Springs

    Palm Springs

    Set in possibly the most biologically diverse ecosystem in the Americas, Palm Springs is not only a winter playground for celebrities, but also a stylish place to relax in hot springs, spas and top-class golf courses at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains...
  • Estes Park

    ...
  • Sedona

    Sedona

    On arrival to the unique geological area of Sedona, you will be welcomed by red-rock monoliths, with names such as Coffee Pot and Cathedral, protruding from the desert landscape...
  • Monument Valley

    Monument Valley

    Pass through the Painted Desert with its kaleidoscope of colours to reach Monument Valley on the Arizona-Utah border...
  • Utah

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  • Arches National Park

    Arches National Park

    The park may be home to a daunting number of arches – more than 2000 have been documented – many of the most photogenic are easily accessed from the 18-mile scenic drive...
  • Canyonlands National Park

    Canyonlands National Park

    The most convenient of Canyonlands’ three visitor districts is Island-in-the-Sky, which sits atop a mesa thirty miles from Moab...
  • Goblin Valley State Park

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  • Capitol Reef National Park

    Capitol Reef National Park

    Surrounding a 100-mile wrinkle in the earth’s crust, this 381-sq-mile park is a celebration of geology and the powerful forces of time and weather...
  • San Rafael Swell

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  • Lake Powell

    Lake Powell

    The concrete Glen Canyon Dam would dominate the scenery if it was not for the commanding Colorado River and the bright blue waters of Lake Powell that lap against the tall red walls of the canyon...
  • Bryce Canyon

    Bryce Canyon

    Scooped into the side of a high-desert plateau, a deep natural amphitheater holds a small army of sandstone pillars at Utah’s smallest national park...
  • Zion National Park

    Zion National Park

    Sheer red rock cliffs flank Zion Canyon, a lush wonderland of gentle waterfalls, wild gardens and hidden pools...
  • Grand Staircase - Escalante

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  • Moab

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  • Salt Lake City

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  • Kodachrome Basin State Park

    Kodachrome Basin State Park

    Named by the National Geographic Society for a popular type of camera film – known for its ability to capture brilliant colours – this state park lives up to its moniker...
  • Mammoth Lakes

    Mammoth Lakes

    Journey through Death Valley and ascend the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the alpine resort of Mammoth Lakes, famous for its skiing and hiking trails...
  • Santa Barbara

    Santa Barbara

    Backed by the dramatic Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara, is a hot-spot for white-sand beaches and palm-lined promenades...
  • Monterey Peninsula

    Monterey Peninsula

    Monterey Peninsula offers a mix of wind-whipped beaches, hidden coves and delicious seafood...
  • Lake Tahoe

    Lake Tahoe

    Explore the surroundings of this clear mountain lake by bike, kayak or cruise, or relax on one of its beaches to enjoy the unique views of the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Carson Range...
  • Sacramento

    Sacramento

    You can easily spend a few hours at the 28-acre Old Sacramento State Historic Park learning about The California Gold Rush, which took place in 1848–1855...
  • Redwood National & State Parks

    Redwood National & State Parks

    Redwood National and State Parks are home to the world’s tallest trees, which grow more than 350 feet tall...
  • Rocky Mountain National Park

    Rocky Mountain National Park

    One of the highest national parks in the United States, the Rocky Mountain National Park includes the 14,258-foot-high Longs Peak (4,345 metres) and 300 miles of hiking trails...
  • Great Sand Dunes National Park

    Great Sand Dunes National Park

    One of Colorado's lesser-visited parks, Great Sand Dunes National Park has 30 square miles of dunes including one that is 750 feet tall (228 metres)...
  • Mesa Verde National Park

    Mesa Verde National Park

    The reason to visit Mesa Verde National Park is to see one of its ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings...
  • Yellowstone National Park

    Yellowstone National Park

    Established in 1872, Yellowstone is America’s first national park...
  • Lamar Valley

    Lamar Valley

    A tributary of the main Yellowstone River, the Lamar River runs through the valley and is a great area to spot wildlife such as bears, wolves and bison...
  • Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

    Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

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  • Paradise Valley

    Paradise Valley

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  • Colorado

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  • Denver

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  • California

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  • Muir Woods

    Muir Woods

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  • Lassen Volcanic National Park

    Lassen Volcanic National Park

    A hotbed of geothermal activity, Lassen Volcanic National Park has mud pots, boiling pools and fumaroles (an opening near a volcano which releases gas)...
  • Channel Islands National Park

    Channel Islands National Park

    Whether you visit the tiny Channel Islands National Park’s Anacapa Island or Santa Cruz Island, you’ll experience a California coastal landscape devoid of development...
  • Pinnacles National Park

    Pinnacles National Park

    Pinnacles National Park was formed from the eroded sections of an old volcano...
  • Jenner

    Jenner

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  • Mendocino

    Mendocino

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  • Senoma

    Senoma

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  • June Lake

    June Lake

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  • Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

    Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

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  • Washington

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  • Seattle

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  • Grand Teton National Park

    Grand Teton National Park

    With an elevation of 13,775ft, Grand Teton is the highest peak in the park and one of eight with an elevation above 12,000ft...
  • Jenny Lake

    Jenny Lake

    ...
  • Joshua Tree National Park

    Joshua Tree National Park

    Named for a unique looking desert plant, Joshua Tree National Park offers hiking, birding, and horseback riding along with climbing, bouldering, highlining, and slacklining on its many rock formations...
  • Olympic National Park

    Olympic National Park

    With nearly a million acres, Olympic National Park offers a variety of experiences including hiking, soaking in hot springs (Sol Duc Hot Springs and Olympic Hot Springs), and sliding down a snowy peak at the Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area...
  • Mount Rainier National Park

    Mount Rainier National Park

    While its namesake 14,410-foot-high (4,392m) peak dominates the scenery, Mount Rainier National Park also has worthwhile hiking in the Tatoosh Range and waterfalls in the Carbon River area...
  • Crater Lake National Park

    Crater Lake National Park

    Oregon’s dazzling blue Crater Lake, a remnant of a volcano, is worth spending some time staring at...
  • Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

    Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

    The adjacent parks of Sequoia and Kings Canyon are a fine place to take in the splendour of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the towering sequoia trees, and geologic formations like Moro Rock...
  • Glacier National Park

    Glacier National Park

    With hairpin turns climbing past granite peaks to Logan Pass and beyond, the soaring Going-to-the-Sun Road is an engineering marvel and a 50-mile adventure for travellers...
  • Hoover Dam & Lake Mead

    Hoover Dam & Lake Mead

    Completed in 1936, the 726ft-high Hoover Dam across the Colorado River remains an architectural wonder...
  • Valley of Fire State Park

    Valley of Fire State Park

    An easy detour from the I-15 between Las Vegas and Zion National Park, Valley of Fire State Park lives up to its name...
  • Phoenix

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  • Oregon

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  • Portland

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  • East Coast

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  • Maine

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  • Virginia

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  • Shenandoah National Park

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  • North Carolina

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  • West Virginia

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  • New Hampshire

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  • Tennessee

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  • Louisiana

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  • Massachusetts

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  • Vermont

    ...
  • Wisconsin

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  • Michigan

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  • South Dakota

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  • Illinois

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  • Missouri

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  • Arkansas

    ...
  • New York

    ...
  • South Carolina

    ...
  • Montana

    Montana

    ...
  • Bozeman

    Bozeman

    ...
  • Florida

    ...
  • Ocala National Forest

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  • Kentucky

    ...
  • Louisville

    ...
  • Canada

    ...
  • Manitoba

    ...
  • Ontario

    Ontario

    Embrace the Canadian wilderness
    The vast boreal forests of northern Ontario are a true wilderness, and all within relatively easy reach of civilisation...
  • Snake Falls

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  • Toronto

    ...
  • Alberta

    ...
  • British Columbia

    ...
  • New Brunswick

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  • Newfoundland and Labrador

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  • Northwest Territories

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  • Nova Scotia

    ...
  • Nunavut

    ...
  • Mexico

    Mexico

    Fiestas, Frida and Maya mystery
    Steamy jungles, hectic cities, mysterious archeology, and more than 10,000km of coastline, Mexico is a feverish dream that delivers vivid experience after experience...
  • Oaxaca

    Oaxaca

    Vibrant and historical, Oaxaca City is a captivating blend of old and new that just begs to be explored...
  • Tulum

    Tulum

    Mexico’s most photogenic archaeological site
    Perhaps Mexico’s most photogenic archaeological site, Tulum’s clifftop Mayan ruins are framed by the pristine beaches and turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea...
  • Hierve el Agua

    Hierve el Agua

    This series of natural rock formations and mineral springs has become a popular day trip from Oaxaca which can be combined with hikes in the Valle de Tlacolula...
  • Chichén Itzá

    Chichén Itzá

    Mexico's most famous Maya site
    One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, this Maya city was at its height in the 10th century, when it commanded a vast area of what is now the Yucatan Peninsula...
  • Mexico City

    Mexico City

    The oldest capital city in the Americas, Mexico City is a buzzing tribute to an incredibly storied history, where pre-Hispanic and colonial-era buildings sit alongside innovative urban architecture and revamped public spaces...
  • Playa del Carmen

    Playa del Carmen

    Hipper and more laid-back than its Northern cousin Cancún, Playa del Carmen’s trendy nightlife and pristine beaches continue to draw tourists near and far, and this once-small fishing town is now one of the fastest growing cities in Mexico...
  • Mérida

    Mérida

    The Yucatán Peninsula’s largest city and self-proclaimed cultural capital is a delightful blend of colonial heritage and cosmopolitan living...
  • Chiapa de Corzo

    Chiapa de Corzo

    Only 12km from state capital Tuxtla Gutiérrez lies one of the most beautiful colonial towns in southern Mexico’s Chiapas state...
  • Puebla

    Puebla

    The capital of the Puebla Municipality and one of Mexico’s biggest cities, Puebla’s well-preserved historic centre is home to 70 churches and a wealth of elegant colonial architecture, earning its nickname “the city of angels”...
  • Cholula

    Cholula

    A brief 20-minute bus ride away from Puebla, Cholula de Rivadavia has undergone a transformation in recent years, from small satellite town and occasional tour stop to a bona fide boutique destination...
  • Palenque

    Palenque

    Important Maya hieroglyphs
    Located in the tropical lowlands of Mexico’s southern state of Chiapas, Palenque was an important seat of power during the Classic Maya period, seeing its peak between 226-799 C...
  • San Cristóbal de las Casas

    San Cristóbal de las Casas

    The unofficial cultural capital of the state of Chiapas, the mountain town of San Cristobal de las Casas is a little-known gem of southern Mexico...
  • Cancun

    ...
  • Ek Balam

    Ek Balam

    Maya archaeology without the crowds
    Those who prefer to explore archaeological sites without the crowds—or those looking for an alternative site to Chichén Itzá—should make time to visit Ek Balam...
  • Uxmal

    Uxmal

    Astounding Maya artwork
    Known for its rotund structures, the World Heritage site of Uxmal is steeped in myths and legends...
  • Cobá

    Cobá

    Vast and well-preserved Maya city
    This ancient city, which saw its peak between 200 and 600 BCE (before Chichén Itzá became more powerful), is so large that it is best explored by bike or tricycle taxi...
  • Calakmul

    Calakmul

    A remote archeological site in the jungles of Campeche, close to the Guatemalan border, Calakmul was a seat of impressive power during its peak in the Late Classic Period (600-900 C...
  • Edzna

    Edzna

    Edzná is a less visited site, close to the colourful city of Campeche, in the state of the same name...
  • Yaxchilán

    Yaxchilán

    Yaxchilán is possibly the most remote of Mexico’s Maya archeological sites as it is only accessible by boat...
  • Bonampak

    Bonampak

    Most well-known for the stunningly preserved murals found there, Bonampak is well worth a visit if you are in Chiapas...
  • Dzibilchaltún

    Dzibilchaltún

    Dzibilchaltún is a small site just 16 miles north of Merida...
  • Kabah

    Kabah

    Kabah is a tiny archeological site that makes up part of the Puuc Route, a collection of sites that all boast Puuc architecture...
  • La Paz

    La Paz

    Capital of the Baja California Sur, La Paz is a jumping off point for marine activity with a huge diversity of animals living in the surrounding waters...
  • Espiritu Santo Island

    ...

Places to go in North America

North America Tours

Anchorage, Turquoise Lake, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Turquoise Kayak and Hike

Lake Clark multisport adventure

7 daysFrom $3,850
Anchorage, Denali National Park, Great Kobuk Sand Dunes

Denali Unexplored

Basecamp hiking in Denali National Park

4 daysFrom $2,895
Chugach National Forest, Denali National Park, Prince William Sound and Kenai Fjords National Park

Alaska Multisport Adventure

Prince William Sound, Chugach and Denali National Park

9 daysFrom $4,995
Noatak National Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, Great Kobuk Sand Dunes

Noatak River & Great Kobuk Sand Dunes

Epic Gates of the Arctic & Kobuk Valley combined tour

12 daysFrom $7,695
Anchorage, Katmai National Park, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Bear Trekking in Katmai National Park

Alaska’s most unique bear viewing trip

5 daysFrom $4,395
Anchorage, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Twin Lakes Paddle

Explore the magic of Lake Clark's Twin Lakes

7 daysFrom $3,750

North America Travel Companies

Alaska

Alaska Alpine Adventures

Small-group adventure holidays in Alaska
Ontario

Wilderness North

World-class fishing and adventure specialists
North America, South America, Antarctica

SA Expeditions

Tailor-made guided tours to North and South America
North America, Central America, South America

Intrepid Travel

Small group adventure tours
Western USA

Wildland Trekking

Hiking vacations in the US and beyond
Western USA

Bindlestiff Tours

Self-drive & private tours of the Southwest US
North America, East Asia

Sigs Rides

Guided & self-guided motorbike & cycling tours
North America

Off The Beaten Path

Exceptional trips for curious travelers

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Expert itineraries

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