Video: The Green Mansions Of The Amazon

The Amazon is an amazing place that few of us ever get the opportunity to see. It is an incredibly diverse biosphere unlike any on our planet, and quite frankly it is an awe inspiring place that I've been fortunate enough to visit. The video below takes us on location to that visually striking place, offering up a glimpse of the Amazon from Colombia, Peru and Brazil.

GREEN MANSIONS from Gātha on Vimeo.

Video: Climbers Discover Massive Cave System In Colombia

Here's an interesting video that I came across over at the Adventure Journal. It tells the tale of Gabriel Rubiano Groot and a team of climbers and slackliners, who have discovered an massive new cave system hidden in the Colombian mountains. The problem is, the cave is located near the town of Florián, which has long been part of the drug trade. It's a fascinating story that makes you wonder what other hidden gems are out there, just waiting to be found.

Justification for Wanderlust: Gabo's Story from Where?Next on Vimeo.

Video: Crossing The Darién Gap

The Darién Gap is a rugged, remote region of nearly impassable jungle that separates Panama from Colombia. How rugged you ask? It is such a difficult environment that even today there are no roads that cross through this area, forcing travelers along the Trans-American Highway to find an alternate means around.

In the web series Hasta Alaska, which is featured on the The Adrenalist website, our intrepid adventurer enters the Gap and must find a way through. The results of those efforts can be seen in this short film below, which gives us a rare glimpse inside the interior of the Darién region, which is fraught with poisonous snakes, nasty insects and other wild beasts. This is a true-life adventure through a truly untamed portion of the world.

Hmm... after watching this, I suddenly want to go explore the Gap myself.

Three Women Backpackers Hiking The Length Of South America

Three American women have set out on quite an adventure, as they look to hike nearly the entire length of South America, south to north. Along they way, they've been chronicling their journey on the aptly named eat hike sleep hike blog.

Two of the ladies, Sarah Field and Trinity Ludwig, first met at summer camp when they were just 13 years old. They remained friends after that, and continued to attend the same camp together for the next several years. Eventually, they joined the staff and connected with Shelley Brook, and the three have stayed in constant contact ever since. When Trinity got the idea of making this South American hike, Shelley was quick to join the expedition and it wasn't exactly difficult to talk Sarah into coming along either.

The women started in Ushuaia, Argentina last October and plan to spend the first six months of their trek exploring that country and Chile. Their complete route can be found here, and also includes visits to Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela too. In their most recent blog updates, the trio reported that they have passed from Lanín National Park in Argentina and have now moved into Chile for the first time.

Reading through their blog posts, it seems they're having a wonderful time in South America, although as you might expect, not everything always goes as planned. Still, this is a fantastic adventure, and it is wonderful to read about their experiences and their love for travel.

Thanks to Scott Ireland for sharing this great story. Much appreciated my friend!