Happy Friday! This is Adventure Fix, the #1 email for expanding your world of exploration possibilities.

Here’s what we've got for you today:

• Natural Wonders: The frozen bubbles of Abraham Lake

• Hiking: Hut-to-hut trekking in the Julian Alps

• Wildlife Experiences: Searching for gorillas in Odzala National Park

• Photography: Capturing puffin poses

Hiking from hut-to-hut in the Julian Alps

If you love the idea of hiking lonely trails and immersing yourself in nature for a few days but hate carrying a heavy backpack, this adventure is for you.

Slovenia’s Julian Alps have a network of traditional huts that hikers can sleep at. Hardy mountain food is served at the huts so you won’t have to bother with cooking.

There are many hiking routes to choose from a 3-day circular loop to the 30+ Slovenian Mountain Trail. Whichever you choose, you’re guaranteed to spend time meandering through lush forests and picturesque alpine pastures. Towering mountain passes will give you views of wide valleys and snow-capped peaks.

Unlike other alpine regions in Europe, there’s very little ski infrastructure (cableways/chairlifts) in the Slovenian Alps. That makes the trails far less crowded because there are fewer day hikers. Also, the scenery is more wild and untouched.

Explore more:

• A Guide to Hut-to-Hut Hiking in Slovenia (article)

• Best of Julian Alps (tour)

Searching for gorillas in Odzala National Park

In the heart of the Congo Basin lies a rainforest that is a network of rivers, marshes, swamps, and sandy clearings that makeup Odzala-Kokoua National Park.

This vast and truly wild region of Africa is home to many animals but perhaps its most famous residents are the western lowland gorillas.

To see these giant apes, you’ll be led through the dense forest with guides and trackers who will help you get close but not too close to a troop of gorillas.

Seeing the entire family is one of the most incredible wildlife encounters around. The powerful silverback stands watch while mothers nurse little ones and infants wrestle on the forest floor.

The appeal of Odzala-Kokoua is that it has a multitude of habitats. In the north of the park, dense forest covers many steep-sloped hills, while in the west a major escarpment runs roughly north-south that drops into low swampy forest. The southern part of the park has pockets of savannah dotted with forest islands that are bisected by the rivers.

You can see hippos cooling off in the river, leopards lounging in the trees, and elephants slurping mineral “smoothies” in a forest clearing.

Explore more:

• Journey into the Congo (video)

The frozen bubbles of Abraham Lake

Just outside the entrance of Alberta's Banff National Park lies an apparently ordinary lake situated on the Kootenay Plains. However, during winter, Abraham Lake transforms into an extraordinary sight.

Frozen bubbles of methane dot the surface of the frozen lake.

Created in 1972 as a result of the construction of the Bighorn Dam by TransAlta (formerly a power company), Abraham Lake is an artificial reservoir that emerged from flooding an area known as Kootenay Plains near the Rocky Mountains of Alberta.

The mesmerizing bubbles are formed by trapped methane gas. As plants decompose on the lake bed, they release methane gas, which becomes trapped in the ice when it freezes, resulting in a stunning display.

Explore more:

• Guide to Visiting Abraham Lake’s Frozen Bubbles (article)

Photographing the clowns of the sea in snow

Puffins earned their nickname “clowns of the sea” from their vibrant beaks and comical appearance.

These charismatic birds are a favorite subject for photographers partly because of the stunning landscape they live in. Coastal cliffs, rocky shores, and arctic tundra create stunning backdrops for capturing them in their element.

Before planning a trip to photograph puffins, it’s a good idea to get some tips from the pros. Nature photographer Dani Connor shares the techniques she uses to capture brilliant images of these sea birds.

From lens choice to capturing birds in flight and behaviors you’ll want to look out for like bill tapping “kissing” and fighting, you’ll find out how to compose creative shots of puffins.

Explore more:

• Epic puffin photography in Arctic Norway (video)

Expedition Cruises: Crossing the Drake Passage.

Scuba: Diving Monterey’s mysterious kelp forests.

Wildlife Experiences: Brazil’s Big 5.

Photography: The virtues of monochrome.

Podcast: Wish you had more time? What you really want is more memories.

This is a new section that will feature our most loyal readers.

The idea is you share our stuff and we’ll share yours.

Get 3 friends to sign up to Adventure Fix and we’ll share your blog, Youtube channel, Instagram account or business here next week.

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.

 ANSWER: Kuang Si Falls - Laos