Issue 141: Cirque de Mafate

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:

• Diving: Diving with Greenland Sharks

• Hiking: Cirque de Mafate

• Natural Wonders: Mexico’s Monarch Migration

Diving with Greenland Sharks

The Greenland shark is a huge, lethargic shark that lives in arctic waters. Many live over 400 years, making them the vertebrates with the longest known lifespan in the world.

Dating back over 400 million years, shark fossils demonstrate their remarkable resilience, having outlasted the dinosaurs, survived mass extinctions, and maintained their dominance atop the aquatic food chain.

These ancient sharks live at unreachable depths but they’ve been known to come closer to the surface to feed on scraps of blubber and fish hunters throw back into the sea after cleaning their catch.

Divers can travel to Greenland or Canada to get the chance to dive with this prehistoric creature.

Explore more:

• Diving with Greenland Sharks in Canada (video)

• Greenland Shark Expedition (tour)

Cirque de Mafate

Sitting in the middle of the Indian Ocean lies Réunion Island, or as I like to call it, French New Zealand.

Like the island nation down under, it’s a land of contrasts and extreme beauty. The coast is lined with sandy beaches. The interior of Réunion is mountainous and boasts the highest point in the Indian Ocean, Piton des Neiges.

The landscape of towering cirques (french for calderas) has been formed by violent volcanic activity. These calderas offer amazing hiking opportunities with

One of the most popular treks is Cirque de Mafate. The trek typically begins from the villages of Cilaos or La Nouvelle, where hikers embark on a multi-day adventure through rugged terrain and breathtaking landscapes.

Every step offers a new perspective on this remote and pristine wilderness, from steep ascents to winding trails and river crossings.

Explore More:

• The heart of Reunion Island – five days in the Cirque de Mafate (trail info)

• Trek de 3 jours dans le Cirque de Mafate (video) 🇫🇷

  
  
   
   

Mexico’s Monarch Migration

The Central Highlands of Mexico are home to one of the world's most astounding annual wildlife events.

Every year, millions of monarch butterflies embark on an epic journey spanning thousands of miles from the United States and Canada to reach the oyamel fir forests of Mexico.

Once here, the butterflies cluster on tree trunks and branches and stay in the area for the winter.

Upon arrival, the butterflies form dense clusters on the trunks and branches of trees and stay in the area for the winter.

If you want to see this awe-inspiring phenomenon firsthand, the best time is between late January and the end of March. During this period, the air temperature warms, coaxing the butterflies into a mesmerizing display of fluttering wings.

Explore more: 

• Millions of butterflies stop in these Mexico sanctuaries. Here’s how to see them (article)

• Discover the Story Behind Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Migration (video)

Wildlife: When to go on an African safari.

Exploration: DEEP to build an underwater habitat. 

Life: How to Overcome Fear, According to Alex Honnold, Lindsey Vonn, and Bear Grylls.

Discovery: Tens of thousands of 12,000-year-old rock paintings found in Colombia.

Short film: Sounds of the Pacific Northwest

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 in our online community, Summit, one of our members Jesse Bennett shared his trip to Doñana National Park, in Southern Spain.

Have you been to Doñana?

Join the conversation on Summit here »

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: Paisupok Lake, Indonesia