Escape and Exercise

by Valerie Nahmad — August 25, 2007

Dreaming about your next vacation (aren’t we always)? Why not marry adventure and exercise? Business Week rounds up a few "Adventures of a Lifetime" sure to get your pulse racing and your heart pumping.

Here are a few of our favorites:

• Trek through Bhutan—Only 8,000 visitors a year are granted entry into Bhutan (government policy), making it one of the most remote and intriguing parts of Asia. Trek through the undeveloped country (television didn’t arrive until 1999) and see highlights like Taktshang, an 8th century monastery perched 3,000 feet above the terraced Paro Valley. AsiaTransPacific.com
• Mountain Climb in Tanzania—It sounds amazingly intimidating, but no special skills or ropes are needed to scale Mt. Kilimanjaro. Pick an outfitter that takes the trail slow and steady (you’ll need to acclimate to the altitude to avoid sickness) and ascend to the top—19,340 feet. ThomsonSafaris.com
• Horseback Ride in Mongolia—Ride through forested mountains, remote encampments, and "pristine countryside" on a guided horseback tour. You can visit ethnic Tsaatan families and camel trek through the Gobi desert. NomadicExpeditions.com