The Flint Hills National Scenic Byway will take you off the beaten path you catch the road off of I-70. The local artist sell their work along this route. Chase State Lake is a good place to fish. You will see birds, bobcat and are likely to hear a coyote if you spend the night here. Council Grove Lake along this route has bald eagles roosting in the trees in the winter and migratory birds in the Spring. There is water and improved campgrounds here. If you have ever wondered what the pioneers coming from the east and heading west meant by a sea of grass You should visit the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. The wind will whisper through the tall grass and give you the illusion of waves in the grass. You will love the visual effect and the acres around the preserve allow you to realize why the buffalo roamed here.
Do not take away flora and fauna in the forms of cuttings, seeds or roots. It is illegal, especially in the Himalayas. The environment is really delicate in this region and the bio-diversity of the region has to be protected at all costs. Do not use pollutants such as detergent, in streams or springs while washing and bathing. Do not use wood as fuel to cook food at the campsite. Do not leave cigarettes butts or make open fires in the forests. Do not consume aerated drinks, alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicant and throw bottles in the wild. Do not tempt the locals, especially children by offering them foodstuff or sweets. Respect local traditions. Polythene and plastics are non biodegradable and unhealthy for the environment and must not be used and littered.
I hiked about 1-2 miles when I noticed I kept hearing water, as in perhaps waterfalls? So I decided to venture off road and down to the creek to see what was going on and to my joy and amazement, and with the help of a local hiker, I discovered a series of beautiful, cascading waterfalls that absolutely captured my breath. It was there that I decided to spend my time taking pictures, travel adventures anz and resting, taking in the beauty, tranquility and peacefulness of this not widely published section of the trail. Total hiking distance, I’d estimate to be about 3 miles. However, if you have more time and you’re up for a longer hike, the journey to Horton Springs is well worth it. It’s a total of 8 miles round trip and the trail is rated easy to moderate in most hiking guides.
A must-see for visitors, however, is the Eva museum.
We bushwhacked our way back around the base of Tom’s Thumb, then headed back the way we had come but made a left to begin our journey on the Lookout Trail. The optional trek over to the Look Trail, added an additional mile or so to the day’s hiking distance. However, it wasn’t a difficult trek and I thought it was well worth the extra 30 minutes to 1 hour time that it took because the panoramic views from the top at about 3858 feet in elevation were absolutely breathtaking! On the western side you could see all of the northeast valley below, then when you turned around, on the other side you had the incredible views to the east of the Four Peaks and the Superstition Wilderness in the distance in front of you. Wow, gorgeous! In addition, if you looked straight down, you could see the town of Fountain Hills and within only a few short minutes, we saw its huge water fountain go off in the distance. Wow, really spectacular!
Decide what comfort items you need and take them.
Apart from the popular ‘Mt. Kailash’ and ‘Lake Masarovar’, Tibet offers a wide range of spectacular destinations, which are waiting to be explored. These include cities and towns of Lhasa, Shigatse, Gyantse, Tingri, Nyalam and more. In these cities and towns you will explore temples, palaces and monasteries like Potala Palace, Norbulingka Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monasatery, Sera Monastery, Ramoche Monastery, Pelkor Chode Monastery, Kumbum Chorten & Thashilumpo Monastery. While during the Tibet overland trip you will drive through some of the highest passes in the world (above 5000 mtrs.), along with driving besides the holy ‘Brahmaputra’ river and rest on the shores of Scorpion – shaped ‘Yamdrok Lake’. Not to forget, during your expedition to Everest Base Camp, up-close views of the legendary symbol of Tibet – Mt. Everest and the highest monastery in the world, ‘Rongbu’. Information about all these places and packages is given on Nomadier’s, website.
Conclusion
Adventure by horseback overnight with one of the outfitters here and feel as you have traveled back to a simpler time. Although licenses can vary from business to business and area to area, just make sure that the company you are planning to use does have the correct license to operate their business on the river. Along the way, you will pass through many small mountain villages where you can experience the Sherpa culture.