The bucket list of ultimate adventures
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13. Run to Machu Picchu
The trip: Now this is what we call getting off the treadmill. It took American historian Hiram Bingham years to discover the lost Incan city of Machu Picchu, but now runners can dash up to the sacred archaeological sight in just a couple of days. On a ten-day "running adventure" from Andes Adventures, Brooks-shod pilgrims warm up with runs of 4.5 to 6.5 miles around Cuzco, Peru, and a river-rafting trip on the Urubamba River. The run up the Inca Trail itself is 27 miles, split by a night camping in the cloud-strewn town of Phuyupatamarca. Aid stations help take runners' minds off the miles, as do the views of glaciated peaks and orchid-thick forests. After the final awestruck stumble into Machu Picchu, guests have two full days to explore the ruins with such comforts as thermal baths at Aguas Calientes and soft beds at the Machu Picchu Inn Hotel. But nothing beats the feeling of having smoked every other person aiming to reach the Lost City.
Why go? The ultimate runner's high: You'll run at altitudes from 8,000 to 13,779 feet. And what a way to arrive at this newly named Wonder of the World!
What to pack: An iPod Nano—not for the way up, but for the train ride back down. (Your knees will be happy about that train.)
Difficulty: 9 out of 10. Participants are expected to comfortably cover 10 to 15 miles at a time on rolling terrain at very high altitude.
Your guides: Andes Adventures, running since 1995. The company also has one of the now restricted and much-coveted permits to travel along the Inca Trail.
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Andes Adventures
Tel: 310 395 5265
Ten-day trip, including hotels, two nights camping, and all meals, $2,250 per person
14. Mountain bike in the Rockies
The trip: Perhaps the only thing more exhilarating than wheeling among the 14,000-foot peaks of southern Colorado and the slickrock of southern Utah is doing both—and not having to carry an ounce of food or camping equipment. The San Juan Hut System spans 215 miles from Telluride, Colorado, to Moab, Utah, letting mountain bikers pedal all day on singletrack and secondary dirt roads, then crash in a fully stocked shelter at night. Spaced 15 to 40 miles apart, the system's six wooden huts are furnished with a kitchen and eight bunks and supplied with cold beer, bacon, and more. Only one has a hot shower—the Graham Ranch Hut, halfway through—but the swims in lakes and streams near the other huts are more invigorating anyway. Reservations are required. Have a group of eight? Reserve well in advance, as the spots go lickety-split, especially on weekends.
Why go? You could witness the spectacular San Juan scenery from a car window, but your quads and hamstrings will work for less than $5 a gallon.
What to pack: An extra set of duds for your arrival in Moab—a Colorado shipping service can send it ahead of you.
Readers submit their best shots of visits to World Heritage Sites.
Difficulty: 7.5 out of 10. Bikers must be able to ride up to 40 miles in one day in order to make the next hut, often over challenging terrain. 
Your guides: You and your fellow riders, plus the hut system staffers who stock the cabins.
San Juan Hut System
Tel: 970 626 3033
Seven days, including hut facilities, sleeping bags, meals, and maps, $750 per person
15. Take a camel trek in Morocco
The trip: Forget the Land Cruiser. The only authentic way to cross the Sahara, T.E. Lawrence style, is on the back of a camel. Yes, it may be less cush than a leather car seat, and even a boxful of Altoids can't help that camel breath, but you'll be too spellbound by Morocco to care. The country's sensual bazaars, imposing Atlas Mountains, and undulating sands all have mystical powers over travelers, who feel more complete after experiencing the Moroccan mosaic of casbahs, souks, and Berber villages. As part of a two-week trip from Marrakesh to Fez from Mountain Travel Sobek, adventurers devote four days (and up to seven hours per day) camel-trekking across the desert, navigating pumpkin-colored dunes and black volcanic rock while rocking rhythmically atop a blanket. Nights are spent camping under the impossibly bright stars while the camels sleep nearby. After bidding goodbye to the animals, guests explore the dune mountains of Erfoud and the medieval architecture of Fez—including the 20-plus palaces of the sultan Moulay Ismail, who is said to have fathered 1,000 children. We're not sure how much time he spent on a camel.
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Why go? Because you need to believe in magic again.
What to pack: An extra suitcase, to bring home the handcrafted rugs, lanterns, pillows, and leather bags you'll pick up along the way.
Difficulty: 4 out of 10. Expect a bit of discomfort on the camels and one seven-hour day of hiking.
Your guides: Mountain Travel Sobek. Morocco-savvy since 1975, the company has had more than 30 years to track down the most cooperative dromedaries.
Mountain Travel Sobek
Tel: 510-594-6000
14-day trip, including nine nights in hotels, four nights camping, and all meals, $4,295 per person
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