Despite it's small size, the Latin American country Costa Rica has taken a stand on the international stage.  In a world of resource acquisition and the diffusion of cultural heritage, Costa Rica has made the preservation of its environment and its people the number one priority.
  
Now a leader in sustainable tourism, Costa Rica has preserved that which makes it so unique: a diverse natural environment, a thriving society, and a strong cultural identity.
 
For an intrepid adventure traveler, this means even more than pristine habitat, thrilling and safe adventures, and authentic gifts at artisan markets.  According to an independent research group in Britain, Costa Rica ranks #1 as the "happiest place in the world," perhaps due their prioritization of their environment and their people.

Their happiness could also be due to two simple words that have infiltrated nearly every moment of Costs Rica's daily life.

When the Pacific Northwest rain begins to fall and the winter months slyly creep into our daily lives, the whitewater rafting industry does not hibernate. Granted, it does get some much needed rest.  The industry simply shifts into evaluating, planning, and brainstorming for another season.

This period of reflection begins in early December with the annual American Outfitters Association industry tradeshow in Reno, Nevada.

River rafting outfitters, kayak schools, and manufacturers of rafting and kayaking equipment benefit from this natural break in the cycle of business. The time enables the industry to evaluate and improve upon our services.

For our guests, this means the whitewater experience is likely to get better every year.

The 2011 Wet Planet Peru Expedition exceeded everyone's expectations, even the intrepid international guide Brian Lee. As with any good whitewater expedition in a developing nation, the trip had its share of trials and tribulations, to remind us of the great lengths we go to for the ultimate adventure. River Explorers, Wet Planet's Peruvian partner, employs a very talented, professional, and thoroughly intriguing staff.

Below are highlights from Brian's official trip report, enough to get every other Wet Planet staff member excited for future international river travel.

From getting record numbers of kids out on the water, to raising thousands of dollars for First Descents, to sunny class V rafting, to a national river restoration event on our home river, 2011 has been a year to remember.  

A Staff Trip To Set The Tone

While Wet Planet operates twelve months a year, the beginning of the river season really sets the wheels in motion for a successful whitewater rafting and kayaking year. Every river runner knows the best way to celebrate another season is with a big river trip on the Owyhee River.

Emphasis on the big river.

They came from all corners of the country: Cat and Drew from Asheville, NC, Nicki and Brian from Crested Butte, Giani from Montana, and many from right here in the Columbia River Gorge. Friends reunited, celebrating with dutch ovens, surf sessions, canyon side-hikes, and some delicious cocktails (I'm partial to Jaco's spiced wine).

The desire for exploration is fundamental to human nature. We explore our surroundings, we explore our own beliefs and-most of all-we explore new places.

As the efficiency of infrastructure has grown, so has our ability to travel freely. I may live in White Salmon, Washington, but the Salween River in southwestern China is only a plane trip and bus ride away at any moment (albeit, a long plane trip and uncomfortable bus ride).

The relative ease of travel has made the tourism industry drastically boom over the last 50 years. Now, as we begin to step-back and see the effects of our actions on the planet as a whole, we realize that traveling sustainably makes a big difference in preserving those spectacular places we yearn to explore.

Whitewater kayaking is growing up.

From long, fiberglass kayaks and 90 degree paddles to roto-molded plastic and carbon kevlar foam-core, kayaking and its devoted participants have seen significant changes within the sport since its initial popularity over half a century ago.  

Initial explorers mapped out drainages, tested gear and got skunked with water levels all for the sake of the next best thing in kayaking. Moving beyond the 50 states, international kayak trips turned this up a notch with seemily limitless exploration potential.

Just like skinny jeans and cool kids, the "expedition" has progressively gained popularity outside of the core crew of advanced kayakers. Now, everyone wants to wear skinny jeans (except for the author who finds their movement constriction repulsive).

This doesn't mean it isn't scary (expeditions, not skinny jeans). Detailed planning, endless logistics, in-depth research...its a lot of work.

Read More.

We are back from our India Mission! Wow, what a trip, what a country. Beautiful, interesting, different, although challenging at times. Yet, can't wait to go back to see and explore more. India does that to me each time.
In December 2009 Todd and I flew to India with the mission to explore a new destination for Wet Planet's International Wet Planet trips. We explored the possibility for a 12-day whitewater trip on the Siang River in India's NE Arunachal Pradesh. The Siang (Tsangpo in Tibet before entering India) is a beautiful river running through a very scenic deep lush river canyon, with BIG volumous water, located in the foot hills of the far Eastern Himalayas. This region is one of the most remote and least traveled regions of India, though many different tribes which have lived in the region for generations and even centuries. Continue reading ...

To see the India photo album on flickr, click here.