“The appeal of this place is the play of light on these wide-open spaces: Sitting at almost 12,000 feet above sea level on the Altiplano of southern Bolivia, the Salar de Uyuni is almost entirely devoid of wildlife and vegetation, save for three species of pink flamingos (who get their coloring from the pink algae and crustaceans they ingest), a rare hummingbird species, and an occasional Andean goose.”

Click here to learn more about Adventure Life’s  Bolivia Backroads trip.

The article says:

The Neilsons wanted a relaxed home that would reflect the architectural charm of a Lowcountry Plantation and the informal style of Caribbean. But first, they needed an ideal location. The couple found the perfect placement for their quiet retreat in Spring Island, a luxurious community near Beaufort offering a wide range of amenities within an eco-friendly 3,000-acre setting.

The Nielsons found the perfect architectural partner in Atlanta’s Historical Concepts. Historical Concepts coffee table book, mentioned in the same article, includes photos of the Neilson’s South Carolina golf course home along with dozens of other award winning homes designed by the firm.

Spring Island is a 3,000-acre Lowcountry golf community located 35 minutes from Hilton Head and Savannah, and 30 minutes by boat from Port Royal Sound and the open Atlantic Ocean. Spring Island offers the finest man and nature can offer, including championship golf, world-class freshwater and saltwater fishing, equestrian facilities, tennis, quail hunting, nature center, fine and casual dining options, and a wide variety of educational pursuits.

Frontiers Travel is the industry leader in arranging salmon fishing  trips and Alaska fly fishing adventures to classic Bristol Bay fishing lodges, including Bristol Bay Lodge, No-See-Um, Tikchik Narrows and many more Alaska fishing lodges.  While Bristol Bay salmon fishing  is some of the best angling in the world, it is not the only fishing in the area.  Rainbow trout are available all season and average 3-10 pounds with some up to 15 pounds. Dolly varden, arctic char, arctic grayling, and at least one of the five Pacific salmon will have rods bent all season. Also, daily fly-out fishing excursions allow guests to experience the power of a monstrous king salmon.

For more info on Bristol Bay salmon fishing, Alaskan fishing trips, or  fly fishing lodges, call Frontiers Travel at 800-245-1950 or visit http://www.frontierstravel.com.

Owner/manager Bud Hodson has decades of Alaskan experience and a commitment to great fishing. Over the years, Tikchik has developed a very loyal clientele, so openings are rare and guests who have experienced the outstanding accommodations, great meals, and excellent fishing usually sign up again.

One of Frontiers' top recommendations for an unparalleled fly-out fishing experience is the legendary Bristol Bay Lodge, strategically located in the heart of North America's largest state park, Wood-Tikchik. In such unspoiled and untouched surroundings, guests staying at this private, luxurious hideaway can expect to catch a great abundance and variety of fish.

With a maximum capacity of twelve guests, No See um Lodge offers the ultimate fishing experience for couples and small groups. The cedar log guest house has shower and toilet facilities with each bedroom and a comfortable lounge complete with fireplace. Delicious meals are prepared and served in the dining room, and guests may plan the next day's fishing while tying flies in the fly-tying area.

MIR founder Douglas Grimes says: “We are elated to receive this honor from National Geographic Traveler. Having been born in 1960, I grew up during the “Space Race” and dreamed of being an astronaut. It has certainly been an honor for me to create a trip that offers such an intimate glimpse into Russia’s rich and historical space program.”

This tour is as close as you can get to actual space travel, and at $13, 995 per person, a bargain compared to a real space vacation. The ten day tour in October is the only one of its kind in 2012, and will include highlights such as witnessing the launch of the Soyuz space shuttle at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan as well as a tour of a replica of the International Space Station at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

After submitting to a medical test, travelers can participate in actual cosmonaut training for an additional fee. Ever wanted to take a ride in the world’s largest centrifuge, wear an actual Russian space suit, or experience zero gravity? This is your chance!

For more information on the “Inside the Russian Space Program” tour, visit http://www.mircorp.com/tour_russianspace2012.asp, or call 800-424-7289.

MIR Corporation, whose name means “peace” and “world” in Russian, has specialized in Russia (and neighboring countries) since 1986. Offering scheduled and custom journeys to Russia, along the Trans-Siberian and across the Silk Route, MIR’s Seattle-based experts design imaginative trips that take travelers far from the familiar, and work closely with local affiliates in Western Russia, Siberia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan to carry them out. MIR has twice been named one of National Geographic Adventure’s “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth,” and is a preferred operator for museum, alumni and special interest organizations across the country.

Founded in 1922 in Sweet Grass County along the Crazy Mountain range, the dude ranch sits on 8,500 acre of property which includes the 11,214-foot Crazy Peak, and is listed for sale at $9 million.

Van Cleve’s grandfather, affectionately called “Scrumper,” build up the dude ranch with his wife Helen to supplement their cattle and sheep business, while catering to East Coast summer guests who wanted to experience their own Wild West adventure.

Tack’s parents, “Spike” and Barbara Van Cleve took over in 1958 and eventually passed the reigns to their own children. Tack Van Cleve remembers his parents having to brave the first three winters without running water and electricity.

While guests don’t have to fetch their own water anymore, the Lazy K Bar ranch is still very much a no-frills getaway. Van Cleve, who went on to become the president of the Dude Ranching Association says that compared to other outfits, the Lazy K Bar ranch, doesn’t rely on dressing staff in cowboy hats, boots and huge belt buckles, but rather focuses on running a ranch where guests can entertain themselves along with the occasional horseback ride to a mountain lake, home cooked dinners, and nights at the bonfire telling stories.

Hall and Hall has received a lot of interest in the property already, but its future is still uncertain. The Van Cleves would like the buyer to maintain Lazy K Bar as a working dude ranch, or at least make it into a retreat of sorts, so that people will still be able to enjoy its rugged beauty.

Founded in 1946 as an agricultural mortgage company, Hall and Hall has become the largest full-service rural real estate firm within the Rocky Mountain West and Great Plains regions.  A leader in its field, Hall and Hall manages more than 1 million  acres of land, services a loan portfolio of more than $400 million. For additional information about Hall and Hall, contact the company headquarters in Billings, Montana at (406) 656-7500 or www.hallandhall.com.

PGA Tour player Phil Mickelson’s Tuscan home in Rancho Santa Fe, CA, made the Top Ten and is for sale at $7,095,000. Tour player Fred Couples’  Mediterranean style home in La Quinta, CA is one of the most luxurious golf properties for sale at $4,195,000.

Also on the list is a home at The Ranch Club in Missoula, Montana which has breathtaking Missoula land for sale, including this beautiful 3 bedroom/ 5 bath Montana Craftsman home listed at $1.7 million.

If you’re interested in a magnificent Hilton Head golf course homes for sale in South Carolina, look no further. Spring Island is a 3,000-acre island community in the South Carolina Lowcountry 35 minutes from Hilton Head. This 4 bedroom/ 4 bath Antebellum-style home listed among the Top Ten golf homes on CNBC is for sale at $1.995 million. The home sits on 3.7 acres with views of the Night Heron Pond and the 17th hole of the legendary Old Tabby Links golf course.

The Missoulian‘s Keila Szpaller reported on the progress being made with the massive $2.8 million project headed up by Adventure Life’s president Brian Morgan, and set to open doors this fall. The complex in the Spruce Street/Toole Avenue neighborhood is close to downtown Missoula and will feature Adventure Life’s brand new offices on the main floor and conference room in the daylight basement, as well as office space for lease, and high-end 1 bedroom apartments including stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops and generous outdoor decks.

Adjacent to the St. Patrick’s hospital, the area had seen some major improvements, first with the new Safeway, and then the upscale apartment and office building Spruce Street Plaza (previously the Meadowgold building). According to Morgan this is evidence “that the area has room for increased development and a sort of rebirth.”

Cabin owner Alison Wren says: “It’s like you’re a world away, but you’re only an hour and a half from town.”  The 2,400 acre hunting paradise boasts luxurious lakeside cabins and 40 acre ranches. If you don’t own property at Pine Creek, you might become one of the invitational members, who pay $20,000 annually to use the amenities while staying in the lodge.

The sprawling Florida hunting club is a quiet retreat from busy Palm Beach. Members come up on the weekends to shoot clays, or hunt quail, pheasant and wild turkeys. Others simply enjoy the abundant wildlife or relax with one of the many wellness programs, fitness classes and spa treatments.

Whether alone, as a couple, or a family with kids, Pine Creek Sporting Club is sure to please and excite anyone looking for a luxury getaway close to town, but with the feel of untamed wilderness.

Pine Creek Sporting Club

Taking the number 9 spot among the 25 most manly homes in the country, the Kootenai Springs compound is built from wood and stone, accented with floor to ceiling windows as well as indoor and outdoor fireplaces. The Bitterroot river forms the Eastern boundary of the 1,186 acre property with its own fishable streams and ponds located in Stevensville, Montana.

This manly home on a licensed shooting preserve boasts a main house, guest house, and 508 square foot Boy’s Club with a wet bar, poker table and fly-tying stations. Flat screen TVs, in-floor heating and leather seating make for a relaxed evening after a day of hunting and fishing. Good thing this man cave has an extra freezer and fridge for your daily catch or kill!

Listed with Hall & Hall, the Kootenai Springs Ranch is for sale at $10.5 million.