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River Dance Lodge

Idaho - Rafting, F ly F ishing,Hiking & Multisports

Oregon - Rafting& F ly F ishing

Montana - Rafting & Canoeing

Alaska - Yachting& Sea Kayaking

BC - Yachting & Sea Kayaking

Ecuador - Andean Adventures

Rafting & AmazonJungle Lodges

Galapagos - Land-basedMultisport, Yacht &Small Ship Cruises

Peru - Hiking the Inca Trail

Algeria - The Sahara’sSecret Sands

France - Hotel Barges

Holland - Hotel Barges

Ireland - Hotel Barges

Croatia - Yachtingthe Adriatic

Greece - Yachtingthrough History

Turkey - Yachtingthe Turquoise Coast

Great Bear Wilderness

Jamaica - Blue Mountains to White Beaches Multisport

Egypt - The Nile& Beyond

Brazil Multisport - NEW!

CELEBRATING OUR 31ST YEAR OF ADVENTURE! WINTER 2010

INSIDE THIS ISSUECulinary Adventures ........................... 2From the Founder ................................ 2Bitterroot Bonanza .............................. 3Idaho Rafting. ....................................... 4Galapagos Adventures ....................... 5Contest Winner .................................... 5River Dance Lodge .............................. 6Best Whitewater on Earth .................. 6

AWARDEDNational Geographic

Best Travel Companies on Earthfor 2007, 08 & 09 and

25 Best New Trips for 2010!

Missouri River Canoe Trips ................. 7Turkey & Greece Adventures ............. 7The Experienced Traveler ................... 7Adventure Calendar. ........................... 8

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From the Founder2009 WAS A SIGNIFICANT year at ROW Adventures as we celebrated our 30th anniversary. To

underscore the march of time, my daughter Mariah headed off to college. At 18, she is just four years younger than I was when I started ROW Adventures at the age of 22. It’s been a rewarding 30 years of growth, challenge and change. The company started with a $10,000 loan – just enough to purchase a used school bus, two old rafts from another outfitter, all the required accessories and camping gear, print a brochure and run a few ads. The first few years were tough and in the early 1980’s the country was in a recession. But that was no barrier for idealism and youthful enthusiasm! Soon we’d gone from offering trips on just two rivers, to having trips on five. In 1984 we ran our first international trip, a yachting adventure in Turkey and Greece that doubled as a honeymoon for Betsy and me. The pattern of growth has continued since then, with the addition of new des-tinations and new trips every year as well as the creation and construction of River Dance Lodge.

Alongside this journey of our business, Betsy and I managed to also raise our two children. A few years ago, Mariah as a rebellious teenager wanted nothing to do with the business. That changed in time and she spent the last two summers working as a whitewater guide and discov-ering that our business really is pretty cool. Jonah, 16, is pondering what sort of position might interest him. They have both inherited our wanderlust evidenced by Mariah’s choice of going to college in Switzerland, where just recently we all spent a lovely winter skiing holiday together.

While the last two years have been tough on every kind of travel business that I know, we’ve managed to weather the economic storm fairly well. Our business dropped, but with our fantastic team of creative thinkers we’ve adjusted the sails and after getting beat up in a few squalls, are now set for smooth sailing. We are so very thankful to our faithful guests, many of whom have traveled with us time and time again! You are the lifeblood of our existence.

We’re gratified to see the new awareness of and, desire for, authentic travel experiences since this is the very essence of our business. Our trips feature small groups, local guides, inti-mate connections with local people and all the elements that make for a life-enriching journey for both body and soul.

I hope that our menu of trips around the world will entice you to join us in 2010. Perhaps a family reunion or adventure escape at our River Dance Lodge is on your list. Whatever your travel plans may be, we hope to part of them. With thanks and gratitude, I remain,

Yours Faithfully,

Peter Grubb

ROW CulinaryAdventures

EVERYONE LOVES to eat, but some peo-ple make eating and drinking one of their main focuses and passions in travel. For these people ROW Adventures has several culinary-focused trips. Our Whitewater Cu-linary Series gets you out on one of our four to six-day river trips where you can learn how to be a gourmet camp cook. Whip up a cake in the Dutch oven, or learn the secrets of our Dutch oven prime rib. Our guides teach you how to prepare these dishes and many others. Some folks prefer to let us do all the cooking and just watch while sipping on fine wines of the Pacific Northwest.

We have a new culinary trip in Croa-tia this year called “A Taste of Croatia” that focuses on visits to wineries, heirloom veg-etable growers and learning about the lo-cal produce of Croatia while traveling on a goureous 105’ yacht. Call us to learn more!

Jonah, Betsy, Mariah & Peter above Peru’s Sacred Valley

Bitterroot Bonanza Wins “Best New Trip”WHEN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Adventure Magazine, picked its 2010 “Best New Trips,” they only chose two

from the United States. ROW Adventures is proud to announce that our innovative “Bitterroot Bonanza Multisport” trip was one of them! “For the first time ever,” explains founder Peter Grubb, “North Idaho’s world class Rails-to-Trails system is linked into a superb itinerary that combines biking, rafting and kayaking. We are proud because this well deserved region has some of the best adventure travel opportunities in the nation, yet is only begin-ning to be discovered.

This is an ideal family trip and since this is in ROW Adventures’ own back-yard, you can be sure to have plenty of surprises and special treats along the way. Some departures will be camping trips, while others stay at local hotels and dine out. The trip starts in Spokane, Washington with a ride on the Washington/Idaho Centennial Trail along the Spokane River. We reach the resort town of Coeur d’Alene, on Lake Coeur d’Alene with time to play in the lake. The next day we en-joy a half-day kayak trip on the lake and then ride the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, one of the jewels of the National Rails-to-Trails system.

We trade our pedals for paddles and raft the scenic and tumbling Clark Fork River, one of the region’s most popular whitewater river trips suitable for rafters of all ages! Then a spectacular day on the historical Hiawatha Trail, where you will bike through tunnels and across dramatic trestles spanning can-yons of the Bitterroot Mountains on the Idaho/Montana border. The trail is not far from the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area, one of the largest protected areas in the United States. After five days full of outdoors, history and activities we return you to Spokane where your adventure began.

Departures: July 12 and 26 | Aug 2, 16, and 23 Price: $1395 (camping option) $1595 (hotel option)

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Did You Know?ROW ADVENTURES started as a whitewater rafting company in Idaho and Oregon, but today oper-

ates in four states and 14 countries. About half of our business is international trips, with the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador as our best-seller. On average we add two new trips each year. In 2010, our local Bitterroot Bonanza, a kayak instructional trip on the Grande Ronde River in Oregon, a new lodge-based adventure in the Galapagos and our culinary Taste of Croatia trips are new.

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Idaho RaftingIT’S NO WONDER that Idaho river trips continue to ride a wave of popularity. The romance of

the West, the magnificence of a wild river canyon, the excitement of the rapids, the restorative effect of nature and the fun of sharing it all with others, are just a few of the reasons.

Our trips in Idaho take you to places that are truly wild. Not much has changed since the days of Lewis and Clark. Some of the rivers such as the Bruneau and the upper reaches of the Owyhee see fewer than 500 people a year. Even the more popular stretches, like the Middle Fork of the Salmon, are so well managed, with limited launches, group size and assigned camp spots, that a sense of solitude is maintained.

We are proud to offer the widest variety of river trips in Idaho. From one day trips in the north to the remote desert canyons of the south, no other outfitter can take you to as many rivers as ROW.

ROW Adventures has made it easy for you to enjoy these wild places. We take care of all the logistics, provide all the equipment and offer a level of service and creature comfort that encourages even novice campers to join us. On most trips a cargo boat and crew go ahead of

the group to set up camp. When you arrive, just pick the tent of your choice, roll out your sleeping bag and then head off to fish, hike, soak in a hot spring or relax under a tree.

Our trips provide a lot of opportunity for learn-ing too. At night our telescope allows you to examine the craters of the moon. During the day, this same scope can be used for wildlife viewing – to study a wandering black bear or a grazing big horn sheep across the river.

Hiking is a part of all our trips and many of the rivers we run have excellent hiking trails. As we walk you’ll see flowers, plants and trees as well as bugs, liz-ards and animal tracks. Our guides share their knowl-edge and what they don’t know can often be found in our river library.

Many of our guests ask, “Which is the best river?” Really, you can’t go wrong. Any of our trips promise to be among the most relaxing and fulfilling vaca-tions you’ve ever experienced. That’s why so many guests return time and time again, sometimes to float the same river, sometimes to try another.

The magic of the river is catching and we hope it will soon flow through your veins too.

Popular Multi-DayRafting Trips

in IdahoMiddle Fork of the Salmon

AMONG WHITEWATER rafting rivers, the Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho is a legend. The pure, clear, free-flowing river drops 3000 feet during its 105 mile Idaho rafting journey through Idaho’s remote and spectacular River of No Return Wilderness, the largest wilderness area in the lower 48 states

Departures: Weekly starting June 1st.Last departure is Mid -Sept.Price: starting at only $1495

Family Magic on theSalmon River Canyons

OUR “FAMILY MAGIC” departures are ex-clusive to families and feature warm water, massive white sand beaches and short hikes to historic sites of the Nez Perce Indians. The real magic of this family trip is the “River Jester,” a guide who entertains children with nature hikes and other fun activities.

Departures: Every Sunday and Mondaystarting July 5th. Last departure is Sept 12th.

Price: starting at only $1445

Snake River through Hells Canyon

OUR SNAKE RIVER rafting adventures through Hells Canyon are journeys through a land rich in myth and geologic wonder. Running south to north, the Snake River in Hells Canyon cuts through some of the most rugged, spectacular landscape on earth. Abundant wildlife, fish and Class III-IV white water rapids make the Snake River in Hells Canyon a classic river rafting adventure.

Departures: 3, 4, 5 and 6 day trips startingMay 22nd. Last departure is Sept 17th.

Price: starting at only $990

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New Galapagos Islands Lodge Adventure

NEW THIS YEAR, ROW Adventures has intro-duced a unique enchanted island experience to compliment our award winning “Galapagos Unbound” adventure and our traditional cruise tours. It is a lodge-to-lodge adventure that takes guests to beautiful local villas and lodges where you’ll be among the wildlife, beaches, scenery and culture of these magical islands. The adventures are from 5, 6 or 8 days and de-part daily...making this truly the most flexible Galapagos vacation we offer.

The Red Mangrove Aventura Lodge in Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, is uniquely isolated inside a red mangrove forest in front of the sea, yet only a five-minute walk to the Charles Darwin Research Station or downtown Puerto Ayora. The Red Mangrove Isabela Lodge is a

newly renovated (not merely refurbished) lodge that sits on a 2 mile long white sandy beach. The Red Mangrove Floreana Lodge offers newly constructed casitas directly in front of the sea. Depending on your trip length, you’ll visit each of these magnificent lodges and the distinct regions they possess.

This adventure offers an array of Galapagos Islands activities options pioneered by ROW Adventures where visitors are not limited to cruises but to more widely experience a vacation on the the islands. Our land-based programs provide a very holistic look at the Galapagos because you also learn about and interact with the human population which is also a part of this intricate ecosystem.

All of the lodges are locally owned which once again shows our commitment to sustain-able travel and tourism. This tour is operated locally, products are bought locally, and our guest receive excellent service and interpretation from educated local guides.

Our Galapagos Unbound sea kayak and multisport trip remains a popular option and fa-vorite among guests. Departures are offered year-round. If you’re considering a vacaton to the Galapagos, look no further as our knowledge of these Islands and travel options is unparalled!

Galapagos TripWinner Annouced!

IN NOVEMBER 2009, ROW Adventures an-nounced a “Galapagos Islands Giveaway” to past guest and to Facebook fans.

ENTRANTS: The game was simple, go online and view our new South America online brochure or be a fan of the ROW Adventures Facebook page and you were entered. We had over 1200 people enter the contest.

PRIZE: A trip on our award winning “Gala-pagos Unbound” adventure tour!

DRAWING: On December 31st, 2009 at 11:59 pm, right before the ball dropped, an entrant was randomly chosen.

WINNER: Margaret Rothchild. Marga-ret is a past ROW guest who in the summer of 2009 took her family on our Lewis & Clark Expedition, Missouri River Canoe trip (see page 7). She resides in Seattle, WA but is originally from the UK.

From our office, Brad Moss, called her on New Year’s day to tell her she had won. Brad says, “She first thought it was a prank call...then she started yelling for her husband, got him on the line and both of them were extremely excited, grateful and really couldn’t believe it.” Margaret has already started to make plans for her Enchanted Islands journey.

A big “thank you” from the ROW Team to all who entered. The response was great and we hope to be able to have another contest in 2010. If you are not a Facebook fan of ROW Adventures, be sure to go to facebook.com/rowadventures where you can stay in contact with past guests, make new friends, share photos and be included in exclusive contests like these!

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New Directon at River Dance LodgeIT’S HARD TO BELIEVE that 2010 is the sixth year we’ve had the cabins

opened at River Dance Lodge. It’s been quite a journey and a huge effort thus far. The trees we planted are growing tall, bushes are filling out and the landscaping looks good. Our staff has been doing a superb job of keeping guests happy. As we evaluated our future, we decided that we wanted to focus on an all-inclusive package concept. While we’ve been offering all-inclusive packages during the past six years, we haven’t made them the main feature. Now our focus will be on fixed-length stays run-ning Thursday to Sunday or Sunday to Thursday to include all meals and activities. We will still accept reservations for people who simply want to

rent a cabin for a few nights, but we’re hop-ing that most of our guests will opt for our value-oriented pack-ages. We’ve priced these so that couples or families can come and enjoy the place for under $150/day per person inclusive

of all meals and activities such as whitewater rafting, gentle floats, horseback riding, guided walks or bike rides. River Dance Lodge is open from mid-April to mid-Octo-ber every year. To learn more, visit www.RiverDanceLodge.com.

Best Whitewater on Earth!THERE’S NO BETTER whitewater trip in May and June than a day or two on the Lochsa River. Pounding class IV-V rapids thunder through a thick forest of cedar, fir and pine in the Bitterroot Mountains. The volume on the Lochsa ranges from 5,000 to 20,000 cfs which compares to that of the Colorado in the Grand Canyon or the Snake River in Hells Canyon. But unlike those rivers that drop less than

eight feet each mile, the Lochsa drops over 30-feet a mile! Few rivers have this raft-bashingcombination of volume and gradient. At the end of the day, soak in your own private hot tub at the River Dance Lodge and enjoy a delicious meal at the Syringa Café. Check out our Snake/Lochsa combo trips too!

River Dance Lodge is located in central Idaho along U.S. Highway 12. It’s an easy drive from the Lewiston, ID; Missoula, MT; or Spokane, WA Airports.

WHITEWATER RUSH PACKAGESign up for our Whitewater Rush package between now and Feb. 20 and get a free photo CD of your trip!

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Dear ROW, what do you think is the most satisfying snacks when traveling?

I think nuts are the most satisfy-ing travel food, so usually I bring almond butter and honey sandwich-es with me on flights. I made banana chocolate cashew granola bars the other day and I think they’d be perfect for snacking when traveling. They’re a bit sticky though.

I also like to roll cold cuts, chees-es and roasted peppers together like little burritos.

Dear ROW, I’ve heard the term “responsible travel.” What does it mean?

Responsible travel is a term that has come to replace eco-travel as a broader, better-defined con-cept. To travel responsibly means many things. For one, it means to minimize one’s impact, both environ-mentally as well as culturally. This means choosing accommodations that operate in a responsible man-ner and do their best to minimize use of resources. It means hiring local guides and buying locally-made handicrafts. A responsible traveler tries to adapt to the local culture rather than imposing their own stan-dards on it. They would read about their destination ahead of time in order to be familiar with it. Rather than giving candy to village children they would find out prior to their trip what sorts of things a village might need, and if there was an appropri-ate way to give them that. They might buy carbon offsets for their airplane transport. They would be sure to choose a tour operator or out-fitter that follows responsible travel ethics. To learn more, visit:blog.sustainabletravel.com.

Missouri RiverCanoe Trips

ONE OF THE NATION’S newest National Mon-uments, the Upper Missouri River Breaks is the setting for our five-day canoe trips along the trail of Lewis and Clark. Most trips are accom-panied by guest historians and stop frequently to walk and explore this enchanting landscape while learning about the Corps of Discovery, Native peoples, early settlers and much more. Trips depart June to September.

Dear ROW, where is the best “honest to goodness” whitewater on earth?

The best whitewater on earth is what ever river you are on at the moment. Running rivers is about the people you are with, the weather, food and much more. Any day of running whitewater is better than a day not. All rivers are magical and being on them will reveal this magic. There is your “political,” all be it true, answer. But I’m sure you are looking for something more specific, so here you go...

The Lochsa River. Period. It’s known as the best whitewater river in the world. The reasons are simple, the Lochsa is good clean fun! It is all day (30+ rapids in 20 miles) in your face whitewater (waves that break over your head). The Lochsa is primarily class IV which means that it is fun, but does not come with as much exposure to risk as class V.

ROW happens to be one of the 4 out-fitters in the world that run trips on the Lochsa. Our thought long ago was...”if we want to be the best rafting company on earth, we need to be an outfitter on the best whitewater on earth.” The Lochsa is one of the reasons we built the River Dance Lodge. We knew of the potential of the Lochsa and wanted to add to the experience. Check our our all-inclusive packages during Lochsa season and you’ll soon see why the Lochsa is the “honest to goodness” best whitewater on earth.

“This isn’t our first barbecue…”

Cultural Travels inTurkey & Greece

ROW ADVENTURE’S has been operating trips in Turkey and Greece since 1984. We spe-cialize in custom trips as well as group depar-tures. Our classic 14-day tour that includes 9 days on a Turkish Gulet remains one of our favorite travel experiences in the world. Call us today for our itinerary or custom proposal.

ROW founders Peter Grubb and Betsy Bowen onhoneymoon trip in 1984 in Xanthos, Turkey

The Experienced TravelerThe Experienced Traveler

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