The Santa Fe Mountain Adventures Experience - An exhilarating combination of adventure, fitness, culture and education

November, 2006

Best New Adventures for 2006

National Geographic Adventure

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By Bonnie Tsui

Putting Your Whole Self In

Outfitter: Santa Fe Mountain Adventures (www.santafemountainadventures.com)

Length: 5 days
Price: $1,200

"The color up there is different," Georgia O'Keeffe once said of the wildflowers and red-hued mountains of New Mexico. After her arrival in Santa Fe in 1929, O'Keeffe famously found inspiration by roaming the mountainous desert landscape. These days, the soulful still goes hand-in-hand with the outdoors at Santa Fe Mountain Adventures, a brand-new outfit that started operating in the area in May. "We're doing a beloved outdoor destination in a new way, combining active elements with holistic components such as an adventure spa program," says director Janine Sieja. "We've found that, more and more, people want to fulfill spiritual as well as physical goals."

SFMA is an "adventure concierge" service, the latest buzz in adventure travel. Essentially, you tell them how you want to spend your days, and they make it happen: You can raft down the Rio Grande in the morning, hike among the Native American sites at Bandelier National Monument in the afternoon, and end the day with a desert sage massage. Local guides will lead you to hidden canyons and the best rivers for catching cutthroat trout, and Sieja will show you Ravens Ridge, her favorite hike, with incredible views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. "People can enjoy an adventure outdoors that's also cultural and reward themselves with good food and a great place to stay," says CAO (chief adventure officer) Owen Perillo. "In some way, they change their lifestyle—maybe it's a new sport, maybe it's taking up yoga or meditation. This place gives people techniques to be better balanced in the rest of their lives."

Pick This If: You want all the perks of a deluxe Southwest adventure, without any planning.

Departs: Year-round