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If You Like Indiana Jones Movies, You’ll Love These 8 Places to Visit

1. Moab, Utah:
Moab is a city eastern Utah, in the western United States. It is 569 kms west of Denver. Moab hosts a large number of tourists every year, mostly visitors flock to the Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, which are located close by. The town is also a popular base for mountain bikers who come to ride the Slickrock Trail, and off-roaders who come for the annual Moab jeep safari. Moab has been used as a filming location for movies, TV programs and commercials. Two national parks are located within Moab, the Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park.

2. Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad:
The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TS) is a narrow gauge heritage railway running between Antonito in Colorado to Chama in New Mexico. The track was originally laid in 1880, but started functioning in 1970. The railroad began to take tourists on a 6 hour trip between the two towns, using steam locomotives. The railroad has also been featured in several movies, including “The Last Crusade” and “Indiana Jones”.

3. Burmingham, Hertfordshire, London
Buckinghamshire is one of the home-counties in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury. Buckinghamshire is a multi-cultural area. Aylesbury has a sizable Italian population, and Amersham has a large Polish community dating from the Second World War. Stowe is the name shared by an ancient village, country house and school in Buckinghamshire in England. Stowe is situated about two miles north-west of Buckingham. The breathtaking landscape gardens, including its many monuments have been acquired by the National Trust since 1990 but are open to the general public. The National Trust is currently overseeing a complete restoration of the grounds, temples and follies.

Stowe is also famous for film locations. Some famous films shoot in Stowe include “Proof of Life”, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” , the famous “The World is Not Enough” to name a few. Borehamwood is a town in southern Hertfordshire, north of London. Since 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This has earned it the nickname of the “British Hollywood”. Most of the studios have now closed, although two remain. Some well-known movies shot here include “Moby Dick”, “The Dam Busters”, the first three series of “Indiana Jones” and the first three “Star Wars” series. At one time during the 1980s six of the top ten box office hits of all time had been produced at the studios.

4. Venice:
Venice is a city in northern Italy, the capital of region Veneto. Venice’s main waterway splits the city in half. Venice’s nicknames include “Queen of the Adriatic”, “City of Water”, “City of Bridges”, and “The City of Light”. The best way to explore the architectural splendors of these Renaissance buildings is on board of a pedestrian access across the canal. Venice is also famous for its cathedrals at St. Mark’s Square. Designer stores line the streets at St. Mark’s Square. Also other places of interest are the Archaeological Museum and the Museo del Risorgimento. The commercial core of Venice is Raito. Still today Raito resembles a busy fruit and vegetable market of the early days. Many famous movies have been shot at different locales of Venice.

5. Granada, Spain
Granada is the capital of the province of Granada, in the sovereign region of Andalusia, Spain. It is situated at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, at the convergence of two rivers, Darro and Genil, at an elevation of 738 metres above sea level. The Alhambra, a Moorish citadel and palace, is in Granada. It is one of the most famous items of the Muslims, Jews and Christian historical legacy that makes Granada a hot spot among cultural and tourist cities in Spain. The Almohad urbanism with some fine examples of Moorish and Morisco constructions is preserved at the part of the city called the Albaicin.

6. Petra Edom Mountains, Jordan
Petra is an archaeological site in Jordan, lying in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah, the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. It is famous for having many stone structures carved into the rock. It was famously described as a rose-red city since time immemorial. The site was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 when it was described as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage. In July 2007, Petra was named one of New Seven Wonders of the World. Petra is featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as the Holy Temple where the Holy Grail is located.

7. Iskenderun, Turkey
Iskenderun is a city in southern Turkey situated on the Mediterranean Sea below the Nur Mountains. Iskenderun’s modern economy is based around the activities of its harbor and from the pipeline bringing oil from Kirkuk in Iraq. Iskenderun has undergone several schemes of modernization, and there is very little left of the city’s long history. Still, it is a tempting place, and is one of the most cosmopolitan places in Turkey, with sizeable Christian and Jewish communities which coexist well with the Muslim majority. The cuisines of Iskenderun is mouth-watering, especially Kunefe, a hot dessert with cheese. Iskenderun in particular offers good quality fish and prawns.

In the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Jones claims the Holy Grail is in the “canyon of the crescent moon” outside of Alexandretta. Indiana explains that Alexandretta was completely demolished by the end of the first crusades and that the city is now known as Iskender. In the movie, the Nazis offer the sultan of Hatay precious valuables to compensate for removing the Grail from his borders. He ignores the valuables, but accepts their Rolls-Royce Phantom II. Following that, we see the Jones boys head from Berlin to Alexandretta where they find the Holy Grail.

8. Tilbury Docks in Essex. London
Tilbury is a town located on the north bank of the River Thames, in England. It is notable for being the location of a deep water port, a 16th century fort, the site of what was an important ferry to Gravesend on the south bank of the river and close to the location where Queen Elizabeth I made her famous speech to the troops at the time of the expected invasion by the Spanish Armada in 1588. The docks at Tilbury stood in for those of Venice during the boat chase scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Scenes for the film Batman Begins were also filmed here, as well as a scene in the 2004 Jude Law film Alfie. There was also an episode of London’s Burning, a drama show, which was shot in the Old Firestation of Tilbury.

Exploring the mountains, its cultures and natural beauty is best done by trekking. Gone are the days when traveling to high mountains for trekking and other expeditions were considered for only brave and strong people, who could climb they way up. Today’s travelers can arrive at high altitudes without wasting their precious time and going through tedious ordeals. Many ski resorts and mountain cities can be reached directly by jet planes which in no time lands the travelers a kilometer or more above sea level.

Found on these mountains are lush alpine valleys, spectacular mountain passes and villages in high mountain ranges around the world. From trekking among these high altitude mountains you explore unique environments and discover fascinating cultures and exotic foods. But the best way to enjoy these adventurous destinations is to cover them by foot.

In my opinion the world’s top 5 famous high altitude destinations for adventure and sight seeing are:

Mount Everest, Nepal

At a fearful height of 8,848 meters, the Everest region is justifiably one of the world’s most popular and spectacular mountaineering destinations, as it offers charming and enjoyable trekking. While trekking you would pass many farm villages with beautiful views of the world’s highest snow capped peaks. At many points during the course of trekking one could stop to watch and capture an exceptional panoramic view of the peaks and its glaciers, including Mount Everest. This is a real classic trekking adventure destination on earth.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

The summit of Kilimanjaro stands at 6413 feet, the highest point in all of Africa and one of the famed Seven Summits in the world. Beginning the expedition from the Umbwe route which is somewhat steeper than the busier routes, the trek is dazzling. As it climbs from the trailhead at 6,000 feet to the summit, it passes through every natural zone found in this area of East Africa. You begin in the rain-forest; pass through pines and cedars, then into grassland, then into the alpine tundra, and eventually into the barren world of the Kilimanjaro crater itself. Kilimanjaro is the perfect place to experience climbing a high-altitude peak without needing years of experience or training.

Patagonia, South America

Patagonia is an area of the world that cannot be described from any angle. Located at the southern tip of South America, it is a land of extremes, where massive storms lash off the Pacific and create huge glaciers, sculpted mountains, deep glacier lakes and flora and fauna that exist nowhere else on earth. The Torres del Paine national park is the gem of Patagonia and one of the most incredible parks in the world. Walking is the best way to experience Patagonia. There are 2 large lakes in the region, lake Grey and Lake Pehoe which are fed by glaciers coming off the mountains.

Alpamayo, Peru

Alpamayo at 5913 meters is the gem of the Cordillera Blanca (the mountain range) in Peru. Ever since it was first conquered way back in 1951, climbers from around the world have been flocking to conquer its fluted Southwest Face. Many fledgling high altitude climbers consider this peak a zenith of their early climbing careers. It has often been named by climbers and some adventure magazines as the most beautiful mountain in the world. Alpamayo deserves what it has been referred to as. Climbers know that there are close to reaching the summit when they begin to see light through the face from the other side of the mountain. To successfully reach the top of Alpamayo requires hard work, practice and solid mountaineering and ice climbing skills. It is ideal for combining previous high altitude climbing experience with steep ice climbing skills to trek Alpamayo.

Huayna Potosi, Bolivia

At 6,054 meters, Huayna Potosi is taller than most peaks in the America except for a few. Bolivia remains the least toured but most adventurous country. It offers all the attractions of its more popular neighbors like Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, but still has not yet been accepted by the masses. For climbers, Bolivia is a dream. Even its capital city La Paz is the most ideal spot for mountaineers. La Paz sits in a valley at 11,900 feet, surrounded by snow covered peaks and rolling hills. The La Paz airport, the highest international airport in the world, is even higher, at 13,200 feet! Lake Titicaca, which is the highest navigable lake in the world, is also a good spot for mountaineering and trekking.

Coral reefs are one of the most interesting undersea features. Coral reefs are considered as earth’s natural aquaria and are the habitat of tropical fishes like the vibrant multicolored parrot fishes, angel fishes, damsel fishes and butter fishes. Not only the variety of these colorful fishes attract the adventurers but the congregate of over 4000 species of fishes including groupers, snappers, grunts and wrasses are spectacular to watch. While watching these colored fishes adventurers come across large creatures like turtles, rays and other sea animals.

Some well-known coral reef regions of the World consist of:
• Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia
• Belize Barrier Reef, Belize, Central America
• Red Sea Coral Reef, Off the coast of Saudi Arabia and Egypt
• Pulley Ridge, Florida
• Numerous reefs scattered over the Maldives

Some interesting undersea adventurers are:

Scuba diving is underwater swimming with the usage of independent breathing equipment. Scuba divers normally swim underwater for long hours using fins and by carrying a source of compressed air. The word “SCUBA” is an acronym of “Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus”. Few divers also swim with the aid of DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) also referred to as ‘scooter”, or by sleds which are pulled by a boat. Recreational Scuba Diving is mostly done for underwater photography and video, spear fishing and watching underwater creatures. Underwater Archeology and Marine studies also include Scuba diving extensively.

Spear Fishing is considered as a form of fishing. Spear fishing customarily comprises of spearing fish out of rivers and streams by the use of sharp-edged stick for catching food. Currently contemporary and efficient elastic or compressed air – powered spear guns are used with slings to capture the hunted fish. Spear Fishing is ideally done using shore-diving, snorkeling, boat-diving or scuba diving practices.

Snorkeling requires no prior training but only the ability to swim and breath through the Snorkel. A snorkel is a 30 centimeters long J-shaped plastic or rubber tube fixed at one end with a ,mouth piece. Snorkeling is possible in any water body but snorkeling is enjoyed where there are minimal waves, warmer waters and with something fascinating to watch near the surface of water. Few among the most popular snorkeling locations are seas loaded with coral reefs like the Caribbean Sea, Red Sea and the Coral Sea.

Pearl Hunting once considered a profession is know gaining popularity as an adventure sport in some parts of the world. Divers need to go deep down to the ocean bed and find the pearls in oysters. The famous places for pearl hunting is the Persian gulf, Gulf of Mannar, Sulu Archipelago of Philippines and the Red sea.