International Travel

Picture this. You’re at the top of the mountain with the sun beating down on your face. You take a deep breath, pull down your visor, strap into your board and begin to plunge. The wind is at your back from the gravity ripping you down the sandy decline. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the popular sport of sandboarding. Its recognition has grown from curious snowboarders to the greater public, and as you will agree, sandboarding is a thrilling way to spend an afternoon. If you’re looking for a relaxing vacation involving spas and other calming treatments, this is not the sort of vacation you’re looking for. Sandboarding is an adrenaline rushing, sand flying, sweat pouring activity that will really get your heart pumping.

I’m sure you have a mental snapshot, but the extreme sport of sandboarding is almost identical to snowboarding except the landscape is a sandy dune rather than a snow filled peak. This sport was first introduced by the Egyptians and other similar cultures that slid down these dry peaks with wooden planks. It may seem like a newly discovered craze, but sandboarding is everywhere. Although there are several places to sandboard all over the globe ranging from Oregon to South Australia, one of the more popular locations is Cerro Blanco in Peru. This mountainous slope is the world’s tallest sand dune at 2078 meters high. Even though most dunes have unlimited trails, the one downside of these trails is the difference in the terrain. Like myself, adapting to the sandy slopes might take some time if you’re used to slick snowy slopes.

On the brighter side, one of the activity’s best characteristics is it’s a four seasoned sport, unlike its seasonal cousin, snowboarding. This makes it easier to book a trip that will conform around your schedule. Also, if you’re unable to travel to these lengths, search for a location nearest you. There are approximately twenty three sandboarding locations in the U.S., but sandboardinging dunes are most prominent in the states of California, Oregon, and Arizona. If you are looking for somewhere in particular, check out sandboard.com for the Sandboard Magazine and look under “locations”. If you’re interested in Cerro Blanco specifically, here is a helpful website: http://www.mysteryperu.com/eng/co_cerro_blanco.html.

Although this may seem like an expensive trip to most, there will actually be less wallet-digging. The financial misconception may have derived from extensive layers and equipment necessary for the avid snowboarder. Remember, these dunes are quite hot, so the less clothing and equipment, the less expensive. To tour (ride) this exceptional landscape for a duration of six hours, the price per person is only $30. They then will provide you with the sandboarding equipment required (sandboards, goggles, wax, etc.), making it less of a hassle. If you’re curious as to how much a board cost for the keen sandboarder, it ranges anywhere from $100 to over $350, a hundred or so less then a snowboard.

Now, when planning your exciting trip to Cerro Blanco or any dune for sandboarding, there are a number of things you may want to pack. This list includes: strong comfortable footwear, sunglasses for obvious reasons, a jacket for the early morning and night time, a hefty water bottle to quench your thirst, sun block, small snacks to keep yourself from starving, cameras for the perfect Kodak moment, and a small backpack to carry these items with you for your fast paced trip. All of these things will help make your trip a bit more comfortable and less worrisome.

Now, I understand that this may seem a little unconventional as a vacation, but think of it just as a different type of vacation. It is another way of distancing yourself from the repetitive, mundane office. Try the daring lifestyle of this extreme sport and get out of your comfort zone.

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