Recently, intelligence agents at GCHQ 47 intercepted a series of encoded messages from a highly classified source. We believe these messages include detailed instructions for securing three new geocaching souvenirs. However, our analysts have been unable to decipher their meaning.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, involves decoding these messages and securing these souvenirs for your Geocaching profile. Fair warning: This isn’t mission difficult. It’s Mission GC.
New intel suggests souvenirs will only be available for procurement on the following dates:
The window for securing Souvenir #1 is July 30-31, 2016.
The window for securing Souvenir #2 is August 13-14, 2016.
The window for securing Souvenir #3 is August 27-28, 2016.
Given the top secret nature of this mission, the encoded messages will be sent for analysis only to those with proper security clearance. Premium members will receive an email including the encoded message one week prior to each souvenir release. Decoding the message will unlock instructions for securing the next souvenir. The first encoded message will be sent to Premium members on July 22, 2016.
Instructions for unlocking the souvenirs will be made available to members of all security levels on the morning of each souvenir release. This information will be posted on all major GCHQ 47 channels (Geocaching.com, Geocaching® app, Facebook and Twitter).
As always, should you or any member of your team be caught by muggles, GCHQ 47 will disavow all knowledge of your actions. This message will self-destruct in 5 seconds.
Good luck. The fate of the geocaching universe is in your preferred TOTT.
Colorful is one word that perfectly sums up this unique and beautiful Southeast Asian country. Elephants and noodle soups, white-sand beaches and blue waters, Buddhist temples and ancient ruins, Thailand captivates the hearts of visitors from all corners of the world and leaves everyone with everlasting “Thai smiles” glued to their faces.
Like attending a Muay Thai boxing match, geocaching has joined the list of fun activities to participate in while in Thailand. There are currently over 1,300 active geocaches hidden throughout the country, all waiting to be discovered by visitors and locals alike. And to make things more exciting, *Thailand is the newest country to receive a Geocaching souvenir!
Although we all wish we could jump on a plane and head there now, this list of 5 amazing geocaches will have to do the trick. Enjoy!
1. GC2JDFG — Grand Palace Cache Owner: JamieZel Type: Traditional D/T Rating: 1.5/1.5
There’s no place quite like the sprawling and bustling city of Bangkok. Golden Buddhist temples collide with large megamalls festooned with bright neon lights. And there’s no city quite as hot. Bangkok has an annual mean air temperature of 28°C. When geocaching, dress for the intense humidity and be on the lookout for muggles. This traditional cache was placed near the ornate Grand Palace which is a must-see attraction in the city. Afterwards, eat your heart out at any local food stand, as the street cuisine in Bangkok is phenomenal.
Be on the lookout for Siamese kitties as you wander the streets. They are native to Thailand.
What’s a trip to Thailand without visiting the insanely famous island of Ko Phi Phi? This island served as the backdrop to the 2000 cult classic “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Although the island is no longer uninhabited as it was in the film, it’s still just as breathtaking.
Rumor has it that the best cache in all of Thailand is located in the rock climbing paradise island of Railay. If they attempt it, geocachers are sent on an exciting and challenging adventure to a hidden blue lagoon. It’s no easy task, though. Bring good hiking boots and a friend you can lean on (literally).
Thailand is home to some incredible mountainous regions. If you head up north towards Chiang Mai, also known as the “Rose of the North”, you’ll encounter these areas, all of which have been transformed into National Parks. This virtual cache is the location of Thailand’s highest point and the views are breathtaking. After exploring the area, spend some time wandering through the night markets and delicious restaurants in Chiang Mai.
Located about five hours north of Bangkok, Sukhothai was the first ancient capital of Thailand (known as Kingdom of Siam at the time) from 1238 to 1438. The Sukhothai Historical Park is now a great place to explore. There are several geocaches hidden throughout the park including this well-placed micro. If time allows, explore some of the local rice fields. Thailand is the largest exporter of rice in the world!
*Thailand is the fifth and final Geocaching country souvenir to be released this year!Souvenirs are virtual pieces of art that are displayed on your Geocaching profile page when you find a geocache in certain locations. A list of of currently available Geocaching souvenirs and even the ones you’ve already earned can be found on Geocaching.com. And, if you’ve already found a geocache in Thailand, we will retroactively add this souvenir to your profile in December 2015.
Since the beginning of the game, geocaching and technology have gone hand-in-hand (quite literally) in the form of GPS units and smartphones. It’s therefore no surprise that Estonia, a global leader in high-tech, loves geocaching. Estonia is the newest country to be added to the growing list of country souvenirs.
The farthest north of the Baltic states, Estonia is bordered by Russia, Latvia, and the Baltic Sea with Finland a short hop via ferry to the north. It’s a small country, about twice the size of New Jersey, with a population of just over one million. Those relatively small numbers have produced a wealth of high-quality, fun, creative geocaches. Here we feature a few of our favorites.
This traditional cache is hidden in St. Catherine’s Passage, a medieval alley with a romantic vibe in old Tallinn (Estonia’s capital). At one end of the passage you’ll find large, ancient tombstones that used to line the inside of St. Catherine’s church. At the other end are a series of workshops where artisans make stained glass, ceramics, jeweler, quilts, and leather goods and hats. The cache is tucked away somewhere in between.
GC3T538 “Invasion of the Geocoin Designers” is hidden in St. Catherine’s Passage, a popular destination in Estonia’s capital, Tallinn.
GC31V9H is a cache inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. When you find it, you’ll understand why. It’s a great example of the type of attention to detail found in a lot of Estonian geocaches. In fact, if you don’t say, “Awwwwww” the minute you see it, we’d be surprised. The multi-cache waypoints take you on a beautiful walk through fields covered alternately with berries and mushrooms, depending on the season.
You might come away with handfuls (if not buckets) of seasonal berries if you follow the path of this multi-cache.
GC151N3 is one of Estonia’s coolest EarthCaches. It’s the site of a series of meteorite craters near the village of Kaali, on the Estonian island of Saaremaa. The 9 craters all result from the impact of a single meteor, which broke apart into fragments upon passing through Earth’s atmosphere, some 7,500 years ago (though the time range of the craters’ formations is debated). The location is utterly unique, replete with geological and social historical oddities.
Arrive at GC151N3 and take one guess as to where the ancient meteorite crash landed.
This cache is one for the adventurous. Just 42 minutes outside of Tallinn lies the Rummu quarry, an old limestone mining site. While the quarry was operational, inmates at the nearby Murru prison made up its workforce. When the prison was closed and its water pumps shut down, the quarry filled with water, drowning several buildings, and making for an excellent (but unsupervised!) swimming and diving spot. The cache takes you to the top of an ash hill above the quarry, where you’ll find an unmatched view at sunset.
“Rummu” (GC3RD66) is located at the top of an ash hill above an old quarry.
This D5/T5 multi-cache is at least a full-day’s adventure. It’s located on one of Estonia’s largest islands, Naissaar, which is covered in protected coniferous forest. But stroll for a while along the nature trails and you’ll eventually come upon artifacts and ruins from a long history of military activity on the island. These include cemeteries for British sailors from the Crimean War, Soviet bunkers, and deep-sea mine anchors. If you’re taking this one on, bring a flashlight, friends to keep you company, and some common sense.
GC2FMR0 is a 20-stage multi-cache across the island of Naissaar.
This cache in south-eastern Estonia requires special equipment. Namely, bog shoes. It’s no surprise that bog walking, a cousin of snowshoeing which has one trudging across pudding-like peat moss rather than snow, is a popular activity for both tourists and locals: about one-fifth of Estonia’s mainland is covered by bogs and mires. And many of those bogs and mires contain geocaches, such as this one hidden at the end of a hike through beautiful, soggy, and boggy landscapes.
Don’t forget your bog shoes if you’re going for this cache!
What geocaches are on your Estonian geocaching trip bucket list? Find a geocache in Estonia, and you’ll earn the brand new Estonia country souvenir!
Located the furthest south of all the Baltic states, Lithuania’s sandy beaches, enchanting castles and cobblestoned towns combine to make this country an ideal place for geocaching — and now, it has the added distinction of being the latest addition to the geocaching country souvenir collection!
To celebrate geocaching in Lithuania, we’ve pulled together this list of five awesome geocaching experiences you’ll definitely want to add to your bucket list:
This EarthCache takes you to the most famous national park in Lithuania, which is also listed as a UNESCO site. Here you will find sand dunes and lush forests jutting out into the Curonian Lagoon.
Photo by geocacher bolyak.
“What a place. The true magic of nature showed here. And tonight’s lighting was perfect. A beautiful sunset in the west and glimmering lights from the cities in the east. The wind on our back walking upwards was perfect.” — Team Davidsson
Lithuania’s capital city, Vilnius, is known for the city’s Old Town. Here you’ll find impressive architecture dating back to the 13th century, like the cathedral near this geocache. While you’re there, you might also want to check out GC1Z4H6.
The Vilnius Cathedral was first built in the 13th century, but has been rebuilt and restored many times since then.
“Wow wow wow! I liked this one very much. I didn’t expected it in such visible location, very well masked! Thank you for the great cache.” – SNlEGS
After visiting the Vilnius Old Town, you can catch a view from above at the Gediminas’ Tower, pictured in the new Lithuania souvenir. This tower has become a symbol for Lithuania.
From the Gediminas’ Tower, there are spectacular views of the famous Old Town in Vilnius.
“Found on our Baltic Cycle Tour with cb_caching. Wonderful place with fantastic panoramic view, best to visit in the morning sun…” – Geolej
This series of geocaches will take you on a tour of Lithuania’s border towns. Be sure to bring your passport, as some of the geocaches will take you into Lithuania’s neighbor countries, Russia and Belarus, which are outside of the European Union.
Photo by geocacher valdisj at one stop on the series, GC5CV3C.
“Thank you for guiding us to this church: when coming closer, we have noticed a professional orchestra was doing their final check for this night’s concert in this church. We used the opportunity to listen to Edvard Grieg’s music and went for the cache later.” – TheWinterClan
Visit the city of Kaunas to soak in Lithuanian art, culture and history. Be sure to make a stop at the Kaunas Grand TB Hotelto swap out a trackable!
Located nearby: the Kaunas Castle and another great geocache (GC58XD1).
“WOW! Once [the muggle] left, we found the key and opened the mysterious door. The geocache idea – amazing. Thanks to the hider for such an exciting treasure!” – Raccoons. Casimir
We’ll unveil one new souvenir every week until all FIVE are officially released and awarded by mid December. Learn about last week’s new souvenir announcement, Slovenia, here.
