An Introduction to Adventure Travel
How to Plan Your First Adventure Holiday in a Foreign Country
May 13, 2009
Adventure holidays take place away from the usual tourist haunts. They are, by definition, exciting and different. But if you have never traveled this way before, how should you begin?
Travel Adventure Companies
The novice adventure traveler may not feel like organizing everything alone, and may not even know how to start. Well, it’s not necessary to do that. There are a number of adventure travel companies who specialize in this sort of holiday. Usually they take relatively small groups of people, perhaps between four and sixteen, although the numbers vary. There will be a tour leader, and in some instances a driver too. The leader will usually know about the country the group is visiting, and its customs, and will be able to tell travelers of any potential problems.
This is an easy way to begin adventure travel. It is also an excellent way to start for those who are traveling alone, as there will be ready-made traveling companions. However, there may not be a lot of opportunity for individual exploration, and the group may be too large for the traveler to feel like part of the local community. Nevertheless, it is a good way to start for many people.
Semi-Independent Travel
Some companies organize adventure holidays exactly as the traveler wants them. The company is likely to specialize in a country or area of the world, but will book travel and accommodation for individuals, and sometimes tours or tour guides too. This is generally known as semi-independent travel, and is ideal for the traveler who knows where they want to go and what they want to see, but doesn’t yet feel ready to ‘go it alone’ by organizing everything independently. The author had a wonderful holiday in Russia, Mongolia, and China organized in this manner, with the company arranging home stays with local people, including a few days with nomads in rural Mongolia.
This is a safe, flexible, and interesting way to begin adventure travel. However, some individuals traveling alone may find they become lonely, and would be better off in a group of their own countrymen. These companies can also be expensive…though not always.
Independent Adventure Travel
Travelling independently means that the traveler is free to go where they want and see what they wish. He or she is more likely to meet local people and find out about their culture, and truly have an ‘adventure’. However, independent travel is more work to organize than other types of adventure holiday, and some people find it a lonely and far too challenging experience. New travelers may feel it is not for them, and this is understandable. But if you want to give it a try, go for it! These days it is quite easy to organize everything in advance on the internet if you wish. And contrary to what you may be told, particularly if you a woman alone, most places are fairly safe so long as you use common sense.
Hints and Tips for Adventure Travel
- Find out all you can about your destination and its customs in advance. If possible, learn a few words at least of the local language.
- Keep your valuables somewhere safe, and do not dress ostentatiously or wear expensive jewellery.
- If you are a woman, dress modestly if this is expected in the country you are visiting. You can always strip off at the beach!
- Travel relatively lightly, and make sure you can carry your own luggage if necessary.
- Do not expect things to be the same as they are back home; you wanted an adventure, so be prepared to have one!
- If you are a vegetarian, have food allergies, or are simply a fussy eater, take along some muesli bars or other high energy snacks for emergencies.
- Make sure you have Adventure Travel Insurance, ie check that it will cover you for what you intend to do.
- Above all, use common sense and tact in dealing with local people.
Once you start traveling in this way – seeing the country and learning about its people rather than simply having a holiday – you are likely to be hooked for life! So start planning…and enjoy yourself!
Other travel articles by the same author:
- Flight Arrangements for a Trip Round the World
- How to Get a Holiday or Vacation for Free
- Packing for Airline Travel
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