What is Adventure Travel?

According to Karen Berger, hiking expert for GORP.com and author of eight books, including The Pacific Crest Trail: A Hiker’s Companion (Countryman Press), there are several degrees of adventure travel, but all share a common trait: they take you out of your comfort zone.

Berger defines soft adventure as something that is marketable to the average person, like walking in England or cycling through Burgundy. “I think in many cases, a day of soft adventure ends with a night on a soft mattress,” she quips. Other adventures are well beyond the ability of the average person, notes Berger, like climbing Mt. Rainier, or hiking the 200-mile John Muir Trail, but they aren’t “true adventure” because they’ve been done too often; the paths are too well trod.

True adventure, says Berger, is when there is so little information about a place that you are surprised and must make your own path. “The fewer guidebooks, the fewer people who have gone before, the less you know, the more likely you are to have an adventure,” she says.

Katharine Fletcher, a travel writer based north of Ottawa, Canada and author of Historical Walks: The Gatineau Park Story and Quebec Off the Beaten Path, (The Globe Pequot Press), says she considers adventure travel to have an outdoor twist. “For me, it’s travel that is directly targeted at getting outdoors, in nature, off-the-beaten-track, and challenging myself in some way,” says Fletcher, who recalls the time she flew by beaver plane to a remote backcountry section of the Northern British Columbia Rockies for a wilderness horseback riding adventure.

“Adventure is a state of mind,” says Fletcher. “There is exhilaration, a sense of being excited about personal epiphanies and discoveries that puts the ‘adventure’ into this type of travel.”

So does that mean you have to ditch the creature comforts of home and embark on a life-endangering outdoor experience to have an adventure? Not necessarily, says Berger, who has hiked more than 16,000 miles on 5 continents. “Despite all my wilderness adventures, I would have to say that maybe my biggest adventure ever was my first trip to Europe at the age of 23. I had no idea what I was doing, had only $15 a day to spend, and went mostly to cities and towns. But everyday brought something new and unexpected that I had to figure out how to cope with.”

Are You Cut Out for It?

When planning an adventure trip, Fletcher advises travelers to consider the following:

• Your level of fitness and personal health. If you are going to be climbing a mountain, have you trained properly and for a long period of time? If you’re a diabetic, for example, it might not be wise to venture into the wilderness for four months without a medical back-up plan in case something goes wrong. Research the outfitters you will be using. Make sure they are reputable and know what they are doing. Talk to others who have journeyed with them. Ask if the guides seemed competent.
• Realize that by embarking on an adventure, you are also agreeing to accept risks. You cannot always expect guarantees of personal safety.
• Self-knowledge is critical. Knowing your limitations may make the difference between life and death.

How adventurous your travels become is a matter of personal taste and ability. But tempered with good judgment, adventure travel can take you farther physically, mentally and spiritually than you’ve ever been before.

So go ahead, break out of your comfort zone, take a walk on the wild side, plan your trip of a lifetime, but remember, an adventure is something you create.

Hong Kong. This bustling city of neon lights and Asian financial markets was a British Colony until five years ago, when it was handed back to the Chinese government. British policies and cultural influences are now being overturned by the Chinese, which could make Hong Kong a drastically different place politically, socially and economically over the next decade.

Mexico’s Copper Canyon. Over 2,000 years ago, the Tarahumara Indians settled in this vast system of mountains, valleys and chasms, four of which are deeper than the Grand Canyon. Each year, hundreds of acres of the Canyon’s vast pine and oak forests are felled, and roads, hotels and tour companies are encroaching. Visit Copper Canyon on foot, horseback or burro now before the region’s beauty and cultural heritage are lost forever.

Vietnam. After 50 years of ongoing distrust and animosity between the United States and Vietnam, the two countries have reached a trade agreement and Vietnam is slowly opening its doors to the US and the rest of the world as a travel destination. Visit this lush, beautiful and culturally rich country and dispel any pre-conceived notions.

The Florida Everglades. While Florida is well known for its expansive beaches and nightlife, there’s more to this destination than meets the eye. In the southern part of the state, urban growth, runoff from fertilizers and a drop in water levels are taking their toll on Florida’s Everglades swamp system. We recommend that travelers explore the Everglade’s unique ecosystem on a kayak.

Katmai National Park, Alaska. Increased bear-human interaction resulting from a boom in visitors to the park has led park authorities to re-locate bear-viewing platforms. There’s no time like the present to enjoy the wildlife of Katmai by traveling in small groups with a naturalist guide as a way to practice sustainable eco-tourism.

Vanishing Treasures of Italy. Two of Italy’s most popular destinations, Venice and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, are both at risk of succumbing to the forces of gravity. In Pisa, the leaning tower is doing more than leaning — it’s actually crumbling. And Venice has been at risk of sinking into the sea for years; Dutch experts have been called in to try to help save the city. These two spots are must-sees.

The Amazon. Deforestation and depletion of natural resources are taking their toll on the Amazon River basin in Brazil. Birds and other wildlife are losing habitat, and runoff is polluting the massive waterway and its tributaries. Visit this natural treasure while staying in an eco-lodge that adheres to sustainable tourism practices.

Indigenous Cultures of New Guinea. As the world truly becomes a global village and the earth’s population increasingly tunes in to the same television programs, the rich diversity of indigenous cultures, such as the Asmat of Papua New Guinea, is at risk of being eliminated. Embark on a cultural odyssey to learn about the Asmat and other unique indigenous cultures in Papua New Guinea.

Northern Thailand. As is the case in so many Pacific and Asian countries, the time to visit Thailand’s hill tribes is right now. As western influences penetrate and dilute the rich cultural traditions of tribes like the Karen Padaung, whose women elongate their necks by wearing gold rings around them, ancient traditions and lore are being lost. Don’t wait to go visit!

But don’t despair – there are ways of avoiding the savage gouging that generally comes along with the decision to embark upon a last-minute trip. In fact, procrastinating can save you so much money, you may never plan ahead again.

Last-Minute Travel Sites

Every time a plane takes off with empty seats, the airlines have forfeited the opportunity to maximize their profit on that flight. That’s why airlines try to fill flights as early as possible by offering low prices for tickets booked at least 21 days before departure – and jacking prices to astronomical levels as the flight date approaches.

This practice is meant to discourage you from booking at the last-minute. However, the airlines would still rather sell those seats for a low price than for no price – enter last-minute ticket consolidators like priceline.com and Hotwire, who contract with the airlines to offer you the cheapest prices on last-minute tickets.

Some online travel agents of good repute:

priceline.com

The best-known of last-minute travel sites, priceline allows you to bid on airfare (as well as hotel rooms and rental cars). If priceline can find a ticket priced lower than your bid on the date you want to fly, it will automatically purchase it for you. However, you won’t know which airline or the exact flight time, so this service is only appealing if you have some flexibility in your schedule.

Hotwire

A new entrant on the last-minute travel scene, hotwire has a similar concept to priceline. However, you don’t have to bid on a flight – the site searches out the lowest fares for your itinerary, and you have 30 minutes to decide if you want to purchase a ticket. Again, you won’t know the exact flight or airline (though Hotwire, like priceline, works only with the major, established carriers) until after you’ve purchased

skyauction.com

This site allows you to bid on hotel, airfare and vacation packages, using an eBay-like auction model. If you have a specific destination in mind, this isn’t the most efficient service, but it’s worth surfing around to see if anything catches your fancy. Especially good for planning group trips, as you can rent condos and ski chalets for a fraction of the usual price.

Will these services save you substantial money? Absolutely, if you’re willing to be a little spontaneous. For example, a recent search showed that a next-day flight from Boston to Seattle would cost between $1000 and $2200 if purchased direct from an airline – but only $516 through hotwire.com. You might not have control over the time of the flight, but for a $500 savings, who cares?

Internet Fares

Airlines have also clued into the advantages of offering last-minute fares. Many of the major carriers offer Internet-only fares; however, most are good for the coming weekend only and carry special restrictions. You’ll typically have to leave on a Friday or Saturday and return at some point on Monday or Tuesday.

Sometimes the destinations are obscure (when’s the last-time you needed to go to Presque Isle, Maine?), but often the airlines have major sales on major routes. The easiest way to keep abreast of these super savers is to sign up for the Internet-Only Airfare Newsletter published via e-mail by SmarterLiving.com, which consolidates the best weekend fares leaving from your home airport on a weekly. Alternatively, check out the site of your favorite airlines and sign up for their Internet-only e-mail newsletters.

Accommodations

Unless you’re camping, you’re going to have to find a place to stay. If you can’t find a great room rate through one of the last-minute travel sites, the best way to cut hotel costs is to be very polite to the desk staff (this will work wonders), and ask if they offer any discounts. Often, if they like you, they will simply give you the discount, regardless of whether or not you belong to, say, AAA or NAARP. And again, call around before you set out, it will save time and frustration.

Also, depending on your destination, hostels may be an inexpensive, no-frills option.

And before you go…

Keep in mind that the key to a last minute trip is to maintain the degree of excitement that you set out with. Granted, you don’t have much time for preparation, but that doesn’t mean you have to be unprepared.

Finally, though packing must be kept to a minimum in order to avoid killing said impulsive spirit, make sure to pack the essentials. Nothing kills the mood like dropping $27 at the airport for a toothbrush and a travel-size deodorant that wouldn’t keep a mouse dry for more than an hour. The intrepid traveler is loath to spend precious funds on piddles like tampons and toothpaste.

So, imagine my crotchety delight as I step into the plane for my three-hour flight from Boston to Kansas City. Rows of tan leather seats, extra-wide, two across. The hatch closes, we taxi, and I smell chocolate chip cookies? Am I having first-class delusions? A sort of budget-travel denial psychosis? No, those are cookies and this is Midwest Express, an airline you’ve probably never heard of. Going coast to coast will probably take you through their Milwaukee hub, but it is a small price to pay for dining on poached Norwegian salmon, white and green spinach salad, and black forest brownie trifle served on fine china, with linen napkins and free wine.

As exciting as a flight to the beer capital of Wisconsin might be, it probably doesn’t get you anyplace you want to go; cross-country flights require a pesky plane change.

For flights to Europe, try Virgin Atlantic, which offers service to London from East and West Coast cities. By traveling in the shoulder seasons (early spring and fall), you can find rates as low as $200. Even economy passengers have seat-back TV monitors and all the Virgin Cola (and Jack Daniels) they can drink — not to mention a waggish in-flight mag, a cool amenity kit that includes all the usuals (socks, eye shade, toothbrush) and even a discount at Virgin Megastore. Once in London, check out all the cheap flights to Ireland and continental Europe (good bets are easyJet, Ryanair and Go, a subsidiary of British Airways).

Come to think of it, most foreign carriers offer more bang for your travel shilling than their American brothers. A flight on British Airways will come with a better meal, free drinks and friendlier service than most American carriers. Switching from regular Continental to Continental Micronesia on a marathon of a flight to Southeast Asia got me free headphones (a shocking $4 charge on the previous leg of my journey) and an open bar.

Though the cheapest ticket might not always yield the most posh results, budget luxury isn’t always an oxymoron.

The concept behind courier travel is fairly simple. Shipping companies have found that, for certain kinds of cargo, its cheaper and easier to ship freight as checked airline baggage than it would be to send it explicitly as air cargo. Checked baggage needs to have a passenger accompanying it, though, so they’ll offer you a deeply discounted ticket price for sitting in the seat that belongs to their cargo.

Becoming a courier is simple — the Web site for the International Association of Air Travel Couriers provides all the information you need to register, and once registered, you’re automatically eligible for the discount rates. Some shipping companies require their couriers to be 21 and over, but in general all you need is a passport and a sense of adventure. You can also find out more about air courier travel by going to http://travel2rp.com/courier.shtml.

Air-travel couriers do not get paid for their services, and the shipping companies will not provide housing for you during your stay. You’re also generally not allowed to have checked baggage on these flights, and it’s close to impossible to schedule multiple people on the same flights, so you’ll probably have to travel alone.

Courier travel is available from most major “gateway” cities in the world, with the most options available in New York, London and Hong Kong. Flights tend to be round-trip and have fixed departure and return dates, usually with a one or two week stay in the destination country. The closer to the departure date that you book the flight, the better rate you’ll get, so flexibility in your schedule is an asset.

Youth Travel Cards

Recent graduates under the age of 25 are eligible for the International Youth Travel Card. With an IYTC, you’ll be eligible for discount airfares as well as discount rates at more than 80,000 hotels, restaurants and stores worldwide. You can apply for one of these cards at most major travel agencies, as well as online. Try Student Universe or STA Travel.

If you’re under 26 and planning to travel extensively in Europe or Asia, you should check out the International Student Exchange card, which entitles you to discount rates at museums, theaters, travel offices and recreational facilities. If you run into trouble, an ISE representative will even help you with passports and travel papers, as well as sending you emergency cash if you need it. ISE cards are valid for one year, cost $25 and can be ordered online at the ISE Web site: www.isecard.com.

Airfare

The Net is a good place to score discount plane tickets. A few budget travel Web sites are resellers. They purchase tickets or tour packages in bulk and then resell them to the consumer. They can offer great deals, but, again, your options might be limited. Student Universe negotiates exclusive international fares just for students. Other good bets are Travelocity.com and Lowestfare.com. Certain alternative airlines offer better food, more legroom, and pleasant flight attendants for a cheaper price, courier services will drastically cut your fare if you agree to accompany packages for them, and you can also fly standby on a number of airlines. Go to xfares.com, or check with a specific airline.

Eurail Passes

One of the biggest discounts available to travelers under the age of 26 is the Eurail Youthpass, which allows travelers complete railway access to 17 countries, including Italy, Ireland, Spain and Greece. Passes start at just less than $400 for 15 consecutive travel days, and longer passes are a better value. The Youthpass only allows you second-class travel, but depending on the length of your pass, you can save up to $500. People serious about budget travel have been known to sleep on trains while traveling on Eurail passes, thereby saving on hotel expenses. You must purchase the pass while in the United States, though, as they’re rarely available in Europe. One of the major drawbacks of travel by Eurail Youthpass is that not all European countries are members of Eurail. Go to eurail.com for more information.

Places to Stay

For between $5 and $15, you can spend a night in a youth hostel. Hostels are more than a cheap place to stay; they are reflective of a certain attitude toward traveling. Hostelling creates a feeling of camaraderie among fellow guests that enhances the whole experience of being abroad. Nearly all hostels are sparse, shared facilities. Rooms are dormitory style with bunk beds, with common bathrooms. For more information on hostels, try hostels.com or Hostelling International.

When outside the city, backpacking and camping are still common throughout the world. Camping can be tricky near urban areas, but most places in rural Europe are quite accepting of young people who set up a tent for a night and then move on.

And Furthermore

When traveling, you should ask around for youth discounts even if you weren’t able to arrange for them in advance. Some hotels, airlines, cultural attractions and train lines offer them but don’t advertise, and many places offer discounts if you have an International Student Exchange card or an International Youth Travel Card.

The keys to discount travel are flexibility and persistence. You’ll have better luck finding discounts if you’re willing to compromise on schedule, privacy, luxury, or all three. With a little bit of planning, though, you should be able to have a wonderful trip without spending too much money. And wherever you go, you might want to consider heading off the beaten track and roughing it a bit; it’s the best way to fully appreciate all a country as to offer.

For updated information on travel conditions, tourist advisories or health concerns, visit the U.S. State Department online.

This is where computers come in. They’re smarter than us. They’re faster than us. And they break less then us.

Travelocity is in. If you know where you want to go, then this Web site is one of your best bets. This site lives up to its name – information access is quick and easy – and it offers a variety of services. Travelocity is famous for having some of the lowest fares on the Web.

An exuberantly useful site is travelsites.com. It has one of the largest collections of travel-related links on the Net, all well organized. Sample categories include “Where to Go,” “How to Get There” and “Where to Stay.” It easily offers hours of Web surfing, and has pretty good links.

Try studyabroad.com for information on exchange programs in more than 100 countries, from Uruguay to Yemen. They allow you to search for programs via different categories (i.e., by language, by subject and by country.) There is also the full text of the study abroad handbook that includes sections on subjects like culture shock and “obtaining necessary documents.”

Well, a few weeks previous, with my parents’ car overflowing with clothes, camping gear, and people, I set out on my first cross-country road trip. I had just finished my junior year of college in Boston, and was on my way to a summer internship in Flagstaff, Arizona. Joining me were three college buddies. None of us had ever been on a trip like this before, and we were itching to see the country. Our main goals were to visit the Grand Canyon and Arches National Park. Other than these, and stops in Buffalo and Colorado Springs to visit relatives, we decided to allow spontaneity to dictate our exact route across the country.

If you’re interested in recreating part or all of Bryan’s trip, try some of these routes for fantastic scenery and off-the-beaten path adventure:

Arizona:
Rt. 160
Rt. 89
Rt. 64
Rt. 180

Utah:
I-70
I-80 (Great Salt Lake Desert)
Rt. 163

Colorado:
I-70 (West of Denver)

New Mexico:
Rt. 180

Nevada:
I-80

Wyoming:
Rt. 296 and 212 (heading into Yellowstone National Park)

Leaving Boston, we traveled to Buffalo to spend the first night with my grandparents. On a whim, we took the next morning to swing by Niagara Falls, as the massive amount of water crashing down over the Canadian Falls is always awe-inspiring.

After the Falls, we moved south, and joined up with I-70 through Missouri and Kansas. We marveled at the way the road shot off to the flat horizon in a perfectly straight line. Having navigated the twisted cow paths that are Boston streets, the difference was startling.

After reaching Colorado, we switched to secondary highways to head into Utah and Arches National Park. The stop at Arches had been planned, and despite the fact that it was off the beaten path, it was well worth the drive. The roads are laid out in a way that allows you to see the entire park from the car, with minimal hiking. Given the short time we had to spend there, this was ideal. Driving from one sandstone arch to the next, punctuated by a few short hikes, we were able to see almost all the features of the park, including the famous house-sized boulders balanced high atop amazingly tall, thin spires. I especially recommend visiting the park around sunset, as the sunlight brings out the many shades of orange, gold, and yellow comprising the rocky landscape.
Now nearing the end of our journey, we traveled to our final destination, the Grand Canyon. While we didn’t have time to do any serious hiking inside the canyon, we drove a good deal of the way along the southern rim, stopping often to take pictures. Unfortunately, this approach does not do justice to the true size and beauty of the canyon, as, from the rim, it merely looks like a postcard. To truly appreciate the canyon, you must spend several days hiking down to the bottom and back. The best we could do was to camp for the night in the Kaibab National Forest that surrounds the canyon on the eastern side.

Enter the aforementioned coyote, which on that morning was slowly inching its way toward me – quite an unsettling sight. He came within 10 feet of me, stopped, and sat down, curiously inspecting both my camera and I. Undoubtedly, this coyote had been fed by people before, and was looking for handouts. But my heart was still thumping as I took several more pictures. Eventually he stood up and left, leaving me with the last of many great memories from a terrific road trip.

I have crossed the United States by car four times, taking four different routes. Each time, I have been amazed at the range of beauty this country has to offer. From the snow-capped Rockies enclosing small towns along Colorado’s I-70 to the forested coastline of Michigan’s upper peninsula, every part of the country has a different and uniquely beautiful look.

The main advantage of road tripping is that it’s not hard to cross the country relatively cheaply. The secret lies in finding inexpensive lodging along the way. My favorite method is to bring along my sleeping bag and tent. Camping in the many national forests spread across the country is free, and costs less than $10 per night in most state parks. In addition, being free to stop virtually anywhere you like each night allows for a great deal of spontaneity over the course of the trip.

Before leaving, there are a few preparations that will make your journey much more enjoyable. First and foremost is to ensure the health of your car. During a trip two years ago, I put over 6,000 miles on my car in two weeks. Preparing your car for such a trip isn’t difficult and doesn’t have to be expensive. If your car is at all touchy, you may want to bring it in for a pre-trip check-up, but new oil and plenty of engine coolant will probably suffice. In the same way, keep yourself in good shape by having enough water in the car to make it through those hot, sunny days. A current road atlas is an indispensable tool on an extended road trip, not only for finding the nearest campsite or town, but also for exploring. While you can see a great deal of the country from interstate highways, smaller roads often reveal the greatest treasures. Secondary highways, otherwise known as scenic routes, have led me through the Grand Canyon, Arches National Park, Carlsbad Caverns, and large tracts of National Forest land. Take turns driving so you have the chance to drink in your surroundings and appreciate the gorgeous landscapes. One of the most enjoyable aspects of planning a road trip is selecting the route. Being spontaneous, I never like to pin myself down to an exact itinerary ahead of time. However, before the trip begins, it’s a good idea to pull out a map, and select one or more main goals of the trip. On my last trip from Boston, my goal was to visit Yellowstone National Park.

My friends and I highlighted a route across the country that seemed feasible and started our drive along this path. However, a spontaneous trip to Niagara Falls pushed our route up into Ontario before rejoining our proposed route in Michigan two days later. We eventually reached Yellowstone, experiencing a beautiful, star-filled night in Wyoming and an amazing stop at the Utah salt flats in Utah along the way.

The bottom line for getting the most enjoyment out of your cross-country drive is to take your time. Stop and explore the interesting places you find along the way. Eat at diners. Read roadside historical markers. And most importantly, talk to the locals. Whether you’re eating a hero or a grinder, covering your ice cream in jimmies or sprinkles, or punctuating your speech with “y’all” or “ayuh,” you’ll be speaking American.

Passports

If you’re a U.S. citizen, you’ll need a valid passport for travel abroad. Only a few destinations in the Caribbean exempt U.S. citizens from the duty of presenting a valid passport upon arrival. You can apply for a passport at any federal or state courthouse, or at any post office authorized to accept applications for passports. The State Department maintains Web sites with detailed information about documents and formalities related to travel abroad; try their passport services site.

Upon issuance, your passport is valid for 10 years. When traveling abroad, remember that the passport should be valid for six months before entering a foreign country. You may be denied entry if this requirement is not met. Poland even requires at least a year-old valid passport upon crossing the Polish border.

Visas

Each country has detailed instructions governing entry by foreign nationals. Visas stamped into a passport by a consulate of a foreign country (or, in specific cases up arrival at the border) specify the right of entry and stay for a given period of time in this country. Full information on Foreign Entry Requirements is available from the Consumer Information Center. Should a visa be required, you must obtain it from a consulate of a country you plan to visit or you may obtain it at an entry point.

Visas cost money – some are expensive, costing upward of $50 or $75 for India or Russia, respectively. A visa to Ukraine costs between $50 and $180 (depending upon the duration of your visit). Many countries require that, upon arrival, the visitor present tickets for on-going travel or return travel to the United States, and sometimes proof of sufficient means to stay in the visited country.

All countries in Western and Central Europe, Japan, Thailand, Morocco, South Africa, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Argentina and Chile, for example, do not require a visa from U.S. citizens for a visit of up to 90 days. A few countries in Eastern Europe, like the Slovak Republic, Romania or Bulgaria, do not require a visa for a stay of up to 30 days. Israel issues visas for 90 days upon arrival. Mexico and the Dominican Republic do not require a visa, but require a Tourist Card, which may be issued for a fee upon arrival.

In short, study the foreign entry relations. Whether you need a visa to any country you plan to visit, or to ensure that you are aware of the requirements of entry or transit, contact the consulate of the nation(s) you plan to visit.

Driving Permits

Most countries require visiting drivers to have an International Driving Permit, and renters to be at least 21 years of age. Certain countries permit travelers to drive for a short period of time with a U.S. Driver’s License. Any American Automobile Association is authorized to issue an IDP. It costs $10 and is valid for one year. Applications in writing are accepted by:

AAA Florida
Travel Agency Services Department,
1000 AAA Drive, Mail Stop 28,
Heathrow, FL 32746.

They can be reached by phone at (407) 444-4245 or by fax at (407) 444-4247. Availability of rental cars with automatic transmissions may be very limited.