Meaningful tours vs adrenalin pumped adventure travel

Meaningful tours full of rewarding experiences, or jumping backwards out of a plane? It’s a tough decision but luckily you may not have to choose...

There’s no need to choose between these two sorts of travel; if you want to do both you can always strap on a pair of roller skates and head for the nearest museum or abseil off the top of some baroque architecture. You’ll probably only get away with doing it once though, and there’s a long trip ahead of you. A much better idea is to choose which sort of travel you want to do before you leave. Read a little about what’s involved in each and also check out the other relevant articles on the site.

What is Adventure Travel?

Back in the good old days everything was adventure travel; getting around involved a parade of men, horses, and rickety old wagons and mountains were scaled in overcoats and woolly hats. In the days of jumbo jets and North Face jackets however, things can seem a little tame. This is where adventure travel comes in. More and more people are discovering that they can see and do a lot more if they put down the travel brochures and take a walk on the wild side. Adventure travel isn’t necessarily about throwing yourself off a cliff (although you can if you want) but about pushing yourself further than you would normally go and braving the unfamiliar.

Are you an Adventure Traveller?

Deciding whether adventure travel is for you shouldn’t be hard; just ask yourself whether you walk along the tops of walls with your hands in your pockets rather than staying on the ground. If the answer is yes then adventure travel is for you! Whether or not you like stepping outside your comfort zone is kind of in the blood and you should know by now whether you’re that sort of person.

What sort of things can I do?

Adventure Travel has grown to encompass a whole range of things but it can probably be boiled down to two different types; adventurous activities and adventurous places. The first focuses on extreme sports like mountain climbing, sky diving, surfing, white water rafting, windsurfing potholing and caving. Adventure travel like this can be found anywhere but countries like South Africa, Australia and of course New Zealand have made it their speciality.

The second sort means leaving your crash helmet behind and visiting those places that get the pulse racing all by themselves. Adventurers can camp out in the African Bush, trek across the Sahara, explore Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, or even see the icy wilderness of Antarctica with their own eyes! With the world getting smaller adventure travel still manages to take us places we only know in our imagination.

What are Meaningful Tours?

We may have stumbled upon a similarity between meaningful tours and adventure travel; both want to take you into the unknown to see things you’re not used to seeing. The only difference is that with adventure travel you also check to see whether the place has any waterfalls to jump off of too. Meaningful Tours move at a slightly more relaxed pace. They are food for the soul and take you to the cultural heart of some of the world’s greatest destinations before letting you help out with vital volunteering.

Are you a Meaningful Tour-er?!

If you are interested in really delving into a country’s culture and history then Meaningful Tours could be what you’ve been waiting for. If you’re the sort of person that doesn’t want to take other people’s word for it then this is your chance to explore for yourself some of the world’s most interesting countries. They’re also a great opportunity to lend a hand on volunteering projects and learn even more.

What sort of things can I do?

Imagine exploring jungle covered temples in Cambodia, spotting the Big 5 in South Africa and then helping out on volunteer projects; that’s a Meaningful Tour. The idea combines discovering new places with helping people and making a positive difference. You’ll tour around a whole country rather than just staying in one area which will give you a real appreciation for the place and its people.

There is always plenty to see in a country but it can sometimes be difficult to fit it all in and sift the memorable from the forgettable. On a Meaningful Tour the memorable places are built into the itinerary. These tours are trailblazing journeys uncovering the secrets of countries like Cambodia, India and South Africa. The tours are a great mix of the ‘must see’ and the ‘never seen’ as you exit the tourist trail stage left and peel back what, in the case of some countries has been hidden for decades.

Useful links

• http://www.i-to-i.com/adventure-travel/

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