TYPE OF TOUR -- Do you want to attend a flying school to learn paragliding or hanggliding? Or, would you rather take a balloon tour with a bird's-eye view of the landscape?
Flying schools are generally situated in warm or temperate climates that provide the space and wind needed to take to the sky.
Some schools offer "tandem" lessons, in which the instructor rides alongside to guide you on your first flight. Find a school in an area that you would like to explore, because your lessons may last only three to four hours a day.
Guided flying tours are more expensive, but operators plan the route and line up restaurants, hotels and return transportation for you. Because they are familiar with a region, tour agents can send you on the most scenic routes and to the best restaurants.
A support van is often available to follow you while you are aloft and take you back to your car when the journey is completed. Although you have the benefit of company during an organized tour or class, your input into where your route takes you is limited. Be sure the route is one you want to follow.
EQUIPMENT -- Does the tour operator provide the equipment you'll need? Most flying schools do. If the weather or winds are bad, are you given a rain check or refund?
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Find out how far your tour group will fly each day and over what type of terrain. If you are para- or hanggliding, can you handle the weight of your gear, the running starts or the skiing that these flights may require?
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Find out the ratio between teachers and students. Are the teachers accredited or licensed? What is their safety record? What is the most severe injury they have ever experienced? If there is a medical emergency, does the guide or teacher have first aid experience? Ask for letters of reference from previous tour participants.
Embark on an Airborne Adventure
You can defy gravity, and live to tell about it.
You can soar across California wine country beneath a giant balloon. You can paraglide over the Alps or hangglide over the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
In addition to balloon tours, which can take you from inn to inn and wine and dine you en route, you can start off running and end up gliding down mountains as rugged as the Alps or as gentle as the Rocky Mountain foothills.
While balloon rides require no experience, you must take at least two or three hanggliding, paragliding or glider classes before you go airborne alone. You can almost design your own flying tour around the many flying schools that exist in North America and Europe.
Pick your school, find a nearby hotel and plan on morning classes filled with video, classroom and mountainside instruction. Keep your afternoons free for hiking, exploring or shopping.
Weather can be unpredictable and poor winds or storms can postpone your flying lessons, so be sure there are other sources of entertainment around your school or flying center.
By day three, you should be able to take your first solo flight.
Before you sign up for a flying school or tour, find out how many flying hours your instructor has logged and what rating he or she has earned.
Is he a master-rated pilot? Is it possible to learn on a tandem hangglider that allows you the comfort of an instructor beside you as you soar thousands of feet above the ocean?
Also, find out if there will be a chase vehicle following your flight to take you home when your adventure is completed.
Preparing for an Animal Trek
TYPE OF TRIP -- There are animal treks in every region of the world. Choose one based on the terrain and climate you are interested in. You can trek with camels in the Sahara or on Bactrian camels (with two humps) in Tibet. You can dogsled in the Arctic or trek with elephants in Thailand.
Some trips will hand you the reins. Others will sit you in the passenger's seat, such as during an elephant ride through the jungles of India or swaying to the lolling gait of a camel in the Great Sahara.
EQUIPMENT -- It is unlikely you will need any special equipment for most animal treks. Some of the more rugged llama, horse and mule-packing treks do require you to bring some basic camping equipment or your own sleeping bag. Ask about the kind of tack you will be using on a horseback trek.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Physical fitness requirements vary with each animal trek. Some elephant safaris, especially if they are part of a longer tour, last only a few hours. Find out how many hours you will be riding each day. If lengthy rides are involved, are you physically prepared for that kind of trek? Are you comfortable with the idea of riding on top of an animal for several hours a day?
RECOMMENDED SKILLS -- Most animal treks require little or no experience, but if you are trekking on horseback, you need riding experience. The tour operator can tell you what level of proficiency is needed. For other tours where you may be handling the animals, such as dog-sledding or horse or mule-packing, you may need experience and a love of animals.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Find out how long your tour operators have been in business and what experience they have in working with animals. Are they prepared to handle any emergencies which may arise on the trail?
Trekking with Animals
On an animal trek, horses, camels, llamas and elephants carry you and your gear over terrain that is impassable by vehicles. These special expeditions give you a clear sense of how it felt to travel before the days of mechanized transportation.
On these tours, you travel by dogsled across Minnesota's Boundary Waters or the Arctic tundra. You can join a covered wagon train and traverse the prairie like an early pioneer.
Ride horseback through the Tibetan highlands along the route of Genghis Khan. Travel on a camel across the Sahara. Ride in a 19th-century mailcoach across the Alps to Italy or ramble through the jungles of India on an elephant.
Some of these tours let you work with the animals and not have someone else guide them. Often, you can choose whether to ride or walk. But if you're searching out tigers on an elephant in Thailand, you will want to stay on your mount.
When you're dogsledding, you have to alternate between riding and running behind your sled so you don't tire your dog-team too quickly.
The keys to enjoying these treks are a love of animals and an open mind. The tours will repay in
remarkable experiences all they demand of your wit and stamina.
Preparing for an Arctic Expedition
TYPE OF TRIP -- Arctic expeditions offer ecological and cultural opportunities. You can go birdwatching, sea kayaking or on natural history or wildlife expeditions. If you visit one of the Poles, one of the best ways to get there is by icebreaker. These large American or Russian freighters can break through the ice and reach remote regions. In Antarctica, you can visit the extensive glacier-bound coastline with its penguins and sea lions and the ever-changing colors of the ice.
EQUIPMENT -- No special equipment is necessary if you travel by cruise boat. But special clothing may be needed given the frigid temperatures.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Ask about any physical requirements. You need to be in fairly good shape, considering the Arctic climate, to hike on the glaciers and coastal areas.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Find out what kind of Arctic experience your guides have. Will the tour include a naturalist guide, who can give you detailed information about the wildlife you see?
Journey to the Lands of Ice and Water
Arctic expeditions take you to the extremes of the earth. Antarctica and the Arctic were once the domain of only the most intrepid adventurers or native Eskimos.
Now, icebreakers and advanced technology allow you to travel to these areas and embark on wildlife watching cruises, the circumnavigation of Greenland and expeditions to the North and South poles to explore one of the last frontiers.
Don't be fooled by the barren appearance of these frozen lands. You will find penguins and seabirds in profusion, polar bears, seals, sea lions, Arctic foxes and caribou. You can also experience the cultures of native Indians in Alaska, Canada and Greenland.
For those who seek the true adventure, there are expeditions to the ice-bound poles where you will find the ultimate wilderness.
Preparing for Your Bicycle Tour
TYPE OF TOUR -- Do you want a self-guided tour, which tends to be less expensive but more difficult to coordinate, or a guided tour? If you design your own tour, you must make sure there is available camping or lodging along your route and figure out how you will return to your car or home.
Guided tour operators provide the route and plan for food, lodging and your return transportation ahead of time. Because they are familiar with a region, tour agents can send you on the most scenic routes and to the best restaurants. A support van is often available to transport your luggage and give you a ride if you become tired. You also have the benefit of company on an organized tour, but you may have little or no input into where you stay, what you eat or where you travel. Before you make reservations, make sure the route is one you will want to follow.
Most tours offer optional longer routes for those who want a challenge and shorter routes for those who don't need one. Make sure those options are available if you want that flexibility.
EQUIPMENT -- Will the tour operator provide the bicyles or can you take your own? Find out if there is an extra charge for a bicycle. Find out whether the tour leader has bike repair tools and experience in the event your bicycle breaks down. If you plan to supply your own, find out whether a touring bike or mountain bike is recommended. Tour bikes have thin wheels for efficient cycling over paved roads while mountain bikes have chunky wheels for added stability.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Find out how far your tour group will cycle each day and over what type of terrain and make sure you can keep up. This is a vacation, not boot camp. You should return refreshed from this venture, not exhausted. Most easy tours cover about 15 to 25 miles a day over fairly flat terrain. The more challenging tours cover up to 45 miles a day over very hilly roads. You want to spend time enjoying the scenery during this vacation, not gazing at the landscape from the support van.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Find out the ratio between tour guides and participants. If you are bicycling from inn to inn in Pennsylvania, a large group can be fun. But if you are biking through Vietnam or Africa, you may be more comfortable with more intensive supervision. Find out what expertise your guide has. Is he or she an expert biker and knowledgeable about the region you are visiting? If there is a medical emergency, does the guide have any first aid experience? Ask for letters of reference from previous tour participants.
Take a Bicycling Tour Today
One of the best ways to see and truly experience a region is to bicycle across it. You can savor and smell the forests, gardens, oceans and desert that you pedal by.
You can design your own bicycle tour, riding from inn to inn in the Blue Ridge Mountains or visiting chalets along a challenging route in the Swiss Alps. When you design your own trip, you set your own pace and can pause anytime to talk to residents or sample local cuisine.
You can also join an organized tour that rides together from pub to pub in Ireland or journeys from chateau to chateau in France.
Designing your own tour is economical, because you don't have to pay for a guide, but when you're on your own, you must coordinate your stops with available lodging and orchestrate your return to your car and home.
Organized tours coordinate your route and line up lodging ahead of time. They provide the transportation to get you from one prime cycling area to the next and often have a support van standing by to transport your luggage and yourself if you tire out.
Tour groups often include bicycles and helmets as part of their cost and provide picnic lunches during the daily rides.
Many travelers find touring a country by bicycle an ideal way to meet local residents and experience the region's culture. Bicycle tours are now available in China, Vietnam and Africa. During these tours, you can stay with local residents to experience local culture or opt for a hotel.
When you must cover many miles on paved road, you ride a touring bike with thin wheels. But bike tours that explore backcountry roads, forest paths and desert mesas require mountain bikes, with thicker tires and tread for more stable riding.
There are now dozens of bicycle touring companies offering packages in nearly every country of the world. Tours are designed for novices, older citizens, singles or experienced cyclers who are
accustomed to pedaling 50 miles or longer each day.
Many tour operators believe bicycling is the best way to experience a country or region, and
you don't have to feel guilty when you sit down for that hearty dinner at the end of the day.
Preparing for a Boating Journey
TYPE OF TRIP -- Do you want a remote wilderness journey or an exploration of more developed areas? Would you prefer to take a turn at the helm or paddle, or just sit back and enjoy the scenery?
What type of accommodations are provided? Do you live on board or spend nights ashore? Do you want elegantly-appointed surroundings and gourmet meals or would be just as happy eating peanut butter sandwiches and rolling out your sleeping bag on deck? Keep in mind that accommodations on a ship tend to be small, but that doesn't mean they are uncomfortable.
Are you looking for a trip where the itinerary is firm or do you prefer some flexibility?
EQUIPMENT -- Most cruises will provide everything you need, but it's important to ask. Do you need your own recreational equipment? Do you need to bring food, sleeping bags or camping equipment?
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- If you are journeying on a motor-powered vessel, fitness may not be a concern, but you may need to be prepared for hiking or bicycling excursions ashore. If the journey involves muscle-driven craft, make sure you have the appropriate level of fitness. How isolated will you be in the event of a medical emergency?
RECOMMENDED SKILLS -- Find out if you will be expected to pitch in as part of the crew. What will your duties be, if any, and do you have the necessary skills?
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Ask about the ratio between tour guide and participants. Are you comfortable with that level of staffing? What are the qualifications and credentials of your guide or captain? Do they have the skills to maintain your vessel if it breaks down far from civilization?
A View from a Boat
From a barge tour in France to a nature cruise in Alaska, a boat journey can take you on a marvelous voyage of discovery. You have only to choose your destination and preferred mode of transportation and you're on your way.
You can travel by river in Ethiopia or cruise to the Galapagos Islands or vacation on a houseboat in Tennessee. A variety of craft, large and small, will take you on an exploration of the coastal United States or inland waterways.
In Norway, you can hop a coastal steamer for a thousand-mile passage from Bergen to Kirkenes above the Arctic Circle.
A boat journey doesn't have to be exotic, expensive or difficult to plan. Arkansas' tourism office will send you a "floater's kit," describing 9,000 miles of rivers and streams you can meander over for days or weeks at a time. And you can travel by canoe, raft or johnboat -- a small, flat-bottomed boat.
Exploring the Amazon River should be done with a tour. With a little research, you can find a reputable tour operator who can take you where you want to go in whatever style you choose.
If you have the time, (about 27 days) and the money, (around $20,000) you can join a once-in-a-lifetime cruise and circumnavigate Greenland.
A boat journey can take you far from home or take place near your own backyard, provided there is water and something that floats.
The choice is yours.
Finding an Affordable Adventure
TYPE OF TRIP -- Do you want to design your own trip or do you want to participate in an organized tour? If you go on a guided tour, you will pay more for the guide and you may not have as much flexibility.
If you embark on a tour, ask how much freedom you will have in planning your route and lodging. See if there are similar tours that might be shorter in duration or use more affordable lodging.
EQUIPMENT -- You can often save a substantial amount of money if you supply your own equipment rather than rent it from the tour operator. Sometimes, however, it costs just as much to transport your camping gear or bicycle as it does to rent them. Make sure your equipment is adequate, your sleeping bag that works well in the U.S. may not cut it in the Himalayas.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Find out how many miles the tour covers. Sometimes, challenging expeditions may be more affordable and easier on you if they last only a few days in duration.
SKILLS REQUIRED -- Make sure you have the skills and training necessary to participate on an expedition, especially if you are embarking on an adventure alone.
TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS -- Be sure to check flight options. Serving as a courier for a private company that needs to send equipment to your destination can lessen the price of your ticket. Also, find out about camping and hostel opportunities in the area you are visiting.
The Frugal Traveler's Adventure
Travel is generally thought of as a pursuit of the wealthy. But there are a number of adventure travel opportunities available for people who operate on a small budget.
If you want to participate on certain excursions but can't afford the tour's price tag, ask if you can customize the itinerary, making it shorter, or stay in less expensive lodging. Sometimes, tour sponsors have more economical versions of a tour. There are some tours that allow you to hike alongside the group but stay in less expensive inns or to camp.
Obviously, the most spartan accommodation -- tenting -- is the least expensive, nearly half the price of an inn.
Other tours may have abbreviated versions, again saving money.
Choosing a self-guided tour is another option where you can eliminate the expense of a guide. You have to be fairly skilled in the activity you are engaging in, as there will be no one there to show you the ropes. You also have to prepare your own itinerary and meals. You also lose the in-depth knowledge that a guide can offer about a region and its residents. Also, the more of your own equipment you can provide, the less expensive the tour will be.
Staying in hostels helps lower lodging rates and offers the possibility of comraderie during your travels.
Volunteer vacations generally furnish a place to plant your bedroll, food and a group of interesting people to share your time with. They also provide you with a sense of accomplishment and the gratification of helping the environment and others.
Airfare is often the greatest hindrance to a potential traveler. Those with a real sense of adventure might want to try one of the organizations that offer low fares to those willing to give up the comfort of knowing exactly where they are going to land. These agencies book you at the last minute, and arrange for you to land in one of a few available destinations.
Serving as a courier is another option, and there are a number of organizations that pay a large percentage of your fare if you carry their products as part of your checked baggage. This may require you to buy some clothes at your destination, but you receive a substanial savings.
Preparing for a Combination Tour
TYPE OF TOUR -- Decide what combination of activities you would enjoy and how long you want to do each. How active do you want to be? Would you like to combine a few days of strenuous hiking with a more relaxing endeavor? Would you prefer a very structured itinerary or one that allows you to pick and choose from a number of activities during the week?
EQUIPMENT -- Check with the tour operator to find out the type of equipment you'll need.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Make sure that you are up to handling all facets of the combination tour so that you can enjoy your entire vacation.
A Combination of Adventures
If you want a variety of experiences on a vacation, a combination tour may be right for you. You can hike in the morning and bike in the afternoon, or go whitewater rafting for two days, followed by a three-day hike.
A combination tour gives you several ways to see a region and sample several adventures during one trip. You can combine strenuous activities, like hiking, with a tranquil endeavor, such as exploring historic sites or wildlife viewing.
Perhaps, you enjoy cycling but aren't sure you want to do it every day for an entire week. The combination tour gives you the chance to experiment without wearing yourself out.
Of course, you can create your own "combination tour," by, for example, embark on a four-day walking tour of France, followed by three days at a cooking school. Or, you may combine horseback riding in the southwestern United States with an expedition to an archaeologic dig.
In addition, most destinations offer almost endless possibilities for exploration and discovery. If the main focus of your vacation is hiking or sailing or language study, you can also try mountain biking, diving with dolphins or panning for gold before you're ready to go home!
Preparing for a Different Culture
Type of Tour -- In a foreign country, you experience its culture every time you ask for directions or strike up a conversation. Decide whether you want a guided tour or the chance to strike out on your own.
Many of these cultural "tours" try to show you an aspect of a society that you would not usually see if you were traveling alone.
You could learn the tricks of the trade from a famous French chef at La Varenne cooking school, or discover the techniques of archaeological field work in Colorado.
Cultural tours let you experience rituals and values very different from our own. Whether in a Ladakh village in Nepal, in Eastern Europe or the Far East, their customs, thought patterns and concepts of time may be strikingly different from ours.
Tips for Traveling -- Be sensitive to cultural differences when you travel. Respect the feelings of other people, especially concerning photography.
Listen and observe carefully and try to acquaint yourself with local customs. Your guide or acquaintances in your host country will be happy to help you.
Ask questions and travel with a genuine desire to learn more about the people you meet.
Do not make promises to people in your host country unless you can carry through with them.
If you follow these guidelines, you will discover something unique about the cultures you visit and about yourself.
A Tour for Your Intellect
If you want an adventure that affects more than your leg muscles, a cultural tour may be for you.
You can see historical re-enactments of Civil War battles, follow General Custer's route to Little Bighorn, view the archaeological wonders of Turkey with a scholarly guide, follow in the footsteps of Great Britain's literary giants or learn the art of gourmet cooking in an Italian villa.
These trips introduce you to native cultures and rituals. You can see the masked dancers of Bhutan or witness the colorful and ornate "sing-sing" of the native people of Papua New Guinea.
You can travel on photographic tours to villages in Venezuela or India's Pushkar Camel Fair. Meet Masai tribal people in Africa or walk with modern day Tibetan nomads along the ancient byways of the Silk Road.
On these tours, you heighten your powers of observation and understanding, while experiencing the world's cultural wonders.
Preparing for a Family Adventure
TYPE OF TOUR -- Do you want a tour that is only open to families or do you want a mixture of ages? Instead of looking just for "family" tours, you may opt for a tour whose level of difficulty is "easy" if you have children who are novices to the activity.
Self-guided tours are less expensive than organized tours, but you must coordinate
lodging, meals and your return home. Guided tour operators provide the route and line up
restaurants, hotels and return transportation ahead of time. Because they are familiar with
a region, tour agents can send you on the most scenic routes and to the best restaurants.
A support van is often available to transport your luggage if you or your child become tired or injured during a bicycle, walking or hiking tour.
You and your children will have the benefit of fellow travelers on an organized tour, but you will have little or no input into where you stay, what you eat or where you travel. Before you make reservations, make sure the route is one you want to follow.
Most tours offer optional longer routes for those who want a challenge and shorter routes for those who don't need one. Make sure those options are available if you, or some member of your family, want that flexibility and freedom. Also, find out if there is day-care available during the tour, in the event you want to escape from the kids and dine out one evening.
EQUIPMENT -- Will the tour operator provide the equipment you need or can you provide your own? Find out if there is an extra charge for a bicycle, helmet or camping equipment, depending on the type of tour. Find out whether the tour leader has repair tools and experience in the event your equipment breaks down.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Find out how far your tour group will travel each day and over what type of terrain. Make sure you and your family members can keep up. This is a vacation, not boot camp. You should return refreshed from this venture, not
exhausted. You want to spend time enjoying the scenery during this vacation, not gazing at the landscape from the support van.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Find out the ratio between tour guides and participants. If you are bicycling from inn to inn in Pennsylvania, a large group can be fun. But if you are hiking through Vietnam, Africa or Nepal, you may want more intensive supervision. Also, find out what expertise your guide has and whether he or she has a thorough knowledge of the region you are visiting. If there is a medical emergency, does the guide have any first aid experience? Ask for letters of reference from previous tour participants.
Embark on a Family Adventure
Today, tour operators are offering a wide range of family trips designed to enable parents and children to bike, hike and paddle together on adventure vacations.
These treks were once marketed primarily to single, physically-fit travelers. Tour operators are now responding to the needs of baby boomers who want active vacations so that they and their children can experience new regions and cultures in unique ways.
According to tour operators, in some areas of the world, for example Nepal, families are welcomed more warmly than individual travelers because families are considered the most valued social unit.
Numerous bicycle and walking tours are currently designed for families, with a minimum age of 12 to 14. The pace is leisurely so children (and their parents) can keep up. Some tour groups design the route to take in local historic sites to broaden children's education.
Hiking, cycling, walking or sailing together provides an "outdoor" classroom for youths and teens and produces experiences and memories that last a lifetime.
Families can also ask tour operators to design a custom tour just for them, their friends or a larger group. Cruise boats can be hired to travel around islands or along a coast while families and friends share the price and day-care responsibilities.
Ecology tours of rain forests and camping in national parks are also great family adventures that can be economical if you stay in campsites and cook your own food.
Some tour operators (including Mountain Travel-Sobek) offer discounts if two or more family members participate.
Before You Depart for a Festival
Type of Festival -- Do you want to plan your vacation around a certain festival or are you interested in finding one near another vacation destination? If you are planning to stay in a city where a large festival is being held, make reservations early.Sometimes tickets for festival events and lodging accommodations are booked months in advance.
Are you interested in a festival that addresses a certain art form, for example, alternative theatre or blues or do you want a multicultural festival or a program that contains many different styles of art or music.
International film or theatre festivals held in different parts of the country try to bring together artists from many nations. The number of festival types and locations is endless. Check with the Chamber of Commerce or the Tourism Bureau of the city, state or country you plan to visit for information. You may even want to check with festival organizers for specific details on the
event you're interested in.
Enjoy a Festival
If there is a type of music, film or art that you simply adore, there's a festival celebrating it somewhere. You can hear opera in Ireland or blues in Chicago. You can see performances of Shakespeare's plays in Utah or watch flamenco dancing in Spain.
You can organize a vacation around a festival, and give yourself time for hiking, shopping or exploring that area.
The Festivals category introduces you to different kinds of art, music, film and theater festivities around the world.
You can find additional information about cultural festivals in individual states and countries by looking under the annual events listings under each province, state and country.
Preparing to Catch the Big One
TYPE OF TOUR -- Do you want a self-guided tour, which tends to be less expensive, or a guided fishing expedition? If you design your own fishing trip, you must be knowledgeable about the local weather, fishing conditions and bait.
Guides or lodge operators can take you to the richest fishing grounds or streams and tell you what bait or flies work best. If you want to travel to a new location that has a species of fish you do not know well, a guided tour may be your best choice.
If you do opt for a guided tour, you will have fishing companions to swap stories with in the evening and your guide will provide your meals. However, you will also have less flexibility to choose where you go. Before you make reservations, make sure the route, time spent fishing and accommodations are ones you can live with for the length of your tour.
EQUIPMENT -- Will the tour operator provide the fishing equipment or can you provide your favorite pole? Find out if there is an extra charge for using the lodge's equipment.
Also, find out what the cost is of temporary fishing licenses at your destination. Some states in the U.S. do not require a license for ocean fishing, while others, including Florida, require you to purchase a saltwater fishing license.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Even couch potatoes fish. The challenge is whether you have to hike over a difficult route to get to a fishing spot and the condition of your lodging. Some fly-in fishing expeditions leave you alone in the wilderness with only a tent and cot, while others deliver you to rustic but comfortable lodges where the guides prepare your meals.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Ask about the ratio between tour guides and participants. Do you want a solitary fishing venture with you against the world in the wilds of Alaska, or do you want the fellowship of other fishermen. Also, find out what experience your guide has. In addition to their fishing skills, do they know the region?. If there is a medical emergency, does your guide have any first aid experience? Ask for letters of reference from past participants.
Preparing for the Ultimate Fishing Trip
Experts estimate that 10 percent of fishermen catch 80 percent of the fish. The keys to hooking the big ones are experience, the right bait and knowing where they're biting.
If you lack the fishing hole and the knowledge necessary to catch fish, and your tackle is sitting dormant in the garage, a number of tour operators and fishing camp owners will be happy to guide you to their secret pools where the fish are always hungry.
These tours also offer a way to put your fishing tackle to work while you view some spectacular scenery.
There are numerous deep-sea fishing ventures along the U.S. and Canadian coasts, in the Caribbean and off South America. During these trips, you stay at pre-arranged lodging and sail out daily with the fishing party. Experts say the best "big game" fishing is found in the tropics, where warm waters and an abundant food chain produce the kind of
fish you'll be bragging about for years.
Inland fishing expeditions are provided by lodges, independent guides and outfitters. Whether you want to try flyfishing in England or in the creeks of Montana, there are maps and guides available from fishing publications to help you design your own
fishing expedition.
Among the most popular spots these days are fly-in fishing trips where you are flown by floatplane to a remote area of Alaska or the Yukon. You camp in tents or stay in rustic hunting lodges while fishing on your own in nearby rivers and streams for salmon. In the Pacific Northwest, you can try fishing in freshwater or at sea for the giant halibut.
Once guided to the right spot, all you need is patience and the right bait before you catch your big one.
Preparing for a Mining Expedition
TYPE OF TRIP -- What type of mining would you like to try and what is its success rate? Is the
itinerary of your mining tour firm, or does it allow for flexibility if weather conditions change?
EQUIPMENT -- Most gold prospecting tours provide all the equipment you need, but it is always a good idea to check and see what you are personally responsible for.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Average fitness is fine, and children are encouraged to participate.
RECOMMENDED SKILLS -- Instruction is provided on almost all trips, all you need to is curiousity and enthusiasm.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Ask what the ratio is between tour guide and participants. Are you comfortable with that level of supervision? What are your guide's credentials? Find out if the guide or teacher is licensed.
Going for the Gold
The idea of prospecting for gold may sound outdated to those who think there couldn't possibly be any left in the United States.
But in recent years, there has been four-times more gold mined in the U.S. than during the Gold Rush of 1849. You can try your luck at panning for some of this gold with prospectors who still rely on old-fashioned means.
There are plenty of stories circulating in California and Alaska of individuals who have hit the Mother Lode. One prospector brought in 60 ounces of gold in February of 1990, according to a mining tour sponsor.
There are a few prospecting agencies that lead hopeful prospectors on gold mining expeditions in the hills of California. They provide instruction, guides and the equipment you need, and often guarantee you find at least one flake of gold.
There are several techniques for extracting gold including panning in rivers, electronic prospecting and dredging, which requires a permit. There are tours that offer each type. Some of the more exotic trips combine heli-lifts and rafting, giving you an entertaining ride between panning endeavors.
Accommodations, including camping on a claim, are provided on longer trips. All you need to do is provide a bedroll and a sense of adventure.
If you find gold, most tour operators allow you to keep up a certain amount, usually about four ounces. Beyond four ounces, the gold is split among the guide, you and tour operators.
Preparing for a Mystical Journey
TYPE OF TOUR -- Do you want to journey alone to a mystical monastery, holy city or mountaintop or are you more comfortable with an organized tour to remote regions of the world. If you travel alone, you must coordinate food and lodging and your return home.
On guided tours, organizers provide the route, instruction and guidance and organize your lodging and transportation ahead of time. Because they are familiar with a region, a guide or mentor can take you to areas you might not ordinarily find on your own. Before you finalize your reservations, make sure the route and activities are ones you want to follow.
EQUIPMENT -- Will the tour operator provide the camping equipment, meals and lodging or can you take your own gear?
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Find out how far your tour group will hike or walk each day and over what type of terrain. Make sure you are comfortable with the pace.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Ask what is the ratio between tour guides and participants. Find out what expertise or credentials your guide or teacher has. Does he or she have an in-depth knowledge of the region you are visiting?
If there is a medical emergency, does the guide
have any first aid experience? Ask for letters of reference from previous tour participants.
Traveling to Find Something Spiritual
You can travel to escape yourself, or to find yourself.
Thrust into new surroundings and cultures, you are forced to rely on your instincts and examine your reactions to your surroundings as never before.
A number of healing and spirituality tours and Outward Bound adventures, help the traveler learn more about him or herself by testing themselves during rigorous mountain climbs or while quietly meditating on the mysteries of life in the mountains of Arizona or the holy city of Jerusalem.
There are tours that journey to Mt. Everest to ponder the landscape that generated Buddhism. You visit the monasteries where holy people reside and join in their rituals and sonorous spoken meditation.
Outward Bound offers expeditions for youths and adults to help them learn respect for themselves, others and the environment. The ability to work and live alongside others while paddling across a wide lake or from island to island in the Pacific Northwest is strengthened during expeditions that build character and friendships.
Trust, confidence and cooperation are learned as mountains are climbed, deserts are crossed and rivers explored.
Preparing for Your Hiking or Trekking Journey
Type of Trip -- The difference between a hiking and trekking journey is what you carry. On a hike, you carry all your food and camping gear with you. During a trek, you travel from inn to inn or hut to hut and your gear is carried by vehicle support or other porters. All you carry is a daypack with some clothes and maybe some food.
Hiking and trekking journeys are probably one of the easiest adventures to plan on your own. You can take a self-guided trip through Ireland or in Italy, in the south of France or in Germany's Black Forest.
There may be some regions where because of the difficulty of the terrain or your infamiliarity with local languages and cultures, you may feel more comfortable with a guide. A guide can also inform you about the flora and fauna as well as the customs of the people you meet.
Equipment -- The equipment you need varies from trip to trip, but a good pair of walking
shoes or hiking boots are always necessary. Find out from your tour operator if you will need to provide your own sleeping bag or other camping equipment if you are on a hiking/camping trip. If you are trekking, make sure you know what the weather conditions will be so you can dress appropriately.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- The physical difficulty of these trips varies widely. On some walking trips you may only be traveling for a couple of hours a day through rolling meadows and leisurely countryside, while on others you could be hiking through high elevations, over glaciers or through rugged countryside. Check with your tour group to see if alternate routes are available so that you can take a more strenuous or less strenuous route if necessary.
RECOMMENDED SKILLS -- In general, good health and a bit of stamina are the only requirements for walking, hiking and trekking journeys. Some more rugged trips may request that you have experience on glacier routes or hiking at high elevations. Some will demands more endurance than others. Check with your tour guide to get specifics on how long and how tough an individual route will be.
Staff Expertise -- Find out what kind of credentials or licenses your guides have. Ask how much experience they have in the region you will be hiking in. Find out what language, first aid or other skills they should have for this trip.
Take a Hike or a Trek
On a hiking or trekking journey, you can go wherever your feet can take you.
These trips offer a great variety of destinations at an affordable price. You can trek across Ireland or in the Andes. You can hike in the foothills of Mt. Everest and don't worry if you don't reach the top.
You can walk from inn to inn through lovely Alpine valleys in Switzerland or on volcanic formations in Hawaii. New Zealand's Southern Alps provide you with breathtaking vistas, and the rugged foothills of Patagonia give even the most stalwart hiker a challenge.
You can choose the route best suited to your physical abilities and have a wonderful hike.
Climbing to the Top of the World
TYPE OF TRIP -- Mountaineering can be divided into three categories: mountain climbing which
includes alpine climbing; rock climbing where you scale sheer or steep rock faces, and ice climbing, which requires climbing equipment to scale glacier and ice walls. Most of these trips require guides and companion climbers, even if you are experienced, for safety.
EQUIPMENT -- Mountaineering requires a wide array of equipment. Unless you are a real enthusiast, your best bet is to rent the equipment where you are climbing. It is often very specialized and very expensive. You need warm clothing designed for extreme cold and high altitude activities.
As your guide for recommended clothing. Also, before you sign up for a tour, find out if you are expected to provide your own equipment or if you are responsible for rental costs. Sometimes this is included in the price of the tour.
Find out if you will be staying in huts along the route or if you will be camping. If you camp, what camping equipment are you responsible for?
Physical Fitness -- Mountain sports are demanding and sometimes dangerous activities. You must be prepared not only for the physical demands of the climb, but for the cold climate, danger of frostbite and exposure, avalanches and altitude sickness. You will sometimes need to have a statement from your physician attesting to your fitness before going on a tour.
It is recommended that you check your insurance policy before you go. Some policies exclude accidents incurred while participating in high-risk sports like mountain climbing. Some specialized insurance companies can cover you for these sports. Occasionally, your tour company will cover you during your trip for a small fee. It is also important to have coverage for a mountaintop helicopter evacution, in the event you are injured during your climb.
Recommended Skills -- Although many trips require basic mountaineering skills, there are a number of places that teach avalanche survival, ascent preparation, equipment testing and how to acclimate to high altitudes before you attempt your first summit.
Staff Expertise -- The ratio between guides and climbers is very important when choosing a mountaineering program. You can also check with the American Mountain Guides Association at P.O.Box 2128, Estes Park, Colo., 80517, or by calling 303-586-0571.
This association regulates mountaineering programs in the U.S. Contact officials to check a guide service's safety record and professional standing.
An accident disclosure from your guide service gives you information about any incidents that occurred on previous climbing trips. Ask for references or recommendations from past participants.
Climb Every Mountain
The joy of mountaineering is the titanic perspective you achieve at the peak of a mountain.
You reach one of the geographical limits of earth. You are literally on top of the world.
Mountaineering adventures take you into high altitude regions in the great mountain ranges of
the world. You can choose from Alpine climbing, rock climbing or ice climbing. There is also the
burgeoning sport of ski mountaineering, which requires skiing as well as mountaineering skills.
Most of these trips require you to be skilled in mountaineering techniques. Other tours include
schools or workshops to help you develop basic skills or perfect the ones you already have.
Mountaineering requires technical knowledge of crampons, also called climbing irons, which are steel spikes that attach to your boots. You may have to use an ice ax, which is a cross between an ice pick and ax.
Rock and ice climbing also have their own equipment needs.
There are tours of the Cascades, the Rockies, Mt. Shasta, Mt. McKinley, as well as Aconcagua in
Argentina, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mt. Elbrus in the Caucasus and Mt. Everest in the Himalayas. There is even a tour to help you climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountain on each continent, including Antarctica.
There are climbing schools in Telluride, Colorado and in upstate New York, in Virginia and Alaska. Wherever you are and whatever your skill level, if there is a height to climb, you will find someone to help you conquer it.
Prepare to Watch the Animals
What Is Eco-tourism? -- It is an alternative travel philosophy. If you visit rare and untouched regions of the earth, leave them in the condition you found them. Try to give the people in each country you visit more than a short-term financial gain from your visit. If they see the benefit of responsible tourism, they will work harder to preserve their natural resources.
Type of Trip -- Are you interested in observing a particular species or a wide range of wildlife? Some tours are centered around a migration of animals, such as bald eagles, whales or caribou, which allow you to see large numbers of animals together.
Many adventure trips, like hiking or rafting, offer you many opportunities to view wildlife. Find out what animals you can expect to see, given the season, and how close. Ask what precautions are taken near predatory animals.
Equipment -- A sturdy pair of walking shoes or hiking boots are necessary equipment. A good pair of binoculars and camera also come in handy.
Physical Fitness -- Some wildlife excursions entail hiking through brush, paddling on rivers or snorkeling in the ocean. Others can be relaxing and require no exertion. You can safari in four-wheel drive vehicles or on horseback. You can visit game lodges which overlook a water hole where animals gather.
Recommended skills -- On most tours, you need a keen eye and a lot of patience. Some groups like Earthwatch sponsor projects on which you do research with scientists studying animals and their environments. Experience in biology or ecology are suggested on these tours, but thoughtful and willing volunteers are welcome.
Staff Expertise -- Ask what precautions tour leaders take when traveling in ecologically sensitive areas. Does the company actively support conservation measures? Is the purpose of their operation environmental education? Find the ratio between guide and participants. Smaller groups lessen the environmental impact. Will there be lectures or discussions of what you've seen each day? Find out your guide's qualifications in the biology, natural history and ecology of the region.
Come Face to Face with Nature
If you want to leave cars and cities behind and see plant and animal life up close on your next vacation, nature and wildlife excursions are for you.
You can see grizzlies and caribou in Canada's Northwest Territories. View birds in the Okavango Delta in Africa where flamingos create a pink skyscape or float down African rivers to watch hippos and crocodiles congregate at the water's edge.
Visit a conservatory for butterflies in Georgia or watch the spectacular migration of bald eagles.
No matter what type of creature you want to watch, you can find them in the right place. On photo safaris, you are accompanied by trained photographers or naturalists who give you nature and photographic tips.
Travel by boat or on elephant-back, walk or travel by four-wheel drive. If you are in search of marine animals, go snorkeling or diving to get close, or you can simply float or boat alongside them.
Whatever type of trip you choose, make sure you travel in an environmentally-responsible fashion. According to experts, your tour should have minimal or no impact on a local environment and its inhabitants.
The tour operator should have a proven track record of active involvement in conservation and not use natural resources just for business purposes.
"Take care not to alter the integrity of the environment," says Audrey Patterson of Tread Lightly, Inc. When shopping remember the "bargain" you obtained was possible because of the low wages of local workers. The tour company you choose should make efforts to see that tourist dollars go to local people and preservation.
Don't try to create a "home away from home" when you travel; be willing to learn the customs of your host country. Remember that their different concepts of time and philosophies do not make them inferior to you.
Leave the environment just as you found it. Your new knowledge will help maintain it for the future.
Walking, Sailing or Cycling the Senior Circuit
TYPE OF TOUR -- Do you want a tour that is open only to older adults, or do you want a mix of all ages? Instead of a senior citizen tour, you may opt for a tour whose level of difficulty is "easy" if you have little experience in hiking or bicycling.
Guided tour operators design your route and line up restaurants, hotels and return transportation ahead of time. Because they are familiar with a region, tour agents can send you on the most scenic routes and to the best restaurants.
A support van is often available to transport your luggage and you if you become tired or injured during a bicycle, walking or hiking tour. You also have the benefit of company on an organized tour, but you may have little or no input into where you stay, what you eat or where you travel. Before you make reservations, make sure the route is one you will want to follow.
Most tours offer optional longer routes for those who want a challenge and shorter routes for those who don't need one. Make sure those options are available if you want that flexibility.
EQUIPMENT -- Will the tour operator provide the equipment you need or can you provide your own? Find out if there is an extra charge for a bicycle or helmet or camping equipment. Find out whether the tour leader has bike repair tools and experience in the event equipment breaks down.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Find out how far your tour group will cycle each day and over what type of terrain and make sure you can keep up. This is a vacation, not boot camp. You should return refreshed from this venture, not exhausted. You want to spend time enjoying the scenery during this vacation, not gazing at the landscape from the support van.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Find out what the ratio is between tour guides and participants. If you are bicycling from inn to inn in Pennsylvania, a large group can be fun.
But if you are hiking through Vietnam or Africa, you may be more comfortable with more intensive supervision. Also, find out what expertise your guide has and whether he or she have a relatively thorough knowledge of the region. If there is a medical emergency, does the guide have any first aid experience? Ask for letters of reference from previous tour participants.
Trekking in Your Golden Years
An increasing number of tour operators are now offering special versions of their expeditions for adults age 50 and older.
By earmarking a tour for senior citizens, operators guarantee that only older adults will participate and the pace of their bicycling, rafting, walking or hiking tour will be leisurely and the climbs gradual.
Some may resent the classification and find that an important part of travel is touring with and meeting people of all ages.
But senior adventure tours are safe ways to introduce older adults to an activity they may be leery of trying in a mixed age group, where the majority of bicyclers or hikers are younger, more hurried in their pace and less tolerant of those who need more time.
Mountain Travel-Sobek, Butterfield and Robinson and other tour groups offer special, customized trips just for older adults.
You travel when the weather is more temperate and predictable and your lodging tends to be more comfortable than tents and sleeping bags.
If you are interested in a particular tour, but it is not earmarked for older adults, the tour organizer may be willing to design a customized tour for you and recruit other older adults to join the venture.
Also, look for tours with easy levels of difficulty. These tours are great ways for those with little "adventure" experience to try bicycling through the Loire Valley in France, rafting down the Zambezi River in Africa or hiking at a leisurely pace in the Swiss Alps.
Preparing for a Paddling Trip
TYPE OF TOUR -- Do you want a self-guided canoe, kayak or rafting adventure, which tend to be less expensive but more difficult to organize, or a guided tour? If you design your own tour, you must make sure there is available camping or lodging along your route and figure out how you will get back to your car or home.
Guided tour operators provide the route and line up food and your return transportation ahead of time. Because they are familiar with a region, they know the rivers, their rapids and the most scenic routes. A support van is often available to transport your luggage and camping supplies. You also have the benefit of company on an organized tour, but you may have little or not input into where you stay, what you eat or where you travel. Before you make reservations, make sure the route is one you will want to follow and find out whether you will have time to hike or stop along the way.
EQUIPMENT -- Will the tour operator provide the canoe, kayak or rafts or can you supply your own and save money? Will you have life vests on during the entire trip? How about helmets? This indicates how safety-conscious your outfitter is. What will the weather be on this trip? Do you need extra warm clothing?
Also, rivers and their rapids change with the seasons. Springtime rapids are much more severe in many places, due to melting snow. Rafting a river may require more expertise in sprintime than at other times of the year.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Find out how far you will paddle each day and on what type of water. This is a vacation, not boot camp. If you are prone to seasickness, sea kayaking may not be for you because of the constant motion of rocking waves.
On rafting journeys, some companies require that you paddle while others do not. Find out what experience you need and what type of swimming skills are required.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Ask what is the ratio between tour guides and participants and whether the guides are licensed or certified. Is the guide an expert paddler and do they also have a relatively thorough knowledge of the region you are visiting? If there is a medical emergency, does the guide have any first aid experience? Ask for letters of reference from previous tour participants. Also, inquire whether the company carries adequate
liability insurance.
Embarking on a Paddling Vacation
Whether you are floating down a tranquil river in North Carolina on a canoe or crashing through the boiling rapids of Africa's Zambezi River on a raft, there is no better way to learn a river than to paddle it.
Today, numerous tour operators and organizations offer guided rafting, kayaking and canoe journeys on some of the greatest rivers in some of the most remote regions on earth.
The easing of the Cold War has also opened up many rivers in Asia and Russia to Westerners who want the adventure of rafting and kayaking along the Mekong Delta or Siberia's Kamchutka Peninsula.
If you want to raft down the Bio Bio River in Chile, the Chatkal River on the China-Russian border or listen to a Texas swing musician as you journey down the Main Salmon River in Idaho, there are rafting, kayaking and canoe tours for you.
Many rafting tours camp on the river banks at night and explore the river and rapids by day. Some rafting companies want you to help steer the boat, while others want your participation only if you volunteer.
You can kayak with a group as you visit remote islands in the Gulf of Maine or watch humpback whales breach off the Pacific Northwest.
You can learn to canoe and then travel with a group as you test your personal abilities on an Outward Bound course.
But the bottom line is you and the water. Whether in a canoe or kayak, you feel the river's change in tempo and navigate the ocean as its surface changes with the currents and atmosphere around you.
Paddling offers you the high adventure of crashing rapids and tranquil moments of quiet floating.
Preparing for a Riding Adventure
TYPE OF TRIP -- On horseback rides, you can ride from ranch to ranch or take daily rides from a central base. There are half-day horserides as well as treks that last eight days or more through rugged country and high elevations.
Find out how much you will participate in the care and feeding of your horses. Will you have to saddle and brush them? Find out how many hours a day you will be riding and what opportunities you will have to explore the countryside. Will there be flexible routes or do you have to stay with the group?
Ask about the terrain and conditions you will be riding in. At what speed will you ride? What special skills or abilities are required for your trek?
EQUIPMENT -- Make sure you know what kind of equipment and clothing you will need. Can you bring your own saddle? Ask what kind of tack you will be using. Will you be riding Western or English style?
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Horseback riding is a demanding sport. You need to be physically fit, especially if you plan to undertake a tour that rides for four or more hours a day or at a fast pace over rugged terrain.
RECOMMENDED SKILLS -- Ask your tour operators what skills are required. One of their riding experts will probably be able to evaluate your skills and experience. Remember not to overstate your abilities. Find out if alternate routes are planned for those with different skill levels and whether riding seminars are available.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Find out what riding skills, credentials and teaching experience the tour
operator and guides have. Will those organizing the tour actually lead the trip or will they hire local guides? How long have they been leading tours and how well do they know the terrain? Ask for references from past participants.
Seeing the World from a Saddle
Riding adventures give you the thrill of taking an intimate look at the terrain and culture of a region from the back of an animal.
Whether you are riding western-style on a ranch in Wyoming or thundering over the Hungarian plains, on horseback you see the country as people have viewed it for centuries.
On horseback, you can experience the sea coast of Portugal or Jamaica, the Bedouin culture of Galilee, glaciers and hot springs in Iceland, rugged grasslands in Spain or Kenya, verdant plains in Hungary and olive groves in Italy.
On riding tours, you often travel from a fixed base, such as a ranch in Montana or South America. You can also ride from inn-to-inn or ranch-to-ranch. These adventures are designed for riders who have some experience, but you don't have to be an expert.
Many places offer workshops and classes to improve your riding skills. You can find riding treks almost everywhere.
Remember, the horses and riding techniques will vary from country to country, just as language and
culture does.
Preparing for Your Sailing Adventure
TYPE OF TOUR -- Do you want an active sailing experience or would you prefer to leave the sailing to a crew? Do you have the experience for a bareboat charter or should you hire a skipper?
Perhaps you want to build your skills at a sailing school, either living aboard or day-sailing from a land base. You can find whatever you need, from basic sailing lessons to a bareboat certification course, to give you the skills to charter a boat on your own some day.
Find out how long the company has been in business, its reputation, and the age and condition of the vessels and equipment.
Do you want to take children on the trip? Some sailing tours are designed especially for families with young children, but many would not be suitable for anyone younger than age 16. Often, chartering an entire boat allows more flexibility.
Do you wish to take advantage of off-season rates? Remember that conditions vary with the season and you should find out about the wind, weather and water temperatures before booking your trip. You may find that conditions are just as good during the off-season, or less than ideal, depending on your destination.
Do you want to be able to windsurf with or without a wetsuit? Do you want instruction or more time to sail on your own? Ask whether instruction is included in your package price and what types of lessons are offered.
EQUIPMENT -- On most bareboat charter trips you need to provide your own food or pay extra for the company to do the provisioning. You also may need to pay extra for sailboards, diving equipment or other recreational gear. Soft-soled, non-skid shoes are always a must.
Whenever you live on board a vessel, you should take a minimum of clothing and pack your items in a soft-sided, easily stowable bag.
Most vacationing windsurfers will not want to transport their own sailboards. Tour operators who specialize in windsurfing usually stock a wide range of equipment. If you are accustomed to sailing a particular board, ask if they have it ahead of time. You may need to take a harness, sailing shoes and gloves and, if the conditions require it, a wetsuit.
Always ask what you need to provide. And don't forget the sunscreen!
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- For most sailing trips, you need to be physically fit unless you choose to be only a passenger. If you are an active participant, find out what is expected of you. Will you be a key crew member or be asked to pitch in only on occasion?
If you are taking a bareboat charter, you almost certainly will need to provide a resume of your sailing experience, demonstrating that you have the expertise to sail the yacht you want to charter. You also can expect to be checked out on the water,and company officials will assign a skipper to your yacht if they deem it necessary.
If windsurfing, find out what skills you need in order to sail with confidence in that area. Are there protected areas to practice new skills? Is there a pick-up boat if needed?
STAFF EXPERTISE -- What are the qualifications and credentials of captain and crew? How much experience do they have sailing in that area? Are sailing school instructors certified by the American Sailing Association? Ask for references from former participants.
Sail Away
A sailing vacation can take you on a journey you will never forget. You have the freedom to explore the three-quarters of the earth which is water and view land from a new perspective.
Sailing is a journey of the mind as well as the body. Whether you're riding the waves on your sailboard or daydreaming on the deck of a windjammer, you enter a world different from your everyday one and anything is possible.
You can charter a sailboat in the tropical Seychelles or in the glaciated fjords of southeast Alaska. You can windsurf off the coast of Baja or New Zealand, on the Columbia River in the the Pacific Northwest or on a lake in Costa Rica. You can sail a catamaran off Turkey or cruise on a windjammer off the coast of Maine.
How active you want to be and how much sailing experience you have determines your vacation choice. Experienced sailors can charter a yacht on their own. Those who want to learn can hire a skipper and vessel participate in the sailing or take a course aboard a sailing school's yacht. For a more carefree trip, charter a vessel with a full crew and leave the sailing to them.
If you're a windsurfer or want to learn, choose a destination where the conditions are right for your skill level. Some wind-swept locations require intermediate or advanced skills and if you're not up to the challenge you could spend most of your vacation on the beach. However, many sites have a variety of wind and wave conditions, so you can find flat water or waves nearby. Most windsurfing schools offer instruction for all skill levels.
Happy sailing!
Preparing for a School Vacation
TYPE OF SCHOOL -- Do you want a highly-structured school program where you attend classes at a college or a flexible program that allows you to attend cooking classes in the morning and shop or hike in the afternoon? Do you want a rural, rustic setting where you camp or a more urban setting with pre-arranged lodging and meals?
How large will your class be? You can make some close friends during a "learning" vacation as you struggle together to learn new skills, languages or kayaking techniques.
EQUIPMENT -- Will the school provide your equipment or do you supply your own? Make sure you are prepared with the right clothing for your particular activity and its region.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Find out what the expectations are and make sure you can keep up with whatever physical challenges the school poses.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- What is the ratio between teachers and students? Is that level of supervision appropriate for your subject and do you feel safe with it? Find out what accreditation and experience your teachers have. Are they certified to teach in a particular field? What academic degrees do they have? If there is a medical emergency, does the teacher have any first aid experience? Ask for letters of reference from previous students.
Learning Adventures
Eat, drink, be merry and learn something during your summer vacation this year.
You can sharpen your cooking skills at an Italian villa or explore the Rocky Mountain canyons of America's West while learning photography.
You can finally learn horseback riding in Yorkshire, England or develop your leadership potential while attending a wilderness survival school in Wales.
Live out that dream of driving a Formula 2000 race car on a professional Grand Prix course, or learn about whales during a week-long marine science school.
Merging education with your vacation gives you an opportunity to meet people, increase your skills and experience a local culture close-up. The Berlitz language program, for example, arranges for you to stay with host families while you learn their language.
By attending school in a new country, you can taste, see and feel a culture in ways that most tourists never do.
There are dozens of schools you can attend. Elderhostel offers more than 1,000 courses worldwide so you can combine a visit to a new country or region with a class on archaeology, political science or filmmaking.
Schools and classes also help you grow individually. Outward Bound and other outdoor adventure organizations help you try the things you never dared before by arranging special classes just for youths, women or those age 60 and older.
Even at age 50, you can still learn to kayak down a raging river or rappel down the side of a mountain.
Whether it is a luxurious, gourmet lesson you desire or a lesson in marine life off the coast of California, there are dozens of schools available.
Preparing for Your Ski Tour
TYPE OF TRIP -- Do you want a self-guided ski tour or would you prefer being led by a professional guide? Guided tours are more expensive and you lose some flexibility over your route and pace.
Heli-skiing is almost always guided. But on downhill and Nordic tours, you have the option of heading out on your own.
Ask how much freedom you will have in selecting your itinerary before you book your tour. Will there be time for shopping or simply relaxing?
EQUIPMENT -- Does the tour group provide skis, poles and boots? How much will you save if you bring your own? The new wide skis for powder skiing reportedly make heli-skiing much easier and are highly recommended.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Skiing is physically taxing, find out how many hours you will spend on the slopes or how many miles you will cover each day. Are there alternate routes or support vans in case you tire? Exactly how isolated will you be?
RECOMMENDED SKILLS -- Most resorts offer a variety of slopes from beginner to black diamond, making skiing less traumatic for the uninitiated. Virtually all downhill resorts offer instruction. On tours, find out exactly what type of skiing you'll be doing. Heli-skiing is not for the untrained and usually requires you be able to ski intermediate and advanced slopes at resorts.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Ask the ratio between tour guide and participants. Are you comfortable with that level of supervision? What are your guide's credentials? Find out if the guide is licensed or certified by a school or licensing board to lead your particular tour. Inquire about the safety record of the instructor. If you are heli-skiing, find out about the threat of avalanche.
Skiing: For Those Inclined
Racing down an Alpine peak or gliding gracefully through the woods on six foot slats has captivated thrill seekers for decades. Speed has been the motivation for many downhill racers while nature observation and serenity has been the goal of cross country skiers.
The earth's geologic tumult has created hundreds of downhill ski areas around the world. Almost every region boasts several ski resorts for downhill and cross-country skis. And with the advent of heli-skiing, you can navigate peaks far removed from civilization.
Downhill skiing and snowboarding serve up an adrenalin rush to those with the inclination. For many, it becomes almost addictive. Resorts everywhere are crammed each winter with people interested in spectacular scenery and steep slopes.
Traditional downhill ski packages are resort based, and destinations vary from the wintry Alps to summer skiing in the Andes. Some of the more exotic tours take you to remote ski areas while others opt for slopes that have hosted the Olympics. The cost depends on accommodations, location and how you get up the slopes.
For intrepid downhillers, heli-skiing is the ultimate experience. The chopper takes you away from lift lines, worn-down slopes and crowds, and delivers you to a mountain of pristine powder, unspoiled scenery and adventure.
Heli-skiing also allows you to customize your itinerary as tour operators can reach a variety of peaks. Most packages offer a predetermined number of runs usually measured in vertical feet.
You can sample the 600 square miles of terrain in India's "Valley of the Gods" in the Himalayas, or stay in a Mongolian-style yurt and heli-ski in the wilds of Idaho.
Professional guides lead each run, with safety being a key consideration. The threat of avalanche exists on high peaks with deep powder. In most cases, you are loaned an avalanche transceiver and instructed how to use it before your first run.
Cross-country skiing is thought of by some as downhill's lesser cousin, but the sport has many virtues. Some Nordic skiers appreciate being close to nature and wildlife while others like the vigorous excercise. It's a favored mode of transportation in the rural areas of Scandinavia for it allows you almost unlimited mobility in the snow.
Ski tours can take you from inn to inn in the quaint towns of New England, from huts and yurts in the backcountry, or alongside sled dogs in the Yukon.
A rough rule of thumb: the nicer the accommodations and the more extensive the trail network, the more you pay.
Combining downhill and Nordic skiing gives you telemark skiing. Telemarking is a technique done with wide, rugged skis, boots and bindings that allows cross-country skiers to descend steep slopes safely.
There are few places where a trained telemarker cannot go, and heli-ski operators are now beginning to ferry telemark skiers, as well as downhill racers, to mountaintops.
Preparing for your Winter Excursion
TYPE OF TRIP -- What type of vacation would you like. Would you like to snowmobile from inn to inn on your own or join an organized tour? Would you like the tour organizer to select the route or would you like more flexibility to design your own tour?
EQUIPMENT -- Most all snowmobile and snowshoe tours provide all the equipment you need, but it's always a good idea to check and see what you are personally responsible for. Most snowmobile tour operators offer a specific type of sled but will provide an upgrade for a fee.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- While snowshoeing, you should always make sure you are fit enough to make it safely to your destination, given the dangers of subzero temperatures and hypothermia. Because snowmobiles do the work, fitness is not generally a great concern, but you should be able to handle the terrain. You should also find out if gas is included in the tour fee.
If you don't like being bumped and jostled, you might not want an organized tour. Ask if there are shorter, alternate routes available in case you tire.
RECOMMENDED SKILLS -- The fundamentals of snowshoeing and snowmobiling are fairly easy and instruction is usually available.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Ask about the ratio between tour guide and participants. Are you comfortable with that level of supervision? What are your guide's credentials? Find out if he or she are licensed or certified by a school or state board. Do they have the skills to maintain your equipment if it breaks down in the backcountry?
Winter Travel by Foot and Machine
For those who live in remote, snowbound areas, the most enjoyable modes of transportation are skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.
There are thousands of miles of snowmobile trails in North America, resembling mini-turnpikes complete with stop, mileage and directional signs. Hundreds of rural communities rely on these networks of trails when roads become impassable in winer.
Snowmobiles and snowshoes allow access to pristine wilderness areas even in deep powder. Travelers can go into more remote backcountry areas with this equipment than with virtually any other mode of transportation.
Snowshoeing is often offered as an added option to other tours, worked in alongside dogsledding, cross-country skiing and winter camping. Most resorts rent snowshoes, some provide instruction, and others offer heli-ski lifts so you may snowshoe in some of the most spectacular and untouched wilderness in the world.
Snowshoes are as silent as you are and can get you into close proximity with the wood's winter denizens.
Snowmobiling is another beast all together, and is geared to those who prefer speed, power and the ability to cover a lot of territory in a hurry. With many state and national parks now open to snowmobiles, you can visit many spectacular wildlife regions in the world.
Instruction and equipment are provided by most snowmobile tour operators, so all you need to provide are curiousity and enthusiasm. Dressed in snowsuit and helmet, you can follow your guide over the snow-covered lava fields of Iceland and through the blanketed forests of North America, Finland, Sweden and Labrador.
Embarking By Train
TYPE OF TRIP -- There are a variety of train tours available. Some recreate the experience of traveling during the Golden Age of Rail. They pamper you with deluxe accommodations and wonderful food. But you can plan many wonderful self-guided trips around the world.
There are train routes through Russia and India. You can travel through Pakistan or down the Chilean coast. You can visit the exotic landscape of Mexico's vast Copper Canyon by rail, with its awesome gorges and dense rain forests.
Find out what types of accommodations and seatings are available. Some are quite spartan. Ask what opportunities you will have to roam the countryside and how much flexibility your route will have.
Each country's railroads have a different standard for comfort and different rates and regulations.
If you are planning your own journey, you will want to contact the National Rail Office of the country you're visiting to get information about any special rates and opportunities available.
On a luxury train tour, you will have more specific information. You can ask about menus, sleeper cars, beverages, and where you will stop and for how long.
EQUIPMENT -- You don't need equipment for most rail adventures. Some organized tours provide observation cars where a knowledgeable guide informs passengers about the sights they pass.
Training for a Journey
For those who seek comfort, speed and spectacular scenery during a journey, there may be no better way to travel than by rail.
You don't have to concentrate on the driving, all you have to do is lean back and enjoy an intimate view of the scenery that unfolds beyond your window.
You can take the luxurious Orient Express to Venice or the Royal Scotsman from London through the Scottish Highlands to Edinburgh.
You can rumble above the immense gorges of Mexico's Copper Canyon or see the wilds of Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway.
Riding the rails is more adventuresome in some countries than others, but from any train, there are marvelous sights to see no matter where you choose to roam.
Preparing for your Undersea Odyssey
TYPE OF TRIP -- Do you want an organized tour or do you want to design your own diving expedition? A guided tour could be safer, and a guide will be know the area and its marine life.
Would you prefer the freedom and mobility that a live-aboard dive package offers, or would you rather participate in the numerous activities a resort provides? Be sure to inquire how much freedom you will have in choosing your own dive spots. You might also want to ask how close the nearest recompression chamber is in the event of an emergency.
Safety should always be paramount when diving. Never dive without a buddy. Find out the depth and how long you will be diving -- and make sure you are comfortable with them. If you don't feel confident about a particular dive say so. Never dive when you are uncomfortable. Recheck your equipment and dive tables prior to each dive, even if your guide checks them first. Leave your last day on the tour open for sightseeing and relaxing.
And never drink and dive.
EQUIPMENT -- Because of the difficulty involved in transporting heavy diving gear, dive tour operators generally supply the weights and tanks. Most ask you to provide or rent your own buoyancy compensator, regulator and wetsuit.
Make sure you have the appropriate equipment. For example, even though the water is very warm in the tropics, many tour operators recommend a dive skin or light wetsuit for extended dives or for those who are vulnerable to cold temperatures. Find out if you need special diving permits for protected areas.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Diving requires fitness and alertness. Review your dive book or notes from your certification class if it has been a while since your last dive.
SKILLS REQUIRED -- Most dive packages require you to be certified, while others offer instruction to beginners. You must be certified and experienced to embark on most live-aboard cruises, though some offer instruction. Experience is also required if you participate in more exotic dives, such as a shark feed.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Find out the guide-to-student ratio. Are you comfortable with that level of supervision? Many find it comforting to dive in new places with small groups. Also, find out the tour operators' safety record.
OPERATOR LICENSE -- Find out whether your scuba instructors are qualified to lead or teach your dive. Most are affiliated with either PADI, NAUI, YMCA, CMAS or VDTL.
Underwater Adventures
Scuba tanks provide people a passport to a new and alien environment.
Diving is synonymous with adventure. Unique creatures and colors surround you. You can hear sea lions grunt and dolphins and whales squeal. If your gear is working properly, you feel weightless in your extraordinary underwater flight.
Diving packages are either land- or sea-based.
Land-based and most self-designed scuba tours are headquartered at dive shops or resorts from where you
take daily excursions to prime diving areas. These packages offer modern comforts and amenities, and other recreational activities in addition to diving.
Sea-based, or live aboard dive packages resemble a cruise, but the objective is diving. Because the boats generally travel at night, you can sample hundreds of miles of diving terrain that could not be reached by day trips. You can also explore several sea and land locations daily.
Both types of dive packages will offer you two or three daily dives and at least one night dive during your stay. You can expect to dive in some of the most spectacular areas below the surface.
Tour operators will take you to the world's largest barrier reefs, teeming with intriguing creatures, or to the only fully-enclosed coral sea in the world.
You can enjoy the thrill of feeding sharks 48 feet under or snorkeling and cavorting with dolphins and sea lion pups. You can also explore ancient sunken statues beneath the Greek seas.
Other unique trips combine camping and diving on the Sinai Peninsula. You can also dive and kayak with a stay at a unique Gilligan's Island-esqe bungalow complex on the Isle of Roatan off the coast of Honduras.
Most dive tour operators provide instruction for beginners or other options for non-divers, so you can take a non-diving friend along.
Preparing for your Auto Adventure
TYPE OF TRIP -- Do you want a remote and rustic off-road expedition or a trusty tarmac tour? Would you prefer to do the driving or sit back and enjoy the scenery. What type of accommodations are provided? Is it camping or staying in fine hotels? Is the itinerary firm or does it give you some flexibility?
EQUIPMENT -- Most all automotive tours provide all the equipment you need, but it's always a good idea to ask what you are personally responsible for. Most motorcycle tour operators assign a specific type of vehicle but offer an upgrade for a fee.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Because the machines do the work, fitness is not a great concern but you should be prepared to handle whatever terrain is covered. If you don't like being bumped and jostled, you might avoid the rugged four-wheel drive and off-road bike tours. Are there alternate routes or support vans in case you tire? How isolated will you be in the event of a medical emergency?
RECOMMENDED SKILLS -- You should have the fundamental skills necessary to operate the vehicle. Inquire if there are any particular skills you need to know. For example, do you have to be able to use a manual transmission at a driving school?
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Ask about the ratio between tour guide and participants, teachers and students. Are you comfortable with that level of supervision? What are the credentials of your guide or teacher? Find out if the instructor is licensed or certified by a school or licensing board. Do they have the skills to maintain your vehicle if it breaks down away from a garage?
Driving to Adventure
Driving tours may not be your idea of adventure travel, but four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles have always been associated with outback expeditions into remote and rugged areas like Africa and Australia.
Recently, the popularity and availability of 4WD vehicles has surged as more travelers opt for vehicles to explore backcountry roads, mountain trails and Australia's Outback.
Since the 1950s, the motorcycle has also been a preferred mode of travel for intrepid types who cruise across the continent or explore dirt roads on mountain terrain.
The allure of expedition vehicles is the safety and comfort they afford in wild regions of the globe. They can also cover distances faster than any other mode of outback transportation, allowing you to see more.
Four-wheel drive tours navigate virtually all areas of the globe, Australia and Africa being the most
common destinations. Tours are offered on most continents from driving the desert in the
Sahara or Sinai Peninsulsa, to trekking around the Himalayas in Tibet. You can now drive the backroads of China and to the once forbidden King Country in New Zealand.
Accommodations on these excursions run the gamut from luxury hotels to rustic cabins and tents.
If you prefer the rush of wind in your face and the feel of sun on your back, but enjoy the speed and comfort of a vehicle, you might try motorcycle touring.
Motorcycle tours, like motorcycles themselves, generally come in two varieties -- on and off road. On-road tours go anywhere there is pavement, and the world's tour sponsors have tried to be accommodating. You can ride by castles and vineyards of the Alps, motor about the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia or travel the breadth of reunited Germany.
For the more intrepid there are challenging dirtbike tours of the Baja Peninsula and more remote
regions of Mexico. Wherever you choose to ride, whether on tarmac or turf, tours are usually guided and supported by van, allowing you to concentrate on the road ahead.
If speed is your objective you might want to make like a movie star and attend one of the several stateside multi-day racing schools. Donning a helmet, and strapping yourself in, you can try high performance race cars and Formula 2000 cars hitting adrenalin-pumping speeds in a safe and supervised environment. Graduates can join Formula 2000 racing circles or simply better understand how to navigate the windy roads of their own neighborhood.
Volunteering for a Great Vacation
TYPE OF TOUR -- What skills do you have that you would like to volunteer and where would you like to go? Organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or Volunteers for Peace offer programs in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Russia, South America and Africa. You may want to perform a skill that is very different from your daily job, or you may want to volunteer your professional skills abroad.
If you have limited resources, this is a great way to travel and experience a culture. Find out how much each particular program costs and whether there are inexpensive ways or discounts available to reach those regions.
EQUIPMENT -- Will you need any equipment or camping gear? The program operator can tell you what is required and what you should take with you.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Find out what tasks your group will be performing and whether you are up to the endeavor. Clearing trails with the Sierra Club in West Virginia or Maine requires exertion and a tolerance for summer heat. But helping paint a day-care center or lending administrative skills to a local agency are not as physically challenging.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Ask what level of supervision will be provided at worksites. Will the sponsoring organization be responsible for your accommodations and food? Will they provide information and resources so you can explore your host country during your non-volunteer hours?
Volunteer Your Vacation to Improve the World
On your next vacation you can help improve the world by building homes in your hometown, blazing a wilderness trail in Maine or working for peace in Europe.
A growing number of organizations, ranging from Habitat for Humanity International to Volunteers for Peace, are looking for volunteers to donate time, energy and skills to help those less fortunate.
These organizations ask you to pay your own way to a country or region where you join local residents to build roads or schools. Some programs provide your housing and meals for a nominal fee, while others line up homes for you to stay in.
By working alongside residents of South America, Australia, Poland and Asia, you gain insight into their culture that most tourists never experience.
You are welcomed into peoples' homes and given tours of areas that only the inhabitants can provide. You also experience the living conditions and political circumstances that your co-workers must endure daily, while getting a crash course on a foreign language.
In addition to providing an often tax-deductible overseas trip, these projects also foster understanding and peace between people and countries.
Projects include building homes alongside former President Jimmy Carter with Habitat for Humanity, blazing trails with members of the Sierra Club and working on environmental or social issues at Volunteers for Peace workcamps.
Preparing for a Women-only Adventure
TYPE OF TOUR -- Do you want a tour that is only open to women, or do you want a mixture of genders on your trek? Instead of a women-only tour, you may choose a tour whose level of difficulty is "easy" if you have little experience and want to travel with others who are also novices in this activity.
Guided tour operators provide the route and line up restaurants, hotels and return transportation ahead of time. Because they are familiar with a region, tour agents can send you on the most scenic routes and to the best restaurants. A support van is often available to transport your luggage and you if you become tired or injured during a bicycle, walking or hiking tour.
You also have the benefit of company on an organized tour, but you may have little or no input into where you stay, what you eat or where you travel. Before you make reservations, make sure the route is one you will want to follow.
Also, most tours offer optional longer routes for those who want a challenge and shorter
routes for those who don't need one. Make sure those options are available if you want that
freedom.
EQUIPMENT -- Will the tour operator provide the equipment you need or can you provide your own? Find out if there is an extra charge for a bicycle or helmet or camping equipment. Find out whether the tour leader has repair tools and experience in the event equipment breaks down.
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Find out how far your tour group will cycle or hike or kayak each day and over what type of terrain. Make sure you can keep up. This is a vacation, not boot camp. You should return refreshed from this venture, not exhausted.
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Find out what the ratio is between tour guides and participants. If you are bicycling from inn to inn in Pennsylvania, a large group can be fun. But if you are hiking through Vietnam or Africa, you may be more comfortable and feel safer with more intensive supervision. Also, find out what expertise your guide has and whether he or she has a relatively thorough knowledge of the region you are visiting.
If there is a medical emergency, does the guide have any first aid experience? Ask for letters of reference from previous tour participants.
Tours for Women Only
A growing number of tour operators are offering special versions of their expeditions just to women.
Women's programs offer kayaking tours, wilderness treks, training programs, mountain climbing schools and a host of other activities so women can try out new skills in a non-competitive atmosphere.
Participants report that they often feel more comfortable learning in a group of women with a female instructor. There is also opportunity to meet women with similar interests and to forge friendships.
All-women courses can include all skill levels, and instructors challenge you to perform your personal best. A women's program can take you sailing or teach you dog sledding in Minnesota's Boundary Waters.
If you are interested in a particular tour, but it is not designed just for women, the tour
organizer may be willing to design a customized tour for you and recruit other women to join the venture.
These tours are great ways for those with a little "adventure" experience -- or a lot -- to test their skills and enjoy the camaraderie of other active women.
Whether you are bicycling through the Loire Valley in France, rafting down the Zambezi River in Africa or hiking in the Himalayas, you will enjoy the supportive environment and self-confidence you gain from a women's program.
Preparing Your Child for Adventure
TYPE OF TOUR -- Do you want a program that focuses on a hiking trek across a mountain or a rafting journey down a river? Or, do you want a structured summer camp or school program?
How much of an age mixture do you want in your child's camp or adventure program? What would you like this program to accomplish for your child? Will it heighten his or her self-confidence and teach new skills?
EQUIPMENT -- Will the tour operator provide all the equipment your child needs or can you provide some of the camping equipment to defray part of the cost?
PHYSICAL FITNESS -- Find out how far the tour group will cycle, hike or paddle each day and over what type of terrain. Is this the type of program your child needs? Will your child be challenged or defeated by the pace?
STAFF EXPERTISE -- Find out the ratio between instructors and participants. Is the supervision intensive enough, given the type of activity, that you are confident your child will be safe? Also, find out what expertise the teachers have and whether they have a good knowledge of the region they will be covering. Is the camp or program accredited by a private summer camp licensing board or state? If there is a medical emergency, do teachers have any first aid experience? Ask for letters of reference from former participants and their parents.
Special Summers for Youths
Hundreds of summer camps, youth programs and schools are designed to teach and entertain children and teens during their summer vacations.
From a magic camp in California to a summer camp perched high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, there are abundant opportunities for personal growth and play.
Outward Bound specializes in mountaineering, sailing and hiking programs that strengthen a child's self-confidence and his or her sense of teamwork and responsibility. Youths are forced to confront difficult issues and resolve them by working together in wilderness settings.
Guided Discoveries' Catalina Island Marine Institute gives campers a chance to scuba dive, sail and take photographs and video underwater as they broaden their marine science knowledge.
With dozens of camps and programs to choose from, you must decide what skills, challenges and experiences best suit your child. Each camp has its own distinctive goals and mission. Some camps specialize in certain ages or genders of
children.
Some camps offer stellar instruction in horseback riding, camping, arts, scientific exploration
and environmental studies. Others give students a chance to try their hand at skills that may some day evolve into full-time professions.
Camps and programs are usually certified by state or federal licensing boards, so make sure to check on their accreditation. Also ask for letters of reference from former participants or their parents.
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