Adventure Vacation: Evaluate your options

Your priority at this point in your evaluation is to find the available adventure vacations in the market that best meet your needs. You can save a lot of time during this activity by quickly eliminating any that are unsuitable because they don't meet your key requirements. For example, if you have a limited budget for this purchase then you can ignore any vacations that clearly exceed your price limit.

Whether you want to sail the Red Sea or make it to the base camp of Mt. Everest, your adventure vacation can be whatever you choose it to be. First, confirm who you are going with and how physically demanding you want your adventure to be. Then connect with a travel agent or tour operator and start asking questions. Always make your expectations crystal clear so that you wind up with an adventure vacation that you are pleased with.

Tip: Consider getting insurance! It is recommended that you purchase trip insurance to protect you against illness, injury, and loss or damage to luggage. This insurance should also cover the possibility of your having to cancel your vacation for whatever reason.

There are so many types of adventure vacations to consider, it is important that you understand exactly what you're getting into. Adventure vacations can be high in the snow-capped mountains, on the ocean, in the desert or in a jungle. Some adventure vacations are far off the beaten path and will include sleeping in tents or ecolodges for the entire vacation. Meals may be provided or you may need to pack or purchase your own. On the other hand, some adventure vacations include sleeping in the same bed every night at a nice hotel or resort after you adventure throughout the day.

Tip: If you're staying at a hotel or resort make sure you understand the gratuity or tipping policy. It is important to know if tipping is included in the overall fees, or if you are expected to tip individuals directly.

Consider trying to get a group of people together for your adventure vacation. A lot of tour companies and travel agencies can give discounts if you have, for example, 10 or more members in your party. For some adventures, this would also be enough to have a private tour guide.

Tip: If you are taking a self-guided tour, be sure you understand the maps you are given and can use the compass you carry.

Pay special attention to the level of physical activity required. You want to make sure that it will not overtax your abilities or that it will not be challenging enough to suit you. Also think about the activities you might be interested in when you're not out adventuring. Make sure that there is a selection of activities you can participate in. This could avoid disappointment if you are unlucky enough to sustain an injury and find yourself limited to certain activities.

Tip: Check your health! If your adventure vacation is taking you to other countries, make sure your doctor approves and ask him or her questions about your destination. Are malaria tablets recommended? Do you need any shots before you leave?

For your convenience, a lot of companies will help you with flight arrangements and some even include the cost of the plane tickets in their price, but you may want to explore outside options. You could find less expensive flights on your own rather than through the tour guide or travel agency.

Tip: Travelling solo? For accommodations, you will generally be placed with a member of the same gender as yourself. However, you can usually pay an extra fee to have your own room.

Many people cannot disappear for two or three days without having a way to keep in touch with family, friends or the boss. Make sure you will be able to reach others and that others can reach you. Many hotels now have wireless or broadband internet service so you can bring your laptop, but cabins and ecolodges may not have landlines or cell phone service. If your adventure vacation is taking you far from civilization, you should plan on not being able to reach others.

Tip: Even on a short, guided adventure vacation, always leave a full itinerary with someone you trust. Schedule contacts with that person, and keep to the schedule. Then, if something should go wrong, your friend will be able to notify authorities who can get you help.

When you were considering your requirements in an adventure vacation it's likely that you singled out certain factors such as type of adventure, location, safety record and cost as being of major significance. As with so many other products, the more features offered, the higher the price. Buyz123 has created a checklist containing examples of major features; you can work from this checklist when evaluating how well various adventure vacations meet your personal needs:

Features Checklist

Types of adventure vacations

Adults only vs. family (including adventures for small children)
Difficulty levels range from easy to extremely difficult
Private groups
Solo travel
Men only
Women only
Length - 2 to12 days and more

Planned by

Travel company
Professional tour guide
Local folks
Yourself

Primary adventure vacation activities

Hiking, rock-climbing, glacier-climbing, ice-climbing, trekking, camping, lodging
Biking, sea kayaking, rafting, diving, snorkelling, scuba diving, jet skiing, swimming, windsurfing, surfing, catamaran sailing, canoeing, hobicat sailing, wakeboarding

Other activities that could be incorporated into your adventure vacation

Fishing, fly-fishing, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, whale-watching
Wine tasting, food tasting
Museums, galleries, shopping, night life, spa treatments, movie theatres, shows, special presentations about local wildlife
Training and learning - maps and navigation training, special regional speakers, meeting native elders, listening to storytellers, backpacking skills, regional crafts, environmental immersion

Flight Options to your destination

Flight arrangements included in price.
Airfare not included in price (this is the most common option), but generally assistance is offered with local flights.
Check all options on your own

Often included in the price of an adventure vacation (based on double occupancy)

Guide
Accommodations
Some meals vs. no meals at all - read carefully!

Accommodation Options

Tents - private vs. shared
Bed and breakfast or hotel every night
Hotels or Resorts
Ecolodges (very common) - generally very comfortable, ecolodges are built to depend on nature.

Touring with others on your adventure

Guided tours can include 4 to 20 people, even more depending on the type and location of the tour you sign up for.
Privacy - Do you and your fellow travellers get time to yourselves?
Flexibility - Can you and your fellow travellers occasionally do your own thing, separate from the main group?
“Tailormade” adventures - design your own tour and ask the tour guide to try and get a group together or pay extra to have him/her guide just you.

Possible Amenities to think and ask about, especially on outdoor adventures

Linens and Toiletries provided
Barbeque
Food menu
Fire pit/Bonfire
Hot springs
Starter pack - food, drinks, toiletries
Bathrooms - private vs. shared

Policies and Procedures

Hidden fees, taxes, gratuities, surcharges
Smoking vs. non-smoking
Pets allowed
Children allowed
How much of a deposit is required, if any
Read cancellation policies carefully and consider buying travel insurance that covers a possible cancellation.

There are a lot of features listed here, and some of them may not be relevant to your particular requirements. So, work your way through the list and assess how each of these features impact on your needs. You can then create a personalized checklist of the features you really require in an adventure vacation.

Once you have finished evaluating your options in the light of your personal needs and arrived at a short-list of 'possibles' you are ready to progress to the next stage. This involves comparing the adventure vacations one-on-one in order to find those that really stand out.

Evaluate how well an Adventure Vacation compares with competing Adventure Vacations

Comparing the items on your interim short-list, one to another, is an important part of the purchasing process - we all want to buy the best vacation we possibly can. So once you have established a short-list of choices that meet your needs it is time to evaluate how well they compare in fine detail. This way you can assemble a select list of options that stand out from the crowd.

Questions to ask yourself:

Which adventure vacation on my short-list can provide the experience I want?
Which of these has the most experienced guides?
Which of my short-listed adventure vacations has the best safety record?
Which is the easiest to get to?
Which appears to be the most professional and of the highest quality?
Which has the most suitable accommodation?
Which adventure vacation do I like the best?

By answering these simple questions, you are actually eliminating adventure vacations that aren't absolutely right for you. This is an excellent time - if you haven't done so already - to evaluate how well your short-listed vacations measure up in the following areas: Quality and Extras.

Quality

Regardless of the method you use when purchasing the adventure vacation, it is a good idea to find an opportunity to examine the vacation accommodation and facilities to evaluate that it is truly suitable for you and your purpose. This is the time to examine the quality of the accommodation, and how well the activities are put together. Are the activities value for money and are they the types of things you'd actually like to do? Use the internet, referrals, travel agents, family and friends to find out if the rooms are spacious and clean. Some adventure vacations look great on paper, but unexpected problems will show up when you finally get there.

Accommodation - quality, appearance
Activities - value, suitability

Extras

When evaluating similar vacations, it is a good idea to include extras in your assessment. You need to be clear about exactly what extras are really to necessary have a great vacation, and whether these can be included in the price.

Extras Checklist:

Meals - included or extra cost?
Upgrades - what are the costs?
What else will you need to get the most out of your adventure vacation?

Once you've worked through the Evaluation step you will have a final short-list of adventure vacations that meet your needs and stand out from competing products on the market. It's time then to move on to the third and final step: Purchase.

Video Links

Buyz123.com Research Links:

Adventure Vacation Reviews

Adventure Vacation Reviews

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