Adventure travel is one of the fastest growing segments of the
travel industry, but it is often difficult to find good bargains
when booking adventure travel. With so many people itching to go
on the adventure of a lifetime, the prices in those travel
brochures can lead you to believe that adventure travel is
beyond your means.
That does not have to be the case, however. The key to
affordable adventure travel is to book directly from the
providers of the adventure, instead of going through multiple
layers of travel agents, tour operators and tour guides.
Booking a tour directly has many benefits besides monetary ones,
including meeting wonderful local people and enjoying the local
culture. Often the best way to enjoy a vacation on a budget is
to book low cost airfare to the destination of your choice, take
the local bus into town, and start asking around about the best
adventure guides in town. Local tour operators know the area,
they know how to please their clientele, and best of all they
are inexpensive. U.S. currency goes quite a long way in many
exotic locations in Africa, Asia and elsewhere, so dealing with
local tour guides is the best way to make your adventure travel
dollar stretch even further.
Many inexperienced adventure travelers are unsure how they can
possibly book an adventure tour on their own. For one thing,
there is often a language barrier in far off locations, and you
may be many thousands of miles from home in an unfamiliar
location.
What these first time travelers often don't realize, however, is
that finding a tour operator is often the easiest part of the
journey. In many cases, the tour operators will find you as soon
as you land, without you having to seek them out. And in most
places, especially those frequented by American tourists, the
guides will speak at least a little bit of English. Listed below
are some of the best tips for booking your own budget travel
adventure.
Be sure to ask around before you leave. Get opinions
from other travelers who have done the adventure you plan on.
Refer to your guidebook for references. Guidebook
writers are often quite knowledgeable about which tour operators
are good and which are more questionable.
Check on the message boards, both virtual and real.
Real message boards are available at hostels and local guest
houses, and they can provide excellent information on local
tours and tour operators. The staff at local hostels can also
provide excellent information about adventure travel. And
internet message boards devoted to travel can be great sources
of information, both before you leave home and after you arrive
in your far off location.
Interview your potential trip leaders carefully. Ask
lots of open ended and probing questions about the equipment
used, the experience level of the guides, the lodging the food,
and what is and is not included. Be sure to negotiate everything
in advance, since you will have little leverage once the
adventure trip has begun.
Finally, if your crew did a great job, be sure to tip
them generously after the tour has come to an end. Good tour
operators rely on these tips to supplement their often meager
wages, and this helps to keep the best tour guides in business
and the best tour operators in operation.
About the author:
Tony Robinson has travelled extensively throughout this
wonderful planet with his family in tow. For great travel saving
tips, techniques and articles on visit
http://www.budget-travel-site.com
