Budget Adventure or Activity Holidays
Posted June 12, 2008 by:
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Adventure holidays or Activity vacations are becoming hugely popular.
Many travellers are bored with spending their days lying on a beach, and they want a program of activities for their trip. Hiking, walking, tennis, canoeing, even cookery – all can become the focus of your activity vacation. But it can be hard to find budget deals for travel, activities and accommodation when you want an Adventure Holiday. So many people are looking for an adventure when they go on holiday, and these tend to be affluent, slightly older travellers who can spend more. So if your travel budget is tight you need to shop around to get your dream holiday activity. The key to an adventure or activity holiday that does not break the bank is to book direct with the holiday operator.
If you go via travel agents, international tour operators and guides they all want their slice on top.
Booking your budget adventure holiday direct benefits you in many ways – you will meet more local people and see more of the culture. The best way to build your adventure holiday package is to start with a low cost air ticket to the closest airport, then go into town by bus – not taxi.
When you arrive at your destination, start asking around about the best adventure guides. Local tour operators know the area, they want to please their customers, and they are much cheaper. The reps from big tour operators in popular resorts often put out a lot of scare stories to frighten tourists into using their excursions – from which they earn a big commission. But you can use your common sense. I almost bought that line once in Turkey: fortunately some other holidaymakers were raving about their amazing trip with local guides and I booked with them. The tour was far better than the official version, and around half the price.
If you are a new budget traveler or you have always taken package deals this can seem daunting – you are a long way from home and there may be a language barrier. You must remember that the people providing this service know where to find their customers and will be easy to locate. They will also know the essential terms in a number of languages, otherwise they could not earn a living.
Do some research on your planned trip while you are still at home. Talk to anyone who has been to your planned destination and find out about their experiences and recommendations. Read a guidebook – before buying one, check out your local public library as they may have a recent edition that you can borrow.
When you are at your destination make sure you get a clear agreement with your tour guide. You need to confirm the cost, duration of the trip and what is included. Ask about the guide’s previous experience on this kind of trip, the food that is served and any accommodation – if that is part of the deal. It is best to agree all this before the trip begins. You do not want the negotiations (or any misunderstandings) to spoil your enjoyment.
Play fair with your tour guide. If you add anything to the trip itinerary after it starts then you must expect to pay something extra. If you are open and honest with your guides, they are more likely to play fair with you. At the end of the trip, make sure you tip a little extra for good service. It is easy to forget the real price when dealing in local currency. Back home, you would think it a cheap shot to haggle over a couple of cents
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Tags: adventure holidays
