The season of vacations is here and everyone is planning their kind of getaways. While some of us look for a calm and relaxing place to reconnect with their inner self, others look for that rush of the thrill to make their hearts go all Vin Diesel on his Impala.
Adventure trips undoubtedly create the most memorable vacation moments and there are many options available from bungee jumping to paragliding. However, an adventure trip requires a lot of careful planning. So before you go all Vin Diesel (or any of your famous action heroes), here is a checklist for that perfectly safe and fun filled adventure trip.
Table of Contents
Who are you traveling with
You need to design your activities keeping in mind your travel partner. Traveling solo, with your partner, friends or family? Knowing exactly who is going to be with you on your trip will help you figure out what you need to plan for. If you are traveling with elderly parent or kids in the group, it is advised that your adventure activities should be less exhausting. Also, you need to carefully pack your travel medicine supplies , right snacks for kids for the travel and all the travel products that kids need, and your own outdoor travel gears when planning outdoor adventure with kids.
Pack light (The biggest mantra of all)
I don’t really need to tell you to pack light. This one is definitely the most important aspect of a hassle free travel. To travel comfortably, packing light and packing smart is the most crucial thing. Prepare a packing list beforehand, stick to it and then re-evaluate to see if you really need as much as you have packed. Pack for the kind of place you are headed to. Your research will help you figure out your checklist. Here’s a quick list of what I always carry in my backpack:
Warm clothes (a jacket or a flee), light and easy-to-dry wear trousers, water bottle, first-aid kit (make sure you carry your prescription if you have any), a rain-cover, torchlight, camera, safety equipment and GPS (depending upon the activities I plan to do; only required for extreme adventure sports mostly).
Related read : What to pack for a round the world trip?
Go Google
Research! There is no getting around this. You can break down your research to these three simple steps:
1. The place(s) you want to go.
2. The activities (what exactly you want to do).
3. Budget.
You can plan your trip depending upon your budget or by picking the adventure activity you want to participate in.
Once you have short-listed the places you want to go to and the things you want to do, you need to sort out your accommodation and transport as per your preference and budget. With the internet, there is plenty of information to plan exactly what you want and how you want it. Once you are set with destination, logistics etc., narrow down your options and pre-book the accommodation, tickets and (if there is) your activity slot to avoid any last minute hassles.
That’s half your trip planned already.
Check your fitness levels
How many ambitious souls have jumped the gun and rushed off on an adventure only to return home with bruised egos and knees? Be realistic about your fitness levels. Allow yourself time to train and to attain the best possible fitness level before embarking on physically demanding activities. Prep especially for the terrain you’ll be in – high altitude, choppy waters, hot and arid rocky areas etc.
Ask for help!
The best advice comes from those who’ve been there and done that. Get on to travel forums, ask for advice, read up reviews and suggestions from those who’ve gone before you. Sometimes you might want to even take small courses to prepare well for your adventure trips like snowboarding, skating, surfing etc. For instance, If you or your teen are new to the sport, learn how to SUP before you go on your trip with this handy guide. You’ll be surprised at how many tiny but amazingly helpful hints you’ll receive. And if you find nothing, just contact Soul Trails and I will plan it all for you. (:
Now, what are you waiting for? Do some research, ask your friends, book your tickets, pack your bag and go make your life a grand adventure!
PS: An easy way to add a little adventure to any trip you take is by living like a local! This includes eating foods native to the area, staying in accommodations the locals in and more. Vacation rentals are an easy, affordable way to do this, especially when traveling with friends. Well known companies such as AirBNB offer this accommodation, but area specific companies like CasaGo, or Vacation Rentals India are also a great options.
About the Author
Meet Utkarsh! He wanted to live stories ever since he was put to sleep with the tale of The Little Red Riding Hood. The roads became his home as he continued collecting stories hopping from one place to another. When not traveling or writing in his journal, you will find him planning his next trip, daydreaming about places and people he left behind or just pondering over art or meaning of life in general. He quit his job to travel to and write about the magical lands he visits. He is currently living in New Delhi with his beloved camera and books.
To find out more about Utkarsh and his stories, check his blog out at www.thesoultrails.com
You can also follow him on Instagram at thesoultrails and on Facebook at Soul Trails.
When you walk alone, eat alone, take trains and planes alone, you just learn to believe that the kindness of strangers is sometimes more valuable than the insecurity of long lasting relationships.
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That is a great post and thanks Neha for bringing Utkarsh’s views to us. Planning is so much fun that I prefer doing it myself. Great tips there. But good to know I can depend on soultrails if needed 🙂
Thanks Swati
Safety and reputation of the adventure planning organization is prime. Their experience is what I always check for. And then if someone has gone through them, even better. I even check sometimes if they are using reputed brands and equipments. This is where the forums you mentioned are important. Thanks for listing it all down. Cheers
Thank you Ami
Your totally right that packing light should be a mantra! That’s easier said then done though and was a real struggle for me on my 6 month trip around the globe. The biggest problem when you are doing long term travel is the changing climates. Maybe I should just stick to warm destinations for long term travel!
You are right. Packing light has been a challenge for us too. Although my own travel bag has reduced in size a lot, having a 3 year old kid makes it a real challenge to travel light as we can’t risk leaving any of her essentials behind and she tends to dirty cloths more frequently which means more pairs need to be carried.
Adventure travel is so exciting and thrilling. However it is always prudent to be aware of the risks and the requirements beforehand so that you are well prepared. These are some really sensible and practical steps to follow so that a safe and fun experience is ensured.
So rightly said. Thank you
That is an interesting and practical perspective on planning for adventure travel. I cant vouch more about the research and packing part. Good read! Btw, Neha, I always love it when you put those frogs in your post 🙂 So adorable they are.
Thank you Sindhu 🙂 I love those frogs too
I love any post that uses frogs to show what they mean 🙂 But I agree with all your points. It’s important to consider yourself, those you are with and of course what you want to do before taking on these activities.
So many admirers of frogs here 🙂 Thank you..great to know that you find the tips so useful Kevin
Interesting post. I have been travelling around the world continuously for a little over eight years now and I must say that these tips would be extremely helpful for a thrill seeker.
Thanks!
It was a nice read with the frogs. I saw bungee jumping. I can’t get enough of that activity. Planning an adventure trip can be overwhelming at times but glad Utkarsh took his time to make it easy with these tips. I’m sure with these tips, I can go all Van Diesel……..
Thanks Lydia. The tips are really useful. And the frogs seem to be a hit with everyone.
This is a great guide by Utkarsh! Love the packing light funds as it is truly a boon to pack what you can carry. This reduces the stress of overloading while on an adventure trip and helps you enjoy a lot more. Fitness level checks are so important. I Remember how tough it was for me to trek the tigers nest and I regretted not working out!
Thank you so much Divyakshi. I am sure your words will be great encouragement for him
Adventure trips are exciting and always fun. But it is always neccessary to plan for the same. If it is something that is going to test your physical fitness and endurance levels, one should ensure that one has conditioned the body to be ready for the same.Checking out with people who have already done the same circuit is a great way to be aware of what your in for.
So true
Where did you get those frogs. It definitely caught my attention. Great tips on trip planning. Will definitely follow.
ha ha.. they are borrowed images 🙂 but yes, they are very cute. Thank you
We haven’t done any hard core adventure trips but we did spend 9 weeks in Southern Africa some years back and some of that was self-drive safari, so we had to plan both luggage and itinerary very well!
We also haven’t done much of adventure trip planning. I hope we can ourselves make use of this beautiful guest post when we plan our first
This is a really helpful advice for an adventure trip. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you
Great effort at explaining about the various travel related preparations. The frogs made my day, are these images your creations?
No dear, the frogs are borrowed 🙂
Haha very useful tips.Even though unplanned travel is fun there are a few things that one needs to take into account and keep in mind for a smooth and hassle free trip.Thanks for sharing 🙂
Anytime !!
Great tips and I can follow them all except for one. 🙂
Pack light, is my biggest failure…
He he.. I am in the same boat right now with a 3 year old kid..however little I take of my own stuff, her’s fills up two suitcases
I so like how you delivered your message a greatstoryteller I may say! Shared❤️
Thank you Ann
I really enjoyed reading to this post. Cool ideas. The first point is the most important one indeed
Thank you
Not many tips, but all relevant! Especially about the travel partner
Thank you
Hey Utkarsh, that’s a wonderful post on how to do adventure trip planning. I think more than fitness and packing, you were bang on in focusing on who you are traveling with. In some ways, that also determines the level of adventure you’ll have and it could work negatively as well as positively. It involves a fair amount of team spirit and compassion towards your partner. Thanks for the post.
Replying on behalf of Utkarsh. I have totally got to agree with you. And that is what even I loved about this article.