If you’re a seasoned traveler, you probably have somewhat of a trip routine set up: choose destination, book flights, find a hotel, plan activities, etc. And, while traveling to any new place will certainly be an exciting adventure, there are ways to make your next trip even more out there.
In fact, there’s an entire genre of getaways known as “adventure travel,” in which participants explore unexpected places and sign up for adrenaline-pumping activities. Whether you end up spelunking into an ancient, dark cave; swimming with sharks; or cycling the French Alps; you’ll be on an adventurous trek that you’re not soon to forget.
Need a bit more coaxing to make your next vacation into a heart-pumping, life-changing escape? Here are six more reasons why adventure travel is the way to go.
PHOTO CRED: NICOLA BAILEY
1. You’ll See Parts of the World You Never Even Considered Seeing
Everyone dreams of strolling down the cobblestone streets in Paris, or lounging on tropical beaches, or taking elevators to the top of skyscrapers in New York City. But not many people let their dreams really wander, nor do they book trips that let them actually see the parts of the world that are less travelled.
No matter what you choose to do on your adventure trip, you’ll be exploring a place that’s completely new. How many people have sailed to the Galapagos Islands, or camped in the midst of the Amazon jungle? Not many, but your adventure trips can certainly broaden your horizons.
PHOTO CRED: NICOLA BAILEY
2. You’ll Extend Your Comfort Zone
Aside from expanding your geographical horizons, you’ll expand your personal horizons as well. There are so many reasons why you should step outside of your comfort zone: you’ll feel more creatively inspired and age more gracefully. You’ll also be rewiring your brain, which is set to keep you within a comfortable, safe zone.
Of course, you don’t want to do anything so dangerous that it’s life-threatening on your adventure trip, but, still, there are ways to test the limits without exceeding them. Now, let’s go to South Africa and dive into a shark cage to see some Great Whites.
PHOTO CRED: NICOLA BAILEY
3. You’ll Strengthen Your Relationships – And Make New Ones:
Travel always helps build connections, whether they’re connections with people you already love or people you’ve only just met. However, the bond will be made even stronger if you take part in an adventurous activity together.
Often times, you’ll need a bit of encouragement to take the step off that ledge and bungee jump or keep paddling to the end of your whitewater rafting excursion. The people around you will provide it — and you’ll reciprocate. At the end, you’ll have built a stronger bond because you believed in each other and got through it together.
PHOTO CRED: DANIELLE THORNTON
4. YOU CAN DO A BIT OF BOTH:
If you’re not ready to dive headfirst into adventure tourism, find a place that gives you a good middle ground. Take Germany, for example: you can get your fix of traditional tourism, delicious food and good beer. But you can also rent a car and fly down the Autobahn, a highway with no set speed limit for certain classes of vehicles.
There are roads like this everywhere, though some are notoriously dangerous for drivers and should be taken with caution. However, this does prove that the juxtaposition of traditional tourism with adventure aspects is possible and a perfect way to ease yourself into a fully adventure-fueled vacation next time.
PHOTO CRED: NICOLA BAILEY
5. YOU’LL REALIZE HOW BEAUTIFUL THE PLANET REALLY IS:
Today’s news headlines are hard to read. In a state of constant flux and unrest, we might feel as though the world around us is a horrible place, but travel opens our eyes to the beauty of it all. It reminds us time and time again that we’re lucky to be so different because that makes a diverse world around us.
Adventure travelers have the added benefit of exploring the outdoors, and, often times, their trips will inspire a new dedication to green practices in order to safeguard the ecosystems that they visit. It’s easy to bring green practices into your everyday life, and you’ll probably want to do so after seeing some of the incredible natural wonders in our world.
PHOTO CRED: NICOLA BAILEY
6. YOU’LL FEEL MORE CONFIDENT:
YOU did that. You booked a flight to a new country, got off the plane and did something that, on paper, seemed crazy. But you were brave enough to do it, lived to tell the tale and maybe even let that experience inspire you to book another trip. Needless to say, an adrenaline-pumping trip will make you feel really proud of yourself. The braveness might just transcend into your everyday life, too — and who couldn’t use a dose of confidence?
Now, Book Your Flight
You have the reasons to try adventure travel, but the rest is in your hands. So, do your research and find the adventure that’s right for you and book it as soon as you can. Only then will you really understand the above reasons why adventure travel is one of the best ways to experience the world.
Kacey is a lifestyle blogger for The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations and cultures, all while portraying her love for the world around her through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts.