Finding yourself staring glumly at the boring old cookie-cutter holiday brochures yet again this year? Feeling cynical at the prospect of a packaged cruise or beach destination? Ever fancied really cutting loose and finding an outdoor holiday undertaking with a difference? 2013 could be the year for you to try something new and there has never been a better time to find a bespoke cheap holiday that suits those with a sense of true adventure. Keep reading to discover more about five great destinations with just a little twist of danger and a pinch of excitement. Warning: not for couch potatoes.
A holiday that comes up time and time again on many adventurers’ wish lists is the chance to go on Safari. Combining Africa’s wild beauty with the opportunity to view The Big Five in action out there on the Serengeti or another gorgeous plain is often a dream never realised. But what’s stopping you? There are a range of trips to Africa from luxury to budget, from which you could choose. From Tanzania’s wonderful beaches and Mount Kilimanjaro to Kenya’s world-renowned grasslands, there are plenty of countries to consider. Safari can be an ethical and magical experience all rolled into one. Do your research and find a trip that suits you.
Climbing the sacred foothills of the Inca Trail has got to be one of the most enviable adventures to be had in South America, a place drenched in crazy countries to go and wonderful things to see and do. This could top them all though and if you are the outdoorsy type; this could really float your boat. You trek for around four days through forests and mountain ranges and amongst the astounding remains of the Inca people’s civilisation. Machu Picchu is your goal and when you get there, you will know about it. It is a huge site built for Inca royalty and excavated today to form a sight that many say you must see in your lifetime to truly appreciate. Get your hiking boots on.
Another great trek that would go down in holiday history is in Nepal. This Himalayan adventure would see you reach an awesome achievement, in getting to the base camp at Everest. This is a great fitness test, a historical and cultural awakening and a vision of epic beauty all rolled into one as you travel past Tibetan monasteries and village smallholdings through the most awe-inspiring mountain range on Earth. Arriving at base camp has been described as the most incredible feeling of really experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime sight.
Get on your bike and cycle Vietnam. Yes, really. This is an increasingly popular way to see the lush countryside of this gorgeous destination and there are tours and companies doing just that springing up all over the place at the moment. Cycling the National Highway One lets you view incredible coastline the whole way down the country. You can choose to do this for charity or keep it just for fun, with hostel stays and an itinerary set out by organised tours. Or keep it freewheeling and plan your own trip. Just take travel advice and stay in a pair or small group if you choose to go independently.
Last but not least, stay closer to home but seek no less of an adventure with a diving holiday in Greece. There is a little research team at Galaxidi on the Gulf of Corinth which allows visitors in small groups during the spring and summer months. Companies are able to work with the marine biology station to send out tourists who want to dive and see turtles and dolphins in the true wild. Get clued up with lectures and experience daily trips out to dive from the team’s boats, with full board included in the trip. This is really a holiday for those who want nature and the great outdoors.
So leave the pool hogging to the rest and get booking the holiday of a lifetime.
