What is Adventure Travel?
The following article was adapted from an article writtenby Basil Camu, Founder of Lark Tours, a Raleigh, NC based adventure travel agency that specializes in travel to southern Africa.
What exactly is adventure travel? From our perspective, adventure travel begins with the decision to get away from traditional forms of travel such as cruise ships and franchised hotels, and the realization that you cannot truly experience a country from the climate-controlled side of a bus window. On the other hand, though, adventure travel does not necessarily imply setting off with bare essentials in undiscovered frontiers. Rather, at Lark Tours we believe that choosing to participate in adventure travel is deciding that the best, most meaningful way to travel is to immerse yourself in a new place and interact with new people first hand. It is about having authentic experiences. Here are few things to understand about adventure travel, relating in particular to southern Africa.
Plans Change: In the course of adventure travel, we will run into the unexpected from time to time. This is because we are out and about in the real world, soaking in the thrill of new experiences. As a result, there are some elements that are simply out of our control. Weather is a big one. For example, if it rains while we are in Kruger National Park, then we have to go to plan B: raincoats. Or, if it is too hot for a walk around Cape Town, then maybe it would be a great time to go for a relaxed surf lesson at Muizenberg. As long as you keep this understanding in mind and stay flexible, you are sure to have a grand adventure.
Try New Things: Traveling with Lark Tours can be the experience of a lifetime. So, especially in Africa, why not try something new? Maybe you want to try eating a local delicacy? Maybe you want to be like South Africans and walk around barefoot on a hot summer day. Whatever it is, really immersing yourself in this new culture and forgetting all expectations of life at home can be a rewarding - often liberating - experience.
Physical Challenges: Another important component to adventure travel is physically getting yourself out and about by foot, bike, kayak, and so on. Physical activity is a part of our trips not because we think you need exercise, but because there are places and moments in the world best experienced in this manner. Many of life's most memorable moments come from reaching the peak of a small mountain and taking in the view, from a quite walk on a secluded forest trail, or from a trek along a coast with pounding waves. But in case you are worried, here are some more details on the physical difficulty of our trips: unless otherwise stated, our trips are gauged to accommodate the average, decently healthy adult. You should certainly be able to walk a few miles in a day - with plenty of breaks for food, fun, and beautiful scenery. Even on the days with the most physical activity you should never feel overly exerted.
Talk to People: In southern Africa people will generally have a different mindset from the one that you have, as a result of having been raised in an entirely different environment. Talking to them and sharing ideas will allow you to see life from a different perspective. Indeed, this is one of the best things about adventure travel! The Camera: Pictures are very important to us all and indeed they should be. We encourage you to take lots and lots of photos so that you will have an incredible collection for years to come. But do take some time during your travels to just lay the camera to rest, breathe in the exciting African air, and sit back to absorb all that life has to offer at that moment.
Different Strokes: Things can be different in Africa. But again, the more you can go with the flow, and not worry, the more fun and adventure you will have. In a word, relax. While southern Africa is westernized in many ways, it still has a wild spirit you will not find anywhere else.
Happy Memories: One of the most incredible things about travel, and especially adventure travel, is that afterwards you tend to remember the good things only. Sure you may have had a meal that was not up to par, but trust us, this will be inconsequential by the time you get home. You will be the center of any social gathering with your incredible tales of Africa!
