Activity Holidays
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Activity Holidays
Activity holidays are a popular type of holiday in which you spend a length of time (from a few days to a few weeks or months), either in your home country or abroad, participating in one, or a range, of activities. Though you may participate in activities whilst on a 'normal' holiday, the difference with activity holidays is that the activity or activities are the focal point of your holiday, not an addition to it.
A wide variety of activity holidays are available to fit a broad range of interests, experience and fitness levels. Usually no or little experience is necessary, just enthusiasm and a willingness to try something new. The main types of activity holidays are thrill-seeking, wilderness, winter, cycling, and special interest.
Thrill-seeking activity holidays are some of the most popular available and include activities such as white water rafting, caving and rock climbing. You can choose to focus on one activity or instead opt for a multi-activity holiday in which you'll spend a day or two on each before moving on to the next. These are an ideal way to challenge yourself and to have new and exciting experiences.
Wilderness activity holidays involve you spending time in various wilderness areas, such as deserts, jungles, plateaux, tundra and mountains. All seven continents can be visited and such trips are generally made up of trekking, camping, survival skills courses, and lessons on the people, cultures and wildlife you'll come across.
Winter activity holidays include skiing (downhill and cross-country) and snowboarding, and also more untried activities such as snowmobiling and dogsledding. These are often offered in more unusual and unspoilt locations than you would normally see them advertised and allow you to escape the crowds that you would normally come across.
Cycling activity holidays come in all shapes and sizes; from gently cycling through relatively flat landscapes to fully-supported mountain bike expeditions. These tend to be graded according to their intensity, with the percentage of on and off-road riding, and vehicle support indicated on the website or brochure.
Special interest activity holidays are available for those with a real interest and passion in one subject or a range of subjects. Examples of interests catered for in such a way include photography, yoga, archaeology, conservation and language learning. You'll have an expert in the subject to guide you throughout your trip and will be greatly improved at your chosen subject by the end of it.
Activity holidays are generally more expensive than a 'normal' holiday, but this isn't always the case. Organizing your own trip is possible and can save hundreds of dollars but can be difficult if you need to adhere to a tight schedule or if you don't know the local language. Also, by booking through a reputable activity holiday company, you can be sure that your safety (which is at an increased risk on these types of trips) will be paramount as their own reputation depends on it.
Activity holidays are generally offered as an all-inclusive holiday package so the price listed on websites or in brochures will include your accommodation and food, as well as the instruction you'll receive from your instructors / guides. Whether transportation and insurance is also included varies so be sure to ask and get written confirmation of what exactly is and isn't included.
The vast majority of activity holidays are adult group holidays but trips that cater for family and children are also available. Groups tend to be small in size, with an average of 10-15 people participating on each, though this will vary somewhat depending on the type of activities being undertaken. Smaller groups means a better experience as you'll get more attention from your guide and there'll be less time waiting around.
How well your level of fitness matches the activities you choose will effect how much you enjoy your activity holiday so you'll need to think seriously about your own capabilities. Your activity holiday guide / instructor can only do so much for you and it's not fair on others in your group if you slow them down and possibly even endanger them.
Other important factors to take into consideration when deciding upon which activity holiday to book are the level of comfort in terms of accommodation, travelling, available facilities, temperature range and likely weather conditions, and the remoteness of the area, likely terrain, altitude and access to emergency services.