Call of the Wild

It takes all kinds, and that's the case with luxury adventure travel. One person's daring feat may be recreational sport to another.

And what could be more subjective than the idea of luxury? Well, we know it when we see it -- even if we all don't see it the same way.

Luxury adventure travel is hard to define, since it's comprised of so many activities and far-flung destinations. But it's the latest buzzword in the travel industry, and it definitely offers something for everyone.

The term was coined by travel companies that wanted to attract the attention of curious, active globe-trotters of all ages. And no matter your level of fitness or the degree of pampering you desire, it's possible to find something that suits you.

Among luxury adventure destinations, Africa's game parks, Egypt's pyramids, Peru's Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands are classic picks. Newly popular locations include Iceland, Antarctica, Central and South America, Australia, New Zealand and China, as well the more remote national parks in the western U.S.

The activities in this travel category are also all over the map. Much of the appeal may be trying something completely novel in a part of the world you've always wanted to see.

The trips always have an active element -- even a luxury jeep safari has a bone-jarring ride; hot-air ballooning can entail helping to spread out the balloon and roughing it back to the start in the back of a pickup. And there is a vast range of intensity, from strolling in the Italian countryside to hiking the Scottish Highlands to trekking in the Himalayas. Some adventures have water themes, with recreation including canoeing, kayaking and river rafting or sailing, snorkeling and scuba diving.

"What people are looking for are authentic experiences -- but they also crave relaxation and comfort," says Shannon Stowell, president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association.

According to Stowell, much of luxury adventure travel's growth is due to what the industry terms the "done-in-a-day" phenomenon. The trend describes exactly the type of getaway that appeals to the vast majority of vacationers: Once the day's activity is done, travelers relish returning to the most upscale accommodations available to unwind and enjoy exceptional dining and fine wines.

Mass Appeal

Statistics are hard to come by, but most travel-industry experts agree that the luxury adventure travel segment has been growing steadily since the early 1990s.

And the category no longer caters solely to young and single people: Baby boomers, too, are maintaining an active lifestyle as their careers peak and retirement begins. Increasing numbers of multigenerational families are participating in off-the-beaten-path journeys, from small-boat expedition cruises up the Inside Passage to Alaska to trips to see penguins firsthand in Antarctica.

However, that's not to discount individual travelers as a significant portion of the luxury adventure-travel category.

With work schedules and other obligations, it's often difficult for families and couples to orchestrate vacations together. Individual travelers are increasingly likely to seek out a group tour so they don't have to travel entirely alone -- and also because once the destination is chosen, it's a carefree way to travel.

« Previous Page

1 2

Next Page »