Adventure Trips: Planning Around the Outdoors

Build the trip around a season, not a date

Trail conditions, water visibility and daylight hours change dramatically through the year. Choose the month first and the exact dates second.

Ask locally rather than relying on general advice. A regional guide or park service will tell you what is realistic in a given week.

Always have a plan B for each day

A lower altitude alternative, a shorter route, or a completely different activity. Days lost to weather are only lost if there was nothing else planned.

Book flexible where you can, particularly for guided activities that depend on conditions.

• One alternative route for each planned day
• Weather window checked the evening before
• Emergency contact and route left with someone
• Offline maps downloaded before you lose signal

Be realistic about fitness and altitude

Distances on a map do not account for elevation gain, terrain or heat. A ten kilometre mountain trail is not comparable to ten kilometres at home.

If altitude is involved, arrive a day early and take the first day easy. It improves both safety and enjoyment.

Equipment and baggage

Decide early what you will hire and what you will bring. Hiring saves baggage fees and airline hassle, but availability and fit vary, especially for diving and ski equipment.

If you are flying with specialist equipment, declare it when booking. Oversized items are often limited per flight.

Insurance and permits

Standard travel insurance often excludes certain activities or altitudes. Read the exclusions rather than the summary, and upgrade if needed.

Many popular routes now require permits booked months ahead. Check this at the same time as flights, since it can determine the dates.