Newsweek

Newsweek article - September 2000



Ann Worthington, a work-at-home lawyer and mother in Capistrano Beach, Calif., rarely breaks away from her telecommute and Teletubby routine. So what was she doing last spring, sans husband and child, bungee-jumping off New Zealand's Kawarau Bridge? No, she wasn't caving in to domestic pressures. She was just embarking on a multi sport vacation, the latest adventure-travel trend. Leaving her husband at home with their toddler, Worthington spent the rest of her week hiking, biking and sea-kayaking across New Zealand's South Island.

Why such a frenetic vacation?

"I want to be moving at all times," she says.

Join the club. Worthington is just one of a growing number of people using vacations to test their limits and new muscle groups while traversing rain forests and mountains, rivers and the open sea. According to Adventure Travel Society statistics, active vacations have been increasing for decades, and now multi sports account for up to 14 percent of specialized adventure trips. Why would anybody want to cram so many sports into a single vacation? Many travelers are simply put off by the thought of spending a full week riding a bike, hiking a mountain or God forbid lying on a beach. "They want a little bit of everything, rather than just one week of one sport," says Debbie Shroeder, a travel agent specializing in adventure trips. "People don't want to feel they'll get bored."

Adventure outfitters are making sure there's no time for boredom. Active Adventures New Zealand, which arranged Worthington's trip, runs a two-week marathon that starts with three days of kayaking Queen Charlotte Sound or hiking mountainous terrain in Nelson Lakes National Park. The rest of the trip almost seems like Olympic training: canoeing, long-distance bike-riding and glacial hiking (they provide the crampons). But it's all optional, insists company founder Andrew Fairfax. "This is a vacation," he says. "We're not pushing people [into] anything."

In fact, multi-sporters tend to push themselves. Kellie Markovcy, an electrical engineer from the Washington, D.C., suburbs, considered taking a week-long kayaking trip. But she opted instead for an adrenaline-pumping itinerary offered by Outer Edge Expeditions' Borneo Sports Spectacular. "I like to be challenged," she says. Markovcy's two-week trip included spelunking, white-water rafting, sea-kayaking and a two-day ascent of Southeast Asia's highest peak, 13,454-foot Mount Kinabalu. Bill Barrios, a Pittsburgh graphic designer who also survived the Borneo adventure, hinted at the toll of the trip's pace. "It was horrible at the time," says Barrios, laughing, "but afterwards you wanted to do it again."

Not every trip is designed to be daunting. Dan Austin founded Adventures Plus three years ago to offer multi-sport trips for vacationers "who may not have been on a bike in 20 years." His tours to Alaska, Montana, the Grand Tetons and the Canadian Rockies combine instruction, short distances and plenty of pampering, including snack breaks of sliced melon served on silver trays. "We can introduce people to activities and they don't have to commit a full week," Austin says. They also don't have to participate in every activity. These trips aren't cheap. But for Lynn Wall, a Minnesota letter carrier who went on an eight-day Adventure Plus trip to Montana, it was well worth the $1,700 fee (for meals, lodging and equipment, but not airfare).

"I never could have planned it myself," she says. "I wouldn't know where to go or how to get around." That's the selling point of increasingly complex itineraries such as Untamed Path's two-week backpack, mountain-bike arid white-water-rafting trip that begins in the Andes and ends in the Amazon, with stops in remote villages and lectures on local customs scheduled to break up the breakneck pace. "People in the working world may be fairly active but they don't have the time to put together a two-week trip," notes owner Jen Hamar. "We know what to do if the van breaks down."

But the vacationers often don't know what to do when it's time to pack up and go home. Ron Locklear, a regular runner, hiker and biker, left Tampa, Fla., in July for a KB Mountain Adventures trip in Colorado to "prove something" to himself on his 40th birthday. After a week of Outward Bound-style action, the Harley-riding construction manager proved he was a softie, bonding with his "bunk" of fellow vacationers. "We met in a lobby Monday morning as strangers and by the end of the week we're in tears because we have to leave one another," he recalls. Somehow, the adventure guides never talk about this final hurdle: the emotional hangover.

Copyright (c) 2000 Newsweek, Inc.

What people say about our trips

view all

Croatia Adventure - May 2023

Wonderful trip in every way!

"We cannot say enough good things about our guides, Marko and Daniel. They were… read more

"We cannot say enough good things about our guides, Marko and Daniel. They were knowledgable, professional, friendly and relaxed but on top of every detail. The itinerary was great. I would say the biking was more moderate than easy. Most of our group had e-bikes and were glad they did. There were several long uphill stretches. But Marko was great about picking me up with the van so I wouldn't slow the group down. I will get an e-bike in the future.The buggy ride could've been skipped and replaced with a different activity. read less

5 Stars (40 reviews)

Catherine,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - May 2023

Ultimate Galapagos

"From beginning to end - this was an awesome adventure! Everything was well coordinated,… read more

"From beginning to end - this was an awesome adventure! Everything was well coordinated, the accommodations were great, we were well feed, the variety of activities were terrific and I can’t say enough good things about our two guides - Pepo and Paulo!! They were outstanding, went above and beyond my expectations and kept everything running smoothly. Really felt immersed in the local culture. I highly recommend this trip!! read less

5 Stars (485 reviews)

Douglas,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - May 2023

Galapagos Adventure

"This trip exceeded my expectations. The excursions were well managed to accommodate all participants… read more

"This trip exceeded my expectations. The excursions were well managed to accommodate all participants and the up close encounters with local wildlife (blue footed boobies, tortoises, and sharks) were awesome. We also became quick friends with our travel companions (and guides) which made for a super enjoyable trip and created memories to last a lifetime. read less

5 Stars (485 reviews)

Douglas,

Camino de Santiago Adventure - May 2023

Camino de Santiago

"Excellent trip! Food, guides, and accommodations were awesome. read more

"Excellent trip! Food, guides, and accommodations were awesome. read less

5 Stars (12 reviews)

Nancy,

Netherlands Biking Adventure - April 2023

Amazing Trip

"The bicycling routes were perfectly curated. Our rides included beaches, forests, farms, quaint villages, windmills,… read more

"The bicycling routes were perfectly curated. Our rides included beaches, forests, farms, quaint villages, windmills, canals, dikes, and several surprising sights along the way. We biked a good amount but we spent even more time enjoying meals, breaks, and sight-seeing.

The guides, hotels, meals, and special touches all exceeded expectations. The Dutch people are fantastic and their country is beautiful. Each day was different and very enjoyable. read less

5 Stars (82 reviews)

Kathy,

Netherlands Biking Adventure - April 2023

Fabulous trip through the Netherlands

"This trip exceeded my expectations. Each day was carefully planned out by our knowledgeable… read more

"This trip exceeded my expectations. Each day was carefully planned out by our knowledgeable guides. The accommodations were above average, at times exceptional, and we were surprised with fine dining with wine and cheese tastings, drinks included as part of the package price. Being in a small group of 8 riders and two guides, we bonded interpersonally over a span of 7 days. Guides told us many wonderful stories about their cycling adventures and went out of their way to accommodate our individual needs. I highly recommend this trip. read less

5 Stars (82 reviews)

Elizabeth,

Netherlands Biking Adventure - April 2023

Surprising Trip in The Netherlands

"My trip with Active Adventures truly exceeded my expectations. I felt immersed in the biking… read more

"My trip with Active Adventures truly exceeded my expectations. I felt immersed in the biking culture of The Netherlands during my visit and pampered every day of the tour. From the hotel choices to the biking routes, you can see that the company cares about the comfort of its guests. I’d book with the company again without hesitation! read less

5 Stars (82 reviews)

Camie,

Arches & Canyonlands Adventure - April 2023

Arches/Canyonlands

"What a great 6 day adventure, everything from the rafting down the Colorado to the… read more

"What a great 6 day adventure, everything from the rafting down the Colorado to the hiking and biking in Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. Our guides Steve and Joel were excellent: very knowledgeable, funny, interesting and took care of all our needs. Food was excellent AND healthy. read less

5 Stars (56 reviews)

Edward Fitzpatrick,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - April 2023

In Love with Galapagos

"We chose Active Adventures because we wanted to maximize our time on land in hopes… read more

"We chose Active Adventures because we wanted to maximize our time on land in hopes of seeing as much wildlife as possible. It did not disappoint! We saw everything we wanted to see and fell in love with the Galapagos. We enjoyed all of the planned activities, but still had time to explore on our own. We did not want to leave and are already talking about when we can go back. read less

5 Stars (485 reviews)

Jessica,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - April 2023

Active Adventures ... It Rocks!

"This entire trip was LOGISTICALLY and SEAMLESSLY executed ... from transporting us to different islands,… read more

"This entire trip was LOGISTICALLY and SEAMLESSLY executed ... from transporting us to different islands, from baggage transfer, from going from one activity to the next, from how they coordinate meals, etc ... Amazing!
Even though I opted not to do one activity due to it being possibly too challenging for me but not for others, it was well worth the trip.
The guide (Jose Luis AKA Pepo - and his assistant Paolo) were OUTSTANDING. Knowledgeable, considerate of my needs and those of others, knew what to do and where to find the most interesting highlights ... Kudos to Pepo and Paolo. The accommodations were perfect (except for one smaller one that was acceptable). The food was very good and the selection of activities where and how they highlighted environmental and educational insights was well done. read less

5 Stars (485 reviews)

Mark,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - April 2023

Learning and Sharing with the Galapagos Experience

"As one of 12 fellow travelers on this tour, I learned about the many closely… read more

"As one of 12 fellow travelers on this tour, I learned about the many closely encountered animals and flora of the islands, while being able to interact with and support local community residents on this land-based journey. Our wonderful local naturalist guide, Pepo, was warm and welcoming, highly organized and shared his vast knowledge day after activity-filled day, adding stories and bits of humor as well. His friend and assistant, hard-working Paolo, assured that arrangements for travel, luggage, accommodations and equipment were ably met, along with helping out during the outings. Both skillfully enabled all in the group to be included and safe in each activity and made the days such fun! Snorkeling with wild dolphins-wow!! So many highlights! I miss Pepo's daily SuperPlan. With a most friendly welcome by residents, yummy local foods, well-prepared and gorgeous surroundings the days flew by. Support crew on excursions were outstanding, especially Capitan Joel and Brian on the trip to Los Tuneles. Practices toward sustainability and ecological preservation were most evident, along with fascinating cultural history and geology of the islands. Group members blended very well together as we jointly experienced this wonderful tour. read less

5 Stars (485 reviews)

Margaret,

Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure - April 2023

Galapagos

"Everything was absolutely wonderful! It was very easy to get together with the group… read more

"Everything was absolutely wonderful! It was very easy to get together with the group and each day was planned perfectly with the activities and meal times and free time to explore alone. The activity level for "moderate" was a little slower than anticipated but our guide made up for that with his wealth of knowledge and and excitement for being able to share that knowledge. But we never had to worry about anything, it was all always ready to go and perfect, we just had to show up ready to learn and enjoy. read less

4 Stars (485 reviews)

Sam,

Camino de Santiago Adventure - April 2023

Spring on the Camino

"Northern Spain is extra beautiful in late April/early May. Nice temps, little rain and beautiful… read more

"Northern Spain is extra beautiful in late April/early May. Nice temps, little rain and beautiful wildflowers. Our trip was complemented by 2 very competent and fun guides, David & Gregory. We hiked parts of several Cominos, not stressful, plenty of delicious local cuisine, wine & coffee. Spain was exceptionally clean, modern & friendly. We had a great experience. read less

5 Stars (12 reviews)

Geralyn,

Patagonia Hiking Adventure - April 2023

Patagonia Hiking (Torres Del Paine and Fitz Roy)

"Wonderful experience to Chile and Argentina. Couldn't fault the complete end to end process of… read more

"Wonderful experience to Chile and Argentina. Couldn't fault the complete end to end process of arriving, trip management and guides knowledge and friendliness. read less

5 Stars (343 reviews)

Duane,

Netherlands Biking Adventure - April 2023

Netherlands 2023

"The trip was professionally run. We had challenges on the trip with strong headwinds,… read more

"The trip was professionally run. We had challenges on the trip with strong headwinds, light to heavy rain and cold temperatures. the guides handled these well, he group giving appropriate breaks to handle these conditions when they occurred. The group was kept together and was managed to offer both desires for challenging segments as well as less challenging ones.

The ride itself was interesting and filled with new experiences. read less

4 Stars (82 reviews)

John,

11

Experience adventure the way you want

You’ll be inspired and exhilarated, enjoying mind-blowing scenery on foot, in a sea kayak, or by bike - all at your own pace. Get ready for the trip of a lifetime.

benefits awards

Crafting award-winning trips for decades - the Kiwi way

We're proud of our Kiwi roots and you’ll love our professional, warm and relaxed style of hosting. Plus, we’re always here to help with planning, travel, bookings... even hiking boot recommendations!

benefit time v2

Every detail covered, to maximise your time

As soon as your trip starts, we've got everything covered – top notch meals, comfortable transport, superb accommodation, amazing guides and INCREDIBLE service.

benefit group travel

Group travel for those who aren’t ‘group travellers’

With our small groups of typically no more than 14 (up to 18 max), you'll get to know our team, your fellow travellers, and have the flexibility and freedom to do as much (or as little!) as you like. It’s all about going at your own pace.

benefit gems

Explore hidden gems through our expert local guides

All our carefully selected guides are highly experienced and have deep personal connections to nature and culture. You’ll enjoy a special experience, authentic local knowledge and an adventure like no other.

benefit review

4.85 out of 5 from 6492 reviews. That’s pretty solid.

We could hang around all day telling you how wonderful our trips are... but the best people to hear it from are our guests themselves.