They’re called “soft” adventures-soft as in risk, or rather the lack of it.
In the last two years there had been a surge of interest in adventure travel, but then reality set in: Were we really ready to head off for strenuous trekking in Nepal? Biking halfway through the Swiss Alps? Or rafting the most treacherous rivers of Chile?
Soon we discovered that we wanted more active vacations with an element of adventure, but we didn’t exactly want them to turn out like the grueling cattle drive in the movie “City Slickers.”
Daniel and Sally Grotta, authors of “The Green Travel Sourcebook” on adventure and environmental travel, divide such trips into three types: rugged, soft and sybaritic.
“Soft adventure is far less strenuous and depriving. Rather than trekking the entire distance by foot, raft, horse or skis, participants are bussed, flown in or ferried over by boat to remote sites. Accommodations, meals and amenities are usually in a lodge or hotel or on board a ship. And if you are camping out, it is the staff that puts up and breaks camps, cooks, cleans up and so on.
“Soft adventure is an ideal choice for those who want or need basic creature comforts, or who for some reason may have difficulty keeping up with a rugged program.”
A number of companies cater to adventure enthusiasts, who can buy packages through tour operators or plan the trips themselves. Here is a sampling:
– Mountain biking: It’s good for you and easy to arrange yourself. A premiere mountain-biking destination in the United States is Winter Park, Colo., which boasts the world’s largest trail system, more than 600 miles of mapped and marked trails for beginner to expert.
The area’s history as a railroad and logging center left behind thousands of miles of trails and roads. One of the most popular ways to reach the higher trails is to hook a bike on the Zephyr Express ski lift, which will carry you up the mountain to begin your descent.
Lodging rates drop during the summer season. One choice for families is the Snow Mountain Ranch, operated by the YMCA of the Rockies. It rents lodge rooms and housekeeping cabins and offers numerous activities. Call 303-887-2152 for a brochure; book early.
Bring your own bike to Winter Park or rent one at a shop in the area, which is 67 miles northwest of Denver. For information, call 303-726-4118.
If you’d like to join an organized bicycle tour, Backroads Bicycle Touring offers trips of all lengths to many destinations. Call 800-245-3874. Other good bets are New England Bicycle Tours (despite the name, the firm runs trips all over the world; call 800-728-3261). If you really want to explore New England, a good bet is Bike Vermont at 800-257-2226.
– Walking: Walking tours are becoming popular, particularly with active seniors.
MountainFit Adventures offers all-inclusive hiking trips through the Cascade Mountains of Washington, Big Sky Montana, the Hawaiian island of Maui, and southwest Utah. The trips include such luxuries as massages at night and first-class accommodations. Each trip is limited to 14 people and costs $1,750 to $2,250 per person. Call 800-926-5700.
In Europe, Country Walkers offers programs in France, England, Ireland and Switzerland with several departures each. Trips usually last a week and groups of 14 to 20 walk 6 to 12 miles per day. Rates begin at $1,899 per person, excluding airfare. Call 802-244-1387.
– Fishing: In one alternative to sport-fishing charters, Capt. Marilyn Power of Haines, Alaska, signs on visitors as “crew members” aboard the 32-foot Fisher for Saturday-through-Tuesday working fishing trips.
The Saturday departure time depends on tides and the location of the designated fishing area. The opening, or time commercial fishermen are permitted to fish, is at noon Sunday and lasts 48 consecutive hours, ending at noon Tuesday. Full-crew status begins at this time and every phase of gill-net commercial salmon fishing is experienced. Each crew member may bring home 50 pounds of salmon..
The Fisher can accommodate two crew members for each of the 12 openings this season, beginning June 19. The price of $1,800 per person includes all meals aboard, lodging, fishing gear and fishing licenses. For details, write shore host Maggie Smith at Box 1171, Haines, Alaska 99827, or phone/fax 907-766-2244.
– Bird-watching: It’s sedentary, but it can take you into interesting terrain. Luxury accommodations are not the norm in such areas. A study done 10 years ago by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service estimated that the U.S. may have 60 million bird-watchers.
Swan Hellenic cruises (800-426-5492) offers three ornithology-oriented cruises aboard the 250-passenger Orpheus and several birding expeditions from its Nile River cruiser, the Nile Monarch. These tour operators are used to working with serious birders: Victor Emanuel Nature Tours (800-328-8368), Design Travel & Tours (708-530-8135), Questers (800-468-8668) and Overseas Adventure Travel (800-221-0814).
Those who need help sorting out the choices in “soft”-adventure travel can contact All Adventure Travel, which markets the programs of some 80 operators through a 31-page brochure. The company offers 300 programs through travel agents and direct to the public. Call 800-537-4025.
