Most of us have taken a travel trip sometime or the other in our lives. But if you have been on a travel trip in the recent past, you could not have failed to notice that a new category of travel has made itself very prominent. Known as ‘Adventure Travel’ this is a new way to travel that is not just popular among the youth and those whose veins are filled with adrenaline, but even among ordinary people like you and me!

It is not really difficult to fathom why. Regular travel, has, over the years gotten boring and predictable. With the prices of airfare coming steadily down and package tours becoming more common than ever before, conventional travel has become stifling, overcrowded and boring. The sense of adventure that is usually associated with travel has become obsolete. Until adventure travel came on the scene that is. With adventure travel, travel ca once more become that exalted activity that brings us in touch with new cultures and people and broadens our horizons. The very reason for adventure travel is unique experiences – something that all of us, irrespective of our personal preference of travel, want!

A sample adventure travel trip for instance could offer you a very unique way of seeing an otherwise popular destination. Now, most people you and I know have been on a Caribbean travel trip. They would have visited the same old beaches, stayed in the same old hotels, driven along the same old roads and seen the same old touristy sights. But sample what an adventure travel trip to the Caribbean could offer. You could take an eco-trek through the Caribbean rain forests, you could see the birds, the insects and the animals up close, you could camp with the local inhabitants and learn more about them, their costumes, their food and their culture by actually interacting with them and you could discover the joys of virtually deserted, unspoiled beaches. All of this while being relatively close to the popular tourist destinations, yet away from the humdrum and drab experiences.

Or imagine an adventure travel trip to Australia. While most travelers do the staid, old, boring city hop across the continent, you could, as part of your adventure travel trip, balloon your way across the continent, snorkel in the great barrier reef, share a billy with a jolly swagman and waltz with mathilda and a joey or two in the bush country! Doesn’t the adventure travel option sound like more fun when compared to the regular travel option?

It is precisely to cater to this need for a unique and interesting travel experience that the genre of adventure travel came into existence. And adventure travel is not a genre that is restricted to the teens and tweens. Increasingly, older adults are opting to go on adventure travel trips. And they are having more fun, learning much more and reliving their experiences at every given opportunity, much to the envy and consternation of regular travelers. You too could be the one to go on an adventure travel trip. The only thing stopping you is your imagination!

Russel E Clark is a freelance journalist. He writes travel articles for The Australian Frequent Flyer's Travel Library. See http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/News/index.htm