Adventure tourism

What is Adventure Tourism? The Definition

Adventure tourism is a term often used in travel. When travel experts, agencies, or bloggers talk about adventure tourism, they refer to tourists traveling to different parts of nature, such as waterfalls, rivers, mountains, or volcanoes, to go on an active holiday. Adventure travel is for thrill seekers who don’t want to relax all day at the beach at a resort but rather visit nature.

For Who is Adventure Tourism Most Suited?

Adventure tourism is for people who don’t like sitting still on a holiday. Most people who like adventure tourism are thrill seekers. People who want to go on adventure travels are usually younger, between twenty and forty years old. That doesn’t mean that older people can not go on an adventure holiday. There is also no minimum skill level required for adventure travel. Different types of adventure travel are available for beginners and more experienced travelers. It is, however, always wise to go with a professional or more experienced guide on adventure travel, and never do things that could hurt you or you don’t feel comfortable with.

Examples of Adventure Tourism

There are many different forms of adventure tourism for various skill levels. If you want to try adventure travel, these examples of adventure tourism can tell you which is more suitable.

Hiking

Hiking is one of the beginner-level activities of adventure tourism. You can go on a hike through different national parks across the world and explore the scenery, nature, or mountains. Although you can also try out a more experienced hike, such as hiking volcanoes or high-altitude hiking, there are enough hikes that even someone not experienced in adventure travel can do.

Kayaking

Kayaking can also be very beginner-friendly. However, it depends on the type of water you want to start kayaking in. There are many spots around the world where it can be dangerous to go kayaking, where the water is wild. Luckily, there are also places where kayaking is more manageable for beginners. When you are not experienced in kayaking, choosing a beginner-friendly river or lake that doesn’t take that much effort is wise.

Zip Lining

If you want to explore nature from a different angle, then zip-lining is the perfect option. This is one of the most accessible forms of adventure travel. Although, if you fear heights, this might be a terrifying experience. You can go zip-lining in many national parks across the world.

Rafting

Although very similar to kayaking, rafting is an adventure travel option that is more suitable for people with more experience in adventure tourism. Usually, rafting is done with a group of people on a raft. It is often done on a wild river, making it a perfect experience for people seeking excitement and thrill on their holiday.

Climbing

Although there are also beginner-friendly climbing options when traveling, climbing can be tricky and dangerous. Therefore, it is an adventure tourism option that is more dangerous than the others on this list.

Snowboarding or Skiing

Snowboarding and skiing can also be beginner-friendly options for adventure tourism and highly experienced and skilled people in the sport. If you are learning how to ski or snowboard, you can start at the green slope or go to the black slope if you have a lot of skills and experience.

Mountaineering

Mountaineering might be the most dangerous form of adventure tourism and can even be lethal. It is the art of climbing a mountain. Although you can start with a smaller mountain, hundreds of people climb Mount Everest each year, which requires extreme skills and experience.

Best Locations for Adventure Tourism in the United States

If this has excited you to go on your adventure tourism journey, we have made a list of the best locations to go on adventure tourism in the United States and abroad. Let’s start with a couple of unique locations in the United States where you can do adventure travel activities.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is the place to go if you want to experience adventure tourism in the US. The park is perfect for hiking and exploring wildlife like bison, wolves, and bears. It is an excellent spot in the US where you can do beginner-friendly and more adventurous holidays.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park in California is another great spot where you can go on many active holidays. This beautiful national park is especially suitable for people who want to go hiking and climbing. There are multiple spots around the park where you can go rock climbing; a must for anyone interested in adventure tourism. Don’t let the pictures scare you; there are also some spots in Yosemite Park for beginners to start rock climbing.

Rocky Mountains

We can not forget the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, a great spot to start your adventure tourism journey. This is an excellent location for people who want to try out winter sports, where you can go skiing and snowboarding. There are 132 ski resorts across the rocky mountains and many more slopes, so even beginners can go on a ski holiday to this beautiful landscape.

Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona is another perfect place to experience adventure tourism. In the Grand Canyon, you can do multiple forms of adventure tourism, such as hiking, seeing beautiful views, riding a mule, or even rafting the Colorado River throughout the Grand Canyon. This is a fantastic location with various options for an active holiday.

Best Locations for Adventure Tourism Abroad

If you are looking to go on an adventure outside of the USA, these are countries where you can go on your adventure travel trip.

Guatemala

This Central American country is an excellent location for you to start with adventure tourism. Whether hiking one of the many volcanoes in the country or doing water activities around Lake Atítlan, this country has everything you need to make your adventure worthwhile.

Nepal

Nepal is a location for more experienced adventure travelers. In Nepal, you can go trekking, mountaineering, and even paragliding in specific locations. Nepal also has some fantastic spots for whitewater rafting. Think of places like the Himalayas and Pokhara.

Canada

If you want to go on adventure travel but don’t want to travel too far, Canada is also an excellent option for people seeking more excitement during their holidays. Canada offers world-class activities, such as kayaking in Banff and skiing in the Canadian Rockies in Jasper.

New Zealand

This might not be a surprise, as it is also the set of most Lord of the Rings films. New Zealand is an excellent country in which to experience adventure and travel. In New Zealand, you can go skydiving, bungee jumping, glacier hiking, and do many more activities to become closer to nature.

Switzerland

Switzerland is the best country in Europe to explore adventure tourism. The Alps in Switzerland offer a great location to do various winter sports, such as skiing and snowboarding. However, this is not the only thing you can do in Switzerland; there are also many spots for mountaineering, hiking, and paragliding.

Adventure Tourism FAQ