| Vacation adventures that won't
scare your budget |
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"My first precaution is, you want to make sure
you work with a good vendor, one who has been in business for a
while and is going to be in business for a while," Lierman
says.
"We want to please our clients as far as price is concerned,
but we want them to be with a reputable vendor so that when they
get there it's not a total rip-off."
Tame planning, thrilling destination
Then there's the competency factor. After all, you're setting out
to do something on the edge and perhaps even life threatening, such
as ice climbing or diving with sharks.
"For specialized types of trips, you want to deal with people
who know what they're doing," Lierman says. "A trip to
Europe is a whole other thing. People can go off and do that by
themselves, and they're not going to get hurt, regardless."
The trick is to take the adventure out of the trip planning, so
you can actually get there to experience the rush.
Because adventure vendors tend to be small, they are unlikely to
offer packages with air fare included; in most cases, they're simply
not large enough to negotiate price breaks with an airline. If air
is included, the price may be inflated; if such is the case, don't
hesitate to ask if they will sell you the adventure portion separately.
If you book your flight through a travel agent, tell them about
your grand designs, even if you're arranging the adventure portion
yourself. They may volunteer to contact their affiliate at your
destination who can steer you to a competent local adventure vendor
(or away from a questionable one) merely for the privilege of serving
you again.
Piecemeal or package plan?
The biggest dilemma is, should you piece the trip together yourself
or simply find a package plan that fits the bill?
"I think it depends a great deal upon your plans," says
Mark Kahler, the Budget Travel Guide on About.com. "It's usually
cheaper to make your own arrangements on relatively simple excursions
like a white-water rafting trip. Packages might include extras you
don't want. The key is to do the research."
That has never been easier. Thanks to Web sites, such as
Budget Travel, Orbitz,
Expedia,
Travelocity
and Cheap
Tickets, you can quickly find the best available rates on flights
and lodging, add on the cost of the adventure portion and then compare
your total to the price of the package plans.
"Such an effort won't take more than an hour or so, and it
could save you hundreds of dollars," Kahler says.
You get what you pay for
For more involved trips, it may well be worth spending the extra
money that a tour operator tacks on to make sure you get the adventure,
and not the disappointment, of a lifetime.
"If you're doing something complicated like an African safari
or a trip to Tibet, it's almost impossible to have a safe, complete
experience without hiring a guide or using a travel agent. In cases
such as this, it's best to find a reliable travel agent who will
shop for the best tour price. Not all do," Kahler says.
"From what I've seen, there are some excellent travel agents
who specialize in adventure travel. I'd find one who does little
or nothing else. They have the best connections. There's no substitute
for a specialist."
Once you've narrowed the field of available package plans, it's
no time to let your miserly side ruin your rush.
"Don't just shop by price for packages," Kahler warns.
"The better-established companies and tours might be a little
more expensive, but often they'll provide a better value. If they've
been around for a while, chances are they are very reliable.
"Exchanging reliability for a lower price is not budget travel.
It is a mistake."
Jay MacDonald is a contributing editor
based in Mississippi
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