Have you always wanted to go on a travel adventure?

You can do anything if you put your mind to it. In this episode, we present Kit Parks’ adventure travel planner and discuss the ten things you need to consider when you plan your next adventure travel vacation. Catch tips on choosing where to go, who to go with and saving money for your trip. Logistics is complicated but it is key to making your trip hassle-free and truly memorable.

Your How To Guide for Adventure Travel

There are ten important considerations to determine

Prefer to listen instead?  Download this episode of the podcast HERE

1. Decide where to go – Find travel adventure inspiration:

• Friend and family recommendations
• Learn about places from fellow adventurers on current trips
• Read about locations in magazines, newspapers, Google, AI bots
• See pics on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest

3. What do you want to do? What kind of adventure do you want to experience?

Do you want to go on an exclusive activity adventure such as a walking holiday (check out UK’s Best Walking Holidays) or cycling holiday like Cycling Less Touristy Islands of Greece?  Or do you want to mix it up (and give certain muscles as rest) by doing a multi-sport adventure or mix in some cultural activities, like a multi-activity in stunning Slovenia?

5. What comfort level do you need/want?

Luxury or budget hotel, guest house, boutique inn, mountain hut, campground, or back country? Remember that in some out-of-the -way places, the only way you can see it is to either camp or stay in communal mountain huts (still well worth it!  Just remember to bring ear plugs and an eye mask!)

7. How to pay for it?

Set up a monthly ‘Travel’ savings bucket. Arrange to fund it each month automatically like a bill: this method makes saving a snap!  And mentally reframe your ‘savings’, not as a negative, but rather but that you are rewarding yourself.  Before I retired, I did this and then I also gave myself (ie, my savings) a raise every year.  And no matter how much I thought it would be a stretch for me, I somehow managed to make it work.  Try it!

THEN, to reaaly accelerate building your travel bucket, as often as you can, try to ‘cash flow’ it and pay the different expenses as they come up rather than withdrawing from your savings bucket. This will help you build up your Travel Bucket to increasingly high levels so you can afford some of the coolest (and more expensive) adventures without going into debt.

9. Training

Determine the fitness goal you desire and then work backwards and break it down into mini goals and wins.  It is ALWAYS better to train for something more difficult than you expect so you will enjoy your adventure more.  As an example, check out my preparation for my Everest Base Camp trek to commemorate my 65th birthday.  I was hard core (and got in the best shape of my adult life!).

          Training For Adventure Travel

          Training For Altitude

Need Help?  Get a custom online training program with Trailblazer Wellness.  Becki can create a program that will help you prepare for your big adventure using the equipment you already have.  Includes coaching and video tutorials.  Mention ATA for 10% OFF.

TIP:  Make a training chart that you can check off as you train so you get that dopamine hit!

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Adventure Travel Planner Episode Script

I want you to go on an epic adventure. However, doing so can sometimes be a little bit complicated. On this episode, we’re going to go through exactly the ten steps you need to take to make sure your adventure is the trip of a lifetime and truly fulfills your expectations. Let’s dig into those ten questions so that you can have the adventure of a lifetime.

We’re going to walk through the thought processes of planning and executing an adventure trip. We’ll decide where to go and what goes into getting there. Let’s go step by step.

1. Decide Where You’re Going

First, you’ve got to figure out where you’re going to go. Generally speaking, most of my trips have happened because someone said, “We’re doing this—do you want to come?” And I usually say, “Sure.” I try to take advantage of opportunities whenever possible.

I went to Scotland to visit Jamie, who I met in Nicaragua, for his birthday party. I went to Glacier with Venti—I met her in France. She said, “I’m going to Glacier, want to come?” and I said, “I’d love to go.”

Next up for me is the Cotswold Way. This one’s a little different. I was researching the UK’s best hikes and came across the Cotswold Way. That’s the next stop for me when I go back to Europe. I’m actually sitting outside the airport right now, getting ready to head to the UK to do a 100‑mile hike in the Cotswolds.

There are lots of different ways to discover destinations. Generally, someone has to bring it onto my radar. I don’t usually Google places to go. Either someone tells me about it, I see it on Instagram, or something triggers the thought, “Let’s go there.”

When you treat something like a bill, you get it done.

2. Decide How You’re Going to Do the Trip

Once I decide where I want to go, the next question is: how am I going to do this?

Option one is a guided tour. You pay a company, click a button, and show up. That’s always nice—there’s no work involved.

Option two, which I also do quite often, is a self‑guided tour. You’re still using a company and still clicking the button, but there’s no one physically there to hold your hand. They’re a phone call away if there’s a problem, although I’ve never had to use that support.

For example, the Cotswold Way is a self‑guided trip. I paid for the tour, and a couple of weeks later I received a great packet in the mail—maps, a guidebook, a full itinerary, lodging details, and even a luggage tag. They move my bags every day. It makes things incredibly easy.

I’ll be traveling solo, so I won’t have companions the whole time. I’ll meet people on the trail, but for the most part, I’m on my own.

The third option is to completely self‑plan and self‑tour. You can use my travel planners, Google, and other resources to plan everything yourself. It’s more work and may or may not save you money. In fact, I’m often finding that self‑guided tours can save me money because these companies know better places than I could find on my own—and they save me countless hours.

I don’t love planning trips. Some people do—I don’t. I’d much rather have someone who already knows the lay of the land handle it for me.

3. Decide Your Style and Difficulty

Another thing I like to decide is whether I want to push myself or focus on beauty. I call pushing yourself a “plus one.” Am I challenging myself, or am I just going to see something beautiful?

The Cotswold Way isn’t especially difficult, but it’s going to be gorgeous. Hopefully the weather cooperates, but even if it doesn’t, it will still be a beautiful adventure.

4. Decide How Much You’re Willing to Rough It

Adventure travel can be relaxed, but often it’s not. You might be camping, staying in guesthouses, hostels, or mountain huts with snoring neighbors. That means eye masks, earplugs, and knowing what you’re comfortable with.

From the surveys many of you completed at ActiveTravelAdventures.com, I know that most of you don’t mind roughing it if the reward is something spectacular.

You also need to decide who’s going to carry your gear. Are you backpacking? Having it portered? Using pack animals? On the Cotswold Way, I’m slack‑packing—just like on the Appalachian Trail—where someone moves your bag for you.

Each morning I drop my bag in the lobby with a luggage tag. When I arrive at the next stop later that day, my bag is waiting for me. It’s a great system, and I’m enjoying it more and more, even though there are places where you absolutely must backpack because there are no accommodations.

5. Decide When to Go

Seasonality matters almost everywhere on Earth. Generally, spring and fall are the best times to travel. Shoulder seasons are especially great—lower prices, better temperatures, and fewer crowds. You often get the best of all worlds.

6. Decide on Your Budget

Adventure travel can be more expensive because logistics can be complicated. You may need to pay to access remote locations.

I treat travel savings like a bill. A set amount is automatically drafted into my travel account every month. It’s amazing how quickly that builds up.

Here’s my secret sauce: I try to cash‑flow trips whenever possible. I buy flights here, hotels there, little expenses as they come up—without dipping into my travel fund. That way, when a big trip comes along, I’ve got a nice stash waiting.

When you treat it like a bill, you get it done. That approach has worked incredibly well for me.

7. Gear and Packing

Fortunately, I already have most of my gear. If you don’t, you don’t always need to buy it—you can borrow or rent.

For example, on safari in Tanzania, I learned the difference good binoculars make. Someone had an $800 pair. I didn’t need to own them, but I offered to rent them for $50 for two weeks. Everyone was happy.

You can often do this economically without spending a fortune on gear you may never use again.

8. Training

Training is critical. Going on a major adventure without training sets you up to enjoy it less.

Make training fun by tying it to your goal. Figure out your timeline and work backward. Where I live, it’s flat, so before hiking trips with elevation I use a treadmill with a pack and steep incline. Others use parking garages or stadium stairs.

Break it down, work the plan, and show up in the best shape possible so the adventure is challenging—but not miserable.

9. Decide Who You’re Going With

Will you go solo? With friends or family? With a group?

Groups have been an incredible way for me to make friends all over the world. Even when I’m traveling solo, I’m rarely alone. I usually meet people and often form lifelong friendships.

On this Cotswold trip, I’m being met at the airport by someone I met the year before in Scotland on the West Highland Way. He and his girlfriend are hosting me for a few days before I start hiking.

10. Decide What You’re Going to Do

Do you want to hike, bike, paddle, horseback ride—or combine several activities? Do you want to add culture, food, wine tasting, or even voluntourism?

There are many ways to structure a trip depending on what you want to experience.

Logistics: Getting There

This isn’t my favorite part, but it’s essential. Most adventures require flying. I live in an awkward place to fly from, so I usually spend a day getting to a major airport.

Here’s a simple trick: Google the destination plus “airport code,” scroll to the bottom, and look at direct flights. Find the airports that are cheapest and easiest for you to reach, then book from there. Google Flights is also incredibly helpful.

I used this method booking New Zealand. There are hundreds of ways to get there, but this helped me minimize time on planes.

Packing Smart

I’m a big believer in not over‑packing. I keep a packing list and refine it after every trip. If I didn’t use something, it doesn’t go on the next list.

I travel with performance clothing that dries quickly. I wash clothes in sinks if needed. I carry very little beyond essentials.

Some gear—like trekking poles or knives—must be checked. I consider them weapons, and TSA does too.

You can find my full packing list at ActiveTravelAdventures.com/planning.

Wrapping It Up

Did I miss anything? I’d love to hear from you.

We’ve covered the who, what, where, when, how, and why of adventure travel—from choosing destinations and styles, budgeting, gear, training, companions, activities, and logistics.

A well‑thought‑out and well‑planned adventure can truly be a trip of a lifetime.

My friend Jamie from Scotland once said, “Why do we only get to do a trip of a lifetime once?” That stuck with me. I want every trip to be a trip of a lifetime—and I want that for you too.

Plan it. Put it on the calendar. Back into it. Make it happen.