Adventure Travel in the World: how it works and opinions from users!

Know the travels of Adventures in the World
Surely you have heard of it or some friend has tried this experience. Perhaps you are attracted by the proposed destinations, so distant and fascinating … A definitely alternative holiday , but perhaps not suitable for everyone . why
Discover it with us.

Adventure Travel in the World: what it is and how it works
Travel Adventure in the World (AnM) is a well-known agency that had the clever idea of ​​being the first to offer semi-organized and “adventurous” tours, offering holidays more in contact with the real local cultureof the country visited compared to the traditional proposals of tour operators in the sector. This idea, born in 1970, was at the time nothing short of brilliant! It is no coincidence that others later tried to imitate it, but without being able to achieve the same success.
His fame has not waned even after some dramatic fatal accidents (the “famous” shipwreck of many years ago in the Philippines and the latest misadventure in Bolivia). Today, in fact, Viaggi Avventure nel Mondo has almost 1,000 itineraries around the planet and does not seem at all affected by the fact that now, in spite of the past, more and more people decide to leave alone, because AnM was also the first to propose groups of travelers made up of people unknown to each other, often on vacation without any friends or spouse.
The viaggiovventurenelmondo.it site offers different types and categories of travel to choose from, among the many we find:

• Adventure travels : unknown destinations and unique little touristic trips spread over the 5 continents;
• Discovery trips: ideal destinations and trips for young groups looking for adventure;
• Family and baby trips : ideal destinations for families with children;
• Soft travels: travels and adventures with a few more comforts than the others proposed;
• Trekking trips : ideal for lovers of backpacking adventures and breathtaking snowy views;
• Sailing trips: with trips in the Italian seas and beyond;
• Travel by motorbike and 4×4 : off road adventures among sands and paths scattered in the nature of the world.

Each proposed destination is equipped with all useful information to tackle the journey (documentation useful for the journey, recommended period, duration, costs, accommodation). Furthermore , it is always possible to ask for more info on the destination directly from the organizers, via email, or from the adhering group, through the Facebook groups reported directly on the site. In addition, each trip has different characteristics appropriately reported on the basis of the legends present on the site. But what are the ingredients of this circuit that made it such a successful recipe

. Characteristics of travels

1. Maximum savings : you tend to choose the cheapest flights possible (sometimes to the detriment of comfort), hostels and small hotels, it can happen to sleep in tents or as guests in local houses, trips are often organized on vans or using public transport. Meals are often quick, sometimes “home cooked” by the group.
2. The figure of the Coordinator : each group of AnM is headed by a coordinator. This is the key figure who can make the trip an unforgettable experience for better or for worse. He is not a tour guide, but a traveler like the others who generally has a lot of experience behind him and is in possession of precious diaries of other coordinators (and which he keeps as a military secret). The coordinator should be the point of reference for everyone and everything.
3. The common fund : ie an amount which, based on experience, should be sufficient to cover travel costs. The common fund is managed by the coordinator and a member elected by the group.
4. Self-managed itinerary : in the sense that it is not fixed. Decisions are taken in progress by voting. And then the majority to decide any changes.
5. Accident policy: all participants, including the coordinator, are covered by an accident policy included in the fee and with ceilings that can be increased upon request. Europassistance is included and an emergency service is active 24 hours a day.
6. Types of trips : it is possible to participate in Adventure Travel (itineraries in destinations far from mass tourism), Travel Together (itineraries in more classic destinations, always voted for low cost), Discovery Travel (dedicated to the youngest), Soft Travel (more devoted to comfort and less improvised), Family Trips (designed for families with children).

Traveling with AnM: Pros, Cons and User Opinions
Some enthusiastic, others not: very conflicting opinions . Adventures in the World certainly tries to give a more real vision of what exists on Earth. In Nepal you will certainly not eat spaghetti with ragu sitting in a restaurant with an Italian starred chef, just as you will not stay on some tropical island in a resort with air conditioning equal to 100 others around the planet. Not everyone likes the idea of ​​going alone, but it is often difficult to find a group of friends or someone else to go on vacation with in certain locations. Adventures in the World helps those who have the desire to travel, but the fear of doing it in total solitude. It can happen in a beautiful group,make friends and maybe even find love . Furthermore, VnM is the only way to deal with holidays in truly off-limits countries .
So why for some experiences with Adventures in the World have been a disaster
Let’s face it: they are not trips suitable for everyone . It takes a great spirit of adaptation, you need to know how to play as a team, know how to live in a group, be outgoing and lovers of being in company, be eager to meet new people and have a strong sense of community. Furthermore, the average age is rather “high”, around 40/45 years old.

Pro

• Absolutely out of the ordinary destinations / itineraries are proposed
• The trips are all ready for integration with local customs and populations
• The prices are quite competitive
• New acquaintances are made
• You travel together with other Italians (with benefits regarding the language, tastes on food, etc.)

Against

• The success of the trip depends almost entirely on the group and the coordinator assigned by fate.
• The imperative is to save. Often we prefer air stops on the edge of the unsustainable, frenetic rhythms, overnight stays in absurd places; when with a few more coins, infinitely better alternatives would have been found.
• Single rooms are “banned”. At best, you share a room with another traveler, at worst, you all sleep together in huge dormitories.
• Poor hygiene of accommodations and food supplies
• in case of unforeseen events or health problems, you have to fend for yourself. By regulation, once serious dangers have been averted, the continuation of the group trip comes first.

For whom it is recommended

• who has a spirit of adaptation
• who knows how to play as a team and has a strong sense of community
• who is extroverted and loves being in company

For whom it is not recommended

• for those who love ease and comfort
• very shy and introverted people
• those who do not accept advice, those who are stubborn, those who love the freedom of being able to do what they want

Some misadventures in the world
We report some opinions and criticisms with the sole purpose of providing a clearer idea of ​​the misadventures that can be encountered by doing this type of travel:
… I can only tell you that I met one of these group leaders and he was a very capable person in words but who tended to get lost even in the corridors of the University; according to her she spoke English, in my opinion it was something very similar to “broccolino” or the way in which I express myself in languages ​​I do not know using 2 or 3 words of the language in question and gesticulating a lot. “I made a disastrous trip to Asia with a group of people acceptable if taken out of context or individually. In a group, however, this happens: if you do not align with the ideology of the group you are marginalized. That’s all. And the ideology of the group I assure you has many paranoid aspects and That said, if a person likes to sleep badly, travel worse, eat like shit and have travel rhythms on the verge of maniacality, I think “Misadventure nel Deserto” is its tour operator. Personally, I will keep them away from me like the plague. I sincerely hope that whoever reads the post avoids joining the masochist club. I just went on a trip with Adventures in the World and I think they did not repeat the experience. First of all, the price was too high: it was the same as that of the other Tour Operators, with the difference that we slept in hovels with a single bathroom for everyone (the people in the group had, of course, all to be ready at the same time, so it was customary to argue over the bathroom). At the table the other participants (all women in their fifties) checked that I ate a quantity of food and drank a quantity of wine not exceeding theirs. I was told that it is normal for Adventures in the World groups to be made up of only women, of advanced age. Furthermore, the group leader was characterized by a strong intolerance towards vegetarians (like me) and argued with me at every lunch and dinner. Eventually the atmosphere became unbearable. I don’t think it’s worth the risk of ruining your holidays, which happens if you find a group of heavy people.

Alternatives to Adventure Travel in the World
Adventure in the World is not for you but you are alone and you still want to take a trip
No problem! There are other possibilities . The world of those who find themselves having to travel alone is no longer just made up of sour spinsters or grumpy bachelors, but by a wide range of people ranging from single parents, to those who have just ended a love story, to adventurous young people , to people with tourist interests other than the crowd.
Here you will find a nice range of opportunities:

• Travelsingle is a suitable operator for those who want to discover unexplored destinations while also making new friends throughout Italy. The goal is to create opportunities for aggregation between singles who will be followed by expert escorts throughout the trip. We move in groups and divided by three age groups (under 30, 30/50 and over 50). Furthermore, for those who do not wish to pay the supplement for the single room, they can share it with someone else or opt for the limited offers in a free single room.
• Vagabondo is a meeting point for people who like to organize trips on their own and off the beaten track. It is aimed at groups of up to 14 people with an average age between 35 and 40 years. Among the most popular destinations are Guatemala, Tibet, Laos and Cambodia.
• Speed ​​Vacanze offers a wide range that goes from thematic weekends, to cruises for unmated, to sea holidays in Italy and abroad up to travel for singles. It is a great opportunity to have new experiences and meet different people that we could hardly know in our daily life.
• Solos is a pioneer in the sector, with 30 years of experience. He organizes vacations for singles all over the world. The age groups are 25-45, 30-59 and 45-plus. The minimum number of participants is 15 people.
• Contiki offers a wide range of adventure holidays around the world for 18-35 year olds. You are traveling in a group, maximum 30-50 people.
• Dragoman has a particularity: his trips are outdoors on the road in caravans or vans converted into campers. He starts from a minimum of 10 days to a maximum of 4 months of travel. The most demanding tours (South America and Southeast Asia) are reserved for 18-28 year olds.
• Wild Frontiers organizes itineraries for up to 12 people in India and Central Asia, but for some years has been specializing in trips for singles to Africa to observe the life of wild animals.
• Solitair organizes holidays for singles of all ages and conditions (widowed, single and single, married or engaged but who decide to spend separate holidays, …). We always try to create as balanced groups as possible. The trips are designed for people who, despite leaving alone, are looking for company during their stay. Every effort is made to guarantee individual freedom while giving life to moments of socializing and sharing.
• It permits that in the “Suitcase friend” area it allows women who do not want to travel alone to post ads to find a travel companion. Really nice idea!

Advice : whatever your destination and whoever your adventure companions are, before setting off on your own it is essential to consult the “Safe Travel” section of the Farnesina website . Register the stages of your itinerary and check if the chosen destination is adventurous girl proof or not or simply if it is too risky. Remember, as an old ad said: prevention is better than cure.

SEE ALSO : The best destinations for singles