Outdoor Activities & Adventure Sports
Below is a listing of the various activities and sports we offer on your tours. Some are familiar while others like canyoning, hydrospeeding and stand up paddling may not. Review the sports and see how we make them fun in each destination.
Canopy/Zip-Line Tours
Canopy tours are a specific type of ziplining where a person is harnessed to a steel cable and propelled by gravity from platform to platform high up in the trees of a thick forest canopy. A braking mechanism enables the participant to slow his or her speed when approaching the landing platform.
Locations – Costa Rica, New Zealand
Canyoning/Canyoneering
Canyoning or Canyoneering (as it is known in the U.S.) is traveling in canyons using a variety of techniques that including scrambling, climbing, rappelling and/or swimming. Technical rappels include using climbing harnesses, ropes and devices to insure a safe descent.
Locations – Croatia, Slovenia, Utah
Hiking
walking on dirt or rocky terrain involving a loss and gain of elevation. Easy trails usually consist of smooth dirt and negligible elevation gain and loss and are less than 5 miles in distance. Moderate trails usually consist of rocky and dirt trails with elevation gains or losses of 300 to 800 feet per mile. Distance varies from 5 to 10 miles. Difficult trails usually consist of rocky terrain with elevation gains or losses of 800-1200/mile. Distance can be 4-14 miles depending on the terrain.
Locations – Argentia, Australia, Chile, Colorado, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Italy, Mexico, Montana, New Zealand, Peru, Slovenia, Tanzania, Utah
Horseback Riding
Horseback riding is generally associated with riding a horse with a western saddle. Most tours will involve riding the horse on a path (nose to tail) at a walking pace. Some dude ranches do offer you an opportunity to ride the horses while working cattle. In some countries, you are allowed to gallop horses, albeit for short periods of time.
Locations – Colorado, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Slovenia, Utah
Hydro Speeding/River Boarding
Hydro Speeding is all about descending white water rapids on a body float. You have a wetsuit and a personal floating “toboggan” – rather like a body board. The sport can almost be described as “surfing” or “tobogganing” down the rapids. Experienced Hydro Speeders can surf the swells and eddies, perform 360 degree.
Locations – Colorado, New Zealand, Slovenia
Mountain Biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain. The bicycles are built to take a beating on the trail and incorporate fatter, knobbier tires and usually front and/or rear suspension.
Locations – Argentia, Australia, Colorado, Costa Rica, Croatia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Slovenia, Utah
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing is a sport in participants climb up or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route. Rock climbing is generally differentiated from scrambling (another activity involving the scaling of hills and similar formations) because of the use of hands to support the climber’s weight as well as to provide balance. Specialized climbing equipment is crucial for the safe completion of routes.
Locations – Colorado, Costa Rica, Croatia, New Zealand, Slovenia, Utah
Sea Kayaking
Sea kayaking uses a kayak developed for the sport of paddling on open waters of lakes, bays, and the ocean. Sea kayaks are seaworthy small boats with a covered deck and the ability to incorporate a spraydeck. They trade off the maneuverability of whitewater kayaks for cargo capacity, ease of straight-line paddling, and comfort for long journeys.
Sea kayaks are used around the world for marine (sea) journeys from a few hours to many weeks, as they can accommodate one to three paddlers together with room for camping gear, food, water, and other supplies. A sea kayak usually ranges anywhere from 10-18 feet for solo craft, and up to 26 feet for tandem craft. Width may be as little as 21″, and may be up to 36″.
Locations – Argentia, Australia, Croatia, Costa Rica, Mexico, New Zealand
Snorkeling
is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn. Use of this equipment allows the snorkeler to observe underwater attractions for extended periods of time with relatively little effort. Snorkeling is a popular recreational activity, particularly at tropical resort and scuba diving locations. The primary appeal is the opportunity to observe underwater life in a natural setting without the complicated equipment and training required for scuba diving, and without the exhaled bubbles of scuba-diving equipment.
Locations – Australia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Mexico
Stand Up Paddle Surfing – (SUP)
A Hawaiian sport originating as far back as the 1940s, stand-up paddle surfing is a mix between—you guessed it—surfing and paddling. Back in the day, Waikiki beach boys stood on their longboards while navigating with outrigger paddles, taking pictures of tourists on shore, and the sport of stand-up paddle (SUP) was born. Now referred to as Ku Hoe He’e Nalu on the Hawaiian islands, the sport is quickly gaining popularity all over the world because of its graceful simplicity and quick learning curve.
To learn paddle surfing you’ll need a board—and SUP boards are big, averaging between nine and 11 feet long. An instructor can fit you with the proper size according to your height and weight. Boards with a soft deck are ideal for beginners and those who don’t want to bother with the tedious chore of waxing. Paddles tend to be six to nine inches taller than the paddler’s height, and the more lightweight and easy-to-handle the paddle, the farther you’ll travel using the least amount of effort.
Locations – Costa Rica, Mexico
Surfing
Surfing is a surface water sport in which a person (the surfer) rides a board (the surfboard) on the crest of a wave as it carries the surfer towards the shore. Beginners will learn on smaller waves 1-5 feet in height.
Locations – Australia, Costa Rica, Mexico
Whitewater Rafting
a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers.
- Class 1: Very small rough areas, might require slight maneuvering. (Skill Level: Very Basic)
- Class 2: Some rough water, maybe some rocks, might require some maneuvering.(Skill Level: Basic Paddling Skill)
- Class 3: Whitewater, small waves, maybe a small drop, but no considerable danger. May require significant maneuvering.(Skill Level: Experienced paddling skills)
- Class 4: Whitewater, medium waves, maybe rocks, maybe a considerable drop, sharp maneuvers may be needed. (Skill Level: Whitewater Experience)
- Class 5: Whitewater, large waves, large volume, possibility of large rocks and hazards, possibility of a large drop, requires precise maneuvering (Skill Level: Advanced Whitewater Experience)
Locations – Australia, Colorado, Costa Rica, Croatia, Peru, Slovenia, Utah
Want to create a special activities tour for your group and not sure where to go? Give us a call and we will help plan that special get-away you’re hoping for!