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122 Treknical Details
Small Groups We believe there is no better way to travel than in a small group of like-minded individuals from around the world. We maintain a limit of 13 passengers on most of our tours - providing the security of group travel and the flexibility of independent discovery. Adventure Trek offers active holidays! Wilderness hiking, whitewater rafting, horseback riding, sea kayaking, canoe trips, mountain biking, swamp tours and so much more ... All levels of adventure are available. From softer adventures which mix cities, small villages and National Parks to higher levels of adventure in Alaska, the Andes and the Australian outback. Many of our itineraries are ideal for first time visitors to the the Americas, Australia and New Zealand, while others have been designed with the return visitor in mind.Thats why many Trekkers keep travelling with us again and again! Never Camped Before? Trek has made it easy. We supply everything needed to make camping holidays comfortable and fun! We provide all the necessary camping equipment including tents, cold food storage containers, camp lights, stoves and other camp accessories. Our high quality tents are very easy to set up and take down on your own. We camp two in each spacious tent, which leaves more than enough room for your luggage. Home sweet home! Bring your own sleeping bag - we recommend a three season bag during the summer months and a 'four season' bag the rest of the year, as some nights can be cool to cold, especially in mountainous areas. We supply a thermal pad to sleep on, but if you prefer added comfort, you are encouraged to bring your own self-inflating sleeping pad. Many campgrounds are situated in stunning settings giving our groups opportunities not found by conventional tourists. When we camp near major city destinations, nearly all the campgrounds have full facilities such as showers, pools, shops, and laundromats. Virtually all National Park campgrounds have pay showers, flush toilets and basic facilities. Occasionally, our groups will choose to stay in more isolated areas or bush camps where the surroundings will quickly make you forget any lack of facilities. The Food Kitty On our camping tours, our groups share in the preparation and cooking of the food. Supplies, excluding soft drinks and alcohol, are purchased from the food kitty, and each member of the group pays US$9 per day en route (AU$70 / NZ$70 per week in Australia / New Zealand). This covers three meals on most days while we are camping; eating fresh foods that we purchase as we travel to satisfy the international flavour of the group - a healthy way to travel at an unbeatable price. Naturally this does not cover hotel stops or when Trek groups sometimes sample regional cuisine at local restaurants. Participation An essential part of your Trek holiday is helping with the day to day camp duties. With guidance from your Tour Leader and our full range of camping equipment, the team spirit makes the chores easy and enjoyable. From setting up in the evening, to breaking camp in the morning, from unloading the vehicle, to shopping for food and preparing group meals, you'll be part of the team with Trek. Lodging Tours The type of accommodation on our lodging tours is as different as the unique lands they explore. For tours in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand we use a combination of motels, hotels, lodges and ranches - with the occasional pub or hostel Down Under . In Mexico, Central and South America, we stay at tourist class hotels and lodges that are clean, comfortable and sure to make you feel at home - wherever you are. Accommodation on our TrekAmerica and Footloose tours is based on twin share, (we will match you with a fellow traveller of the same gender if you are travelling alone). There is no food kitty collected on our lodging tours. All meals, except those included where specified, are taken in local restaurants and paid for individually. On our treks in South America, Australia and New Zealand, we sometimes use bunkhouse and hostel accommodation based on multiple share rooms. Budget Lodging Tours We use a combination of hostels, hotels, motels and cabins on our budget lodging tours. Most cabins are multi-share sleeping 4 to 6 people and a sleeping bag will be required. Hostel nights are generally multi-share mixed gender dorms. Where possible we will keep the group together but this cannot be guaranteed. Where possible, we try to accommodate couples, however, twin rooms cannot be guaranteed. There is no food kitty collected on our budget lodging tours. However, a breakfast / lunch kitty has proven a popular alternative to three meals out. This is optional and our leader will help organize it for those who choose to participate. More Two & Three Night Stops Some tour companies' idea of offering you a great 'deal' is a tour of virtually all one night stops at every destination, with no time to really see them. We know from experience that it is important to pace a tour, to guarantee that you see and do more, without having to run madly from one night stop to the next. Our two and three night stops allow you to take advantage of all of the numerous options available to you wherever you travel, making optimum use of your holiday time. Trek Extra Value There is no better value for money when considering your travel options to the Americas and Down Under. As one of the worlds oldest and largest adventure camping tour operators, we are able to pass on our group savings directly to you. In addition, be sure to look for the Trek Extra Value seal on most trips for special inclusions that really make these tours a great deal for you. A few trips do not have this seal these are already great value for the money but allow our passengers to choose their adventure based on personal choice or budgets. Optional Activities On each tour there are numerous activities and attractions from which to choose. Some of the more prominent ones for every trip are listed under the 'Optional Activities' section on each trip's page. These options are not included in the holiday price because not every passenger wants to participate in each activity. Our leaders know where to get the best group rates available for various attractions and activities. This way each member of the group can choose exactly what they want to do according to their own taste and budget. For a detailed list and prices please refer to page 81. Tour Leaders Trek Tour Leaders are a special breed! They have contributed more to our success than any other part of our programme. The tour leader and the group work as a team and are jointly responsible for arranging everything en route - to suit the group and the individual. We provide the right kind of person to handle the multitude of needs that arise throughout any tour. We are very critical in our choice of people; we employ men and women from many professional backgrounds, who lead active lifestyles themselves. Training It is our belief that the most important ingredient for the success of any tour is the tour leader, and we are extremely proud of the high professional standards set by our tour leaders over the last 35 years. Our training programme begins with recruiting the right people and developing their natural talents to be great team leaders. New tour leaders receive substantial training in all areas, with specific attention being paid to group dynamics and leadership. In addition, they receive various forms of instruction within our training facilities and operations departments; i.e., first-aid, driving techniques, vehicle maintenance, meal menus, and emergency procedures. When leaders complete their basic training, they receive hands-on education in the field, from managers and senior tour leaders who can relay the benefits of years of experience. We are very proud of our training programme. Our level of customer satisfaction underscores it! Management Team We believe we have the most experienced management in the North American adventure travel industry. Our most senior managers have been with TrekAmerica since at least 1985, and together our management team has an average of over 15 years experience with the company! Our Fleet Trek has created a comprehensive network of full-service storage depots throughout the Americas, Australia and New Zealand. Our vehicles are customised to ensure your comfort and enjoyment of the tour. All Trek vehicles have air-conditioning and excellent stereo systems to make travelling a pleasure. All luggage, equipment and other necessities are stored on a specially designed trailer or storage area to maximise space and comfort. Every group is virtually self-sufficient and able to explore the back roads "where the crowds can't go". Transport on Footloose Our tours in Central and South America use a variety of local vehicles that are best suited to the group size and local terrain. We typically travel in 15-20 passenger vehicles, with all luggage carried on board. Some smaller group sizes may only necessitate an 8-10 passenger van to retain the intimacy of the group. Other forms of transport, including internal flights, local trains, horses and even canoes, may be employed to get us to the heart of a particular region. These will be clearly spelled out on each tours itinerary.
CLIMATE AND CLOTHING Depending on the particular tour and time of year, be prepared for both warm and cold temperatures. You can expect most days to be pleasant, but nights generally range from cool to cold. Warm clothing is essential, including wool socks, sweaters, hat, gloves, walking/hiking shoes, rain jacket and warm coat. Our WinterSun tours stay at hotels in colder destinations, but we recommend a warm four-season sleeping bag for camping nights, as the weather can be very unpredictable.
PHOTO CREDITS
Our thanks to the following for their valuable assistance in the production of this brochure: Alaska, Alberta, Arizona, Atlanta, British Columbia, California, Chicago/ Illinois, Florida, Guatemala, Maine, Memphis, Mexico, Nashville, New Zealand, North Carolina, Utah, Washington State, Wyoming & Yukon Tourist Boards, Doug Geeting Aviation, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Discover New England, New Orleans Metro CUB, Britstock-IFA, Alaska Stock, LACBEric Arnesen via picturesla.com, Escape Adventures, Ian Adcock, Seth Anderson, Sean Ardussi, Cameron Arm, Jen Barnes, Colin Barnett, Diana Berry, James Bartram, Geo Bellini, Steve Bendit, Bertrand Bergeron, Matt Berna, Magnuse Blackburn, Hans Bockelman, Dave Bowen, David Carpenter, John Carr, Jere Carroll, Tony Church, Steve Daboul, Mads Ellehoj, Nick Engel, Valerie Esser, Sarah Eykin, Marshall Evans, Peter Fletcher, Alex Fornes, Tony Gatti, Peter Graham, Scot Glackman, Paul Goldstein, Rich Hanson, Paul Hartman, Andrus Hernandez, Myer Henderson, Janine Jaeger, Roger Johnson, Heather Jones, Steve Kamelzelt, Birgit Kaufer, Allyson Klein, Charles Knowlton, Jeff Layton, Gabi Leuze, Judy Lodge, Chris Patrick, David Patrick, Bob Matthews, Tim Melching, Michelle from Trailfinders, T. Miles, Toby Monson, Rebecca Moon, Tavis Moses, Jay Peery, J. Randall, Jeff Razink, Oliver Richert, Scott Rohr, Jeanette Ross, Jonathan Scott, James Sertin, Scott Sharland, Steve Silva, Antonia Stocken, Louise Thornton, Cori Tucker, Greg Uscicki, Jeremy Walpole, Matteo Watkins, Christopher Zintel, and our tour partners Across the Bay, Alpen Guides, Andean Treks, Armo Tours, Eco-Andes Adventures, Papillion, Adrian, Dave Falsetti, Anne Gravel, Mike Halley, Erin Halloran, David Patrick, Andy Wellsster, Jason Werd, Brian Wilson.
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