Encounters Travel: Backpacking Grows Up

With the luxury of sabbaticals a thing of the past, low job security, and the currencies of traditional backpacking hotspots such as Australia creeping up in cost, for many, the fantasy of leaving the daily grindstone for six months of sun and fun-filled escapism really is becoming just that - a distant fantasy.

Those who choose really long trips have to face the fact that their dollar won’t go as far as it did five years ago. Travelers often have to supplement their trip with casual work - and the thought of cleaning hostels for peanuts? Not pleasant!

So, what can the freewheeling, adventurous, young and restless now do with their precious days of annual leave, without having to leave their jobs – or resort to taking package holidays to bland beach resorts? The answer is go ‘micro travelling’!  Backpacking grows up and goes global!

Offering independence and adventure, Encounters Travel offers a choice of longer group tours, ideal for those in their twenties through forties, who want to explore a country off-the-beaten-track, within the security of like-minded travelers. The adult-only tours span a wealth of continents, including Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East. Travelers can try their hand at everything from raft building in Thailand to trekking the Inca trail.

Some of Encounters Travel’s longer tours include:

Everest Base Camp – Nepal - 18 Days

This classic trek offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get right up close to Everest. Starting in historic Kathmandu, experience the city’s bustling streets, set against a backdrop of Buddhist prayer flags and Hindu temples, before venturing into the Everest mountain region to trek through a panoramic landscape of soaring peaks, terraced fields and icy, fast flowing rivers. While this is a tough trek that needs some preparation, the itinerary is paced sensibly with acclimatization days en route, and time in the Kathmandu Valley at either end of the trek.

Prices start from £1,120 per person, to include airport transfers from/to Kathmandu, internal flights and transfers, accommodation in a combination of hotels and trekking lodges on a mixed-board basis, a trekking pack with walking poles, sleeping bag and a down jacket, the services of a trekking guide and porters throughout the trek and a specialist city guide in Kathmandu. International flights excluded. Contact Encounters Travel for pricing or travel arrangements from your home country.

Siam Treasures – Thailand - 18 Days

Experience all that Thailand has to offer on this comprehensive tour, which begins in the bustling capital Bangkok before heading north by sleeper train to Thailand’s second city, Chiang Mai. Head into Thailand’s mountainous jungle for a two-night trek among the local hill tribes, and enjoy exhilarating bamboo rafting and elephant rides, before returning to central Thailand to explore the Khao Sok National Park. The tour culminates with three relaxing days on the tropical island of Ko Samui.

Prices start from £1,145 per person, to include airport transfers from/to Bangkok, internal transfers by sleeper train, accommodation on a mixed-board basis in hotels, village huts, tree houses and beach resorts as well as experienced local guides throughout. International flights excluded. Contact Encounters Travel for pricing or travel arrangements from your home country.

Mountains to the Lakes – Peru & Bolivia - 21 Days  

Home to ancient cultures, soaring mountains, lush rainforests boasting unique and varied wildlife, and one of the wonders of the world; Machu Picchu, Peru is a vast Incan empire promising a travel experience unlike any other. The tour begins in the capital Lima, before heading south for an incredible Ballestas Islands boat trip. It then heads inland to the desert and the Oasis of Huacachina, where travelers will camp under the stars. The group also takes in the Andes and the deep Colca Canyon, before trekking the unforgettable Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, followed by a visit to Lake Titicaca and culminating in the Bolivian capital, La Paz.

Prices start from £1,370 per person, to include airport transfers from/to Lima, internal transfers by train, a boat trip, an Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu including entrance fees, accommodation on a mixed-board basis and experienced local guides throughout. International flights excluded. Contact Encounters Travel for pricing or travel arrangements from your home country.

Info courtesy: Travel PR/Encounters Travel