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Globetrotting goals – the top tips and trends across travel in 2018

Globetrotting goals – the top tips and trends across travel in 2018



When it comes to travel, most of us have our own certain ways of going about it. You might love throwing some essentials into a backpack and throwing caution to the wind, but this might be someone else’s nightmare scenario. The beauty of travel in the 21st century is that there are so many options – no matter where you want to go, how you get there or what you choose to do when you arrive, there is more choice than ever before. Keen to see what the future of globetrotting looks like? We’ve asked our pals at World Expeditions for their top tips, trends and predictions across international travel in 2018, and they came through with some seriously interesting insights.


Leave only footprints (not the carbon kind)
The travel industry obviously relies on people wanting to visit the most amazing parts of the world, but unfortunately a lot of areas are suffering under the weight of tourists. That’s not to say you shouldn’t visit – it’s just becoming way cooler to actually care about making a positive impact on the places where you choose to go. When planning a trip in 2018, there are some super simple things you can consider to ensure you are not doing any damage (or even better, helping people out). Make sure you avoid animal encounters where animals aren’t in the wild, don’t visit orphanages, help collect litter on iconic trails, or stay in sustainable accommodation like the World Expeditions private eco-camps. If you want to take it even further, it’s well worth looking into Community Project Travel – the program offers rad opportunities to meet locals get amongst authentic cultural experiences while making a positive impact.

Take to the water
Most of us are familiar with cruises, but a water-based holiday doesn’t necessarily have to amount to gorging yourself at a buffet in the middle of the ocean. Small boat tours are a fantastic way to see stunning (and hard-to-reach) parts of the world from a totally different perspective, with this option also being available to families who perhaps always wanted to go on an adventure but were put off by walking-heavy treks. Some of the options available include luxury boats in the Kimberley, a traditional Dhoni in the Maldives, and even purpose-built vessels to explore Myanmar’s Irrawaddy or the Mekong from Vietnam to Cambodia.

You can go your own way
When it comes to travel tours, there can be a lot of pressure to move on from a place before you’re ready. On the flipside, organising your own trip from scratch can just be a total headache. The way of the future is to embrace the best of both worlds – we’re talking self-guided tours, baby! Travelling independently and setting your own pace whilst also reaping the benefits of an organised trip is a totally genius move, to be honest. You can go at a speed you’re comfortable with, stop where you want (for as long as you want), plus choose a convenient start date that works around your existing schedule or holidays. Get some inspo from the self-guided options available through World Expeditions.

Get (way) off the beaten track
Nothing worth having ever comes easy, which is what makes full pack carrying trips so damn rewarding. These ones aren’t for the faint of heart – you have to be prepared to carry around 20kg for multiple days – but if you have a thirst for adventure and want to see some of the world’s most secret spots, this could be for you. Up for the challenge? Take a peek at California’s John Muir Trail, the Grand Canyon, Tasmania’s South Coast Track, World Expeditions’ new backcountry trek in Patagonia and even the Kokoda Trail for some 2018 hardcore travel goals.

Freewheelin’
Alright, so we’ve established that not everybody is going to be into the high-intensity travel vibe – different strokes, right? For those of us who are a little less energetic but no less enthusiastic, electric bikes are a total saviour. The trend originally kicked off in Europe but has been gaining traction, which means travellers the world over are jumping on it. If you’ve been questioning whether or not you could tackle a certain trip because of your fitness levels, looking into some options here will open you up to a whole new world. World Expeditions has introduced electric bikes in China with plans for Vietnam to follow, as well as TasmaniaNew Zealand and on 80 percent of the company’s European cycling trips offered through UTracks.

This article was created with our good mates at World Expeditions



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