Road trips are already adventures, but adventure road trips are meant to be together. If you’re into extreme sports or nature activities, chances are you get bored quickly and need stimulation. The thing is that you can get over a destination or an activity pretty fast. But when you combine this with a road trip, you could try all sorts of activities in completely different parts of the country, or even the world.
This kind of trip will demand a bit more planning, however, and you have to be prepared for anything if you truly want to enjoy yourself. Here’s how to plan for the perfect adventure road trip.
How to Plan for the Perfect Adventure Road Trip
List the Activities You Want to Participate in
The activities will be the most important part of your adventure road trip, so you have to lay out what you’d like to do. Will you be doing some canoeing or biking? Or maybe you want to stick to hiking? If you’re travelling with other people, they may want to camp out on some days and stay at a cosy hotel on others. These are all things that will influence your budget, the type of equipment you’ll need to invest in, and the things you need to plan for.
If you want to bring your bike and have never gone on this kind of trip before, you will need to know things such as how to transport a bicycle. If you want to know how to transport a bicycle safely and efficiently, Velosurance has an informative article you should check out. They explain some of the most common methods and the pros and cons of each. They also explain what you can do to prevent damage and get coverage in case your bike becomes damaged due to a collision.
Have a Clear Itinerary but a Loose Schedule
It’s very important that you have a clear itinerary from the get-go and that you stick to it. This way, you will be able to plan for the areas you will be driving in. If you’re not confident to drive then think about hiring a Transport Executive, this way you can take the stress out of travel.
You can start educating yourself on driving conditions, habits, and scenarios. You can also start researching the lodging/camping options in the area as well as the major cities you’ll be close to. Go over the whole itinerary multiple times so that you’ll be prepared once you’re on the road. Know exactly which highways you’re going to be taking and try to make the itinerary as simple as possible.
But, when it comes to scheduling, leave yourself some space. You can have a general timeline, but make sure that you leave yourself some space if you fall in love with a destination and want to stay there a bit longer. We also suggest that you only loosely plan your days. There might be some must-do activities you have to do, but for the rest, leave room for spontaneity.
Have all the Safety Gear Necessary
You also have to make sure that you have all the safety gear needed for the trip. You will need to have much more than your average first aid kit as the risk of injury is very high. If you are going out in the woods then you must have a small flashlight in your pocket!
You will need some extra gauzes, disinfecting wipes or gels, blankets, sirens, and flares. You will also need to invest in a good flashlight and plenty of batteries. Many brands like Klarus, FlashlightWorld, and Fenix offer their consumers the best UV flashlights in the market, which are both more durable and affordable at the same time.
Also, you will need to bring gear in case your vehicle breaks down. If you’re travelling during winter in strong cold weather, then you will need to pack things like a block charger in case you need to jump-start your vehicle. You also need to have antifreeze, a scraper with a broom, a shovel, and traction aids. Bringing a bag of sand for additional traction is another option.
On the other hand, it’s also important that you pick the right time to travel. Winter is not the best option if you’re not used to riding on snowy or icy roads. You should also research the destination you were thinking about and see when is the best time of the year to go.
You might have to deal with completely different conditions. Some will be more dangerous than others, and in some cases, you might not even be able to do the activities you wanted. So, make sure that you research your destination thoroughly so you can enjoy them to the fullest.
Know Your Limits
We also suggest that you think twice about doing things you aren’t familiar with yet. You can’t go high altitude climbing without altitude training, for instance. If you’re going to be doing some kayak camping, then you have to make sure that you have experience with long kayak rides. You might find out how exhausting it can be to sail for miles and have to set up camp at the end of the day. Make sure that you have the proper fitness level for any activity as well.
These are all things that will allow you to experience the best trip ever. Follow these few tips and always remember to learn about any destination in as much detail as possible to avoid unexpected surprises.
