Active Travel Adventures - podcast cover

Active Travel Adventures

Looking for a FUN adventure for your next vacation? Active Travel Adventures curates multi-day world wide adventure travel holidays for reasonably fit folks who love to hike, bike, paddle or otherwise stay active for a more immersive experience when they vacation and explore our planet and its people. These are all adventures that YOU can do, especially if you train (I'm 64, so if I can do it, so can YOU!). It's easy to find the right adventure for you: We cover mild adventures like cycling (flat) the historic and beautiful Netherlands, to taking an African safari, to taking a walking holiday from one medieval village to the next on historic paths in Europe. And if you are up for a bigger challenge, then check out climbing Kilimanjaro, trekking to Everest Base Camp or Annapurna in Nepal's majestic Himalayan mountains, or hiking the Mont Blanc circuit through Italy, France and Switzerland. But most adventures we cover are rated a 3 out of 5 for difficulty. Examples include (eBikes available) cycling Greek islands or island hopping from Split to Dubrovnik in Croatia (both while sleeping on a cool ship!), hiking in Banff, the Dolomites, Patagonia, or trekking to Machu Picchu. Long distance hikes we cover include the Coast to Coast and Cotswold Way in England, the West Highland Way in Scotland and other famous UK trails. Of course, we often cover doing an El Camino, including the French Way (Camino Frances), the Portuguese Way, the Primitivo, the original way from Oviedo. We've even BIKED the El Camino! We have also walked the Camino's sister trail, the Kumano Koda trail in Japan. If you like the water and to paddle, we've rafted the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon (and we've hiked the Grand Canyon, too!) as well as through Canyonlands National Park. We've rafted the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, as well as day trips as part of other trips on the Pacuare River in Costa Rica and the Tulley River in Australia. We've also snorkeled the Galapagos Islands and the Great Barrier Reef! Naturally, we cover the amazing National Parks, including Olympic, Acadia, the Grand Canyon, Arches, Zion, Arches, Rocky Mountains and more! Sometimes we even travel on horseback, including in Iceland, Ireland and other exciting destinations! Often the trips are multi-activity, like the ones in New Zealand, Italy, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Costa Rica. On multi-activity trips, we mostly hike, but we usually do some biking and paddling as well. Sometimes we go on expedition cruises, like to Antarctica, the Falkland and South Georgia islands or to Greenland. Here we hike and get to paddle among the icebergs, while traveling on a small ship for closer access to the amazing landscape! On occasion we backpack and camp, but mostly we day hike and stay in comfortable inns at night. We have backpacked St Olav Ways in Norway, the Kungsleden trail in Sweden, in Iceland and Greenland, as well as section hiked the Appalachian Trail, or 'AT'. We visit exotic countries like Bhutan, Vietnam and Thailand. In short, we cover the world's most exciting adventures that regular people can do on their vacation. Sometimes, we cover skills that you need in order to go on an adventure, from traveling solo, how to choose a tour company, how to save money for travel, how to save money ON travel, and outdoor skills you need to learn (also check out our sister podcast, the Adventure Travel Show podcast (ATSP) for deep dives into adventure skills). ATA's mission is to inspire and empower you to lead a bigger life through adventure travel. Travel the Active Travel Adventures way! Be sure to visit the ActiveTravelAdventures.com website where we make it easy to find the right adventure for you! You can search by time of year you can travel, what activity you want to do and which continent you want to visit. Learning about all the outdoor skills from ATSP are available to check out there as well. We aim to be your one stop shop for adventure travel! One the website, you can see photos and videos of the adventure covered, plus get more information about the trip covered. You can also get a FREE Travel Planner for each adventure by signing up for our once a month newsletter.
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Episodes

Costa Rica Camino : Part I

Kit and Active Travel Adventure listeners hike Costa Rica from the Caribbean to the Pacific - 175 miles through numerous ecosystems and many small villages not touristed. Our luggage is transported daily, so all we need to do is carry our day pack. Learn about this amazing new long distance trail along with tips to help make your multi-day hike successful. our way around this magnificent country in Part I of Kit's incredible adventure. Learn all about this beautiful and exciting active adventure...

Sep 15, 202247 minEp. 121

Best Travel Apps

Make your travel life smoother with these great (mostly free) travel apps. On today's show, you'll learn about my favorite travel apps for transportation, lodging, activities, getting around, phone security, plus some solid travel tips. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES See important links for all the apps mentioned on today's show to help you in planning your adventures. Get FREE Travel Planners for ATA adventures (and each month you will get an email from Kit with links to all future Travel Planners (no spa...

Sep 01, 202226 minEp. 118

New Zealand South Island Adventures : Part II

Visiting the South Island of New Zealand is a 'Bucket List' adventure for many folks. On today's show, we hike, bike and paddle our way around this magnificent country in Part I of Kit's incredible New Zealand adventure. Learn all about this beautiful and exciting active adventure on today’s show. SAVE!!! Kit went to New Zealand with her affiliate, Active Adventures (based in New Zealand). Email me for an exclusive Active Adventures $200 off Promo Code good for this or any of Active's exciting a...

Aug 18, 202226 minEp. 119

New Zealand South Island : Part I

Visiting the South Island of New Zealand is a 'Bucket List' adventure for many folks. On today's show, we hike, bike and paddle our way around this magnificent country in Part I of Kit's incredible adventure. Learn all about this beautiful and exciting active adventure on today’s show. SAVE!!! Kit went with her affiliate, Active Adventures (based in New Zealand). Email me for an exclusive Active Adventures $200 off Promo Code good for this or any of Active's exciting adventure travel tours! COMP...

Aug 04, 202243 minEp. 118

Section Hike the Appalachian Trail - 'the AT'

Learn how to section hike the AT, the Appalachian Trail (or any other multi-day hike) on today’s show. We discuss how to plan, what to pack, why it's cool, and so much more. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES See important links for planning your adventure, photos, videos and more cool info about section hiking the Appalachian Trail (plus general backpacking information). Get FREE Travel Planners for ATA adventures (and each month you will get an email from Kit with links to all future Travel Planners (no spam...

Jul 21, 202250 minEp. 117

European Self-Guided Walking Holidays

Spend your vacation WALKING some of the best trails in Europe! Most are fairly easy for any fit person. You walk from village to village on historic paths in some of Europe's most scenic regions. Best of all: your luggage gets transported to your next lodging so all you have to do is walk and enjoy yourself! Learn all about European self-guided (some are guided) walking holidays on today's show. I interview Margaret, who has done many such hikes and we learn all about this exciting and affordabl...

Jul 07, 202247 minEp. 116

Adventures in the Algarve region of Portugal

Explore the gorgeous Algarve region of southern Portugal. This beautiful and affordable adventure travel vacation is sure to inspire you! Whether you hike an 8 day section of the 185 mile/299 km trail all at once as our guest, Margaret, did (or hike it all!), or just day hike and explore the region like Kit did, you'll have an amazing adventure! Margaret went with my affiliate, One Foot Abroad who has offered ATA listeners a 5% discount on ANY of their self-guided tours by using the Promo Code A...

Jun 16, 202236 minEp. 115

Hike the Via Algarviana Trail in Portugal's Algarve Region

Hike the stunning Via Algarviana, a long distance trail in the gorgeous Algarve region of southern Portugal. This beautiful and affordable adventure travel vacation is sure to inspire you! Whether you hike the 185 mile/299 km trail all at once as our guest, Josh, did, or hike just one of the three 8 day segments, you’ll come away with an authentic Portuguese experience away from the crowds at the beach. On today’s show you’ll learn what to expect on the trail, when to go, what to pack and what y...

Jun 02, 202247 minEp. 114

North Island of New Zealand Multi-Sport Adventures

Hike some of New Zealand's epic trails including the famous Tongarino Crossing and Rainbow Mountain, kayak or snorkel the Poor Knight Islands, tube through an underground cave to see millions of glow worms, sandboard down 100’ dunes, experience Mauri culture, active volcanoes and much more! Learn all about this beautiful and exciting active adventure on today’s show. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES See important links for planning your adventure, photos, videos and more cool info about adventures on the Nor...

May 19, 202250 minEp. 113

Norway Trekking Adventure

Hiking Norway is not only an affordable way to experience this stunning country, but it also allows you to get up close and personal with its famous fjords, waterfalls, mountains and valleys. On today's show, we spend nine days in Norway, trekking in Jotunheimen National Park, its most popular national park and exploring Bergen, Norway's second largest and very colorful city. You'll learn what it's like and what to expect on your Norwegian adventure holiday. Our guest went with ATA affiliate IAG...

May 05, 202254 minEp. 112

El Camino Primitivo - the Original "Way"

Have you ever wanted to do the El Camino? Learn all about the very first "Way", the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Arguably the prettiest (and maybe the hardest) route to the Cathedral de Santiago. It's also one of the least trafficked (maybe since most people haven't ehard of it?). Our guest gives us the details about her Camino and why she would do it again - backwards! COMPLETE SHOW NOTES See important links for planning your adventure, photos, videos and mor...

Apr 21, 202237 minEp. 111

Greenland : Trek the Arctic Circle Trail

The Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland is considered one of the premier long distance trails in the world. On today's show, we hike the vast, remote and expansive landscape to Sisinuit. You'll rest by stunning glacial lakes, as you trek among the hummocks. This backpacking adventure is one that a fit person can do if he or she trains, and it's sure to be a life changing experience. Learn all about this beautiful and relaxing active adventure on today’s show. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES See important links...

Apr 07, 202241 minEp. 110

Bike the Portuguese Way Camino de Santiago

Instead of walking, why not BIKE the Camino de Santiago? On today’s show, our guest Niall describes cycling the Portuguese Way to Santiago de Compostela from Porto, Portugal. The Portuguese route is arguably the best biking path to Santiago. We’ll discuss what you’ll see, what types of people you’ll meet, what the trail is like, what you need to do to prepare and pack, and why you should add the Camino to your adventure bucket list. Learn all about this wonderful (and MUCH quicker!) way to do yo...

Mar 17, 202247 minEp. 109

Iceland Adventures

Hike Iceland! Discover the land of fire and ice on today's show. Our guest discusses two Iceland adventure tours he took with ATA affiliate, IAG (International Adventure Guides) . They offer several tours to this magical country, so you are sure to find one that suits your interests and fitness levels. Be sure to use the ATA exclusive Promo Code HTT61XS to get $100 OFF any IAG tour! You’ll save money and at no additional cost to you, you’ll be helping to support the podcast while helping to keep...

Mar 03, 202248 minEp. 108

Croatia Island Hopping Boat and Bike Adventure from Split to Dubrovnik

In today's episode, our group gets settled into our beautiful motor yacht and begin biking some of Croatia's most stunning islands, like Korčula, Mljet, Brač and Hvar as we boat and bike our way from Split to Dubrovnik. We climb cliffside hills that overlook the majestic, crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea, bike through olive groves and vineyards, and explore quaint, historical villages and fortresses. We end our tour in the UNESCO walled city of Dubrovnik - it's a magical vacation! Note: ...

Feb 17, 202233 minEp. 107

Croatia - Part I - Zagreb, Plitvice Lakes, Zadar and Split

In Part I of Croatia Bike & Boat island hopping tour, we work our way from Croatia's capitol, Zagreb, to Plitvice Lakes, to coastal Zadar and then to the start of the tour in Split. In Part II, we island hop via motor yacht and bike from Split to Dubrovnik. We will explore the stories, complicated history, amazing landscape and stunning architecture in this Dalmation region. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES See important links for planning your adventure, photos, videos and more cool info about visiting ...

Feb 03, 202231 minEp. 106

Slovenia Hike Bike Paddle

We explore Slovenia’s Triglav National Park region and visit Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj on one of Kit's favorite European adventures! We hike the base area of the Julian Alps from Kranjska Gora. We bike from there to Lake Bled. We raft the Sava River, and learn about kayaking Lake Bohinj and the Savica Falls. In Ljubjiana, Slovenia’s capitol, we take a food tour, a history tour and a day tour to Škocjan Caves, the Lipsic Stud Farm, and the Predjama Castle. Learn all about this beautiful, fun and ...

Jan 20, 202244 minEp. 105

25 Best Travel Podcasts for 2022

Find new binge worthy travel podcasts in the annual list of the 25 Best Travel Podcasts to check out in the coming year. You'll find inspiration, discover destination ideas and insights, travel tips and hacks, learn industry insider news and hear great travel stories among this group of the top 25 travel podcasts for 2022. Get the Show Notes and the complete list with links to their websites HERE . Get FREE Travel Planners for ATA adventures (and each month you will get an email from Kit with li...

Jan 06, 202214 minEp. 104

Hiking the Dolomites in Italy

Hike the Dolomites in the Italian Alps Kit was so inspired by her interview of Annie in Episode 21 about her adventures hiking in the Dolomites, that she booked the same tour and tells you all about it on today's show. Not only do we hike the majestic UNESCO Dolomites, but we also bike a beautiful rail to trails path, and we EAT! This is Italy, after all. Kit takes you step by step on her adventure so you'll learn what you'll see and do, learn about the accommodations, including the mountain hut...

Dec 16, 202141 minEp. 103

Bikepacking the Erie Canal Trail

Bike Pack the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany Learn how to bike pack the 360 mile Erie Canal Trail : what you'll see, when to go, how many miles per day, where to sleep, and what gear to take. Learn how to plan your epic multi-day biking adventure and much more. Get insights into general bike packing from an experienced bike packer. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES See important links for planning your adventure, photos, videos and more cool info about hiking, backpacking, and paddle packing Isle Royale Na...

Dec 02, 202131 minEp. 102

Travel Tips and Insights

Travel Tips and Insights On this far reaching show, Kit highlights the lessons learned over more than a year and a half on the road, including her USA Road Trip in her camper van, Sophie, plus her long term travel in Europe. We discuss: Myth Busted: Travel is Expensive : I can't afford it Myth Busted: Travel is Dangerous We learn tips on how to save money on the biggest travel expenses: lodging, transportation, attractions and food. We also learn how Kit finds her way around without cell service...

Nov 18, 202156 minEp. 101

100th Episode Anniversary Special

Today marks the 100th episode of the Active Travel Adventures podcast! Since the vast majority of podcasts rarely make it past eight episodes, this is quite a milestone. I thought it would be fun to review some of your and my favorites of the past four years since I started the show. Below are the episodes (and links) mentioned to feed your wanderlust. Download them all! Links Mentioned on Today’s Show: 5 Most Popular ATA Episodes: Banff National Park, Canada El Camino de Santiago, France and Sp...

Nov 04, 202133 minEp. 100

Ecuador Volcano and Amazon Jungle Adventures

Discover why Ecuador is considered the adventure capital of South America! Hike under waterfalls, bike down one of the world's highest active volcanoes. Go for a horseback ride in the heights of Rumiñahui. Get a thrill on the famous treehouse swing over the cliff of Baños. Hike the virgin Amazon rainforest and the fertile highlands surrounded by 'The Valley of Volcanoes'. And take a break to soak in hot springs. Whether as an add on adventure to your Galapagos exploration , or as a stand alone t...

Oct 21, 202151 minEp. 99

Galapagos Hiking and Snorkeling Adventures

Today we'll explore a land-based Galapagos adventure - away from the busy ship-based tours! You'll visit several Galapagos islands and learn about the incredible animals, landscape and the history. We will hike the volcanos and snorkel the shores - even with sharks (but don't worry... they don't bite)! We will learn about the Darwin research center and some of the history of this fascinating area. This is definitely a Bucket List adventure to add to your list! COMPLETE SHOW NOTES See important l...

Oct 07, 202143 minEp. 98

Isle Royale National Park

On today's podcast, we learn all about Isle Royale National Park and why it's the most REVISITED US NATIONAL PARK in the Lower 48, even though it's the least visited park! Join Kit as she backpacks this rugged island that gets only 19,000 visitors each year. You can also paddle pack among the 70 interior islands, and Kit discusses this as well. You'll learn about the history, the flora and fauna as well as the geological creation of this island archipelago and Lake Superior of this rugged land, ...

Sep 16, 20211 hr 5 minEp. 97

BIG news in the Adventure Travel World Plus Travel Today

In this special bonus episode, Kit interviews Wendy van Lieshout, CEO of Active Adventures, about the merger with Austin Adventures. Plus, we discuss travel today in the post vaccine world of covid. In addition to the merger, we discuss possible vaccine passports, why using a tour company may be more important than ever, and general insights about travel in this crazy new world. The merger of these two great adventure travel companies creates some cool shared features: Incredible local guides wh...

Sep 09, 202147 minEp. 9

Raft the Colorado River thru Canyonlands National Park

Paddle the Colorado River for six days through Canyonlands National Park's famous Cataract Canyon. On this relaxing vacation, you can paddle or simply ride along in the dory as you choose each day! Plus, in calm waters, you can SUP and others, kayak the smaller rapids! Stretch your legs on the many optional day hikes through this impressive canyon along the Colorado River before it hits Lake Powell. This trip isn't hard to book, like the Grand Canyon's trip, plus it takes less than a week instea...

Sep 02, 202154 minEp. 96

North and South Dakota, Apostle Islands , Lake Superior and more

Sophie Diaries: Camper Van Road Trip through the Dakotas to Lake Superior Kit continues her adventures in “Sophie”, her converted Mercedes Sprinter camper van. On today’s show, we visit the Black Hills of South Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Graham Island State Park in North Dakota, the western coastline of Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands. Learn about these destinations plus get insight into what it's like to travel in a camper van. Get FREE Travel Planners for ATA adventures...

Aug 19, 202157 minEp. 95

Hike Japan's North Island of Hokkaido

Hike the rugged North Island of Japan, Hoikkado and avoid the crowds of more touristy parts of Japan. Kit interviews Rick and Susan about their beautiful hiking adventure on this little known part of Japan. Earlier, they shared their Bolivia and Peru adventures, so be sure to check that show out. On today's show, we learn what to expect if you go on a Hoikkado Japan hiking tour : what you'll see and eat, how to use an onsen (traditional Japanese bath), when to go and more. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES Se...

Aug 05, 202138 minEp. 94

Training for Adventure Travel

Listen in as Kit chats with online personal trainer Becki Rupp of Trailblazer Wellness about how to plan and tweak your adventure travel training program when life gets in the way. You want to make sure you enjoy your adventure, maximize your chances of success while minimizing your chance of injury. So its best to train your mind and body ahead of time. On today's show, we eavesdrop on Kit's consultation and learn ways to adapt when your schedule doesn't quite mesh with the plan. Becki also sha...

Jul 29, 202132 min
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