Adventure Holiday Travel Insurance - Are You Really Indiana Jones?

Wherever your lust for travel and adventure may lead, it is smart to book with an established tour company. Going it alone can be an exciting fantasy, but in practice may not be so easy to pull off and you can't learn everything from a book. Tour companies hire experienced guides to make the experience easier and more enjoyable - and bonuses like keeping you away from pretty but potentially unfriendly plants and bugs!

Much as you might fancy yourself as Indiana Jones, donning the same outfit will not turn you into a super hero overnight. The average traveller, spending most of the year desk-bound, is unlikely to have the stamina or savvy to survive an adventure holiday unscathed without the benefit of an experienced guide. Potential hazards could include nasty stomach bugs, stings and bites, altitude sickness, heatstroke, or worse. Be honest, how well would you cope on the other side of the world, away from your mobile phone, PC, email, and all the gadgets you rely on in your comfort zone? An adventure sports holiday exists for just about any place on earth and any activity.

Trekking holidays come in various levels of difficulty, so choose the one that suits your ability. Be brutally honest with yourself about your level of fitness and schedule a health check with your GP before booking. How well you do will depend largely on the terrain and grades, as well as the altitude, temperature and weather. For instance, would you want to carry your own backpack up a steep grade? Would you prefer an easier tour, with some tea and sympathy - and a Sherpa? Perhaps trekking in a tropical rainforest, Hawaiian volcano, or the Iguau Falls of Latin America is your dream? Maybe scuba diving in Belize, horse riding in Costa Rica, or glacier trekking in Patagonia is more your style. Are you terrified of spiders and snakes? Your fears are not going to dissolve when you come face to face with them! Do you dream of a mountain bike tour through U.S. National Parks, or scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef? Wildlife and bird-watching tours are very popular, whether you choose an overland safari, trek through the mountains, or bird-watching tour in Panama.

Choosing the best time of year to travel will obviously depend on which hemisphere you are heading for, and what you hope to see and experience. Another vital part of planning an adventure sports holiday is taking out adequate travel insurance to cover all the activities you intend to participate in. Insurance policies vary and the activities you have planned may only be covered on an incidental or casual basis (i.e. not the main purpose of the holiday, such as a safari or sailing holiday). Check the policy wording carefully, and make sure the levels of cover are suitable - especially the medical cover. If in doubt, call and ask. Tropical destinations may mean exposure to extreme heat and humidity.

Horse trekking could leave you feeling as sore and bandy as John Wayne. An inshore sailing trip of the Mediterranean coast may look idyllic - as you picture yourself lounging glamorously on the foredeck in your bikini - but what if you get sea-sick and end up with serious dehydration? Chances are that nothing negative will ruin your trip, but if the worst should happen you will be glad to have the peace of mind of travel insurance - and a 24-hour emergency number to call for help. If your trip might include winter sports like skiing, boarding, dog-sledding or snowshoeing, always check whether winter sports cover is included in your travel insurance policy. It doesn't cost much to add, and the benefits are well worth it - considering a broken leg while skiing in Colorado could set you back 20,000+.

A Backpacker policy may be the cheapest choice - as long as you understand the limits on luggage and valuables. So, do you still think you're Indiana Jones or Bear Grylls? Take a reality check of your abilities and physical and mental shape, then take steps to plan your adventure holiday accordingly. Find the best Travel Insurance policy to cover all the activities you plan to participate in, then forget your worries and go for it!

Jean Andrews is a freelance writer living in the UK. She regularly contributes travel articles for TIA Ltd who offer great deals on http://www.travel-insurance.net

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