Once you have booked your holiday and had everything confirmed, we will send you lots of information about the hotels where you will be staying, trail routes and so on. But if this is your first time going on one of our cycling or walking holidays, here’s a quick overview of how things will pan out. It varies by holiday, of course, but these top Ts of travel will, hopefully, capture the adventure experience… to a T.
- Transport
Depending on the holiday, you are either met at the airport or train station by one of our drivers, or you make your way independently to the first hotel or guesthouse. Sometimes this transfer cost is included in the tour prices, or you can pay an additional amount, at time of booking, to be transferred from your point of arrival. All of our holiday pages show you how to travel there independently, under Getting there, whether they are reachable by rail, air and so on.
- Tech
You will already have been sent your digital maps to upload to your phone and details of the recommended app to do so. But now is the exciting bit when you see tech do what it does best. In many cases, when you walk straight out of your first hotel onto a trail, you can do a quick trial run with the app on the day you arrive, just to get used to its look and feel. You can also look at any route notes uploaded to the app too.
In many cases, and not all, you meet our representative on the ground, who may give you printed notes too, or maps if you have paid for these in advance, as they are usually an optional extra. - Team
Again, depending on the holiday you choose, you may meet our destination representative on the first day at your hotel, for a briefing of your walking or cycling adventure. With cycling holidays, you will either be directed to our bike rental centre on the first day, or be met by our bike team on the ground at your first accommodation, with bikes in tow.
In some cases, you just arrive independently, check in, and get ready to rumble. Or ramble. That may feel a bit strange to some at first, but independent travelling is what we’re all about. Even though we’re always there in the background to support you. You are sent all our contact details in the destination that you need, which you should save to your phone in advance. And you’ll soon learn to love this sense of independence.
With our small group holidays, however, there is nearly always a briefing on the first night with your guides and fellow travellers. - Transfers
In addition, when your itinerary includes some transfers to and from the trails, you will also meet our wonderful drivers. These are the folk who get to see you at the start of the day, excited in anticipation, then exhilarated by the experience at the end of the day, and probably also exhausted. They are also often the people who transfer your bags for you, so all in all, they are a vital cog in protecting all of our precious cargo.
It’s worth noting that not all holidays have transfers to and from trailheads, but this is clarified in the itineraries on our tour pages, and in your more detailed notes. If you prefer a holiday with no time constraints in this way, then you can see this clearly on each tour page.
The majority of our holidays do have luggage transfers included, with the exception of more remote terrain, such as our summit holidays, when drivers may not be able to access a mountain hut, for example. In these cases, they transfer the luggage to the next accessible accommodation where you’re staying, and leave it there. Meaning you have to carry enough luggage for a couple of nights. - Trails
Once you’re out on the trails, you immediately get that sense of real adventure, following your digital maps, not quite knowing what’s around the next headland, or over the next ridge. This is where the adrenaline kicks in, but it’s important to pace yourself, pay close attention to the routes and plan breaks. Our trip notes often highlight perfect picnic spots along the way. If you have an arranged time to meet our driver at the end of the trail, rather than walking straight to your next accommodation, then you need to keep a closer eye on the time, and distance covered, to ensure you meet them in time.
Thank you for travelling with The Natural Adventure. Please don’t hesitate to contact one of our adventure specialists if you have any other questions. Because, at The Natural Adventure, we’re not bots, we’re humans who can guide you if you have any concerns.
