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Last minute gift ideas for the adventure traveller

With the growth in adventure travel, lots of Canadians are getting off the beaten path and discovering different cultures and climates.  And with Christmas around the corner, perhaps you’re looking for an appropriate gift for your adventurous friends and family.

Lonely PlanetGreat last-minute gift ideas for the Adventure Traveller on your list

Who better to ask for suggestions than Darrell Wade?  The founder of Intrepid Travel, Wade has visited over 100 countries and spends six months of the year on the road – always with hand luggage only. He has the art of travelling light, and adventurously, down to an art.

“Travel is really a very simple process and it’s what you experience along the way that counts, not how many gadgets you’re hauling around with you,” is Wade’s philosophy.  Having said that, there are five items he recommends.

Top 5 items for the Adventure Traveller

1) First is a small, light, strong and versatile backpack. “Jumping off a bus or onto a river boat, you don’t want to be encumbered with heavy luggage,” he emails, enroute to Nepal.  And while wheeled luggage is very popular, he thinks that wheels add unnecessary weight if your goal is to travel light.

2) Second is a phrase book, as there is no better way to connect with the locals than trying a few words of their language.  “Sometimes it works better than others – but it always is a great icebreaker to say at least hello and to thank people who have helped you.”

3) For armchair adventurers (or those who are planning a trip in the next year), Wade recommends reading up on a destination’s culture and history.  Guidebooks by the legendary publisher Lonely Planet are his favourites.

Flip-Flops4) Next on the list is a simple pair of rubber flipflops.  They’re light, virtually indestructible and serve double duty on the road or in foreign showers which may not always meet the standards of a five star hotel!

5) And lastly are miniature toiletries. As Wade says, “My toiletries bag is tiny but it has about 20 things in it – travel-sized versions of shampoo, toothpaste, moisturizer, lip balm, shaving cream, razor, earplugs and sleeping tablets – always take sleeping tablets for jetlag.”

Harder to buy but always recommended are a sense of humour and a love of adventure.  “They’re easy to pack and are guaranteed to make your holiday memorable!” says Wade.

On Intrepid Travel

Founded in 1989, Intrepid Travel is one of the world’s leading small group adventure tour operators, with over 400 itineraries to over 90 destinations around the world. Travellers can choose from 11 different travel styles ranging from Basix to Comfort, from Family to its newest trip style, OUT Adventures for the LGBT market – each sharing a common philosophy of exploring the world’s most amazing places and having incredible real-life experiences along the way.  For more on Intrepid Travel, please visit: www.intrepidtravel.com.

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