Vacations that Treat the Senses

By Pamela Torres

There was a time when the land, our geography, held a sacred place in our hearts. In today’s high-speed, virtual-reality-dominated-world our connection to the physical land that surrounds us rarely occurs. However, there is a new trend in vacations to change all that. Some people are eager to bond with the land and culture through vacations that engage the senses through walking, hiking, or biking as part of an itinerary.

“To walk in the forests, mountains, deserts, and meadows of this world is to become intimate with the earliest experiences of humankind — to imagine what the first explorers felt as they discovered new land. No other mode of travel puts you closer to the earth,” say Gene and Jo Ann Taylor, owners of Walking Connections, a company that specializes in connecting walking and hiking enthusiasts to information, products, and services.

Imagine yourself strolling through the Tuscan medieval village of Monticiello, winding around the dirt roads and woodland to the famous wine-producing town of Montepulciano. Or, what about traversing England’s low-lying hills of the Cotswold, traversing footpaths once used by the Celts and Romans, winding around deep-green countryside, scattered with authentic thatched-roofed houses.

The trip packages are as varied as there are participants. Some are strictly walking, while others may include biking, hiking, or kayaking. You can also participate as a single person, couple, or group. Usually groups are limited to fewer than 20.

It isn’t difficult to match your physical ability to an appropriate vacation. The European term for hiking is walking, so take that into consideration when evaluating difficulty levels.

“Some of these ‘walks’ can be more strenuous than you imagine. European trails can be both very rugged and steep or can be flat, paved bike paths,” says Tyler Burgess of Walk with Me Tours. She suggests paying attention to elevation gain, length of the day’s walk, and pace on each day’s itinerary. Each of her trips is labeled easy, moderate, or challenging.

The important thing is to read the literature carefully and ask questions. A trip won’t be enjoyable if you are not prepared for it, physically or mentally. Back Roads, specializing in active vacations worldwide, rates its trips according to activity level and degree of difficulty. Others, like Wayfarer, provide a specific number of miles each day, a description of the terrain, a list of optional activities, and a support van.

Dan Friesen of Walking Adventures International says, “What makes our tours unique is the combination of walking and the more conventional use of a motor coach to get around.” These trips hit a lot of the sites a standard coach itinerary would but also gets off the beaten path to remote and “close to the ground” places that tourists never see.

Some walking vacations offer optional bus connections or shorter routes to accommodate any level. Many of them provide a shadow vehicle to pick up weary travelers. Most companies boast their use of local tour guides that provide interesting insight to the culture and flavor of a location. Accommodations associated with many of these walking vacations are chosen for the authenticity and unique cultural and natural beauty.

There are a few things to keep in mind, when choosing a vacation:

• Consider what activities in which you wish to participate. Some vacations offer multi-sport adventures. Pay attention to difficulty levels. Most companies rate their trips in some way. An easy level usually averages around 2 to 5 miles a day on mostly flat ground, while more challenging itineraries average between 12 to 15 miles a day and will include for hilly terrain. Some offer real opportunities to mingle with the locals; others are more focused on the scenery and covering mileage.
• Who are their tour guides? What are their qualifications? Good tour guides can make or break a vacation. How involved are the guides, do they leave you to yourself? Or are they with you every step of the way? Are they experts? Do they know the territory?
• What size group are you willing to travel with? A survey of some of the vacation planners found that an average size group ranges from 15 to 18 people. The largest group number seems to top off at 35, but this is rare. Most companies prefer to keep groups small. Some companies offer the option of forming your own private group; the Wayfarers are happy to customize any of their trip options for your group.
• Pay attention to what is offered in the cost. For example, some cover all meals while others only cover dinners. Many include the costs of fares, admission to attractions, and equipment. Most companies accommodate special diets, and vegetarian menus are easy to come by.
• If you’re traveling with family that includes children, be sure the trip accommodates them. Not all trips are open to children or are kid friendly in the activities provided.
• Plan ahead. Vacations to popular locations fill up fast. There are also penalty fees for cancellations.
• Prepare yourself physically. Talk with the organizers and get to know what training is best for your trip. If you spend most of the trip with sore muscles, you’re not going to enjoy yourself.

It is easy to gather information. Most companies are happy to provide colorful catalogs or brochures. If you’re looking for a personalized itinerary you try Fresco Tours, a company willing to work closely with to create a unique and personalized vacation.

Another concept growing in popularity is the wellness vacation. These trips can include yoga, meditation, spa activities, spiritual awakening, and healthy lifestyle emphasis. Check out Well Traveled Tour, a seven-day package to the healing island of Hawaii that includes native
spa treatments, a Hawaiian luau, a cleansing and healing ritual at one of the island's sacred sites, and a geological trip to Volcanoes
National Park. Susanne Sims, the author of Healing Vacations in Hawaii hosts the tour.

Maggie Spilner’s Walk for All Seasons is a great example of vacations focused on wellness. Spilner’s tours have been developed with the 40-plus walker in mind, with an emphasis on scenic venues with sure footed walking and moderate hiking paths. “Our goal is to enjoy local scenery, culture, and cuisine while being both invigorated and relaxed by exercise,” says Spilner. This year she is offering a unique trip called Spring Break for Women, that's in May in Eastern Pennsylvania. “It’s a beautiful time of year in Pennsylvania and a great opportunity for women who've been cooped up all winter to stretch, walk, and renew, giggle, and girl talk for four days.”

Not Up for a Whole Vacation?

Many cities offer choices for walking tours that give you the opportunity to see, hear, and feel the location in ways that a drive-through could never do.

Seattle is one city that boasts a number of walking tours that bring opportunities to gain new perspective and insight to the evolution
of this interesting metropolis. Tours that should not be missed are the Pike Place Market’s
Heritage Tour and the Seattle Architecture Foundation’s tours.

“The Pike Place Market is a feast for the senses,” says Michele Peterson, Public Education Coordinator for the Market Foundation, an organization dedicated to the preservation of the traditions and diversity of the market. Internationally recognized as America's premier farmers' market, Pike Place Market brings with it a bounty of experiences.

“To truly experience the Pike Place Market’s myriad of smells, sights, sounds, textures, and tastes, one needs to immerse one’s self in it.” Peterson goes on to explain that the one-hour tour takes the walker through the myriad alleys and hallways that weave through nine acres of Seattle’s historic district. Participants hear how the market has stayed in operation and quirky market stories. Along the way, you learn how to shop the market, taste culinary samples, and meet the market’s most colorful characters.

Some of the most colorful characters were key players in the development of Seattle itself. The Seattle Architecture Foundation (SAF) offers a unique experience with its downtown tour “Seattle Controversies.” This architectural tour explores how competing forces and personalities affected the design of Seattle’s built environment.

“Seattle Architecture Foundation is about connecting people to the profound influence of design in their built environment and
inspiring them to get engaged in shaping their communities,” says Sidney Dobson, executive director of SAF.

The beauty of walking tours or vacations is that they provide a new perspective on location. Most tours get you off the beaten path into the heart and soul of a place. Combining health-focused activities with beautiful scenery is the perfect way to relieve stress and get away from the rat race. We spend so much time just moving from point to point we rarely take the time to make a connection to our own geography or that of our neighbors near and far.