27 ways to challenge your clients

Hot air ballons over Love Valley near Goreme and Nevsehir in the center of Cappadocia, Turkey (region of Anatolia). This shot taken shortly after sunrise shooting into the sun. Sun flares visible.

While it’s not all clients, there are a few who love to get stuck in their favourite once-a-year-trip-to-Bali-with-the-inlaws kind of holiday.

Others might just be struggling to decide what’s next for them. And sometimes, you just want to thrill your clients with a few new surprises.

Either way, our editor Tara Harrison has nutted out the 27 best ways to surprise, delight, and challenge your client.

You’ll want to bookmark this one!

ONE

Penetrate the lost islands of Madagascar, with its insurmountable forests and singular creatures – namely, lemurs, as well as a special breed called the aye-aye, nominated as one of the creepiest animals in the world and found in forests on remote islands such as Nosy Mangabe.

Close-up of multicolored chameleon on tree branch

TWO

Climb Mount Ranjani in Lombok, Indonesia. This one is close and will take from one to three days, depending on where you start. The volcano has been responsible for grounding plenty of Bali flights in recent years, so the trek could be a revenge dash.

THREE

Build a yurt in Tajikistan. One of those ubiquitous Stan’s, Tajik has a very prominent feature: the Pamir Mountains, a land of plains with yurts and yaks and the mountains perilously looming above. Pamiri nomads live here and their yurts are built seasonally.

FOUR

Ramble Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands. This is the highest peak in Britain, so ramble may be a slight undersell. Scramble could be more apt. It will reward you with scenery of rubble-strewn hills, high plateau lochs, gullies and a view that would inspire Braveheart.

FIVE

Hike Kilimanjaro, the roof of Africa. It’s the one equatorial spot constantly capped with snow. Travellers can do this without strenuous preparation. You should be fit, but not Everest-level fit. Altitude sickness is the main obstacle over the five days.

SIX

Dive in the cenotes of Mexico. They are often stared at, swum in, and photographed. But diving opens up the underworld realm of the sinkholes, which may well all be connected in a network of freshwater.  Some even have dead forests at the bottom.

Fish bowl

SEVEN

Cycle the Icefields Parkway in Canada, from Lake Louise to Jasper cutting through the Rocky Mountains. Many will tackle this passage via car or rail, but cycling is an intimate way to experience the wildlife and rarity of the largest mass of ice outside of the north and south poles.

EIGHT

Tramp the Milford Sound in New Zealand’s South Island. That’s a kiwi verb, right there. Tramping means hiking, and no scenery is more staggering than this several day trek through virgin forest, snow-melt lakes and alpine peaks.

NINE

Pedal through Vietnam. Everyone here is already on a scooter or a bike, so join the thronged masses on the road, swerving pedestrians with shopping bags and motors overladen with families. Choose the flat delta, the steep highlands or the frenetic cities.

TEN

Walk the El Camino trail, the most famous walking pilgrimage in the world. The original track runs the full width of Spain and can take two weeks, peppered with pilgrim hostels, or refugios, to break up the journey with renowned hospitality. And don’t forget La Rioja, where the fountain is made of wine.

ELEVEN

Swim with whale sharks. There are a few places to do this: from Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia and Donsol in the Philippines. Travellers swim alongside the plankton scooping beasts and no diving is permitted as the bubbles bother the world’s largest fish.

Snow Leopard In Snow Storm III

TWELVE

Track snow leopards in Ladakh, India. There’s no guarantee of a sighting – they’re called a grey ghost for a reason. But travellers will experience Himalayan mountain scenery and local culture, with plenty of yak butter tea to console or celebrate after a long day tracking in the wild.

THIRTEEN

Plunge into ice waters. This swim is offered on many an Antarctic cruise, permitted the brave and the bold to jump off into the frozen waters in a bikini or boardies – only for a few minutes, mind. Any longer would be cruel.

FOURTEEN

Sit in the sidecar of a Harley and drive Cape Town’s coast. Not the most gung-ho, this is for the more sedate traveller who likes a blanket and maybe a flask of tea.

FIFTEEN

Wade in the thermal pools of Pamukkale in Turkey. The white terraced pools are filled with crystalline blue water and staggered down a steep incline. It’s also next to the Greek-Roman historic spa city of Hierapolis.

travertine pools at pamukkale

SIXTEEN

Paddle the Amazon. Yes, it’s possible, and is as epic a trip as it sounds. You will be floating atop anacondas and pirahnas and any number of creatures that want to kill you. Here’s looking at you alligator. But the opportunity to be unobtrusively close to the wildlife here is worth the risk.

SEVENTEEN

Throttle a rickshaw in India. While that verb may be incongruous to the mode of transport, riding a rickshaw will open explorers up to the overwhelming sights smells and momentum of India. So start south, it’s a lot calmer down there. Kerala is calm and the perfect way to acclimatize.

EIGHTEEN

White water raft the Nile. Yes – that flat river you associate with Egypt has some ferocious turns in Uganda and is prime country to take in the African bush as well as some challenging twists and turns. You may as well throw in some mountain gorilla trekking to round out the trip.

NINETEEN

Cycle the world’s deadliest road in Bolivia. Look, unless your client has a death wish, they need to be a very astute cycler to take this challenge on. It’s more risky for the wider vehicles that traverse the path, but cyclists are still vulnerable in this descent that razors down precariously from the Andes.

Waterfall tumbling into river above cavern mouth Seljalandsfoss Iceland

TWENTY

Shower under a waterfall in Iceland. Skogafass Waterfall is a huge drop with plenty of resulting spray and droplets catching rainbows. But there’s also a hot waterfall in the country’s east, at Laugarvalladalur, so the shower factor is all the more realistic.

TWENTY-ONE

Build a yurt in Tajikistan. One of those ubiquitous Stan’s, Tajik has a very prominent feature: the Pamir Mountains, a land of plains with yurts and yaks and the mountains perilously looming above. Pamiri nomads live here and their yurts are built seasonally.

TWENTY-TWO

Hotfoot it through Kruger. This is one for the multi-visitor to South Africa, who needs a little more adventure. Kruger National Park has trails through the savannahs, but you’ll need a guide and your wits about you.

TWENTY-THREE

Trot across Mongolia on horseback. Meet shamans, yurt-dwelling tribes, and desolate scenery with the odd eagle afloat above. Depending on the time of visit, the eagle mastery festival is also a highlight.

Mongolian man with golden eagle

TWENTY-FOUR

Dog sled in the Yukon, where sixteen or so Alaskan huskies pull travellers through the ice fog that rises off the hard baked snow. Travellers can do a day trip or they can be very involved for a few days, helping prepare the dogs and set up camps.

TWENTY-FIVE

Balloon the fairy village of Cappadocia, Turkey. It’s hard to determine the more beautiful spectacle: the intricate lace-like land or the bright balloons bobbing above it at sunrise and sunset. Make the call with a glass of champagne in hand and call it an easy adventure.

TWENTY-SIX

Climb rocks at Railay in Thailand. These steep and curved boulders and limestone rock formations are along the Andaman Sea coast, and this is a special view across islands – if they’re not distracted by the challenge of hand and foot holds.

Great Wall of China

TWENTY-SEVEN

Trek for abused Australian children along the Great Wall of China with Huma Charity Challenge. The 11-day trek is along the remote parts of the wall and costs just $3950 including flights and a minimum $2500 fundraising target for Act for Kids charity.

 

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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