G Adventures has just run what it claims is the world’s first virtual small-group tour, taking travellers on a trip to Italy without breaking travel restrictions.

The adventure travel operator launched the trip as part of its new Virtual Travel Experiences, designed for armchair travellers to connect to the world around them while they wait for borders to reopen.

Adrian Piotto, managing director of G Adventures for Australia and New Zealand, said the Virtual Travel Experiences tap into the sentiment of travel perfectly.

“Travelling is about tackling distance, breaking down barriers and bringing people from around the world together,” he said. 

“G Adventures has always created community through shared experiences, and while travellers can’t come together in person right now, they can still connect and dream about where they want to go next using the gift of technology.” 

The company is also launching virtual walking tours, virtual moments and virtual backdrops for Zoom, because if you don’t have a pic, did it really happen?

This comes as G Adventures invites agents to “step” up to a new challenge to learn more about iconic Peruvian treks.

The Inca Trail Steps Challenge is back, and in its fourth interaction, is encouraging agents to learn about the trail each day from home while getting in their daily exercise.

Over the course of four days, agents will be aiming to complete 44 kilometres (roughly 55,000 steps), the same length of days and distance that it takes to trek the Inca Trail! Throughout the challenge, they’ll be learning all about G Adventures treks to Machu Picchu, so that they can book their clients onto the Inca, Lares, or Salkantay Trail with confidence.

To get involved in the Inca Trail Steps Challenge, agents need to register online by close of business, Monday 27 April. From there, you can use the steps app on your phone (or another fitness tracker app) to track your daily step activities each day, and accumulate your team results to send to G Adventures GPS  Jake Hilbert by 11am each morning.

The competition begins soon as the clock ticks over to April 27 and finishes when the clock ticks over from 30 April to 1 May. Winners will be announced on 1 May. 

Last time the challenge ran, a combined 205 agents participated across 84 different agencies through New South Wales. This time, G Adventures is taking the competition Trans-Tasman and are welcoming participation from any agent or agency throughout Australia or New Zealand. 

You can register HERE.