Three Ways To Make Your Next Trip More Enriching

Social media tells us that we need luxury hotels, secluded pools, and to explore tourist traps for an edgy photo in order for our traveling to look worthwhile. However, after a while, it can start to feel a little fake, a little hollow.

Traveling doesn’t always have to be extravagant. Traveling can be incredible, enriching, an adventure of a lifetime. You can walk (or fly!) away having learned so many valuable life lessons from one trip.

It is time to add the passion and exploration back into travel. So, if you feel like you’re no longer getting the real enrichment you need in your voyages, here are a few ideas to enhance your traveling experiences.

Lend your efforts

One of the big problems of taking the traditional vacation route is that they can start to bleed into each other; no matter where you go, you’re getting an experience essentially built for tourists. There are educational travelopportunities that help you see the side of a destination that most tourists don’t. Volunteering can be one of the most valuable of them all. You get to not only learn about the challenges that locals contend with, but you can also make a difference and ensure that you’re actively helping them fight those hardships. From conservation to teaching, you can make a much more positive impact than the average tourist tends to do. Plus, travel is generally cheaper when it comes to a volunteer travel position. See the world on a dime!

Master your own journey

Your first few flights abroad can feel like a real adventure, but over time, it’s all too easy to recognize how carefully curated those experiences are. There’s no real sense of voyaging into the unknown, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Backpacking is a time-honored tradition: helping you see a lot more than the average visitor, meet plenty of new folks, and come back with everlasting stories you wouldn’t have otherwise. It can be challenging and it requires vigilance, so it’s worth brushing up with resources like backpackingwiki.org, or even organizing a group trip with your friends so that you have safety in numbers. Few ways of getting around feel so freeing and venturesome!

Tip: Make sure to be fully prepared for your backpacking adventure with appropriate gear (depending on the location) and essentials, such as a first aid kit.

Live like a local

The sharing economy is growing around the world and it’s extending to our travel experiences as well. We’re not just talking about Airbnb and cheaper accommodations popping up everywhere, but sites like internationalgreeter.org too. With sites like this, you can arrange to meet up with trusted locals who can give you tours that help you see the more intimate side of a destination that’s missed by so many. You can eat the local grub with them, see what they do locally for fun, and learn what it’s really like to live in the area. Some people love this kind of experience so much that they go on to become international greeters themselves!

The above ideas are only examples of how to find a truly enriching travel experience. Anything to switch up your journey, from glamping to road tripping, can reinvigorate a love of travel that can so often be dulled by vacations that start to all feel the same. Be sure to share some of your refreshing travel ideas in the comments below!