Adventure travel experts specialising in creating unique adventure travel experiences.
Kilimanjaro, scuba diving, rock climbing and wildlife safaris
Why Adventure travel? Unique and Interactive
The frosted tent fabric sparkles in the light of a torch beam where Brett sits hunched besides me in the cramped tent. He spoons a mouthful of noodles from his old army mug. I slurp my own tepid spoonful,which tastes a bit like chicken. Or is it mushrooms, or maybe beef? What does it matter? It is purely functional,fuel for the climb, a last attempt to stoke the furnace for the long journey ahead.We have moved beyond the world of sensual pleasure. In the Andes,there is no finesse: all that matters is survival. And yet, we still feel a great surge of exitement and pleasurable anticipation. We have been consumed by this wild,crazy,beautiful odyssey.
“We reach the top of Kilimanjaro and scream in triumph, knowing that something fundemental has changed inside of us. All our doubts, fears and uncertainties are left behind. They are left back there on the summit, rapidly evaportaing like our footprints. All our imagined horrors have dissipated, leaving a new, more positive reality in their place.”
Why Adventure Travel?
There is a special breed of person who thrives on risk and adventure travel for that matter, for whom a high mountain or an expansive ocean represents an irresistible challenge. Some are world famous-Hillary Scott, while others are known only to their friends and family, but all share certain hallmark qualities;
- A fierce desire to endure natures elements
- A deep commitment to their goals
- A kind of endurance that is more spiritual than physical
On your journey to there, when you get there, there is not there
Each adventure travel package is designed to help you to escape,at least momentarily, the man made world and to bring you face to face with the power of nature.You may be thrust into an unfamiliar environment with challenges and risks you won’t find at home. You may squirm,sweat,shake,or do all three simultaneously. At some point along the way you may ask yourself: ‘what on earth was I thinking?‘Consider that moment a rite of passage.
The basic satisfaction of adventure travel is both physical and mental with an extra ingredient of risk. It is a hot and invigorating spice that adds an addictive flavor to the game. It is tasted through the exhilaration that comes from challenging one’s ability against the unknown and winning. Being the master of one’s destiny, with one’s life literally in one’s hands, is what gives adventure travel its fascination. Adventure travel also gives a heightened awareness of everything around. The dramatic glaciers of Kilimanjaro, the intelligent eye of a whale,the form of mountains and clouds. The same view that might be seen by a passerby, but the passer by cannot see what the adventure travel being can.
Every one has an ‘Everest’ or a ‘Kilimanjaro’that they need to climb. The metaphor can be used to describe the highest goal that we can set for ourselves-whether that means creating a life, overcoming an illness, securing a promotion or controlling the mind. No matter what stage of life you find yourself in-whether you’ve entered retirement or just graduated from university-there’s an Everest left to climb that will add renewed purpose and meaning to your life. You can take yourself to this higher level of goal setting and performance without sacrificing other important aspects of your way of being. That’s because true peak performance is about maintaining balance and bringing other people along with you as you make the climb up your own personal mountain.
I really enjoy meeting expectant new-comers before a trip or the seasoned expedition adventurer, whether they are here to trek in the Drakensberg, scuba dive with sharks or participate in any other of our unique experiences, then observe the changes in them when they return from their adventure a few days later. Sometimes it is just a faint smile of satisfaction, while at other times a grin as big as the glaciers on Kilimanjaro. Occasionally it may be that there is a dash of disappointment at a missed summit through weather turning at the wrong time, or conditions not being safe on a particular route causing a turn around.
Whatever the outcome of the trip, the effect of nature’s environment is etched upon us and reflected through a glint in the eye that shows we have been deeply moved by our interaction with nature in its most powerful form. While not always beer and biltong, it sure beats trying to elude life’s challenges in pursuit of a comfortable existence! Guides and climbers in the Soul Adventure extended family are trudging over several other parts of the world right now, while others are getting set to head out on adventures and trips.
Whatever the near future holds for you, I wish you all the very best for your upcoming adventures whatever they may be
Darren MacDonald. Director Soul Adventures
Some of our most popular trips include climbing Aconcagua as well as kilimanjaro. For the eco adventure seeker who loves the water, our many scuba diving adventures are highly recommended. The most poular trip being the Sodwana Diving Adventure in KwaZulu Natal. For the shark enthusiast we recommend some really awsome shark diving at Protea Banks. This reef is home to some amazing shark species which include the ragged tooth ,zambezi,tiger and hammerhead sharks. If you want to experience a more chilled out eco adventure, we recommend a true African wildlife experience to many of South Africas amazing game parks such as the Kruger Park, or the Pilanesberg game park
