the Adventure Lifestyle magazine

choose an outfitter right for you how to Deciding who to go with can be as important as where you go Text: Tom Jacob The rapid growth of adventure travel has led to a proliferation of both US-based and local tour outfitters, all vying for a piece of the $110 billion Americans spend every year on this type of travel. Basic knowledge of what to look for in an outfit- ter and what questions to ask can be your road map to negotiating the myriad of choices_ There is no hard and fast rule about whether you should go with a com- pany operating locally or with a North America-based operator_ A more important question is whether the outfitter has the knowledge and training, the reputation, the eco-sensitivity and the approach to travel that fits with your own psyche_ Erica, a neophyte climber from Colorado, dropped $1,300 with a Utah- based outfitter for a 10-day trip up Ecuador's Cotopaxi. What she got for her money was poor food, shoddy gear and ill-prepared guides unfamiliar with the routes, the local guides and the language_ They never even got close to the peak_ Others sum- mit Cotopaxi and have the time of their life doing it The first thing you need to decide is how you want to travel. A tour that carts busloads of twentysomethings from place to place on a fast-paced, rigid party itinerary offers a vastly different experience from a high-end, luxury bike tour through the Bordeaux area or a rugged mountaineering trip in the Himalayas. You don't want to find yourself camping and cooking when you had expected hotels and every last detail taken care of by your guides, or vice versa. Find out who your travel companions will be. What age and type of clients does the outfitter attract, and what approach do they take? Ask how many people are going to be in the group, and whether their experience matches your own. "A group of 15 or less minimizes the impact on the environment and makes the trip more enlightening," says Patricia Carrington of the Vermont-based Ecotourism Society (ecotourism.org) . A good guide-client ratio for treks, safaris and other walking trips is one guide to seven travelers, according to Kit Herring, direc- tor of operations for Florida-based tour operator Inkanatura, which offers South American trekking and canoe excursions. For riskier activities such as climbing, raft- ing and backcountry snow sports, the ratio should be more like one guide for every five clients. Find out precisely what level of fitness and what skills are required for the trip you are considering. Good tour operators will recommend specific exercis- es for preparation-maybe jogging, working out in a climbing gym or engaging in the actual activity you'll be doing on the trip. Next, consider whether the company and its guides have adequate expe- rience and qualifications by asking them: How long have you been in business? Have you done this specific trip before? Have you pioneered trips into areas not fre- quented by other operators? Find out how experienced in the trip activity they are and whether they are familiar with the trip location, by researching past client feed- back. You should also research the specific qualifications, certificates and accolades that the outfitter has earned, especially in terms of the trip's activity, whether it's kayaking or rock climbing, scuba diving or mountain biking. With moun- taineering, for example, developing the judgment needed to get to the top and back in one piece takes many years and many climbs. Make sure the guides have actu- ally climbed the peak you're after. When choosing a dive operator, make sure the staff have current NAUI or PADI certification. Find out whether the guides have training in emergency medical proce- dures. Any guide lacking basic first aid and CPR skills should not even be consid- ered. Is the trip and are the local guides certified by the government or by a nation- al or state organization? There are organizations in most parts of the world, such as the Belize Ecotourism Association (www.belizenetcom/beta.htmi). the Utah Guides and Outfitters Association (www.utahareaguides.com) and the Colorado River Outfitters Association (www.croa.org), that monitor and screen tour operators before allowing them to become accredited members of those organizations. Assessing the quality of a company's guides is vital, since once you're in the field, the outcome of your trip - and in some cases even your life - is in the 80 DDDDDDDDD hands of your guide. Local guides may have a more intimate interest in and con- nection to the places you are traveling through, and it is important to the sustain- ability of local communities to hire local residents whenever possible. But a local guide is not by definition a good guide. A North American guide who speaks the local language, has been passionate about the region for years and is extensively experienced guiding trips in the area can potentially be more useful than a lesser trained local guide who does not speak your language. "Any tour operator in the business five or more years is liable to have a strong, knowledgeable staff of guides," says Carrington . She recommends researching individual guides with the same tenacity you would an outfitter. "Some tour operators have profiles of their guides available for review." No matter how inspiring the images on an outfitter's website or how convincing their assurances about their own services, assess their reputation by consulting outside sources. Get feedback from past clients. If the outfitter has noth- ing to hide, they should be happy to hook you up with people who've been on their trips. Also inquire about the percentage of clients who are return customers. Check the internet for on-line directories, forums and relevant newsgroups reviewing individual trips and outfitters, such as www.- mexonline.com/mexnewsg.htm, www.ecotourism.org.pk/directory.htm, www.- greentourism.on.ca. Be wary, however. Some operators have arranged to bombard these sites with fake testimonials about their hospitality and service. Other sites list "recommended" outfitters, when the only criterion for making the list is payment of an advertiser's fee. Concern about eco-sensitivity-working with local communities and pro- tecting the environment-is another factor in the search for the perfect outfitter. An ecologically minded outfitter will provide educational information about the desti- nation's culture and environment Ask about the company's founding philosophy and what motivated them to begin leading trips. A snapshot of the early days may help you to understand the company today. Find out the degree of community participation in developing tourism in the area you are traveling to, and whether foreign outfitters relegate the local peo- ple to roles as mere porters or bystanders. Is money going back to some long-range development or conservation projects in the host country, such as trail clean-up or local education initiatives? Will the trip you're on have you bombing through a Cambodian village while your foreign mountain-bike guide screams for locals to get out of the way, or will you stop and spend money at local businesses? You will also need to consider cost and such logistical matters as the length of the trip, what is and isn't included, and the pace of travel. The outfitter should provide detailed itineraries, packing lists and information about the gear that will be supplied, the accommodations and the guides you will be using. Ask for a full itinerary that lists day-by-day activities and schedules. Study these and consid- er your personal needs and preferences in relation to what is offered. What do oth- ers recommend as a minimum time necessary to tru ly experience the place? Are you spending your whole trip on the move, or are there breaks allowing you to chat with locals and venture out on your own? Always confirm what the inclusive costs will be before you agree to any- thing. Make sure you know what equipment you are expected to provide and what ancillary costs you will need to cover-from airport transfers to equipment rentals. If there is a contract or waiver to sign, read the fine print twice. If pre-payment or a deposit is demanded, get the details in writing and be aware of the conditions for getting your money back in case of cancellation. As more and more travelers venture into outdoor playgrounds, tour operators are facing unprecedented competition . Be wary of those that scrimp on quality to bring down costs; remember, though, that rivalry can also motivate out- fitters to develop more incredible, high-quality trips to new destinations. If you know what you want and what to watch out for, you should be able to find the out- fitter you need, enthusiastic fellow adventurers offering great deals and insider access that should guarantee the adventure of a lifetime. •

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