Not everyone wants to skydive. No matter how many times I’ve been asked, no matter how many friends brag about their experiences skydiving over the Great Barrier Reef, no matter how much I feel like a coward for saying no, it’s not going to happen. I crave adventure, but not all adventures are for everyone.
But not every adventure is as intense as skydiving. Enter soft adventure, which is about experiencing the thrill of travel without the intensity. It rewards you with activity and exploration but doesn’t overwhelm you. Soft adventure helps you stay in the moment and experience the adventure of travel in a more comfortable manner. It’s a scenic hike along a coastline rather than a multi-day trek across mountains, a snorkel through a picturesque lagoon instead of a scuba dive into the open water, kayaking through a calm bay rather than whitewater rafting a river. It’s active, exciting, and approachable.
Want to learn more about soft adventure? Keep reading as we break down the advantages of this emerging travel style and share some sample ideas to help you plan your next trip.
Soft Adventure vs. Hard Adventure
Soft adventure presumes the existence of hard adventure, so let’s break down the differences between the two.
Soft adventure is:
- Flexible. Taking only a few hours, soft adventure lets you plan around a fuller itinerary with several different activities in a single day.
- Easy on the body. Soft adventure keeps you active and healthy, but it doesn’t require high fitness levels or specialized training in advance.
- Accessible. Soft adventure doesn’t require specialized training in advance, or lots of preparation.
Hard adventure is:
- Strict. Many adventures take multiple days of dedicated time, meaning that your days are set
- Demanding on the body. Not everyone can wake up and hike to the top of the mountain or bungee jump off a bridge. These activities require high fitness levels and lots of preparation.
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Immersive. Hard adventure isn’t a walk in the park. It’s engrossing, absorbing, but requires training and practice ahead of time to ensure you can accomplish the very task.
Whether cycling, kayaking, or hiking, soft adventure offers a lower barrier to entry and an easier experience while still getting you out into nature to experience the excitement of the wild.
Who Is Soft Adventure for?
Like so many travel styles, soft adventure caters to all types. However, there are key kinds of travellers that it most appeals to.
Soft travel appeals to beginners, who might never have kayaked, hiked, or mountain biked before, but always wanted to. However, the intensity and commitment required of more strenuous adventure activities might be a barrier to entry. Luckily, soft adventure doesn’t require the time and preparation that hard adventure does.
Soft adventure is also great for travellers who want to spend time in nature without making that their whole day. Its flexibility caters to people whose vacations are not all about one style of travel, but rather mix and match according to their curiosity and interests. They might have a wine tour booked for the evening, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to explore the coastline by kayak in the morning.
Soft adventure is also ideal for aging travellers who might not be as spry as they used to be but still want to enjoy some excitement and engagement with the great outdoors.
Unforgettable Soft Adventure Activities
Soft adventure activities are exciting, fun, but not stressful. They showcase the majesty of the natural world and keep you active, without overwhelming you or requiring you to plan your entire day around them.
Cycling
Cycling is a great way to stay active and experience a lot of the outdoors on vacation. You can mountain bike in the shadow of volcanoes, cycle along picturesque canals, or follow the coast to hidden bays and lookouts. The prevalence of e-bikes has made it even easier for people to get out and explore on two wheels, especially if inclines or varied geography would be trickier with a standard bicycle.
Kayaking
You might get a bit wet while kayaking, but other than that, you control the pace while exploring the world from the water. Explore hidden coves and bays in archipelagos, see famous skylines from a unique marine vantage point, or go whale watching from the water.
Short Hikes
We’re not talking about multi-day treks here but rather hikes that take a few hours at most. Gentle hiking is a great way to get exercise, cover a lot of ground, and reach great lookouts and landmarks. Certain landmarks are only accessible by hiking, such as the Intipunku or the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu. You don’t have to do the entire Inca Trail to reach it (or even the Baby Inca), but a gentle hike along the edge of the mountain will lead you to this spectacular vantage point of one of the world’s greatest landmarks.
Snorkelling
Snorkelling is more of a workout than you think, but it’s also one of the most relaxing activities imaginable, especially as you give yourself up to the waves and float along while gazing at the marine world below. Snorkelling is also easy for people of all ages and only requires a mask and the ability to swim. Get into the waves, look down, and explore the wonders of coral reefs, marine biomes, and the colourful sea life that lives in a humble bay or lagoon.
Walking Safaris
You could argue that a walking safari is simply a hike in a different environment, but there’s something unique about going on a guided trek in search of wildlife in its natural habitat. On a walking safari, you head out with an expert guided by foot to spot animals, such as elephants, giraffes, and (yes) lions—don’t worry; you’re with an expert guide who knows how to keep you safe during the entire exhilarating experience.
Great Soft Adventure Itineraries
Want to know how you can enjoy some of these soft adventure activities on a future vacation? These trips blend gentle experiences with curated touring and iconic landmarks.
Active Japan combines several soft adventure experiences on one itinerary, including a cycling tour to a green tea farm, a bike ride through Kyoto, a shrine hike in the mountains, and a hike along the Nakasendo Trail connecting two towns in the Japanese countryside.
“I hiked a portion of the Nakasendo Trail back in fall of 2023,” says Patrick Carleton, Senior Destination Specialist. “It’s a great way to experience cultural and scenery. I’d recommend autumn as the best time to visit as the temperature is mild and the colours are beautiful.”
Flavours & Vistas of Madeira showcases the Portuguese island of Madeira from the capital, Funchal, the levada trail along the Mimosa Valley, and the bountiful vineyards.
“What stood out to me most about Madeira was how balanced the experience felt,” says Josie Pileggi, Senior Destination Specialist. “The adventure is there—jeep tours, levada walks, being out on the ocean—but it wasn't overwhelming. It's paired with really meaningful, slower moments like local food experiences and time to actually take in the scenery. For travellers looking for soft adventure, it's ideal because it delivers that sense of exploration without sacrificing comfort or ease.”
Zambia Walking Safari takes you to the untouched region of South Luangwa in Zambia, where you search for elephants, buffalo, and giraffes on game drives as well as on foot along the Kapamba River.
“This is a signature soft adventure experience that combines guided walks with vehicle-based safaris,” says Bronwyn Hodge, VP, Africa & Middle East at Goway. “It’s ideal for travellers who want deeper immersion without extreme trekking.”
Best Destinations for Soft Adventure
Bali
Bali’s warm climate and varied geographic make it ideal for soft adventure. Cycle through rice paddies, snorkel off the coast near Blue Lagoon, or hike up Mount Batur at sunrise for some of the best views of the island.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a haven for adventure of all kinds. Those seeking hard adventure will find it with ziplines, bungee jumping, and whitewater rafting, but there are also lots of soft adventure opportunities across its rainforests, cloud forests, and twin coastlines, including mountain biking, kayaking, and hikes across hanging bridges.
Morocco
The North African nation of Morocco is blessed with a long coastline along the Atlantic and Mediterranean, the towering Atlas Mountains, and the golden stretches of the Sahara Desert. You’ll find soft adventure here from desert safaris to guided city walks.
New Zealand
New Zealand is a natural wonderland with a gorgeous temperate climate that’s perfect for spending all day outside. Kayak glacial lakes, hike through wildlife sanctuaries at night, explore geothermal pools, or fly in a helicopter over Franz Josef Glacier.
Switzerland
Switzerland offers the wonderful combination of hiking, skiing, and relaxing panoramic train rides. It offers a classic soft adventure experience, with outdoor time in the day, spa experiences at day’s end, and comfortable and scenic train journeys to connect between the various points of your itinerary. Base yourself out of Laax, the country’s adventure hub, for the most plentiful options.
How to Prep for a Soft Adventure Vacation
Stay Fit
While you don’t need to train in advance for a soft adventure vacation, you should be relatively fit and ready to spend several hours doing repetitive physical activities, even gentle ones.
“When I was researching on getting into multi-day hiking, I was looking for the easiest route of the Camino de Santiago in Spain to start with,” says Hetal Patel, Team Lead. “The 7-day walk from Santiago de Compostela to Finisterre fit my criteria. However, I still prepared myself physically as I had no idea what to expect. This is the perfect route for someone to start multi-day hiking as it's not too hard and the views are stunning!”
Book a Guide
Soft adventure experiences are much richer in the company of an expert guide who can keep you on track and showcase the natural, historical, or cultural significance of the environment you’re exploring. It’s especially handy to book a guide when you’re doing an activity for the first time as they become a teacher in addition to a guide.
Pack Light
You don’t need to overpack for soft adventure activities, but it’s smart to come equipped with comfortable trainers, lightweight, flexible clothes, a water bottle, a hat, and sunscreen. If you’re going to be outside for several hours on a hike or cycling tour, consider dressing in layers in case of weather changes and having a light daypack to bring essentials with you.
Ready to experience soft adventure on a future globetrotting adventure? You can discover our full slate of Active & Adventure vacations or request a quote to speak with a Destination Specialist to hear about activities tailored to your interests.
You might say that Aren was destined to become a globetrotter after his family took him to Germany two times before he was four. If that wasn’t enough, a term spent in Sweden as a young teenager and a trek across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand confirmed that destiny. An independent writer, director, and film critic, Aren has travelled across Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. His favourite travel experience was visiting the major cities of Japan’s largest island, Honshu, but his love for food, drink, and film will take him anywhere that boasts great art and culture.
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