Peak Backpacking is for those tired of the beaten tourist trail, bored of the lonely planet experience, and anyone
looking for a little adventure. Whether you're a tourist or a traveller, or one who cares little about the distinction
at all, Peak Backpacking will inspire you to get out of your hostel and do something different.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Alternative Travel Experiences - WWOOFING
For travellers interested
in organic farming and looking for a unique travel experience, the organisation known as WWOOF is exactly what you are looking
for.
This world-wide program
has hosts in countries from Australia to Cameroon, and offers an amazing experience volunteering on organic farms in return for food and a place
to sleep.
The organic farmers hosting
volunteers live sustainable life-styles and wish to share their knowledge with anyone willing to learn.
WWOOFING in another country offers travellers
a multi-faceted experience. Not only will you learn about sustainable practices and organic farming, but you will be immersed
in the local culture and language too.
Instead of just sightseeing, you will be working alongside locals and sharing thoughts and ideas about
lifestyle and living with as little impact on the environment as possible.
The rewards are huge - new friends and unique experiences, deeper cultural understanding and connection.
To get the most out of your traveling and have an experience
more meaningful than simply sightseeing, there are a few simple strategies that you should follow.
Studying
a language
If you want to travel to a country where you don't speak the language, why
not skip the sightseeing and do something to expand your mind - take a language course!
Studying a language, even
for a short time, will lead to many cultural experiences that you could not otherwise have. The relationships with your teachers
and the people you meet through studying alone make this one of the easiest ways to broaden the scope of your cultural understanding.
Volunteering
Another way to escape the tourist traps and have a more interesting in-country experience is to volunteer
for a social or humanitarian organisation. The options are endless - forest conservation, child orphanages, language
teaching, and more.
There are many volunteer programs advertised on the Net, but many of these are inflexible
and expensive. If this doesn't suit you, there are many more low-key volunteer opportunites available in many countries
that are easy to discover once you have arrived. More specific information is available on the individual country pages. To
chat to other volunteers or ask any questions you may have buzzing around your head, head on over to the Volunteer Forum at
www.volunteerforum.org
More ideas to leave the tourist trail and enhance your cultural experience
Sleeping in a dormitory with five beer swilling Aussies not your idea of a cultural experience?
Check
out CouchSurfing.com, a website where you can upload your profile and perhaps sleep on someone's spare couch or bed in your
chosen city. A great way to make new friends and gain a unique perspective on your destination!
For more country
or region specific information, please click on the navigational links at the top of this page.
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