You’ve seen them flocking together at every major tourist site: groups of travellers in bright Hawaiian shirts escorted by their tour guides, who lead them around like herds of cattle. Lumbering off buses, they brush sleep from their eyes for a 10- to 15-minute glimpse of whatever natural or manmade wonder they happen to see before them – a thunderous waterfall perhaps, or the crumbling pillars of an ancient civilisation. Then, still snapping photos with their brand-new cameras, they’re wrangled back on the bus.

One hopes that one day these folk will realise this is no way to see the world, watching the landscapes whirr by instead of savouring the journey. The typical big-hits packaged tour – characterised by buses speeding from one highlight attraction to the next – misses out on the unexpected pleasures of slower travel. Why not linger a little while to experience landscape from up close? What better way to get to know a place than to interact with the locals who live there? Group sightseeing by bus is a sleepwalker’s holiday. You need to get off the tourist coach for some real adventure.

A traditional dugout canoe, known as a haabja, is the best way to explore the wilderness of Estonia's Soomaa National Park. Photo courtesy of www.soomaa.com

Get Wet and Wild in Estonia

Known as the “land of the bogs,” Estonia reveals its natural splendour inside Soomaa National Park. Special footwear is required for “bog-shoeing” across this vast wet tract of land known for its abundant wildlife that includes numerous types of bird, wild boar and brown bear, all common residents of the peat bogs and flooded grasslands. The famous late-March ‘fifth season’ of floods is an ideal time for fully exploring the area’s damp landscapes and raging rivers, as well as the nearby Baltic Sea and the Estonia Islands just offshore. Spot seals, beavers, lynx and more on a Sea Kayaking and River Canoeing Adventure, with time spent both in Soomaa and in the Hiiumaa Islets Landscape Reserve.

The high-speed toboggan on Madeira Island, Portugal has been operating since 1850.

Take off by Toboggan in Madeira, Portugal

Visitors to Portugal’s Madeira Island have long been enjoying the high-speed trip from the hilltop resort town of Monte to the island’s low-lying capital city of Funchal. This easy commute requires no gas-guzzling vehicles, however – just a 10-minute ride via an old-fashioned toboggan. Steered by two men in traditional straw hats who use their rubber-soled boots as breaks, the toboggan ride has been a means of local transport on the island since as far back as 1850. During the two-kilometre trip, speeds can reach up to 48 kilometres per hour.

Away from the capital of Ulaanbaatar, a ranger patrols Mongolia's Khustai National Park. Photo courtesy Batbold Ragchaa

Horse Around in Mongolia

Since as far back as the days of Genghis Khan, horses in Mongolia have had a unique influence over the country’s history and culture. Mongol riders once ruled much of Eurasia, and horses remain central to the traditions of Mongolia’s nomadic tribes. In fact, the country today is home to approximately 20 million steeds, while the number of Mongolians is barely 2.8 million. It’s little wonder why riding is still so popular throughout Mongolia, especially as the beauty of country’s vast steppes is best discovered on horseback. Departing from the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, a six-night Horseback Adventure to Legendary White Lake lets visitors take in sights that include ancient Mongol Empire ruins, petrified forests and rolling sand dunes – all while sleeping under the stars in a traditional yurt-style Mongolian ‘ger’ camp.

In Johannesburg, South Africa, visitors learn about the history of Apartheid while cycling around the vibrant Soweto township. Photo by Johannesburg Urban Adventures

Cycle Away in South Africa

Two wheels are an ideal way to see the sights in the legendary Soweto district of Johannesburg, South Africa – the colourful and vibrant neighborhood which helped usher in the end of the turbulent era of Apartheid. On Urban Adventures’ Cycle Soweto tour, visitors explore the most famous landmarks and streets recalling the days of Apartheid. The seven- to eight-hour leisurely pedal passes Vilakazi Street, where Nelson Mandela once lived, and encounters many noteworthy sights from the historic 1976 student uprisings. Rounding out the trip is a pause for umqombothi (traditional grain-brewed beer) at a local shebeen (bar).

On a reindeer sledding tour with Nutti Sámi Siida, travelers drive sleds across Swedish wilderness and learn how to handle their own reindeer. Photo courtesy of Katja Bechtloff

Sled Through Sweden – by Reindeer

In the far north of Swedish Lapland, one local travel operator had the ingenious insight to combine reindeer husbandry with community-based tourism. Based in the village of Jukkasjärvi (which is also home to the legendary IceHotel), Nutti Sámi Siida arranges first-rate ecotourism trips that showcase the environment and culture of the region’s indigenous Sámi people. On a reindeer sledding tour, riders learn how to handle their own reindeer while driving a sled through Sweden’s snow-covered tundra. Along the way, time is taken to taste traditional Sámi food, learn how to throw a lasso and become better acquainted with the four-footed companions. Why take the bus, when you can caravan above the Arctic Circle?

“This World Cup belongs to Africa!” declared Sepp Blatter, FIFA president, at the Cape Town Convention Centre on 5 December 2009, the long-awaited day of the World Cup 2010 draw. Needless to say, since then, Africa’s already considerable pride at hosting the world’s most popular sporting event grows by the day, in lock step with the excitement of soccer fanatics from all across the continent (and around the world) eagerly awaiting kickoff of the first game – South Africa versus Mexico in Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium at 4pm local time on 11 June 2010.

Supporters of Bafana Bafana, the South Africa national soccer team (photo courtesy of South African Tourism)

The success of the World Cup will however be measured by more than just the tenacity of the teams. Nearly 500,000 people are expected to visit South Africa from game 1 until the finals precisely one month later. Their presence comes as an important economic injection, especially in the tourism sector, as the hordes head out to experience the country.

So, as a primer for the independent traveller in South Africa during the games – the traveller passionate about soccer, but also about meeting and making a difference with the local communities hosting the games – here’s a quick overview of how between games you can connect with the people, just a small but important step in being a good guest.

On the World Cup Trail

Nine cities will be the stage for the 2010 World Cup: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Nelspruit, Pretoria, Polokwane, Port Elizabeth and Rustenburg.

The spread of destinations covers a great deal of the country, facilitating discovery of the diversity of regions and people.

Johannesburg

The opening match, nine other first-round matches, two second-round matches, two quarter finals and the finals will all be held in Johannesburg’s two venues: Ellis Park and Soccer City stadiums. Despite its bad reputation, Jo’burg is the financial hub of South Africa and a city full of life and interesting sights.

The busy city centre of Johannesburg

In between games is a perfect opportunity to take them in, not the least of which are the Museum of Apartheid, Soweto or other townships, the Mai-Mai market and the botanic gardens. Perhaps the best way to get to them and understand their significance is on any of several emotion-packed Johannesburg day tours possible through Urban Adventures.

Jo’burg is also within easy reach of two other game venues: Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria and Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, both sites of five first-round and one second-round matches.

Cape Town

Cape Town’s Cape Town Stadium will welcome 70,000 spectators to each of five first-round, one second-round, one quarter-final and one semi-final matches. More commonly known as the ‘Mother City’, Cape Town is one of South Africa’s most storied cities. Naming Cape Town’s top five attractions – Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront, Robben Island, the Winelands and Cape Point – conveys some of its richness but only just scratches the surface, for there is a great deal more to see and do.

Wine tasting and cellar tours are favourite pastimes in the Cape Winelands. These Franschhoek vineyards are a 1.5-hour drive from downtown Cape Town.

As in Jo’burg, Cape Town tours are highly recommended, not only because they can help you get to places a little difficult to reach but because the accompanying guides put you in the right frame of mind to understand the important but sometimes intangible historical contexts, especially on Robben Island, where many political prisoners were incarcerated, including Nelson Mandela for over 20 years; the Cape Winelands, a perfect retreat for wine lovers; and any of several township and volunteer experiences that show you a different side of Cape life.

Cape Town is a good launch point for travel along South Africa’s famous Garden Route, an unspoiled and often inaccessible coastal corridor rich with wetlands, dunes, rivers, ancient forests, beaches, lakes, mountains and indigenous flora and fauna. Beyond its eastern reaches lies the seaside city of Port Elizabeth, whose Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will be the site of five first-round and one second-round matches, as well as a quarter-final game and the third-place playoff.

Nelspruit

The city of Nelspruit is the smallest of the host locations, a community of approximately 200,000 people who will welcome four first-round matches to their Mbombela Stadium.

Giraffes are commonly sighted in Kruger National Park, also home to the Big 5, Little 5 and the Birding Big 6

Nelspruit brings two of South Africa’s most tantalising natural wonders into easy reach: Kruger National Park, which is the country’s largest game reserve and a superb place for a safari; and the dramatic Panorama Route, just a short drive from Nelspruit. Both destinations offer an array of adrenalin-pumping outdoor activities, most of which are conducted in a responsible and sustainable manner involving both briefings about local flora and fauna and proactive measures to minimise impact on the environment.

Nelspruit could also be a point of departure to reach Polokwane, 300 kilometres to its northwest, where the Peter Mokaba Stadium will see four first-round matches. To reach Polokwane from Nelspuit, one could detour west across the nature-rich rolling hills of the Mpumalanga Highlands, where outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty of activities from which to choose.

Bloemfontein and Durban

Both Bloemfontein and Durban will host five first-round matches and one second-round match each in their Free State Stadium and Moses Mabhida Stadium, respectively. One semi-final game will also be played in Durban.

Bloemfontein, South Africa’s judicial capital, is popularly referred to as the ‘City of Roses’ due in part to its floral displays and annual Bloem Show (late April/early may), the largest agricultural and entertainment show in the country.

Coastal and cosmopolitan, Durban is the place to go for sun, sea and sand. Most city attraction are found along its Golden Mile of beach, including uShaka Marine World (one of the world’s largest aquariums) and Wilson’s Wharf (the trendy shopping and dining distrinct) on the Victoria Embankment, where there’s no shortage of restaurants and nightclubs.

Of course, there are many new partners who will be launching tours in their destinations over the coming months. Included in this mix are 13 established whl.travel local connections from Athens (Greece), Boracay (Philippines), Brunei, Cappadocia (Turkey), Dominica (Caribbean), Foz du Iguassu (Brazil), Jamaica (Caribbean), Madeira (Portugal), Riga (Latvia), Rio (Brazil), St Lucia (Caribbean), Thessaloniki (Greece) and Merida (Mexico).

Despite this incredible progress, the Urban Adventures sales team is far from at rest. They have been working hard to recruit and sign new partners in other major destination throughout Europe and North America including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Budapest, Dublin, Florence, Rome, St. Petersburg, New Orleans, Ottawa, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver… among many others.

The Urban Adventures buzz has carried across to consumers as well, especially through the tester program, where travellers have the opportunity to win free Urban Adventures in select destinations each month. Almost 12,000 testers have registered so far. Every month, these testers receive email notifications of the freebies up for grabs on a first-in-best-dressed (i.e. first-come-first-served) basis. In addition, more than 12,000 travellers have registered to receive the monthly traveller newsletter –’The Urban Adventurer’.

Basically, if you haven’t yet heard of Urban Adventures yet, you will soon. Negotiations continue with various global distributors, some of which already list some Urban Adventures on their websites, including Expedia, Viator, STA, Isango, Keith Prowse, Virgin Blue Holidays and Flight Centre.

About Urban Adventures

Intrepid Travel and whl.travel have joined together to create Urban Adventures, a new style of travel experience for those who want to get off the beaten path and really connect with the destination. Urban Adventures are city tours with a difference! The experience can be as short as a couple of hours, or a whole day, but in every case, Urban Adventures will take you to interesting places to meet locals and really see what makes the place tick, getting to know it like a local. In fact many of our travellers are locals, seeing their own cities in a different way.

Whether it’s your first time or your hundredth, we’re confident that Urban Adventures will open up a whole new dimension on many of your favourite cities around the world. Every Urban Adventure is also designed to support local communities, their cultures and the environment. As such, Urban Adventures are fun, insightful and true win-win experiences.