The Adventure Travel Company & Travel CUTS have selected our Top 8 Life-Changing Travel Experiences for 2008. Not that we’re suggesting that your life needs changing, but if you are looking for some incredible experiences here are some of our favourites.

1. Make a Difference - Volunteer in Ghana
2. Immerse Yourself – Learn Italian in Florence
3. Take a Different View – Vietnam Photography Tour with Professional Photographer
4. Ride a new Wave – Surf School in Australia
5. Get Wild – Explore the Amazon in a 19th Century-Style Riverboat
6. Chill Out – Visit the Polar Bear Capital of the World
7. Reach New Heights – Climb Kilimanjaro
8. Taste & Learn - Thai cooking in Bangkok

1. Make a Difference - Volunteer in Ghana

Minimum 4 weeks - Volunteer Abroad

Volunteers are immersed in Ghana's vibrant culture as soon as they walk off the plane into Accra the capital city. Met at the airport by one of our staff, volunteers will transfer to our office and orientation centre where they will spend one week on our training program. During the orientation volunteers participate in drumming and dancing lessons and study one of the local Ashanti dialects of Twi, Ewe or Fanti depending on the local dialect of the region where they will be placed. They will learn about Ghanaian life and gain a better understanding of the culture. On the weekends participants can enjoy the city bustle of Accra, visit the coastal forts and villages, explore Kumasi, the ancient capital of the Ashanti Kingdom or lie on the beach in Cape Coast. Volunteers can teach in elementary and secondary schools. They can provide vocational training for local women with a focus on nutrition, basic health care and household management. Health care professionals are needed to work in small rural clinics and people are needed to teach HIV awareness and education.

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2. Immerse Yourself – Learn Italian in Florence

Minimum 2 weeks - Language Learning Abroad

Learn Italian in an absolutely breathtaking city, Florence has so much to offer the international student looking to learn Italian and learn about the countries culture and history. Courses range from 2 weeks to 4 months with 4 or 5 lessons in a classroom setting per day. Tuition includes a variety of accommodation options.

Want to learn more? Click here, or visit our nearest location, click here.

3. Take a Different View – Vietnam Photography Tour with Professional Photographer

16 Day Tour

A dream trip for keen photographers. We will visit some of the most visually stunning sights Vietnam has to offer, for an eye opening insight into one of the world's most beautiful countries. With so much to see and do you'll soon see how a picture is worth a thousand words. Highlights include opulent temples, floating markets laden with local produce, beautiful bays and an iconic sunset over Hoi An. With plenty to capture the lens you'll be guaranteed to leave with a portfolio of fantastic photos and countless memories to last you a lifetime. Photography trips are accompanied by one of two professional photographers: Sharon Hickey or Aubrey Wade.

Want to learn more?
Call or visit your local Adventure Travel Company or Travel CUTS. Visit our nearest location, click here.

4. Ride a new Wave – Surf School in Australia

4 Day 'Learn to Surf' Program

The easiest way to get standing up on a surfboard is to take a lesson from someone who knows how. At our surf camp trained and friendly surf instructors will give you all the tips you need with special soft and stable surfboards, wetsuits for warmth and all their good advice to get you styling it like a pro. They start off with a land based theory lesson and practice the moves on the stable land that you will use in the water. You don't even have to be able to swim to be able to surf (but it helps!) when someone is pushing you into the wave to give you the speed to be able to stand up. There's some pretty basic moves and pointers that the surf gurus will give you to make a novice stand up and someone who can already surf even better. The accommodation at Surf Camp is literally across the road from the beach. So it's home for a beer and sit around the campfire and a hearty dinner before a well-earned rest and then we do it all again the next day. Four surf lessons, most meals including three dinners, 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches and three nights accommodation.

Want to learn more?
Call or visit your local Adventure Travel Company orTravel CUTS. Visit our nearest location, click here.

5. Get Wild – Explore the Amazon in a 19th Century-Style Riverboat

9 Day Tour

This exciting, first-class 19th century-style riverboat cruise is an adventure of a lifetime! The Amazon is home to a vast, unforgettable array of unique sights, sounds and cultures. Daily excursions allow you the opportunity to see diverse wildlife such as sloths, toucans, pink dolphins and more! You will also meet the local people, so that you can get a rare glimpse of how life 'on the river' is lived.

Want to learn more?
Call or visit your local Adventure Travel Company or Travel CUTS. Visit our nearest location, click here.

6. Chill Out – Visit the Polar Bear Capital of the World

3 Day Tour

The town of Churchill Manitoba is known as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World”. It is nestled on the Western shore of Hudson Bay about 650 miles north of Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada. Every autumn, polar bears gather along the water’s edge near the town, anxiously waiting for the sea ice to form. Once the bay freezes over, the bears move out onto the ice where they will spend the winter hunting seal. Since 1980, we have been offering polar bear tours that provide the opportunity to observe the bears of Churchill in their natural environment. Each tour package is designed not only to introduce you to the many fascinating features of Churchill and the sub-Arctic, but also to maximize the time you have to spend in the region.

Want to learn more?
Call or visit your local Adventure Travel Company or Travel CUTS. Visit our nearest location, click here.

7. Reach New Heights – Climb Kilimanjaro

7 or 8 days - Africa Your Way

The tallest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro has long lured adventures, explorers and climbers to its snow-covered peaks. There are several options for climbing the fabled mountain, including the Marangu, Machame and Rongai Routes. Climbs are generally scheduled for 7 days, but additional days can be included to help adjust to the altitude and improve your chances of reaching the summit. Departures are daily subject to weather.

Want to learn more?
Click here, or visit our nearest location, click here.

8. Taste & Learn - Thai cooking in Bangkok+

5 days

Taste the many exquisite flavours of Thailand in style, taking part in interactive cooking classes at the elegant Thai House. Sizzle, slice, dice and stir away until that spicy tom yam goong is perfect, then sit down and sample the fruits of your labour. After wielding woks and mastering the mortar and pestle, explore historical Kanchanaburi, enjoy Thai hospitality at a traditional homestay and tour the rural countryside.

Want to learn more?
Call or visit your local The Adventure Travel Company or Travel CUTS. Visit our nearest location, click here.

BOOK TODAY!
Call 1-888-238-2887 or drop by your nearest Adventure Travel Company