FAQs about our trips

How hard are these trips? Who goes on them? Will I be the only single person?

Common questions about gay adventure travel

Here are some of the questions we're most often asked. Questions about particular trips are answered on the FAQs page for that trip. If you have further questions, or would like to discuss a trip, please give us a call toll-free: 1-800-8-ALYSON (800-825-9766).

Will these trips be too strenuous for me?
Most of our trips are fun for anyone in good health, who exercises regularly. A few are recommended only for people who have reached certain levels of fitness. The Mistral bike ride, for example, will be most enjoyable for those who are comfortable biking 40-mile days.

If, after the description we give with a trip, you still aren't sure whether it's right for you, please give us a call. Time after time, people have told us their Alyson Adventure was "the best trip of my life." We want you to feel the same way.

Whatever trip you take with us, you'll enjoy it more if you get in shape for it. That means a few enjoyable weekends of biking or walking or other activity in the two months before the trip begins. We'll send suggestions after you register.

Do I need to speak a foreign language for your overseas trips?
No. Most people who travel abroad with us don't speak the language. But we encourage you to brush up on any language skills you have that are relevant for the area you're going to, and to learn a few basic phrases, such as hello and thank you, in the local language. You'll find even a few words make a big difference in your interactions with local people.

Who qualifies to go on your "singles" trips?
Singles trips are for people who are traveling alone -- whether they are single or partnered in life back home -- and for friends who are traveling together but not as a couple. The objective is to get a group of people who are all looking primarily to interact with new friends.

Do your singles trips feel like a Club Med vacation?
For better or worse (depending what you're after): No. People take our trips primarily because they want an active and unusual vacation. The singles aspect is a plus, but not their top motivation. Those who are looking primarily for a singles atmosphere generally opt for a cruise or beach vacation.

I'm a vegetarian. Will that be a problem?
No. Let us know about that, or other special dietary restrictions on the questionnaire we send out before the trip.

Do I need any special medical or cancellation insurance?
We are one of the few companies that includes basic medical and evacuation travel insurance for all of our trips. In other words, we cover you for any illness or injury which occurs during the tour (except while in the water for scuba diving, for which we recommend DAN insurance).

We also recommend that everyone on our trips have personal medical insurance, in which case the coverage included with our tours is secondary coverage, which is intended to cover deductibles, co-pays and other costs not covered by your personal insurance.

To protect your financial investment, we also encourage you to add trip cancellation insurance to the tour fee for your trip, at the time of your deposit, or within 14 days after the deposit is paid. The price varies by trip, so please ask us for the amount for your tour, or see your statement.

This coverage can be useful if you, your traveling companion, your business or life partner, or a family member have an occurrence that causes you to need to cancel your trip. Please read our Terms & Conditions carefully so that you understand our cancellation policy.

Many other companies offer this coverage as well. Be sure to read the policy carefully, so that you know what situations are and are not covered by the policy.

Is it any problem if a straight friend joins me on a trip?
Each year we designate more of our trips as being for "gay men, lesbians, and friends." so we encourage any of our straight friends who enjoy traveling with an open-minded group to join these tours.

In addition, many of our trips are designated for gay men only or for gay men and lesbians. The company was founded because, even these days, gay men and lesbians sometimes encounter a cool reception from people who aren't gay, and many of us would rather take a vacation in an atmosphere where that's not an issue. Our groups are also mostly small and intimate (some with as few as six participants) and the camaraderie is as important as the scenery. So while we occasionally welcome friends and family to join us, we tend to keep our groups essentially for gay men. It has been our mission since the start and we still believe it is important to offer trips for men to be together without the pressures they may experience at home (in smaller cities) and in their jobs. At the same time, we also acknowledge a wider mix of participants and personalities can also make for a great trip and are willing to consider anyone who wants to travel with us.

So your friend is certainly welcome to travel with us. We think you'll have a great time, and the kind of people who come on our trips will enjoy having a friendly but wider mix of participants and personalities.

I'm a much more avid cyclist than my partner. What do you suggest?
Our Provencal trip was designed with you in mind. It includes two layover stops (when biking is optional, as we don't change hotels), during which your partner can hike, shop, or go sightseeing, while you loop through the hilltop towns of the Luberons. On the other days of this trip, our  official  route from one hotel to the next is fairly short, but (as with all our bike trips) we've planned some enjoyable longer options for those who want them.

Can I talk with someone who's previously traveled with you?
We encourage you to do so.

Our website includes a full page of comments from past travelers. Most of them have volunteered to talk about their experiences with future potential travelers. Please call for the names and phone numbers of references in your area.

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