The new year is always associated with bucket lists, resolutions and often over-ambitious expectations. ‘This year I’m finally climbing Everest ─ watch me!’ or ‘Forget about bills and adulting! I’m going on a Euro trip next month’. But let’s be realistic, unless you win the Lotto or gain abnormal fitness levels within a couple of weeks, most of those goals will remain unattainable for us mere mortals.
That’s why the TravelGround content team rounded up our personal travel goals and tips for 2018 to inspire you to make a list of things you can actually tick off within a year!
Travel Goal
To take spekboom cuttings with me wherever I travel this year so that I can get to guerilla planting this wonderful succulent! Spekboom is easily planted from a cutting, doesn’t need much but a patch of earth to thrive, drastically reduces carbon emissions and can even treat dehydration. With the terrible drought in the Western Cape and surrounds it’s become absolutely vital that we keep our environment in mind in everything we do and cultivate habits that will create a sustainable future. So, go green or go home!
Travel Tip
Don’t shy away from speaking to locals when you’re on an adventure. They know all of the best spots and might have some advice or local stories that will make your trip even more special.
Travel Goal
2018 is the year I will finally visit Clarens and Golden Gate Highlands Park for the first time ─ it’s been on my list for the past 3 years, so it’s about time! I’m also determined to support responsible tourism initiatives wherever I go and to focus more on learning more about the story and history behind every destination I visit, making notes as I go along.
Travel Tip
Always carry a compact camera with you, even if it’s just your smartphone, to capture scenery or quirky finds along the way ─ you never know what you might need those photos for one day! Also, remember to share them on social media as you go along ─ that way you’ll have a backup of your best shots if you lose your camera or memory card!
Travel Goal
With each place I visit I want to experience all of what that particular town or region has to offer. I want to do my research properly in that regard so that I don’t miss out on anything! I would love to visit a bee farm as I love honey and would like to know more about the process of how honey is made.
Travel Tip
Don’t be narrow-minded when it comes to travelling. People’s preferences differ and just because someone else says that they don’t like a place, doesn’t mean that you would think so too. Go and experience it for yourself.
Travel Goal
This year I would love to immerse myself in nature and only travel to destinations that contributes to this goal. I particularly want to stay in wooden cabins and tree top accommodation. I would like to hike and learn more about our country’s diverse flora! #intothewild
Travel Tip
Start a travel journal! Add the places you visit, maps, history, facts, and quotes from the people you meet. Steer clear from “tourist traps” by speaking to locals and going to their favourite spots!
Travel Goal
In 2017, the beautiful Tsitsikamma Trail was ticked off my hiking bucket list, and in 2018 I’d like to conquer the mighty Otter Trail! This scenic 42-km hike is notorious for its immense uphills and downhills — but I’m up for the challenge! Finishing a multi-day hike is quite euphoric and the memories last a lifetime. My backpack is packed and I’m ready to go!
Travel Tip
It’s very important to be prepared for any hiking trail. Make peace with the heavy backpack you’ll be carrying for five days, and embrace the blisters — they are battle scars! Keep powder and Vaseline handy and even consider two layers of good quality hiking socks if you’re prone to blisters.
Travel Goal
I want to explore more places off the beaten track in 2018. There are so many undiscovered gems in our beautiful country and they are usually the places that will leave you speechless. Small towns are the ideal places to completely switch off and enjoy the smaller things in life, like watching a sunrise while brewing a pot of coffee on a nearby hill.
Travel Tip
It is good to be prepared when you are exploring a new place or just driving around in your own town or city. Keep a picnic blanket and backpack with a bottle of water and non-perishable snacks in your car so that you are prepared when you want to stop somewhere to enjoy the scenery.
Travel Goal
My travel goal for 2018 is to (finally!) explore the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga. God’s Window, Berlin Falls, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, the Blyde River Canyon ─ I’ve seen so many stunning pictures but this year I want to experience the real thing!
Travel Tip
Make mental notes of all your sensory experiences, not just the visual ones. This will ensure vivid memories and smooth trips down memory lane.
Travel Goal
To visit at least 3 provinces of South Africa throughout 2018 I haven’t been to yet and discover some of their hidden gems. KwaZulu-Natal is at the top of my list ─ with its enthralling landscapes, idyllic beaches and diverse wildlife, how could you go wrong? I want to make it a priority to actively learn more about this beautiful country I live in and to take thousands of pictures and notes along the way, of course!
Travel Tip
Don’t get too stuck on your specific travel plans (if you have one), often this just leads to being more stressed out than actually enjoying the trip. Be flexible and leave some room for adventure ─ visit a town that wasn’t part of your initial travel plan, go check out a random small town’s art museum, or try some local foods while passing through. The most spontaneous trips are often the most rewarding!
Travel Goal
I have yet to explore the Wild Coast northwards to Sodwana Bay. The North Coast’s warm tropical waters, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the Hluhluwe Game Reserve has been on my bucket list for more than a decade! And I’d like to stay somewhere where the hippos walk right up to my window!
Travel Tip
Travel to a place or country where you know someone! Locals are able to take you to places and expose you to experiences that you would miss if you were alien to an area. I prefer to experience a place first-hand through the eyes of someone who lives there, rather than as a “tourist”.
Travel Goal
This year I’d love to do a road trip along the gorgeous Garden Route, climb my first mountain and walk on a beach at least once every month. I’m also going to visit more wine farms in the Cape Winelands region ─ we absolutely live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world!
Travel Tip
The best travel tip I could give you is to go wherever you want and to enjoy everything that destination has to offer ─ no experience is too insignificant. Plan thoroughly, but also be spontaneous. Visit your favourite spots again and again, and remember to capture every memorable moment!
Travel Goal
I don’t know whether it’s the truly friendly and warm people or the incredible beauty in the Northern Cape’s nothingness, but for some reason I feel at home there. My travel goal for 2018 is to explore the north-western part of the Northern Cape some more, especially the Richtersveld (a World Heritage Site). I find it extremely interesting that this is the last place where the traditional way of life of the KhoiKhoi still survives.
Travel Tip
My travel tip is to, if possible, explore your destination on foot. Once I have arrived at my destination, I’ve found I get a much better feeling of the town and its people than when I am driving through the streets. And you don’t have to look for parking!
Travel Goal
I’d love to get in my car and do a road trip all along the coast of our beautiful SA! I’m familiar with the West Coast, but I’d love to feel the different textures of sand, see the unique shells at each new beach and experience a sunset on every single one. #goals There’s nothing like a sunset by the sea!
Travel Tip
I know it’s tempting to cram as much sightseeing and activities into the few days you have at your destination. I’ve fallen into this trap a few times. Rather take your time and choose the things that really stood out to you most while planning your trip. If you have some time to kill, then you can fill it in with some impromptu stops. I feel it is much easier to enjoy yourself and create everlasting memories when you aren’t rushed.
So what’s your ulitmate travel goal for 2018? Let us know in the comments below!
Feature image: Bigstock
