Ecotourism and Soft Adventure Holidays

Once upon a time, travellers were simply satisfied to visit their holiday destinations, take pictures, enjoy a few drinks and return home relaxed and ready to bore their friends about their trip !

Nowadays, it's not enough. Today's holiday adventures are more about participation - doing something practical and getting involved. But you don't have to be a full blooded adventurer by throwing yourself off a rock face with a parachute attached, you can if you wish undertake a softer approach - a soft adventure - by simply taking an elephant ride in India, or experience the sun setting on Ayers Rock or guiding the baby turtles to the sea that hatch out on the beaches of Queensland. There are many examples of soft adventures throughout the world - a few soft adventure ideas in Australia are shown below :

Some typical Australia Soft Adventures

Kakadu National Park
This World heritage Listed National Park is situated about 250 kilometres from Darwin is an Australian icon and one of the most visited National Parks in Australia. It is renowned for its diverse environment from amazing waterfalls including the famous Twin and Jim Jim Falls and to beautiful Aboriginal rock art at Ubirr. Soft adventures can include observing crocodiles, birds and kangaroos - the wildlife is rich and numerous.
The word Kakadu comes from an Aboriginal language called Gagudju, which is spoken in the Northern part of the park.The descendants of these people still live in the park.
Kakadu NP is managed jointly by the Aboriginal traditional people and The Department of the Environment and Heritage. Your soft adventure is really about observing and sampling the culture.

It is believed that much of Kakadu 140 million years ago was under a shallow sea. Today there is an escarpment that rises to up to 330 metres above the plains of Kakadu. There are six Aboriginal Seasons; Gudjewg (Wet Season), Banggerreng (Knock 'Em Down Storm Time), Yegge (Cooler Time), Wurreng (Cold Time), Gurrung (Hot Dry Time) and Gunumeleng (Build Up Season).

Cathedral Termite Mounds
Another soft adventure in Australia, these are huge column like structures that look like Mediaeval Cathedrals. They are among the world's largest and are built by termites.These mounds in the Top End have been measured up to 6 metres in height. If a section of these mounds have been broken open, they are immediately guarded and protected by Soldier Termites. For defence these "soldiers" can eject a chemical substance with accuracy over several centimetres.

Meeting crocodiles on your soft adventure in Australia
Estuarine (salt water) crocodile surveys are taken throughout the year in Kakadu NP. This is to minimise the danger of crocodile attacks and to also ensure the protection of crocodile numbers. If a crocodile is considered to be a threat to people it is captured (tagged and released) or given to an Aboriginal Community for its meat. Don't get too close to the crocs or you will become their little soft adventure !

Magpie Geese
These birds are common to the Top End wetlands. Their feet are half webbed so they can perch in trees. The male of the species builds a floating platform by stamping on rushes growing at the waters edge. These platforms are used for courtship, and later on for their nests - observing wildlife is an excellent example of your soft adventure in Australia.

Ubirr Art Site, Kakadu NP
The rock overhang at the main gallery was an actual living area where the traditional Aboriginals of this area would set up camp and live, during the wet season. Food items were regularly painted on the back wall (Fish, goannas, long-neck turtles, ring tailed possums). If you look carefully, among these figures are "white fella" images painted from more recent times. Your soft adventure is about getting to the sites under supervision and experiencing the culture of the indiginous population, both present and past.

Other soft adventures in Australia

Australian Wilderness Soft Adventure Tours

Nature Bound Australia

Soft Adventure Tours Australia