Attention holiday hoarders! 3 unmissable winter adventures

Have you been saving all your annual leave? Well, it’s mid-year already, what are you waiting for, Christmas?

Did you know that Australia’s full-time workforce has a grand total of 123,510,000 days of annual leave accrued according to new research? This amounts to just under 21 days of leave each on an average. So if you’ve become an unsuspecting holiday hoarder, here’s a list of three adventure holidays that will make you want to fill out an annual leave form and pack your bags right away:

Learn to ski

What do you get when you mix one breathtaking snow-clad mountain, a pair of skis and a dash of adventurous spirit? The perfect recipe for a winter holiday! If you have never been to the snow, now is the time to tick it off your bucket list. The snow season is off to a promising start so plan a getaway and learn to ski this season. A local Aussie ski weekend in Perisher or Falls Creek would save you money on flight tickets, while a trip to NZ would be a fantastic opportunity for an extended break. A return flight to Queenstown from Melbourne roughly costs $600 per person and a full day group ski lesson/ lift pass is around $100 per adult.

Mozo Travel tip: Don’t forget to get snow travel insurance as standard travel insurance often doesn’t cover adventure sports. You need to make sure you’re protected against extreme weather or skiing related injuries. Also, if you’re going overseas, don’t chew up your travel budget with currency conversion fees. It’s best to carry a travel credit card that doesn’t charge international transaction fees on purchases, like the 28 Degrees Platinum Mastercard, so you don’t need to think twice before you make every transaction.

Take a road trip

Australia has some incredible road trip options, whether you’re looking to quench your need for speed with your mates or breeze across stunning coastal highways with your family. If you haven’t ever done the famous Sydney to Melbourne road trip, it’s high time you plan this 10-hour trip with plenty of stops as you go. Or, explore the roads around Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain or set out on a foodie trail at Clare Valley. And for the ultimate overseas road trip, head Stateside for Route 66, the famous 2400-mile stretch connecting Chicago with Santa Monica. A return flight to Chicago costs about $1800, but that’s a small price to pay to escape the winter chill for summertime in July.

Mozo Travel tip: No matter how well you know a route, it always makes sense to get a sat nav device to find your way around. If you are not going to have data on your phone all through the journey, pre-download the map from Google Maps and save it for offline use later. Also, remember that if you’re going to get a rental car, your travel insurance will most likely cover rental car excess. So check your insurance policy to avoid paying expensive car rental company insurance.

Go backpacking

Take out those hiking boots, put on some sunscreen and get ready to explore nature up close with a trekking holiday. For a trek that can be completed within five to seven days, consider some of the hiking trails in Queensland, like Thorsborne Trail or the Fraser Island Great Walk. If you are interested in a longer trek, why not take off for South East Asia and find your way around the rainforests of Malaysia, the villages of Northern Vietnam or the hills of Chiang Mai, Thailand? A return flight to Thailand costs about $850 and the daily living expenses are quite reasonable as well.

Travel tip: Even though most places have a range of walks for all levels, you’ll still want to do some prep by doing long walks and getting the appropriate vaccinations. If you are headed for Asia read the fine print of your travel insurance policy to make sure you are covered for any unforeseen eventualities. And don’t fall for common holiday money-wasters like exchanging foreign currency at the airport or getting a card that charges excessive conversion fees.

Whatever you choose to do, don’t waste your annual leave. Remember, the work will wait while you see the rainbow, but the rainbow won’t wait while you finish your work.

And if you come up with more ideas to enjoy the chill, don’t forget to let us know!

*Prices are gathered at the time of writing and are subject to change.