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Hello, fellow adventurers! Today, I am thrilled to introduce something that has transformed my perception of travel – the G Expedition. If you’re someone who craves unique experiences and has a thirst for exploring the unexplored, you’re in the right place. Join me as we delve into the world of the G Expedition and unravel the magic it holds.

G Expedition is not just a journey, it’s an adventure of a lifetime. It’s a ticket to unparalleled experiences, magnificent landscapes, and a closer look at Mother Nature’s stunning creations. I promise, by the end of this article, you’ll be yearning for the fascinating G Expedition experience.

What is G Expedition?

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Embark on a Journey of Discovery

The allure of the mountains is undeniable. For many, it’s a call that cannot be ignored—a primal invitation to explore and conquer the rolling crests and peaks of the world’s greatest mountain ranges. G Adventures understands this appeal and has crafted unique trekking experiences designed to challenge, inspire, and transform. With the guidance of their experienced Sherpas, who are as much a part of the Himalayas as the mountains themselves, you are in for an adventure that promises not only physical exhilaration but also spiritual awakening.

Meet Your Experienced Guides – The Sherpas

At the heart of every G Adventures trek are the Sherpas—legendary mountaineers and guides whose knowledge and experience are unparalleled. Sherpas have climbed these routes for generations, and their intimate understanding of the mountain environment offers trekkers an invaluable resource. These local experts don’t just lead the way; they also share their rich cultural heritage, offering insight into local customs, traditions, and the fascinating history of the Himalayan region.

Plan Your Trek: Routes and Preparation

Deciding on a route is the first step in your trekking adventure. G Adventures provides a variety of treks to cater to different levels of ability and preference. From the iconic Everest Base Camp trek to the Annapurna Circuit or the less-traversed paths through the Langtang Valley, there’s a route to suit every adventurer. Preparation is key, and G Adventures assists with training tips, packing lists, and detailed itineraries to ensure you are well-prepared for the journey ahead. Remember that proper acclimatization is essential, and G Adventures meticulously plans each trip with altitude safety in mind.

Experience the Sherpa Way of Life

Trekking with G Adventures not only leads you to breathtaking vistas but also immerses you in the local lifestyle. Sherpas are known for their hospitality and warmth. Staying in teahouses and mountain lodges, you will experience authentic Sherpa hospitality and cuisine, giving you a taste of life at high altitudes. Engaging with the community and learning from the Sherpas will enrich your journey, creating memories that extend far beyond the physical trek itself.

Ecotourism and Sustainable Travel

G Adventures is committed to responsible travel that promotes conservation and the well-being of local communities. Trekking with Sherpas is not just about scaling heights but also about making a positive impact. Your journey supports local economies and follows eco-friendly practices. As you traverse the paths frequented by mountaineers past and present, you’ll be contributing to preserving these magnificent landscapes for future generations.

Safety First: Health and Well-being on the Mountain

The welfare of every trekker is G Adventures’ top priority. With this in mind, the company employs skilled Sherpas who are trained in first aid and altitude sickness protocols. Regular health checks and a well-considered pace ensure that hikers remain healthy and enjoy their trek to the fullest. Trust in your Sherpa’s expertise, listen to your body, and take prescribed precautions to mitigate the risks of high-altitude trekking.

Concluding Your Adventure: Beyond the Summit

As you descend from the land of snow and sky with G Adventures and their team of Sherpas, you’ll bring back more than just photographs and souvenirs. You will have forged a connection with the mountains and with the people who call them home. The experience is transformative, instilling a sense of accomplishment, respect for nature, and a deeper appreciation for the Sherpa culture.

G Adventures, with their impressive team of Sherpas, ensures that your trekking expedition is not just a journey to new altitudes but a voyage to new depths of personal discovery and cultural enrichment. Whether you are a novice trekker or an experienced mountaineer, they offer an adventure that promises to be both challenging and rewarding. Embrace the journey, scale new heights, and let the Sherpas of G Adventures guide you through an experience that will linger in your heart and soul forever.

Pro tips:

• Flying from Calgary to Tokyo Narita in business and then back in premium economy is a great compromise since the flight back to Calgary is 15% shorter due to tailwinds.
• Narita is not actually located in Tokyo, but in the neighbouring prefecture called Chiba. It takes about 1.5 hours to get from Narita to Shinjuku, Shibuya and the other major Tokyo hubs by train. Private transfers are highly recommended.
• Many smaller cities (London, Waterloo, Hamilton, Ottawa) fly to Calgary so this flight is a great option if you don’t have direct options like with Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.

Important transfer note on the way back Canada: Your bags will transfer automatically, but be prepared to have to exit and go through security again. This is particularly important if you plan on getting duty free liquor to bring back to Canada.

Business Class

Seat:
Goes fully flat and everything in between with lower back arch support that can adjusted – all controlled via the touch screen.
Plenty of storage space and outlets for all your electronics.
Makeup mirror.
Large screen with lots of movies, TV shows and games.

Balancing quality and cost can be like walking a tightrope, especially when planning your trip.

After flight costs, accommodation prices tend to eat up most of a traveler’s budget. By saving on your guest house or hotel room night after night, it can make a huge impact on your spending. Especially important for vacations longer than a week, saving even 10% per night can keep hundreds of dollars in your pocket.

But how do you book a great place, at a cheap price?

Use online tools

Price comparison sites like Booking.com, Kayak.com (also for flights), and many more can help you establish a baseline for price and find a great deal.

Agoda.com is one of the best cost comparison sites, for both service and helpfulness. Agoda offers reward points that will eventually earn you free stays, and often lowest price guarantees. Their customer service is also available via phone and email, speaks English, and is outstanding internationally.

Contact the hotel directly

If you see a hotel that you really like on one of the above price comparison sites, you should try contacting the hotel directly. Mention the price you viewed on the comparison site, and see if the hotel can do better if you book direct with them. Most hotels will be willing to at least match the deal and throw in a free amenity (like breakfast, parking, airport transfer, or an upgrade) if not beat the deal completely.

Consider staying in a home

Airbnb.com is growing in popularity and scope. With a wide range of options in most cities, Airbnb offers the advantage of staying in a more authentic location and having a host who can provide suggestions and help if needed.

The price savings can be substantial. In some major cities, an excellent Airbnb with full amenities can be less than half the cost of a comparable hotel room.

Use points

If you prefer staying in large, international chain hotels, it is very much in your interest to sign up for the rewards programs. In addition to earning points (which will eventually equal free stays), many reward programs offer discount stays, free upgrades and special deals.

Can you be flexible in your travel dates?

Use Google Hotel Finder

Google Hotel Finder will tell you the cheapest time to visit a location, and will consider your inputs, such as budget, preferred dates, and location limits.

Travel during low or shoulder season

Big city prices quadruple during peak season, especially around popular holidays like New Year’s Eve.

In popular traveler cities (like Rio de Janeiro or Rome) you can save an average of $100 per night or more by traveling in a shoulder season. On Airbnb, rooms quintuple in the peak month, as compared to low season

Groupon and LivingSocial

If you are a bit flexible in your travel times and locations, these sites can be extremely worthwhile. Amazing hotel and flight combo deals are available every day, but not for every locations. The most prolific deals are in the US, Mediterranean, Mexico, and Central America.

Whether vacationing in Mexico or trekking through Thailand, the biggest expenditure on any trip tends to be the same- flight tickets.

By decreasing your flight ticket cost, you can have a substantial impact on your budget, allowing you to use that money towards enjoying your trip, rather than just getting there.

Always cost-compare

Always utilize cost comparison sites for the best ticket deals.

Kayak.com and Skyscanner.com are two of the best, as they search through thousands of carriers around the world, including national airlines and some low cost carriers. As a bonus, neither of these two sites charge fees.

Check out local low cost carriers

Some airlines do not list on Kayak.com and Skyscanner.com, because they are too small and too local. If you are traveling domestically within a country, researching the local carriers and going directly to their website can yield super cheap flights that you wouldn’t otherwise find on a cost-comparison site.

Be mindful of the day you buy

On the weekends, especially Saturdays, flight costs tend to shoot upwards. More people are searching for and buying flights on their days off, and airlines take advantage of it.

For the cheapest flight, Mondays and Tuesdays tend to be the best day to buy, but it is recommendable to check out flights daily over the course of the week.

Buy ahead

International flights should be booked between 150 and 230 days ahead of time. Flights in advance of this tend to be a bit more expensive.

Waiting to the last minute is almost certain way to increase your cost, sometimes up to double.

Refresh your browser

Most airlines and cost-comparison sites use cookies when determining the quote. Basically, this means the site can “sense” when you are interested in a flight, and the price may raise because of this.

To avoid this, you have several options. You can do all of your flight searches from a “private” browser window that does not store cookies. Or, you can erase your search history and cookies before, during, and after price searching. Always delete your history before booking a flight.

Trim your baggage

Always check with your carrier to determine your baggage allowance. Staying within the allowance allows you to avoid baggage fees.

Low cost carriers especially have strict guidelines for carry-on baggage, and most do not give a free checked bag allowance. Traveling carry-on only, if possible, will save the sometimes steep baggage fee.

Can you be flexible with your travel dates? If so, even more tips below.

Avoid peak season

Peak season flights can be significantly more expensive than low season. Traveling around a major national holiday can even double your flight price.

Avoid the busy season and holidays, and travel during low or off season if possible.

Don’t travel on weekends

For international flights, leaving on a Thursday and coming back on a Monday can reduce your costs by more than 20%. Traveling on Fridays and Sundays tend to be the most expensive.

Groupon and LivingSocial

Check these sites regularly when in the beginning stages of planning your vacation. Every now and then, an amazing hotel and flight combo deal will pop up. This is especially applicable if your destination is the US, Mediterranean, Mexico, or Central America.

So you want to travel, but are having trouble balancing travel and finances. Where do you even begin? Here are some tips to get you traveling sooner, longer, and more often.

Cut reoccurring expenses:
Start by analyzing your reoccurring monthly expenses that are more wants than needs. This includes things that are always the same price (e.g. phone bill, gym membership, etc.) and things that fluctuate (e.g. weekly drinks with friends, gas, daily coffee, etc.). Be sure to create a list of these and total costs in some sort of chart to really help you visualize where your money is going.

Once you have a list, set a goal of how much you want to reduce these costs by – $100 a month? $250 a month? Then consider how many months it will take to reach your goal if you were to reduce these costs. Can you wait that long? Are you disciplined enough to not spend the savings on something else?

At the end of the day, it’s all about priorities. Are weekly drinks with your friends or daily coffees worth more than the experience of traveling? If so, carry on. If not, it’s time to start cutting!

Charge up at work:
It might seem extreme, but if you pay for your own hydro at home, get into the habit of charging your devices at work.  Stuff like your smartphone, laptop, and tablet can be charged during the day and run off its battery at night.  Same goes for your water usage.  If you can, wash your lunch containers and cups at work instead of doing it at home.

With electricity costs on the rise, being diligent could save you hundreds over the year without much additional effort.

Start an automatic saving program:
Along with the above, take the savings and invest it into a savings account through an automatic savings program. Have the savings get transferred on the same day as each payday to make it seem more painless. $50 a week will turn into more than $2600 in a year! For context, that’s $10 a working day (assuming 5 working days in a week) so you really have no excuse.

Move back home:
If you’re considering traveling for a good while, moving back in with the parents for a couple months before departure can do wonders for your travel budget (assuming your parents don’t charge you for rent or food) and it will give you an opportunity to spend time with them before you leave.

See your stuff on eBay:
If you haven’t used something in 6 months, you’re probably better off trying to get rid of it on eBay. On average, a user can make over $1000 by cleaning out and selling their excess stuff on eBay.

This applies to buying as well. If you need travel gear, it’s usually cheaper to buy it on eBay or Amazon.

Start planning accommodations early with AirBnB:
AirBnB is a great site to find highly affordable places to stay both on and off the beaten path. It’s also a great way to meet someone that lives locally to where you are going that doesn’t necessarily work in the tourism industry. This usually means more authentic local experiences that most others won’t get to experience.

On the flip side, you can always rent your place on AirBnb (both while at home or while you’re travelling) for some extra cash.

Group travel discounts and freebies:
If you’re planning on traveling as a group, be sure to look for group discounts. For even larger groups, the organizers usually get a free trip or highly discounted rate if they are able to get a minimum number of people together for the same trip.

Pickup some part-time work during your downtime:
Even if you’re ‘time’ is worth more, during downtime you can either make $0/hour or pickup some menial work for $10/hour (that you can do while watching TV) through sites like Elance.