Short breaks for the adventurous

Most people's idea of a short break is a few days' eating, drinking and shopping in a foreign city.

But adventure holiday company Explore is turning this concept on its head with a range of adventure short breaks.

The company offers 25 tours across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and North America.

New breaks for 2006 include trips to Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco, Finland and Poland, with activities including walking and trekking, and encounters with indigenous cultures and peoples.

The breaks range from four to eight days, and include snorkelling with killer whales in Norway and tracking gorillas in Uganda.

"When we first launched a handful of short adventure holidays five years ago we were amazed at the response," said Simon Tobin, Explore's managing director.

"Short breaks are now a hugely popular area – some people use a long weekend as their first taster of an adventure holiday, while others simply want maximum action with minimum time out of the office."

What's on offer
Below are a handful of the adventure short breaks on offer with Explore:

Active Lebanon
Spend five days in Lebanon, discovering the ancient Roman city of Baalbeck by mountain bike and the Qadisha Valley on foot. The break also visits the medieval souks of Tripoli and includes a night in a convent. Departures are available in October and December 2006, and February, April and May 2007 from £620 per person.

Dogsled Adventure
This four-day break takes you to the snowy north of Finland where you will go dog-sledding through frozen lakes and coniferous forests. Adventurers will be taught the basics of 'mushing' before racing over the snow, covering about 30 km per day. Nights are spent in warm cosy log cabins and include hearty dinners. Departures are from February to April 2007 and start from £949 per person.

On horseback through Wadi Rum
Spend five days exploring the stunning scenery of Jordan's desert on horseback, staying with local Bedouin communities and camping under the stars. The trip also takes in the Rose Red City of Petra, with its amphitheatres, caves, tombs and palaces. Departures are from October to December 2006 and February to April 2007, costing from £1,000 per person.

For more information, go to: www.explore.co.uk