One of the most expensive aspects of backpacking comes from the experiences and activities you take in along the way.
Backpacking in New Zealand is an excellent example. A trip here isn’t complete without a bungy jump, a jet-boating tour, a skydive, or one of the many other extreme sports on offer. Each one of these activities can very quickly break your budget.
By researching the activities on offer prior to your round the world trip, you can ensure your budget accounts for the experiences you hope to encounter along the way.
One popular activity for backpackers in many places throughout the world is quad biking – driving a quad bike off-road is an absolute rush and a fantastic way to experience the scenery of the destination you’ve traveled to.
Here are 5 Places to Experience Quad Biking While Backpacking Around the World:
1) South Island – New Zealand
A trip to the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island should undoubtedly include a hike on the Franz Josef Glacier. Another option to consider on your backpacking trip is a quad bike tour in the glacial valley.
It’s a fantastic way to get a feel for untouched West Coast bush and also presents some unique views of Big Franz – the fastest moving glacier in the world.
Across Country Quad Bikes offers two hour tours for $160 NZD – the guides do an excellent job of giving history on the West Coast Region and the tour includes heaps of river crossings – be prepared to get wet.
2) Greek Islands
Spend the day riding around the winding, mountainous roads that circle many of Greece’s beautiful islands. It’s an excellent way to get from beach to beach.
As cheap as 30 Euros for an entire day, hiring quad bikes on the Greek Islands is easy and affordable. Be sure you have an International Driver’s License to avoid any complications.
3) Spain
Thoughts of backpacking in Spain bring up images of relaxation, tapas, tinto de verano, sun, and mid-day siestas. One option for a backpacker in the south of Spain is a quad bike tour.
Spend the day exploring the hills and forests around La Manga and get lost in the Spanish countryside. You must be 21 years old to rent a quad bike in Spain, and cheap airfares to Spain are available on regional operators such as Ryan Air.
4) Hamilton Island, Australia
More than just beaches, reefs, and tourists, Hamilton Island off Australia‘s East Coast has some amazing bush land which is perfect for exploring on a quad bike.
Experience the natural beauty and wonder of Hamilton Island’s forests as you navigate the terrain on a guided quad bike tour. The guides offer up local history on Hamilton Island and the surrounding islands and you’re presented numerous opportunties for photos.
Start your trip with cheap flights to Cairns and slowly make your way south to the Whitsundays.
5) Algarve, Portugal
The Algarve in southern Portugal is filled with pristine, untouched beaches, natural cliff faces, rolling hillsides and year-round warmth. Add to this mix very affordable prices in the low season, cheap and fresh seafood, and friendly locals and the Algare becomes an excellent destination for the backpacker or budget traveler.
Quad bike hire is available through local operators of which there are heaps – be sure to call around for the best deal, especially in the high season. You’ll need an International Drivers Liscense.
Quad biking is a unique and exciting way to experience the scenery and landscapes of the destination you’ve traveled to – it’s an absolute rush and very often a budget friendly activity.
Have you experienced quad biking during your travels? Leave your favorite destinations in the comments section below.
This post was sponsored by CheapFlights.com.au.
Backpacking Matt 
I love quad biking – not done enough of it though. My best experience was in Namibia quad biking on some giant sand dunes.. the idea was to hit the sand dune as fast as possible and see how high up it you could get before turning round and zooming back down! That was seriously great fun, up to the point my quad bike broke down… at which point I ended up sitting behind the entirely insane quad bike guide and wondering quite how much life I had left as I grimly clung on…
I have never gone quad biking, but I definitely would like to now! And this list of locations is great; New Zealand would be a very cool place to give it a shot. 🙂
I’ve heard a lot about Algarve’s quad biking–never been, though. I have ridden around on quads on the Costa Rican coast and jungles. Very rugged, lots of thick, wild tree roots sticking up, but the rides on the beach are absolutely inspiring. Great writing.
Have you been to all these places! Wow! I would love to quad bike at all these places. Lucky you.
I was like “what the heck is a Quad bike?”, then I googled it and saw it was an “ATV” as we say here in ‘Merica. Algarve looks like an amazing place to do it though!
@Laurence Now that you’re in NZ, you’ll have to give the West Coast a try – Nambia sounds fantastic though!
@Christy NZ would be a great place to give it a go – though probably not your cheapest option.
@Anthony I’ve been to four of the five! Haven’t been to Hamilton Island … yet!
@Scott Growing up in Iowa, we were very specific and just called them four wheelers. 🙂 I think quad bikes is recognized in more places than ATV or four wheelers!
Quad biking sounds like fun, but is it expensive?
Suprisingly, the best place that I ever went quad biking was Snowdonia! Great hills, great countryside and noone else there, except for a few sheep and a couple of horses!
Quad biking is unreal. I have ridden a 700cc Yamaha Raptor many times on the beach and had a blast. They are amazing machines!
Aaron
Hey Matt, I work for Tai Poutini Polytechnic. One of our workbook writers would like to use the picture on your website of the West Coast (in this post) – https://www.backpackingmatt.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/West-Coast-New-Zealand.jpg – n the cover of a teaching booklet. Small numbers, used on the West Coast and maybe a little outside the coast.
Can we have permission to do this?
-Derek