The 10 best adventure travel bargains of 2008

— -- To make SmarterTravel.com's annual top 10 list of best adventure bargains, a trip can't merely be affordable. Anybody can do cheap, and cheap isn't always good. A real bargain adventure has to work hard for the money you put into it, offering you a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience, teaching you new skills you can apply elsewhere, or providing a depth and breadth of experiences at a cost you'd be hard pressed to match on your own. The very best bargains do all three. Here are 10 great trips that live up to these standards.

Discover the wild side of the Emerald Isle

Provider: Extreme Ireland Length: 15 days Price: about $2,045

Just a few years ago, extreme travel in Ireland meant trying to go pint for pint with the locals and then make it to your accommodations in one piece. But with its velvety green mountains, rocky West Coast, and numerous natural and prehistoric wonders—like the Giant's Causeway and the megalithic tomb of Newgrange—Ireland has always had the potential to be a true adventure destination. Yet, for the most part, escorted Ireland vacations have mostly consisted of overpriced "tea-and-scones" sightseeing bus tours and high-end golf or equestrian trips.

In 2008, thankfully, that's no longer a problem. Three years ago, after traveling the world and seeing adventure travel blossoming in destinations like New Zealand, Ireland natives Keith McDonnell and Mike Murphy started Extreme Ireland, an adventure company that aims to show travelers on a budget the wild side of the Emerald Isle. "We have mountains that rival any in the world. We have the remoteness that many people seek to get away from their hectic lives. If you are interested in mountain biking we have two world-class tracks. We have rock climbing all over the country inland and also numerous amazing cliffs. If you like kayaking you will not be disappointed. The list goes on. I know many countries have [similar attributes] but you mix these with the welcome you get here, the craic (Gaelic word for fun), and the proximity of everything, and you really can't beat Ireland," says McDonnell.

Extreme Ireland's most wide-ranging and best value trip, the Emerald Tour, packs more activities into two weeks than you could hope to organize on your own in a month, all for about $136 a day. Led by McDonnell, Murphy, or another company guide, you'll hike Dingle Peninsula, Connemara, and Donegal; summit Ireland's tallest and second tallest peaks as well as the holy mountain of Croagh Patrick; go cliff walking in County Clare and Donegal; and even learn the uniquely Irish sport of hurling. There are a number of cultural and historical excursions, too, like visits to the ancient Glendalough monastery and the Newgrange tomb.

"Extreme Ireland gave us exactly what we were looking for—personalized service, great support, fantastic hiking, and wonderful accommodations, not to mention the fine and friendly people we met," says James Benn, a writer from the U.S. who recently went on the tour.

The quality of the guides stands out in the minds of other Extreme Ireland guests as well. "Keith [McDonnell] is very professional and has a great sense of humor. He knows all the roads and paths like the back of his hand, and he introduces you to people around the country, so you feel you are really experiencing Ireland and its people," says Israeli Anat Halvey, who on went the trip last year.

Another U.S. tour-goer, Tammy Morgan, liked how she didn't need to break out any guide books because her guide was so well versed in Irish history and lore: "Mike [Murray] proved to be a great raconteur—strangers were flocking to our little group just to hear him speak."

Trip planningRemaining 2008 departures for this trip are August 13 and 29, September 15, and October 1. Prices cover accommodations, ground transportation, breakfast and lunches, attraction entrance fees, hiking, and a guide. Optional activities, dinners, and airfare are extra. Round-trip October fares from Newark to Dublin start at $681, including taxes and fees, on Continental.

Go on safari in Kenya

Provider: Classic Escapes Length: 12 days Price: about $2,995

Among the best places in Africa to view "the Big Five"—elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards, and buffalo—Kenya has long been one of the world's top safari destinations. After political strife erupted following the country's elections in December, however, international tourism dropped off by more than half (although no tourists were hurt). Many Kenyans whose income depends on tourism saw their business dry up: Safari lodges emptied, clientless guides and drivers idled, and game reserves lost income they needed to combat wildlife poachers.

In the eight months since, the political situation has stabilized, but the country still needs more tourists to get back on track. Hoping to lure the safari goers back, many outfitters are discounting package prices. Among them is Classic Escapes, a veteran of Kenya safaris, which is offering $1,000 off its 12-day luxury Kenya package through the rest of 2008. "This is a great time to visit Kenya—not only to support the people but to also see the wildlife and learn the culture before the crowds return," says Executive Director Susan Gettum.

On this safari you'll tour three of Kenya's best wildlife preserves and visit with several tribal groups living in or near the reserves. After a day in Nairobi, you'll head north to Samburu Reserve where you'll meet the semi-nomadic Samburu people and see species not seen elsewhere in Kenya such as the reticulated giraffe and blue-necked Somali ostrich. Traveling to the center of the country, you'll drive through the outer Rift Valley to Lake Nakuru National Park where literally thousands of flamingos congregate along with more than 350 other bird species. Saving the best for last, you'll end with several days in the Masai Mara, a huge game reserve where the epic great migration of wildebeest still takes place. Here is the Africa of your imagination: Elephants, cheetahs, baboons, giraffes, zebra, lions, hippos, rhinos, and hundreds of other species roaming freely and sharing the land with the tall, proud Masai people.

"The trip was beyond our expectations," says Amy Baggott, who traveled on a Classic Escapes Kenya safari in June with her husband and four children. "Our accommodations were indescribable, our guide was top-notch, our pre-trip preparations were a breeze and the itinerary was perfect. Every person we met in the camps, our guide, our naturalists, and the tribe members enveloped us in hospitality and warmth."

Trip planningDeparture dates include September 27, October 11, November 1 and 8, and December 27. Prices cover accommodations, breakfasts in Nairobi, all safari meals, ground transportation and game drives, guides, and park entry fees. Airfare is extra. Round-trip October fares from Newark to Nairobi start at $1,247, including taxes and fees, through Orbitz.

Cycle in Provence, France

Provider: Discover France Length: Eight days Price: from $1,722

One of Europe's most evocative destinations, Provence is meant to be experienced slowly, by all five senses: Time must be taken to smell the scent of lavender in the air, savor dishes delicately flavored with olive oil and herbs, hear the ringing of church bells, see the ancient towns still alive with everyday people, and feel the hilly landscape rising and falling as you travel across it. As such, traveling while encapsulated in a bus, car, or train is inadequate—only by cycling can you indulge your senses, and cover a decent amount of territory during a week-long vacation in the region.

Quite a few operators offer Provence cycling trips, but most tend to be high-end guided affairs involving kingly accommodations and "exclusive" activities, easily costing $600 or more a day. On the cheap side, there's always do-it-yourself planning and camping. For those whose budgets and tastes fall somewhere in between, consider booking a prearranged itinerary that's supported by a tour operator but self-guided. The France cycling and hiking outfitter Discover France puts together such trips, which give you the freedom of not being tied to a group while taking the work out of route planning, accommodation booking, and luggage transfers, not to mention giving you the peace of mind of having emergency support if you need it. And, at about $1,722 for seven nights (including comfortable to luxurious accommodations), it's a great deal.