Eight macho 'brocations' for guys who travel together
[dropcap size=big]A[/dropcap]ccording to Urban Dictionary, a 'brocation' is: "A vacation amongst male comrades, or 'bros'. Generally a road trip to a desirable spot which allows for good bonding and all sorts of unchecked shenanigans."
For better or worse, the popularity of overseas stag parties has exploded, but it seems that guys no longer want to have to wait for a mate to be getting married to find an excuse to go on a boozy holiday together. Hence the arrival of the brocation.
According to US lifestyle, travel and food blog Mantripping, the kinds of experiences bros want to share with each other on vacation include touring the Jack Daniel's distillery, shooting guns in Las Vegas, playing beer pong in Reno, and going to baseball games.
Editor and publisher James Hills writes: "I wanted to develop a website that reflected my lifestyle as a man who loves to travel, explore new places, taste new cocktails, and eat new foods with my best friends."
It hasn't always been so acceptable for straight men to go on holiday together. Back in 2009, a question on answers.yahoo.com went like this: "So this summer I asked my friend if he wanted to go to Florida with me for a vacation. He asked who was going and I said it would be just me and him staying with some of my relatives down there for about two weeks.
"He says that its kinda gay for it to be just two guys but it doesn't seem gay to me even though I can kinda understand what he means.
"It's not like we are going to be walking down the beach holding hands or something. So guess I'm just asking for people's opinions to either convince me that it is gay or to help convince him that it's not. Also to kinda expand on my question.… is it considered gay for two guys to go to the beach together? A nightclub?"
Hopefully this chap got over his fears and managed to share a great trip with his best friend, just like lots of other guys out there do. Now that the trend has taken off, tour companies are getting in on the action by offering macho trips abroad aimed at groups of men. (Although some girls might fancy them too…)
Here are eight adventure brocations suggested by Montana-based Sublime Public Relations…
1. Drive a Land Rover across Mongolia
Since expedition company MIR Corporation was founded in 1986, its has been creating custom overland adventures. These self-drive tours involve groups driving Land Rovers, motorcycles or even vintage cars across the rolling steppe of Mongolia, through the towns and villages of Siberia, or even along the Silk Road of Central Asia. Visit mircorp.com
2. Fish in the Russian wilderness
Ryabaga Camp on the Ponoi River is located above the Arctic Circle and accessed via a two-hour Mi-8 helicopter ride across remote Russian tundra. Arranged by Frontiers International Travel, anglers can enjoy single occupancy cabins with gourmet food and fine wine, while they fish for wild salmon. Visit frontierstravel.com
3. Mountain bike Ecuador’s Cotopaxi National Park
Designed for experienced and advanced mountain bikers, this challenging itinerary takes groups through the Santa Rita Ecological Reserve, El Tambo Trail, the Road of the Lahars and down Cotopaxi Volcano in Ecuador. Visit adventure-life.com
4. Dogsled and trek glaciers in Greenland
Travel to West Greenland to see glaciers, icebergs, arctic wildlife and – with any luck – the Northern Lights, while dogsledding and trekking the Greenland Ice Sheet. Visit bigchilladventure.com
5. Taste beer on two wheels in Belgium
With more than 1,000 different beers brewed in Belgium – from trappist ales to Stella Artois – groups can take in more boutique breweries than on any other European bicycle tour. Visit ciclismoclassico.com
6.Work on a cattle ranch in Wyoming
Hike, ride horses, go on cattle drives and brand cows on the 25,000 acre Red Reflet Ranch in Wyoming. Both working ranch and luxury resort, guests are treated like family. Gourmet dinners feature ingredients from the ranch’s butcher shop, organic greenhouse and gardens. Visit red-reflet-ranch.net
7. Tackle an Ironman bike course in Hawaii
Ride and Seek, and Big Island Bike Tours have partnered to offer a new Hawaii itinerary in which guests will ride the infamous Ironman Kona bike course, cycle through coffee plantations and ascend one of the world's largest active volcanoes, Mauna Loa. Visit rideandseek.com
8. Meet a remote Amazon tribe
Venture deep into the Amazon rainforest to meet the indigenous Achuar tribe of the Ecuador. Contact with this tribe was only made in the 1970s so their culture remains more intact than most. Hike volcanoes, visit remote waterfalls, spot tropical birds, go kayaking, and stay at an ecolodge. Visit gondwanaecotours.com