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At Travel for Kids, we encourage you to explore a new destination
with your family in mind, focusing on the interests of you and your children.
Is one of your kids especially interested in wild animals? Would your kids
like a long bike trip through the Loire or kayaking in Alaska? Has your
family been talking about an extended family vacation, taking the grandparents
along too? Do you have a toddler and a pre-teenager? Are you concerned about
traveling abroad with kids for the first time? Depending on what your family
is like and what you want to do on your trip, you may want to consider signing
up for a family tour package. |
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Imagine squatting down next to a land iguana chewing on a
piece of cactus, watching a herd of antelopes streaking across a wide plain
at sunrise, holding a baby orangutan or catching a piranha for dinner. Experiencing
the glories of nature firsthand is something you'll want to do in your travels
with kids. In places such as Africa, the Galapagos, the Amazon in Peru and
Ecuador, in order to protect the wildlife, while giving travelers access
to nature in the wild, you'll need to book a tour. |
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Does your family share common interests, like nature or archeology?
A great family experience is an "inter-generational" trip, with
Grandpa and Grandma, parents and grandkids … Watch sea turtles on the
beach in Costa Rica, or explore the Inca ruins of Peru – active grandparents
will enjoy the time spent with parents and kids, far removed from home,
job responsibilities and after-school schedules. |
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Travel with other families and kids. Traveling in the company
of other kids can make a trip special, especially if you have an only child.
Kids will spend hours entertaining each other on long plane flights or train
rides. Even pre-teen boys will grudgingly admit that girls are okay to be
with on a trip abroad – just as long as nobody back at school knows
about it. Best of all, parents can relax in the company of other parents,
the kids are off with the group of kids. If you know of another family you'd
like to travel with, it's sure to be fun for all. |
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Do you have an active, outdoorsy family, that would like to
bike the country roads of countries in Europe? Mixing outdoor sports with
the cultural setting of a foreign country is a wonderful combination. You
can ship your bikes and helmets to Europe, or, rent bikes and hope that
there are the right size kids bikes, or you can book a family tour that
specializes in bike tours for families, and has all the right gear for you. |
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Want to be more adventurous, but aren't ready for prime time?
Would you like to travel to some more distant destination, beyond the cruises
or resorts, but don't feel ready to handle the local scene in a foreign
country all on your own? Haven't really had much experience with travel
abroad, and don't want to start with your kids in tow – it's one thing
to find yourself stranded in an airport as a solo traveler, it's another
thing with tired kids too. A good tour company will design an itinerary
that is comfortable, safe, and fun for everyone in the family. |
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Customized trips are also another option. Tour companies that
specialize in family travel can arrange a trip, customized to your kids'
ages and interests. Want to take the kids out of school for several weeks
or months? A family tour company will help you combine travel and out-of-school
requirements. |
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Choose a tour company that specializes in family packages
– they'll provide travel arrangements with kids in mind, a schedule
that isn't too many things in one day. Family tours will also have equipment
for kids, e.g. fins, snorkels and masks in kids sizes, or bikes and helmets
on a biking tour, strollers and cribs for toddlers. For kids and parents
alike, you'll have time to relax and discover the joys of travel. |
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Family tour companies |
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Thomson
Family Adventures offers exciting worldwide vacations designed by
families for families. Destinations include Alaska, Belize, China, Costa
Rica, Morocco, Egypt, the Galapagos Islands, Panama, Peru, Tanzania and
Turkey. Plan your own custom trip or travel in small groups of three to
four families. Each group of eight or more travels with a mentor whose knowledge
and experience will complement your adventure. Kids of all ages will enjoy
discovering the world through guided nature hikes, school and home visits,
and games and sports with local children. |
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Journeys
for Families is a 27-year old tour company with active
adventures, cross-cultural experiences and wildlife safaris in Asia, Africa,
the Americas and the Pacific, offers unique expertise in family travel.
Founders Joan and Will Weber, still active directors of the company, have
been exploring the world with their own children for the past twenty years.
In addition to offering a schedule of family group departures to Costa Rica,
Panama, Belize, Peru, the Galapagos, Australia, New Zealand, China and Tanzania
during school holiday periods, Journeys customizes trips in 60 countries,
and often works with individual families planning round-the-world trips
or exotic family reunions. |
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Backroads brings 25+ years of vacation planning expertise to the table when creating
adventures for family members of all ages. What they deliver is convenience-handling
all the details of a trip near or far so families can focus on fun, discovery
and quality time together. Backroads builds Family Trips from the ground
up, with kid-size routes, menus and activities as well as adult-friendly
features, among them time kid-free time with other adults and the chance
to dine on their own some evenings. Family Trip Leaders include a Kid Activity
Coordinator who's armed with a cache of entertainment, from face paint to
Frisbees and games galore. Backroads offers biking trips to the Loire, Normandy,
Tuscany, Holland, multisport trips to Bali, Thailand, New Zealand, the Yucatan,
Denmark, Swiss Alps, Ireland Yosemite and Death Valley, Canadian Rockies
and Alaska, among others. |
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Classic
Journeys – Named a World's Best Tour Operator by Travel + Leisure Magazine, Classic Journeys offers family-friendly tours designed to satisfy the curiosity, energy-levels and attention spans of multiple generations. The small groups are all accompanied by multiple local guides and include first-class, family friendly accommodations. You’ll enjoy a balance of physical activity and cultural immersion with a mix of activities for the whole family plus kids-only chaperoned events. Our unique formula lets the whole family have a happy travel experience in regions from Tuscany and Amalfi to Provence, Costa Rica, Ireland, the Canadian Rockies, and Zion and Grand Canyon National Parks. We can even arrange any itinerary as a Private Journey for your family only. |
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Wildland
Adventures Family Travel – Wildland Family Adventures are fun,
active vacations that are sensitive, close-up encounters in nature and authentic,
cross-cultural interactions with native people. Owners Kurt and Anne Kutay
have been leading family trips throughout the world since 1986, inspiring
the design of itineraries adapted to the interests and abilities of young
people from toddlers to teens. Immerse your family secure in your health,
safety and comfort, with professional local guides who combine a mastery
of their profession with personal parenting experience. Wildland family
destinations include Costa Rica, Belize, Panama, Guatemala, Peru, Patagonia,
Galapagos, Alaska, New Zealand, Africa, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan. |
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Quivertree Family Expeditions –
Quivertree is a new kind of travel company, run by families who love to explore, for families who love exploring. Founding brothers, Gideon and Philip Nurick, have traveled with their children for 17 years over six continents and use their passion and experience to create the perfect family experience. We're about real family travel that entails seeing the world. Seeing the world means tasting, observing and feeling the special sensations that happen in real places with real people and cultures. Quivertree provides each family with a unique custom-designed experience. How do we do that? You'll only go where we've boldly gone before. Currently offering trips to Guatemala, New Zealand, Southern Africa, India, Colombia and Israel/Jordan, Quivertree will add up to ten additional destinations including Iceland, Portugal, Bulgaria, Vietnam/Cambodia/Laos, and Turkey. |
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Intrepid Travel – Intrepid Travel was founded 21 years ago with a passion to get travelers off the beaten track. Intrepid's founders wanted to share some of the special places they knew and introduce their travelers to different cultures and ways of life. Their style of small group travel encourages clients to become part of a country - not just tourists looking in. Intrepid has over 30 different family trips on 5 continents: Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, North America. Family adventures give your kids a chance to discover the world as you do. And the best thing is there's just as much for parents to enjoy too. These trips are an opportunity to spend time together in a truly stimulating way, and with the security of an experienced group leader on hand, you don't need to be well traveled - just ready for adventure. |
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What families have to say |
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"Our guide Steve was a wonderful host! His irrepressible
good humor and energy made every day an adventure.... The kids loved the
beaches, the hermit crabs, the swimming, the waterfalls. All of these were
big draws, of course, but the United States has beaches.... For me, the
best part was the people, and seeing a way of life so different from our
own, to spend a traditional Sunday with a chief and his family, to sit cross-legged
with the women's committee, to attend the ground-breaking for a new school."
(Journeys for Families) |
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"The most treasured experience with my granddaughter
Holly, was participating in a Maasai gathering to celebrate the rites of
passage from warrior to elder. We felt privileged to attend as this was
clearly not part of any tourist itinerary. Our Wildland guide had purchased
a cow to donate to the Maasai community to honor their ceremony near our
camp. A friendship blossomed between Holly and a Maasai teenage girl named
Zena. The girls exchanged necklaces, shared life stories and then mail addresses.
What nations could learn from those two young girls who spoke from their
hearts." (Wildland Adventures) |
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"Alaska was one of the most memorable family experiences
we've shared – great outdoor activities, fantastic guides, accommodations
and food, all combined with an especially enjoyable mix of fellow travelers."
(Thomson Family Adventures) |
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"Our trip to Tuscany was fabulous. The organization of
each day was perfect, from our daily Italian language lessons to the snacks.
Pam and Sonia were not only leaders, but quickly became friends who we happened
to be biking with. They encouraged us each step of the way to reach for
that little bit extra, but never pushing us beyond our abilities. I came
away with a new sense of respect and pride in my children after watching
them succeed on the Volterra hill." (Backroads) |
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"In many previous walks, nine, we have not had a better
guide than Jorge. He is a teacher, a leader, a friend, a guide, a wonderfully
enjoyable companion for such a trip. Our family had a splendid time, learning,
looking, walking, laughing and enjoying those we were with. It was a wonderful
holiday of learning to love Costa Rica and appreciate it almost as much
as does Jorge. We will highly recommend your walk for anyone interested
in Costa Rica." (Classic Journeys) |
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"When we started to plan our trip to India, Gideon was instrumental! Our bookings, drivers and tours were all handled very professionally and we were able to consult until our trip was perfect. The service provided to us in India was outstanding! We felt that we were truly taken care of by the drivers and representatives. I wouldn't hesitate to plan our next trip to India in the exact same way...and hopefully that'll be SOON! " (Quivertree Expeditions) |
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"Egypt is an amazing experience, this trip was made even more memorable because of our tour guide Hany. His knowledge, humor and professionalism was well received by both adults and children. The tour was well balanced which included history, relaxing and fun activities for all the family. Accommodation was a stand out in Aswan. Never at any stage did we feel our safety was compromised and recommend this family tour." (Intrepid Travel) |
