The Ten Best Family Wildlife Adventures

Leaping lemurs, Madagascar

Who needs Paramount Pictures when Madagascar's inhabitants have seemingly escaped a cartoon for real? Weird, wonderful lemurs - singing ones, mini ones, even ones sashaying like tipsy ballerinas - iridescent frogs, technicoloured chameleons, and laid-back boas trump anything a cartoonist could pen. This private family tour takes in the nature reserves of Berenty, Vakona and Andasibe-Mantadia national park, so you'll hopefully see all the above and more before the credits roll on glorious Sainte Marie Island. Go during the summer holidays when humpbacks will be on vacation, too.

Elephant safari, Nepal

A two-day elephant-back safari in the Chitwan national park, keeping an eye out for monkeys, exotic birds and, if you're lucky, tigers and rhinos, is the highlight of this escorted group trip. But there's plenty more to keep children wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, from a night camping under the stars to bike rides through the mountains, and from making friends with locals in the village Bandipur to flying a kite in the Himalayan breeze.

Gorilla watching, Uganda

Uganda is home to roughly half the world's 700 or so mountain gorillas, and this new group tour for older families should see you locking eyes with at least one. You'll spend time in Queen Elizabeth national park - where you'll search for leopard and elephant, track chimps in the Chambura Gorge and dodge hippo on a river cruise - and by Lake Victoria. But the USP has to be three nights' camping in the gorillas' backyard - the aptly named Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. While sightings of the endangered giants can't be guaranteed, a 90% success rate means this could well be the only time you'll see your teenagers lost for words.

Bats and badgers, Yorkshire

Deep within Cropton Forest in the North York Moors national park, cabins make a superb base for mini-Chris Packhams in the making. Forest ranger Russ runs regular, fun and informative expeditions in search of bats - you get your own ultrasonic detector - red and roe deer, and Cropton's more anti-social inhabitants, badgers. After dark you'll be taken to a hut overlooking the family hide - keep quiet and you'll be able to watch the cubs playing while mum and dad forage for supper. With luck you'll also spot foxes, rabbits and pine marten.

Tag leopards, South Africa

What nature-loving kid wouldn't fancy tracking leopards, setting camera traps - even helping to fit collars? Add world-renowned zoologist Gerrie Camacho - founder of the Ingwe Leopard Project - to the mix, and you'll never get them home again. Your private family tour starts off at Paperbark Bush Retreat - a great, safe area for kids to acclimatise - then you're off on a four-day bush adventure, with Gerrie as your personal guide. You'll spend a night in Kruger and two at the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, overlooking a river bed where lion, elephant, rhino and co often chill. Then it's back to Paperbark to see just how photogenic those cats really are.

Wildlife sanctuary, Borneo

Watch a turtle nesting, explore the world's oldest rainforests, bathe in mud volcanoes ... this new family group tour combines wildlife, culture, education and adventure. You'll visit the world's largest orang-utan sanctuary, investigate where bird's nest soup comes from and where thousands of bats live, snorkel on Tiga Island and, best of all, take jungle walks and river cruises through the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary - an area crammed with unusual creatures, including Asian pygmy elephants, sun bears, proboscis monkeys and the sublimely serene orang-utans.

Tiger tour, India

On this group trip you'll spend three nights in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve with fingers crossed, but even if the world's largest cat fails to show, the abundance of wildlife - from sloth bears to monitor lizards - is breathtaking. Next you'll visit Jaipur, and take an elephant ride to its Amber Fort before heading to Bharatpur, one of the world's finest bird sanctuaries. Finally, you'll visit the Taj Mahal and ruined city of Fatehpur Sikri, where monkeys now rule.

Brown bears and bloodsuckers, Romania

The Romanian Carpathian mountains are home to more than 40% of Europe's brown bears. Experienced guides will take you tracking bears and wolves in the Kingstone Mountain national park - but keep an eye out for lynx, chamoix and buzzards too. Leaving the mountains, you'll visit Bran Castle - home to the original Count Dracula - before moving on to the Danube Delta where you'll spend a day exploring this wildlife-filled watery maze.

Creature comforts, Costa Rica

Costa Rica's astonishing ecological diversity - roughly 5% of the world's species live here - and excellent, easily accessible national parks make it fab for families. Over nine days, you'll kayak through mangroves, camp in style at Corcovado with the sea at your feet and your head in the forest, white-water raft down the Reventazon river and hike through the magical Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Animal action - residents include monkeys, sloths, otters, iguanas, toucans, parrots, hummingbirds, caiman, armadillos ... we could go on - is near as damn it guaranteed.

Whale of a time, Canada

A 10,000-mile migration is hungry work, so when Pacific grey whales hit Canada's Clayoquot Sound they're ready for one hell of a plankton feast. Join Earthwatch's family expedition next August and you'll help scientists search for whales, identify individuals and map their prey. Accommodation is a comfy hostel on Flores Island. You'll have time to explore this coastal temperate rainforest by foot and kayak - look out for black bears, wolves, otters, eagles and the indigenous First Nation culture.

Five Wonderful Walking Adventures

Italy

During the first world war, the Italian army constructed a system of metal steps, fixed cables, and ladders in the Dolomites, to enable troops to safely move around the high peaks that were the front line. Today the Via Ferrata allow walkers to take on precipitous routes without the need for climbing equipment and ropes, and are a great way for families to take their walking holidays to the next level.

Mexico

Besides the beaches and Aztec ruins, Mexico offers ambitious trekkers the chance to get some high altitude experience without needing technical climbing skills, thanks to the gently sloping volcanoes that rise high above the central plains. At 5,746m, Pico de Orizaba is the biggest mountain in the country, and the third highest in all of North America, but it is achievable by any fit trekker.

Spain

Women who want to avoid the macho culture that sometimes accompanies trekking trips can join female-only holidays with Walking Women. The 2010 programme includes everything from a long weekend exploring the Quantock Hills to a fortnight trekking in the Himalayas. In April, there's a week's trip walking in the Alpujarras mountains in southern Spain. In high summer the pretty whitewashed villages can get busy with tourists clutching copies of Chris Stewart's Driving Over Lemons, but in spring you'll get a real glimpse of rural Spain.

Nepal

The Annapurna region is renowned for its trekking possibilities, including the classic three-week Annapurna Circuit. Teahouses along the main routes offer food and basic lodging, so it's easy to organise your own trips and you only need carry a sleeping bag. However, to get off the beaten track, you can join a unique trek in May next year led by Sir Chris Bonington. The trip marks the 50th anniversary of his successful first ascent of the 7,937m Annapurna II, and trekkers will follow a lesser-used route, reaching an altitude of 5,560m when they cross the Namun Bhanjyang pass.

Turkey

If you want a walking trip that offers stunning views without tackling high mountains, consider Turkey's Lycian Way. It stretches 500km from Fethiye to Antalya, following the coast on trails that used to be ancient trade routes and passing ruins and white sand beaches where you can cool off with a swim.

Top Five Luxurious Family Getaways

Family vacations are fun—there’s nothing better than planning a weekend out with your spouse and your offspring. However, especially if you have more than one child, things don’t always go as perfectly as you’ve planned. By day four (later if you’re lucky) your kids will probably be pulling each other’s hair, and you might be pulling your own hair out of frustration because you’ve gone way beyond the budget.

People think that all-inclusive packages are the answer for all of these problems. We’re a step ahead. Below are the most luxurious vacations that each member of your family (kids included) will enjoy.

Experiencing Paris without the compromise


Paris is one of the best places to visit if you’re traveling with your family, but it’s not exactly as romantic if you’re going there with kids. There are bound to be ice cream stops and trips to the amusement park which will make you lose out on an opportunity to hit the spa. On the other hand, kids will probably not enjoy a Paris dinner at one of the city’s swanky restaurants—especially if they’re not allowed to run loose.

The best way to enjoy the best of both worlds while you’re in Paris is to book a room at the Le Meurice’s in July. Why? Aside from the hotel’s world-famous views, a carnival also parks directly across the hotel. Seated on the edge of Tuileries, tots enjoy their view of Paris from the carousel. Resltess adolescents, on the other hand, can enjoy more daring rides like the Ejector Seat.

The hotel staff, which usually won’t allow kids to run around their lobby, conduct activities for kids like treasure hunts. While the kids are kept entertained by the staff for an hour, parents can enjoy the alone-time at the Le Meurice’s Caudalie spa.

In the room, you’ll also find toy boats, puzzles, robes, kiddie menus, and even a British cable channel designed for toddlers. The Family program for this hotel starts at $2000 a night.

Bearable Disney Vacation


What do you do when your kids ask you for a trip to Disneyland? Sure, you’re prepared to spend a good amount of money because you’ve been saving up for it for the whole week. But are you prepared to immerse yourself completely in the world of Mickey, Minnie, and the rest of the Disney characters?

You don’t really have to do that because if you stay at Grande Lakes, which is very near Disneyland, can satisfy not just the kids but you, too, once the park closes down for the night. The place has a lot of amenities to boast of, including pools, a golf course, a spa, and eleven restaurants including Starbucks.

The service is also very impressive, with the front desk arranging your Disney guide for only $125, your babysitter for the night, and providing door-to-door limo service. You can book two connecting rooms with the Grande Lakes for $360 a night.

Pulling an Effortless Vacation at a European Villa


While renting a European villa seems like a perfect all-adult vacation, you’d be surprised by what the hosts at Homes Away can do. Not only will they be able to dodge scam packages which offer Tuscan villas that don’t really exist, but they can also anticipate fun activities for the kids.

You can enjoy the perfectly mowed lawns, impressive pools, and pristine houses, and never worry that your kids will throw a tantrum because they’re bored. The activities for the kids here are definitely interesting, from pizza making classes to riding a hot-air balloon over the vineyards. With these spontaneous outings, you’ll be living like the locals, only with more flair.

The average cost of a three room villa for a week with Homes Away is $8000.

Swanky Caribbean Villa with the Kids


You might think that a weekend at the Caribbean is only for romantic partners or adults who are looking for a break away from work. Think again, because a Caribbean vacation can be pretty perfect for kids as well if you book at the Mystique. While the resort is also the favorite of Mick Jagger and Princess Margaret, it’s also a kiddie paradise in disguise.

Twenty villas can be rented by you and your family, and quite a number of them have amenities especially for children. For example, if you want snooker tables for your teens, you can rent the Frangipani. The Yemanja, on the other hand, has a newly constructed tennis court and separate bunk houses for the boys and the girls.

If you’re bringing a baby, though, then the Sea Star is a good pick. You don’t need to worry about the noise. The rooms in this villa are a good distance from the pool.

Cruising for General Patronage


Many cruises don’t even allow kids below 12 on board. The Crystal is different, because they have activities which are designed especially for your little tykes. Who says you need to give up the idea of going on a cruise until your kids turn 12? With the Crystal, you can enjoy the experience together.

While they don’t publicize this fact, Crystal is one of the best cruise ships you can sign up for when you need to travel with kids. Aside from the babysitting services and the allotted playrooms, directors for the Junior activities also have things piled up for kids three to seventeen years of age.

How do you get this sweet deal? All you have to do is book during the school vacation. The crew will break out the Play Doh, conduct “Crystal Idol” contests, arrange pajama and movie nights, and teach everyone how to make cookies in the ship’s gallery.

The greatest part of this cruise it your kids actually get to meet the captain on his bridge. No adult has been given this privilege since the 9/11 incident. The cruise lasts for seven days. The rate for this cruise starts at $3,145. It’s quite pricey, but it might actually be cheaper than a number of all-adult cruise tours.

North America's most Fascinating Rail Trips

In search of a trip by railroad in order to discover a few of the more stunning and rugged parts of North America? Have a look at four of Northern America’s most fascinating train excursions.

1. The Rocky Mountaineer

The Rocky Mountaineer is perhaps the most hardy and most lovely railways throughout Northern America. Weaving its way through the Canadian Rockies, you just can not see a more lovely region any other way. The Rocky Mountaineer offers 4 specific bundles with tour durations lasting between 2 to eight days.

The 1st Passage to the West takes you through:

* Fraser Valley, Fraser and Thompson Canyons
* The final Spike of the Canadian Pacific Railway
* Rogers Pass
* Spiral Tunnels
* Kicking Horse Pass
* Banff National Park
Journey Through the Clouds will take you through:
* Fraser Valley, Fraser and Thompson Canyons
* Pyramid Falls
* Albreda Icefields
* Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies
* Jasper National Park
There’s also the Rainforest to the Gold Rush excursion as well as the Whistler Sea to Sky Climb. Rates start around $609 Canadian.

2. Adirondack Scenic Railroad

If you’re trying to encounter a shorter trip and wish to enjoy the attractiveness of the Adirondacks, you cannot fail with the Adirondack Scenic Railroad. This outing presents outings in to the stunning 6 million acre Adirondack Park.

Trains leave from:

* Utica’s Union Station
* Thendara Station near Old Forge
* Saranac Lake Union Depot
* Lake Placid Station in the beautiful Olympic Village of Lake Placid, New York

3. Canyonlands

A rail get-away throughout the Canyonlands will certainly be chock-full of adventure. Beginning in Salt Lake City, Utah and ending in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the eight-day, seven-night journey takes you through:

* Canyonlands National Park
* Arches National Park
* Four Corners Monument
* Mesa Verde National Park
* The Rocky Mountains
You’ll find three excursions each year and prices tend to be reasonable at $1599 per person, double occupancy and include some meals.

4. Alaska Railroad

The Alaska Railroad offers scenic one day excursions which includes a 12-hour Denali adventure tour which will take you through the whole 95-mile restricted Denali park road. Plan to observe wildlife you’ve never encountered before as well as enjoy a lunch, gold panning, and also a nature walk.

Northern America offers some beautiful and robust wilderness. Why not encounter it by train? You may enjoy the extravagance of having someone else drive whilst experiencing the view. With meals offered aboard and stops in many of the most beautiful places, it’s actually a great way to enjoy your holiday.

Adventure in San Jose, Costa Rica

Costa Rica journey Travel Packages

San Jose is the capital town of Costa Rica and is conveniently found in the middle of the country, providing visitors with simple access to several of the country’s most well-liked activities. The town lies in the middle of the Meseta Central, or Central Valley, and enjoys a nice climate year round with temperatures that tend to hover around seventy degrees Fahrenheit.

History & Culture

Thanks to its central location and its status as the capital city, San Jose and the surrounding valley is home to over 2 3rds of the state’s whole population. The town also hosts a global airfield, as well as colleges, major surgeries, and commercial complexes.

Lodging & Dining

If you are looking to be close to all the capital town has to offer, then you are going to love Hotel Grano de Oro or Hotel Alta. Both of these luxurious hotels offer renowned restaurants of their own, and are within walking distance to all the culture, nightlife, and dining found in San Jose.
If tranquility is what you seek, but you would like to take advantage of the conveniences of the city, then try Vista del Valle, El Silencio Lodge & Spa, Peace Lodge, or Xandari.

As this region is home to the capital town of San Jose, you’ll find no deficit of great eateries featuring local and international cuisine. If you are staying close to the downtown area, try Bakea, an international/fusion cafe in a restored mansion. This popular choice features creative cuisine and delicious desserts.
San Jose boasts a number of tiny cafeterias offering lighter fare and less expensive costs. Some of the finest of these include Café Moro and Café Mundo. Also, do not miss El Balcn de Europa, one of San Jose’s oldest restaurants.

For meals with an ethnic twist, try the Tin Jo for Asian food, Vishnu for Indian/vegetarian, Machu Picchu for Peruvian, Lubnan for Middle Eastern, or Le Monastere for upscale French cuisine.

Activities

From this central area, you actually can experience all the finest that Costa Rica has to supply thru a number of exciting tours that depart daily from the local hotels. You may want to commence with a tour of San Jose itself or visit the nearby consequential cities of Sarchi and Grecia. History buffs will also love a trip to the Pueblo Antiguo Experience which transports visitors back to the Costa Rica of the early 1900’s. Proceeds from this judicious attraction benefit the Costa Rican Countrywide Kids’s Hospital.

Many visitors come to Costa Rica to see volcanoes and looking for costa rica adventure travel packages, and tours to Poás and Irazu are an option from San Jose and can be included with other tours of the region. Are you a coffee fan? Then try a tour of the Café Britt Plantation or the Doka Estate where you may follow the life of a bean from being picked all the way to your mug. Scenic tours of the Orosi Valley and the Lankester Orchid Gardens are a way to soak in the lush landscape of this beautiful country.

Adventurous souls will find lots to do too. Experience the thrill of white water rafting, or soar through the jungle on astounding cover tours. Horseback rides and hiking are other great methods to experience the area while staying a little nearer to solid ground. Boating tours to golden beaches can also be prepared if the sea is calling your name.

A Rocky Mountaineer Experience

Calgary is sleeping soundly in the pitch black of an early fall morning when the Rocky Mountaineer train pulls out of Union Station. It’s 6:15 a.m. and most passengers are bleary eyed but for the jumpstart of coffee, lulled into inertia by the fast movement of the train as we zip through the darkness en route to Banff.

When the morning light creeps in, there are towering mountains on either side of us as the sun breaking gently over their sheer, rocky slopes. Around us there’s a hum of chatter, with accents hailing from Germany, England and Australia. Many of these travelers have come vast distances, lured by the prospect of seeing the day break over the snowcapped Rocky Mountains.

It’s the mountains that steal the show, their silhouettes highlighted by the blue sky of a perfectly clear morning. Some have smooth, snow-topped foreheads, while others, like Castle and Cathedral mountains, have jagged spears and ridges protruding from them, evidence of meticulous sculpting by glaciers millions of years ago.

Rocky Mountaineer Railtours offers a Banff-to-Vancouver circuit, one of its most highly sought-after trips. As I curl up and gaze out of my window from the Gold Leaf dome carriage, it’s easy to understand why. Gold Leaf means raspberry scones and quiches to take the edge off any hunger before the formal breakfast, and champagne and orange juice to toast the voyage. It means white table clothes and exquisitely presented gourmet meals cooked in a swaying kitchen carriage. Passengers are plied all day long with offerings of wine and beverages, chocolate-chip cookies straight from the oven and snacks and canapés to add flavour to the scenery.

We pass through the alpine village of Lake Louise during breakfast, a sumptuous meal of asparagus omelettes, kelp caviar and smoked salmon. Here, we reach the Continental Divide, the point of highest altitude in our journey and the rooftop of Alberta and British Columbia. The Divide marks the place of separation where snowmelt flows into the Atlantic Ocean on east side and the Pacific Ocean on west edge. But, on this day, the waterfalls are frozen into stillness and the initial dusting of powder gives way to large expanses of snow that cake the mountain’s layers of dolomite and limestone rock. Most people know them as the Rockies, but, in fact the Rockies are only one of a number of mountain ranges we will traverse.

On the first day, we move steadily through the Ottertail, Van Horne and Beaverfoot ranges, with brief glimpses at the Kicking Horse River as it tumbles over the sloping rocks. Apart from glaciers and mountains, it’s wildlife we’re watching for. Elk, moose, grizzly and black bear, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, wolves, coyotes and even cougars and lynx might cross the train’s path — and bears are a frequent sighting. On this journey, we pass two of them, both a dark flash in the window before they disappear.

The next day, the scenery changes dramatically. Gone are the snowcapped mountains and layers of forest. In their place, we travel through desert country alongside the Thompson River canyon. The salmon are in their dying throes in October and sightings of bear and bald eagles become more frequent along the riverbank as they feast on the wasting bodies of the fish.

Within a few hours, the scenery changes again and the barren desert yields to the maples and Douglas fir forests of the Fraser River canyon. We’re in a temperate rainforest, the trees turning that magical fall colour of yellow and gold. From 20,000 feet above the rushing river, you can see clouds forming before your eyes.

Travel through this landscape and the view is tranquilizing for the soul, the kind of scenery that makes you sigh deeply in grateful appreciation of living in so beautiful a region of the world. Stone bridges sail by, crucifixes adorn long-unused cemeteries and magnificent expanses of land stretch forever, a reminder of how small and insignificant our cities really are.

Diving in British Columbia

Overview

The Pacific Coast of British Columbia, Canada, is a place where the sea is cold and murky in summer, and colder yet clearer in winter. Despite these conditions, the rich marine environment of British Columbia attracts divers who consider bad visibility and bulky drysuits to be no obstacle. This means there are plenty of dive schools in the province's larger cities, and learning to scuba dive in a place like British Columbia will thoroughly prepare you for easier conditions farther south.

Step 1

Investigate the local scuba shops and their associated schools, as well as any private instructors in your area of British Columbia. If you need to attain Open Water (OW) certification quickly, use the shops' websites and some phone calls to find the shops that cooperate with the e-learning program offered by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). This allows you to complete your coursework at home, and then complete the necessary training dives in as little as one weekend. You will be required to submit an RTSC form stating you are in good health and free of compromising medical conditions, such as heart disease or asthma.

Step 2

Invest in a rash guard top or shorty suit and a pair of wool socks just for diving. Water temperatures around British Columbia never climb out of the chilly lower 50s Fahrenheit, and sometimes drop as low as the mid-40s Fahrenheit even in the summer. Your dive class will include the necessary 7-mm semi-drysuit or drysuit to endure these cold waters, but a few extra touches will keep your warmer.

Step 3

Ask your diving instructor about where your four open water training dives, all necessary for OW certification, will take place. If you have a particular interest, you may be able to make requests for a suitable dive site to meet them. If you want to see the big octopi of British Columbia, the South Islet of Passage Island is an easy dive site with octopi, a sandy bottom and moderate depths, so it is suitable for training.

Step 4

Confirm your diving skills by signing on for more dives via dive shop-organized boat dives or shore dives immediately after finishing your OW course. British Columbia mixes challenging diving conditions and a rich marine environment, making it a golden opportunity for further practice. If you master your basic OW skills in 45-degree Fahrenheit water and 15-foot visibility, both normal for a Vancouver summer, you will be well-prepared for the much warmer, clearer conditions of Thailand, the Florida Keys or the Red Sea.