Disney Goes to Egypt

Bookings are now open for 2020 Adventures by Disney trips.  New for 2020 is a family tour of Egypt featuring adventures by land, river and sea. Highlights from the 10-day, nine-night trip include visits to ancient monuments with the guidance of a world-class Egyptologist and an immersive experience at the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which opens to the public in 2020. Your family can embark on an interactive King Tut-themed treasure hunt or peruse the museum’s state-of-the-art exhibits at your leisure. Also get access to the inner wonders of the Great Pyramid of Giza during a tour of the burial chamber of Pharaoh Cheops. Other interactive cultural activities include a chef-led cooking class on Egyptian specialties, a Nubian folkloric show and henna tattoo experience, and a hieroglyphic writing lesson. Then take a voyage on a traditional Egyptian felucca sailboat and visit lively local markets and have a private beachside Bedouin-themed dinner.  A three-night cruise along the Nile River includes premium accommodations and themed entertainment, followed by a two-night stay at a luxurious beachside resort in Sharm El Sheikh, including a full day snorkeling excursion on a private boat to visit the famous coral reefs of the Red Sea.

Rocco Forte Family Suite Package

The luxury Rocco Forte chain of hotels located mostly throughout Europe is one of the most family friendly as well.  Their Family Suite package is now available and includes a free second room for children (either connecting or adjacent), in-suite check-in, breakfast daily, free meals for children 5 and under and half off for ages 7-11, free internet and movies, valet service and more.  Their newest hotel, the Masseria Torre Maizza, is located in the Puglia region of Italy that is fast becoming popular for American tourists.  The renovated 16th-century property, surrounded by ancient olive groves, will open this month along the Adriatic Sea and feature 40 rooms and suites, a rooftop bar, swimming pool, 9-hole executive golf course, spa, and private beach club.

Protect the Forests in Ecuador

Mashpi Lodge, a 3,200 acre cloudforest retreat in Ecuador, is offering a new Forest Steward Program for guests ages six years and older.  Mashpi’s team of native rangers, who are from local communities in the area and make an enormous contribution to the preservation of the reserve, lead the program.  The hands-on program and activities are experienced through day hikes to waterfalls and swimming holes, night walks, visits to the butterfly farm and Sky Bike rides through the lush forest canopy.  At the lodge, the Kids’ Corner in the Lab is a space for your young naturalists to make their own personal discoveries. Mashpi Lodge is located about 3 ½ hours drive from Quito, although just under 40 miles from the city! Opened in 2012, the lodge hosts up to 47 guests.  Rates include shared transfer from many hotels in Quito, all meals, all guided activities and excursions within the reserve (walks, bird watching and nature encounters, Sky Bike, Life Center, waterfalls and Hummingbird Garden), internet, soft drinks and the use of rubber boots and rain ponchos.

Costa Rica Luxury Tented Camps

We are so excited that this fall, the Nayara Resort is opening their luxury tented camp in the Arenal Volcano National Park in Costa Rica.  There will be 18 tents in total with the ability to connect to create a two-bedroom unit that can accommodate up to a family of six!  The private tents, set high on the hill, offer spectacular views of the volcano with plunge pools fed with natural hot springs.  Other highlights of the Nayara Tented Camp include a welcoming tent, swim-up bar, large family-friendly pool, and a new gourmet restaurant with an expansive terrace to enjoy the rainforest. You can also enjoy the facilities at Naraya’s two other nearby resorts.

Bike Holland

DuVine has designed a new, 5-night Holland Family Bike Tour that is ideal for a first-time family bike tour in Europe.  It offers a variety of Dutch cultural experiences along with easy, flat biking routes. Your family will learn to make cheese in Gouda, bake bread, and play classic Dutch lawn games. Gentle cycling follows car-free bike paths, country lanes, and classic polders (low lying tracks of land enclosed by dikes).  Also paddle a kayak down the canals of Utrecht and visit a working windmill to learn how these iconic structures keep Dutch cities dry. This unique trip includes dinner with a local chef in her home and is available as a guided, private trip only. Children 7 and older can ride their own bikes while trailers and tag-along bikes are available for younger children.

GAdventures Expands Nat Geo Tours

G Adventures and National Geographic Expeditions are expanding their partnership for trips designed for families with children ages 7 to 17.  National Geographic Family Journeys with G Adventures will go on sale globally May 17 with the first departures beginning in early 2020.  These small group adventures will be led by two specially trained G Adventure guides and will feature National Geographic experiences specifically designed for families.  The itineraries have been developed from scratch to inspire travelers of all ages to experience each destination’s unique advantages, from wildlife and conservation, to history and culture, plus exploration, photography and storytelling.  A total of 12 destinations will be served.  Peru was just announced with the rest revealed each week through May 2.

Family Fun in The Algarve

Portugal is one of our most popular destinations at the moment as its a great value and has nice variety of regions to explore.  The Algarve region in the south is a great way to end a trip with some fun and sun.  The upscale Vila Vita Parc Resort offers a Family Fun package that includes:

• • A bottle of wine, fresh seasonal fruit and a bottle of mineral water in the room on arrival.
• • A one-day pass to Zoomarine or to Slide & Splash Water Park for a maximum of 2 adults and 2 children (up to age 12).
• • Free use of the Annabella’s Kids Parc facilities during the stay including weekly activities for children ages 4-12.
• • Half-board (breakfast and lunch or dinner) for the entire family for 4 nights based on a maximum of 2 adults + 2 children (up until age12).
• • Make your own pizza: cooking lesson for the children ages 4-12, once during your stay.
• • Special VIP amenity for the children in the room on arrival.
• • Free use of the VILA VITA Parc facilities: indoor/outdoor heated pools, Jacuzzi, steam bath, sauna, tepidarium, ice-grotto, gym, volleyball, boules, garage, 9-hole pitch and putt and more.

Family Adventures in the Highlands

Thomson Family Adventures has a new offering: Scottish Highlands Family Adventure.  The 7-night summer trip begins in Inverness and ends in Edinburgh and explores some of the most gorgeous wilderness in the world.  Your itinerary includes plenty of outdoor adventures such a hiking, biking, jeep safari and wildlife viewing through forests and national parks and a boat ride on Loch Ness.  Local culture abounds with visits to castles, small villages and an open-air folk museum.  One of the many highlights is a ride on the Jacobite Train made famous in the Harry Potter books and films.  Space is tight for their one July 2019 departure; so book soon!  The trip will also be available for June and August dates in 2020 and if you book a trip 9 months ahead you will get a free GoPro and Travel Protection!

Jewish Heritage Around the World

Our wonderful guides from Tours by Locals are offering an abundance of Jewish Heritage tours all over the world that are both private and can be customized to meet the needs of your family.  Here are some quotes from the guides providing these interesting tours all over the world:

Jewish Heritage in Amsterdam
“In the Jewish Quarter I’d like to tell you about the history of my own family, who arrived here as refugees beginning of the 17th century and I will tell about their experiences in WWII.”

Jewish Heritage in Moscow
“By the end of XIX century Russia was a home to the largest Jewish community in the world. Today’s Jewish population of Moscow unites hundreds of thousands of lives in intensive cultural, religious and business life. Would you like to know what their life is about?”

Jewish Heritage in Berlin
“The tour will tell the amazing story of the Jews in Germany and the Nazi attempt to eradicate them from Europe! From isolated ghettos and communities, the Jews in Berlin climbed to an influential social position in the economy, science, culture and the new emerging democratic politics of Germany until the Nazis took power.”

Jewish Heritage in Sydney
“Being Jewish myself and emigrating from South Africa, I was fascinated by the Jewish history of Sydney and although it is relatively young, it is fascinating.  We begin in the historic Rocks area, home to the first Jewish settlers, where many of them began trading.”

Jewish Heritage in Jerusalem
“Join me for an authentic experience to discover your roots and how special they are. As licensed tour guide, historian and lecturer on Bible History I question and share the complexity of the past and present of this tiny piece of land who was conquered, destroyed and rebuild so many times.”

Jewish Heritage in Cochin (India)
“The oldest Jewish community in India is in Cochin, a group of people once known as the ‘Malabar Jews’, who moved to Cochin and built synagogues in the 14thth century. Come learn about their history and heritage with me.”

Jewish Heritage in Marrakech
“Discover The Jewish quarter known as ‘The Mellah’, a piece of Marrakech offered by the Sultan to Jews fleeing the Spanish Civil War in 1558. See here hidden treasures of daily life from this golden time of Jewish life in Marrakech.”

Jewish Heritage in Prague
“Come and enjoy a day like no other in Prague, and experience traditional Czech and Jewish cuisine. See how Grandmothers for years would prepare meals for their families just as they did in the shtetl Jewish market town.”

Jewish Heritage in Rio de Janeiro
“With me, you will learn how our Jewish community helped build the country since Brazil was a colony, and hear about the arrival of hundreds of young Jews in our main ports looking for a new start. There is the possibility to visit an active synagogue for a service, if you would like.”

Jewish Heritage in Paris
“Together we will follow their steps from Medieval Age to the dramatic events that marked the first half of the 20th century, when the Marais, a bustling and lively neighborhood full of little shops, restaurants and schools, became silent after the II WW roundups.”

Toddler Adventure from Thomson

We are excited to report that Thomson Family Adventures has launched a unique travel option for families with toddlers!  Designed for children ages 2 to 6, the seven-day Costa Rica Toddler Adventure will explore the varied landscapes of the Costa Rican province of Guanacaste.  Highlights include a private boat ride along the coastline and a visit to an animal sanctuary where toucans, pumas, sloths, monkeys and snakes all reside. Your toddlers will also get several tastes of local culture by way of a tortilla-making class; a traditional ox cart ride; folk dancing and marimba concerts; a bilingual storytelling hour with local children at a public library; and more.  Plenty of downtime as well where babysitters are available if adults want to experience more active adventures.  Thomson also offers Costa Rican itineraries for every age including teen and millennial options.