Recommend September 2015 - (Page 57)

s e r u t n e v Famil y Ad africa paloma villaverde de rico According to Kathleen Doheny, v.p., marketing, Kensington Tours, "Families-including multi-generational families traveling together-are becoming more adventurous. They want to explore the world together." For those adventuresome families, that yearning to explore beyond traditional family vacation hotspots will certainly lead them to Africa, which, says Dave Herbert, Chief Experiential Officer, Great Safaris, L.L.C., "offers so much variety and excitement for families, providing so many new experiences for all ages." In fact, Abercrombie & Kent's media relations manager Jean Fawcett notes, "[In Africa], there is as much, or as little, to do as you choose, which suits all age groups. And it's all in the confines of intimate properties." Tour operators and camps are hearing this "call for the wild" and responding with family-friendly itineraries and accommodations. IMAGES COURTESY OF KENSINGTON TOURS XMAS IN TA A camel ride is only one of many adventures on Kensington Tours' Morocco trip. TS & DUNES, FOR PALACES IN M O RO C C O NZ ANIA For clients who'd rather see the world than surround their Christmas tree with layers upon layers of gifts, recommend Great Safaris' 10-day Tanzania Adventure. It takes families to four national parks, including Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Tarangire. Adventures along the route include seeing the Maasai herding cattle and goats; spotting elephants, bush buck and hippos; a picnic lunch in the Serengeti; sleeping in a lodge that sits on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, home to some 30,000 resident animals; and visiting archaeological sites. Accommodations range from intimate coffee lodges with plantation houses to lodges nestled within wooded hillside valleys. This is made for little explorers-and their parents- who love the great outdoors and who truly want to get up-close to wildlife. The tour's 4x4 safari vehicles with photo roof fit up to a maximum of seven passengers and all passengers are guaranteed a window seat. Rates, if booked by Oct. 31 and for travel between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, are $4,195 pp, with a 50 percent companion discount for the second traveler; rates for kids under 12 with two adults start at $2,495 per child. Departures from the U.S. are Mondays and Wednesdays. Great Safaris also recommends families add a 5-day extension in Kenya or a 4-day extension in Zanzibar for a true East Africa immersion. You might think of Morocco as a quintessential luxury honeymoon destination, but Kensington Tours' 10-day Ciao Bambino Kidtastic Desert Adventure private trip (starting at $5,150 pp) will have you rethinking your recommendations the next time a family booking request pops up in your inbox. This is a wholly customizable experience that "moves at the pace of the family," Doheny points out, and which can be extensively customized to "fit with a family's exact needs, rhythm, bucket list and preferences." Cooking workshops with a local chef, horse-drawn carriage rides through dreamy gardens, a sleepover at a Bedouin camp, visiting old fortified towns, exploring desert dunes, and digging for fossils...these are some of the adventures families will partake in as they make their way through Morocco-with stops in Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Skoura, Erfoud, and Merzouga. The hotel choices are also uniquely family-friendly, not to mention truly immersive, from the Four Seasons Hotel Marrakech to exotic-named riads and Bedouin tented camps (backyard camping will never again hold the same allure). Doheny points out that for Kensington Tours, family business is a core part of its offerings, noting that it's a "segment that continues to grow." She adds that the tour operator's customized itineraries "with a private guide changes the way people see travel. Once they experience private guided travel, they don't soon return to group travel. For travel agents, recommending a private tour with Kensington delivers an exceptional new experience." Great Safaris' Tanzania tour includes the opportunity to canoe on Lake Manyara. september 2015 57

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend September 2015

Editor’s Notes
Hotel Desk: Destination Hotels
Tour Talk: New Offerings Abound
Heritage Travel: In the Footsteps of History
Family is the Focus in Mexico
Guatemala Travel Planner
Hawaii: Falling into Paradise
B Resort & Spa, Lake Buena Vista
The Buzz in Caribbean Family Travel
Escorted Tours That Pack a Punch
Family Adventures
Cruising, Family-Style

Recommend September 2015