If you could take off August where would you go to with two DCs 10 and 8?

[MaCosta]

DH and I are considering taking off August and going away with the DCS. I need inspiration for ideas. Budget about £12k

What about Africa. The Kruger National Game Park and then fly down to Cape Town, or call in at Rourkes Drift and see where the Zulu war took place. It is re enacted and is a very interesting experience.
I defy anyone not to be excited about being out in the Bush at night and seeing a pride of lions.
Your enquiry is a bit general. Do you want sea and sand or a City experience or a long haul.?
Sweden is lovely. Anyway give us a bit more of a clue.

Thailand or safari definitely. What an experience for them :)

We really have no firm thoughts yet. DCs will be 10 and 8 both boys, both love history and very active. DS2 has a shorter attention span though than DS1 and so we wouldn't want days and days spent just in museums for example.

Previous family holidays have been very much package sun and sand holidays and then we've done florida (disney/universal) three times.

DH went travelling in between university and law school and so has been all over. My holidays have been more around the Med. As a couple we've done a kenyan safari but not with the DCS.

Immediate thought would have been Egypt for a Nile cruise but it's incredibly hot in August and still not particularly safe as far as I'm aware.

South Africa sounds like its worth some thought.

I'd go to India and/or Nepal.

Cycling around Italy.

Or Chile. Think that would be fab. Work your way down fro.the Atacama desert.

Not India in august - it's the monsoon season isn't it?

Canada and Alaska. Loads of outdoor activities, wildlife aplenty and native American, frontier & Inuit history. You could road trip through the Rockies, take in Vancouver for culture & baseball game. Vancouver Island (as big as the Netherlands!) for canoeing with seals & whales, fishing, beautiful beaches then up to Alaska.

I've done a Nile cruise and would not take DS age10. There are few opportunities for the active child to let off steam, although DH played street football with local kids one night.

The Cape area of South Africa will not be particularly warm in August. KZN (battlefields etc) will be warmer, and you can do St Lucia etc for wildlife plus beaches. It's a nice destination - easy but interesting.

Nepal is fantastic.

What about Malawi for 3 weeks? you have the lake, safaris, hiking and horseriding into local villages, the children could get involved with some of the local kids at school and then over to South Luangwa N/P in Zambia for a week.
www.danforthyachting.com/activities_gal.html
www.kandehorse.com/
Hiking on Mt. Mulanje
Safaris in Liwonde N/P
This place on the lake has a family cottage all profits from the stay there goes to different projects which you can go and help with;
www.tuckawaysmw.com/
There is also this place;
Mumbo Island and Domwe Island in Lake Malawi National Park, you can kayak to the island and do snorkeling.
For Zambia Flat Dogs have family chalets
www.flatdogscamp.com/

Wow thanks everyone, some great suggestions. Keep them coming. I'm off to click on links!

When my two are a bit older I would like to do a bit of travelling around Europe. I fancy either South of France or Italy then on to Croatia, Slovenia and then Romania. We've done a lot of Asia but I might fancy doing the American Pacific coast taking in California, San Franciso, Seattle and Canada

west Canada - Vancouver, van island, the rockies. we did 3 weeks this year and it wasn't long enough there was so much to see and do. holiday of a lifetime for younger kids. if they were a bit older I would be saying Belize. we had a brilliant time. we have to avoid malaria areas so wouldn't pick anywhere that the drugs were needed. also make sure you have all the jabs up to date well in advance.

South Africa was my choice because it is not too hot in August ( Spring in S Africa) and I don't think it should be too blistering when you have children.

We stayed at Rourkes Drift lodge when we went to see the site of the Zulu wars. The lodge is the height of luxury and was magical.

Also as mentioned in another reply and to be considered are the St Lucia wetlands North of Durban. You can fly from Durban to Port Elizabeth. Then from Port Elizabeth along the garden route to Camps Bay. The Camps Bay hotel is my Favourite. Then Cape Town and home. Except the Drakensburg Mountains are beautiful as well.

Cape Town has Table mountain which you children will love. The view is spectacular and so is going up in the cable car.

My kids are a bit older than yours but I would pick Canada if I had a whole month to travel.
I'm hoping to travel to Alberta and Vancouver and all the amazing looking places around there.
Bit like mummymeisters trip.

The problem with August is that it is not great weather for lots of places: e.g. hurricane season around the Caribbean, monsoon in quite a bit of SE Asia and winter in the S hemisphere. But the world is a big place so I would just use that to cut down destinations to research. I would consider:

1. Travelling up Vietnam esp in the central part. So into Hoi Chi Minh, up to Hoi An etc, Halong bay (may be rainy?) and Hanoi. Possibly (but it may be too tight for time) combined with travelling into S. China and going to Guilin/Yangshou and the rice terraces before flying out of Hong Kong.

1. Malaysia esp E coast - maybe Singapore, Malacca, KL, Taman Negara (for some user friendly rainforest), Tioman or Redang.

1. West coast US - fly into Phoenix (and get straight out it will be roasting!) up Sedona, Grand Canyon, Vegas, across Death Valley (staying over night so you are not there in the hottest part of the day), up through the Sierra Nevada, over the Tioga pass into Yosemite, San Francisco, Monterey for whale watching (possibly Blue Whales in August), down Hway 1, Santa Barbara and fly out of LA or go down to San Diego depending on timings.

Yes August is a difficult month in terms of weather but unfortunately it is the quiet time for us at work and its school holidays so the only time we are ever going to get a month off together.

Hiw about New Zealand?

*How

Would love to do new zealand but too cold during august.

Also Canada- starting with Toronto- loads for dc, Niagara, then move on to Vancouver and a cruise to Alaska.

Or Multi-centre starting with USA- San Fran, L.A, Vegas and San Diego then either Hawaii or cruise to Mexico.

One other place could be Sri Lanka
We love the place and could easier live there.
We had 3 weeks there with flights, private car and driver, fuel and drivers accommodation our hotels and safaris came to £1000 each.
I think this year the main elephant parade is in August which is an amazing sight, loads to see (temples, elephants) and do with wonderful beaches.
Our driver is now a true friend and runs his company to make tourists happy rather then made a huge profit.
Also we had a great safari into Wilpattu National Park (saw 2 leopards after 20 minutes in the park)

I'd take my two (also boys aged 8& 10!) on a month long trip round England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. In fact I'd get them to help plan where to go. My eldest would chose cultural sights and my youngest the most ridiculously named places

Southern Africa would be my first choice - The Okavango Delta in Botswana (I stayed at Oddballs Camp) followed by a few days r&r in Sun City then on to Cape Town and or Port Elizabeth. So many places to go in SA, you would be spoilt for choice.

Or Interrailing in Europe? I would like to do this one year. Europe has so much diversity to offer.

Canada or the States. Note that August is generally not a good time to visit Asia