Adventurous family holidays off the beaten track

[Cornwallian]

Do people have recommendations for adventure holidays off the beaten track (or as off as you can get nowadays within a two week holiday!).

Holidays we have loved of this type include:

• travelling the length of Vietnam, using sleeper trains and local transport, spending time on boats through the Mekong delta, cycling through villages and generally getting a real feel for the place
• trekking in the Atlas Mountains
• Northern Norway in mid winter doing cross country skiing and searching for the northern lights, ice fishing etc

The kids are older now so we could be more adventurous but need ideas.

budget?

I’m pretty flexible on budget. Vietnam for two and a half weeks came in at £20k for all flights, accomodation, food, activities, transport and everything. That was upper end of what I’d like to spend so countries with food prices like the USA are probably out. There are six of us. Kids 11-18.

i’d go to a travel consultant

costa rica would be good but for 2 weeks school holidays 6 of you (most of you adult prices) will be tight if wanting luxury

How about India?
Sleeper trains
Ride a camel into the desert and sleep under the stars.
See tigers at a nature reserve.

We have actually just come back from India exploring Rajasthan - I didn’t mention as was trying not to put clearly identifying info in my post.

India was amazing. We loved it. We managed two weeks at just under £3500 a head and we stayed in lovely places and did so many fantastic activities from rickshaws in Delhi, to exploring rural villages on a bullock cart, to cooking classes, exploring old forts everything

India is notoriously cheap

Laos is lovely but possibly too similar to Vietnam which you have done.

China we liked but it is a more difficult country to explore if you do not have the language at all. Also more expensive than it used to be.

There are some lovely horse riding holidays in Iceland which you could combine with walking some of the old paths - however Iceland is not cheap.

I was looking at a horse riding holiday in Kyrgistan which looked adventurous and could be combined with visiting some silk route cities. I don’t know anyone who has been to that part of the world though.

I was also wondering about South or central America as I have never been to that part of the world.

I have booked 2 weeks in Kuala Lumpur / Borneo & Singapore for this summer. That's coming in at a bit over £3k per head. That is 3 in one room though so if you are wanting 3 rooms of two it may be more.

It includes all breakfast, some other meals and private driver / guide for Borneo with activities.

India definitely is good, though Sri Lanka being smaller is perhaps better for a 2 week holiday. You can do a few experiences in Sri Lanka including a boat day safari, snorkelling, camp and safari in the national park, visit and stay tea plantations, climb Adam's peak at night and watch sun rise, take a float plane, trains and buses ... English is widely spoken, easy to book things online but also easy to arrange things once there (I didn't prebook the boat safari and trip to the temples, just walked into the excursion opposite my hotel and they put together everything bespoke). The elephant sanctuary is not to be missed plus turtle hatchery if right season.

South America is amazing but 2 weeks might be tight as longer flying times. We are looting at Victoria falls and Botswana currently though my itinerary is 3 weeks long, if you took out the (might not be possible anyway) Mozambique section it's just over 2 weeks, unlike Sri Lanka that's quite reasonable, Africa is coming in pretty expensive

Namibia. Hire a 4x4 with roof tents

that that include all flights too?

Wow! We have never been but it's something I'd love to do hence the suggestion!
So glad you enjoyed it. We will get there one day!

@backwayentrance - yes including flights and also all airport transfers.

We spent 3 weeks in Panama and Costa Rica travelling around on public transport. I actually preferred Panama. From Panama City which was pretty cool - combined tax-haven skyscrapers with old Spanish architecture; volcano; swimming under waterfalls; trekking; Caribbean beach; bird watching. You could see a lot of Panama in 2 weeks.

Loved it!

You’ve been to northern India so why not the south - Kerala is a wonderful 10 day trip.

i think you could spend a lot less than £3500 a head in India.

otherwise Brazil if you want to go to South America, there’s soo much there you wouldn’t have time for any other countries.

Costa Rica is amazing too.

what about Japan?

for £3k a head? two adults and a child (?)
2 weeks accommodation, multiple flights (6?) private guide and lots of meals?

to singapore (very expensive!) KL and Borneo?

please can you share agent if you booked through one as that is as astonishing deal!

@backwayentrance

About £3.3 - it's 13 nights on holiday, plus 2 overnight flights.

Yes - Singapore is 2 night stopover on the way back - it was pretty much same price to fly via Singapore with 2 nights than via KL with no stopover. Hotel Singapore is about £200 per room per night if you look on booking.com. Kuala Lumpur on way out about £120 a night I think. Internal flights are cheap.

Majority of the holiday is in Borneo which is obviously lower cost. I assume a private guide and car there is nowhere near as expensive as it sounds. Someone I know did this in Sri Lanka and I think said it was about £400 for a week.

I booked flights literally about 2 days after I could and although I don't know exact price as I booked through agent when I looked on the BA site it was coming out approx £800 return each - looking now it's nearer £1400pp

Philippines! My absolute favourite place I’ve travelled around.

what agent did you book through please?

@backwayentrance

Freedom Destinations. It's 1 adult 2 teens. The included non breakfast meals are Borneo so assume cost of them is minimal.

A friend has used this company before and was very happy with them - agree it seems a great deal. Trailfinders quoted an approx price of £14k which was beyond my budget.

Here’s me thinking that’s expensive. We’ve lights to KL back from Singapore for just over £400 at Easter.

Closer to home but we've just booked to go to Jordan. 9 days to see the sights of Petra, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea etc. It's cheaper at the moment but still very safe.