Family Holiday with 16 y/o and 21 y/o

[BellsaRinging]

Mumsnet hive mind-can you help? We have not done a big trip as a family since Covid and the youngest is finishing GCSEs next year so I am going to plot a great trip...but I have no idea where. I travelled and did loads pre kids as did DP but we've not done a lot of off the beaten path stuff in 20 years!

I have a big budget of c£12k for a once in a lifetime trip for all of us. We would like to do things rather than lie on a beach-but I would like to have a 3-4 night beachy thing at the end of it. Other than that i am open. I thought maybe costa rica or Galapogos. Or Canada. Or Norway and Sweden. Or Japan. So havent really narrowed it down at all!

My oldest is very active-treks, climbs, kayaks etc. The youngest is not but would like kayaking and swimming and history. I just dont know where to start. No to trumpian America, but otherwise hot me with your suggestions of big family holiday successess-if you dont mind! All input really appreciated.

I don’t think you’re getting Galapagos for £12k really but Japan is definitely doable. I think you need to narrow it down as your suggestions are a bit all over the place 😅

I know I need to narrow it down-guess I was hoping someone would mention something ace they did and that would be it! I am soo lazy and all over the place!

Does £12k include all meals, as well as flights, transfers, hotels ?
It sounds a lot - until it's divided by 4.

A short safari or game drives might be feasible, we've been looking at Tanzania & some holidays have an option for a beach stay at the end.

We went to Peru, Ecuador & the G.I. a few years ago, & that itinerary is not within your budget. However, we went with llamatravel.com & I've just looked on their website & there might be tours that would suit you.

We did Vietnam with 15,16 and 18 year olds which I think would suit your requirements. Had previously done Canada too. Ours were used to ‘travelling’ rather than beach type holidays . Think about weather at the time of year you can travel , if it is school holidays that restricts suitable locations more than you might think ( monsoons, extreme heat etc)

Definitely recommend Costa Rica and would think this is your best option.

Vietnam is another good option. If you do Galapagos also do some of the rest of Ecuador, that’s also a great option.

Is the 16 year old and 21 year old paying for themselves or is the 12k for all of you as I don't think that is as big a budget as you think it is

Me either. It’s a mid budget range villa in Spain for 2 weeks with flights for 4.

You are going to struggle with £12k to do the type of trip you want.

I wouldn't go to Japan in July/August it's horrendously hot and humid. Might be manageable if you can squeeze it into late June. When I lived there I coped being out and about in summer, but we had a 72 hour layover in Tokyo last August and the kids were melting. I would look at Indonesia or Sri Lanka, I think your budget will go further. For reference we are doing Namibia this year, mix of camping and lodges, with our kids who are 11 & 14. Without flights it was £7.15k and I reckon the flights are going to cost me £5k, but I've still got to pay for about 1/2 the meals for the 12 night duration, which is an unknown cost at the moment.

Norway and Sweden are very expensive when you are there. Very! Japan and Galápagos Islands not in your budget. Iceland is a bit more reasonable and I’d try there. Discover the world might have options. Canada is not cheap either. Costs are in travelling! It’s a big country and flights are expensive.

Costa Rica is popular with everyone and you might find a deal. South America is quite reasonable when you are there but flights are often expensive. Thailand might be an option.

@BellsaRinging
Will you book a package or DIY?
If you earmark £1k each for flights (book early and possibly less) then 8k would go a very long way in Sri Lanka.
Similar flight price for Costa Rica but costs on the ground are similar to UK (we self catered and used public transport a lot to keep costs down but had about half your budget).
Both were fantastic and fit the interests of your kids - surfing, swimming, white water rafting, hiking, zip lines, wildlife in both.

I would strongly advise anyone to do a package currently with how uncertain everything is with the war/ jet fuel and at this rate we will end up in another pandemic

We did Vancouver - whale watching and city vibe - then drive through the Rockies and loved the mountains and lakes. All booked on air bnb. We did kayaking, saw bears in the wild, moose, went to hot springs etc then ended in Calgary. It was fab, but my brother lives in Calgary so we didn’t have accommodation or food costs for the week we were there. There were 5 of us but dc were younger and that was 2019. The cost was still £10k. I’m not sure 12k for 4 gets what you think it will (sorry). We had a lovely time in Greece last year with dc ages 14-18, but again that was £7500 for just one week.

To give an idea re food in Canada - a small cauliflower is £10 😬😳 I don’t think I like cauliflower enough to spend that.

Mexico might be doable with that budget. Mayan sites for history. Snorkelling and swimming in cenotes and zip lines for the activities?

I had a quick look at Exodus, and they have the following available for June 2027 (all excluding flights):

Botswana 14 days wildlife trip £2300 pp
Central Asia 11 days £2100 pp
Borneo & Malaysia 14 days £2500 pp

Might give you some ideas?

Thanks so much for the ideas. Lioks like I might have to up the budget! I was hoping if we left straight after GCSEs it might be cheaper-so end June/beginning of July. Will look more into Japan and Sri Lanka I think, although that Botswana one does liok great!

you would like Costa Rica but it has gotten horribly expensive the past few years. Look at Sri Lanka, but email some of the local travel agents there, you will get an intirerary organised for a lot less than any agency in the UK. You'd want to keep to north and east though due to monsoons in some other areas. Low season, so prices should be more reasonable.

I would go for Bali and Lombok, great time of year weather wise. Good accomodation, great value food and plenty of activities. Don’t go for the resorts in the south, look at Ubud, Amed, Gili Islands, South Lombok

@SabrinaThwaite It’s freezing in Botswana in June at night, and you cannot get flights for £700! I think that’s impossible!

Are dc up for freezing camping op? We took blankets and layers and layers for game drives in July in Botswana. It was not great! June and July are really cold at night and camping will be very basic.

We spent £5k total, including flights, accommodation,food,activities, internal flights, for just over 3wks in Vietnam last year. 3 people. All accommodation was 2 bedroom apartments with loads of space they would have suited 4. I think that if you plan carefully you have a great budget for lots of south east Asia and possibly South America. I get what people are saying about £12k not being much as it hardly gets you 2 weeks in Greece but that is exactly why we went to Asia. Europe is crazy expensive now and going somewhere where food and transport are cheaper once you are there will make a huge difference. I find is super exciting too. The problem I find though when we go further afield or somewhere
less familiar is we get nervous and tempted to book something very organised, but that is what would make it £££! If you look at a Vietnam itinerary for an adventure travel agent it will be loads more than £5k.

i would watch all seasons of race across the world to get ideas!!

Vietnam is 100% doable on that budget and you can probably do premium economy flights and 4 star hotels too. It’s ridiculously cheap once you’re there

Just be careful, Japan in the summer is disgustingly hot and humid. On the plus side, there will less tourists.

It’s an example of package, so you don’t need to be snippy. Of course it gets cool (5°) at night - it’s Africa - that’s what layers are for? It’s also dry season and the time when water levels are highest in the Okavango.

As for camping being basic - yes it will be, it’s part of the appeal of that type of trip and keeps the cost down.

You can get reasonably priced flights if you shop around (and don’t insist on business class 🙄) - less than £1k. You might get good flight prices doing them as part of the package.

Less than £1000? To Botswana? You would struggle as it’s via Joburg. However it’s over £3000 each and on a moving vehicle in the cold is very unpleasant. I know the seasons in Botswana thanks. I also know there’s no such thing as a £3000 safari.