Families on tour
The convenience of guided trips suits all ages
Guided tours may have a reputation for best suiting 20-somethings or senior travellers. But with all your accommodation, transport, meals, sightseeing and transfers taken care of, they can also be a family’s dream trip – as long as you know what to look for.
Savvy tip 1
Age matters: Most guided tours have a minimum age of five, so check before booking a family trip. Some companies, such as Intrepid Travel, even offer teenage trips that have a minimum age of 10.
Savvy tip 2
Friends for life: Ask the age range booked on the tour you’re considering. “The family trips are made up of three to five families, and the kids tend to hit it off straight away,” says Dyan Mckie, senior family product manager at Intrepid. “We often find the whole family ends up making friendships, staying in touch after the adventure ends.”
Savvy tip 3
The little extras: Seek out tours that have inclusions important to your family group, says Toni Ambler, managing director at The Travel Corporation, which owns Trafalgar. “Some travel days can be long, so selecting a company with comfortable coaches and little luxuries like on-board Wi-fi will help,” she says.
Savvy tip 4
It’s all about transport: One of the most daunting parts of travelling with children can be the time spent in transport, whether in the air, on the road, or other methods, says Ambler. “Look for itineraries that explore a country or region more in-depth, so you spend more time seeing the sights and less time in transit.”
Savvy tip 5
Adventure counts: Your sense of adventure doesn’t disappear just because you have kids, says Mckie, so don’t disregard a more adventurous itinerary, especially if you’re travelling with teens. Ambler recommends family beach holidays to places like Greece and Costa Rica, historical adventures like experiencing life as a gladiator in Italy and nature trips like boarding an Old West train to the Grand Canyon.