CHICAGO, July 30, 2008 — iExplore (www.iExplore.com) announced today their list Top Ten Family Travel Vacations Worldwide as determined by the iExplore team of world travel experts.
Consider some really memory-making destinations around the world for your annual family trip this year. Do some fly fishing in Scotland, stay at a dude ranch in the US or tumble into a cave hotel in Turkey, ski on Mt Cook or horseride in Argentina.
Fly fishing, Scotland
If you're kids love to fish this is the idea location where you can fish for salmon or trout. There are any number of scenic lochs where you can enjoy a bit of sport and the hiking involved or wildlife that comes along. Osprey, otter, row and deer and are just some of the game you'll see.
Dude ranch stay
A stay at a guest ranch makes roughing it very easy. Give your kids an authentic taste of the old West and take a step out of your hectic family life. Wranglers and ranch hands can provide horseback riding lessons, guided trips and individual trail rides. Or there are hayrides, singalongs, Western dance lessons, cookouts, hiking and even spa activities.
Cappadoccia, Turkey
Kids will love this region of underground cities where they can explore the subterranean levels and the labyrinth of tunnels. There are plenty of volcanic valleys that are also very interesting to explore on foot and colorful local culture and friendly people. Try your hand at weaving a local rug. And make sure you book the family into one of the many hotel caves built into the rock side of this region.
Galapagos, Ecuador
Take the family to the famed Galápagos Islands and enjoy the diversity of marine life by exploring the islands by sea kayak. Paddle beside turtles, seals and dolphins or get in the water with them with a snorkel or go scuba diving. Then get on your feet to bike, horseback or trek the island trails.
Skiing Mt Cook, New Zealand
If you're in this part of the world and really seeking a white winter family vacation, this is really the best place to go. There's downhill skiing, mountain climbing and snowboarding here on New Zealand's highest mountain. You can even go heli skiing on the Tasman Glacier atop the mountain, one of the world's longest at almost 17 miles.
Horse riding, Argentina
Go on a unique family vacation on a horse Estancia in the Cordoba hills to try some home rides, long-distance pack trips, polo, bird watching, walking or simply relaxing.
Ice Hotel, Quebec, Canada
Families with kids are more than welcome at this amazing hotel, constructed entirely of ice and snow, for either overnight stays or day trips. It's one of the most unique vacation spots in the world. Activities include slides and a walking trail, you can also arrange dogsledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, skating and ice fishing. Or take a drink at the bar with glasses made from ice. You could even make this an annual trip because the hotel design changes every year.
Morocco
If you want to take a family vacation and have a real adventure experience consider Morocco. There is good transport, excellent food, plenty of accommodation choice and amazing things to do and see. Live like a desert nomad for a night, ride a camel in the Sahara, relax by the beach in Essaouira, souvenir shop in the souqs, sample the tasty cuisine or even journey into the Atlas Mountains.
Elephant safari, Chiang Mai, Thailand
This is an utterly memorable experience of Thailand for all ages. Visit colorful ethnic hill tribes and sleep deep in the jungle on these safaris on elephant back. Walk to waterfalls and combine the journey with white water rafting or bamboo rafting.
Egypt
This is such an adventure location and can really bring ancient history to life for young minds. The obvious choices of things to do are to discover the treasures of ancient Egypt and visit the pyramids and pharaoh's tombs. Then you could explore the desert on camelback, watch the Karnak Temple light up at night, snorkel in the Red Sea or hunt for souvenirs in Cairo's famed Khan al-Khalili market.
iExplore offers guided tours to most of the above destinations. Call 1-800-IEXPLORE (1-800-439-7567) or 1-312-492-9443 for details and pricing.
Founded in 1999, iExplore (www.iExplore.com) is the leading online resource for adventure and experiential travel, serving over 1,300,000 visitors per month at its website. iExplore’s website is a one-stop planning resource for adventure travelers, with a deep offering of related tours, content, photos and a community of like-minded travelers. iExplore offers hundreds of tours that visit the farthest corners of the earth, particularly the man-made and natural wonders of the world. iExplore has been named the “Best Adventure Travel Website” by Forbes Magazine, Travel & Leisure Magazine, Yahoo, Google and Time Magazine, and powers adventure trips for many leading travel sites including Expedia, Travelocity, Frommers, Lonely Planet, Travel Channel and Concierge.com. iExplore is a wholly-owned division of TUI Travel PLC (www.tuitravelplc.com), a US$25BN international leisure travel company based in the U.K..
Note to editors:
Deeb available for interview.
Photos available.
Press Contact: George Deeb
Founder and CEO
iExplore, Inc.
312-492-9443 x102 pressrelease@iexplore.com
