9 Immersive Family Travel Experiences

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Take your 2019 family holiday to the next level. These immersive experiences are perfect to get kids excited and involved – trying new things, learning new skills, and getting them entirely engaged in the action.

Designed primarily for 9-12 year olds, these family holidays are immersive ways to get involved in a new culture whilst travelling. Swap digital devices for getting crafty with your digits, trade sofa time for the great outdoors and see their eyes light up for that eureka moment. These are the experiences that need to be on your family bucket list.

Amalfi Family Holidays

Perfect Pizza Making

Pizza making in Amalfi

We all love a great pizza, a family-friendly crowd-pleaser that even the fussiest of eaters can enjoy. Where better to learn the art of the perfect slice than in Italy?

The Amalfi Coast is home to the family-run Due Torri hotel, where you can pick up topping tips and make your own pizza together with the head chef on a creative cookery class with the kids. It’s an activity that appeals to all ages – and at the end, you get to sit down and enjoy a meal you created together.

Children can also paint their own ceramic tile, a perfect crafty keepsake, and have a go at paper making!

See what else is included on our Amalfi Coast Pompeii & Pizza Family Holiday.

Finland Family Holidays

Lappish Drum Making Masterclass

Lappish drum

Now you can really march to the beat of your own drum with this cool workshop in remote, rural reaches of northern Finland.

Just a stone’s throw from the Arctic Circle, you’ll join a drum making masterclass to create a traditional Lappish drum, the way the Sami people have been making them for generations. Once used by shamans to free their spirits and connect with the world around you, the drums are decorated with traditional symbols and make a unique souvenir for the musical amongst you.

Croatia Family Adventures

Treasure Hunting Through History

Family lunch on the donkey safari

The picturesque island of Korcula sits off the coast of Croatia, in the Adriatic Sea. It’s an idyllic escape, and the perfect place to get in touch with a traditional way of life that still exists here.

Animal mad children are in for a treat with a donkey trek to a beautiful agriturismo, where a traditional Croatian lunch overlooking the hillside awaits.

Now fuelled up, it’s time to take on a treasure hunt! No boring lectures today, you’ll be learning about the history of the island with a fun interactive treasure hunt. Solve the clues and riddles to discover who the most famous inhabitant of the island was… clue: exploration is the theme of the day!

North Africa Family Holidays

Camel Trekking in the Sahara Desert

Camel trekking in the Sahara Desert

Waking up in the Sahara Desert is magical enough in itself. But imagine the excitement of arriving in the desert, clambering aboard your own camel, and following the train into the desert to your traditional Bedouin camp for an evening of campfire songs and Lawrence of Arabia style adventure.

Each camp comes with its own tall tents, with plenty of room to stand up and walk around, with proper beds to sleep on. Who could fail to be excited by such an adventure?

Costa Rica Family Trips

Meet the Sloths

Sloth in the Costa Rica jungle

Animal enthusiasts won’t want to miss this: prepare to be delighted and captivated by the sloths at Costa Rica’s Sloth Sanctuary. Kids will love the chance to meet the rehabilitating sloths, with the chance to learn more about these popular creatures at the learning centre.

Afterwards, comes a unique opportunity you’ll find nowhere else. Step outside the centre and head down to the river, where on the banks a fibreglass canoe awaits. Climb aboard for a 45-minute river ride, taking you further into the sloth’s natural habitat. Keep your eyes peeled for the chance to spy a wild sloth in Costa Rica.

Find out more: Costa Rica Adventure Family Holiday

Sicily Family Holidays

Traditional Treats at a Sicilian bakery

Sicilian pasticceria

It’s hard to imagine a sweet shop more exciting than a Sicilian pasticceria. It’s a Willy Wonka dream – rich with colours, flavours and pastries sure to grab any child’s attention. But it’s also a window into Sicilian history and tradition, with these sweets influenced by the history of traders and different nations that arrived on Sicily’s shores, with the sweet almond paste that forms the basis of many of these treats.

Traditional recipes were even kept alive in the post-war years by nuns, with many convents taking to making the sweets to generate some income in the lean years. The perfect way to make the history accessible to younger attention spans!

Find out more: Sicilian Volcanoes Family Holiday

Mexico Family Adventure

Vibrant Markets and Cookery Classes in Mexico

Mexican market stall

The easiest way to get the kids’ attention is to appeal to their senses, and that couldn’t be easier in Mexico. Set your senses racing with a visit to the local market, where the sights, sounds and smells are all sure to spark their imaginations.

We’ve included some tastings to get their tastebuds tingling and ready for the next treat: a Mexican cookery class in beautiful Izamal – whether you believe the rumours that this town is enchanted is up to you, but we guarantee a magical afternoon making delicious local delicacies as a team. More familiar guacamole and salsa are also on the menu.

Find out more: Mexico Food Adventure

Finland Family Winter Fun

Build Your Own Snow Fort

Finnish quinzee

Technically, this isn’t an igloo but a quinzee, a small snow shelter used to survive the extreme winters of the far north.

If fun in the snow is on the agenda (and how could it not be, in the winter wonderland of Finland?) then this ticks all the boxes. Once you’ve learnt all the skills you need to safely build your own quinzee, you can crawl in and spend an unforgettable night in your very own snow fort. Don’t worry, if you’d prefer to sneak back to your cosy wooden cabin at the eco-lodge, we won’t tell!

Find out more: Finnish Winter Adventure Family Holiday

Kenya Family Wildlife Trip

Visit an Elephant Orphanage

African elephant

Elephants are always popular with young adventurers. In fact, they’re often the most popular spot on safari – which is why visiting the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage is such a popular activity on our Kenya Family Wildlife Quest.

Here, you can see your children’s faces light up at the sight of baby elephants – orphans rescued by the sanctuary to be nursed back to health and released into the wild – as they frolic and play around the centre. To date, the wildlife trust has successfully hand-raised over 150 infant elephants to be released into the wild.

Find out more: Kenya Family Wildlife Quest - Camping and Kenya Family Wildlife Quest

If you want an unforgettable family adventure, take a look at more of our holidays below.

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