Adventure Holidays

Specialist Reports Activity Holidays Adventure Holidays World Expeditions 

	World Expeditions
3 Northfields Prospect, Putney Bridge Road, London, SW18 1PE			MAP
tel: (020) 8870 2600 Freephone 0800 0744 135

Originating as Himalayan trekking specialists in 1975 this adventure tour operator offers ‘over 200 trips to every continent on earth'. The company operates a policy of sustainable tourism as well as contributing financially to organisations which support the local people of the places where they operate. A family programme was introduced in 2000 following successful experiences of several staff members travelling with their children. The company says that the local people in destinations like Africa and Nepal are particularly good with children, making an introduction to the local culture part of the experience. World Expeditions also has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, as well as Auckland, Toronto, and San Francisco.

What and Where

Trips range from adventure touring to introductory trekking & cycling adventures, sea kayaking and rafting in Australia, plus mountaineering trips (eight staff members have climbed Mt Everest). The most suitable trips for children are the eight-day Annapurna Trek following little known trails at levels with moderate temperatures but which still offer fine views and a chance to see the diversity of the country. The trek is often followed by two days at Chitwan National Park viewing game. Estimated walking time is never more than five hours per day with lots of leisurely breaks in between. However, there are some fairly substantial uphill sections. An alternative and more demanding Everest trek involves higher altitudes and the minimum age is 12 years. A Tanzania Wildlife Family Safari is a thirteen-day trip with three nights in hotels and nine in lodges or wildlife camps. This visits game parks in the country including the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater in the Conservation Area, Tarangire National Park and there is a chance to visit a local Masai boma and see their way of life. Minimum age is 6.. The seventeen-day Vietnam Explorer is perfectly suited for a family adventure. You visit the markets of Ho Chi Minh City, cruise the remote islands of the Mekong Delta and do a short trek to the northern hill tribe villages before relaxing on the beaches of Halong Bay. Minimum age 6. Private trips can also be arranged although the company aims, where possible, to join two or three families together. Recommendations for these include the Inca Trail - a short trek offered in the company's Best of Peru and Bolivia programme, and a North India Adventure including camel riding and cycling. In South East Asia the Thailand Adventure is also recommended.

Minimum Age

The company explains that ‘to join a family adventure, your child (or children) should be enthusiastic in the outdoors, be physically fit and have a curious and active mind'
While the minimum age is generally 6, the operator requires to meet children under 10 to determine their suitability for a trip. On standard departures minimum age is 16.

Sample Price

The eight-day Annapurna Trek starting in Kathmandu is £795 per adult, £695 per child under 12. On the Nepalese trips a kit bag, sleeping bag and down/fibrefill jacket are provided for all participants though you should check in advance that items of appropriate child sizes are available. The thirteen-day Tanzania Safari joining in Nairobi is £1,390 per adult, £890 per child under 12 years. The seventeen-day Vietnam Explorer joining in Ho Chi Minh City costs £940 per adult, £690 per child under 12 years. All costs do not include international flights.