Family Adventure Holidays: Family Destinations that Get the Adrenaline Pumping

The Best Family Adventure Holidays

A big family travel trend for 2023 is 'adrenaline-fuelled adventure' holidays. A large number of families no longer desire the classic 'fly and flop' beach holiday and are now craving family adventure holidays that push the boundaries and force them to step out of their comfort zones. 

There are a lot of family friendly holiday destinations offering dedicated programmes and activities designed to teach children life skills through fun outdoor activities. In this article we take a look at some of the best family adventure holidays around.

Family Travel Inspiration: Some of the Best Family Adventure Holidays 

• The Bear Grylls Survival Academy at Sani Resort, Greece 
• Windjammer Landing's Underwater Breathwork Programme, St Lucia
• Triathlon & sporting academies at Quinta do Lago Resort, The Algarve, Portugal
• Frances longest zip line in Chamrousse in the Isère region of France
• Sombay, the exciting Red Sea destination that provides the perfect active family holiday

 

The Bear Gryll Survival Academy at Sani Resort

Visitors to Sani Resort can embark on a survival journey in partnership with Bear Grylls Survival Academy and learn navigation skills, build shelters, try spear-making, and even tracking wildlife. This year, the resort is offering the academy on a complimentary basis, so all guests can take advantage of this unique offering. Located at Sani Beach, the programme runs throughout the spring, summer and autumn, with two separate courses for families and teens. Family bonding has a whole new meaning with the family adventure course. With fire building and catching their own wild food, to guided trails through the woods and Astro Navigation, there is something for everyone to experience as they fight to survive with expert guides. The teen programme is led by instructors through the woods and undergrowth to various camp points. Teenagers will learn priorities of survival, how to build a shelter and spotting wild food as well as make spears and build their own raft to carry out a self-rescue.

New for 2023, The Bear Grylls Survival Academy at Sani Resort is complimentary to all guests. For more information, please visit:

https://sani-resort.com/experiences/academies/bear-grylls-survival-academy

Bear Grylls comments "we have a very special partnership with Sani Resort and it's great to be returning for a third year. Sani is very unique to offer a wealth of world class academies, and I'm delighted that our vision for kid-friendly survival skills can be a part of it. Our academy is unique, because it encourages kids to get away from digital devices, away from screens and embrace the natural world - it gives children the opportunity to be present in the here and now, and try something they have likely never experienced before. I have always believed that the currency of life is all about resilience: having that dogged, never-give-up spirit; learning how to deal with failure; learning how to build teams, how to be a leader and how to communicate well. The academy at Sani does just that, away from academics, in the incredible natural setting of Sani Resort."

Sporting Academies at The Campus with Quinta do Lago, Portugal - Including Triathlon Training for Kids

Quinta do Lago is a renowned sporting and wellness destination situated in the heart of the Algarve, just 15 minutes from Faro airport – with quick connections back to the UK. This high-end resort encourages guests to spend time outdoors and offers inviting temperatures year round, along with relaxed accommodation at The Magnolia Hotel and a selection of top-quality restaurants boasting a varied and healthy cuisine. Taking care of one's physical and mental health has never been more important and multi-sports hub, The Campus, provides easy access to an active lifestyle with fitness classes tailored to every level, fun group activities and relaxing spa facilities. 

Regular camps take place all year round (with celebrity-hosted camps available during the school holidays) including tennis, swimming and triathlon training for kids. This triathlon training combines swimming, cycling and running into the ultimate active experience - and teaches little ones to push themselves and develop strength, endurance and balance from a young age. The Campus treats all little visitors as budding athletes from the get-go and encourages them to develop goals and celebrates meeting them! 

For more information on what's on at The Campus, Quinta do Lago, this year, please visit: www.thecampusqdl.com/en/junior-programmes/

The Magnolia Hotel (themagnoliahotelqdl.com ; +351 289 005 300) offers a Standard Double Room from €157/£139 on a B&B basis. The Family Cottages are available from €309/£273 per night on a B&B basis.

Get active and discover new adventures with Somabay, Egypt

Whether you’re a thrill seeker or a sporting enthusiast, a visit to Somabay will cater for everyones interests with its impressive array of sports and adventure facilities. From golf, diving and kitesurfing facilities to a go-karting arena, paintballing, padel tennis, horseback riding and fitness classes at Bayfit, there is no end of activities waiting to be discovered at this exciting Red Sea destination.

Somabay is proud to be home to the highest-ranked golf course in Egypt. Designed by the legendary golfer Gary Player, the 18-hole course offers panoramic views of the Red Sea as it snakes around the coastline. Guests looking to improve their technique can enjoy tuition from PGA Professionals at the Somabay Golf Academy, where there is a private double-ended Driving Range for instruction. Alongside the recent addition of a floodlit 9-hole Short Course, there is a 9-hole Footgolf Course, 5,000 sqm Short Game Area, Floodlit Driving Range and the Somabay Golf Pro Shop and Café. There is also a second 18-hole golf course under construction which is being built to complement the natural surroundings and to maximise sustainability. This includes the usage of Paspalum Platinum grass, a variant that requires less water, and the opening of the 5MW Solar Plant as part of the Somabay mission to run on solar energy.

At the Orca Diving Center, guests of any ability can explore Egypt’s underwater world with diving courses and excursions to twenty different sites. The reefs are a habitat for coral gardens, turtles, barracudas, and rays, and welcome occasional visits from Wally, the whale shark. Alongside the house reef, which is accessible via the 420-metre-long jetty, guests can also visit the renowned ‘Salem Express’ shipwreck for a real adventure.

Somabay is also proud to be one of the top three kitesurfing spots in the world, and guests of all ages and abilities can discover and enjoy this exhilarating sport at Somabay’s 7Bft Kitehouse. The destination is also popular with windsurfers, with all kit available to rent on-site. Once the sun sets, adrenaline junkies can head to Soma Raceway, Somabay's very own go-karting track.

Excursions with the Jasmine Horse Stable at Somabay allow guests to explore the natural surroundings of the destination from a unique vantage point. With both private and group tours available, guests can explore the desert, plunge into the banks of the Red Sea on horseback, or opt for a one-of-a-kind sunset excursion.

Somabay is easily navigated, and guests can take advantage of e-bikes rented from Hopper Bikes to explore the destination via lined promenades, ensuring a quick and easy transfer between the extensive activities and experiences.

Opportunity for adventure is at the heart of the Somabay experience, and with a full range of activities on offer and accommodation to suit all budgets, Somabay caters to guests of all ages and interests, ensuring a holiday to remember.

Windjammer Landing's Underwater Breathwork Programme

Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort's underwater breathwork programme is a unique combination of wellness and scuba diving that is available for children aged 10 years old and over. Working together, the wellness and diving teams at the property have created a powerful programme designed to harness the power of breathwork to enhance the diving experience and the beauty of the underwater environs. Based around a sunrise dive which takes place in the early morning in calm and tranquil waters, the programme starts with an initial briefing. This takes place on the boat with expert instructor Eget Martyr, the Windjammer Landing resident dive expert with over 25 years' experience in the scuba diving and hospitality industry.

The underwater experience includes multiple breathing exercises, practised on the boat beforehand to aid with buoyancy control and mindfulness. Controlled yoga positions are demonstrated and held underwater. This is followed by a relaxing and scenic dive tour, with a focus on breath and mindfulness, allowing guests to engage and absorb the underwater surroundings. Benefits include slowing down the heart rate, lowering blood pressure and creating a deep feeling of calm, as well as reducing overall stress and anxiety.  The programme is the first of its kind to harness the calming benefits of the diving world with the wellness benefits of breath.

The Underwater Breathwork programme starts from $180 per person, minimum age 10 years old. The experience is 2.5 hours in total, with 45 minutes underwater. For more information, please visit: www.windjammer-landing.com/experience/diving

Try France’s longest zip line in Chamrousse, Isère region of France

This summer will see the opening of France’s longest pylon zip line, in Chamrousse in the Isère region. The zip line will measure an impressive two kilometres long, starting at the top of La Croix de Chamrousse resort and finishing at Chamrousse 1650 – Recoin. Flying over the men and women’s Olympic ski slopes, with a 550 metre vertical drop, the zipline offers a breath-taking view over the entire valley. Price of the zip line is TBC. A seven night stay at Les Balcons de Recoin, arriving 1 July 2023, is priced from £235 pp, based on two sharing a room. Flights and transfers extra.
Isère: www.isere-tourism.com

 

Where will your next family adventure holiday take you?