A few suggestions to get the holiday planning process started
Relax in luxury at this chic, family-friendly resort
8 days, from £2,915 to £4,650
Spend time exploring the trails, hidden caves and waterfalls in this jungle playground, spotting toucans, tanagers and olive-throated parakeets with a friendly birding expert.
10 days, from £2,025 to £3,235
Laugh as a snake charmer wraps a snake around Dad in the medina
11 days, from £1,250 to £1,990
Enjoy a safari in Grand Teton National Park
15 days, from £3,960 to £6,320
Enrol the children on the Young Rangers course at Wilpattu National Park
13 days, from £2,880 to £4,595
The finest family holidays, tailored to your tribe
Every family is different, with their own idiosyncrasies and interests. We relish the challenge of tailor-making a stress-free and inspirational family trip entirely from scratch. We know what questions to ask, what solutions will work, and how to weave everything together into one terrific and entirely tailor-made whole, whether it’s a 3G (Three Generational) trip or a parent and child bonding break.
Our exclusive Original Services come as standard with every trip. Check-in assistance, fast track security and lounge access (even if you’re flying economy) at UK airports, and access to our network of clued-up local Concierges in every destination to recommend and book experiences and family-friendly restaurants. All brilliant (if we say so ourselves) at the best of times; completely indispensable when travelling with children.
We believe passionately that Life is in the Detail, so we are constantly on the lookout for new experiences. We regularly revisit our family-friendly destinations to find out what’s new and improved, what flight times work best, and what accommodation might no longer warrant the ‘family-friendly’ tag. We also hold client focus groups to hear the views of that key constituency – the parents.
Our family packs are something of a family travel first aid kit, ready to save the day in those ‘I’m bored’ moments like the airport arrivals queue. We’ve also weaved in some cunning challenges (‘what is the name of your language and how do you say “hello”?’) to nudge your knee-high nuggets into interaction with the locals when you’re in destination.
We’re both parents and family travel experts, and as such we appreciate the pressures and pitfalls of planning a top-notch family holiday. In fact, Co-founder Tom Barber’s children are such a tough audience that they’ve been christened the ‘Guinea Kids’; they’ve tried out several new trips and their feedback – both good and bad – has been invaluable in refining what works best for children and parents alike.
Question: what’s the best way to teach your children new things? Answer: make it fun. That’s why we’re huge fans of what we call ‘stealth learning’. Whether that’s learning about a country from our destination specific family packs (as mentioned above), or from a guide who understands what works for children (more on this later), we believe travel can and should be every bit as informative as formal school time.
We work with the best guides in every destination, but while an art historian might be best to accompany a couple around a notable museum, an academic approach will likely prove a no-no with the niños. Instead, we might try to organise for a children’s book illustrator to take the family, and spark their imaginations. As the fishing phrase goes, you need to ‘match the hatch’.
Our Concierges are your informed insiders, able to pull rabbits out of hats while you’re in their beloved destination. They also know what makes their spot special for children specifically, and can suggest and arrange experiences that the little ones will be talking about for years to come and which showcase the destination’s distinctive charms, from shadow puppet shows to cooking classes.
Along with our inflight activity packs, our partnership with children’s party people Sharky & George now includes three bookable add-ons to your holiday, which are total game changers for family travel. These are: a ‘Mind the Pack’ experience, where one of the Sharky & George team will come to your house and entertain the children while you get on with packing and pre-holiday admin; a Personal PIC (Partner-in-Crime) who joins you on your holiday and keeps the little ones occupied so parents can enjoy some downtime; and bespoke on-holiday immersive adventures, where the Sharky & George team can create unforgettable experiences for the whole family as part of your trip.
Practical advice and inspiration to help you prepare for your holiday
Naturally, your two-year-old has completely different needs to your twelve-year-old, and so our selection of trips is designed to satisfy all ages and tastes. That means bottle warmers for the babies, supervised fun for the wild things, and fresh challenges for the teens. And what about their parents? The sheer joy of finding the magic family holiday formula.
We have teamed up with much loved children's party organisers Sharky & George to bring you the finest family holiday experiences. The partnership aims to improve each and every element of the holiday process, from expert advice at the booking phase to make those dreaded transfers fun, and providing activities and games at airports and in destination. Every child will receive a specifically tailored fun pack of ideas and adventures for them to enjoy on their own, with the family or while bonding with dad. Family holidays with Sharky & George now guarantee stimulating, fun and educational activities and adventures for the little ones while away, ensuring the holiday is genuinely family-friendly.
Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
