Destination inspiration for fit families

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South Africans are spoiled with plenty of wide open spaces and some of the world’s most beautiful scenery – and many families take full advantage by riding, hiking, swimming and exploring. It’s an opportunity to tear the kids way from their tablets, put on your out of office and have an adventure. So why not take that adventure to the next level by exploring other countries and adding an extra layer of fun for the whole family?

Mountainous Montana

If you think the wide open spaces in South Africa are… wide open – then you’ll be amazed by the sheer scale of Montana. The quintessential US outdoor destination is home to Yellowstone National Park, but there are plenty of other attractions for the whole family.

For something utterly different, why not spend some time on a ‘dude ranch’ like Lone Mountain, getting closer to nature? Apart from being working farms with plenty of learning opportunities, many ranches offer plenty of year-round adventure activities for all ages, including cross-country skiing, dog-sledding, horseback riding, mountain biking, fly-fishing, kayaking and white-water rafting, for starters.

Getting there is easy when you travel with an airline such as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines  who flies from Amsterdam to 6 destinations in Montana, giving you access to the best of one of the most beautiful of the United States.

Adventure in the Alps

Think ‘Alpine holiday’ and many imagine carving up snowy slopes on skis and sipping hot chocolate in a ski chalet – but there are also amazing summer opportunities for exploring some of the world’s great scenery.

Mürren is a car-free town, situated at 1650 metres and only accessible by cable car – and offering pristine views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains. The town is also the home of the Murren Flower Trail, which incorporates the Children’s Adventure Trail. It starts at the top of the Allmendhubel Funicular – one of the many gondola and funicular train networks that runs year-round and is particularly helpful for skipping the trickier bits of the Alps if the kids are a bit young. No such danger on the Children’s Adventure Trail, though – it’s home to all manner of climbing, crawling and jumping opportunities on the wooden obstacle course of sorts, including lookouts, seesaws and balance beams all backed by incredibly beautiful Alpine views.

There are an almost overwhelming number of hiking opportunities in the Alps which are appropriate for all ages – and you’re unlikely to experience fresher air or more beautiful scenery than you will, in Switzerland.

Amazing Ireland

The Emerald Isle doesn’t scream ‘adventure destination’ – but it should. With its dramatic cliffs and brilliant green trails, there are plenty of outdoor exploration options for families.

There are few places in the world where you can stay in a fairy tale castle, but Dromoland Castle Hotel in County Clare is one of them. Stay in royalty-level accommodation and venture outside to try archery, falconry, tennis and mountain biking. The 800 year-old Ashford Castle in Country Mayo adds zip lining, carriage rides, horseback riding and plenty of other kid-friendly pursuits to the mix.

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