Stubborn Mule Travel

The highest freestanding mountain in the world, the dormant volcanic Mount Kilimanjaro is mysterious and iconic. Within reach for adventurous families, you will be guided by our expertise and experience at arranging a successful and safe trek to the top for all the family. The fastest ever ascent and descent of Mt Kilimanjaro was 6 hours and 42 minutes. We will be doing it slightly slower than this! In fact, we deliberately follow a slow and steady route taking quite a long time ascending the mountain. This gives everyone in your group time to properly acclimatise, minimising the impact of altitude sickness and thereby maximising the chance of summiting. The result is a more enjoyable ...Read more >

If there’s one thing to get children and parents raring to go it’s going to be an exciting family vacation in Tanzania and although there’s no age limit on this tailor made trip, older children, above 7 or 8yrs old, will certainly benefit the most. From the vast plains of the Serengeti to the unique environment of Ngorongoro Crater this experience will take you to some of Africa’s most concentrated areas for wildlife with stunning natural backdrops adding to the inspirational experiences for young and older travelers alike. Watching lions on the prowl and elephants by the watering hole will become daily occurrences with ranger instructions enabling everyone to become skilled in the ways of ...Read more >

This two week Sri Lanka family vacation offers families a rich and varied range of activities, excursions and things to do all within a relatively short distance of each other which cuts down on travel time and the ‘are we there yets?’ Opportunities to rest, relax and enjoy the scenery come thick and fast on this tailor made trip, with everything from waterfalls and tea plantations to beaches and rainforests providing an exotic backdrop from where to search for wild animals and fabulous photographs. Cultural sites are just as fascinating and beautiful as their natural equivalents with the statues at Sigiriya, the ancient ruins of Polonnaruwa and numerous remote jungle villages bound to ...Read more >

If your idea of a perfect family vacation might involve a camel safari through spectacular desert scenery, a night under the stars in a Bedouin tent, a ramble through the crumbling ruins of a Crusader castle and a snorkelling excursion in the Red Sea in search of beautiful angel fish and irridescent coral, then Jordan could be exactly the place to go! Every visit must include the Nabatean city of Petra, with its huge edifices carved out of the pink and sandy coloured rock. Active families will enjoy hiking up to the 'High Place of Sacrifice' where the children's imaginations will be set to work picturing the gory practices that may have taken place there two thousand years ago. It is also ...Read more >

This two week family vacation in Mongolia is suitable for all ages thanks to a tailor made itinerary which places you in the heartland of Genghis Khan country with a choice of included and optional activities ensuring everyone gets to experience life, free from the trappings of the modern world. There's nothing like the vast wide open spaces of Mongolia to quite literally expand horizons and if you're a family that likes camping then be prepared to experience life outdoors on a whole new level. Imagine an evening around the camp fire surrounded by the folds of the Gobi Desert whilst overhead stars shine against an infinite black velvet sky and wolves howl from distant rocky escarpments. How ...Read more >

For such close neighbours, Mexico and Belize are two countries with astonishing contrasts. A tailormade family vacation combining the two will be packed with variety and have a terrific amount to offer adventurous families. Mexico is the most fabulous family destination, with its melting pot of experiences and cultures. The Yucatan Peninsula is the main focal point for active families. Think ancient civilisations, jungles, colonial cities, white-sand beaches, cenotes, waterfalls, flamingos, turtles, and gorgeous hacienda accommodation. Belize boasts the world’s second largest barrier reef (after Australia), and most people will want to get under the sea at some point during their visit. ...Read more >

What more wondrous and timeless place to take the children? Egypt is one of the world's most exotic, charming and exciting destinations, steeped in thousands of years of abundant history, it's the perfect place for a family vacation. Leaving the city and approaching the desert, the first glimpse you catch of the majestic Pyramids is a moment you'll never forget. The children will be fascinated by the exquisitely painted tombs of the Pharaohs, lying under the barren desert on the west bank of the Nile, and the whole family will be bowled over at the awe-inspiring temple at Abu Simbel (painstakingly cut apart and then re-built on higher ground to avoid flooding from the Aswan High Dam). ...Read more >

For such a small country, Belize is hard to beat when it comes to the outdoors, jungle, beach, wildlife, and ancient ruins. Less well-known than its famous neighbours (Costa Rica and Mexico), Belize has a terrific amount to offer adventurous families. Boasting the world’s second largest barrier reef (after Australia) most people will want to get under the sea at some point during their visit. The swimming, snorkelling, and diving opportunities here are world-class and the beaches are a paradise. Combine the dazzling white sand with the colourful marine life and you won’t want to leave. If you prefer to stick to dry land, you won’t be disappointed by the richness of wildlife in the ...Read more >

For such close neighbours, Guatemala and Belize are two countries with astonishing contrasts. A tailormade family vacation combining the two will be packed with variety and have a terrific amount to offer adventurous families. From the volcano-fringed banks of Lake Atitlan to the exquisitely carved facades of historic colonial Antigua, via the world-famous market at Chichicastenango crammed with vibrant textiles, and on to the steamy jungle surrounding Tikal, Guatemala has it all. One day you could be bargaining for jewellery, the next kayaking and hiking, or even making ‘volcano pizza’ on the lava fields of Pacaya Volcano. The Mayan complex at Tikal is completely unforgettable, especially ...Read more >

Peru is without doubt our favourite location in South America with an inordinate amount of exciting activities and incredible landscapes ensuring family vacations will never be the same, ever again. From mesmerising market places and interesting archaeological sites to one off eco-systems thriving deep within the Amazon rainforest in places like Puerto Maldonado, Peru is absolutely jam packed with a huge variety of things to see and do to keep the whole family happy and active all day long. This 15 day tailor made tour invites families into the realm of the Incas where Machu Picchu can be reached on a day excursion or, perhaps, via a three day hike on the legendary Inca Trail. A great idea ...Read more >

This fantastic Thailand family vacation lets you experience the country on a local level with a combination of cultural excursions, exciting activities and excellent accommodation adding to plenty of lazy days spent by the beach - all in two weeks. Starting your trip in Bangkok really chucks your family in to the center of the action; however, you’re bound to come up swimming within a city that never sleeps and never fails to excite and enthral in equal measures. From tuk tuks to long tail boats, there's certainly more than one way to travel around the capital, with sightseeing tours featuring the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and the banks of the Chao Phraya River all adding to an array of ...Read more >

As the largest island in the Caribbean, Cuba boasts no end of tropical idylls from where to kick start an exciting family vacation with limestone rock formations, forest covered mountain slopes and a fascinating historical back story providing a great choice of things to do, for all ages. From peeling pastel paintwork on grand colonial properties to peaceful piazzas from where you can sit and watch the world salsa by, Cuba conjures a charmingly cultural vision of the past with giant classic cars and tiny family run lodgings offering just a couple of reasons for families to get excited. Although modern Cuba, Havana in particular, is heading to the top of the list for culture seeking ...Read more >

This two week, Vietnam family vacation takes you on an adventure from top to tail, or vice versa, with an array of stunning scenery, cultural sites and delicious regional dishes to keep your family wide eyed and active all vacation long. As this itinerary is possible from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, or in the opposite direction, you can tailor make your tour to suit your wishes with guided cyclo (bicycle rickshaw) tours around the old districts bound to kick start your vacation as you mean to go on. If you’re starting in the northern capital of Hanoi then the karst landscapes of Halong Bay are an inevitable next destination with kayaking, swimming and boat tours around limestone caves offering ...Read more >

This 12 day family vacation in Nepal can be tailored to suit your clan with a variety of activities to be experienced around Kathmandu, the Annapurna mountain range and the Chitwan National Park. A family vacation in Nepal also represents a cultural and, sometimes, spiritual experience with time spent in Kathmandu unlocking fascinating stories and curious questions as you find yourselves in the realm of holy men, living goddesses and incense cloaked Buddhist temples. Moving on from the delights of Durbar Square you'll find Pokhara and its lake in the shadow of the Annapurnas offering all manner of opportunities to immerse yourself in Nepalese life with boat rides, cave exploration, Tibetan ...Read more >

Two week family vacations in Cambodia and Laos are ideal for those who want to see all the highlights as well as getting to grips with some of the lesser-known sites too. Angkor Wat and Battambang in Cambodia combined with Luang Prabang and Vang Vieng in Laos help create a family vacation that’s well-balanced with the chance to take lunch with local families and learn about Southeast Asian culture and traditions certain to appeal to parents and kids alike. Of course, no tour of Cambodia and Laos would be complete without taking a cruise along the industrious Mekong River and if you’re looking for a way to introduce your family to lifestyles that are far from what they’ll have experienced at ...Read more >

This two week, Borneo family tour lets you slip into the jungles and beaches of this fascinating island, packed with activities and wildlife adventures. From the safe forest reserve of Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary to watching turtles lay their eggs by the light of the moon on Selingan Island, this family vacation is certain to stay in the memory long after the tans fade with tea plantations, hot springs and river cruises adding to the mix. Not many kids can say that they’ve spent the night on a traditional longhouse or explored in the realm of Borneo’s headhunter tribes. However, this two week tour lets them do just that as well as spotting pygmy elephants and wild gibbons as part of the ...Read more >

This two-week tour of Vietnam and Cambodia, some of the most exciting countries in Southeast Asia, hits all the right notes for families with a sense of adventure and curiosity. And while the itinerary of course ticks off all the must-see icons: the magnificent Halong Bay, and the mysterious temples of Angkor (including the jewel in the crown, Angkor Wat), it also has a fair few surprises up its sleeve that will give you a sense of escaping the regular tourist route. Beginning in Hanoi, you’ll take a fun rickshaw tour of the city during which you’ll ride through the busy streets of the Old Quarter, see people ballroom dancing or practising tai chi in the parks, and the tomb of Ho Chi Minh ...Read more >

India is an incredibly exciting destination, a constant kaleidoscope of colour, noise, mayhem and occasional serenity. There are holy cows wandering in the middle of the road, holy men with long dreadlocks getting into strange contortions and holy temples awash with incense, fragrant flowers and hundreds of pilgrims. It is a huge country that deserves many visits and we recommend that you concentrate on one particular part of the country for each stay. A good place to start is the princely state of Rajasthan, home to many of India's most beautiful and well known sights, including crumbling forts that are begging to be explored, exquisitely decorated merchants' houses, majestic palaces ...Read more >

Canada is absolutely huge and to really see and do everything you’d need months! This two-week trip focuses on a relatively small area covering Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and the Rockies. While there are some longer driving days, we break this up with some free time as well as by including our favourite activities to truly experience the best of the main (and some lesser known) areas. This region is justifiably one of Canada’s biggest attractions, filled to the brim with lush forests, snow-covered mountains, improbably bright turquoise lakes and massive glaciers. For families who love being busy and enjoy the outdoors, you cannot beat Western Canada for variety, impressive vistas, ...Read more >

Forget the familiarity of the neighbours, Cambodia holds just as many things to do for family vacation makers with Angkor Wat just the start of a very exciting adventure to keep your little Lara Croft or Indiana Jones wide eyed and active over the course of a fun-packed two week itinerary. From the creeper covered temple ruins where monkeys roam free to boat rides as the sun sets over the present day Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, this is an exciting family vacation that you’ll never want to forget with a combination of cultural heritage and lesser-known beaches, very hard to beat. Time spent in Battambang, Cambodia’s second largest city, provides further evidence of French influence on ...Read more >