Regent has more than doubled its collection of family adventures for 2023, expanding from an exploratory handful of itineraries into a fully-fledged family programme, opening up its pioneering spirit and in-depth destination knowledge to adventurers of all ages.
Regent’s 2023 family collection now includes holidays in The Azores, Borneo, Iceland, Finland, Jordan, the Norwegian Fjords, Slovenia and Sweden.
Andrea Godfrey, Regent’s Head of Product and Marketing, said: “Regent has always been about taking travellers to some of Europe and Asia’s most fascinating and lesser-explored places. We have dipped our toe into the water of family holidays in recent years, and now – in response to customer demand – we have expanded our programme to include a family option in almost all of our most popular destinations, from the Nordic countries to Slovenia and the Azores.”
“The collection has been carefully put together by our destination experts, each of whom has a deep knowledge and passion for their ‘patch’, so agents can be assured their clients will be experiencing the very best of what each place has to offer family adventurers. Many of the trips can be tailored to feature upgraded or self-catering accommodation options, and when agents pick up the phone to us, they know they will be getting the best advice to meet their clients’ needs.”
Some of Regent’s new family trips for 2023 include:
Canyoning, kayaking and coasteering in The Azores
The volcanic islands of The Azores have plenty of activities for even the most discerning of teens, from canyoning, coasteering and sailing to canoeing and whale watching, and budding geologists will love the belching steam vents and volcanic fumaroles.
Highlights of the new Family Adventures in The Azores itinerary include exploring the capital Ponta Delgada by bike; a whale watching excursion by catamaran; canoeing on the lakes at Furnas including seeing the fumaroles (and witnessing how the traditional Cozida das Furnas stew is cooked underground using volcanic heat); an off-road adventure to mountains, beaches, lakes and thermal water pools and a canyoning and coasteering experience, plus plenty of free time to hike, fish, snorkel and stand up paddle board.
Floating and boating in Finnish Lakeland
Characterised by lake and forest adventures, this seven-night fly-drive family break is based in a cosy log cabin with private sauna and hot tub at the Lehmonkärki Resort on the shore of Päijänne, Finland’s second largest lake.
The Finnish Lakeland Family Summer Break includes a day trip to the city of Lahti for its Wooden Architecture Park and Ski Museum (with ski jump and biathlon shooting simulation); rowing to a ‘secret’ island to swim or fish in Lake Salajärvi; evening fishing along the Vääksy Canal and Lake Vesijärvi in search of perch and pike; donning a special suit to go lake floating; an adventure course in the trees at the Flowpark Adventure Park and a visit to a farm to meet the resident Siberian huskies.
Tombs, temples and sandboarding in Jordan
Jordan is an excellent option for active families who like nature and wildlife, history and learning about other cultures.
Over 11 days with an English-speaking driver and guide, Regent’s new Jordan Family Adventure visits the well-preserved ruins of Jerash and Petra, stays in traditional tented camps, explores local crafts and traditional Arabic cuisine (including cooking your own supper at Petra Kitchen), and heads out in a glass-bottomed boat to see the tropical life of the Red Sea.
There’s also a canyon trek and swim at Wadi Bin Hammad, fireside star gazing in the desert, a wildlife walk in the Dana Nature Reserve, a 4×4 ride through rocky outcrops and sand boarding down the high dunes at Wadi Rum, and floating in the Dead Sea.
Rafting and Zip-lining in Alpine Slovenia
Regent’s new self-drive family adventure itinerary in Slovenia includes some of the best active experiences the country has to offer at it travels through the beautiful Julian Alps and Soča Valley.
After a night soaking up Ljubljana’s capital, families will head out in a hire car to Lake Bohinj (stopping en route at the famous Lake Bled) to enjoy a guided cycle ride, as well as hiking, swimming or kayaking at leisure. The trip offers ample opportunity to explore the dense and magical spruce forest of the Pokljuka plateau in Triglav National Park, and then crosses Slovenia’s highest mountain pass to reach the Soča Valley for white water rafting and zip-lining.
Hiking and biking in the Norwegian Fjords
Norway is the ideal destination for a family road trip, with virtually every journey offering spectacular views. Regent’s family adventure in the Fjords offers the freedom and flexibility of a fly-drive holiday, with plenty of activities en route.
Starting and finishing in Bergen, the route explores fjords, glaciers, crevasses and waterfalls, and pretty villages along the way. There’s a hike to a goat farm with lunch and tour with the herder; a ride on the famous Flamsbana train (ranked amongst the most beautiful train journeys in the world) followed by a downhill bike ride back down to the fjord, traversing mountain paths and glacier torrents, and admiring the waterfalls; glacier walking, hiking and rapid rafting in Jostedalsbreen National Park and – back in Bergen – the ancient colourful wooden quarter of Bryggen listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Regent for agents
Agents can access assets including Regent’s images and tour itineraries for marketing purposes by logging on to the ITC’s free online toolkit at https://toolkit.itc-uk.com/.
