Signs your vacation might need a rethink

Most sources agree that time away from the job makes employees more creative and less stressed than those who forego taking time off. Adults are not the only one dealing with time constraints. Children, too, have tight time schedules. All this makes the family vacation a challenge to plan and carry out. Here are a few scenarios you will want to avoid.

The Napping Lion
You have dreamed of an African safari for years. And, here you are on safari in Kenya. Your first encounter with African wildlife, however, isn’t quite what you expected. Your guide spots some action and your driver quickly heads to the place only to find a dozen other vehicles have beat you to it. Now you have one poor lion surrounded by vehicles and all he wants to do it sleep.

The Remedy: Private Conservancies
In East and Southern Africa, private conservancies offer authentic encounters with wildlife where you are the only vehicle around for miles. You have time to just be in the company of the animals and watch their interactions with other wildlife and their surroundings. This is the safari you hoped for. Explore Private Conservancies of Kenya & Tanzania

More People than a Shopping Mall
Most of us have had the experience at least once of overcrowding at prime tourist sites. You’ve waited a long time to see the phenomenal ancient ruins of Ankgor Wat, only to discover you selected the same time as everyone else and are engulfed in a sea of people.

The Remedy: A Great Plan
A Destination Specialist with in-depth knowledge and firsthand experience can plan an itinerary that insures you will have the best experience, even in the most popular sites. Your specialist will work to craft the perfect journey that fits your needs. He or she can suggest the best times to visit and can offer alternatives or additions. For example, in the Rural Landscapes of Laos & Cambodia, you’ll set out on an adventure by quad bike to the secluded Banteay Ampeul Temple. You head off the beaten track into the forest to reach this temple site that few tourists ever see as the trail is impassable for anything but quad bikes. Your specialist might also recommend visiting Koh Ker, another ancient Angkor site that remains relatively unknown.

More Souvenirs than Villagers
Travelers often love to shop but shopping for authentic souvenirs abroad can be tricky business. India, for example, is well known for fabulous shopping opportunities – everything from furniture to jewelry. Unfortunately, it is also known for guides who steer tourists to specific shops for profit.

The Remedy: Trustworthy Advice
Too often, travelers expect their guides to bargain for them. That is a double-edge sword in the best of situations. Guides must live, work and function within their community long after travelers have returned home. In India, the current system obligates guides to stay out of the shopping cycle. It can create a conflict of interest, and it puts them in a very awkward position with the shopkeepers and guests alike. So we removed the guide from the equation, and they now simply offer you tips on getting a fair price. Our country manager can also help you with basic guidelines on shopping in some of the great markets in India such as in Mumbai, Kabini and Mysore in our India – Gujarat & Karnataka.

Kids are more Bored on Vacation than at Home
You’ve seen families on the road with kids still glued to their smart devices and ignoring what’s going on around them; or younger children running a bit wild with pent up energy. Traveling with the family does not have to be an ordeal.

The Remedy: Precious Journeys™
We launched Precious Journeys™ because we saw a decided lack of authentic adventures are focused on children. They are geared towards families with children, approximately five to 11 years old, and include engaging and fun educational experiences. They encounter other cultures, and meet other children as well as fascinating people working on real-world solutions. They learn what the sustainability movement means from a global perspective, and have opportunities to experience fields ranging from archaeology to conservation to organic farming. In Kenya: Kids, Cats & A Tree House, you walk among elephants in the wilderness of Tsavo East National Park. Your family learns about world of elephants and the vital work being carried out by David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and others to save these magnificent and intelligent animals.

Follow the Crowd
We have all seen them – those annoying pop-up flags that signal beware large group, and those visitors trailing after the guide as though they were goslings following a mother goose. You certainly don’t want to be at the back of the pack, continually asking “What did he say?” This herd mentality can defeat the most promising of adventures.

The Remedy: The Specialist
You have planned this vacation for a long time. You don’t want to be lost in the crowd. Agreed. Our idea of group is as few as two people. You want to travel with a company that puts as much value on your journey as you do, and has the specialist guides to help you explore your interests individually, and not as part of a pack. In Kyoto, Japan, you can enjoy an exclusive evening with long-term Kyoto resident, Peter MacIntosh. This Canadian former professional soccer player traveled to Japan and settled in Kyoto. He has spent time studying traditional arts, photography and documentary film making, focusing on the geisha culture. He also spends his time searching out new restaurants and/or watering holes. He will take you to his favorite places, including out of the way establishments full of colorful local characters, where you can even try your hand at cooking your own food! Peter is fully bilingual in English and Japanese and is sure to give you a unique perspective on the ancient capital. Discover unique Japan.