Western Discovery - Family Holiday

Most useful will be clothing that can be worn in layers; i.e. walking trousers, shorts, light shirts and sweatshirts or jumpers. If you have a choice, a fleece jumper and waterproof jacket are much better than bulky/heavyweight sweaters/ jackets. It will be cold in the evenings in June and September, whilst it can be warm during the day.

Dan Cockburn - Product Manager

Yes, there are some good opportunities for wildlife spotting along the way. With a little luck we get to see black bear and deer, as well as coyotes, snakes and small mammals in the desert. The bird life and the wildflowers are varied and interesting.
Spring offers fascinating desert wildflower blooms while autumn offers superb fall colours.

Karol Rogacki - Americas Operations

On travelling days, we will have the opportunity to stop for lunch at inexpensive restaurants. We sometimes have the opportunity to take our evening meals in restaurants close to where we camp. For these meals and meals when staying in hotels, we suggest you allow about $200. On average breakfasts and lunches range from $6-$15, dinners from $15-$25, these figures were calculated without alcoholic beverages. Wine is approx $15-40 a bottle, beer $2-4.

Karol Rogacki - Americas Operations

The West is known for its very dry spring, summer and autumn weather and outstanding blue, sunny skies. Being as far south as southern Europe and Northern Africa, temperatures are normally much warmer than in Northern Europe. However, temperatures vary greatly depending on the elevation you are at, generally, the higher the elevation, the cooler the temperature and time of year.

Spring and autumn will offer perfect hiking days in the deserts, and cooler days at higher elevations.
On warmer days during the peak summer months, the leader may opt for early morning and late afternoon walks, leaving time for mid-day rest. Please note the hottest time of day in the deserts is actually 3 pm.
In the summer months you should be prepared for afternoon thunderstorms.

In the winter daytime temperatures can drop below freezing and there may be snowfall. Most nights will be mild to warm during the summer but in the winter it will be cold at night, it can be below freezing with snow.

Brendan Phelan - Customer Operations

We will camp both at privately run, organised sites with toilet, washing and shower facilities, and at some relatively primitive sites (e.g. within the national park boundaries) with only basic toilets and tap water. While
camping, expect to have access to a hot shower every other day. Hot showers are included at some camping sites, other nights; the showers are charged for and cost between $1.50-3.00. Compared to Europe, campgrounds here tend to be slightly more basic with fewer amenities. National park campgrounds tend to be much more basic than the commercial sites in Europe. However this is done on purpose, as development is frowned upon as the national parks are supposed to protect the area for future use and not destroy the natural habitat by development.

Dan Cockburn - Product Manager

Most clients are eligible to travel via the US under the US Visa Waiver Programme, however to do this you must register for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority). This must be done prior to departure - more details can be found at www.exodus.co.uk/usvisa.

Rebecca Caldicott - Customer Operations

To book on a Family Adventure Holiday at least one member of the family must be under the age of 18. For individual trips a minimum age will also be specified - see the Essential Information tab for the particular trip you are interested in. Please note there may also be a minimum age for certain activities on your chosen holiday.

If you are the sort of family that enjoys meeting other families and have a passion for discovering new places and trying new activities, then you’ll love going on a Family Adventure. With a Tour Leader to take care of daily arrangements, you can relax and get on with the serious business of spending time with your family and enjoying your holiday. And it’s not just parents who take their children away; we’ve had a number of children travelling with just their grandparents too!

Itineraries are carefully planned to provide a good balance of activity and relaxation time. You can opt to stay with the group all the time or go off and do your own thing every now and then. Your leader will be on hand to help you find your way and organise optional activities. And if the local food isn’t pleasing everyone in the party, it’s usually possible to sneak off to the occasional pizza parlour or similar, to get something a little more familiar.

Our holidays are designed to take you to unusual or remote places, give you exciting experiences and allow you to make the most of your precious holiday time. As with all adventure holidays, there is inevitably an element of risk that you might not find on a resort-based package. However, safety is taken very seriously and our professional leaders will take all necessary precautions to run the trip safely. You will get to see wonderful sights, have the opportunity to interact with local people and create memories that will stay with you forever. Come with us and let us share our passion for travel with you!

All the staff at Exodus share a passion for adventure travel, and are always happy to answer any questions you may have. You can find an expert for the area you are interested in here and can contact them to get further information. If you don't see your specific country listed, please email customerops@exodus.co.uk and they will get the answers you need!