Abercrombie & Kent’s New Luxury Family Journeys for 2020

Recent studies suggest gifting children with experiences rather than things is better for their development. Even if you went a little overboard with “stuff” this holiday season, resolve to do better in 2020 and take your kids on a trip to inspire their curiosity, creativity and sense of wonder.

Abercrombie & Kent’s Luxury Family Journeys combine local cuisine, kid-friendly accommodations and memorable activities and excursions. For 2020 the company is offering 13 family adventures on all seven continents, including a new journey across China, an expedition cruises from Iceland to Greenland and across the Southern Ocean to Antarctica.

During the new Family China itinerary, your brood will walk along a less-traveled section of the Great Wall of China, then coast down on a toboggan. You’ll learn the disciplined practice of tai chi during a class at the Temple of Heaven and the ancient art of kung fu in modern Shanghai. Ride Like a Local via pedicab through the maze-like hutong (alleys) of Beijing and make dumplings during a Family Food Experience. Get an up-close view of gorgeous giant pandas at a sanctuary, float on a bamboo raft amid the limestone karst formations in Guilin and attend a face-changing show at the Sichuan Opera. This 12-day trip starts at $6,495 per person; children aged 17 and under save $500.

Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China. Photo: Prasit Rodphan | Dreamstime.com

A&K Luxury Family Journeys are limited to 24 guests and includes amenities families will appreciate, like two mornings of breakfast in bed, private arrival and departure transfers, most gratuities, a Travelling Bell Boy to transfer luggage from one hotel room to the next and Traveller’s Valet, complimentary laundry service in the middle of the trip.

“We’ve fit a world of custom travel recommendations into our new Luxury Tailor Made Travel portfolio – essentially a dream book featuring nearly 300 experiences that appeal to a variety of interests from active to culinary, family, cultural and wellness,” explains Stephanie Papaioannou, vice president, tailor made and private travel, Abercrombie & Kent. “Personalization has become one of the hottest trends in luxury travel for 2020 and we enable our guests to travel on a journey with every moment tailored just for them.”

Puffins at Westfjords in Iceland. Photo: The World Traveller | Dreamstime.com

On the Family Ultimate Iceland & Greenland Cruise your family will discover Iceland’s natural beauty, the modern city of Reykjavik and off-the-beaten-path areas in the country like the Westfjords and the remote fishing village of Sudureyri. In Greenland, locals share their traditional way of life, like the technique of fishing the Inuk way and the meaning behind the country’s national costume. Travelers have the chance to spot rare wildlife, ice-filled landscapes and geological formations. The 15-day adventure starts at $15,995; children 17 and under start at $8,745. Receive a $1,500 per person credit on any stateroom or suite when you reserve your international air with Abercrombie & Kent. The trip is offered Aug. 13–27.

The Holiday Voyage: Antarctica, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands is a unique, unforgettable way to spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve in some of the world’s most remarkable wildernesses. See king penguin colonies and the gravesite of one of Antarctica’s most famous explorers, Sir Ernest Shackleton, on South George; explore the remote archipelago, the Falkland Islands; cross The Drake Passage; and spend time on Antarctica, the most remote continent on earth. The 20-day trip (including a 17-day cruise) starts at $20,995 per person, children 17 and younger start at $12,495. Receive a $1,500 per person credit on any stateroom or suite when you reserve your international air with Abercrombie & Kent. The trip is offered Dec. 17, 2020–Jan. 5, 2021.