The Adventure Company: The Real Swiss Family Robinson

Ever wished you could wake up on a beautiful desert island, and not have to worry about work and doing the school run? Yep, us too!

We all know of one fictional family who actually did it: The Swiss Family Robinson.



So, when we heard about the new series on BBC featuring English families who are actually living on an island paradise to escape the pressures of the Noughties, we were intrigued.

The classic adventure story
To refresh your memory, The Swiss Family Robinson was a novel written in 1812 by a pastor named Johann David Wyss. His intention was to teach his sons the values of family, hard-work and self-reliance.



To do this, he created the story of a family who become shipwrecked in the East Indies as they make their way to Australia.

This enduringly popular children’s book classic has been adapted for the small and silver screen many times.



In 1960, Disney brought the adventure to screen, and followed the family as pirates force their boat into the path of a storm, find their island and begin to build their home. The family consist of Father, Mother, Fritz, Ernst and Francis.



Throughout the film, the elder boys help to construct the home, and the younger becoming the island’s David Attenborough as he tries to identify as many animals as possible. After helping to rescue a damsel in distress, fighting pirates with coconuts, and having races on animals, at the end of the film most of the family choose to stay on the island and live their lives in paradise.



Fast forward to 2009, where the words “recession” and “credit crunch” are constantly muttered, it is no surprise four families have turned to the famous tale and used it as a guide to swapping their humdrum lives in Blighty for an island adventure.

Watch the show

The new BBC series, The Real Swiss Family Robinson, which starts this Friday 26th March, follows four families who, after a tough year during which they have lost their businesses and struggled on tight budgets, have finally decided to jack it all in and to break away in order to rediscover what’s important in life.



Sounds ideal? Well, it’s not easy. The four families are transported for three weeks to far-flung destinations and instructed to fend for themselves. Destinations include Kirbati, Panama, Tanzania and The Cook Islands.



This week’s family, The Dyes are an Essex clan who have recently lost a business which put an end to their luxurious lifestyles. Dad Andy wants to get his family out of the smoke, and into more simple surroundings so they can re-evaluate what’s important in life. His daughters who are used to the best of creature comforts, don’t always agree with his decision...



Each week, the series follows a different family as they arrive in deserted paradise and try to make homes, find food and mingle with locals. Watch the families as they struggle to adapt to simple life in gorgeous surroundings.



Each family also gets their own “Man Friday” in their first week who dishes out a few essential tips and tricks. The second week leaves them totally isolated as they attempt to survive in the wild, and by the third week they have to touch base with locals and cook a big thank-you feast in their newly constructed homes. The programme also follows up with the families back home, to see how they’ve readjusted within society.

Book your own Swiss Family Robinson adventure!

If you and your family are feeling the pinch but need an adventurous break, or a gorgeous castaway destination to explore together, look no further!

Following the series, The Adventure Company’s Turtles, Islands & Mountains Family Holiday visits both Panama and Costa Rica where the kids can snorkel, save turtles, explore National Parks and walk amongst the leafy hills of the Highlands of Boquete.



Combine the Swiss Family adventures with The Jungle Book and visit Tanzania on the Safari & Spice family holiday. On this fabulous 10-day trip, you can scramble over the Uluguru Mountains, set up camp on a beach in a game reserve, and truly experience happy solitude.



Take part in a walking safari from here to see zebras, giraffes and elephants, and the kids also have the chance to visit a local school to meet other kids their own age. Your little adventurers will also get their own Man Friday who will take them on a “Safari Guide Course” and teach them some amazing skills.



If the kids (and you!) are fans of the book, then the best place for your brood is Trinidad, where the story was filmed in the 60’s. The Viva Cuba Family Holiday visits Colonial Trinidad where you can snorkel and explore unspoiled Caribbean beaches, and hike in the mountains where you spend a few days exploring the lush forests.

Find more family adventure holidays on the website.

Thanks for reading,
The Adventure Company

The Adventure Company: Exploring The Morrocan Desert!

This week, our entry comes from Adell Ward, who fancied a holiday in Morocco and plumped for our Desert Adventure tour. She kindly shares excerpts from her travel diary, and let us know how she and the camels got on:

Adell Ward

Day 1:
Flew from heathrow to casablanca and then another short flight to ouarzazate. Early in the morning so straight to bed!



Day 2:
Up early for breakfast then we set off to a local bank to change money and to a shop to buy a picnic lunch. We then set off by minibus through the Draa Valley. Stopped for lunch at a place with a lovely courtyard and lots of moroccan carpets.



We all got our first taste of traditional mint tea. After another drive with a photo stop (Japanese stop as our guide liked to call them) we arrived at our camels. After loading them up with our food and equipment we set off into the desert. The camels took a little adjusting to especially the one that had a large load on and became known as "Wide Boy!"





After a couple of hours we came to our first camp. We camped in a traditional Bedouin tent on mats and in a sleeping bag. After some mint tea we had supper of Moroccan soup, beef tagine and dessert. Our cook was amazing and we always had pleanty of good food to eat!



Day 3:
Woke early to the sound of camels milling around which was strange. After breakfast in the kitchen tent, we watched the camels being loaded and then set off ourselves further into the desert. Some walked and some rode. That was one of the good things about our trip the fact that you could choose how much you walked or rode.



Mid mornings we stopped to rest and let the camels have a bite to eat while our guide "Lahcen" brought around a big bag of mixed nuts, dates and figs for us to eat.



That morning, we travelled through a really big oasis which was really lush with lots of little fields of crops and the sound of donkeys braying in the distance. Lunch once again was fantastic: salad, fruit and bread the presentation of which, was brilliant.

After another afternoon travelling through the desert we arrived at our camp which was set against beautiful sand dunes. Our guide brought the tea to the top of the dune for us and here we stayed to watch the sunset.



Before supper, the camel drivers invited us for traditional song and dance which was amazing. They cooked flatbread to go with supper over the fire. Great food again thanks "Ad"!



It got a bit windy during the night and we woke to the tent sides bellowing out and sand on and in everything and i mean everything! We worked together to get it sorted the best we could before going back to sleep. This actually became one of the groups trip highlights. Well, we wanted a dersert adventure!!

Day 4:
Today we traveled over a dry stoney landscape and stopped in a small village which had a tiny shop where we could by water, oranges etc... and the camels had a rest.



Today we had a siesta after lunch under the palm trees which was lovely. Everyone was getting on so well in the group and we laughed our way through most of the trip.



At camp in the evening we joined the camel drivers again for song and dance. They wanted us to teach them somthing so we decided on the "hokey cokey" it was one of the funniest and bizzare things: doing the hokey cokey in the middle of the Sahara desert!.

Day5:
Our last day with the camels. We trekked as usual and after break I decided to walk the last stretch which turned out to be a lot of sand dunes. They are not the easiest thing to walk on so, I ended up with quite a bit of sand in my boots, but at least I managed to walk off some of the good food.



We arrived at our last campsite which was a fixed campsite, in a Mud hut style. We had showers and toilets, which we were incredibly happy about. A village tour and a museum trip that afternoon before group photos of our camel drivers and guide.

Day 6:
Very early start and a long minibus journey to Marrakesh over the Atlas mountains. Said a final farewell to the camel drivers and set off. Stopped to visit the village of Ait Benhaddou where they made Gladiator. After an amusing river crossing we climbed to the top of the village and got an amazing view! Visited a carpet shop and learned about why and how they are made, then contiued over the Tizi-n-Tichka pass, which is the highest point in North Africa.




We got caught in big thunderstorm on the way to Marrakesh and the roads flooded a bit but it all added to our adventure. In the evening we walked to the medina in Marrakesh for some food and then some went for drinks and others went to the hotel.

Day 7:
Today we had a tour of the souks and the palace in Marrakesh which was fascinating. Later we were free to explore and shop.



Brought some pointy yellow slippers, after a lot of haggling! We all had a meal together for the last time. Our guide was fantastic and made the trip exceptional. Nothing was to much trouble and you could ask him anything.



The people were fantastic and I truly had the best time ever, which means I will defiantly be travelling with The Adventure Company again!"

If you are looking for an adventure holiday in Morocco, why not take a look at the Desert Adventure tour that Adell completed. The Adventure Company have 16 different holidays in Morocco for you to choose from, whether you are travelling in a group, solo or as a family.

Thanks for reading,
The Adventure Company

The Adventure Company: Born Free Foundation's 25th anniversary!

If like us, you love the classic film Born Free, and can remember that tear-jerking moment when the lioness Elsa recognises her former owners, you’ll be pleased to know that it's precisely 43 years since its original release.

And more importantly, it's 25 years since Virginia McKenna and her husband Bill Travers started the Born Free Foundation.

So, in order to celebrate this fantastic milestone, we think it's only right to pick out some of the key highlights of the foundation's legacy.

The Film:



Actors Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna travelled to Kenya to star in “Born Free”, which followed the real life story of George and Joy Adamson and their fight to return Elsa, a lioness back into the wild.



Released in 1966, this seemingly innocent film changed Bill and Virginia’s lives forever. Their close contact with the primates on location made them realise that wild animals belong in the wild, and have the right to be protected.

Watch the original film trailer:



Pole Pole
Soon after the release of the film, which critics raved about and audiences loved, Bill set to work on producing a stack of influential wildlife documentaries and films. One of these called “An Elephant called Slowly” was set in Kenya, and starred the couple. It also featured Pole, a little elephant calf.



Originally, Pole was a gift from the Kenyan government to London Zoo, however Pole was taken from her family in the wild, aged two. After completing the film, Bill and Virginia tried, and failed to stop Pole being returned to captivity. Over 14 years later, in 1982, the couple went to visit her at the zoo, and were extremely upset to find that the elephant seemed depressed, and had no companions as she plodded around her cage.



In a moment of desperation, they called out her original name, and Pole, turned in recognition at the couple, and began bounding over to them to touch their hands. After this, the couple tried to renew the campaign, but tragically Pole died just a year later. Considering elephants can live to at least 60, the couple became convinced that her life was made shorter due to her captivity.

Zoo Check



Determined that Pole would not have died in vain, Bill and Virginia, along with their son, Will Travers, set up Zoo Check in 1984. This charity independently monitored and rallied for the release of animals in captivity.



Zoo Check evolved into the Born Free Foundation, and it is because of Zoo Check there are now no more elephants at London Zoo.

Born Free Foundation


First launched in 1984 (hence the anniversary) and fully recognised in its own right in 1991, the Born Free Foundation undertakes animal welfare, conservation and public awareness campaigns to prevent animal abuse, and to ultimately keep wild animals in their natural habitats.



Over the years, the foundation has launched many influential campaigns and have also fought against ivory trade, “sport” hunting, killing animals for bushmeat and challenging the exploitation and living conditions of animals in zoos and circuses.



Now 25 years on, the Born Free Foundation still cares about saving individual animals, and firmly believes every animal counts. They are now have emergency teams on-hand at all times, which have rescued animals from small cages, and re-housed them in vast sanctuaries all over the world. Whilst there, Born Free also provides these animals with food and care.

GMTV
GMTV has been working with Born Free since 1995 on several of its missions. From saving lion cubs Anthea and Rafi who were once imprisoned on the roof of a bar in Tenerife to rescuing lions in captivity in Bucharest, the programme has continued to give its support.

See these videos for various reports from over the years (tip: you may need a tissue!)





Big Cat Sanctuaries
The Foundation now also has two big cat sanctuaries in South Africa at the Shamwari Game reserve.



Lions and leopards from all over the world have been rescued and placed here. The sanctuaries are also open to the public as education centres for school children, receiving at least 500 visitors per month.

The Adventure Company and Born Free
One of the Born Free Foundation’s most important current causes is sustaining responsible tourism. Therefore, Born Free and The Adventure Company work together to positively influence aspects of travel that may affect local animals and villagers.



The Adventure Company currently donates $5 for every customer who books a trip to Uganda. This money supports the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee project, and Born Free’s Great Apes Survival project.



By including the projects in many of our Ugandan itineraries, they support local tourism, and encourage travellers to help and understand the importance of saving gorillas, chimpanzees and orang-utans worldwide.

They also support Born Free Travellers’ Animal Alert, which encourages holidaymakers to report any signs of animals suffering when they are abroad.

The Adventure Company offers several safari, treks and trails in Uganda, and in many other places throughout East and South Africa. Find out more on the Adventure Company website.

The Adventure Company: Canoeing and Cycling in Croatia!

This weeks blog comes from Tom Haddow, our Flights Assistant who recently took the plunge and completed our Active Dalmatia tour in August of last year. He has let us sneak a peak at the travel diary he kept whilst he was away..:

"Day 1
After landing in Split airport we were transferred to Trogir, a nearby scenic town, to relax and stretch our legs after the flight. Trogir was very pleasant, we enjoyed a stroll down the river front (lots of very expensive boats!) and then struck off down a back alley finding our selves in a small square surrounded by cafes and ice cream stalls. We then sat down and got to know each other over a beer, or in Croatian, pivo, before being guided back through Trogir to the minibus and continuing on to the hotel.



Day 2
We woke up and proceeded down to the restaurant of the hotel where we were welcomed by a laid out breakfast of bread and spreads, cereal and yoghurt, on top of which we were soon offered our choice of cooked extras and hot drink, almost any request catered for! After breakfast we were transferred up river to start a very enjoyable and gentle introduction to canoeing on the Cetina river. Paddled/floated all the way back down to the hotel which was situated very conveniently on the river bank so on arrival we were able to just deposit our canoes and head to our rooms.



After a lunch of stuffed peppers and meat soup we embarked on a short trek across the river and up to a small chapel atop a hill. Everyone we met was very friendly and our guide Neven seemed to know everyone. Once reaching the chapel we stayed to enjoy the view of Trilj, the town in which we were staying, before heading back down for a dinner of locally produced veal and bed.



Day 3
Today we enjoyed breakfast as before and as we would the rest of the week and then went out back of the hotel and were transferred up a hill behind Trilj to start the mountain biking activity. First thing to explain to anyone considering mountain biking in Croatia, they bizzarely seem to have the brakes the ‘wrong’ way round, after a little getting used to it became second nature and no-one had any problems with this. The route was initially a largely uphill segment before a much appreciated and much longer downhill segment.





When we were most of the way down Neven took us on a detour to a river source which was absolutely stunning, even despite the incredibly cold water most of the group went in for a swim (me fully dressed as I had not brought any swimming gear at all!).



After an hour or so here and feeling utterly refreshed we were guided round another couple of smaller river sources in the area before being treated by a local family to a typical local snack lunch of bread, cheese and cured meat, after which we headed back to the hotel.

Day 4
After a more sedate introduction to canoeing earlier in the week this was due to be a more adventurous version. We were transferred down river and kitted out with wetsuits, life preservers and helmets, before heading out on to the river, after careful instruction from Neven we proceeded down the very rough river over the many rapids. I had obviously picked a good partner as our canoe managed to stay the right way up all the way down, a feat not managed by everyone! At the end of our route down the river we landed on the riverbank and had a light lunch and were driven to the seaside to enjoy a beach for a change of pace.



After getting back from the beach we headed off to the river bank upriver and when it was dark were treated to trout and banana split expertly cooked by Neven over a campfire. After which the more adventurous of us camped out for the night, leaving the rest of the group to return to the hotel for a more comfortable bed.

Day 5
After all the excitement of the white water canoeing we were in for a more relaxing day. We were driven up to the nearby historic town of Sinj, where our other guide Gorjana (harder to pronounce than it looks, by her instruction we all addressed her as Yana) gave us a guided tour which included a look around the local monastery which had a very interesting history and seemed of particular importance in the area before heading to the town museum. The museum was very interesting and gave us a much better insight in to the history of Croatia, specifically the area we were staying in, Dalmatia. One particular nugget of knowledge I committed to memory is how the spotted fur of the Dalmatian breed of dog apparently symbolises the many islands off the coast of Dalmatia!



After our tour of Sinj we were taken back the hotel. The following afternoon Neven took us for another trek around the outer reaches of Trilj, again demonstrating just how much of a local boy he was, hardly passing a single person without a friendly word. Neven at one point on the tour took us to someone’s house where we were ‘treated’ to home-made liquors, very strong, some people seemed to have a slight wobble on the return walk to the hotel…

Day 6
After eating breakfast and setting off at around 1000, we transferred up to the start-point for the white water rafting. The rafting was actually organised and led by a set of specialist instructors who were all very friendly and seemed to have a very strong rapport between them. One leader per boat on which there would be about 7 additional people, slightly rougher rapids than we had experienced on the canoes but we were expertly guided down the river by our rafting leader.



Part the way down we all disembarked and were guided through a cave before rejoining the canoes on the other side.



Day 7
At the normal time of 1000 we met and after we had had breakfast were driven to KRKA National Park. Gorjana took us for a tour round the park and was on hand if anyone had any questions, after the tour we were left to our own devices to explore and enjoy the spectacular views while some of the group went for a swim.



After dinner at the hotel we were surprised by the hotel owners with a cake to celebrate the joint birthdays of one of the group and Neven, one of our guides, after which we went to a local bar for a couple of drinks and an introduction to Croatian card games.

Day 8
Sad farewells and the flight back to the UK.



A big thank-you to all the group, the hotel staff and Gorjana and Neven especially for making this such a fantastic trip. Look forward to hopefully returning to Croatia in the future!"

Tom and his friends went on the Active Dalmatia tour, but The Adventure Company offer six trips to Croatia which cater for families, groups and solo-travellers. Visit The Adventure Company Website to find out more.

Thanks for reading,
The Adventure Company.

The Adventure Company: Watch a Kili Climb Video Diary!

Our second blog of the week is a little different, as we've recently been in touch with Simon Ingram from Trail Magazine, who completed our Kilimanjaro trek .



He has kindly made a fab video diary, so you can really see what its like to climb kilimanjaro .

Follow Simon during his climb, which is split into 2 parts, both of which, we have embedded for you lucky people below.

In Part One, follow Simon as he prepares for his climb along the Machame Route, and lands in town before he makes he way to Machame Gate to begin his climb.

Expect some amazing views of the mountain, funny anecdotes and rare footage of the guides who accompany his team up Kili, the food you can expect, and how much popcorn is appreciated as altitude increases...



In Part Two, watch Simon as the hardest part of the climb begins. See how he tries to follow the advice of his guides, and battles with altitude sickness and tiredness in order to attempt to reach the summit.

Watch him and his pals solider through as the final part of the descent which begins with a slow midnight climb...does he make it?



We absolutely love these videos, in our opinion, the best video diaries we've seen from the route in a while, so if you've ever climbed Kili, or are thinking of doing so, this really is essential viewing, in order to create all kinds of nostalgia or inspiration.

Simon climbed Kilimanjaro using our Machame Route. Visit our website for the latest deals and offers to Kili.

Adventure Junkies, grab your next fix by visiting www.livefortheoutdoors.com to find out more about Simon's travels and other exciting info.

As always, thanks for reading,

The Adventure Company