At Steppes Travel, family holidays go beyond the very lovely but very ordinary villa holidays.  Children are thrown into hearty and wild adventures:  

Camping, trekking, riding, meeting local tribes, and wildlife tracking - which all ensure they go back to school with some pretty 'cool' stories. Let boys swap their lightsabers for the real thing - the arrow in Bhutan, the sword in Japan and the spear in India.  Let wildlife enthusiasts go swimming with whale sharks, learn to be Junior Rangers and go in search of the Big 5 in Zimbabwe.  And for those keen on riding there is ranching in Nevada, riding on rickety yak carts in Mongolia and elephant trekking in India.  

Anything is possible and everything is geared around the children.  Here are just a few highlights picked out from their Family Portfolio which look at adventure, wildlife and conservation ideas:

ACTION ADVENTURE:  'A Boy's Toolbox' 

Robin Hood Bhutan Archery
The chance for energetic adventure and culture:  After watching an archery tournament at the National Ground in Paro, learn the art of the bow and arrow from some of Bhutan's leading archery champions.  Other highlights include pony trekking in the beautiful mountains up to Tigers Nest Monastery, rafting down Mo Chu, taking part in the lighting of yak butter lamps and learning age old customs and ancient prayer.  

Become an Indian Junior Ranger
Spend three days acquiring the basic skills of the jungle based at Forsyths, within Satpura National Park. Activities range from learning to use field equipment, identifying and measuring prints, night walks and a good grounding of forest ecology. There is also elephant riding, canoeing, cycling and walking.

Martial Arts and Samurai Training in Japan
Stay at the family run ryokan Kifu no Sato, part of Mimasaka City, which was home to Miyamoto Mushashi, one of the greatest samurais ever known:  Take in the spirit of the samurai by visiting his home, grave and museum, seeing a sword drawing demonstration and learning the art from one of the best.  There is also the opportunity to visit the nearby Osafune Sword Town where skilled craftsmen make some of the most sought after swords in the world.  

WILDLIFE ADVENTURE: 'My Family and Other Animals' 

Become a Researcher in the Peruvian Amazon
A week spent helping researchers at the Manu Learning Centre in the Peruvian Amazon will not disappoint.  With more primates, more birds and more insects per square metre than anywhere else in the world, Manu is bio-diversity.  Bigger fauna like tapirs, pumas and jaguars are not always easy to see but you and your children will help collect the results from carefully placed camera traps so you'll be the first to see what has been sniffing around your room in the night. 

Swim with Gentle Giants in Mexico
Become an Aztec for the day whilst exploring the ruins at Uxmal and Chichen Itza, visit the beautiful Celestun Biosphere Reserve with the pinkest flamingos in the world spend time with a local Maya family.  But the highlight of this adventure is the magical Island of Isla Mujeres and the opportunity with swim with the gentle giants that are whale sharks.  Huge, very docile and incredible creatures. 

Go in Search of Zimbabwe's Big Five
With no jet lag, this is an idea family adventure - staying in the heart of Africa in an exclusive lodge with fishing, swimming, mountain biking, tennis, bush walks and learning to bake with the chefs all on hand.  Family game drives in a private vehicle into the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve offers the chance to spot the Big Five.

RIDING ADVENTURE: 'Four Legs Better than Two'

Play Cowboys and Indians in Nevada
The brand new Mustang Monument Wild Horse Eco-Resort opens early summer 2014 in North Eastern Nevada and is home to 600 wild mustangs.  Families stay in stunning hand-painted tipis surrounded by 900 square miles of wide horizons.  Spend the days riding, 4x4 safaris, roping lessons, archery and hiking whilst the evenings are spent sitting round camp fires, toasting marshmallows and story telling...

Ride on Elephants like Mowgli in India
As well as coracle rides and kayaking on the Kaveri River, tribal dancing around the bonfire, biking through plantations and learning to cook Keralan recipes, one of the highlights of this adventure is seeing the magnificent elephant migration in Nagarhole National Park and riding your very own elephant at Orange Country, Kabini.

Search for Dinosaur Fossils in Mongolia on Yak Carts
Camp in a traditional ger in the wilds of Mongolia and go in search of dinosaur fossils.  Surrounded by vast stretches of plains, children will learn how Nomadic families live, riding on Yak carts and adventure rafting, dune boarding and fishing as well as scanning the never-ending Mongolian skies for majestic Golden Eagles.

These are just a taster of what Steppes Travel can offer families.  For further ideas please have a look here.  http://www.steppestravel.co.uk/holidaytypes/family+holidays/ 

For further press information please contact:
Frangelica Flook frangelica.flook@cedartreepr.com
Henrietta Quicke henrietta.quicke@cedartreepr.com
T:  020 7978 4534, M:  07747 606 898

Note to Editors:
Steppes Travel:  Specialist tour operator Steppes Travel designs innovative tailor-made itineraries for 'off the beaten track' trips. With over two decades' experience in the industry, Steppes Travel fields a team of creative, knowledgeable and responsible experts committed to providing ethical, pioneering journeys all over the world. 

Steppes Discovery:  Exceptional wildlife holidays focusing on conservation with sustainable and responsible travel at the forefront of their mind. By joining forces with local research projects on an Indian tiger safari or whilst gorilla trekking in Rwanda and Uganda, or supporting carefully chosen wildlife charities in the Galapagos Islands, Steppes Discovery is able to give privileged insight into the natural world while supporting conservation and local communities worldwide.

The Traveller:  Recognised as one of the UK's leading specialists in cultural tours and historical and archaeological small group holidays, The Traveller prides itself on offering a diverse range of small group tours led by renowned experts, and their pioneering reputation.