LAKE GARDA WATERSPORTS FAMILY ADVENTURE

Transcription

1 LAKE GARDA WATERSPORTS FAMILY ADVENTURE Multi-activity watersports adventure holiday in Lake Garda, Italy for teenagers Centre-based on the lakeshore at a family-friendly Riva del Garda Hotel Windsurfing and Sailing tuition for all abilities Kayaking and Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) on Lake Garda for all the family Via ferrata, walks and optional lakeside bike rides HOLIDAY CODE FLG Italy, Family, Multi-Activity, 8 Days 7 nights hotel, 7 breakfasts, 2 dinners, max group size: 15, 6 days multiactivity (mainly watersports), centre-based, max walking altitude metres, swimming: every day

2 PAGE 2 VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE Introduction This superb teenage family adventure holiday in Italy is centre-based at a lovely hotel overlooking Lake Garda, were we spend the week enjoying a variety of activities with a focus on watersports. We are based in the town of Riva del Garda, which sits at the northern end of the lake against an amazing mountain backdrop. Riva del Garda is immersed in history with a 12th Century castle including moat. Our week will kick start with a stand up paddle board (SUP) session. A sport in it s infancy, it's not as hard as it looks! After lunch we continue with paddle in hand with some optional kayaking - a lovely way to experience the peace and beauty of the lake. Our week then unfolds with active mornings that include a sailing lesson, an easy via ferrata climb and a windsurfing session. All activities are suitable for beginners as well as those who are more experienced. We have a free day to explore the lake and its shores on our own. With so much on offer, options include hiring bikes for a ride around the lakeshore or even a day trip to Venice. On our final day in the area our guide will take the group for a walk in the surrounding mountains. There is plenty of time on this holiday to interact as a group as well as time to spend with your family and enjoy the area. Other highlights of course include the delicious Italian food, ice cream, coffee and wines. The small streets of the towns and villages on the lake shores are very pleasant to wander around in the evenings and soak up the holiday atmosphere. This Lake Garda family holiday for teenagers is perfect for those who wish for a week of water fun and exercise combined with some sophisticated Italian R&R! Is this holiday for you? Suitable for children from 11yrs old This family holiday on the shores of Italian Lake Garda is designed for those who enjoy water sports, and is suitable for teenagers and adults alike. Instruction will be given for all water sport sessions. Full safety equipment (buoyancy aids, wetsuits etc) will be supplied. All activities are suitable for beginners and more experienced adventurers. All participants have to be able to swim unaided for a minimum of 25m. For the Via Ferrata you should have a reasonable head for heights to enjoy it! All sessions are around 3hrs. We will also have a walk in the mountains, which everyone should enjoy. There is a free day and certain afternoons where you have time for further watersports or a bike ride. This holiday is centre-based in a hotel on the shores of Lake Garda. Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Meet at the group hotel in Riva del Garda. A single transfer from Milan Malpensa Airport is provided. KE Land Only package services begin with a single, timed transfer from Milan Malpensa Airport to our hotel in Riva del Garda. Here we will meet our guide and have a welcome reception, with an introduction to the area and a discussion of the week ahead. Please note that the order of activities during the week may change depending on weather conditions. Day 2: Morning Stand Up Paddle Board, afternoon optional kayaking.

3 PAGE 3 We start our week with a Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP) tour along the coast of the Garda Trentino where we get our first views of the town and the amazing landscape from the water. Our session starts at 9am and we have some instructions before launching on the lake and lasts around 2hrs. It is a really easy and fun way to discover the quiet waters of the lake. We have the afternoon for optional kayaking, further SUP or just relaxing in this beautiful area. Tonight we have dinner at the hotel as a group. MEALS BD Day 3: Sailing on Lake Garda. Again our session will start a 9am, and we will get kitted up with our lifejackets. We have a brief theoretical presentation before we set to the water for around 3hrs, where we learn most of the techniques of how to sail the boat. There will be different boats available for the group depending on level of experience. The session will be great fun with the wind taking us across and up the lake. Back on shore with adrenaline pumping we can enjoy our picnic lunch. This afternoon you can choose your activities as you have free time. You may wish to hire a bike and cycle on one of the many trails, or have additional sessions of your favourite watersport so far. MEALS B Day 4: Free morning, afternoon via ferrata at Rio Sallagoni. The morning we have free, so you can take it easy and have a later breakfast and a look around the town. Of course there are always optional activities if you wish to take part. After an early lunch we start our afternoon of via ferrata at Rio Sallagoni. The Dolomites are famous for their Via Ferrata (Iron Road) climbs. These protected climbing routes are secured by steel cables fixed to the rock along with additional aids such as iron rungs or bolts. There are many of these routes in the Dolomites at the north end of Lake Garda which mean even the inexperienced climber can enjoy dramatic views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Our easy introductory route takes us to a beautiful area and is doable for all ages. It runs through a deep gorge and we are also able to see many waterfalls. We also cross an exciting wire hanging bridge, along with sections of walking. All equipment, specialist guides and instruction are provided. If the previous days sailing didn't bring the adrenaline running then this will! We return to our hotel where we have dinner. MEALS BD Day 5: Windsurfing on Lake Garda. Back on the water today we do some windsurfing. If we are a beginner, or a little rusty, we have a little lesson on the simulator on dry land before embarking on our boards. We don our wetsuits, shoes and lifejackets and we are off. With our instructor at hand for tips and helping out we enjoy our morning out on the lake. When you have your sail up and you are travelling fast across the water this is one of the best sports to enjoy on the water. Our excursion is around 3 hrs, coming back to shore to hungrily eat our picnic lunch! This afternoon we have free. Again we can continue with our favourite water activity, or bike or even go for a different via ferrata. MEALS B Day 6: Free day, optional excursions including a day trip to Venice. Today you can choose what you would like to do with your family. The famous, and beautiful city of Venice is only a 1-2hr drive from Lake Garda and it is easy to join a tour going here. A gondola ride and lunch off the Piazza San

4 PAGE 4 Marco would be a good day out! Otherwise there are many options for further activities. For example you could enjoy a trip on a catamaran on the lake, or take the ferry to the pretty town of Malcesine, or enjoy some rock climbing in the famous Arco area. There is a swimming pool around 20 mins walk from the lake and also an adventure park in Torbole. There are plenty of options. All activities and excursions can be booked on arrival and are payable locally. MEALS B Day 7: Mountain top walk with our guide. Our last full day in on the shores of Lake Garda takes us into the mountains for an easy walk with some splendid views of the lake were we have spent the week. Up here in the hills it is cooler and there are many trails to choose from depending on the ability of our group. There are a few cable cars and/or chair lifts which transport us to the top of the mountain so that we can enjoy a route on the network of walking paths that exist here. It is likely that we will see some pretty flowers and if we are lucky we will spot some of the amusing marmots scurrying around. Our intended walk is to Monte Creino (1292m), which is an ancient military fortification. After lunch you have the rest of the afternoon free for you to enjoy your last time doing your favourite activity before we join together for a celebratory dinner at a local restaurant. MEALS B Day 8: Departure day. A single transfer to Milan Malpensa Airport is provided. Depending on flight times we transfer in the morning back to Milan Malpensa Airport where KE Land Only package services end. MEALS B Holiday Information What's Included A professional English speaking Italian leader Single timed group transfers from/to Milan Malpensa Airport to Lake Garda on days 1 & 8 Hotel accommodation as described All activities including qualified instruction and equipment as described Meals as per the meal plan What's Not Included Travel insurance Airport transfers (other than the single group transfer in each direction) Any meals as per the meal plan Any additional/optional activities or excursions Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenir's etc

5 PAGE 5 Joining Arrangements & Transfers The group should rendezvous at Milan Malpensa Airport in time to meet the group transfer to Lake Garda on day 1. This transfer is timed to the arrival of the Easy Jet flight from London Gatwick and Edinburgh arriving at around There is a Ryanair from Liverpool Manchester which arrives at around 1730 which could also be used in conjunction with this transfer. The return transfer at the end of the holiday is timed for the check-in of the Easy Jet flight to London Gatwick at approximately 1040, and we will arrive at Milan Malpensa Airport in time for check in for this flight. The Ryanair Liverpool flight leaves around 1230 mins later. Your KE local guide or representative will assist with these transfers. Note that you do not have to fly on these flights to make use of these transfers. You can use these transfers and different flight times. We can also quote for a private transfer for your family to Lake Garda, it is approximately a 3 hrs journey. There are many cost airlines offering flights to Milan Malpensa. These include Easyjet who have flights from London Gatwick, Manchester, Edinburgh & Glasgow and Ryanair have flights from Stansted and Liverpool. Flybe also fly from many UK regional airports such as Aberdeen and Exeter. All clients must inform KE of their flight schedules. Hotel contact details and an emergency number will be included in your booking confirmation. Meal Plan All breakfasts and 2 dinners are included in the holiday price. The included dinners will be at the hotel. You should budget per person per dinner and less for lunches. Food & Water Breakfasts are at our hotel and usually consist of tea and coffee, cereals, bread, jam etc. There is an abundance of local restaurants for all budgets and tastes in Riva del Garda. Of course it is not only food that Italy is renowned for, make sure you try the excellent Italian wines that the country is world famous for. Catering for fussy eaters is easy in Italy as there is usually a pasta option or of course pizza. Water is drinkable from the taps on this holiday. Please fill your personal bottles for your day in the morning. We do not encourage the purchasing of single use plastic bottles. Accommodation During this holiday you spend 7 nights at a family friendly hotel in the small town for Riva del Garda on the shores of Lake Garda. As a general rule children will share with parents in a triple for a family of 3, or have 2 rooms for a family of 4 or 5. We will do everything to ensure that you are happy with your rooming allocation. Additional hotel nights are available. Please contact us for prices. Group Leader & Support Staff An experienced, professional, English-speaking local guide will lead the trip. Where necessary for the activities you will have additional specialised instructors. Spending Money

6 PAGE 6 Approximately per family (based on 2 adults and 2 children) should be sufficient to cover your personal spending requirements including the non-included meals, beer, wine, soft drinks, and mineral water. If you are planning on participating in additional activities, excursions or buying souvenirs whilst on the holiday then you should increase your budget accordingly. Many of these you will be able to pay for with a credit/debit card. Cash can be withdrawn from ATMs in most towns. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: Please note all prices are subject to change without notice. Rock climbing: Including all equipment and instruction for half a day. 50 per adult, 40 per child. Catamaran trip: 2hr afternoon trip experiencing the thrill of high speed sailing. 70 per person. Hire bike: Half day hire. 15 per person Cable car to Mt Baldo: From Malcesine 20per person return. Public bus from Riva del Garda not included Day trip to Venice: Full day excursion to Venice with bus from Riva del Garda. Depart 0700, return per person. Joining an arranged tour. Busatte Adventure Park, Torbole: Entrance fee 16 per person (not including 15 mins taxi ride) Kayaking (equipment only): Single kayak 10 per person for 1 hr, Double kayak 15 per person for 1 hr SUP (equipment only): 12 per person for 1 hr Windsurfing (equipment only): 22 per person for 1 hr Sailing: Dependent on which boat required Guidance On Tipping Tipping is the accepted way of saying thank you to your leader and local team. Tipping is entirely voluntary and should be dependent on good service. We recommend that you decide levels of tipping and give any tips as a group rather than from individual group members. Free KE Gift We would like to give you a free gift as a way to say thank you when you book your holiday. Choose from exclusive KE branded t-shirts, caps, neckwarmers, trek bags* and more. Alternatively you can choose to make a 10 donation to the Juniper Trust Charity. You can make your selection in your MyKE account after booking. You will need to select your free gift at least 6 weeks before you depart and all items will be posted out at 5 weeks prior to departure. For all late bookings, we will endeavour to send your FREE gift to you before you travel, however this cannot always be guaranteed. Please visit our Free KE Gifts page for more details of all our KE Branded goodies on offer. * A trek bag is not required for this holiday. You can however purchase a KE trek bag for Delivery outside of the UK will be charged. Baggage Allowance For this holiday you should take one piece of luggage and a daypack. Luggage with wheels is useful for this holiday. For international flights please check your baggage allowance with your airline. Group Size & Holiday Status For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in Dates and Prices table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip

7 PAGE 7 once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements. Recommended Outdoor Retailers Many of the Equipment items listed above are available from Cotswold Outdoor - our 'Official Recommended Outdoor Retailer'. When you book a holiday with KE you will receive 15% discount voucher from Cotswold Outdoor and other retailers. >> Find out more General Information Passport & Visas A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU. The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling outside the EU you should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for each country that you visit. Visa Europe UK and USA passport holders do not require a visa. Health & Vaccinations You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations. UK residents should obtain a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is still vital when travelling overseas. Currency The unit of currency in Europe is the Euro. Electricity Supply & Plug We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at: Climate In the summer months it can range from around 16 at night to 30 degrees Celsius at peak. The northern end of Lake Garda is in the Dolomites mountain range, and there can be the odd rainy day. It is also common to have hours of sunshine per day in July & August. Travel Aware As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign & Commonwealth Offices' Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit

8 PAGE 8 the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: for essential travel advice and tips. KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates direct from the FCO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office. Single Use Plastic KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use. We have pledged to AITO s Project Protect that 70% of our agents stop using single use plastic bottles. Flight Information Flight Inclusive Or Land Only? On our website we display a UK Flight inclusive package price and Land only package price for the majority of our holidays. Land Only Notes The dates above are for the LAND ONLY itinerary, joining at the group hotel on Lake Garda. The nearest airport is Milan Malpensa, approximately a 2-3 hr drive away. Please refer to the 'Joining arrangements & transfers' and 'Flights' for further details. Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'. If flying from the UK there are a number of low cost airlines offering flights to Milan Malpensa. These include Easyjet who have flights from London Gatwick, Manchester, Edinburgh & Glasgow and Ryanair have flights from Stansted and Liverpool. Flybe also fly from many UK regional airports such as Aberdeen and Exeter. Other airports and airlines may be available. Please note that there are two airports in Milan, and the transfer goes from Milan Malpensa If you would prefer to book a 'flight inclusive package' using scheduled airlines from the UK please contact our flights department for a quote. Whilst flight prices are likely to be more expensive you will benefit from full financial protection. Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Operating since 1984, KE Adventure Travel has some of the most experienced staff in the business, with the proven ability to set up and operate a worldwide programme of adventures. Everyone has adventure travel at heart and joins at least one trip a year. It is this depth of experience that makes KE stand out from other adventure travel operators. When you contact KE, by phone or , or visit our office, you will find the help and advice you

9 PAGE 9 need, from someone who has actually done the trip and can give you the benefit of their first-hand experience. KE can guarantee the very best in trip support, excellent food, a good standard of hotel and other accommodation, plus the back up of one of the most respected companies in the business. Client satisfaction is at the top of our agenda and almost 50% of our bookings each year come from repeat business. If you are looking for adventure then look no further than KE. Group Tour Leaders All of our holidays are accompanied by an experienced leader, some of whom have worked with KE groups for many years. Many are professional guides and instructors with an unrivalled knowledge of the areas in which they work. In many parts of the world, we recruit local guides with appropriate training and experience. In addition to having the technical skills to ensure your safety, KE expects its leaders to be active members of the group. A leader should be fun to travel with and ready to share with you their enthusiasm for adventure travel and their knowledge of the area. Alongside the group leader, there will be a local support crew, which could be just a driver, or a complete team of guides, drivers, porters, mule-herders and cooks. The hard work of our support crews, along with the fascinating insight they can offer into their local culture, is integral to providing you with the very best adventure travel experience. Sustainable Tourism Since we ran our first trip in 1984, we have been committed keeping the world's most beautiful places pristine by minimising our environmental impact. Recognising the fragility of the world's wilderness environments, we keep our groups small and operate according to a Mountain Code, which is provided to all groups, trek leaders, agents and staff. We make sure that our local staff are well treated and well paid, we respect indigenous cultures, take care to protect the environment of the places we visit and take every opportunity to make a positive contribution wherever we travel. Our philosophy of 'leaving nothing but footprints' has been integral to KE's approach right from the start over 30 years ago. In recognition of our efforts we are proud to have achieved the highest award of 5 Stars for Sustainable Tourism by AITO. We continue to travel responsibly, and more information on our policy, practice, and specific projects can be found at and on the website of our partner charity the Juniper Trust: KE's Mountain Code is issued to our staff, trek leaders and overseas agents, and we recommend it to our clients, too! Booking Your Holiday The easiest way to make your booking is online. You will need to pay a deposit at the time of booking. This is normally 200 but for some holidays with special permit fees or internal flights, this may be more. The amount of deposit required for an individual holiday is given on the dates and prices page of the holiday. Late bookings will require full payment. We cannot confirm any booking until we receive your fully completed booking form. Adventure Travel Insurance It is a condition of joining any of our trips that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue services). We also strongly recommend that you take out holiday cancellation insurance, as all deposits paid are non-refundable. Please ensure that your insurer is aware of your KE Adventure itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken. You will then need to advise us of your policy details and complete an Insurance Declaration Form. CAMPBELL IRVINE DIRECT travel insurance is available to EU residents and will cover the majority of KE Adventure holidays. It has been designed to provide cover for activities normally excluded by other insurers such as trekking,

10 PAGE 10 mountain biking and climbing. Please note that certain activities may attract a higher premium. In addition Campbell Irvine Direct cannot provide cover for KE climbing trips above 6000m. Cover for these can be obtained through either the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) or Snowcard. TRAVELEX is a USA based insurer offering travel insurance, which can be used by US citizens and US residents only. KE recommends the "Travelex Select" package for our holidays. If your holiday involves using mountaineering equipment (ropes, harness or crampons), for climbing or glacial travel, you should consider the "Adventure Plus Pak" optional upgrade on the Travelex Select Plan. Please refer to the 'Description of Coverage' for a summary of the terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations of the applicable Protection Plan. This policy will also cover KE climbing trips above 6000m. We hope that this trip notes has answered most of your questions. Please feel free to contact us and speak to one of our experts.

11 PAGE 11 Equipment List Please try to keep the weight of your baggage to a minimum. See the baggage allowance section for further details. YOU SHOULD BRING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: Walking shoes or lightweight hiking boots Sandals (teva style for watersports) or trainers Lightweight walking trousers / shorts / skirt T-shirts and/or casual shirts Loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirt with collar (for sun protection) Socks & Underwear Lightweight waterproof overtrousers Lightweight waterproof jacket Fleece jacket or warm jumper Sunhat Warm hat Sunglasses Daypack litres (depending on how much of the kids' stuff you want to carry) Water bottles (approx 2 litre per person) (we encourage re-filling water bottles rather than single use plastic) Swimwear (essential for under the wetsuit) Swim towel Torch and batteries Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.) Insect repellent Washbag and toiletries Antibacterial handwash Basic First Aid Kit. Including: antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium), painkillers, plasters and blister treatment, and re-hydration salts (Dioralite). THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE OPTIONAL: Rash Vest (useful against the sun and the cold, can be worn under wetsuit as well) Wetsuit shoes (if you have them you may wish to bring your own) Camera Reusable cloth bag for shopping (to avoid plastic bags) NOTE: All specialist equipment required for the activities on this holiday are provided. Please note: This document was downloaded on 22 Dec 2018, and the trip is subject to change.