Centre based family walking holiday on the Aeolian Islands and Sicily Endless swimming opportunities on this family holiday in Italy Make a pizza and enjoy some dough tossing! Walk up Mount Etna for a live lesson in geology Great ferry/hyrdrofoil rides across the blue Med to the islands HOLIDAY CODE FSV Italy, Trek & Walk, Family, 8 Days 4 nights apartment, 3 nights hotel, 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners, max group size: 16, 6 days walking, max altitude 2000m, swimming: most days in the sea VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE
PAGE 2 Introduction This family adventure holiday has a focus on enjoying easy walks with the family in the lovely Mediterranean climate whilst also benefitting from swimming in the warm seas of the Aeolian Islands and Sicily. The biggest island of Lipari is our base for this family holiday. We have a week of island hopping and fun, using hydrofoils and ferries to visit several of the neighbouring islands. We enjoy a couple of easy coastal walks on Lipari and make the hike up to the crater rim on Vulcano, an island famous throughout Sicily for its black sand beaches. Here, we can also visit the sea-level hot springs and mud pools and have plenty of time for a swim before returning to Lipari. We then take the hydrofoil to Stromboli, one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean, with its white houses splashed with scarlet bougainvillea. On Stromboli, we take an easy walk to the 'stream of fire' to witness the smoke and lava flows of this ever-active volcano which has 'erupted' every 15 minutes since records began. Our volcanic explorer ends in mainland Sicily, with a stay at the foot of smouldering Mount Etna and as a fitting finale to our Sicilian family holiday, we climb to a magnificent viewpoint on the slopes of this active volcano for a wonderful panorama of the eastern coast of Sicily. With lots to see and do and some free time for the kids to enjoy the beach this holiday is in a word... fantastico! Is this holiday for you? Suitable for children from 8yrs old This is relaxing family adventure holiday, exploring the volcanoes and coastlines of the islands of Sicily. During the week's holiday we will make day excursions from our main base on Lipari's Canneto beach. There are 4 days of walks which will be around of 3-4 hours. All the walks are on well maintained path and conducted at a leisurely pace suitable for children. On 3 of these days the group will travel by hydrofoil to various islands including Stromboli. There is ample time during the holiday to enjoy the beach, the sea and also a free day for families to make their own explorations or excursions. Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Arrive at Catania Airport. Transfer to Milazzo. The group will rendezvous at the airport in Catania. KE Land Only package services begin with a single, timed group transfer from Catania Airport to Milazzo on Sicily's northern coast. This transfer is will take approximately 2 hours. We overnight in a hotel in Milazzo. This pretty Italian coastal harbour town is prefect for our first night. We will arrive in time for dinner at a local restaurant and we can have an early night after our days travel. HOTEL MEALS D Day 2: Hydrofoil to Island of Vulcano. Short 3hr walk. Swim in the sea. Hydrofoil to Lipari Island. After breakfast we take the hydrofoil to the island of Vulcano, famous for its black beaches and thermal springs. This journey is around 1 hr. Our walk up to Vulcano's crater rim involves a 400m ascent and the full circular walk takes around 3 hrs. The views over the island and back to Lipari are spectacular. Returning to the coast we have time for some swimming and a visit to the hot springs. In the late afternoon we take the hydrofoil to Lipari which takes around 10 minutes. Arriving on the island the final part of the transfer is a scenic 2-mile journey along the coast to the village of Canneto. Here we check into our apartments for the next 4 nights, and there will be time to
PAGE 3 enjoy the nearby beach before coming to dinner. Swimming: In the sea APARTMENT MEALS BLD TIME 3 HOURS WALKING HOURS Day 3: Child friendly 3hr walk. Free afternoon. In the evening toss some pizzas! Lipari is the largest of the Aeolian chain of volcanic islands. This morning we have a 2-3hr hour walk pm the south coast of the island. We start from the centre of the town Marina Corta and walk through the classic Sicilian narrow streets, tree lined with the characteristic cafes. We are out of the town in 10 mins and a quite road takes us to the start of the footpath. This path winds its above the coastline passing villas and gardens with views of the shimmering Mediterranean. We see and smell the prickly pear cactus and other classic flora such as thyme. We arrive at Punta Caprazza, the most southerly point of Lipari after about 1hr and half from Marian Corta. Here we have great views of Vulcano Island and the strait in between. We ascend from here to the volcano observation centre around 30 mins later. If it is open we can have a look before continuing back to Lipari on the road in around 30 mins. We have pretty views of the village and the harbour on our return. Depending on the time of year and the weather it is best to do this walk early in the morning. After lunch we have some free time to explore Lipari town or for swimming and relaxing at Canneto beach. Later on we visit a local restaurant where the chef will show us the art of pizza making and tossing the dough - great fun for children and adults alike! Swimming: In the sea APARTMENT DESCENT 200M ASCENT 200M TIME 3 HOURS WALKING HOURS DISTANCE 7KM MEALS BLD Day 4: A free day to relax on the beach, go kayaking or drink coffee and eat ice-cream. A lovely free day. We can relax at the apartment and the beach on Lipari. If we wish to can take the 10 min hydrofoil over to volcano where we can do a half-day optional kayaking trip. This kayaking is suitable for children and beginners, and it a fantastic way to enjoy the area. The sea is warm, clear and with the sun shining it'll be a great afternoon out. Swimming: In the sea APARTMENT MEALS B Day 5: Hydrofoil to Stromboli and walk to 'Sciara del Fuoco'. This morning we take the hydrofoil to the island of Stromboli, one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean with its cone-shaped volcano and the black beaches contrasting with white houses splashed with scarlet bougainvillea. Stromboli volcano has been erupting every 15 minutes or so for at least the last 2000 years. In the afternoon we have a walk to "Sciara del Fuoco" ("Stream of fire") a big horseshoe-shaped depression that runs from the summit right down to the sea. There is almost always smoke and small eruptions with incandescent material being ejected, and sometimes significant lava flow. Returning from the walk, we take the hydrofoil back to Lipari. Swimming: In the sea
PAGE 4 APARTMENT ASCENT 400M MEALS BLD DESCENT 400M TIME 2-3 HOURS WALKING HOURS Day 6: Hydrofoil to Milazzo and transfer to the slopes of Mt Etna. We take the hydrofoil back to the port of Milazzo on Sicily. On the way to Catania, our private transport will stop for lunch and a short visit of the beautiful town of Taormina. We then continue to the south slope of Mt Etna, at 1900m where are hotel is located. The area is surrounded by interesting old and younger craters and lava flows. HOTEL MEALS BLD Day 7: Walk on Mount Etna's slopes and return to Catania for a last evening dinner. From the hotel we walk up and onto the slopes of Europe highest active volcano. Cinder cones and extinct craters are a feature of the desolate landscape. From high on the mountain, there is a wonderful panorama of the eastern coast of Sicily. The walk will take approximately 3 hours during which we will climb & descend around 250 metres. There are some wonderful views of the southern coast of Sicily. Depending on weather conditions and the volcano's activity it might be possible to walk to the summit area of Etna (3350m), additional cost payable locally (approx. 80). This would be guided by a specialist volcano guide. The trip is around 5hrs and includes the cable car and a 4WD vehicle till 2900m and then a walk to the crater. After the walk we transfer to Catania, this charming town has a number of striking baroque churches and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is also a wide choice of restaurants, pizzerias and trattorias, one of which we can choose for this evening's dining experience. HOTEL ASCENT 250M MEALS BLD DESCENT 250M TIME 3 HOURS WALKING HOURS Day 8: Transfer to Catania Airport. After breakfast there is a transfer by public bus (30 minutes) to Catania Airport, where KE Land Only package services end. MEALS B Holiday Information What's Included An experienced English-speaking local guide Single timed Catania Airport transfers All land transport involved in the itinerary All ferry/hydrofoil journey's between the islands as per the itinerary Pizza making and dough tossing demo Accommodation as described Meals as per the Meal Plan
PAGE 5 What's Not Included Travel insurance Tips for local staff Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc. Meal Plan All meals are included from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 8 with the exception of lunch and dinner on day 4 (free day). Meaning you will need to purchase 1 lunch and 1 dinner. Food Breakfasts are taken at our overnight accommodation and consist of tea and coffee, cereals, bread, jam etc. For lunch, the group will carry a few items to make up a picnic. Local produce such as cheeses, olives, fruits and vegetables, dried meats and biscuits are used. Dinner is taken at small local restaurants, which gives us a chance to sample traditional Sicilian fare. Joining Arrangements & Transfers The group should rendezvous at Catania Airport in time to meet the group transfer to Milazzo on day 1. This transfer is timed to the arrival of the Easy Jet flight from London Gatwick and will normally depart from Catania airport at around 1630. Your KE local guide or representative will assist with this airport transfer. Note that you do not have to fly with Easy Jet to make use of this transfer. If you arrive on the Thomson Airways you will arrive in the morning and you can either wait at the airport or take a taxi into Catania. The journey takes approximately 15mins depending on traffic and costs approximately 20 Euro. Taxi ranks are located outside the arrivals area of the airport. It is of course also possible to fly a day early and stay overnight in Catania (at extra cost), joining the group on the following day (day 1). The return transfer at the end of the trip is timed for the check-in of the Easy Jet flights to London Gatwick and will normally arrive at Catania Airport in the early afternoon. If your flight schedule does not allow you to take advantage of this transfer it is a relatively short, easy and inexpensive taxi ride from the group hotel to the airport. All clients need to inform KE of their flight schedules. Hotel contact details and an emergency number will be included in your booking confirmation. Accommodation During this holiday the group will spend 1 night hotel in Milazzo, 4 nights in apartments in Lipari, 1 night in a hotel near Mount Etna and our final night in Catania. All accommodation is of a three-star quality and has local Sicilian style and character. As a general rule children of 11yrs and under will share with parents in a triple for a family of 3 or a quad for a family of 4. Children over 12 yrs will share with parents in a triple for a family of 3, or have 2 rooms for a family of 4. We will do everything to ensure that you are happy with your rooming allocation. Additional hotel nights are available, please contact us for prices.
PAGE 6 Group Leader & Support Staff An experienced, professional, English-speaking local guide will lead the trip. Altitude This holiday does not involve any significant ascent to altitude and we would not expect any altitude issues with this trip. Spending Money Approximately 300-350 per family (based on 2 adults and 2 children) should be sufficient to cover your personal spending requirements including beer, wine, soft drinks, and mineral water. Cash can be withdrawn from ATMs in most towns and if you are bringing your spending money with you, we recommend that you carry your travel money in the form of Euros. If you are intending to buy expensive souvenirs, you should budget accordingly. Also, if you expect to buy considerable quantities of soft drinks, wine or beer, you should make an allowance for this. OPTIONAL ACTIVITY COSTS: Please note that these prices are correct at time of writing, but are subject to change without warning. All prices are in EUR. Optional activities taken outside the KE holiday are at your own risk. Kayaking on Vulcano: 40 + hydrofoil of around 15, per person Mt Etna guided summit walk: 85 per person (weather and activity dependent) 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 give you a free gift as a way to thank all our clients who book a KE holiday. Choose from KE T-shirts, buffs, KE trek bags* (where applicable) plus many more. Alternatively you can choose to make a 10 donation to the Juniper Trust Charity. You can make your selection in your My KE account after booking. * A trek bag is not required for this holiday. You can however purchase a KE trek bag for 24.95. 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 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.
PAGE 7 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: http://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/ 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 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: www.travel.state.gov 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. Climate In May, June and October we can expect daytime temperatures of around 25 C, dropping at night to 15 C. We are unlikely to experience any rain, as Sicily enjoys a favourable Mediterranean climate. During July and August you can expect hotter temperatures up to 30 C.
PAGE 8 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 We sell this holiday on a Land Only basis and recommend that you book your flights to Catania Airport. Please refer to the 'Joining Arrangements and Transfers' 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 EasyJet fly to Catania from London & Manchester. TUI Airways also offer flights from Gatwick & Manchester to Catania. 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? Experience KE has 34 years experience of adventure travel worldwide. 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, muleherders 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. The team of KE office staff is amongst the most experienced in the business, with the proven ability to set up and operate a worldwide programme of adventures. Every one 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 e-mail, or visit our office, you will find the help and advice you 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 trek support, excellent food, a good standard of hotel and camp 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.
PAGE 9 RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND AWARDS Responsible Tourism has always fitted naturally with KEs travel ethic. It is important to us that our clients are not the only beneficiaries of the travel experience, but that we share a two-way relationship with the areas that we visit. We make sure that our local staff are well treated and well paid, we respect indigenous cultures, take care to protect the environment and make the most of every opportunity to make a positive contribution wherever we travel. In addition to holding an AITO 5-star Sustainable Tourism rating, we are recipients of AITO s Achievement in Sustainable Tourism Award in recognition of the work carried out over the past 20 years, giving back to the communities and areas we visit. We have been awarded Highly Commended status in the Best Tour Operator category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, and were named Best Trekking Operator on Earth by National Geographic Magazine, whose criteria included commitment to responsible tourism. We continue to travel responsibly, and more information on our policy, practice, and specific projects can be found at www.keadventure.com, and on the website of our partner charity the Juniper Trust: www.junipertrust.co.uk. KEs Mountain Code is issued to our staff, trek leaders and overseas agents, and we recommend it to our clients, too! Your Complete Financial Protection KE Adventure Travel is a fully licensed and bonded tour operator. We are a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), bonded with the CAA (ATOL 2808) and ABTA licensed (W4341). You can book your trip with KE Adventure Travel in complete confidence that all monies you pay for a trip are fully protected. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY Making a Booking 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 IMPORTANT - 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, 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
PAGE 10 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.
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: Comfortable hiking boots or walking shoes Sandals or trainers Socks Trekking trousers Underwear Baselayer shirts T-shirts and/or casual shirts Loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirt with collar (for sun protection) Fleece jacket or warm jumper Lightweight waterproof jacket Sunhat Warm hat Sunglasses Lightweight gloves Daypack 30 to 40 litres (depending on how much of the kids' stuff you want to carry) Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.) Water bottles (approx 1 litre per person) Swimwear and towel Washbag and toiletries Antibacterial handwash Torch Basic First Aid Kit including: Antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium) painkillers, plasters and blister treatment, Insect repellent, and re-hydration salts. The Following Items Are Optional: Shorts Trekking poles Travel clothes
PAGE 12 Camera Snorkel & Mask Please note: This document was downloaded on 11 Feb 2018, and the trip is subject to change.