February 21, 2005

Tahoe City, CA > Exploring the world with children can be one of life's most rewarding experiences – or not. The key to a successful family adventure is planning, planning and more planning. Eco-tourism specialist AdventureSmith Explorations makes planning easy with a selection of specially designed adventures for families, whether it's parents traveling with kids, grandparents traveling with grandchildren, or all three generations traveling together. The company's unique itineraries integrate fun and exciting activities, offering families an opportunity to experience natural and cultural wonders in places like Alaska, Costa Rica and the Galapagos.

In Alaska, families cruise in comfort aboard a small expedition-style ship, the M/V Wilderness Discoverer. Each day offers opportunities for exploration and discovery in wildlife-rich places like Glacier Bay National Park, the ABC Islands (Admiralty, Baranof and Chichagof) and Tracy Arm Fjord. The ship is outfitted with a fleet of two-person Easy Rider sea kayaks and naturalist guides lead paddling trips and hikes ashore. The highlight of any summer vacation to Alaska's Inside Passage is the incredible array of wildlife, from humpback whales feeding in Icy Straight, to brown bears foraging along the shore. These special 7-night cruises depart between June and August, with rates starting at $2,895 for adults and $1,495 for children.

In Costa Rica, families visit Tortuguero National Park on an educational and interactive exploration of the vast rain forest in search of diverse wildlife including spot monkeys, sloth, caimans, basilisk lizards and a variety of birds. The trip also includes an exciting white water raft adventure (Class I-II) of the Pejibaye River and a visit to the National Institute of Biodiversity's INBioparque. A highlight of any summer trip to Tortuguero is the opportunity to witness giant sea turtles laying eggs and hatching their young. The 8-night Tortuguero Family Adventure departs between May and August, with rates starting at just $1,295 for adults and $995 for children.

In the Galapagos, AdventureSmith Explorations combines small ship cruising with a full range of activities designed to bring families into intimate contact with the unique ecosystems of the islands and the creatures that inhabit them. The trip begins and ends in colonial Quito, Ecuador and includes accommodations in Quito, a half day walking tour of the Quito's old town, round trip flights from mainland Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands and seven nights cruise accommodations and meals. Expert naturalist guides accompany each visit ashore to observe wildlife, providing opportunities for parents, children and grandparents alike to discover an interactive environment where science becomes fun and alive. Cruises depart almost year round, with rates starting at $2,695 for adults and $1,495 for children.

Before every trip, the company prepares families for their upcoming adventure with an extensive pre-departure packet including everything from packing lists to natural history information. Children qualify for discounted prices when sharing a room with adults and usually get a 25-50% discount on international airfare depending on individual airline policies. In addition to its regular family departures, AdventureSmith Explorations will plan private, custom itineraries to any of its worldwide destinations.

For reservations or more information, call 1-800-728-2875, email travel@AdventureSmithExplorations.com or visit www.AdventureSmithExplorations.com.

AdventureSmith Explorations is an ecotourism company founded on the ideal of utilizing soft adventure travel to create connections with the world's exotic natural environments and native cultures. The company's founder, Todd Smith, utilizes his years of experience in the adventure travel industry as well as his expertise as a professional naturalist to distinguish AdventureSmith Explorations by combining fun and exciting activities such as sea kayaking, hiking, small ship cruising and rafting in places not found on more conventional itineraries; extraordinary places in such destinations as Alaska, Costa Rica, Belize, Ecuador and the Galapagos, Guatemala and New Zealand.

Attention Media: For more information and downloadable, hi-res images, view the media resources in our Press Room at AdventureSmithExplorations.com.