You could say that one of the most powerful reasons that leads us to travel is curiosity. That exploration spirit, of feeling the stimulus of something new in the form of smells, flavors, images, and people, is perhaps the most similar sensation to how we lived everything in our childhood, when everything was new, and every day was a new adventure.
It is said that children are like sponges, and personality development is forged in childhood and adolescence, and the experiences lived in these two phases will be decisive in their formation as adults. It's with family that we share stories, traditions, celebrations, and, of course, travel. Traveling as a family is one of the best ways to connect with ourselves and each other, to reinforce and honor our values as a group, and to forge unique memories for future generations.
Imagine spending a few days as a family, like settlers of Western America, on an authentic ranch located in Montana. There's a luxury ranch for an entire family. Nearly 15,000 hectares of land where 300 elk and some 200 Black Angus cows graze happily on these meadows. Here, you can discover the untouched environment of the Rocky Mountains that most children have only seen on television.
This ranch is located in the heart of the scenic Blackfoot Valley, 30 miles northeast of Missoula in the U.S. state of Montana. The history of these lands dates back to a time when the Blackfoot River served as a transportation corridor for Indians and later for fur trappers, miners, and logging settlers. The Indians called the river "Cokalahishkit," which means "the river of the buffalo trail."
Captain Meriwether Lewis, one of the first explorers to follow the well-worn Indian trail along the Blackfoot, reached the present ranch land in 1806. The area became famous in the late 19th century for its gold, silver, and copper mines, and hundreds of people settled there, attracted by the "gold rush of the West". In 1898, the Big Blackfoot Railway was built to move lumber from outlying areas to the Blackfoot River. Today, remnants of the railroad tracks can still be seen throughout the ranch.
Around 1915, a young man named Paul Greenough acquired four properties and, with the purchase of additional land, formed the first ranch. Over the next few decades, the ranch went through several owners and expansions until it became what it is today. This ranch offers a unique opportunity to experience what the daily life of the old American settlers at the end of the 19th century was like, with your family. There are activities for all ages and preferences: Lake tours, fly-fishing on the legendary Blackfoot River, adrenaline-filled whitewater rafting, or horse-drawn carriage rides.
You can board an old horse-drawn wagon and enjoy a unique scenic ride along the banks of the Blackfoot River. Towards the end, you can enjoy an authentic cowboy-style barbecue: free-range chicken, Angus ribs, fresh corn, and asparagus, grilled over a campfire. Before and after dinner, you can entertain yourself by throwing horseshoes while a real cowboy provides the evening soundtrack by playing his banjo.
There is nothing like a cattle drive to make us feel part of this natural environment full of history: Find, collect, and direct the cows to picturesque pastures on the back of a horse. Learning the history and customs of cattle cowboys, and trying out the essential rodeo skills will give you an idea of how difficult it can be to raise these cows. Leading and driving a herd of cows on the back of a horse can be an unforgettable adventure.
The breeding and care of the horses are part of the ranch's DNA. Since 2018, they have been leading a program for the protection and conservation of Mustang horses, authentic living symbols of the wild and independent spirits of the pioneers of the American West. Another of the unique activities that you can enjoy there with the family is learning the art of horse whispering with one of these noble animals. An unrepeatable experience that nourishes the soul and helps you understand the intimate and ancestral connection between man and nature.
Just a 20-minute drive from the ranch, you can travel back in time to the early 20th century as you walk the streets of Garnet Ghost Town, Montana's best-preserved ghost town. There you can learn about and relive as a family the fascinating history of the town, inhabited until the 1960s, while exploring the Kelley Saloon, the Wells Hotel, and many homes that are still in perfect condition today.
It's an ideal place to travel to all year round with your family and discover the stunning changes in color and nuance of the surrounding landscape through the different seasons.
Almost 6,000 kilometers south of Montana, in Ecuador, a 17th-century hacienda occupying an area of 1,600 hectares in the Andean valley of the province of Imbabura, two hours from Quito, awaits us. For its mysterious pre-Inca pyramids, its Spanish colonial roots, and being the home of two former presidents of Ecuador, Hacienda Zuleta is the perfect environment to learn about and live in with your family. The Ecuadorian culture and traditions are surrounded by volcanoes of more than 6,000 meters of altitude.
The hacienda's activities include a dairy farm with more than 300 Holstein cows, producing 6,000 liters of milk daily, a trout farm, a cheese factory where a dozen varieties of cheese are produced, and a very interesting project for the rehabilitation of Andean condors.
Its Caranqui pyramids, which are the second-best preserved in Ecuador, were occupied by the Incas and colonized by the Spanish. They are a living reflection of the history of this region that was a refuge from volcanic activity, a ceremonial site with a very special energy for the Caranqui Indians, and a privileged agricultural site for Incas and Spaniards. In 1898, these hectares were sold to José María Lasso and later came into the hands of Galo Plaza Lasso, a diplomat, president of Ecuador, a farmer by vocation, and a deep advocate of modern agriculture.
There, you can enjoy an exclusive family vacation, surrounded by a magical environment of volcanoes, snow-capped mountains, and historic Indigenous communities, and discover together a very important natural conservation project. Among the different activities offered by the hacienda, you cannot miss a bicycle excursion to Cóndor Huasi, Hacienda Zuleta's reserve-restoration, reproduction, and conservation project for condors. There, biologist Yann Potaufeu will explain the interesting work they do and the importance of the condor for the equilibrium of the ecosystem in the area.
These enormous ebony-colored birds are one of the largest birds in the world, despite being endangered. They can weigh up to 15 kilograms, and their wingspan can measure up to 3 meters. Their reproduction rate is very low as they lay one egg every two years. About 60 Andean condors live in this reserve in the wild. Some sick or injured condors are protected in a huge aviary until they are ready to be released. In the meantime, you can also see some wild condors that, from time to time, visit their recovering flight companions. This project does a great job at an educational level, to transmit the importance of this species for the natural balance of the area.
At the hacienda, areas of the property are set aside to be inhabited by species that have been in the area since time immemorial, such as the condor. The Andean bear is another of the species in the area whose population is monitored by Hacienda Zuleta's naturalists and biologists.
In South Africa, Madikwe is the only malaria-free private reserve in the entire country, making it very safe to travel to with children, especially young ones. In addition, it is an ideal destination for family travel during all months of the year, although it is during the dry season that it's possible to see more animals and enjoy an unforgettable safari experience. A real adventure trip for young and old without sacrificing luxury, exclusive service, and the comforts of a lodge, which highlights the cuisine and delicious dishes of celebrity chef Nico Verster.
Situated on an area of 75,000 hectares in the northwest of South Africa, this reserve encompasses a wilderness terrain that features a tapestry of breathtaking landscapes ranging from vast plains to dense bush and forest and towering rocky peaks. A veritable kaleidoscope of natural beauty where you can spot lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffalo, and even the rare African wild dog.
Before 1991, this area consisted of a collection of degraded cattle farms and farmland. The local government commissioned a study to establish the best use of the land. The study showed that wildlife-based tourism in the area, with the creation of a private reserve, would be of great benefit to the local communities. And so "Operation Phoenix" was created. Over 7 years, more than 8,000 animals of 28 species were reintroduced, including the reintroduction, for the first time in a closed concession, of an entire herd of elephants and the African wild dog, making it one of the largest wildlife translocation projects in the world.
Today, the Madikwe reserve is managed as a partnership between the state, the private sector, and local communities, and presents an innovative approach to wildlife conservation and represents a role model in terms of native wildlife protection for other countries on the African continent.
Thus, Madikwe is a private reserve. As it is not a national park, it is not subject to national park hours or restrictions, allowing family guests to enjoy night walking safaris off the beaten track. Here, the little ones in the family can become true explorers, learning to track animals by identifying their tracks. Madikwe is home to more than 130 species of mammals, 350 species of birds, and 100 varieties of trees.
And to discover, live, and remember as a family, two different safaris exist. The "Couch Safari": There are very few places in Africa where you can sit and watch wild elephants play in a waterhole 20 meters in front of you. A thrilling experience for travelers of all ages. The "Pool Safari": Refresh, relax, and revitalize in a large pool located at the edge of the Jamala waterhole, under an ancient Leadwood tree. A unique vantage point that will offer incredible wildlife sightings while bathing under the African sun.
Whichever destination we choose, traveling with our "tribe", meeting, exploring, discovering, learning, and enjoying unforgettable experiences together in natural settings of astonishing beauty is one of the best legacies we can leave our children.
