The medieval Silk Road caravans chose this route, too, on their way to Kyrgyzstan and China as part of the Unesco-inscribed Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor. Charting the same path as generations before me, I felt a missing piece of my birthplace was starting to take shape. “Almaty region is unique,” said Konstantin Ludanov, an Almaty-based guide with Photosafari Travel who drove the all-terrain vehicle I’d hired for my trip. “It is the only place in Kazakhstan where you can drive for a few hours and see desert dunes, Alpine lakes, mountain ridges and steppes all without leaving the region.”

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Traveling somewhere unfamiliar can make you vulnerable, and the last thing you want to do is inadvertently offend the locals. Things that are perfectly acceptable at home may be frowned upon in your host country.

“This strategy kept my kids endlessly entertained,” she said. It can be more challenging to be solo with infants or toddlers. If you’re flying, Ms. Sarkis highly recommends curbside check-in, if it’s available. “You can get rid of all your luggage, car seats and other baby gear before even entering the terminal,” she said. Mr. Stoen advised finding a delicate balance between your needs and what everyone else in your group wants to do.

Do use it as a general guideline, but take everything with a grain of salt. I write about all kinds of hikes, beaches, waterfalls, volcanoes, castles, temples, monuments, wildlife, and other interesting sights.

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The L.F. Wade International Airport is located on the island’s East End and services many major U.S. airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and JetBlue Airways. This is the fastest and most direct way to reach the island. You’ll find everything from books by women of color to planet-friendly home goods here. The store is also home to Salt Spray Soap Co., a local artisan skin care line, which has an in-house workshop. Skye Sherman is a freelance travel writer based in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Sightseeing flights, which never land on the continent, also are available from most major cities in Australia, with prices starting at around $1,200 per person. Meena Thiruvengadam is a lifelong traveler and veteran journalist who has visited more than 50 countries across six continents. Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Departures, TripSavvy, and other publications.

Ms. Norcross said that the best way to keep teenagers engaged is to have them take ownership in planning a part of your trip. She suggests having them choose some attractions which they are interested in seeing and even letting them design one of two days of your itinerary. The key to keeping kids 5 and older engaged on a family trip is to get them involved in the planning, even in a small way, Mr. Jenss said. “The more you empower kids this age to pick what they’re interested in doing, whether it’s seeing a cool site or trying surfing, the more engaged they will be,” he said. In the last few years, many Kazakhs have been increasingly discovering the nation’s diverse rural landscapes. Since the pandemic, the country has improved facilities at national parks and opened several high-profile eco hotels. With this road trip, I hoped to see the remote Kazakh countryside before others started descending.

The total time to get your passport includes both processing and mailing times. It may take up to 2 weeks for applications to arrive by mail at a passport agency or center, and up to 2 weeks for you to receive a completed passport in the mail after we print it. If you have not applied, your appointment at a passport agency or center must be scheduled within 14 calendar days of your international travel date. If you have already applied, your appointment must be scheduled within 5 calendar days of your international travel date.

Planning an Itinerary and Choosing Accommodations

Amanda Norcross, the features editor of the online travel magazine Family Vacation Critic, agrees that schedules are incredibly important for infants. “If your infant is on an eating or sleep schedule, try to stay as close to that as possible on vacation and plan your days accordingly,” she said. Of course, if you’re keen to truly experience life in Antarctica there is the option https://thevoyagevault.com/ to work there for a period of time, subject to medical and other background checks. Several cruise ship lines offer itineraries to Antarctica, often at attractive rates. While larger ships are often better suited to families, those seeking onboard entertainment, and budget-conscious travelers, their size limits their ability to offer a comprehensive experience of Antarctica.