Questions about TWK Tours? We have answers!

Q: WHAT IS TWK FAMILY ADVENTURE TOURS AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

A: TWK Family Adventure Tours if a family owned and operated full service travel tour company focusing on real travel experiences and unique destinations around the world. TWK (Travel With Kids) creates experiences for all ages – kids to grandparents. We started as a TV show created by the Simmons family in Phoenix Arizona in 2003. The show produced 80 half hour episodes airing on PBS nationally and currently streams on Amazon, Tubi. Youtube, Roku and many more. After many years of questions like ‘how did you know where to go, what do see and do, what hotel did you stay in, how did you get around” etc, we created our first TWK tour in 2014 to South Africa and the tour company grew from there. Today we offer multi day adventure tours to many destinations focusing on adventure, culture, real travel experiences, unique interactions with locals and hands on learning. We specialize in the African Safari experience for families, Peru, Thailand, Vietnam, Scotland and Ireland but can craft an exceptional vacation experience for your family anywhere in the world.

Q. HOW DO I SIGN UP OR JOIN ONE OF YOUR TOURS?

A. We offer two programs: Group escorted departures means you join our main tour offers along with our family and experienced local guides. These are set dates usually once a year. However if you can’t go at that time, we can book the same itinerary with the same hotels, guides and services for just you and your friends and family anytime. We partner with our booking portal called WETRAVEL. You will get a customized travel page to submit your deposit and payments, review itineraries and additional information.

Q. HOW DO DEPOSITS AND PAYMENTS WORK?

A. We require a deposit to hold space on a group tour and an individual tour. Payments are then spread out in 3-5 payments over the course of a year depending on when you sign up. Final payment is typically due 60 days before departure. Deposits are typiclaly non refundable.

Q. HOW BIG ARE TWK GROUP TOURS?

A. Typically our groups range from 16-26 travelers. We have had groups as big as 85 on a charter ship in Fiji. We do try to keep our group size between 16 and 26. We can create custom individual trips for you and your family/friends of any size 2 – 20 people.

Q: WHEN I SIGN UP FOR A TOUR, WHAT IS INCLUDED?

A: First, everything is planned for you. When you join an existing group tour all you do is show up at the airport to meet up with us and the group! We handle everything. You will have someone meeting you and your family (and the group) at each airport. All hotels/accommodation is included. Airport transfers (main arrival/departure day with the group), transport during the tour including trains, bus, boat. The main activities, sightseeing etc is included and some meals. Often regioinal airfare may be included. Plus we work with local experienced guides who know the real authentic experiences, restaurants, things to see and do. Often there are free days/time on your own where we will arrange many cultural and adventure activities for you to explore, or you can explore on your own. We arrange dinners, cultural excursions and assist with any issues during the trip; lost passports, cuts, scrapes and bruises, needing a pharmacy or a doctor, etc. Everything is handled by TWK Tours. You will have a day by day itinerary with info on what we are doing, where we are going, where to meet, shop, dine and explore with us or on your own.

Q: WHAT IS TRAVEL WITH KIDS. ARE THESE KIDS TRIPS?

A: While we originally set out with the Travel With Kids TV show in 2003, the goal was to get people excited and interested in travel outside their comfort zone. Cruises and Disney is great and all, but there is so much more to expereince and learn and feel and be a part of out there. When Travel With Kids tours started in 2014 we focused on family travel to Africa, Asia and South America. This was from our own experiences while traveling around the world (without kids) in 1998. We wanted to share this with our friends, family and TWK tour participants. In recent years TWK tours has become a full service tour company. We offer trips to people of all ages, groups, individual family and friends. Our group trips are welcome to everyone, kids or no kids: Friends, couples, grandparents. Everyone has a wonderful time together and makes lifelong friends. Our foundation is still family travel experiences but our group trips are families/kids of all ages now along with grandparents and friends too!

Q. What is Africa and Safari really like? Is it dangerous?

A. South Africa and Africa in general is one of our favorite places since our kids were little. There is no way to describe in words or by photos what the safari experience is really like. Its not something you just see, its an experience you feel like nothing else. You can show someone a photo of an elephant and rhino up close all day long but it doesn’t get the point accross. Our guests are changed by the experience and have to go back. Safari is the only trip we operate with repeat customers, sometimes 4 times now. South Africa of course has some bad areas that we do not go to just like any country or big city. However, we do go into the shanty towns and spend a day volunteeering with locals, and it is the most impactful meaningful experience of everyone’s journey. The people are friendly, happy and interested to talk with you. The cities are modern and “normal” the food is amazing and plentiful, the resorts and lodges are 5 star. We are not staying in tents eating bugs. No one is out to get us or mad at Americans etc. Our family has felt as safe in South Africa as anywhere in the US.

Q: How many trips do you run a year?

A: We typically create 3 – 5 group journeys a year plus run dozens of individual custom trips for families on thier own. Below is our tour schedule since 2014:

2025: South Africa, Victoria Falls

2025: Womens Trip Spain/Morocco

2024: South Africa, Brazil & Argentina

2024: Egypt & Jordan Nile Cruise/Petra

2023: South Africa & Victoria Falls

2023 Thailand, South Africa

2022: Scotland (adults trip)

2020 – 2021 No Travel

2019: South Africa & Victoria Falls

2019: Vietnam, Egypt, Israel, Jordan

2019: Womens Trip: Ireland

2018: Womens Trip: Italy

2018: South Africa & Victoria Falls (filming in Egypt, Uganda)

2018: Peru

2017: Womens trip: Spain Camino Walk

2017: Fiji Charter Cruise

2017 South Africa & Victoria Falls

2016: Thailand, Ireland (filming in Sri Lanka, Indonesia)

2015: Peru (filming in South Korea)

2014: South Africa

2003 – 2014: Filming in Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, Wales, England, Scotland, Greece, Italy, Ireland, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Arizona, San Diego, Alaska, New York, Cambodia, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, Fiji, Jamaica, Bahamas