ArcaMax

For those who love getting on their bikes -- BikeToursPortugal has been hosting more families in a country that not only is safe, culturally rich but affordable, compared to others. "Our country is still very safe and peaceful and people are warm and friendly," promises the company's Joana Sousa. Closer to home, check out Bicycle Adventures with family trips to Mt. Rushmore and the Badlands, among other places.

South Africa right now is increasingly affordable, thanks to a favorable exchange rate. It also offers the chance to see "The Big Five" on safari, explore Cape Town and for grown-ups, sample great wine. African Safari Company is family owned and family trips can include activities like drumming lessons and child-friendly wineries. Trips can start at under $2,000 per person.

See the belugas and polar bears, depending on when you travel with Frontiers North, a family-owned company that has been offering wildlife adventures in Canada's North for more than 40 years. One of the most popular destinations is to Churchill, Manitoba, which is focused on polar bears, beluga whales and northern lights. Because of the strong dollar and interest from American families, specific family-focused trips are being planned for 2017.

An easier Machu Picchu Mountain Lodges of Peru is offering a new multi-activity Lares Adventure to Machu Picchu, as an alternative to the traditional Inca Trail, offering hikes and daily activities through some of the most pristine and culturally traditional corners of the Peruvian Andes. "It's a rare day one can hit the trail near Machu Picchu without seeing another hiker, but we do," promises the company's Nadia Le Bon. She adds that this was designed as a more flexible, less physically demanding itinerary. "You can take the kids for easy to moderate hikes, let them join a cooking class, hang out with friendly alpacas or visit a traditional village with local weavers," she said. "And at the end of the trip, you get to see the mystical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu." All-inclusive rates for a five-night trip start at $2,250 for adults, 20 percent less for kids.

Explore the Amazon with International Expeditions, which is currently offering discounts as much as $1,200 on certain summer voyages. Summer months are ideal for family exploration because the lower water levels allow for more hiking and more concentrated wildlife populations and even fish for piranha. Families get acquainted with ribereno (river people) culture on visits to a local village and its school. Rates start at under $3,600 per person.

See you on the river -- I hope!

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(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow "taking the kids" on www.twitter.com, where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments.)

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