We've traveled with Nat Geo Family and Oars and they're both MUCH cheaper than Tauck. But also far less luxurious. With Oars you can stay in hotels or camp but we had a great time whitewater rafting.
Nat Geo runs all kinds of trips and the lodging is "fine". Some, not all, meals provided. But it seemed reasonable pricewise.

Another idea is if you do someplace that’s an established hiking route, like Camino de Santiago, there are local vendors that will just drive your stuff to your next overnight so you don’t need to carry it all.

There are probably bike routes like that as well but I just don’t know them.

I think yo find cheaper options you need to focus in on a location and then look for local providers that aren’t going to have the advertising and other overhead of a taucl or backroads. Particularly if looking abroad, can find places that are cheaper. It’s also cheaper to build an active vacation out of different vendors….like one vendor for a day of horseback riding, one vendor for a day of whitewater, one vendor for a mountain biking day. You are paying a company to research and put that all together for you.

Anonymous wrote:Bump for recent recs!

Are you the Op? The post was from 8 years ago so now those kids are high school and older now?

What kind of budget were you thinking?

Bump for recent recs!

Look at Western Spirit for cycling trips. It's camping, but significantly less expensive than Backroads, and most of our guides came from Backroads and said that Western Spirit is a better company with better trips.

There is also a company in Canada called Sacred Rides, which when I was pricing some trips was on the less expensive end, though I don't know if they offer kids trips.

Anonymous wrote:We've used Intrepid Family Trips. They aren't walking trips but they do go to a variety of adventurous locations. Accommodations not luxury but clean and basic.

Gap Adventures is similar to Intrepid, also worth a look. I've traveled with both while in my 20s (single female) and have enjoyed both. Trips tend to be more international, but adventurous for a reasonable price they do.

Oars multi sport adventure.

Tauck iis excellent, as is National Geographic. Both are at least as expensive as Backroads though.

We've used Intrepid Family Trips. They aren't walking trips but they do go to a variety of adventurous locations. Accommodations not luxury but clean and basic.

No idea but I wonder the same thing. Would love to do a Backroads type trip but it's so expensive!

Thanks for this feedback. I should have mentioned the kids' ages -- they are 8, 13, and 15. So I think a guide would be best for our first trip like this.

Are the guides a must have? That's what drives the cost up. I love this company :

http://www.sherpaexpeditions.com

But their self guided trips are much cheaper than guided. Even the guided, though are cheaper than back roads.

With the self guided you still get accommodation, restaurant recommendations, activities, luggage transfer, and emergency support. Honestly, we prefer it due to the flexibility

I've also heard good things about this company

http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk

But we are doing our first trip with them this summer, so no direct experience. Same deal - guided trips cheaper than back roads, self guided much cheaper still.

I've heard Tauck is great, but they probably aren't much cheaper than backroads, if at all (they are 100% all inclusive I think).

My dream vacation is a family Backroads trip with hiking, cycling, and maybe kayaking or canoeing - but I can't afford the price tag for a family of 5. Can anyone recommend a company that has similar types of active trips where there are guides and they handle all meals and lodging, but might be more affordable than Backroads?

To keep the cost down, it would be great to find a company that has trips in the US (Maine?) but probably willing to travel further if needed.

Thanks for any ideas.