Family nature holiday in the mountains of Majella National Park, Italy with Sawadee

Family holiday offering a diversity of activities to explore Majella National Park

Tour type:

family

Tour operator:

Sawadee

Park:

Majella National Park

Highlights of the holiday

This active family holiday offers a series of special adventures: hiking in the mountains of Majella, observing wildlife, spending a night in a cave, visiting an Adventure Park and relaxing at great accommodation places in charming small towns. The trip also offers opportunity to explore Rome and can be extended with a 4-night beach holiday.

The tour is organised by the Dutch tour operator Sawadee and is conducted in Dutch.

Holiday type

active holiday
family trip
group tour with individual programmes
small groups (max. 19 participants)
possibility to extend the trip with 4-night beach holiday

Duration of holiday

10 days

Activities by days

Day 1: Arrival in Decontra – O/N in Decontra on HB basis
Arrive in Rome FCO at 12.00 and private bus transfer to Santo Spirito del Morrone Abbey in Sulmona where the Majella National Park headquarter is based for an introduction /presentation of the MNP with the use of slide projectors, some maps and written information:
The introduction will included the following points:

The PAN Parks Foundation:

info about the Park Authority and about the reasons why Majella National Park has decided to take part in the PAN Parks European Project,
which are the criteria requested to become a PAN Parks partner (also mentioning the accommodations used in the trip that are already PAN Parks partners),
which is the wilderness zone of Majella National Park.

The Majella National Park (territory, flora and fauna):

the main highlights of the National Park,
the valleys, mountains, hermitages and the spiritual paths, the villages and towns, the local artisans and food.

After the introduction, private transfer to Decontra and welcome drink with dinner at the accommodation.

Day 2: San Bartolomeo Hermitage guided walk + Optional cooking demonstration (pizza or pasta) - O/N in Decontra on BB basis
The day’s guided walk starts and ends at the accommodation in Decontra. Pic-nic lunch on your own. In the afternoon 2 hours visit of a local Bee Keeper workshop in Decontra with honey tasting included. After the visit, if you have booked it in advance, optional cooking demonstration with dinner at the accommodation (pizza or pasta party) or dinner on your own.

Day 3: Full day guided walk on Monte Cavallo with orienteering activities - O/N in Decontra on BB basis
Morning transfer to Rifugio Pomilio where the walk on Monte Cavallo starts. It is an easy and nice excursion, suitable for kids. You will walk to the “Tavola dei Briganti” (the “Bandits Tablet”) and during the walk the guide will tell the story of the bandits and show the carvings of the period preceding the Italian Unification. After pic-nic lunch (on your own), flora and fauna observation with binoculars and spy glasses and orienteering with compass and maps, exercises to identify the surrounding peaks and the animal’s locations. On the way back the group will pass by the Block House and arrive to Rifugio Pomilio where the transfer will be waiting for them to take the group back to Decontra. Dinner on your own.

Day 4: Full Day guided walk to the San Giovanni Waterfalls and sleeping in the Grottos - O/N in the Grottos
After breakfast you are transferred to the Adventure Park in Piana delle Mele. Briefing in English with the local guide and short introduction walk in the Valle delle Monache. Guided walk to the San Giovanni Waterfalls and then on to the camping Grottos. Pic-nic lunch (included) on the way. Set up for dinner (prepare fire) and for the night (set up the grottos campsite). After dinner short excursion in the wood with torches.

Notes:

There are in total 3 grottos located 50mt far from each other.
Each grotto can accommodate from a minimum of 6 people to a maximum of 10 people, so clients share the grotto with other members of their same group.
Near to the grotto there is a fountain with drinking water.
The area can be easily reached by a vehicle for any emergency or rescue.
There will be 1 guide in each grotto at the group disposal for any kind of assistance.
The group will be provided with all the necessary camping equipment such as sleeping bag and sleeping mat, torches, camping stove and cooking equipment.
The insurance policy is included.

Lunch and dinner included.

Day 5: Guided walk from the grottos back to the Adventure Park in Piana delle Mele – O/N in Cansano on BB basis
After breakfast dismantle the campsite and easy walk back to the Adventure Park in Piana delle Mele. On the way back visit of the shrine of San Giovanni and the pastoral caves, and then up to Piana delle Mele. Pic-nic lunch (included) along the way near Bocca di Valle or in the Majella Adventure Park, in Piana delle Mele. Spend 3 hours playing in the Adventure Park where you can do the “acrobatic park (in height) between the trees”. There are 130 games you can do suspended in the trees, walking between runways Tyrolean breathtaking bridges and tunnels, all in complete safety and with the assistance of qualified personnel. The participants will have to wear a safety equipment (harness, helmet, balaclava and gloves) provided by the Adventure Park. In the afternoon you are transferred to your accommodation in Cansano. Picnic lunch included and dinner on your own.

Day 6: Free Day with selection of things to do – O/N in Cansano on BB basis
Today is at your disposal, there are several things you can do:

Morning self guided walk (9 km) to Campo di Giove through the Cerreto Valley where, if you are lucky, you can encounter deers, boars or even rapacious birds. Then you walk on the “Sentiero della Libertà” (the Freedom Path) which has been blazed in memory of the all prisoners escaped from the Sulmona Concentration Camps to reach the troops beyond the Majella. After the walk take a public bus or taxi back to the accommodation.
Day at leisure in the nice town of Sulmona with possible visit to the most famous “Confettifricio” in Italy (the sugared almond candies).
Optional MTB guided tour at the Gole del Sagittario Reserve near Anversa degli Abruzzi, which is about 25 km from Cansano – a transfer will be needed to the start and to the end of the tour. It is a 7/8 km easy MTB tour, the itinerary involves gradual light ascents which take you to the spectacular scenery of the “Sorgenti Cavuto” and to the “Oasi of the Gole del Sagittario”, crossing the WWF paths. This tour has to be booked at least 1 month in advance. Minimum of 3 pax. Departure time is at about 9.00/9.30am and the return at the accommodation will be at about 3.00/4.00pm.

Lunch and dinner is on your own.

Day 7: Full Day at the Donkey Stable – O/N in Cansano on BB basis
After breakfast a short transfer takes you to the donkey stable. After an introduction to the donkey and explanation on how to take care of these animals, you set off on a 2h30 hour easy guided walk into the woods to the “Donkeys Valley” where you have a break before going back to the stable. During the break kids can ride the donkeys with the assistance of the guide. Return to the stable and get ready to make your own “Focaccia” (white pizza) that will be cooked in the wooden oven. Picnic lunch (included) in the garden. After lunch enjoy the musical entertainment activities until 4pm. Then you are transferred back to the accommodation. Dinner on your own.

Day 8: Rome
After breakfast you are transferred to Rome where you have a free day at disposal. Lunch and dinner on your own.

Day 9-10: Rome and departure
These days are at leisure to discover this beautiful ancient town. Lunches and dinners are on your own. On day 10 make your way to the airport by public transport (bus or train) unless you have booked extra nights in Rome.

Supporting wilderness conservation

By participating in this trip you support the PAN Parks Foundation and thus financially contribute to the protection of Europe’s wilderness, the continent’s most undisturbed areas of nature.
More on what the PAN Parks Foundation does