Thumbs Up on Far and Away Adventures’ River Rafting Trips That Include Enviro-tainment Programs for Children

3 February 2011
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Pace-Setting River Outfitter Uses Natural Environment To Make Multi-Generational Vacations Fun, Educational and Seamless

Sun Valley, ID.Far and Away Adventures turns private family river rafting charters into thumbs up experiences for everyone thanks to over a decade of listening and responding to what most pleases family clients.

‘While the rivers may run wild, our mission is to sustain for our guests at all times the serenity and enlightenment that comes with being immersed in a pristine wilderness environment,” says Steve Lentz, owner of Far and Away Adventures http://www.far-away.com/.

How does Lentz achieve this when it comes to children’s passion for adventure? The answer is Enviro-tainment - natural immersion and empowerment experiences for youngsters.

“Our focus is on placing that passion and curiosity into the hands of trained professionals who love working with children and letting them work their magic with youthful energies,” Lentz notes, adding that when the day concludes ashore children are fed early then involved in crafts and games so that parents can enjoy wine and appetizers before a relaxing dinner.  Later, everyone gathers around the bonfire for share and tell of the day’s exploits and listen to river tales spun by guides and naturalists.

“Just as we seek out and engage the finest purveyors of camp amenities, food and wine, our guests relax knowing their children are being guided creatively through the natural environment,” says Lentz, emphasizing the two to three guest per guide ratio throughout all of Far and Away’s programs.

To assure maximum focus for children, Far and Away secures Mountain Adventure Tours of Ketchum, ID, to capture the fancy of children on and off the rapids with what is dubbed “Enviro-tainment.”

Mountain Adventure Tours’ owner, Mathew Gershater, and his team target core discoveries themes, follow the threads and at the end of a week have created happy campers plus a professionally cut video parents and children enjoy together (for a sample see: http://vimeo.com/14555942). Woven in is Gershater’s commitment to character building and environmental education, showing children and adults alike how they can take an active role in using, preserving and restoring the wild.

“I feel that kids, especially the youngsters age 4 to 8, learn best in a setting where they’re actively engaged in something they enjoy doing. We lace the fun of being outside, by the river, maybe snorkeling in the river with the educational part. What animals do we find in the river? Why is this bird making a certain sound? What will this stonefly look like when it grows up and how will it feed the fish?” Gershater explained.

Older children, he said, may learn about safety programs, how to administer first aid in the wilderness and technical aspects of being outdoors, such as how to read the weather, or the flow of a river. They are also engaged in leadership games which may lead to empowering them to help the staff with younger children.

“We have a whole quiver of educational and leadership games that sometimes will involve parents to really get that parent-child interaction in a goal-oriented activity,” he said, noting that a number of his 15-person in-season staff have degrees in early childhood and special education.

Far and Away Adventures walks the sustainable talk throughout its programs. While offering the world's most luxurious wilderness whitewater rafting on Idaho's Middle Fork of the Salmon and the Wild and Scenic Bruneau, they do so in a fully sustainable and organic manner with, among others, a leave-no-trace ethic and gourmet meals that are 95 percent organic from locally sourced foods. Health for the environment and for the guest come together daily, with morning yoga and a trained massage therapist on call on every trip.

Far and Away Adventures has been sharing the excitement of paddling with adventuresome guests since 1980. Simply, the wonders of nature and those created by Far and Away Adventures for guests plying these and other privileged waters create a new category for those who seek experiences above and beyond the ordinary. Far and Away Adventures’ guests are moved beyond world-class into a universe where luxury and wilderness blend marvelously together. For a detailed itinerary on this and other programs on equally privileged waters, please contact Far and Away Adventures; toll free 800-232-8588 or visit the web site  http://www.far-away.com/.

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