This was a holiday of 'firsts' for our family: our first KE family trip, our first visit to beautiful Slovenia on the Slovenian Family Adventure and our first time experiencing many of the amazing activities packed into this week. We knew we'd be in good hands, but every element of the trip exceeded our expectations. Here are our favourite 5 things about the trip, from a parents' and - more importantly - our children's point of view, Cara aged 11 and Mae aged 9.

From start to finish, every day was pure enjoyment. The variety of activities stretched and challenged just enough to make it unforgettable and meant there was no chance of it feeling like Groundhog Day. My personal favourites were zip-wiring, climbing and splashing around in Lake Bled, but we loved every bit of the program. The leaders handling all the logistics made everything even more fun, so we could just switch off from work and life admin and just enjoy time with the kids.

After the adventure-packed days, like toboganning and rafting for example, the hotel’s fantastic pools and whirlpool were a hit with both kids and adults. Our Alpine Resort Hotel was the perfect base nestled in a stunning valley with an incredible backdrop!

A free day in the middle of the week gave us all the time to unwind and a chance to mooch around the lovely resort town of the lovely resort town of Kranjska Gora (10 mins away on the free shuttle bus). Other families in the group were less lazy and hopped onto e-bikes to visit the nearby tri-border point shared by Slovenia, Italy and Austria. At the end of every day we all zonked out with well-earned tiredness in the comfy rooms (with their knockout views).

Our daughters quickly found fast friends among the other kids, there was eight in total, so this really was the perfect number for them to get to know each other, eat together, splash together, play pool and table football and – crucially – all be able to fit onto a giant paddleboard and into the ‘Kids Minibus’ for transfers between activities. They absolutely loved having lots more interesting people than their parents to hang around with! Though for us parents, it was nice to have some down time while the kids entertained themselves. We’d all relax together in the eveings, either in a big group, or – shock – being able to actually chat with our partners while the kids were off somewhere in their group.

Our trip leaders, Maša and Hana are hugely experienced, knowledgeable and were able to read the group perfectly. They knew when to step in and guide for (particularly helping us climbing newbies!) and when to take their lead from the group – for example, prioritising time in the water of Lake Bled ahead of other walking tour options. They even managed to juggle the itinerary around the (highly unusual!) rainstorms which struck through the week, meaning we were able to enjoy all activities, without any being diminished by the downpours. Whatever the activity, the guides were fun and patient with the kids ensuring they loved every day.

Our family fell in love with Slovenia. It is a country of deep forests, dramatic mountains and beautiful lakes, perfectly equipped for active visitors, but equally enough of a hidden gem that it never feels crowded. The area around Kranjska Gora is an activity paradise, offering everything from wide, flat bike trails, to ski-lifts and toboggans to get up and down the mountains. The short flight (just over 2 hours from Heathrow to Ljubljana) and easy transfer to the resort made travelling with kids surprisingly stress-free.

We couldn’t sign off without letting Cara and Mae share their absolute favourite moments of the trip in their own words:

Tobogganing: We could control our own speed so we could go as fast as we wanted. It was fun trying to catch up the person in front of you (but we couldn't get too close to them!) I felt the first fast downhill bit in my tummy.

Adventure Park: it was good because the course started off small so you could learn what to do then got higher and more exciting. But I felt really safe hanging down [in the harness] when I needed to.

Climbing: This felt like a real test of my legs and figuring out what to hold on to. When I got to the top it was really fun to lean back and let the ropes bounce me back down.

Rafting: bits of the river were bumpy, but this was really great. We started on level 1 rapids, so it wasn't too scary, but we still got splashed and spun around. We also got off and turned the raft upside-down to use as a slide / trampoline to jump into the water.

Lake Bled swimming and paddleboarding: this was so good, the lake was very clear and not cold. I'd call the water 'majestical'! It was great getting a monster paddleboard so all the kids could fit on it at once and jump in from it!

This trip gave us everything we hoped for — challenge, fun, nature, and quality time together — and so much more. KE made it easy, Slovenia made it magical and we came home with not just amazing memories, but new friends, new skills and a real taste for more adventures together.