The U2 rocker has finally recovered from the back surgery he had in 2010 and decided to thank his wife Alison Hewson and their children Jordan, 23, Memphis, 21, Elijah, 13 and 11-year-old John for their constant support by whisking them off on a luxury tour of the world's most spiritual regions.

He told The Sun newspaper: "I've possibly had the best year personally because I've spent most of it with my family. Having been away on tour for so long, then taking so long to recover from my back injury, it was time for a trip.

"I decided to take the family on tour as a little thank you to the kids for being so patient with me. Because I wasn't busy with the band we kind of went wandering. Once in a lifetime sort of stuff, places like Africa and Central America.

"We also went to Jordan and Israel and Peru. It was really great to have time off."

The 52-year-old 'With Or Without You' crooner suffered a spinal injury while rehearsing for U2's world tour in 2010 and had to have emergency neurosurgery in a Munich clinic.

Bono - real name Paul David Hewson - has also been busy in the studio with U2 as the band are currently penning material for a new album.