Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Not just one moment. We had an amazing group of 12 and we all continually had a fantastic time. From baby hyenas to elephants 20 feet away. Incredible.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ngande was the best. Shared so much, kept us safe and answered a zillion questions. He kept his staff moving and took care of them too. Perfect leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take less then you thought you needed (it gets heavy), winter is chilly, dryer wipes keep the mosquitoes and bugs away, buy a small, powerful camera, Amazon sells a very lightweight sleeping bag, a cotton scarf 🧣 for the dusty car rides, plenty of suntan lotion, and enjoy every moment.

Most Inspirational Moment

The complete support from guide to Porter's was absolutely amazing. To watch how hard the Porter's work carrying everything from the toilet to pretty much the kitchen sink! These guys are so inspirational

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Holger was outstanding from start to end, constantly checking up on every member of the group, being very knowledgeable of the local history and very warm and welcoming at all times

Advice for Potential Travellers

If doing the Inca Trail try to get a certain level of fitness before as this will help make the journey easier

Most Inspirational Moment

Trekking up to Ijen crater (and down again) was more difficult than expected (being very steep), but a real highlight of the trip. Snorkelling from the boat in Bali was beautiful, I even saw a turtle! In general the islands are absolutely stunning and seeing the culture, temples, people and natural beauty was great.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader (Wira) was fantastic - his knowledge is extensive and he is very friendly and approachable. There were 5 people part of the team and all of them were very caring and made the trip brilliant.

Most Inspirational Moment

The people - the group I was cycling with and the locals were so supportive cheering everyone as we made it to the top of a tough climb. The views from the top of the hills and swimming in the lake a a few of the best bits - too many other good bits to list them all.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Alan was great. always felt safe, knew where I was going, I felt fine at the back even if I couldn’t always see the person in front because I knew I wouldn’t be left behind . Alan would always keep track of where everyone was. He spent time with everyone in the group cycling at their pace not trying to get people to speed up or slow down. There were briefings often so we all knew what was happening.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I considered taking my own road bike - dont - the bikes were excellent and fitted perfectly even though I’m only 5’3 . Even a hybrid bike would not have coped with to few off road sections. They also provided a handle bar bag that was really useful. Take a cash card or cash - as well as credit card - we used cash for most meals and some places didn’t take cards at all.

Most Inspirational Moment

The seaside cliffs at Cala Luna really gave some perspective to sea level changes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Easy going. Trustworthy. Accommodating. Great guy.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a lot of water , suntan lotion and a hat.

Most Inspirational Moment

I particularly enjoyed walking up Stromboli during the Exodus tour. We had a fantastic view over the crater and were able to watch the eruptions for the best part of an hour or two. Walking up the volcano at sunset and down the other side of the volcano at night was spectacular and something I don't think I will ever forget. Watching the eruptions from a couple of hundred metres away was also just brilliant.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Federica, our group leader, was fun, friendly and very knowledgable. She was very enthusiastic and passionate about the areas that we visited. It was very clear from when we first met her that she wanted all of us to have a great time in Sicily and the Aeolian Islands. Federica was brilliant at guiding us, showing us the local sites and recommending things for us to do during our free time. She even went to the effort of making us all a picnic with local cuisine! Needless to say, our time in Sicily would not have been as fun without her!

Most Inspirational Moment

It’s hard to pick just one!!! Picturesque villages? Passionate and knowledgeable tour guide? Food? All brilliant! But lunch in the vineyard on the penultimate day was truly wonderful!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader, Michele, was our tour guide in Puglia and we were delighted that he led this tour as well. As a local to the area, Michele knew so much about the area and shared some gems that we simply wouldn’t have seen if we didn’t have his local knowledge. From our secret view of the Rialto Bridge in Venice with all the students to our personal tour of Vincenzo, Michele made every effort to make our tor special. His professionalism and knowledge was impressive as was his care and attention to make our holiday so enjoyable. Thank you!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Diet before you go! The food is amazing!!!

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing so much wildlife. Sloths, monkeys, raccoons , a huge variety of birdlife and a couple of snakes. Fabulous!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Katia's knowledge about the wildlife, geography and history of Costa Rica was astonishing. As a bird enthusiast, she was able to recognise everything from a tiny glimpse or a snatch of birdsong. In addition, she went out of her way to ensure everyone was enjoying their trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't forget a sense of humour. It helps enormously when you have a puncture in the middle of nowhere.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing so much wildlife. Sloths, monkeys, raccoons , a huge variety of birdlife and a couple of snakes. Fabulous!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Katia's knowledge about the wildlife, geography and history of Costa Rica was astonishing. As a bird enthusiast, she was able to recognise everything from a tiny glimpse or a snatch of birdsong. In addition, she went out of her way to ensure everyone was enjoying their trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't forget a sense of humour. It helps enormously when you have a puncture in the middle of nowhere.

Most Inspirational Moment

The walk through beautiful farm country and interesting old towns and cities.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose was very good at communicating what to expect each day. He really kept the trek worry free for the group. On the trail he sped up or slowed down to keep us together enough to have all stops and meals together. All of the stops were at great places for coffee and food and we put tables together so we could visit. Jose made a point of interacting with all of us. He had excellent advice on how to avoid blisters and offered first aid if people developed them. Having Jose with us allowed us to enjoy the Camino concentrate on the trek.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do an honest self evaluation of your walking skills. Then take time to get to the point that you are able to walk for a few hours and go a long distance. This trek was not a marathon race, but you cover a lot of ground. The days are usually a pattern like : breakfast, walk about 2-3 hours, break, walk about 2-3 hours, lunch, walk about 2-3 hours, break, walk an hour or so, check into hotel with a group dinner scheduled for later. It is a full day that is so interesting and picturesque that is goes by quickly. If you read the blogs they tell you to bring certain kinds of gear. Take it with a grain of salt. Decide what you really need to trek miles per day. Dress for the weather. In May I wore merino wool longjohns, poly tee shirt, Gore Tex pants and jacket, Keen walking shoes. I bought a huge rain parka on the trail. I was warm and dry. I did not carry a pack or knapsack. I had a fanny pack with cash, ID, and small water bottle. I would not recommend bringing poles unless you usually need them to walk. Shoes are the most important thing. Make sure you have shoes you can walk in for hours. I walk 8-10 miles most days. So I know my shoes are broken in and they fit. When you train for the trip trip you will be able to break in new shoes. I only used one pair of walking shoes and never unpacked the second pair. So one good pair of hiking shoes was enough for me. Off the trail I used lightweight slip-ons. In May we had fairly cool weather with rain a few times and lots of sunshine. Walking was usually in the shaded countryside with some mud. It was nice because we did not have extreme weather.