Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Looking into the eyes of a Silver-back gorilla. I didn't think that we'd get so close to them, they brush passed you as they walk by. Just watching them interact with each other - grooming, playing and feeding, was amazing. The hour we had in their company flew by and was truly unforgettable.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jacob was our tour leader and he was excellent. He was very knowledgeable about where we were travelling, always full of good advice and very patient & professional. Seat rotation was suggested for the truck and all worked smoothly. My wristwatch broke in Doha on the way to Nairobi and he was very helpful in ensuring that I could buy a replacement at the earliest opportunity and so stay on time.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Travel with an open mind, be prepared for anything & you'll have an amazing unforgettable experience. Take advantage of hiring a porter for the gorilla trek, as he will be invaluable in helping you. I was a little apprehensive about the camping since I've not done any before but it was fine. The group were all well travelled and we all gelled together, helping out with the washing and air-drying of plates!

Most Inspirational Moment

Hanging lots of prayer flags at various of the summits. The momos at the end of the trek were very welcome.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Norbu and Ganga were excellent guides! Great fun to be with and very informative about the country they are so passionate about. The team as a whole was excellent and looked after us really well

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take gaiters ... we didn't and regretted the omission. The descent on the final day was very muddy. Definitely take walking poles ...

Most Inspirational Moment

There was no single moment I can identify. It was each occasion we went for a walk and encountered the Lemurs and Reptiles. Through the choice alone of the Lemus and Chameleons we got very close on more than one occasion. I will emphasise this was the animals choice not mine. Brown & Ring Tailed Lemurs can approach up to an arms length away. I didn't get bitten but I was wary. But it was exciting!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rija was one of the most enthusiastic and happy tour leaders I have had the pleasure of travelling with. Not only was she informative and organised she was also an expert wildlife spotter. She had an ability to spot something, when all we could see was undergrowth. I distinctly remember the rare 4 inch chameleon in the dark that she spotted from 10 paces when actually it was under a large leaf? I've never travelled with a leader equipped with xray infrared vision before, but I have now.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The tour company was good and supplied bottled water every day. Don't throw away the bottles. They are a desired commodity to the people in the hills and they are very happy when you hand over the empties for them to put their local produce in, honey, oil or similar. You may like to hand over other stuff too but the children can get a bit boisterous so choose your moment carefully if its something for them. Dont forget the adults, they are poor too. In a couple of areas during September it got chilly in the evening, please remember a light fleece or jumper.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking with and sharing the Camino experience

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fine

Advice for Potential Travellers

Slow down, participate and enjoy the Camino experience Wear trainers not boots Pack your compeeds

Most Inspirational Moment

Machu Picchu without a doubt. Amazing place. Lake Titicaca a close second. Beautiful, friendly people. Everything at a slower pace, probably due to the altitude!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very knowledgeable, very caring, particularly over the altitude question. Made us feel we were in safe hands.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The altitude is no joke! If you suffer from motion sickness, like I do, you may suffer. Even the travel pills which usually keep me okay on these trips didn’t help and I was very sick for the day of long driving (10-12 hours ), and the boat trip on Lake Titicaca. But having said that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss the trip, it was well worth it, and the upside was I was given the front seat of the coach for the rest of the trip! There were only 2 nights I missed as had to sleep it off. In the trip notes it says explore the island when on Lake Titicaca. By this it means walk at altitude from 3,800 to 4,100 straight up to the top of the island! Beautiful views,but at that altitude the less fit members of the party were not able to do it and we had 3 hours allowed to go up and come down again.

Most Inspirational Moment

The autumnal colours and scenery seen from the top of Monte Prado.

Thoughts on Group Leader

See above.

Most Inspirational Moment

Inspiration was frequent and varied on this trip: from spotting lemurs in the treetops (we saw a total of 5 species) to being amongst some dramatic rock scenery in both Andringitra and Isalo National Parks. If I had to choose one moment, it would probably be the sense of achievement in reaching the summit of Pic d'Imarivolanitra and marvelling at the remoteness and drama of the surrounding scenery. The Hotel de la Plage at Ifaty on the coast was a gorgeous way to end the trip too with the opportunity to take a sedate pirogue trip out to sea and snorkel on a beautiful reef.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rija worked tirelessly and always with a great sense of humour and patience to ensure that the tour operated smoothly. She was typical of all the Malagasy people we met who continually impressed me with how they achieve high standards with limited resources in a country that is obviously lacking in economic clout.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Although the road journeys are often quite long, the scenery is continually interesting and helps you get a real sense of rural Madagascan life so don't let that put you off. Temperatures can be quite high and the sun can be fierce in late September so sun protection is important. Although accommodation and food standards were generally high, there were a few cases of food poisoning in our group so don't forget to pay attention to food hygiene.

Most Inspirational Moment

I enjoyed all of it! However I particularly liked the Polonnaruwa ruins and loved our visit to the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. The countryside was so colourful and lush, and we saw lots of animals and birds even outwith the parks. To my surprise I also enjoyed the white water rafting which I had never done before.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sujan Weerakoon was an excellent tour leader. He knows the country inside out and was a mine of interesting information but delivered in small digestible chunks. He was very well organised and gave us lot of helpful advice re what to take/wear/expect each day. Everything was taken care of for us and we were able to relax. He was friendly with everyone and had a good sense of humour. He judged the mood of the group well and on one memorable occasion was able to conjure up tea and chocolate cake just when we were all running out of energy.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do take up the offer of the leader to organise the tipping kitty. Everyone expects a tip in Sri Lanka and it would have been a complete nightmare to manage this ourselves. Sujan did this for us and kept meticulous records and it smoothed our path through the country. Many of the activities are optional and opting out does not cause a problem. I did not do the cycling and was able to follow the group in the support vehicle.

Most Inspirational Moment

Leaving the Armenia guide at the border and collecting our new one , Sophia !!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Armenian Guide - Guyane ? was a complete mess. Did someone tell this woman , you look good, you present well and speak english well , why don't you be a tour guide !! Wrong !! You need to have a personality, look after everyone , not us 2 people who befriended you and used you as their personal tour guide, smile, count all people before you drive off ( she left 2 people behind after day 1 ) !!, know what you're talking about instead of reading it off your IPhone ( google ) etc etc !! Georgian guide - Sophia - what a turnaround !! She was a brilliant guide. Someone should video her and show it to Guyane , this is how you look after people !!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring something for your stomach, the wines are a bit dodgey on the stomach. They are made a different way to normal. Love churches and read up on the history first.

Most Inspirational Moment

The second day of cycling (Day#3 of the itinerary) is the most physically demanding with a long uphill. The sense of achievement when racing down to the meeting point was not only inspirational, but also exciting helped everyone enjoy the meal and their sleep in the beautiful hilltop hotel.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Giovanni was very passionate and dedicated to make the holiday as enjoyable as possible. He was a little serious at times, but this was his way of ensuring everyone enjoyed themselves. He was very knowledgeable about the Sardinian history and also provided good advice and insight into the upcoming hotels and restaurant choices. He also very honest and made known his feelings on what was good or not so good value / service in many of the restaurants we could choose. Simone was very enthusiastic and easy to talk to. He had better English than Giovanni, and tended to understand what the group wanted to do compared to Giovanni.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Prior to starting the holiday, there is a checklist provided. The checklist does not include cycling gloves, but on Day#1, it was strongly advised to wear gloves. Fortunately, individuals within our group had spare pairs, which they kindly allowed us to borrow. The hotel stay on Night#4 is absolutely stunning. Suggest you request a room with a balcony overlooking the pool. Our room also had a washing machine which enabled us to wash our first 3 days of cycling gear. This hotel was the least friendly. The staff were very controlling, insisting on serving you breakfast rather than allowing a self-service, more relaxed arrangement that occurred at the other hotels. On our last evening, in Cagliari, the hotel was changed (with 1 day notice) from one in the town centre, to one on the outskirts of the town. This was a shame as it meant the group was unable to walk to our hotel from the busy, bustling centre of Cagliari. It also meant our last night fizzled out a little earlier than we certainly would have liked to. In hindsight, we should have remained in the town centre until we felt it was time go back, and obtained taxi back to our hotel.