Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

All of it was inspiring. Petra was a highlight but I was just as excited by the religious history and loved the snorkelling at Aqaba.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sami organised us all well and was informative on culture and history. However we did tend to get ‘dumped’ at our hotels and told dinner was at 8 but not given any info on what we could do in the meantime, which was sometimes half a day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you are a woman take long sleeved tops. I had not been to an Middle Eastern country before and the absence of women out of the main tourist areas really hit me.

Most Inspirational Moment

I was overwhelmed (to the point of tears) by the frescoes within the churches of the Patriarchate of Peć. The bazaar in Peja was a distinct disappointment, but the Patriarchate was a must-see for me. That it is the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church - but situated in Kosovo and protected by the local police force - speaks volumes for regional history. Other than scenery and culture, I was keen to see wildflowers: and was not disappointed. The alpine meadows in Durmitor were awash with Muscari, orchids and gentians (amongst others) while the high passes were ablaze with crocuses wherever the snow had receded. Breath-taking. As was the constant waft of jasmine at low altitudes - particularly in and around Kotor.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Dhimo set a good pace - and made life extremely easy for the group, tallying food and drink expenses in his little green book for periodic payment (in whichever currency group members happened to have in greatest quantity). His penchant for classic British comedy (Fawlty Towers) also made for a gently humorous atmosphere throughout

Advice for Potential Travellers

The history of the Western Balkans is extremely complicated. Whilst many of the overnight stops aren't featured in the relevant lonely planet guide, it does include a reasonable overview of this history. You will need to be a confident cyclist. The route is on public roads and close passes were constant in all four countries (although there was no obvious malice on the part of drivers, they just weren't used to giving cyclists any room). Other than in the run-in to Kotor, traffic levels were moderate - but expect this to change over the next few years as visitor numbers increase. Travelling as a vegetarian (lacto-ovo) was fine - cheese features at every meal, and roasted veg are readily available (as are pasta and pizza options). Travelling as a vegan would be a challenge. The museums in Tirana are excellent, with unflinching presentations of the challenges presented by Albania's recent communist and post-communist history. Learning about the growth of the police state and widespread betrayals / persecution was eye-opening (and humbling). Take out a few Lek from an ATM in the city and see some of the sights on your first afternoon - mulliri coffee shops do a decent latte and pistachio bun if you need refreshment (a wide range of savoury options is available in the Tirana Castle area). The Adrion bookstore in Skanderbeg Square is well worth a look.

Most Inspirational Moment

Viewing the 3 peaks from a fairly close distance.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. Friendly and responsive to the needs of the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

In May there was still snow at the top across land which had some old WW1 trenches. Need to proceed very carefully.

Most Inspirational Moment

The wonderful scenery on the descent into Nazare

Thoughts on Group Leader

Armando was our tour leader, with Ruben ably assisting and driving the support vehicle. They were both superb, among the best leaders I've encountered on many trips. Both were friendly and enthusiastic, with a wealth of knowledge on all things Portugal. Everything ran very efficiently and the choices they made for stops for coffee/lunch, plus evening meal recommendations were all spot-on.

Most Inspirational Moment

Riding up a 10 km hill to get to the gelato at the top with the whole group!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Michele was an awesome leader and was very knowledgable about the area. He also had many great suggestions for food.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Listen to your guides when they are talking about the surroundings as well as when they give restaurant suggestions.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the storks nesting along the cliffs perched on pinnacles of rock in what seemed to be precarious positions; raising their young.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both Francisco and Ines were very professional, very caring about the group getting the most from their holiday and sharing their knowledge of the local area and the wildlife. Their choices of restaurants when we wanted to have group dinners were excellent. The number of photographs they have shared with the group both during the trip and since we returned has been fantastic and it has been great to see the close ups that they were able to take with their ultra professional kit!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be reasonably active in terms of walking; there are some considerable distances walking on sand. Wear a hat as the cliff tops are quite exposed, so best to use plenty of sunscreen.

Most Inspirational Moment

Having not visited Croatia before I didn’t realise that there were so many islands and the ones we visited were beautiful. The coastal rides were fabulous and dramatic especially on the last day riding through vineyards, olive oil groves and quiet villages. The small historic settlement of Ston was very interesting short stop on the way to Dubrovnik. For me Dubrovnik was an incredible place, Hotel a short bus ride into the city but if you wanted to sit by the beach and relax the hotel was only a few hundred metres from the sea.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Mate was a super guy. Very efficient, observant, organised, nothing too much trouble and made the trip a relaxed one. Pacing was good and you could go ahead if the roads allow. Each day was well organised especially when we had ferries to catch, water and snacks provided on some days, when and where to break and meet up with Tommy the driver of the bus and trailer. Mate very knowledgeable of his country and a great ambassador for Exodus and Croatia.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There are undulations along the route but the ups give great downs!! But Tommy with the bus was always there if you need him. The optional trip to Mljet is worth it.

Most Inspirational Moment

The overnight stay at Haeinsa Temple. What a privilege it was to observe life in the temple and to view Tripitaka Koreana. engraved on 80,000 woodblocks in the 13th century. The food was delicious, even though you had to eat it very quickly and it was good to experience eating a meal in silence. The views from the temple were breathtaking and the peace was sublime. I have read comments that have said that extra time in Busan would be preferable to the Temple stay. I disagree. I felt that the time in Busan was sufficient and would not have wanted to miss the Temple.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Michelle was wonderful. She was conscientious and in each area took us to interesting places to eat so we could experience Korean cooking in different regions.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The temple advice is outdated. The rooms we stayed in were twin rooms, the beds are comfortable and the rooms are warm which is good because the temperature is cooler in the mountains.

Most Inspirational Moment

Dubrovnik was a fabulous city to visit, beautiful to walk round and also a great place to people watch, while enjoying a coffee & cake! The views from the city walls were stunning. Korcula was also a real gem, we found a lovely little restaurant in one of the side streets during our evening visit and enjoyed a surprise city tour with a great local tour guide!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Vanja ("mama duck"!) was a great group leader who really went over and above to ensure we all had a great time. It was a big group - 20 people - and a mix of ages, couples and solo travellers, and she made sure we were all really well looked after. Even during her "downtime" she was checking on her "ducklings"!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Book this trip and enjoy every minute! I'd say this was suitable for most ages and fitness levels, there was a good balance of sightseeing, walking, ferry trips, cities & islands. Not forgetting tasting local wines, liqueurs and produce. Something for everyone.

Most Inspirational Moment

It was, as it was always going to be, the visit to Machu Picchu. This fulfilled a very long held bucket list item for me. I did wonder whether it would turn out to be a disappointment, and I half expected it to be too busy. But the moment when we first stood at the viewpoint above the site was every bit as inspiring and emotional as I had hoped, and the numbers of people there were far less than I had anticipated. Having said all this, the condors at the Colca Canyon came a very close second to this. That exceeded my expectations by so much.

Thoughts on Group Leader

William was a fabulous your leader. I am sure that I would not have enjoyed the tour half as much as I did had it not been for his excellent leadership. His knowledge and enthusiasm for his country and the sites that we visited was inspirational. He helped us tremendously in identifying wild of the wildlife we saw, which is a great interest to us. On the one night that I struggled with altitude sickness he answered how phone immediately when I rung him in the middle of the night and was so sympathetic and helpful. I cannot thank William enough for all his assistance throughout the holiday

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't worry too much about the altitude sickness. I had heard so many horror stories about it beforehand that I got quite anxious about it, but in the end it was no big deal. Don't be fooled by the guidance given in various sites about the cost of meals in Peru. We found that in average they were over twice as expensive as we had expected. Bring plenty of currency. Don't worry too much about the home stay. I can't honestly day that I was looking forward to that, but it turned out to be a rewarding experience.