Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching Stella point and watching the sunrise on the way up. Spectacular!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Makeke was brilliant! I really struggled on the second day but he stayed with me every step and was extremely patient and sympathetic. I wouldn't have made it without him!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Hire the sleeping mats! They are very comfortable and thicker than most inflatable roll mats. Don't overpack, you'll be surprised at how much use you will get out of one t-shirt! Portable phone/iPod chargers are great- I recommend the Anker ones. Drink lots of water and eat as much as you can as that definitely helped with the altitude. An iPod for me was a God send, especially at night time and on summit day. And finally, take lots of pictures!!

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking in the gorge. Stunning views and finishing the walk on a delightful beach.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Cecilia is very well organized and catered for everyone's needs. She has a wealth of local knowledge and negotiated well with the local restaurants.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Relax and enjoy the island!

Most Inspirational Moment

There were a lot of great moments in the week: Alvaro our guide: what a star, the hotel food: lovely, the location and scenery: spectacular. The group of people who went on this trip were also fantastic...

Thoughts on Group Leader

If you wanted to know "anything" Alvaro had the answer, I have very rarely met a more committed individual. All this knowledge was also delivered with sincerity - a very genuine person.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go!

Most Inspirational Moment

I was most pleased by my cycling performance. I am 70 and due to have my hip replaced in September. So I was very chuffed by the strong performance I put in on all of the hills. Didn't get off and push on any of them!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Leadership of our group was equally shared by two men: Michele Zucca and Michele Queresimin. I have nominated both of them for the Leader of the Year Award because they were superb and equally deserving of that award. They worked their socks off to make sure that our holiday was successful, from start to finish. Very sociable and humorous. Made sure that we stuck to our well-planned and interesting itinerary. Kept us safe and sound, by giving timely warnings of "dangerous, busy roads ahead" , coming steep descents etc. Very much alive to our possible needs and requirements. Always offering choices and possibilities. To think of what it would have been like to do this holiday without them (self guided?) is too horrible to consider.

Most Inspirational Moment

Taking the scramble to the summit of Mancondiu on the last day, and the Cares Gorge in fantastic weather (OK we were lucky there!).

Thoughts on Group Leader

Alvaro is a true star. A local, with a fantastic knowledge of the Picos mountains, and a true dedication to protecting and preserving an area he truly loves. The only guide I've met with the ability to treat each of 16 people as an individual rather than just another visitor, Combine that with a great sense of humour and what more can you wish for?

Advice for Potential Travellers

Watch the weather. It can be very variable and changes rapidly.

Most Inspirational Moment

Riding through the gates of Siena. A city full of incredible history.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Radu and Liz were great. We enjoyed their humor, hints and tips and care they put into making it a great trip. Very good friendly competition on who could make the best picnic lunch. I'm sure the jury is still out.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Definitely make this on your "to do" list! It is well worth it.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking through starlight and reaching Stella Point as the sun was rising is something I will never forget. A quick pitstop of a cup of tea and Dairy Milk made the final push to Uhuru Peak that much easier and dare I say, enjoyable! Climbing the Barracho Wall and the kissing wall was also fantastic, daunting in parts and a different challenge but another amazing part of the trip.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our Head Guide, Makeke, from the African Walking Company was fantastic. Makeke and his team made everything run smoothly, nothing was too much trouble. They played a massive part of making our trip genuinely amazing.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Definitely hire an Exodus sleeping matt, very padded and comfy. Take some shoes to wear in the evening, that are easy to put on at night when you need to do a night time loo run. A metal water bottle can double up as a fab hot water bottle at night.

Most Inspirational Moment

Probably the climb up Hai Van Pass (in 39 degrees heat and high humidity!), super descent, a cycle around the stunning bay to a fabulous restaurant on stilts, followed by a cycle to the hotel door. I also enjoyed the food markets, the encouragement from children waving to us on the route, and the occasional close encounter with water buffalo!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Chi was a very capable and informative leader. He helped create a good atmosphere despite our exceptionally small group (due to some cancellations). He took us to some great places to eat that we never would have found as independent travellers. The Vietnamese language is not easy to pick up and the culture is so different - a local guide really makes the difference for this trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You don't need USD - Dong is fine and there are lots of ATMs. Pack double the SD cards, sun tan lotion/after sun that you think you need. If you are fair skinned June is a challenging time to travel - our local guide told us that Jan-March is cooler which isn't particularly clear from the trip notes. I took anti-UV arm sleeves which were brilliant (local guides also wore similar to protect their skin) and on occasion wore my three quarter length cycle shorts. Also don't forget insect repellent, particularly for dusk on the first night in Saigon. The hotels were a much better standard than previous Exodus cycling trips. All rooms had kettles and tea bags.

Most Inspirational Moment

The hikes in Paklenica National Park and on the island of Brac - the scenery was stunning. I also loved Dubrovnik.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Zeljko was absolutely brilliant in every way: friendly, charming and fun, great company, a very experienced leader and hiker and extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the country, as well as the local flora and fauna. He made everything so interesting and enjoyable for us. Everything went 100% smoothly thanks to his perfect organisation. I fell in love with Croatia thanks to Zeljko and look forward to visiting the country again.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do go on this tour, I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did! The hiking was not difficult, it was interesting and varied, and the visits to Dubrovnik and Split were perfectly timed. There was a bit of travelling during the week but it meant we saw a large area of the coast, two major towns and the glorious National Park.

Most Inspirational Moment

Completing all the walks, so being able to appreciate the stunning views. On a personal level, our fantastic leader Željko encouraged me to get over my fear of heights

Thoughts on Group Leader

Željko. An amazing leader, and a very knowledgeable and interesting man. He personally ensured every member of the group was looked after, especially those who had some difficulties.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Croatia is a beautiful country, and this trip gives a great opportunity to see some of the Dalmatian coastline. The walking involves quite a lot of fairly steep ascents and descents, but the views are well worth it. Dubrovnik is not to be missed...the old town is beautiful.