Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the top of a hill on a particularly steep section where the van was waiting with water and fruit. And then having time to enjoy the views stretching out below you with a great bunch of like minded people.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Memo was a fabulous leader, friendly, efficient, diplomatic, organised and had a great sense of humour. He was so knowledgeable about the countries we travelled through, and an excellent spotter, always stopping to point out wildlife or things of interest that i would have cycled past obliviously. He was so passionate for the wildlife and environment and his presentations were first class! Nothing was too much trouble for him and the team.

Advice for Potential Travellers

My first time to this part of the world, and it was a beautiful experience. I definitely need to revisit and spend more time in all 3 countries!

Most Inspirational Moment

Petra. For me it was going into Petra alone on the second day when it opened. It was so quiet. There were some people on the walk to the Treasury but after that they disappeared. For the walk up to the Monastery I saw no one. Not even any locals or animals. I would definitely recommend doing the walk to the Monastery early in the morning when it's quiet. It felt surreal because it was like I had the place to myself. It's not something I expected and I just tried to take it all in and enjoy the experience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Mikhled was fantastic. He was knowledgeable, calm and always willing to help and make things work for everyone. He organised the option of group dinners every night with the aim of trying a different Jordanian dish for those who wanted to go along which most of us did. He worked around people's choices so that we could fit in the optional activities for those who wanted to do them. He had a lot of patience for all the questions that we asked and the general stuff that comes with having a group of people to organise.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Water shoes help when at the beach in Aqaba and also at the Dead Sea. Loose long sleeved shirts and trousers means you don't stand out and I found actually kept me cooler than I thought. Definitely take a sun hat of some form. The family dinner option in Wadi Musa is worth it. Go a day earlier and explore a bit of Amman and adjust to the time zone as otherwise you'll find yourself arriving in the early hours of the morning for the trip to start only a few hours later. If you're in Amman on your own before or after the trip, Uber works and is cheap. Go into Petra early on the second day. Have some Jordanian diner as most optional activities had to be paid in cash - I changed mine in the UK - but nearly all restaurants took card. Laundry was only really an option in the hotels so take enough outfits for the week otherwise you're washing in the sink or paying hotel prices. I had read that the mud at the Dead Sea would stain my swimming costume. It didn't. I'd also read that the sand in Wadi Rum would stain my shoes. It didn't.

Most Inspirational Moment

View from Buffavento Castle at 900 m.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Gizer was an excellent leader, knowledgeable, organised and a good sense of humour. An ambassador for his country.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rania

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved the hikes along cliff sides with views that went on for days.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Bruno was a great ambassador for his island. He was very knowledgable about its wonderful natural beauty and always enthusiastically shared his knowledge and his opinions.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for hiking in wet weather. It probably won't rain on you for very long, but all it takes is few minutes, and you'll be wet even when the sky is then a beautiful bright blue for the rest of the afternoon.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were lots...game drive in Schotia, whale watching in Hermanus, staying in the oceanette cabin in Tsitsikamma; looking out at the beautiful ocean and stars, the romantic meal at House Martin with yummy home cooked food. Cape Town, so vibrant and beautiful. Really enjoyed the last night at Mama Africas..the music and dancing. Meeting my fellow travellers and Marco and sharing this wonderful adventure together. We laughed, danced and quizzed!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Marco was our group leader and he was amazing, so kind and thoughtful. He looked after us all and kept us safe. He was extremely knowledgeable about the history, geography, flora and fauna and the political situation in SA. He was very professional and informative. On nights off he would give us great recommendations for dinner. He would always go the extra mile to ensure everyone was ok. I'd give him 10/10 :)

Advice for Potential Travellers

Some power outage in Tsitsikamma in the day, power on again at 5.15pm. I took layers as weather can be changeable. Be prepared to wait for some meals...guide has this covered, we would order, wander and then come back. Don't stress if you have a car park view at one hotel as you are hardly in your accommodation. Take motion sickness tabs if you get seasick for whale watching and Robben Island

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the top of Vesuvius and exploring the crater of one of the world's most famous volcanoes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Veriano was great! He took care of the group on the walks and answered any questions we had along the way. We also had some real laughs despite challenges on the way. He was very patient and understanding and this allowed for a great week!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Hiking Shoes with good ankle support. There are a lot of steps on some of these walks, so please bare that in mind. Layers for travelling during the winter months.

Most Inspirational Moment

Most inspiring moments was hearing the haunting calls of the Indri in Andasibe National Park and having the opportunity to watch the Verreaux's Sifaka show off their dancing skills in Isalo National Park. And to top things off getting to see 3 owls (2 species)was the icing on the cake.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader was Bodo and she was fabulous. Knowledgeable, friendly, professional and very organized. She was great at handling the various personalities of the group and she remained calm at all times. Her nightly briefing on what to expect next day and then sent it to everyone in print as well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

My advise is if bringing USD cash to exchange be sure to bring bills that are not dated older than 2007. If older than that regardless of condition them will not accept (older than 2003) or give a lesser exchange rate(2003-2006). Also be sure you are fit as sometimes it is necessary to cover a lot of area when looking for wildlife and sometimes lots of ups and downs. Lemurs are not always in best location for viewing or photography so you need to be agile to move thru thick brush etc.

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved the boat ride on the Kampot river as the sun was setting and highlighting the beautiful landscape. As it got dark, we saw fireflies flitting through the vegetation on the river banks.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We spent the most time with Sum in Cambodia. She was a fountain of knowledge and loved sharing her country's history and culture with us. She was extremely attentive and made sure that people with dietary restrictions were well taken care of. Her sunny disposition and sense of humour made this trip an outstanding experience for everyone, and we were all sad when it was time to say goodbye to her.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure to bring a big, refillable water bottle to make sure you stay hydrated. Also bring along running shoes as sometimes the stones in temples can be a bit slippery if it rains.

Most Inspirational Moment

On day 3: Trekking 13km among the lush forest and terraced rice fields to Ta Phin Village – up and down hills the whole time. Relaxed in a herbal bath in wooden barrels afterwards. Kayaking in the lagoon in Ha Long Bay, absolutely beautiful and peaceful. Hoi An City in overall – colourful well-preserved city with lantern-lit streets with original old wooden buildings and temples, some dating back to the 17th century.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Nhung Bui was incredible. Full of knowledge and excitement, always available and made everyone feel right at home. An amazing leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack proper hiking boots for trek on day 3, pack light for there is laundry service available everywhere as well as ATM's.