Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

I really enjoyed the groupn that I was in , they made the 5 days more enjoyable and fun.  The best part of the trip was was getting to the top of the mountain and seeing some of the most spectacular sites of my life and enjoying every minute of it.  It was well worth the climb.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was brilliant, warm friendly and easy going. I would definitely like to do the winter trek and would hope Hassan is the group leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you have a good level of fitness because the trail and terrain is demanding and all of us struggled in key areas. the fitter you are the easier it is.

Most Inspirational Moment

Too many to mention I think.  Seeing the animals in their natural environment was just amazing and something I will never forget. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both Davis and Ben were great.  On arrival Davis said the only requirement is that we smile and that was very easy.I also liked that at our first group meeting (shortly after arriving) he said this is our new Kenyan family for the week.  As this was my first experience of travelling alone that statement really made me feel a little more comfortable with the whole idea.Throughout the entire trip Davis and Ben were always friendly, happy and did a great job of finding the animals for us.  It was sad to say goodbye once back in Nairobi.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Davis suggested we change up $100 (or GBP equivalent) but I think in the end I changed up £130.I'd highly recommend the balloon ride.  Before I travelled the cost did seem expensive but some friends had recommended I do it and thank goodness I did.  It is one of the best experiences of my life.  I feel the cold so I did find it chilly in the mornings and evenings, suggest packing more than one jumper/fleece.  Also, something for the ladies, the drive down to the Masai Mara is very long and bumpy (but surprisingly enjoyable!) so I'd recommend wearing a sports bra for comfort!!!

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the top of Mount Toubkal.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was brilliant. Could not fault him at all. A lovely guy.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Expect snow!

Most Inspirational Moment

The optional baloon flight over the Masai Mara at dawn followed by a champaign brealfast, although expensive, was well worth doing, and definately a highlight.  Big cats! We had numerous sightings of lion including a pride of 12 lions; lions eating and a lioness drinking in the mara, and lions in a tree at Nakuru. We also several cheetahs including cubs. (And I liked the Hyenas!)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both Ben and Davis were very informative.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do as many of the optional extras as you can to take full advantage of this trip. There are several options at Fumba Beach Lodge. We did a very enjoyable boat trip which was tailored to our needs as some of us do not snorkle, and a tour of Stone Town (a little spoilt by rain).Change some money for Kenya at the airport, but take only dollars for Zanzibar.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so many inspirational moments......Watching the sun come up in the desert; Todra gorge and the spectacular cliffs; the blue fishing boat at Essaouira - seeing the catch landed and fish landing at my feet; the noise, excitement and colour of Djeema el Fna square in Marrakesh; the amazing starry night at the Gite at Tijhza and the wonderful food served there and so much more.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was very knowledgeable about the sights we viewed and helped to give a good insight into life in Morocco. He was very caring and helpful and made sure we got the best out of holiday.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't forget to take your imodium! Many of us suffered with digestive problems. However, this did not stop us really enjoying ourselves. Remember to take suitable 'covered up' clothes for some of the places you will visit - long sleeved top and scarf.It does get very hot at times so be aware of this.

Most Inspirational Moment

It has got to be the point at which we had hiked for approaching one and a half hours to meet the Urugamba Gorilla Family in Rwanda. We were in the middle of the forest, our guide Patrick's walkie-talkie squawked, and he announced "Gorillas in 3 minutes". True to his word, we rounded a bush and there they were. It was a privilege to watch them so close up, and an hour never passed so fast.Close behind must come our day in the Masai Mara, starting with the sunrise baloon flight (Yes it is expensive, but you may only be there once and that is what credit cards or for); and continuing with a day of criss-crossing the trails to see Lions, Cheetahs, Elephants, Giraffe, Zebra, Antelope, Wildebeest etc. Sadly, no Leopard, but that means we may have to book another safari. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

All tour groups take time to join together, and we were a full group of 18. At the start, Clara seemed somewhat reserved and formal, but steadily loosened up and revealed a sly and somewhat wicked sense of humour. She led a great team including Bonfas (our driver), Elias (the cook) and Godfrey (jack of all trades). Congratulations are due to all of them for keeping us together, on time and feeding us extremely well. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

There is a reason that we have given this review 4 stars rather than 5, and it is not that we failed to see a Leopard! We were warned beforehand, but the tour involved a tremendous amount of road travel on various qualities of roads - We estimated that we must have spent in excess of 5 full days travelling out of 15 days in East Africa. However, this was inevitable given the sandwiching of Masai Mara and Gorillas in one tour. Still, you should not let that put you off, and and as long as you are prepared, it is fascinating to sit and watch African life go by.Money. The Trip Notes advise you to take US Dollars and change them into local currency in each country, but how much? We spent about USD 550 per person during the tour including Kenya & Uganda Visas, gifts, local tours etc. (the Baloon Safari was paid by credit card); also changed about USD 50 per person into local currency in each country for incidental food and drink. Warning: This did NOT include budgetting for Bunji Jumping, Jet Boating or White Water Rafting in Jinja.

Most Inspirational Moment

Flying down the long descents and hairpin bends....ace!! Building up my strength on the climbs which I think I did by the end of the week. Spending time with a great bunch of people having a laugh and doing something I love. Getting to see the real Morocco cycling through the berber villages and palmeries.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The leaders were fantastic, we had 2 guides Liz and Rich and 1 local guide Iddiah (hope thats spelt correctly)  All 3 of them looked after us totally and made sure we were safe at all times. Liz’s knowledge of the trails was exceptional giving us information of what to expect on each day especially the undulations we were to undertake :) They made sure all the bikes were in good working order which was no mean feat with all the punctures etc..  Although I was always last in the climbs someone was always behind me to make sure everyone was safe.  Thanks to Rich for his company on the big climbs and words of encouragement to help me make it to the top and also to my fellow cyclists for the lovely welcome party for when I reached the top, no balloons or banners but a big smile on very happy faces and a round of applause and also a nice sugary drink and snack to boost my energy for the next stage. Thanks to the drivers Moustach, Mohammed & Ali for making our lunches and driving us safely around the mountains.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you’ve had some off road experience and are pretty reasonably fit to complete the climbs as well as enjoying the descents.  There were some great technical challenges for the most experienced riders but also some easier bits for the others.

Most Inspirational Moment

 the ballon ride at sun rise over the masi mara , and seeing a pride of lions on the same day .

Thoughts on Group Leader

 Ben and Davey were full of information they were excelent guides.

Most Inspirational Moment

We were lucky enough to have clear skies and a full moon at Annapurna Base Camp - a truly magical sight. From day 1 the scenery was spectacular. I hadn't appreciated how fertile the region was before going so was amazed by the forest, rivers, waterfalls, and of course the expected magnificent peaks. Sunrises and sunsets along the way with clouds and mist made for some dramatic views. Sunrise at Poon Hill was stunning. I'm glad we were right at the beginning of the season for this as it felt busy enough but I understand gets about 10 times busier at peak times.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had 2 guides - Hari and Indra. They were both excellent, couldn't do enough to make sure we were all looked after and OK, and had a great sense of humour too. They paced the trek perfectly meaning none of the group had any problems physically or with altitude. And I loved being woken up with a cup of tea every morning!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Book it now! Take twice as much memory for your camera as you think you'll need. I guess I'm at the extreme end but I took 1600 photos... Sigg water bottles make for great hot water bottles at night when it gets a bit chilly. The trek itself has quite a few steep ups and downs (most of which are stone steps) as you make your way across valleys. There's not really any such thing as flat on this walk so if that's not your thing then perhaps not the best trip. But the guides pace it really steadily so plenty of time to catch your breathe and enjoy the scenery. 

Most Inspirational Moment

Sunset walk in the valley of the temples Agrigento - and the local guides' knowledge of how the area had been and continues to be shaped by distinct cultures.The view over San Vito Lo Capo when approaching through the Zingaro reserve.Monreale cathedral and the guide Elizabeths' passion for sharing the space.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Salvo Currenti was an attentive leader who ensured a balance of inclusion while making sure there were times for personal space.Salvos' choice of drivers and guides to complement his knowledge base was excellent and it was apparent that he had used local people and family run businesses. Salvos' passion for Sicily and pride in the way it's growing was evident but, not detrimental. When we return to Sicily we will be enquiring as to what day trips Salvo runs with a view to joining those of interest.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There are a couple of days long travel and this can be draining but, to see as much of Sicily as planned there is no other way really.Salvo remained attentive and willing to answer questions about the landscape (without being overbearing or preachy or information overload.