Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The Islamic art & architecture was absolutely stunning, enhanced by the pure scale. It was full of wonder, beauty & awe as the history of the buildings were told. It would be wrong to select one place which was more outstanding than the others as they all had their individual characteristics, history and beauty. Kyrgyzstan was the most memorable and fascinating to visit as it was probably the most unknown. The Russian influence is intertwined in the daily lives of the people together with the diversity of the people & their culture. It is very traditional, hard for many as it follows an ‘old’ pattern of life. The country is very rural with beautiful snow capped mountains and plains. It was refreshing and a privilege to experience different aspects including sleeping and eating in a yurt, and hunting with eagles.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our two leaders Vitaliy, for the first week and Dilshod for the second week were both excellent. They had a very in-depth knowledge and understanding of the history and culture of the countries visited. Their delivery was excellent as they shared the love they have for their countries and people. They both had the same message of wanting to share their beautiful countries and their cultures with us. They were both aware of different needs within the group making the whole experience accessible to all. Their timings and planning were impeccable delivering a wide range of activities and sights.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The trip is full on with little time for resting which we expected. The food is quite different with a lot of meat, and dishes, courses served at different times. It was a real local experience and good fun exploring cuisines with many cultural influences. English is not widely spoken but with help from the leaders it was fine. There was very little internet as we travelled but the coaches did have wi fi. Charging points on the coaches would have been useful as phones soon ran out of charge taking so many photos. The temperature range was wide high from 31c+ down to 5c at night in the mountains so come with layers but not too many as travelling on the lighter size is more manageable. It was easy to change currency as you moved between the countries and both guides made sure you had opportunities to change money. We took dollars plus a credit card as a reserve. Credit cards were generally accepted in the towns/cities visited.

Most Inspirational Moment

Competing the ride and hearing the much longed for words of “no more hills!” More seriously the first day of riding in Golden Gate NP, very peaceful and an abundance of wild life.

Thoughts on Group Leader

They were excellent, knowledgeable, helpful and supportive. Amazing how they could ride all day and then start making meals and setting camps.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack rehydration sachets as the ones you can get in SA don’t taste great.

Most Inspirational Moment

Wildlife especially the moose sighting.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very passionate

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many but Quinta do Tedo was special as was Quinta das Escomeiras and the wonderful surprise 'picnic' after the four village walk - brilliant

Thoughts on Group Leader

One of the best - nothing was too much trouble and full of local knowledge

Most Inspirational Moment

Sitting within the national park on the hillside at dusk in pure silence, watching the clouds move, the colours of the sky change and waiting for animals to emerge from the woods made me feel incredibly small and lucky to be able to be immersed in nature this way.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Andrea was fantastically knowledgeable about nature, trees and the region. He was very welcoming and made sure he spent time walking with everyone to get to know each group member.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The refuge is in a place that can only be reached by foot and is special for that very reason. No phone reception, just fresh air and beautiful views. Wildlife is also elusive - be prepared to enjoy the time it may take to see iconic species (and then only, if you are lucky)!

Most Inspirational Moment

Beautiful Gjirokastra was definitely a highlight & I wish we could have spent longer there. The most inspirational moment though for me was cycling up the pass on the last day. As more of a runner than a cyclist I was really pleased to have done it alongside my friends.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader Erlis & driver/mechanic Klodi were a great team & we were well supplied with support & water throughout the day. Erlis is a class act & has a real calm presence. His relationship with the families & staff in the hotels & restaurants was really heartwarming to see & we were always ushered straight to a prepared table where the food soon followed. His passion (& sometimes frustration) for his country was obvious & I found his talk on the subject absolutely fascinating. His grasp of the language is excellent & he could always answer any questions we had.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Definitely train before you go as from the first day it’s a tough one & even the so called easier days are full on. If you’re there in the heat like we were, make sure to take rehydration tablets for in your water. As someone who doesn’t eat chocolate (we had chocolate & a banana each day) I’d recommend taking extra snacks, particularly salt based ones such as nuts. If you’re able I’d definitely book an extra day or 2 at the end of the trip rather than heading straight home like we did. It’s a real whistle stop trip with very little down time.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Mariá was a brilliant guide, he showed consistent care for each member of the group, patience and kindness throughout. He was great company and shared his extensive knowledge along the way.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack light, wear in your boots and size up a little to avoid blisters, embrace the grind uphill, the views are worth it!

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting pretty Ottoman cities such as Berat and Gjirokaster. Learning about the country's history and troubled past and travelling along the Vjosa Valley in the south - very scenic. Albania is 70% mountains and is very scenic, whether you are the mountains and viewing the plains below, or driving through the plains with the mountain ranges around you. Meeting local people and visiting family homes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

Currency - as previous reviews mention, credit cards are not accepted in a lot of establishments, in particular restaurants and shops I visited. In a lot of places we visited, Euros were accepted and some items were in LEK and Euros. You can't buy LEK in the UK, you need to change money when you are there. The best rate was in an exchange bureau not far from the hotel in Tirana, which our guide (Armir) showed us. There is a bureau at the airport on arrival but the rate is probably not very good, as is usually the case in airports - follow your tour leader's advice re exchanging money, you don't need to change cash immediately. I exchanged £100 into LEK on the first day in Tirana and it lasted me throughout the holiday, including tips. I used credit card for paying for the meal in Hotel Panorama in Kruje on my last night, as I had used up the last of my LEK that day. I also took Euros and used those where they were accepted, in particular souvenir shops in some places and towards the end of the holiday when my supply of LEK was very low. You could even tip the guide and driver in Euros if you run out of LEK. Essentially, don't change large sum of money when you arrive, see how you go and then change small sums as and when, and take Euros with you as you can always use them on a future holiday to another country. Any unspent LEK you can always exchange at the airport on leaving the country, before going through security. At the time, 100 LEK was about the same as one Euro, so easy conversion rate with your Euros or when buying anything. Prices in Albania are a lot lower than in other European countries and eating/drinking out is fairly cheap - £8 approximately for a pizza (and it was large) and two soft drinks! Ice creams in Berat were very cheap in cafes etc (about 35p for one scoop), some cities charged a lot more - especially in Durres where they were about £1a scoop. Tourist Information - For pre-trip reading and for reference during the trip, take a good guidebook with you (I took the Bradt guide to Albania). Tourist information leaflets and maps are few and far between and a lot of the hotels we visited didn't have either. Tourist information offices, when open, don't really have a lot of info compared with other European cities. The tour leader gave orientation walking tours in some cities or towns; we arrived at and visited a lot of the towns and cities late in the day so you don't get much time in them- we only had one group evening meal (the final night) so we made good use of our time after any orientation tour by exploring by ourselves (we found everywhere very safe to do so). Group meals were always at lunch times so you didn't really need a meal in the evening some times, Note the lunch included at village of Dhoksat was plentiful and excellent, you certainly won't want to eat a lot (if anything) in the evening back in Gjirokaster - note the meal prepared and cooked by the family in Dhoksat is vegetarian - tell your tour leader early on in the holiday if you have food allergies or dietary requirements, or would like meat/fish - as Armir had contacted them well beforehand in this respect.

Most Inspirational Moment

It was such an interesting and pleasant mix of different activities and atmospheres, it's hard to choose one part in particular. I loved the cities/towns, the mix of active and more cultural relaxing days. It was a beautifully balanced trip. That said - it often comes down to the people on the trip. We were only 3 guests and two guides, but we all got on like a house on fire - it was delightful! Easy, comfortable and lots of fun.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Adonia was lovely. He really had to work hard to juggle the activities to work around the weather (it was early spring there at the time and it was a bit cold and wet). He did it all seamlessly, switching days to be sure we could go sea kayaking and cycling. He was always very conscious of our safety without in any way being overbearing about it. And he knows the area well, so he was able to tell us all about where we were as we went along. Ernest, the other guide, was lovely too. They worked beautifully together and we had wonderful conversations over glasses of wine at the end of the day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you go in September, be sure to bring warmer clothing. Layering is the best way to go. If the sun comes out it's much warmer, but if it clouds over it can be very cool.

Most Inspirational Moment

The beautiful beaches, sunsets and views.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Luis and Ines were exceptional leaders, very attentive and organised ensuring the group were well looked after. Both leaders were great fun and passed on their knowledge of what we saw/visited on the walks on a daily basis. They took the time to get to know the group, listening to feedback and answering questions. Both leaders went over and above to ensure the group had a great holiday, which was definitely achieved.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Wear walking boots or shoes, not trainers, as some of the terrain is rocky and uneven therefore foot/ankle support is required. Take plenty of sunscreen and insect repellent.