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A relaxing week spent in glorious Finland. If you like snow to feature in a holiday then you cannot beat Finland. The people are lovely, the venues calm and relaxing and the activities can be as full on as you want them to be. This trip can be very relaxing and had less guided walks than I had anticipated but you can participate in many optional extras or take as many unguided walks as you like. If that doesn’t appeal then sit and relax by the fire and eat plentiful and delicious food.
Seeing the northern lights four times in one week.
Martti was a charming host and a great advert for Finland. He clearly shares the ecological ethos of Basecamp Oulanka.
If you want a very active week be prepared to take unguided walks or optional extras. Don't forget your driving licence if you want to snowmobile.
The main objective of the holiday was to see chimps and gorillas. The local organisation was well set up to see both of these and we had excellent sightings, and while nothing is certain, one would be very unlucky not to see them both. In addition we saw a lot of other animals including lions, giraffes, elephant, buffalo and various antelope. While this was not a dedicated bird watching trip we nevertheless saw and identified almost 170 species including such specialities as Crowned Crane, Finfoot and the weird, but much sought after, Shoebill Stork.
There was no just one special moment! Being so close to gorillas, seeing a pair of Shoebill storks rise out of the marsh yards from us, getting to within a couple of yards of a Malachite Kingfisher....
Jude, our leader was outstanding - as good as they come. His knowledge of animals and birds was exceptional and his ability to pick up distant birds enviable. He new where we were likely to see key species, and regularly checked with locals, resulting our seeing giraffe and lion, species not so common in the area we were visiting, and missed by other groups around. I doubt we would have seen the Shoebills without his knowledge and determination In addition to all this he was very caring and incredibly hard working all helping to make this and exceptional holiday
The gorillas live in demanding terrain - steep sided valleys - climbing down and getting back up is strenuous! No problem for anyone who goes hill walking regularly, but if one doesnt do much walking of any description, it will be hard work (but worth it!). There are porters available to carry ones pack (local lads who appreciate the cash) importantly they will also give you a pull up on the steeper bits if you need one - much appreciated by some members of the party -so hire one and couples, hire one each if you both think you might need a pull!
Good cycling around the island. A couple of the days are a bit tough, but you can always get in the bus if you don’t fancy it.
Completing the tough climbs.
Leaders were very friendly.
The choice of places to eat seemed very limited. Quite often you are in a hotel in the middle of nowhere and have only the hotel restaurant to eat in. The quality of the food was not great and it was very expensive.
first time skiing of any sort so everything was new to me! Enjoyed it immensely [apart from the classic ‘third day ‘when everything ached and nothing worked!!] By the end of the week the last 3 days comprised quite a lot of of track skiing and suddenly I was managing to stay upright, turn and stop going down hill!
The enjoyment was enhanced by the generally superb weather, mainly clear blue skies and sunshine.
The fourth day [Thursday] everything suddenly started to come together. On Wednesday night I had gone to bed fully expecting to be hardly able to move certain parts of my body on Thurs am, but not only were there no real aches, when we got going I actually felt like I was starting to cross country ski!
Both Ilse and Mary were supportive, instructive and very helpfull.
If you want to cram in 3 countries in 2 weeks then this is the trip for you. Cycling is not nearly as difficult as other moderate to challenging trips. Because of the distances involved you’ll spend quite a bit of time on the bus.
It was amazing to see so many volcanoes, stunning beaches and wildlife.
Memo took a while to warm to us but once he did he was good fun. Paul the mechanic was really friendly and a special mention to the bus driver who understands more English that he lets on and is a very safe driver.
Not matter what time of year you go it will be HOT! Think 33-38C during the day and down to 20-22 at night. Expect it to rain and for it to be heavy! Food is great value, fresh and tasty. You can't go wrong with whatever you order. Group flights were with United airlines. I'd say they are the "Ryan air" of intercontinental flying and best avoided unless the price is too good to ignore.
This tour, A Taste of Cuba, did what it said on the tin. It provided an introduction to the country, mainly the western part and La Havana.
Trinidad - despite its touristy nature it was a charming small town. I had a superb massage there so this is probably my personal highlight!
Lazaro was an outstanding group leader. His command of English was incredible as he had never visited the UK or the US - just read a lot he said. He was informative and always willing to answer questions. He was always approachable. Above all he was keen to let the group know about his country, its history, culture and people.
The trip was a bit breathless - there was not a lot of free time except in Trinidad and Havana. Some people had extra time at either the start or the end - I wish I had done this. Cuba was more expensive than I had imagined, certainly for food but less so for drinks and trinkets. Be prepared for long lines to change money especially at the airport; the ATM in Havana did work though.
We really enjoyed this trip which was well thought out and very varied. The hotels were generally of a good standard and some of them were positively luxurious. Most had pools which we enjoyed using. The guide and drivers were excellent and we had a big coach for 16 people so we were able to spread out when travelling. We saw an awful lot of different things but still had some free days and afternoons to relax or do our own thing.
There were lots of these: seeing elephants in the wild, cycling between villages looking at the wildlife and visiting 2 families for snacks and meals, visiting Dambulla cave temple, trying all the delicious Sri Lankan food, meeting friendly Sri Lankan children and adults, dining in the formal restaurant at the Hill Club, walking on Horton Plains...
Ruwan was excellent. He was very attentive to individual needs whilst being extremely well organised and ensuring that the trip ran smoothly. He was also very knowledgeable and able to tell us things in an easy to understand way.
Take a guide book to enable you to make the most of the free time available.
A very enjoyable and interesting experience. The tour was well planned with a fair balance between organised trips and free time.
Cycling around the island off Hoi An. It was lovely to be in a rural setting, very peaceful, and giving an insight into how the people lived off the land.
Our guide in Vietnam, Thao Do, was excellent. He always looked after us; always very caring and obliging, taking us to restaurants, sharing great knowledge when showing us the sights and telling us so much about life in Vietnam.
You need an overnight bag for when you leave your luggage in the city on two occasions. It would have been good to know this beforehand.
A trip I will remember for ever! Sri Lanka is a beautiful country and Suresh is an absolutely outstanding leader, who made sure we experienced the very best of it.
The cycling can be challenging – plenty of hills and heat – but the distances and hills build up over the days so that your fitness increases to be able to manage each stage.
The scenery, birds and animals are beautiful. I’d struggle to identify more than a robin in England, but by the end of the trip was able to tell the difference between a bee catcher and a kingfisher flying past.
What really made it special for me was Suresh’s attention to detail and the special experiences he arranged – street food in Kandy, stopping to buy fish from the market for dinner, the evening visit to a multi faith temple, and multiple tea stops in local places for tea, lentil cakes, fudge and other yummy snacks. Just don’t expect to lose any weight on this trip – my Fitbit said I burned 4,351 calories on the climb to Nurwar Eliya but I’d say every single one of those was replaced with the maximum damage we did every night with the delicious food and Lion beers!
1. Reaching the top of the climb to Nuwar Eliya with a lot less difficulty than I thought and realizing just how fast my fitness had improved over the space of a week 2. Reaching the bottom of the downhill from Ella (I'm terrified of heights but with Suresh's patience and encouragement I was able to complete it) 3. Watching the sunset from the top of mini Adam's Peak (with thanks once again to Suresh for holding my hand to get me up and down!) 4. Watching a serpent eagle soar down the tree lined road in front of us as we cycled along And a very memorable one was eating a delicious dinner by candlelight in a private house in Ella during the biggest power cut Sri Lanka had experienced in 20 years!
Ten out of ten fantastic! I cannot fault Suresh. He got to know everyone as individuals incredibly quickly and made sure each of us was well looked after. I have a melon allergy (bizarre one I know!) and the staff everywhere would produce alternatives without me needing to ask. I also wondered why dogs were being magically ushered off the road in front of me by Suresh's team. Suresh had spotted I am nervous around the dogs without me saying a thing, and had briefed the team to help me out! And he held my hand whenever I felt scared of heights! He also let those of us who wanted to cycle fast have the opportunity to do so, whilst also accommodating those who wanted to take it slower, whilst still making us feel like one tight knit group. He is efficient (bags always in our rooms before we got there because he memorized whose was whose on day one), resourceful (magically transporting forgotton glasses and phones across the country to catch up with us) and patient (see previous example!). He constantly added little extras (which I won't identify so as to not spoil the surprise for others!) and I'm really touched by his thoughtfulness. He is patient, kind, fun, knows Sri Lanka inside out, has a talent for getting the measure of people quickly and managing a group, and is obviously respected and liked throughout the country. I can't thank him enough for making this such a special and unforgettable trip.
1. Take a lot more sunscreen than you think you need - it is very hard to find sun lotion in Sri Lanka and highly unlikely you'll be able to buy more during the trip 2. Same goes for hand sanitiser 3. Plan to hand wash a lot – my washing line came in very handy and there is enough time each evening to rinse a few things out 4. Don't be afraid of the dogs. Most are fine and by the end I didn't even mind the barky ones - they won't actually bite you. If I'd realized that earlier and relaxed about them, the first couple of days would have been more fun 5. Take a baseball cap/other hat as the sun is very strong and you'll need one for times you're not riding
Exodus say that they do everything they can to make it possible for you to achieve your aim of getting to the summit, and they lived up to their word. The local guides and porters work tirelessly to make everyday a success, their good humour is infectious and the feeling of standing at the summit is wonderful beyond words.
Summit day is a long slow slog in the dark, the final approach as the sun broke through and the realisation that nothing could now prevent standing at the peak was an uplifting moment. We had a great group and all bar one made it. The guides worked hard to get amongst those flagging and was something we noted and praised once we finished the trip.
Makaike was well organised and briefed well. He was surrounded by a strong team and at no point did we feel unsupported or unsure as the days passed. He was good humoured and considerate to the individual needs.
The exodus travel notes are superb - the detail is all there. The only thing I would recommend is that, unless they have very good sleeping mats, hire Exodus ones as the ground is quite rough and a good nights sleep is more likely on a comfy mat.