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Excellent week of walking in the Picos De Europa.
Walking the length of the sensational Cares Gorge.
Alvaro was fantastic. Extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the region.
Enjoy it all and sample the local food and drink. You should give the Asturian Cider a try.
A very interesting and enjoyable walk with excellent food.
Walking through an arch way in the new town of Madera to suddenly see the old town spread out beneath us and across the opposite side of the gorge. 1000 year old olive trees.
Excellent, one of the best Exodus guides that we have had, always prepared to do that bit extra to help people get the most out of the trip. She arranged picnics on the days that we were walking, they were of gourmet quality.
Make sure that you sample all of the food of the region. It is wonderful.
Amazing array of wildlife. Providing you don’t mind roughing it a bit and don’t mind getting bitten (a lot!), this is a fabulous holiday. Must have been good as I came home with over 2500 photos!
Seeing the jaguars and the giant otters! Although I love the close encounter with a pygmy anteater; loved the capybaras and can't believe how many caiman I saw - carpets of them - literally!!
Tony's knowledge of the local wildlife was amazing. He was also very good at spotting it including a tarantula spider on a night safari!
The boat accommodation was basic. if your cabin is on the river side, be prepared to share your evening shower with a lot of flies! Be prepared to get BITTEN! I got bitten by a multitude of bugs and these blighters can bite you through layers of clothing and Deet! One of my colleagues found that they couldn't bite through the life jackets on the boats but that was about it! Pack long socks - you often need to tuck your trousers (pants) into your socks to help stop bugs biting your legs!
The entire trip was full of surprises (always good ones) – too many to recount all here. The following is a piece I wrote on my return (for a group for whom I write regularly; my pieces form part of a local weekly ‘talking news’ for visually impaired listeners). This one recounts just one of the several revealing walks we took on this trip. For us participants it was an experience of real discovery, but at all times we were most carefully monitored by our leaders, and we always had every confidence in them.
The river flowed milky and strong, rippling smoothly over here a blanket of sand, there a sheet of pebbles, then further on the bed littered with great boulders, creating riffles and rapids in the stream. On either side vast sandstone cliffs reared above our heads, first red then layers of orange, white, pink, grey and green, solid rock stretching up on either side a thousand feet and more, with barely a break in the solid surface before revealing the narrow slit of deep, dark blue sky far distant above. Occasional bands of sunlight bounced off the ledges of rock above, reflecting light down into the canyon depths, where brightness lingers only fleetingly as the sun runs its course across the heavens. The only vegetation in sight was the small stunted trees and bushes that clung precariously to tiny ledges, mere bumps and scars in the face of the rock, where sufficient water seeps down to succour these tough desert survivors; and high, high above, on the topmost surface of rock, the plateau was covered with a high-level forest, the habitat of truly wild creatures, including bears and possibly even puma. Down in the depths of the canyon, the sound of the stream reverberated against the rock, splashing gently as it slipped swiftly on. Our senses were filled with its sound and its earthy odour, and as we moved into the water, we felt its force pushing against our legs, knees, thighs. The water’s bed, little more than 20 metres wide, followed the straight fault lines in the rock, bending sharply at right-angles every few hundred yards or so, before taking another line. As the water was funnelled through the narrow passage, it created its own gentle breeze, cool against warm skin, but tempered by the heat filtering down from the sun-warmed rocks above. At the start, our passage was busy with people, whole families with children, the smallest carried on a parent’s back, others held tightly as they waded against the force of the stream, fumbling against the pebbles underfoot. But in a short while, as we followed our leader confidently zigzagging from side to side across the stream, seeking out the easier route, we left the crowds behind and the way grew quieter, only the rush of the stream continuing to echo in our ears. We were well armed with stout sticks, and wore special socks and boots that both protected our feet and kept them warm even in these cool waters – vital equipment for comfort in this alien environment. The sticks helped us to feel our way and gave extra support when we stumbled among the boulders. Gradually we learned to recognise where the water was shallow, where deep; where there was sand and where boulders; where there were rough rapids and where it was calm. In places we could reach out to touch the rock on either side for extra support: cool, smooth, water-worn, ancient. As we progressed upstream, the canyon walls pressed in on either side, narrowing and reducing sight of the sky still more. The sound of other people faded, and the rock all around brought us face to face with the most basic elements of our world: for many millions of years ago, these great masses of rock – sand, then, and tiny marine creatures – were laid down under an ancient sea, and later moulded by wind and water to create the greatest sand dunes on earth. Every minute that we walked we could mark the changes in the rock, view the curling striations where those ancient winds blew across the land in different directions, and new layers pressed down from above. Today, though, there is always potential danger. This stream begins far away, high up on the rocky plateau. If a far-distant storm should drop rain into its remote headwaters, that stormwater will speed rapidly down the stream’s rocky course, filling the canyon to a great depth; anyone in its way is likely to be swept away, pummelled by debris carried before the fast-flowing flood. The rocky cliffs on either side offer no safe shelter and few secure handholds. That day, though, we were confident that the chance of such a flood was slim: our leader had checked and double-checked forecasts for the region, and all was set fair. At one sharp bend in the river’s course, a huge overhanging arch was created when, at some long time past, a great slab of deep red sandstone had peeled away from its parent rock. We watched as a park ranger moved steadily down a rope that hung from hundreds of feet above, rappelling gently down over the arch onto the stream bed. He shouted encouragement to another man, unseen, perched on a ledge high up somewhere on the rock face above. We stood and gazed for a while as the second man followed the first, legs braced against the solid rock, then spreadeagled in air as he moved across the overhang. Finally he reached the relative safety of the canyon floor, and began to gather up the loops of fragile-seeming rope. Our wading path was measured in time, not distance. We had just one and a half hours to travel as far as we could. We wandered and waded on, and saw the canyon beyond, narrowing still more. This stream, we were told, continues for many miles, the way often barred by cliffs of rock, rapids and waterfalls. For us, we’d reached our limit, and soon must turn back, this time working with the flow and with our new-found awareness of the river’s signs, so the going was easier. Before we turned to retrace our steps, one of our party launched himself, fully clothed, into a deep pool, revelling in the full immersion in this most basic of all the elements. Can there be any human experience closer to the earth than this: just the distant view of sky above, walls of ancient rock on either side, the gentle support of water below? In the UK, of course we can follow a stream, trace its course across the landscape, but nothing, nothing like this. We have no true canyons, no depth of rock that can match the age of those found here. Oh… how many more discoveries could be made here, in America, had we more time?
We had two: Evan and Abby. They were clever, considerate, kind and informative - even at 3a.m. (and there were several v early starts to the day)! Cannot be recommended more highly.
Go for it!
Whilst this area is not as picturesque as other areas of Italy, it is more than made up for by the architectural delights, amazing variety of local food and drink. The holiday has the balance of walking, sightseeing and comfortable travelling between locations on roads that often very straight roads.
Matera - Staying in the cave hotel, the views from the terrace early in the morning and the extraordinary cookery course experience.
Marinella - she was fantastic with a lively and cheerful personality and went out of her way to ensure everyone had a good holiday. She definitely went the extra mile for us.
If you travel via Linate then onto Bari, you have to exit airside and re enter though security. Any bottles purchased at Heathrow, water, gin etc will have to be forfeit. The walking was not callenging in October but could become so in the hotter months as there was a lack of shade on most routes.
Walking the Amalfi Coast is a fabulous trip and I highly recommend it!
Views of the cities, towns, mountains, and coastlines during our treks.
Christine is awesome! She combines the best of being from the UK and relating to the travelers while also knowing the ins and outs of the region well, plus she's treated like a local. Listen to her advice - she speaks from experience.
Some thoughts... I went in October and we had great weather. I'd imagine the walks are much harder in summer heat... Bring a walking pole... Budget extra $$ to go to Capri and get the private driver (enjoy the convertible taxi).... Get out of the hotel for a meal or two to better experience the region. If you can, arrive early or stay late to visit a bit more of the region.
Great riding, starting on the quiet roads in the south and working up to the Amalfi coast ride. Hilly, but not hard hills. A very attentive and informative guide who gave us lots of cultural and historic information which made the trip more interesting.
Interesting side trips.
The ride along the Amalfi coast was amazing and an absolute blast. The narrow road clings to the cliff side with lots of tight bends. It would be scary to drive but felt totally safe on a bike.
Our guide was exceptional, very patient and safe. Our support driver was also very helpful.
Include some hills in your pre-trip training.
October is a good month for weather, not too hot for sightseeing, but still sunny. Guide (Fabio) was knowledgeable. Plenty to see and do.
Wine-tasting.
This trip exceeded our expectations in terms of the amazing scenery. The trip was well organised and the cycling was challenging.
Cycling through Golden Gate National Park with hundreds of running antelope. Waiting at a waterhole in Kruger and seeing many animals coming down to drink. Awesome views at Blyde River Canyon.
Bevan was excellent and ably supported by Gary. They were very efficient and seemed to be always on the go. Nothing was too much trouble and they made sure that they spent time with and supported each member of the group.
We had chosen early October for the more comfortable temperatures; but the region was experiencing a heatwave. Make sure that you prepare for what could be a very hot holiday! A travel towel is useful for the swimming opportunities. We took worldwide socket adaptors and they did not work in South Africa. The sockets are the large round three pin variety. Taking a hard suitcase makes it difficult for all of the bags to fit into the truck, make life easy and take a soft bag / back pack or case.
This was a brilliant trip. It combined fair distances of cycling with beautiful scenery and fascinating cultural sites. All the accommodation was good and some of the hotels were quite luxurious! The food was varied and delicious with many places offering local specialities. The drinks and snacks provided during the cycling days were also very good.
It is difficult to identify just one inspirational moment from the trip, as this section asks, because there were a number. Cycling through the back roads in Vietnam and around the Angkor area and through Siem Reap in Cambodia were highlights for me together with our visits to the Angkor temples. I was also very moved and saddened by what we learnt about the tragic events associated with the killing fields. Although very sad, it is a major historic event in Cambodia and an important part of the trip.
The leader for this trip was Rit and he was superb. He succeeded in managing everything seamlessly and nothing was too much trouble for him. He was always approachable and happy to assist. He was also friendly and joined us at meal times to chat.
The main tip I would offer is to take very light cycle wear, if travelling in the warmer seasons, and apply plenty of sun cream particularly on the left side as one is travelling south most of the time. If my trip was typical of others, there is no need to bring snacks as there are plenty of drinks and snacks provided on the cycling days.