Reviews

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.

Most Inspirational Moment

Hard to pick an inspirational moment as I wouldn't say anything was "inspiring" in those words except we had a great group moment on top of Sigirya with one member afraid of heights-we all helped her get to the top. It was nice to stop at Exodus Tsunami House #7 for lunch, but would have liked more interaction with the home owner and her family. The lunch, however, was one of the absolute best meals we had in the country. Very fresh and delicous and her papadams were heavenly!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh Bandara is a great tour leader. He went beyond the call of duty several times to ensure comfort and well-being to the tour members from arranging a quick neck massage before departure to tracking down some aloe vera cream (and actual plant leaves!) at 8pm for a sunburn. He works very hard to make sure the tour members are having a great time and he provides excellent information. He is very open to answering questions about Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans and he's inquisitive about our home countries and customs as well. He's always trying to learn new English phrases he can use with future groups. Every day he made sure my husband and I had either a "king's bed" or two twins pushed together. That really meant a lot to us.The only point I would like to see more of is a better idea of the day's itinerary when we meet for breakfast. With the Trip Notes I knew where we were going, but I wasn't sure of the timing. Would we get to the hotel in the early afternoon? Have the activity before or after lunch? How long (approximately time and distance) would we travel that day? I know I am more interested in time than many people on holiday, but I like to have a good understanding of the process. A simple "Today we drive approximately 30 minutes to this temple then drive 1 hour to the hotel. We'll check in and have time for lunch and a swim before we meet again at 3pm for the afternoon activity" would be helpful for me.I loved the day's "topics" and personal details Suresh shared with us. He is a wonderful guide with great enthusiasm for welcoming and sharing his country with visitors. He has a big heart and his laugh makes everyone laugh with him because he's so happy. He is very generous and gving of more than his time."Dinner?" (Wobble-wobble) Ha ha!

Advice for Potential Travellers

For women bring a combination of shorts and capri pants. Trousers were only needed at Nuwara Eliya and when hiking out to World's End (we didn't have Adam's Peak on this itinerary). No shorts or tank tops at temples, but the rest of the time shorts and capris or longish skirt are fine.For swimming in the river at Kithugala: local women don't wear swimming costumes. They swim in shorts and t-shirts. If you don't want stares from local men, dress modestly. The local guys think it's OK and flattering to say, "Hey, Hottie!" and whistle. On the rafting trip you'll have the chance to jump out and swim in the river. Dress accordingly.At the Hill Club Dining Room: No clothes to lend for women-we just need to be dressed "suitably enough" to accompany the men. For men: they have jackets, ties and shoes to lend, but no collared shirts or trousers. Make sure you have the appropriate collared shirt and trousers wtih you and you can borrow the rest. National dress ok for both men and women. No sandals or trainers on men. If you're not dressed suitably, you'll have to eat in the casual dining room. On the safari in Yala NP: bring a bandana or something to cover your face while driving down the dusty roads or you'll be coughing out orange dust after! Also bring a plenty of sunscreen-you'll need it. A 1L refillable water bottle is also helpful.

Most Inspirational Moment

Making it to the top of the first walk without too much agonyFinding the local people in and around the gite so friendly and welcoming

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan was wonderful, a really dry sense of humour that got us all through any difficult points

Advice for Potential Travellers

Practice hills before you leave

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking above Petra and seeing the treasury for the first time in day light from above in the clear sunshine.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was lovely, friendly efficient open and funny. We learnt so much about Jordanian life history and politics but a bit too much about his personal life! A few more moments of quiet and direction to find meals at night our selves some of the time would have been appreciated. Some people may well want to be lead all of the time but some independence is what most are after.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were lots, including:- some flying descents on max adrenaline;- reaching the top of the longest climb in a respectable state;- doing something I really enjoy with a thoroughly nice group of likeminded people; - playing drums with a group of Morrocans;- a cool beer on the hotel terrace in Immouzzer watching the sun set over endless folds of mountains; - the final descent to the sea and a refreshing dip in it. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had 2 leaders on this trip: Liz and Richie. Both excellent. They worked very hard (and successfully) to keep the bikes running smoothly during the week - no easy task as the bikes take a fearful battering. They dispensed a number of tips on technique, gave us a good idea of what to expect each day, pointed out cultural and topographical features of interest and were concerned for safety without wrapping us in cotton wool. I would be happy to go on another trip with either of them.

Advice for Potential Travellers

As a number of previous reviewers have pointed out, you have to go up before hurtling down: try and do some hill climb training before you go (on and off tarmac). Also if you're not a regular off road rider, try and ride some rocky trails (e.g. Coed y Brenin in Wales) before you go as this will probably help to get the most out of trip right from the start. (Having said which, those in our group with little or no mountain bike experience did brilliantly.) I am a veggie and, while this was no gourmet extravganza, I survived perfectly adequately.