Reviews

Corsica is the perfect hiking and holiday destination

Corsica is an absolute gem. The trip was exactly as described, and it just makes me want to go back!

If you want wild .....

….then this is the trip for you. Our second trip to Namibia (previously “Discover Namibia” in 2008) this one has the emphasis on wild. Etosha, Okakuejo, Namutoni, some of the best-known destinations are all visited, whilst the jewel in the crown must be the Palmwag Concession: a huge area where, apart from the occasional wildlife ranger, we didn’t see another person for two days. We saw no less than six rhino, including one of the dominant males – managing to get (safely) within 100 yds. As well as rhinos, we had a leopard up a tree, which we watched for 1.5 hours before she finally came down to walk past the truck! Giraffes “necking” – in a violent exchange, before trotting off together, several sightings of lions – including a magnificent male in his prime, herds of elephant, and the wealth of wildlife that makes Namibia such a special destination. First class guide in Hans, and an exceptional support crew in driver Simpson, Fritz, and the culinary expertise of Tyrone that never disappointed. (And not to mention a first-class Toyota Land-Cruiser – panoramic windows with no obstructing pillars.)

Brilliant trip in beautiful Greece

A brilliant trip from start to finish. The cycling is a nice mix of countryside, coastal and a few hills thrown in. You also get to see Greece away from hustle of tourists. The cycling is all on mostly quiet roads and through a couple of towns although you’re not on any busy roads for more than a few minutes. The food is also excellent, and you also get some excellent local knowledge on just about everything from Greek mythology to which is the best Olive oil to buy to take home. I highly recommend this trip.

Frizzante Sicilia

A gastronomic delight!. From the hands on cookery class and wine tasting tasting to sampling Sicilian delicacies in the historical Capo market. Plus a big thank you to the team for arranging gluten free alternatives throughout the tour, from fusilli pasta to wheat free desserts, it truly exceeded all my expectations.

Invigorating walks in unspoilt hills & mountains of the beautiful island of Corsica

Everything came together for this trip – Martin, our excellent leader, a group which gelled, wonderful scenery & walks that were just a bit of a challenge for someone used to walking in the Pennines! If the weather was hot, there was the option of a cooling dip in a mountain stream at the end of most walks. The free day allowed everyone to choose either to visit Ajaccio by train or just have a relaxing day in Bocognano. The hotel Beausejour was basic but provided everything needed after a day of trekking in the hills! Recommended!

If you like historical buildings/towns this is a brilliant trip

The cities, towns etc we visited were amazing. We started in Prague which is a popular resort, so popular I was glad to get away. But then on the first day we arrived at Cesky Krumlov, (didn’t he use to play for Chelsea?) which is an amazing Gothic town and a UNESCO site, I’d never previously heard of , but could easily return to and spend a long w/end there imbibing some of the excellent Czech beer. There is an optional walking tour of the town which is well worth going on.
The next town we reached , Trebon, was also very interesting, and well worth a walk around.
And then came another UNESCO , Telc with yet another fantastic cobbled town square.

A couple of days later we arrived in Vienna which just shouts opulence. Do go on the optional bike tour of the city as it gives you a good idea of where to head to when you get free time. A couple of us went to a classical concert (not usually my kind of thing) in one of the large churches where they played classical music’s greatest hits (Vivaldi etc) and where the acoustics are simply amazing. Oh, and don’t forget the cakes to die for or of !

We then got to Bratislava, another interesting place where the leader takes you on another optional walking tour; worth taking again.

Eventually we arrived in Budapest and by this time I was beginning to suffer from cultural overload but managed to squeeze in a visit to the parliament building and the basillica before retiring to the bar.

Oh , I nearly forgot the cycling bit of the trip; it’s graded as 3 but could easily be a 2 as there were very few hills ; a considerable amount of the time is on cycle-only tracks which is great if you want to natter to your fellow cyclists but does mean there is only a limited amount of vehicle support. The trip notes say there is only 10% without vehicle support but it was considerably more than that .
Fortunately, the vehicle war around when we rode through an almighty thunderstorm when the hairs on your head stand up , then curl, and possibly smolder, even for the’follickly challenged’ like myself .

Also, there was the fact that there was no “tail gunner” mechanic, which meant that if there was a mechanical, the whole group had to stop whilst running repairs took place. The bikes themselves, were more “upright” than I am used to but proved to be very good for my back ; unfortunately they seemed to be prone to the chain coming off and jamming ; couldn’t possibly be anything to do with the ability of the cyclists themselves !

Excellent trip

This is one of our best hiking trips, like our previous trips in the world best trails – Patagonia, Swiss VAT, Alaska, etc. The mountains are beautiful, the hiking is challenging while enjoyable, the facilities are good, even weather is wonderful – five sunny days.

Mont Blanc Highlights

For anyone who enjoys photographing and viewing spectacular landscapes and enjoys shorter walking days and excellent food and drink, the highlight trip ticks all boxes.

The whole trip was extremely well organised with all transport being provided and a free bus pass being available for travelling on public transport. The walks cover a variety of terrains and there are some steep ascents and descents but well worth it for the views. The pace was very comfortable and allowed plenty of photo opportunities and drink stops.

The whole pace of the tour is very relaxed with a 9am set off time and a 4 pm finish. This was unlike any other trek I’d been on and the added bonus was cake and tea waiting for you at the chalet on the return and the choice of finishing the day in the hot tub. This helped the group bond together quickly and the chalet accommodation is perfect with a communal dining area and vegging out area where free tea and coffee was made available.

The location of the chalet was perfect. Chaminox centre is a 10 min walk away and there is plenty of choice should you wish to eat or drink out. Likewise, for the free day, there is plenty to choose from (depending whether or not you go out of season) and we had no problem in filling the free day. Both the tour guide and Sarah and Rich (the chalet hosts) were on hand to provide details of what to do and how to go about arranging this.

Big thanks to Sarah and Rich who really did go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome. Sarah’s cooking is excellent and each night there was a 3 course meal waiting for us which had a specific theme. The home made cake at the end of each walk was also welcome and delicious. The daily picnics were a treat as you were able to choose what you wanted to take and the selection was always healthy and freshly made. They really do a fantastic job and are very approachable, helpful and friendly. They were excellent at recommending places to eat and drink whilst in Chamonix and organised the booking of our paragliding sessions for the free day so we knew exactly where we needed to be and when. Much appreciated guys!

So, I would definitely recommend this holiday to anyone who is looking for a more relaxed walking holiday, with a later start time and earlier finish time than the usual trekking holiday. The pace was comfortable, there are some challenging walks due to the terrain and the steepness of some of the climbs but the pace is comfortable and there is plenty of opportunity to stop and take in the sights. Apart from the free day and a few beers there is little else to spend your money on so it is not expensive unless you decide to eat out or shop in Chamonix.

Fab holiday

Beautiful riding and excellent guides

This is a wonderful trip through superb countryside stopping in lovely villages, towns and of course the cities of Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. Our guides Dana and Peter were the best – knowledgeable, friendly, capable of fixing any problem. We would highly recommend this trip.

The wildlife of Namibia, amazing!

This trip with ‘full service’ camping was amazing. Comfortable tent with camp bed, mattress, duvet even a bedside table and lamp, luxury, coupled with the amazing places that we camped and the wonderful encounters with the incredible wildlife was superb. The food prepared and cooked by our chef Tyrone was imaginative and varied and plenty of it. The other members of the crew Simpson, truck driver and general hand, together with Fritz, also general hand worked tirelessly to provide us with a superb service erecting and taking our tents down whenever we needed to move. When wild camping in the Hoanib River area even provided hot water for the camp showers which were great after a days game viewing. There are some long journeys and days on this trip but the rewards are worth it.