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The walks have a nice mix of challenging and easy with lovely views and points of interest. The additional sight seeing and wine tasting really added to the trip.
The only thing that let it down a bit was the location of the hotel. The hotel itself is ok but there is nowhere nice to sit when we got back from the walks, the little terrace with uncomfortable chairs doesn’t count, and there is nothing really to do in Dorgali. This meant we all just retired to our rooms until dinner which was a bit boring. Also the breakfasts and lunches were very dull.
A hotel in Calla Gonone for example would be much better. Then guests could go to the beach and have a swim in the sea after their walks and on the free day
The Canyon was the most dramatic walk. I also loved the day with lots of sight seeing
Alexis was brilliant. Always friendly and attentive to the group. He even took time on the free day to take us for a walk.
We really enjoyed the trip with excellent local guide Alcan. Great scenery well balanced walks and good variety of restaurants the balloon flight is a must all in all 5 stars. Well organised trip from start to end .Nice simple hotel ideal as a base . Good transport with excellent driver . Nothing to much trouble for our guide or driver 👍
The balloon flight spectacular 120 balloons in air at once .
Alcan great friendly nothing to much trouble
Try this trip well worth a week of your life
This was a holiday to remember! The organisation of the whole experience was exemplary and the leader, Dino never stopped working to make sure that everything worked well. The views were constant and breathtaking. Cycling on day 1 and 2 is more challenging than on the other days but there is always support from the bus if needed. The group was lovely and a mix of singles and couples.
conquering the hills! Seeing the views, drinking it all in.
Our group leader was great. His organisation was brilliant. He worked constantly - nothing was too much trouble and he was smiling and kind throughout. He made sure that the strong cyclists and those who weren’t so strong all had a holiday and enjoyed the trip!
Go with the flow! Enjoy it - look up and see the views.
We booked this as a great way to see the iconic sights of Peru as part of another Exodus cycle holiday. I would say we achieved the former more so than the latter with full marks for visiting all the key sites along the Sacred Valley and more but with considerably fewer cycling miles (200) than the other four Exodus long haul cycle trips (300-400) we have completed. We also added the Amazon extension at the start of the trip which I would also recommend. This is a great sightseeing (and indeed eating) trip but not one for the hard core cyclist as the miles are flat or downhill and thus present little serious challenge. So if you want to see and experience the sights of Peru with a relatively modest amount of cycling thrown in, please don’t be put deterred by the Grade 4 assigned to it by Exodus.
Where do I start ? Machu Picchu was busy with tourists as you would expect and a tad cloudy weather-wise but majestic and inspiring nonetheless. First sight of it from the clearing on the trek from Llactapata was one of those moments where you just stop and slowly mouth "Wow". Lake Titicaca was beautiful (loved the short sunset hike on the first evening) and I could easily have spent more time there than the itinerary allowed. However, beyond these famous two, I was particularly struck by the other Inca sites - Sacsaywaman, Ollytantambo, Moray, Maras and especially Pisac which covered a greater area than Machu Picchu and was all but deserted on the morning we arrived there. When you see the truly immense scale of the engineering involved you can only marvel at what the Inca achieved. Cuzco itself was a great starting point for the trip with everything within strolling distance from Plaza de Armas, in turn barely a five minute walk from our hotel. Even some of the transfers (usually my least favourite part of the trip) provided some memorable moments- in particular the climbs to each of Abra Malaga and Abra La Raya (would love to ride both) and the section from Santa Maria to Santa Teresa. And yet what arguably touched me most were two episodes in Llacon - the ruddy cheeked (courtesy of their high red blood cells) kindergarten class singing Happy Birthday in Quecha, Spanish & English and the women (in full local dress no less) thrashing the track-suited men at volleyball on the court in front of the local church at sunset. I can hear the laughter now.
Carlos was super in the time honoured fashion of Exodus leaders. Organised ,diligent, committed, amusing and keen to show us the best of Peru. He was ably backed up by his team of Diego (mechanic), Ronny (minibus driver) as well as Jorge, David, Alex and the legend that was Leonardo.
1. Don't underestimate the cold (as we did). The trip is almost entirely above 3,000m and sometimes over 4,000m. This means it gets cold (rather than cool) overnight so you need several layers each morning and from the moment the sun dips behind the hills in late afternoon. I envied the chap in our group who had the sense to bring a woolly hat, and at Abra La Raya a well placed road-side stall sold four long scarves to our group with stunning ease. This advice applies to both regular as well as cycle clothing. Bring the thermals and long fingered gloves. On the descent from Abra Malaga, we even stopped to add a layer or two. 2. In contrast, in the middle of the day, it does get hot with intense sun at altitude so you need both a hat and plentiful sunscreen. 3. Mosquitos are an inevitable hazard on both the Amazon extension and the weekend at Llactapata / Machu Picchu so long sleeved tops and long trousers are recommended as are long socks so you can tuck your trousers in. Mosquitos appeared to very effective at attacking the space immediately above the top of our (short) socks. 4. You don't need walking boots for the trek - study shoes will suffice but trainers probably won't as you ascent 1,000m and descent slightly more. 5. Altitude takes a day or two to become accustomed to and you do notice the difference in oxygen levels but everyone seemed to cope ok, and, with next to no climbing whilst cycling it wasn't really an issue on the bike. 6. Finally invest in a pair of ear plugs as one of the disadvantages of centrally located hotels in Cuzco and Puno is noise including fireworks at any time of the night. 7. Big meals and altitude. We ate very well indeed on this trip. Carlos' recommendations in Cuzco - Greens, Fallen Angel and Uchu were all excellent and we can also recommend Greenpoint Café in the Las Blas quarter. Along the Sacred Valley the meals were good too particularly Indio Feliz in Aguas Calientes. Allied to a decent breakfast and hearty lunches, this added up to hefty food consumption which didn't sit all too comfortably with trying to sleep at altitude. But this didn't stop us indulging in cerviche, alpaca, trout, and even the odd guinea pig washed down with a Pisco Sour or two.
I’ve been to Portugal before, and was looking forward to experiencing another aspect of this country. This was my first trip with Exodus, and it was very impressive, start to finish. The daily outings, meals together, hotel choices, etc. were A+. Each island was unique and physically beautiful. The walks took us to places off the beaten path, which was exactly why I selected this trip.
It is hard to pick one moment - overall seeing how people have made these volcanic islands into beautiful locations is what impressed me.
Bruno was amazing! His knowledge and enthusiasm were infectious, and definitely made the trip above average.
The level of this trip was more difficult than I expected - it was trekking than walking. I'm a good walker, so distance wasn't an issue, but the terrain was often steep . One suggestion for the packing list: a towel is needed for the swimming opportunities.
Fabulous trip from start to finish. Both guides, Dimitris Steriotis (bike leader), and Dimitris Gotsis (van support), were wonderful. They couldn’t do enough to make our trip a special, fun, and very interesting. The culture, historical locations, food, and new friendships were everything I had hoped for. The trip exceeded my expectations. The entire group were wonderful traveling companions, which only enhanced the experience.
Ascending to the entrance of the Acropolis and getting my first views of the Parthenon.
Combined professionalism with a friendly attitude. Both guides were terrific!
Make sure you visit the National Archeological Museum next to hotel. I came in a day early to do this. It's worth it. Also, get in shape for some hill climbs. The ride encounters some fairly challenging hills, but with some moderate conditioning, it's not a bad ride at all.
Great cycling through wonderful scenery.Visited some beautiful cities with their amazing buildings and history
The ride down to Lake Garda and the clean cities.
Good with great local knowledge
Disappointed that there are no tea or coffee making facilities in any of the hotels,should be a standard commodity!!
We had booked this trip to mark our 40th wedding anniversary and it did not disappoint.
The travel arrangements all worked very well and our accommodation was of a very good standard.
We had a brilliant guide, who introduced us to a series of memorable experiences, including our first taste of authentic Japanese cooking.
The trip lived up to our expectations and was very much in line with what had been set out in the Trip Notes.
In no particular order...... Seeing Mt Fuji appear through the clouds Travelling on the Shinkansen......seriously quick! Seeing the contrast between the countryside and the built up areas as we travelled around Walking The Philosophers Path in Kyoto.....very peaceful Seeing the macaques at Yukanada...the babies in particular were very entertaining Experiencing early morning rush hour on the Tokyo Metro Appreciating the cleanliness of the country...no litter to be seen anywhere Feeling welcome in a strange land
Misa is an excellent leader and nothing was too much trouble for her. She went out of her way to make sure that we all enjoyed our time in Japan. On arriving in our hotel room in Kyoto on the first evening, we found that she had left us a card and gift for our anniversary. The daily arrangements for travel were a masterclass in organisation, always done with a smile. Misa gave up her own time to make sure that we could all make the most of our free days. Some of the group found the food choices challenging, so Misa put a lot of effort into finding dishes to suit their dietary requirements. We learned a lot about Japanese culture and history from Misa and her charm and grace was simply an extension of how we were received by Japanese people in general.
Realise that the food in Japan is totally different from what you are used to. Read the Trip Notes carefully and bring your own snacks and/or be prepared to shop in the local small supermarkets. We had never eaten Japanese before and found that most things were delicious. Everywhere you go, the toilets are spotless. Most do not have hand dryers or paper towels, so do as the Japanese do and carry a small towel or flannel with you for hand drying. There is quite a bit of walking and steps, so make sure you have your walking legs on!
Overall a good holiday. The best things for me were seeing the bears in the wild and the local walks around Magura. The high alpine scenery, the flower filled meadows, the limestone gorges, were beautiful.
The guest house is pleasant and food good. Breakfasts are help yourself, semi-continental with a egg option, using this good selection to make packed lunch. Generally I thought the evening meal food was very good, the staff seem to work tirelessly preparing them and must be commended. Though on one or two days, whilst portions were perfect for my small/normal appetite, I think a large man may have been left a bit hungry. Honesty bar for beers and wine works well.
Negatives – we had mixed weather and the leaders Thomas and Katrina rejigged the week’s schedule. The rain entirely spoilt the horse and cart ride/walk to the monastery day. Out of exodus’s control yes, but not quite sure why the leaders insisted upon us starting this activity if they knew how rainy it was in the valley below the guesthouse. Perhaps a bit more leeway to add in a visit to an indoor place or town would be sensible here?
Secondly, Exodus should reconsider the addition of the cable car and high alpine walk. This involved a near two hour transfer there and back (4 hours in total driving), and a less inspiring walk at the top (think Dartmooresque scenery) than those around Magura itself. The restaurant on this day was good but game orientated. I would entirely leave this option out and add in another walk around Magura.
Seeing the bears in the wild was brilliant. I would have been happy to see one or two, but we saw 10-15 in a three hour period including mother and cubs. Secondly visiting the fortified church, having local schapps and cake with a very different type of priest. The beautiful scenery around Magura for walking. Observing some of ongoing traditional farming practices.
Thomas, and Katrina (who owns the guest house), were very knowledgeable leaders about the local history and environment. Katrina would accompany us on some of the excursions e.g. bird watching (where we saw a pelican!)
This is certainly not a walking holiday for anyone who does a reasonable level of walking - I found this frustrating. However, if you are not a walker, the nature of some of the shorter (10km walks) makes them a little more challenging than normal. There is also a considerable amount of time spent on mini-buses transferring between activities due to the location of Magura in the mountains, which I didn't appreciate on booking. Magura is a peaceful location, there is no other source of evening amusement apart from the guesthouse and a local "bar" (read cabin on stilts).
Really interesting, active trip with plenty of interesting food & wine experience, history, culture and lovely group of people. Led by an excellent tour leader.
The cookery demonstration & practice. This was in a beautiful environment & we had excellent tuition in preparing the food for our lunch. And then eating our food in a delightful outdoor courtyard in the warm sun was just wonderful.
He was great. Really friendly & good fun but also efficient & very knowledgeable. I’d happily go on a trip with him again.
You do need a reasonable level of fitness. There was quite a lot of walking to do & a couple of the people in our party struggled a bit. It does say about good health & reasonable fitness in the tour details but this needs to be emphasised at the booking stage.