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First time I have done this type of holiday and had never done snowshoeing.
the accommodation was in a stunning area. with views of hills and mountains all round. the hosts/owners were very friendly and helpful. the hotel was very good.
the walks were varied, but because of the weather involved lots of snow. day one was a short walk of about 14km but involved snowshoeing in places which were vital in place.
day 2 was a long walk, it snow most of the time as we walked through Gorges and over hills( the gorge was used in the filming of Movie Cold mountain)
Day 3 and 4 both were both short walk but hard walks
Day 5 was a day of from walking. visit to bear sanctuary, walled church and town of Brasov, were we had free time. and then a meal in a restuarant as a group
day 6 was a long hard walk, which i did not do due a little niggling muscle injury.
the whole holiday was a great time tough but fun with stunning views.
our walking Guide Holger was every you want, he was imformative, helpful, funny at times and above all you felt safe on the walks, he always made sure the group was not strung out to far.
i would recommend the hoilday to anyone who wants a walking work out but also stunning landscapes, although snow cannot be gauranteed , we were lucky.
completing the 22-24km walk and still be laughing at the end of it although tired.
Holger was a first class leader as I said earlier, he was everything you want in a leader.
you need to be relatively fit, and be prepared for tough terrain, depending on weather.
A great trip overall, good mixture of cycling, wine tasting, wildlife & lovely scenery.
Best of the cycling is saved for the last days of the trip. After leaving Hermanus you are basically on a coastal road with lovely views all the way to Cape Town. Chapman's Peak in a brilliant sunshine (and tail wind) was the absolute highlight. Penguins on the Boulder's Beach were the non cycling highlight of the trip.
Warren is a very good leader. Always helpful and very sociable with the group. And our driver Sefiso was brilliant too, keeping us well fed and watered during our rides.
The water shortage in the Western Cape is getting more serious by the day. Be prepared to have 1min showers and reuse your shower water in the toilets in some of the hotels. Worth taking wet wipes to freshen up during the day (you won't be able to use the water on the bus for this - it's strictly for drinking only). And if you have long hair - leave in conditioner is another good way of cutting down the water consumption.
I had done the same trip once before when I barely knew how to use my camera. Six years on I felt I could fare much better and I wanted to put myself to the test. This wildlife safari gave me every opportunity I needed to exercise my skills. Fantastic wildlife viewing under the tutelage of an internationally renown expert in a wonderful environment.
There were several incredible wildlife experiences, one of which was to follow a leopard and her cub for nearly two entire days. But if I had to single out just one incident it was a stand-off between approximately twenty inquisitive giraffe and a completely unfazed cheetah. Paul, our leader, said that never before during his extensive career had he seen anything quite like it - and photographs of the event made into the UK national press.
Paul is an expert in his field and he sets very high standards while constantly providing helpful advice and feedback. As I think the trip notes indicate, this is not a trip for the faint hearted. But Paul and his team of highly skilled drivers know how to get you into exactly the right place at the right time to capture those incredible wildlife moments. Paul is also an amazing raconteur. During quieter moments out in the field the time is filled with interesting anecdotes or amusing stories and it is exactly the same over lunch and dinner. Paul is an excellent group leader.
This trip delivers exactly what is indicated in its title. This is a photographic safari and it is best suited to those fully familiar with their photographic equipment. If your main goal is to see as many animals as possible, stopping for every zebra, impala and other animal on the plain, you might prefer to look elsewhere. If you want the opportunity to take spectacular wildlife photographs then this is the trip for you. But patience is required. Long hours are spent out in the field and there are inevitably periods of relative inactivity, sitting in vehicles parked out in the African sun, waiting for that special moment. But, believe me, the results are well worth the time and the effort invested.
I totally recommend this trip to experience the beautiful diversity of Costa Rica. We had a trip of a lifetime. Great trips, accommodation, food and a tour of a beautiful country full of wonderful wildlife and birds and friendly people. I would love to return on day.
Way too many to mention.
Our group leader Pedro was extremely knowledgable and enthusiastic about his country and the wildlife, birds, people and history.
Expect to get wet for some of your trip. And i mean wet! Expect very strong sun for some of your trip! Plenty of sun tan lotion required. Expect extremes! But that's what makes it a fantastic experience.
Just returned from this trip The Trails of Vietnam and we have had the time of our lives. It’s the first time as a couple we have attended a group holiday and we were a little nervous about how we would mix with the 12 other participants. We need not worry as our group were all of a similar age group (50 plus) and we all got on very well indeed. The group leader was called Thanh Vo although he preferred to be called ‘Ten’. Ten was a absolute legend and made the whole trip so enjoyable and he was professional and knowledgable throughout.
The balance of activities is perfect and the organisation was impeccable. We stayed in homestays with families in the Vietnam countryside and in some rather nice hotels in the towns and cities. What struck me is we never had to spend time waiting for anything. When we’d arrive at a hotel we didn’t have to all queue to check in. Instead we would immediately be given our room keys and sometimes our bags would already be waiting for us in our rooms. There are times when you need to pack for just 2 nights and leave your big suitcases at the hotel so take a rucksack too. The whole transportation of our baggage was very well organised throughout.
The overnight train is also great fun and its surprising how well we all slept on this journey. In some of the home-stays you are all in the same room (although you do have privacy) and the odd snorer in the group may keep you awake so take some earplugs!
The cycling was a reasonable length of time but do take gel cycling shorts to prevent a sore bottom. There is absolutely NO need to take a saddle or helmet as the equipment provided is of a high quality.
The walks/hikes were not too taxing and were very scenic and done at a leisurely pace.
There are plentiful times to do shopping to buy ‘original copies’ shirts/bags/trainers etc.
The bus journeys are done a very comfortable bus with plenty of room and WiFi onboard with suitably spaced out refreshment/toilets stops. We chose to relax and conserve our energy on the bus journeys and they were also some of the funniest parts of the trip too.
This really is a wonderful holiday experience. Go for it!
The boat trip to Halong Bay and the kayaking were great days/nights and the overnight train. Walking through the towns and taking in the history of this amazing country. Too many highlights!!!!
I think his name was Thanh Vo although we all called him ‘Ten’ We cannot put into words how brilliant this man is at his job and he made the whole experience for us so special. A true professional who really cared about the group and his enthusiasm for his country was infectious. His organisation was top class and we all felt lucky to have him as our guide.
Don’t take a saddle ( a saddle over cover or gel shorts is adequate) No need to bring your own cycle helmets as the equipment provided including the cycles themselves are of a very high quality. Along with you big suitcase bring a decent size rucksack to hold 2 days clothes and toiletries. Don’t pack to many clothes as the laundry services (they’re everywhere) are of a good quality and are usually 1USD for 1KG washed dried and ironed within 24 hours absolute BARGAIN!!! The many markets sell t shirts, shorts, sandals, trainers etc for next to nothing so leave plenty of room in your cases. You can go your own way in an evening if you wish, or stay with the group for dinner. The guide Thanh always pointed us in the right direction as he knew all the best eateries and we found our group amazingly great company. Usually the group are all of the same mindset after all we’ve all booked the same holiday! We expected the group to be younger but were pleased to see we were all within 10 years of each other around the 50 year old mark.
HOLIDAY REVIEW CATALONIAN PYRENEES
Dates 21/1/18 to 28/1/18
Leader: Miguel Ibanez
We stayed in two towns in the Catalan mountains called Rialp and Esterri d’Aneu. They were surrounded by wonderful snow covered peaks. The towns were in deep, wooded, rocky valleys with high cliffs and fast flowing rivers. The scenery was wild, rugged and beautiful. Ancient villages perched on the steep slopes of the surrounding mountains. It was a pleasure to explore their old narrow streets. Vultures were often flying above when the wind blew, or sunshine caused rising air currents for them to soar on, without flapping their wings. I saw up to 14 flying together in circles in one group. I also saw 7 herons fishing together early in the morning on a lake in the main valley. There were also two red kites flying together. These have been supplied to the Chiltern hills in Britain, north west of London, where they are now flourishing and spreading in territory.
Our snowshoes allowed us to quickly gain height through the forest and reach view points higher up to see the wider landscape. The new snow in the forest made beautiful patterns on the branches of the trees.
Hotel Victor in Rialp provided delicious food and was kept spotlessly clean. Our hotel in Esterri d’Aneu was spacious and provided beautiful views of the surrounding snow covered mountains from the big windows on the top floor. The food was excellent.
Leader Miguel was a very friendly and helpful person, who was very eager to make the holiday go well, and provide any help when needed. He provided a wealth of information about the history of the area, and arranged very enjoyable wine and cheese tasting sessions.
Our bus driver Mario drove very carefully on the difficult mountain roads, with professional skill, which was much admired.
We flew back over the Pyrenees in very clear air and saw the great mountain range covered in snow, laid out below us, stretching away into the distance for hundreds of kilometres. It was a wonderful sight and a great end to a wonderful holiday.
Andrew Grun
Seeing the snow covered mountains of the Pyrenees and the ancient villages perched on the steep slopes of the mountains.
Very friendly and helpful. Very keen to ensure that the holiday went well for everyone.
Need to be fit and to bring good outdoor clothing to protect against wind and snow.
Very varied trip with good range of experiences despite poor weather at the start. Great accommodation though the breakfast at Arenal Montechairi was poor.
Seeing a sloth and baby at very close quarters at Tortuguero National park. The visit to Esquinas Rain Forest lodge and learing about the conservation work.
Excellent local guide who dealt with an injured friend with sympathy and efficiency. Excellent first aid knowledge. He was very enthusiastic about his job and the wildlife,
Take capes or ponchos to Tortuguero. We had 5 days of heavy rain. We took too many US dollars. There was good availability of ATM's.
I had a fantastic time on this trip. The boat crew is great. Whether it’s serving your meal, helping you on and off the boat, or taking your hand in the water to show you whatever’s been spotted, every member takes their role very seriously and strives to ensure that they give you the best experience possible.
The ship’s captain accompanied me on a dive and filmed it on his own camera. He then presented me with the disk on the last day, which was so thoughtful and unexpected.
The amount of fish, sharks, mammals etc to see is vast and the colours are amazing. I swam with a whale shark called Fernando, who is 22ft. I also saw huge manta rays and lots of sharks.
The members of the crew who accompanied us in the water during snorkelling trips took the time to teach me how to dive down to get closer to whatever was there. Not being a particularly confident swimmer, this was great and I was soon practicing with confidence.
Kamey, the tour leader on my trip, is so knowledgeable and his passion for marine wildlife is tremendous and he is very respectful of it.
I agree with the previous reviewer regarding the amount of other holiday makers and boats scrambling to get to the whale shark. My first experience was great as it was with just my fellow Exodus group but the second day was not enjoyable due to the sheer amount of people in the water. However, I would urge anyone considering this trip not to let this put you off as the Maldives has so much more to offer.
The pace of this tour was perfect and attracted a delightfully varied range of people and ages from 30’s to 70’s. We had at least 2 nights in each place, the only early start was 8.15 and there was enough time factored in to relax / explore on our own. Yet we saw and packed so MUCH into the 12 days. It really felt like a holiday, as well as an adventure, and I will always go for the ‘leisurely’ trips from now on.
The safaris were, of course a high point, especially the lovingly sparring rhino couple. I also loved the wild ocean in Tsitsikamma, zip-lining down the gorge and hiking through the forest – completely on my own. Of many great meals (even as a gluten-free, pesco-veggie!!), the wine tasting lunch stands out for me as the best gourmet experience. The Langa township tour is imprinted on my memory, as both an eye-opening experience of SA’s sad history and current challenges and also a heart-lifting contact with people who are bringing grass-root transformation and the sense that we were able to make a positive contribution.
We were very blessed to have an outstanding guide in Justin; patient, good humoured, an excellent driver and group facilitator and with a very impressive breadth and depth of knowledge of SA's nature, history and politics.
I spent 2 days alone visiting Johannesburg before the tour and rather wish I had done the same in Cape Town at the end, there is so much to see and do in the cities.
I really enjoyed my holiday: I have never been away in the snow before – choosing to go south for better weather – and was pleasantly surprised at how much the environment drew me in. I can’t highlight enough the beauty of the area. We had a few days of quite warm weather with some snow and then the last two days, after heavy snow fall, were just magical: the sound and silence of the snow was mesmerising and I will never forget it. Our group leader, Miguel, inspired confidence and was attentive to all our disparate needs. The first hotel (Victor) was really lovely (great food and hospitality); the second was not so good, but this was found at the last minute after our scheduled hotel had a fire.
Overall a great week from which I returned calm and rejuvenated.
It is difficult to pinpoint any one inspirational moment. Each day we went on walks that inspired me and the group leader organised visits to people who were doing inspirational things in the Pyrenees to create work and keep traditional crafts going. I found the rhythm of the walks rather meditative, especially in the snow: soothing, uplifting and inspiring, whilst at the same time being quite hard at times.
I have been on a number of Exodus holidays and have high expectations of the group leaders. Miguel did not disappoint: he designed very different walks each day; was attentive to all our very different needs and never failed to inspire us with his love of the mountains. I think it is really difficult to run these types of group holidays where, inevitably, people have different levels of fitness etc. Two of our group were unable to join us for the majority of the walks but Miguel organised other walks for them to do each day. We had a day off and he spent lots of time helping everyone to organise things to do. Over and above the walks he engaged us in the local history, environment etc which enhanced our understanding of this beautiful area.
Relax and enjoy it.... Don't worry if you haven't snow shoed before: you will get used to it in a couple of days! Make sure you are fit to climb: I broke a toe a few days before we went so did struggle a little sometimes.