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Reviews

Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers  

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135 Reviews

4.9 out of 5

Reviews

The other side of Benidorm in Benimantell.

There were 11 of us, of various nationalities, gathered with our tour leader Jose Miguel in the homely pensione Hotel Trestellador 2km outside the village of Benimantell on the sloping foothills of the sheer, craggy Sierra de Aitana.
We spent the next wonderful week trekking under,over,through and around the spectacular mountains of this beautiful valley.
On three of the days we were able to start the trek from the front door of the Hotel and collect the freshest of water from a spring 1km up the road which complemented the world beating sandwiches of our packed lunches supplied and made for us by Jose Miguel.
On our return every night bar one,”Mother Charro” and her team fed us like royalty with amazing huge dishes of local cuisine and a bonny flow of the wines of Alicante.On her night off Jose Miguel took us to the local “climbing hut” where we feasted on a gourmet barbeque of MEAT and roasted vegetables garnished with plenty of local wine.

Most Inspirational Moment

The two trips that we had to use the van to access were the two most inspirational walks of the week.They were different in character but equally exhillarating. The trip to Pico Serrella takes you up into remote secluded wood shrouded valleys and up across mildly exposed beautiful scree slopes to the magnificent lonely ridge of pico Serrella with it's beautiful dry white marble like rock with views to the coast of Costa Blanca and all around to the Mountains of Aitana.Majestic. From the summit one descends via a scree path to the amazing dry gorge valley of Barranc de la canal for a long scenic descent between towering walls of rock on both sides of the valley and a veritable flower garden of mountain flowers,shrubs and trees each wafting up beautiful scents from their many coloured flowers in the glorious sunshine of a hot Spanish May. The final descent to the little village of Beniarda skirts a steep river gorge diving out of the adjoining mountains,with some welcome shade from the evening heat and if you are lucky you may meet the delightful 92 year old owner of the award winning Beniqueis olive oil in the village of Beniarda. The final trek up the Puig de Campana takes you nearer the commercial heart of the costa Blanca though the initial walk in is along the quieter tracks of the foothill valleys on the aitana side.The final hour is steep and scrambly in sections and there are many more people climbing/descending the trail then we had on our other outings.The view from the summit is spectacular all along the Costa Blanca and right down into Benidorm on one side and over to the beautiful long ridge of the Sierra de Aitana and it's deep adjoining valleys on the other side.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose Miguel Garcia was our group leader and he was truely excellent.He was very helpful,friendly and encouraging with a hilariuos sense of humour and a quick wit expressed in better English than I have myself. It added greatly to the experience of the trip that he was a local guide who knew the history and stories of the area and was generous in the telling of them and he is definitely the king of sandwich makers and we got to sample his creations as packed lunch every day;MMMarvellous!

Advice for Potential Travellers

You need good fitness and stamina for this week.You need well broken in boots and good socks as the walking is mostly over dry hard rock terrain and tough on the feet.i would also recommend at least a two litre camel pack for your sack. I was drinking at least two litres every day in the heat and almost 3 litres on the Puig de Campana day which was probably the hottest day of our week in May.

Great trip

Excellent from start to finish.

Great leader in Jose.

Hostal El Trestellador in lovely location with warm & friendly service. Meals were superb, home cooked traditional food, tasty and plenty to eat.

Hikes were enjoyable & challenging. We had great weather and views.

Nice day off in Altea, then pleasant barbeque that evening.

The hiking group were excellent and friendly, a pleasure to meet.

Most Inspirational Moment

For me, it was the enjoyment I experienced throughout the full week.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose - great personality and leader with great humour. Great company to be with. Passionate about the area he works with good local knowledge. He's as good as it gets.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Worth training in advance for the hikes, you'll enjoy them better

Sierra de Aitana Trek

This was a really good walking holiday, with challenging walks and spectacular scenery. We liked the fact that it was based in one hotel as it meant you could settle into the hotel and weren’t having to pack up and move on. There was plenty of things of interest and variety of walking in this one area to fill a week. Also helped by the fact that the hotel was very comfortable and the food great. We went to the coast on the free day which provided a good contrast.

Most Inspirational Moment

The highlight was reaching the top of the Puig Campana which although not the highest point reached is a proper peak close to the sea which emphasises the height. Parts of the ascent and descent were the most challenging parts of the weeks walks. There were also highlights on the other days particularly days 3 and 4 where we also reached notable summits, days 1 and 2 were needed to find our legs and get used to the terrain.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose the group leader was great. He has a passion for this area in which he has grown up and this came through in the enthusiasm and information he imparted to the group. He was also good fun and very attentive to everyone in the group lending a hand on the tricky sections if necessary.

Trekking in Aitana

A marvellous week in empty mountains so extremely close to the populated coastline, hard to believe it can be so easy to find bare nature.

Most Inspirational Moment

Everything about the trip was inspirational as there was always a good team spirit and the two leaders had so much enthusiasm to keep us trekking.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose and Jamies were brilliant. Exceptionally funny and inspiring and full of local knowledge. Willing to talk plenty whilst walking but also giving holiday makers space for peace and quiet.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The grading of the holiday is very appropriate, all treks will be managed if you pace yourself. Remember weather can be changeable in the mountains.

Sierra di Aitana trek TSA

A great weeks walking in a surprisingly unknown area, with stunning views. The walks for the week were over very varied terrain and we were led by the local guide José who was excellent and very knowledgeable of the area. His local experience was also valuable in adjusting the schedule for the week to account for the weather. This ensured we were able to cover the most scenic or challenging days in the best conditions.
The transfers were very short and several walks were direct from or back to the hotel.
This is graded as Moderately/challenging as there are long ascents and descents over sometimes challenging terrain. We agree with this grading.
We thoroughly enjoyed the week.
The small local hotel was really friendly and comfortable with good food and wine.

Most Inspirational Moment

All the walks were good. Perhaps the ascent to Puig Campana at 1410m.

Thoughts on Group Leader

José was very good and had worked hard to provide great walking for the week over varied terrain. He also provided support and information in providing extra activities for the rest day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read the trip notes. Boots with good tread and walking poles are advised. Unusually we needed blister plasters, so these might be worthwhile packing.

Sierra de Aitana Trek

The trip gave a great opportunity to see almond blossom in full bloom . The leader has years of experience and rearranged the walks according to changes in the weather for us to see the area at its best . It was great to take in the scenery on foot , and in good company . With my special dietary requirements , I could not have asked for more from the gluten free meals and snacks provided . The family run hotel was very welcoming.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing colours and hues of the valleys shift from pink to purples with changes from almond to olive groves as we walked amongst orange rocky mountainsides .

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was involved in mapping the area , and creating the paths we walked along . He researched the routes used by local people with them , His knowledge and abilities are extraordinary , He stops to talk about the history and the places , and shares this with us . He is excellent and I felt very safe walking in what can be fairly challenging conditions with him leading..

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes, go on this trip if you like being outdoors learning about the landscape and people and are used to walking alot , especially up and downhill

Sierra de Aitana Trek

A great walking holiday which matched the moderate/challenging grade exactly. The walks were well paced with a good mix of ascents and ridge walks offering excellent views. As the week progressed we were able to see where we had been and where we were going.

Jose was an excellent leader and his local knowledge was obvious and he was keen to share it. He led the walks professionally and knew the routes and all the options inside out. He is a passionate advocate for the region. The walks were carefully planned and organised with care attention to detail. His packed lunches were tasty using local produce and eagerly anticipated.

Jose integrated well with the group and had a very dry sense of humour.

The evening meals were very tasty and plentiful using local produce. The hearty local fare was perfect after a days walking. You certainly won’t go hungry or lose weight.

The Pension was ideally located with great views to the coast and allowed some of the walks to start and finish from it.

Overall a really enjoyable trip which I couldn’t fault.

Most Inspirational Moment

The ascent of Sierra of Aitana although all the walks were very rewarding.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. See above.

Fabulous Winter Walking

If you’re looking for European winter walking, this is for you. The sun was gorgeous (although the wind is cold on the mountain tops so make sure you have warm clothes) with fabulous, long range, 360 deg views. Jose’s sandwiches are already legendary, and rightly so, but he is also an experienced, knowledgeable and fun walk leader. The perfect escape from a dark, grey, damp UK and only a short flight away. Don’t expect to lose weight though!

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the summits and enjoying the fabulous views

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose was fabulous - knows the area well and is enthusiastic about sharing information so you understand your surroundings and appreciate the walks even more. Very conscious of the group to ensure that everyone is enjoying the walk, that the pace is right, and anyone who is a little uncertain in parts is encouraged and supported.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring layers, gloves and a warm hat. The sun can be warm (sometimes we were in T shirts) but the wind is icy, especially on the mountain tops (in January anyway).

Challenging off-season walking on the Costa Blanca

A wonderful week of challenging walking in stunning limestone scenery. The November weather was perfect for walking, and we were not troubled by high winds on the summits and so were able to enjoy leisurely late lunches and take in the magnificent views. We stayed in the comfortable family-run El Trestallador Pension which had splendid views from the terrace down to the coast. The evening meals were more than adequate for a group of hungry and tired walkers and consisted of a variety of regional specialities. There were very few other walkers out on the hills during the week and it all felt very remote, despite the proximity to Benidorm.

Most Inspirational Moment

We had breathtaking views on every walk and I particularly enjoyed the short sections of rock scrambling. One of the highlights was looking down on the skyscrapers of Benidorm from the summit of Puig Campana and realising just how much unspoilt and deserted countryside there is within such a short distance of the tourist areas of the Costa Blanca. On our final day we walked the length of the Sierra de Aitana ridge, and could see everywhere we had walked during the week.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose was an entertaining and knowledgeable guide who worked very hard to make sure that all his group had a good experience. His briefings made clear what we were to expect from each day's walk, and we learned a lot about local flora, farming, and geology (and eateries). His sandwiches were pretty impressive too!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read the trip notes carefully as they accurately reflect the degree of difficulty (terrain, exposure, length of walks). A good head for heights is essential and you need to be confident about walking on rocky and exposed paths. This is a good winter trip for experienced walkers who don't want to travel long distances to get some off-season sunshine.

Hike, Eat, Sleep, Repeat

A varied and challenging week of mountain waking that was a perfect escape from cold and wet weather in the winter months in a beautiful corner of Spain that couldn’t be more different than nearby Benidorm. The accommodation up in the hills was very comfortable and the food was outstanding and plentiful.

Most Inspirational Moment

The 5 included day walks were all good in their own right. I particularly enjoyed the lofty views on the Serrella and Aitana ridges. The real highlight though was the near perfect weather for walking - temperatures in the mid teens and hardly a cloud in the sky every day, a real treat in the month of November.

Thoughts on Group Leader

José is an experienced mountain leader who knows the area like the back of his hand. He has a great sense of humour and speaks immaculate English.

Advice for Potential Travellers

On the free day, some of the group chose to go to Altea on the coast. This was easily arranged for €15 return and well worth the visit. Personally, I did a self guided walk from Altea to the cliffs of Sierra Heleda - the route was very easy to follow and the coastal views were excellent.