A+++ we had such a wonderful time hiking on Crete. The mix of land and sea are spectacular, the people of Crete are so warm and welcoming. Highly recommend.
Discover a land of medieval chateau, ancient monasteries, vineyards and charming villages. A great trip for food and wine buffs, with walking that is gentle to start with and progressing to moderate grade as the week unfolds. Burgundy's natural riches and its complex history bear testimony to its fine heritage. It is a beautiful and fertile land where farmers, foresters, and above all wine growers skills have nurtured the landscape for more than a thousand years. The reputation of Burgundy's cuisine has travelled the world and the very word Burgundy is synonymous with the finest wines. Burgundy is a multifaceted landscape just waiting to be explored, and, as elsewhere in France, the best way to savour it, is to explore on foot its peaceful lanes and byways. Travellers will discover a fabled land of mediaeval chateaux, ancient monasteries and fragrant breezes where the art of living is pursued to near perfection at a gentle unhurried pace. Beaune is the hub of Burgundy’s wine industry, at the heart of a cluster of prestigious vineyards such as the Cote d’Or, Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits and is the obvious place to start our trip. The first walking day is just 3 hours on foot to Meursault; a gentle start allowing time to visit the sights in Beaune and sample some wine in the village of Pommard on route. Don’t miss the imposing mansion of the Dukes of Burgundy, the basilica of Notre Dame and the most famous of all the sights in Beaune, the steep pitched patterned roofs of the Hotel Dieu. A circular walk to Saint Romain includes a ruined chateau and a 12th century church as well as some beautiful scenery and a great restaurant for lunch. A steady climb from Meursault, to join the ‘Grande Randonnee’ paths, takes in mature oak forests before descending to the village and stunning chateau of La Rochepot, unfortunately closed at the present time. From there you will be walking on to Nolay, a village of fine mediaeval buildings, narrow streets and half-timbered houses. The second half of the week is a little more taxing and involves walking an average of just over 18km per day and ascents of about 500m climbing onto the escarpment and hilltops for glorious views as far as the Alps. There is still time however to enjoy the delights of Rully, the ancient Chateau of Montaigu, the produce of the Cotes Chalonnaises and many more sleepy hamlets and villages. The landscape is a mix of vineyards on the lower slopes, woodlands on the edge of the plateau, and pastures and arable land above 380m on the plateau. Conditions underfoot are good with many of the tracks through the vineyards surfaced even though there is little or no traffic; lightweight boots are all you will need.
My itinerary was well planned and I think the experience was of good value for money. The variety of accommodations were welcoming and clean. I especially liked the GPX/GPS files on the daily routes. The communications were impeccable. My only request is that the trip package be provided a month prior to the start of the walk. I usually travel to the starting point about a week prior to the commencement of the walk to get over jet lag, etc.
An exhilarating pilgrimage walk through northern Spain to the tomb of St James in Santiago de Compostela. This stage of the Camino pilgrimage route offers a fine balance of walks in spectacular natural settings with visits to inspiring cultural sites including the magnificent cathedral city of Leon. En route there are numerous reminders of the pilgrims past who travelled the route including crosses, statues and grain silos. In the valley of Ponferrada, O Cebreiro welcomes you to the gates of Galicia and leads you to the fabled Santiago de Compostela. Longer 17 and 18 day versions are also available.
This trip was fast paced, very active and jam packed but stunningly beautiful! I am not sure what i was expecting from Crete but it wasn't this, this was even better! We got to swim in crystal clear waters, hike the famous Samaria Gorge, as well as visit archaeological sites, it had a bit of everything.
Explore the Caucasus Mountains and the surrounding sites on this fantastic one-day tour of the beautiful Kazbegi region. See the Church of the Holy Trinity and other remarkable cultural sites in a breathtaking natural landscape.
The tour takes you to Ananuri, a historic castle complex consisting of two medieval towers, two churches and defensive walls. After exploring the area, you'll be driven to Gudauri, where you can enjoy the stunning panoramic view over the Caucasus Mountains. Continue your journey in the direction of Kazbegi city. From Kazbegi, we'll head out to visit the famous Gergeti Trinity Church. Enjoy the splendid surroundings and a little exercise on an 8-kilometre hike to the church. Or, for an extra cost, you have the option to be driven to the site in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Afterwards, we will depart for Tbilisi.
A rewarding walk from the mountains of inland Corsica to the rose coloured Calanques of Piana high above the sea. A veritable mountain in the sea, Corsica is the most geographically diverse of the Mediterranean Islands. It offers such a variety of landscapes from snow topped mountain peaks to fine sandy beaches. Age old paths link the high mountain plains with their shepherd huts through to the picturesque Mediterranean Coast. This itinerary starts in the central valley and crosses the Grand Randonnee 20 (GR20), the challenging long-distance route running most of the length of Corsica. On foot you'll discover scented pine forests and the pretty mountain village of Evisa, known for its chestnuts, and explore the deep Spelunca Gorge. From Porto you can explore the unique jumble of rose granite pinnacles including the famous Calanques of Piana before visiting Corsica's capital Ajaccio, birthplace of Napoleon.
Would highly recommend this trip. It provides great variety in scenery, beginning in the very hilly area around the base of Mt Olympus; down into lovely valleys and then stunning coastal scenery. We found the written directions to be excellent while the red and white track markers gave us lots of help as well. We were very impressed with Mehmet who kept in contact with us at the end of each day.
Had a wonderful week walking around Mont Blanc. Our group was friendly and kind, the scenery was like a “fairytale” and our accommodation / food was good
This trip took us through a sparsely populated area of France, where we saw few people, but saw plenty of old buildings and walked along roman roads through the mountains.
The food and accommodation was excellent and we met some interesting people.
Highlights for us, were the Verdon Gorge and walking along the roman road that climbs through the mountains.
We completed this walk in August, when the temperature was 33 degrees, hot for walking. However, we will return again in the Spring or Autumn.
Great walk, beautiful scenery, excellent accommodation, luggage transfers went without a hitch. Electronic map made it almost impossible to get lost. English weather!
