This was a great trip. Our guide, Thin, was fantastic and the itinerary meant that we got to see all of the highlights of Vietnam whilst not being rushed because we had a few days in each place. Having said that, we still packed a lot in, with lots of additional optionals that were brilliant.
Everything about the trip was excellent. The hotels were very comfortable with superb food and service. The sights and venues were interesting with enough time a)lottery to see and enjoy them. The your director was great. She was creative in solving minor glitches. The driver was fantastic guiding the very comfortable but big bus through the narrow New England streets. The patrons were the most congenial group I have ever risen with. Top notch in every aspect.
This is varied tour covering cities, villages, historical sites, mountains, deserts and seaside. The tour was made even better by an excellent guide who clearly explained the history, geography and geology of ehat we saw. It is ideal for those who like busy holidays.
INCREDIBLE! Did the 20 day Australia east coast tour, had the best experiences, met some amazing people, memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. Thanks to our tour leader Val who was on point every day with her top banter and positive energy! Couldnt recommend this enough! The only downside was the tour had to come to an end! ¸
This holiday was rated “full on” and it was. Not a moment was wasted! Tashkent, Khiva, Bukara and Samarkand were all amazing. Staying in a Madrasa and in a Yurt added to the authenticity and we took the extra trip to the desert castles which was well worth it. Also the silk paper making centre was interesting. Uzbekistan is a welcoming country - very clean with no litter and we were impressed with the flowers planted along grass verges for miles.
This was a superbly paced and adventurous trek guided by the brilliant Hamid who took time to be sure that everyone was well looked after.
The trekking itself was well paced by Hamid with Mustafa supporting. The days preceding the summit day allowed time for beautifully prepared lunches and time to relax (but try to push through to get to Aremd early for a Hammam on day 2). Walking was steady (for me as a regular mountain walker, especially on summit day) but I found poles a real benefit, even though I don't usually use them.
Summit day was a cold start in early May, and paced for the whole group to reach the summit together, so more confident walkers were waiting at times. It's a tough day, with very little level walking and a lot of elevation gain (and of course, decent). It feels very different to any UK fell walking, despite the elevation gains not sounding similar to what we have here.
The unplanned interaction with locals, the Hamam at Aremd, local knowledge of Hamid and Mustafa and superb support team of porters and chef added interest to the trip.
Some of the accommodation was slightly different to advertised, with rooms for 4-5 on one night at Tizi Oussem. Tents and provided camping gear was good quality. The hotel was fine at Marrakech to bookend the trip.
I highly recommend bringing one of the Water to Go (or equivalent) bottles. Water is plentiful in streams or other places on the trek, but must be purchased otherwise, and it seems wasteful to rely on this and create a lot of plastic waste.
I was on the trek with Mike and Jacqui, so check out their reviews too.
This was a most amazing and unforgettable experience which for some of the group will probably be life changing. We were fortunate to be in a friendly, supportive and cohesive group which was led by the wonderful Wit. Wit was the catalyst to the group bonding so well but he was more than just a guide and leader. He organised our tour seamlessly and supported every member of the group when required over and above what could be expected. We were so privileged to know him and to have him as our guide and mentor. The tour is stated to be "full on" and it certainly matches that description so don't expect a restful holiday but be prepared to be on the move with early starts and time spent in a minibus which was necessary to complete such an intensive itinerary. If asked to chose a highlight I wouldn't be able to as there were so many highlights throughout the tour. I have so many great memories and been very fortunate to be included in such a fine group but also to be blessed with Wit as our very special leader.
Assan (guide) and Serin (driver) could not do enough for us to make sure we had a memorable trip and were a great pair to take us around the two countries. I travelled to Senegal and The Gambia over Christmas and New Year and had a wonderful time. With the right amount of Christmas, and a fun celebratory night for New Year where we danced away at the hotel. The organisation of the trip meant we were able to maximise our time in each location, though more time in Gambia would be great. Yes, the accommodation wasn't 5 star, but it was all comfortable and clean, which I view as more important. The food was plentiful and delicious - especially so on the boat on the Gambia River. We pretty much had the Gambia River to ourselves and had some amazing sightings of birdlife - Assan's knowledge of the wildlife is brilliant! Bintang Bolong staff were welcoming and friendly, wanting to make sure they provided us with a great experience - try the chocolate cake there if you have the chance. As others have noted, the pink lake is no longer pink, which is a shame, but nothing anyone can do about it. I would recommend taking the optional boat trip too, there are plenty of birds to see and some unique experience. Additionally, if you have a day spare at the beginning or end of the trip, it is worth hiring a taxi for a couple of hours to take you around Dakar to see some sights - we had a two hour tour and ticked off a couple of the highlights.
