This holiday is a fantastic introduction to the Puglia and Basilicata area of Italy. I enjoyed all of the towns that we visited and would have happily spent more time in Alberobello and Ostuni.
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Very good. I really enjoyed it. It exceeded my expectations. There was a good guide and his team were friendly too and looked after us well. Good scenery, good varied food. The walking pace was just right. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Deserts and canyons
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
This part of Tuscany was a complete surprise and a total delight. Not only did we have the typical walking through rolling pastureland covered with wildflowers, we also had many walks through shady forests decorated with sun streaming through the new green leaves and over a floor of last years copper leaves before we emerged onto high ridges to enjoy stunning views over still snow clad peaks. A total delight.
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
La Gomera is a stunning island with an amazing variety of landscapes and stunning views. Our experience felt very authentic and we enjoyed the local hospitality. The hiking was enjoyable but tough. I would certainly rate some of the ascents and descents as challenging rather than moderate. The terrain is often rocky but it is the areas with small stones, particularly on the downhill that can lead one to be on their feet one minute and on the ground the next! It can be very slippery with all the loose gravel and stones and needs solid concentration! In spite of this we enjoyed the trip very much and would heartily recommend visiting La Gomera.
Walking tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House, Villa
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
San Sebastian, Santiago De Compo
San Sebastian, Santiago De Compostela, Tenerife, San Sebastián de La Gomera, Hermigua, Vallehermoso, Chipude, Laguna De Santiago
The trip had a really good balance of activities, with plently to do while still leaving you time to relax and chill out. Tuscany is so beautiful and Fattoria Voltrona was a great place to stay. I would definitely recommend this trip to my friends.
Trekking and HikingFood tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Siena, Tuscany, Chianti, Pancole
Siena, Tuscany, Chianti, Pancole, Florence, San Gimignano
Walking the Magna Via Francigena was challenging - many steep hills, mud and rain. They organised everything else so that all we had to do was walk, making the walk much easier. The scenery was stunning.
A hike filled with stunning scenery, challenging climbs, and accommodation in interesting locations. Need to be well prepared both in fitness and for extreme weather conditions. It was a challenging hike that we thoroughly enjoyed.
Walking tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Dordogne, Cressensac-Sarrazac, M
Dordogne, Cressensac-Sarrazac, Meyssac, Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne, Carennac, Loubressac, Rocamadour, Paris
I had done one trip previously – Amalfi coast hiking, fall 2023 – with EXPLORE. I was so impressed I asked my excellent guide, Pete, what else he would recommend knowing my abilities and interests. He immediately recommended the Slovenia trip, and it actually was on my list of places to visit. He had apparently set the trip up about seven years ago and was very familiar with it.
I have been in 50 countries to date - some several times- and Slovenia is now in my top five and I am already planning my return for next May.
We had a lovely small group, being the first of these hikes of the season, hailing from Canada, Spain, Australia, and the UK.
The accommodation, staff, management, and food at Art Hotel Kristal were A+ – and I especially loved and took advantage of the options of the sauna and cold plunge, Ayurvedic massages with the wonderful Bhatri, chocolate tasting with the owner, Alenka, and a fantastic wine tasting with her son, Jan. I went home with a lovely assortment of chocolates and also a wonderful bottle of wine that I will try to hold onto for a few years until it is optimal to drink.
The hikes were not difficult at all, but I found that I did feel like I got a good amount of exercise by the end of the day. I spent my free day doing a mountain bike ride. The whole area around Lake Bohinj is stunning and there are so many activities that one can partake in, as well as really yummy local restaurants close by the hotel. I loved that the hotel offered a pre-fixe three course menu for hotel guests for only €25 on the nights that were not included with the hike. An incredible bargain given the quality of the food, as with almost all of the food we had in Slovenia, it was locally sourced and delicious. I am not typically a meat eater, but I had the venison twice – locally sourced, and wild – and it was by far the best I have ever had.
I would definitely stay at this hotel when I return to the area. I would strongly encourage others to spend some time in Ljubljana – either before or after the trip. A beautiful city a two hour bus ride awaythat is just the right size and full of so much to offer. Next time I am going to see a lot more of this country – it is half the size of Switzerland, but the variety of the terrain and ecosystems is quite impressive. Also, to be noted is that English is widely spoken and children start in grade 3, learning this second language. The Slovenians couldn’t have been nicer and more helpful everywhere I went. What can I say?? Get yourself to Slovenia before it is overrun: safe, clean, and green – a beautiful country of farmers, foragers, wine makers, and beekeepers. Also note that they have some fantastic fly fishing there as well as mountain and road biking – very cycling friendly. After all, it is the country of Pogacar.
Trekking and HikingWaterfalls
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Hut
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Ljubljana, Bled, Bohinj Lake, Sa
Ljubljana, Bled, Bohinj Lake, Savica Waterfall, Lake Bled, Brod, Julian Alps
A lovely week's walking in the very green scenery of Northern Spain. There was a different feeling about this trip as you know you are following in the footsteps of the thousands of people that have walked that route as a pilgrimage since medieval times.
Trekking and HikingAdventure
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Villa
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Samos, Camino De Santiago, Sarri
Samos, Camino De Santiago, Sarria, Portomarín, Palas De Rei, Arzúa, Pedruozo, Santiago De Compostela
