Sierra De Aitana Trek: Spain Walking Holiday

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: from 40 reviews.

Peter Lowe

Trip was great, but unfortunately it rained heavily most of the week!

Written September 2007
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
When the sun finally came out at the end of the week then we were able to see the wonderful scenery and climb to the top of a peak.
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What did you think of your group leader?
He was great, quite charismatic. He also had a tough time with the terrible weather, trying to alter our itinerary to cope with the rain.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Make sure you pack your waterproofs just in case!
Rob and Mag Pearson

Memorable trekking holiday in Spain -- pity about the travel arrangements

Written September 2007
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

The scenery was stunning.
We had the hills more or less to ourselves despite being within sight of the concrete tourist jungles on the coast.
And everywhere, the influence of the Moors was most interesting.
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What did you think of your group leader?
Our group leader was a local man, very knowledgable and enthusiastic about the local history, geology, and ecology -- a very good leader.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Think about your travel arrangements (see below).
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Inconvenient travel arrangements
The trek itself was very enjoyable and well run, but I think Exodus need to look again at the travel arrangements, from the travellers' viewpoint.

1. For this trip you chose flights from Gatwick to/from Alicante. I suggest that this is a poor choice for anyone not based in the South East of England. Gatwick is very poorly served from other UK airports, especially in comparison to Heathrow.  On our outbound trip from Edinburgh, we had a ‘choice’ of only one connecting flight, causing us a seven hour wait at Gatwick. Heathrow, by comparison, had five possible flights at approximately 2-hour intervals.
Note that we are not alone. Of the 15 people on the trip, 4 were travelling from Edinburgh (with the same inconvenience), 5 more were travelling from the North of England and chose to organise their own flights, avoiding Gatwick altogether, and only 5 of our party of 15 were conveniently located for Gatwick.

2. Our trek finished on Saturday 25th, but on Sunday 26th we then had to wait around all day in a small village until transport arrived at 8pm to take us to Alicante Airport for a 10:35pm flight. With such a late flight, we did not land at Gatwick until midnight, which of course caused us the extra expense and inconvenience of an overnight hotel stop at Gatwick.

We could, of course, have booked our own flights, but we would have had to make separate travel arrangements to get between Alicante and the remote start and end points of the trek. (How do you arrange a private bus, or taxi, in Spain, from your home in the UK?)

I would urge you please to look again at your travel policies. Many customers will prefer a total holiday solution.
Sarah Naish

A white Christmas!

Written September 2007
What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Looking out in the mornings to the mountains which varied from oranges to pastel mauves.
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What did you think of your group leader?
Fantastic leader. Never tired of rebuilding the tracks after our numerous downhill crashes on the corners.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Need to be fairly fit.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
It was a lovely area and the low light at Christmas gave everything a slightly surreal quality at sunset. The hotel was very good quality and friendly. The buffets were especially good for trying out the many Norwegian versions of fish - delicious!
Nina Carlisle

SIERRA DE AITANA TREK

Written March 2007
A strenuous but very rewarding week of hiking led by an enthusiastic local guide. Good food and comfortable accomodation.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
A wonderful full body massage after some very challenging hiking.
We did this trip 5 years ago and were so impressed we decided to do it again (we don't usually repeat a trip). But 5 years, two unreliable knees and a dodgy hip combined to cause some problems for me. I decided to forgo the hike up to the highest peak and after the first, easy 3 hour walk, sat in a sunny glade with my book to wait for the rest of the party. I figured I had done it once and had nothing to prove. I spent an enjoyable few hours chatting to passing hikers and bikers and one very elderly gentleman who wanted to try out his English. He could read English well but didn't know how to pronounce most of the words - we both had fun guessing what the other was saying.
What did you think of your group leader?
In a word - excellent. Jose Miguel is full of enthusiasm for this part of Spain - his home. Committed to the rural way of life and sustainable living. Very adaptable when the weather wasn't on our side.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Take heed of the trip notes - this is not an easy stroll.
Sadly, the weather was not as kind in March as it had been in late January 5 years ago when the sun shone every day. Be prepared for some rain in early season.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Don't eat too much breakfast or you won't have room for Jose's superb three tier lunchtime sandwiches!
Clive Edwards

SIERRA DE AITANA TREK

Written January 2007
Each day the sky was blue and the air was crisp and clear. The relatively easy day walks were in areas of outstanding natural beauty and varied each day - sometimes rugged and rocky, sometimes forested, with natural vegetation or farmed. All types of scenery were beautiful.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Looking down on Benidorm and seeing what 'package tourists' were missing.
What did you think of your group leader?
Jose is a natural and excellent leader. He showed his best side when tending to the feet of some of the females in our group. He clearly understands the types of people in the groups well.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Leave all your worries behind.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
It was great to get away from England for a week and escape some of the pre-Christmas hype.