Most Inspirational Moment
Walking the levadas - water causeways with maintenance tracks cut into sheer rock faces with 50m+ drops to one side - leaves you leaning a bit one way for the rest of the day!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Knew a lot about the country, walking routes, the wildlife and conservation and was happy to share it with us. Good organiser, and always tried to tie up loose ends. Tended to be very busy - often on the phone and didn't eat with us as often as we are used to.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Consider EasyJet and others for flights as TAP aren't the cheapest by some margin. We were very lucky to have good weather all week - go prepared for anything.
Suggestions
Be prepared for some variation to the trip notes; you are unlikely to do what it says. Although Exodus claim to keep these up to date, a fire in the high mountains has put one walk out of bounds since last August and flood damage has changed another walk route for the past 2 years but the trip notes haven't changed. We discussed this with the guide, and his feeling was that as weather considerations mean they have regularly to change the routes, they aren't too worried about the Trip notes being accurate. Perhpas it's just a local thing!