Reviews

Great trip...made special by Jose who is a great guide

We arrived with snow falling….but the rest o the trip was clear blue skies and balzing sunshine – a real winter tonic. Jose is a real champoin for the area and a great guide – we had 5 super all-day walks with a nice build to the longer/more technical 4th/5th walks. The icing on the cake was the Jose sandwiches and the cherry on top was the last evening Jose cooked paella. The hostel was a bit under-played in the trip notes – the rooms all had en-suite facilities. Raquel is a great host. Great trip overall – and Jose has suggestions for more in the area – over to you Exodus

Fantastic week

Definitely recommend this trip and here are ten reasons why you should book. 1. Guide (Jose) is really experienced, local expert, gets the balance of empathy/support and also (when required) makes difficult decisions in the best interests of the group e.g. it was too icy to reach the summit of Puig Campana and whilst that was disappointing it was the right decision (it had snowed on the Sunday we arrived – very unusual for the area). He is passionate about his job and clearly loves what he does 2. It is one of the most beautiful, scenic areas I have ever been to. Fabulous views 3. Lovely hotel, welcoming team, great breakfasts – thanks Raquel and Pepe. Tea/coffee/snacks available in room reserved for the group. Also there is a hairdryer there so no need to pack your own 4. Weather was fantastic (I’m just back). Clearly you can never guarantee the sun in Jan/Feb but it made for a perfect winter getaway 5. Good to have a free day to explore the local area. Great to chill out at the beach and test out the tram system 6. Most of the walks are straight out the front door – or a 5/10 minute bus ride away 7. You get full days of walking….be prepared for that as realise that might not be what everyone wants. Generally back by 5/6pm after leaving at 9am 8. Great mix of terrain, ascents, descents, summits, valleys etc. 9. Get to see the beautiful mountain villages 10. Fabulous paella on the last night….and lovely sandwiches each day (along with fruit and snacks). PS Read the trip notes in full. They are accurate and this is for experienced and confident walkers – see the section ‘is this trip for you?’

Brilliant trip led by an outstanding guide!

A wonderful week’s walking in beautiful surroundings and great company with the outstanding Jose as our guide. The weather was perfect and the accommodation clean, homely and comfortable. Raquel provided delicious three course dinners most evenings, with Jose cooking us a huge paella one evening. He also made us the most amazing sandwiches to take for lunch. Jose grew up in this area and conveyed his love for it, whilst providing so many interesting facts about the countryside we were passing through. I can’t recommend this trip highly enough- one of the best I have ever done with Exodus.

What an amazing trip!

This is a wonderful trek through the Sierra de Aitana, led by the amazing Jose who is so knowledgeable about the local area. Using Rincon de Pepe as a base, and hosted by the wonderful Raquel, this week encompasses five tough, but very enjoyable, walks in the area. They range from walking from the base, through to starting in different places after a short drive. Each day starts with a lovely buffet breakfast – we were fortunate, in November, to be able to eat on a sun-drenched terrace each day. Jose, enthusiastic and passionate, leads the walks in an area he knows very well. Perfect packed lunches are provided and Jose’s sandwiches are second to none: varied, tasty and with plentiful contents! Post-walk, there is usually a chance to grab a drink in a local bar, or head back to Raquel’s – and her gin and tonics are definitely worth a try. Before dinner, which is always extremely tasty with good local wines included, Jose briefs the group on the next day’s walk – and this is a great way of getting prepared for what lies ahead. I sincerely recommend the Sierra de Aitana trek. The rest day is perfect (after three day walks) and allows a trip to a nearby coastal town – for more walking, if you wish, or some superb fish. You may even choose to visit the chocolate factory (my partner and I didn’t, but wish we had!) This trip is great if you want to explore a beautiful area, with varied walks and a wonderful host.

A new take on the Costa Blanca

If a week in Benidorm, dozing on the beach is not your idea of a holiday then just travel a few miles inland and experience a different world. Based at the Hostal Rincon de Pepe, guided by the the very knowledgeable and amiable José, and hosted by the jovial hard working Raquel you’ll have a great week. The walks were challenging at times, particularly if you’re not sure footed. Poles are recommended, but I wouldn’t say they’re a necessity if they’re not your thing. It was hotter than expected, but I found that if you kept hydrated then I was able to cope. And then there’s the delicious triple decker sandwiches prepared freshly by José – they could be siesta inducing if you hang around for too long afterwards. No chance of that! By the end of the five treks you’ll have covered a lot of ground and discovered an area that you probably never knew existed. There’s nothing like a good summit and there’s at least two be climbed, with Puig Campana probably the most challenging. On the rest day all of the group went to Vila Joiosa – a great beach and a surprisingly warm sea welcomed us . . . and no crowds. It was a thoroughly enjoyable week. Muchas gracias José y Raquel.

Superb Spanish Walking

A truly excellent week! This trip takes you to a relatively unexplored but beautiful mountainous area of Spain – most days we met no-one. The scenery was spectacular – stunning limestone cliffs, sea views, olive groves and traditional villages. Our guide was exceptional – Jose shared his local passion for the area he’s grown up in; whilst also deepening our own appreciation of the area with his wealth of social, cultural and historical knowledge.

Wonderful mountain hiking

Great week of hiking in the beautiful Sierra de Aitana. Itinerary was great involving steep ascents and descents across rocky terrain and sometimes over scree means but worth it for the challenge and the views – poles are good to have. Jose was a brilliant guide – super knowledgeable about the area and the mountains (he is a local and a climber) and ensured we ascended and descended safely and reached the summits before the bad weather rolled in on the two days it rained for a couple of hours. He also made fantastic sandwiches for our packed lunch and cooked paella for our dinner on the last night, giving us a lesson on how to do so in the process, The hotel (Rincon de Pepe) was simple but clean and comfortable and Raquel, the owner, made us tasty three course traditional Spanish meals each evening. Thank you Jose and Raquel for making the holiday so enjoyable;

Beyond the beach

This is proof that The Costa Blanca has far more to offer than beer, chips and turning pink on the beach!
About an hour or so drive Inland from Alicante, the Sierra de Aitana rises to heights greater than Ben Nevis.

The treks are based around the Hostal Rincon De Pepe, and from there a minibus links up with the start and finish of each hike. The trek is graded as moderate to challenging, but be aware that the climbs and descents are often very steep and over loose scree. it can also be extremely hot and dry throughout the day.

Each trek has been developed to give a different aspect of the Aitana massif so no two days will be the same.
Breakfasts and packed lunches are provided……And the evening meals are all home cooked Spanish specialities!

Brilliant trip!

A fantastic week, in excellent company, with a wonderful guide. José’s commitment to our enjoyment and safety ensured that every member of the group benefited from his care and attention to detail. We were fortunate with the weather – cold, but sunny and clear, providing some of our best ever mountain days. José arranged our itinerary to ensure that we had the best possible conditions. The mountains of Sierra D’Aitana are imposing and beautiful, offering stunning views across the entire coastal region. Throughout our stay, we enjoyed excellent traditional Spanish meals at our hotel, as well as the best ever packed lunches! Thank you, Exodus, and thank you José.

A Hidden Gem!

We have just returned from a fantastic week hiking in the Sierra de Aitana with Jose Garcia as our guide. It is amazing that this relatively quiet mountain area is so near to Benidorm yet a millions miles away in terms of scenery, history and culture.