Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

In Kanha National Park our jeep drew up to a crossroads to see a tiger walking along the road on the right. The driver turned the jeep so we were facing this big, male tiger. The tiger continued to walk along the road towards us and the driver reversed the jeep a short way, the tiger continued his walk towards us and we reversed again. This went on for 1km! We saw the tiger scent mark and casually stroll along. This was just an incredible encounter with only our jeep present. It was beyond our greatest expectation and when we saw how excited the driver and guide were after this experience we knew just how special it had been.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was very well organised and efficient. He was always approachable and we were happy with the manner in which he organised the group briefings. He was friendly and easy to get along with.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Even when travelling in April I still required a thin fleece for the early morning game drives. You do not need to pack a lot as clothes dry so quickly in the heat. Remember to take a small bag for your camera, tissues etc on the game drives.

Most Inspirational Moment

Standing in Ravello on a glorious day, looking out over the Mediterranean. Beautiful. Walking into the cloister at Amalfi. It was stunning.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Saverio was great - very organised, friendly, knowledgeable, and he set realistic expectations of what the hikes would be like. This was very useful for me, as I felt the grading on the website did not match the actual hikes. They felt more challenging than a Grade 2. The assisting tour leader, Tony, was also great.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for more steps than you have ever encountered in one week. There is one hike that involves several hours of downhill steps to Amalfi. (I opted out and got the bus!) Do opt for the group airport transfers. Long distance taxis in this area are hugely expensive.

Most Inspirational Moment

VISITIG A BUDDHIST TEMPLE ON THE BUDDHIST NEW YEAR AND GETTING A SPECIAL BLESSING FROM A MONK WITH A THREAD TIED ONTO MY WRIST. AND ALSO STANDING ON TOP OF THE MIGHTY SIGURIYA ROCK AND FEELING PROUD THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET THERE, AS NOT EVERYONE WAS ABLE TO CLIMB IT.

Thoughts on Group Leader

SURESH WAS OUR AMAZING WISH MASTER! NOTHING WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO DO FOR US. I WISH EVERYONE TO ENCOUNTER SUCH A GREAT TOUR GUIDE. HE WAS VERY PASSIONATE AND PROUD OF HIS COUNTRY. HE MADE OUR JOURNEY A VERY PLEASANT ONE. HE ALSO SHOWED US HOW ONE SHOULD STAY IN SHAPE, AS HE WOULD TAKE US FOR MORNING WALKS AND WE COULD SEE HIM EXERCISING EVERY MORNING. HE ALSO HAS GIVEN US A HONEST ADVICE WHEN IT CAME TO SOME GREAT SHOPPING PLACES. I HOPE TO STAY FRIENDS WITH SURESH IN THE FUTURE AND ALSO HOPE THAT HE CAN VISIT US IN CANADA, NEXT YEAR, AS HE LOVES TO TRAVEL.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I WOULD SAY: LIVE YOU LIFE AND DO NOT GET SCARED OF SOME POTENTIAL TROUBLE IN ONE COUNTRY, OR THE OTHER. UNFORTUNATELY BAD PEOPLE ARE EVERYWHERE AND I REFUSE TO STOP TRAVELING, BECAUSE OF THEM. SRI LANK IS STILL A RELATIVELY SAFE DESTINATION AND IF YOU FEEL NERVOUS - JUST STICK TO THE SMALLER PLACES AND AWAY FROM THE BIG CITIES - AND YOU WILL BE OK. THERE ARE PLENTY OF THEM IN SRI LANKA.

Most Inspirational Moment

The fact of being in a desert, which I had not experienced before, and the scramble up the hill which I very much enjoyed.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Abdulla was an exceptionally good guide. Knowledgeable, honest especially when he did not know something, humorous, and very diplomatic when required. Attentive and fun.

Most Inspirational Moment

Many. Coming across squirrel monkeys for myself when I separated from the group. Visiting a local family though not everyone might have that.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good. Earnest, personable, very knowledgeable on wildlife and in particular birds but with some humour. The driver too was part of our group and got us places safely however bumpy some of the roads.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be very careful in regard to drinking water and maybe buy in a bit of a reserve yourself. Be realistic in regard to how much you can comfortably carry around with you. A small bird- spotter ID book is likely to be useful.

Most Inspirational Moment

I'd chosen the trip hoping to see a bear, but there was so much more to it than that. The number and variety of reptiles and butterflies amazed me. The variety of mammal scats and tracks along the forest paths was remarkable, and Julian was able to identify them for us and tell us about the different species. I loved the evening trips to the bear hide and although we didn't see a bear, we did watch wild boar which I'd never seen before.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Julian has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the local fauna and flora. He was well organised, spoke clearly and, being fluent in Bulgarian, communicated easily with the local people too, ensuring that the trip ran smoothly. During breaks on our walks, he gave short talks covering aspects of bear biology and his research work, as well as the traditional farming practices which have maintained diversity in the meadows and forests.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The walks are at a sensible pace, but the terrain is steep in places, so a reasonable level of fitness will make the trip more enjoyable. At the end of April temperatures varied widely during the day, so be prepared with layers of clothing to add or remove as required.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many inspirational moments: seeing the tigers at close range; seeing so many tigers (our group saw 25 different tigers, at 28 sightings); visiting the Taj Mahal and the opportunity to experience a little of the Indian culture.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Himanshu is an outstanding tour leader. He is friendly, professional, efficient, calm, caring and really went “the extra mile” to meet the individual needs of everyone in our group. All of this he successfully did in a calm, professional and positive manner, nothing was too much trouble. His extensive knowledge of the tigers (their names, family history, behaviours etc.) was exceptional. His genuine enthusiasm and passion for the tigers and their preservation, inspired us and added greatly to the whole wildlife experience. Himanshu’s additional understanding of what makes for good wildlife photography was a real bonus.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Good things come to those who wait and to those who get up early! Collectively our group had 28 tiger sightings, the tigers when we encountered them were a sight to behold. Sometimes we had no tiger sightings for a few days, other times a few well camouflaged stripes sleeping in the grass, then we were treated to fabulous displays of a tigers walking on the road past the jeeps, going to the water hole, drinking and taking a bath … awesome!

Most Inspirational Moment

My main reason for choosing this trip was to see the desert landscape in Namibia and visit Victoria Falls, both of which exceeded my expectations. The scenery in Sossusvlei and Deadvlei was spectacular. However, I was bowled over by the variety of wildlife we saw on game drives in Etosha, and very much enjoyed observing the interactions between animals at the waterholes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jonathan (our leader) and Molifi (our driver) made a good team. They were well-organised and despite being on duty virtually all the time, they were both unfailingly cheerful and helpful. They prepared some excellent lunches and suppers for us, and did their best to make sure that we got the most out of our African experience.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Unemployment is very high in Zimbabwe and most people are very poor; we left all our partly-used toiletries, dressings, basic medicines and even some clothing to be distributed by a local charity. Had we realised how short most people are of basic necessities, we would have made sure we had more with us to leave there. Zimbabwe is expensive and cash is not available from ATMs. The border crossing into Zimbabwe was frustrating, and we had to queue for well over two hours in the hot sun. Make sure you are adequately prepared for the wait (sunscreen, hats, drinks).

Most Inspirational Moment

The beautiful blossom , temples and the gardens. Mount Fuji. Japanese hotels and hospitality. The pace and excitement of the trip. The variety of experience

Thoughts on Group Leader

Decky is a beautiful and wonderful man. He was so kind, professional and good humoured. Knowledgable and entertaining. Outstanding group leader. Nearly broke down in tears to say goodbye. He was very supportive to members of the group with mobility problems. Gave everyone full and equal attention. Totally trustworthy and reliable. You had better keep him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Only go on this trip if you have sufficient energy to walk long distances , maybe up to 9 miles. Try and go in April when the blossom is out. It is breathtaking.

Most Inspirational Moment

Summit day was great - starting at 5.30 am in the dark, watching the sun come up and finally summiting. Having to use crampons and ice picks was actually very interesting as well.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The leader was very good on the Mountain keeping us all motivated and together. Two of the ladies had some trouble along the route and the guides kindly took their packs to make sure they could complete the hike.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack lots of layers and clothing options as the temperatures vary so much day and night. The best sleeping bags you can get are really worth it - some on the trip had the 'cheaper' 4 seasons bags and clearly they were not as good as some of the more expensive ones.