Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day had some terrific highlights but the most inspiring include1. The sight of NINE lion cubs playing together just metres away from us at Etosha with three very imposing female adults in the background. I have been very lucky with wildlife sightings on previous trips but this topped most of them as we spent a great time photographing them.2. The terrific waterholes at Etosha, watching the great herds of herbivores nervously come to drink during the day, and the sight of three rhinos and their calves at night.3. Skydive at Swakopmund. As exhilirating a ten minutes as you could wish for as you fly for 20 minutes over the Skeleton Coast before hurtling down to earth in the hands of a very friendly and professional crew.4. Climbing Dune 45 to observe a spectacular sunrise and have wonderful views of the colours of the dunes changing.5. Cape Cross seal colony - a mesmirising experience watching 1000s of seals frolic in the sea and behave on land just inches away from you.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Samora was terrific. A really nice guy who was expert on all things Namibian from flora and fauna, culture, history etc. He also gave two excellent recommendations for dinner in Swakopmund and had this magical ability to identify a variety of raptor from 400 metres away (whilst driving!).Jonas and Jackson were superb cooks, creating really tasty and filling dinners. Very friendly guys, they worked extremely hard to put up her tents quickly and so the group could enjoy the time before sunset. Both came out of their beds in the freezing cold at 2am during to make sure all of our tents were pegged down after hurricane type winds threatened to blow us away at a campsite in Solitaire!! We all owed them a big debt.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If travelling in the Namibian winter make sure you pack gloves, thick fleeces and hats as past sunset it is freezing cold!Stack up on snacks during the regular stops as there is understandably quite a bit of driving time. 

Most Inspirational Moment

The route from Fes to the desert  was the most inspirational part of the trip. Watching the landscape changing from pine and cedar tree hills to moonscapes and sandy oasis with palm trees and desert bushes.... Final destination... Merzouga.. a sea of sand, where one could enjoy the silence and peacefullness of the desert... At dusk everything would seem magic... The heat wave at noon felt like just a warm blanket on my shoulders while everybody else would stop for siesta... Sleeping on the terrace or on the sand, watching the sky and the stars... Incredible feeling...Essaouira and Todra Gorge are second best inspirational destinations in this trip. Moroccan culture would emerge from all smaller or bigger cities with their Medinas. I enjoyed a lot the dinner at the family house in Fes.  

Thoughts on Group Leader

Mustapha would show his concern about us at every single moment. He would always ask how we feel, if we are ok. He was protective and always happy to help us or answer our questions. He got us to the best places to see local craftsmaship. After many tours around local Medinas I can tell the difference amongst original and fake stuff.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read Trip Notes and follow Mustapha's guidelines and you will be happy and safe. Antibacterial! Your best friend in this trip!Best carpet quality at Merzouga!

Most Inspirational Moment

Meeting such a diverse group of people and seeing how each of us coped with our particular challenges; then witnessing the support from within the group... Couldn't have been better!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent! Really nice guy, very knowlegable, very helpful... and somehow managed to understand our strange sense of humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This was a moderate to challenging trip, you can challenge yourself and make it more difficult if you like, however, what I would suggest is that people enjoy the downtime and also to look around and enjoy the countryside. For the first day of the climb, with the heat and the terrain etc. I missed some spectacular views because I had my head down trying to get somewhere fast.

Most Inspirational Moment

Probably the last day of walking above Chamonix.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ace - Mel is really good. Good leadership qualities, knows her stuff, enthusiastic about the fauna and flora. Adds much more to the trip. Pascal, her support driver/chef also added much to the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read the notes, be flexible, enjoy the company of others. This trip works well as you have a definite purpose ie the circuit.

Most Inspirational Moment

The variety was the key point for me - Thailand provided peaceful rural cycling in beautiful countryside; Cambodia and Vietnam provided significant history (both ancient and modern); all countries provided fabulous local food.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader set a very high standard; he went above and beyond requirements to support travellers to solve medical & visa issues. His years of experience of the cycle tour shone through so that we could concentrate on just enjoying the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check visa requirements carefully.

Most Inspirational Moment

The graveyard in the older church in Innichen - amazing.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Karl was excellent.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Ear plugs essential for Villabassa if you value sleep. Fly swatting equipment for the hotel restaurant.

Most Inspirational Moment

For me, it was climbing to the Sun Gate in Machu Picchu first thing in the morning in the fog (having got up at 4am) and, on arriving, turning around to look at Machu Picchu  - and right on cue the mist lifted. It brought tears to my eyes and I think, for the 10 of us who saw it, it will remain with us forever.However, there were other really good memories as well - waiting for the wind to drop so that the condors could fly over us and then the juvenile flying over and over us, giving us a good look;  the stars in the sky when we were on the homestay on the island in Lake Titiqaqa; the smile on the faces of the family when the drivers stopped the bus to hand over bread when we were on  the high plains. And seeing so much sky!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Juan Manuel was amazing. In the course of our trip he had to deal with a lot of problems and he never once exhibited any stress over it and I personally felt he had our safety and wellbeing at the forefront, whilst maintaining a smiling face. He was always keen that we asked all the questions we needed and made us feel very welcome in his country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The members of our group with the best journey experiences went via Europe rather than the US. Take immodium with you, lots of us had some issues. Its probably best NOT to eat the quiche at Machu Picchu cafe. Also take something for colds, lip balm is useful as well. Drinking water is really important, drink loads, even through the night.  There is a toilet (liquids only) on the bus for the obvious side effects during the day. There is the chance to do laundry in Cuzco but the city doesn´t always have water so be prepared to receive your laundry back dirty!! I recommend you change plenty of money in the airport (you can do this in the baggage collection area before you get through security), they do not take dollars so easily once you are outside Lima and there are few opportunities to change money again until Cuzco. Make sure you have plenty of space in your luggage for souvenirs. There is a lot of travelling and there are a lot of early starts....but you don´t remember those bits once you get home, just the amazing sights.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sarajevo. I'm already thinking of a good reason to go back and I don't even like city breaks.  

Thoughts on Group Leader

The team Samer+Alen had the perfect combination of knowledge, skills and temperaments. I enjoyed every second of the time I spent with them and they made the whole trip not only easy, fascinating and (very) safe, but really great fun.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just go. This trip has everything (except point to point walks, but the bus rides are never over 1 hour and I ended up enjoying even those - I guess it's all about the company).

Most Inspirational Moment

Finally ascending the second col on the penultimate walking day in a somewhat less than healthy state.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Am I allowed to give Mel marks of eleven out of ten?

Advice for Potential Travellers

Unless you are incredibly unfit or have an overwhelming health concern which you have discussed in detail with your GP and Exodus, do consider this two week nature extravaganza.  Some training before hand of course would not go amiss. 

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking through a mist shrouded forest and then emerging onto a sunny plateau

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent leader. He gave me a memory stick full of Bulgarian folk music after we discussed listening to local musicians.