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97% of our customers rated their holiday Good or Excellent

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★ ★ ★

Good holiday spoilt by a poor itinerary and horrible food

Ecuador Walking Highlights

I travelled on the 1st ‘Walking the volcanoes of Ecuador’ of the season, please note that March is the wet season so be prepared for rain in the afternoons, however, it is a pleasant temperature to walk in. Overall I’ve rated the holiday as 3 out of 5 and have done so for the following reasons: Accommodation: Quito, 2 nights, 4/ 5 but the hotel is noisy so if you can get a room to the back of the hotel, especially if this is a Saturday as the local disco runs until 2 in the morning. Otaval o, 3 nights, 4/5, nice friendly and quiet hotel. Machachi, 1/5, average establishment but poor service and out of the way, for instance the hostess refused us extra water. Cotopaxi National Park, 5/5, why KE can we not stay longer here? Lovely place, wood burners in the room. Riobamba, good hotel with friendly staff, best breakfasts but not much in the town to see, overall 4.5/5 Banos, wield place but perfectly fine, I bit like staying in some health institution from the Soviet Era, 4/5 The Itinerary, overall 2/5: This was supposed to be new and approved so I dread to think how bad it was before! I was told that Ecuador was a small country so journeys were generally short, this is not the case, we spent many, many hours on the mini bus, zig zagging around the country, it didn’t look efficient. Also please note that there is very little acclimatisation time, having a city tour on day 1 would help and having the more difficult walks towards the end of the holiday would also be helpful but the way the trip is managed at the moment is a rude introduction to Ecuador and made me question the grade of the holiday. The food, overall 1/5: If you are veggie then you may want to bring some emergency supplies as you will not be catered for adequately, in fact on several occasions even the meat eaters had no choice. I appreciate that there will be limited veggie options but I would have liked a choice, I am not a pet Labrador who will eat any vile matter put down in front of it, I am an adult human who has paid out a lot of money for this holiday. Some of the meals were just comical, for example in Riobamba we ate at the appalling Hotel Zeus where I was presented with 5 large empanadas containing some yellow substance plus a large plate of chips and a cheese sandwich, death by beige. Also the last night was a huge disappointment as we ate in the hotel restaurant and had a very poor meal, a meal out at the end of the trip would have been nice. Also please be aware that we only had sandwiches at lunchtime on 2 occasions, on every other occasion the group went to a hotel / restaurant for lunch so we were often eating the same substances at lunchtime that we were in the evening. The pizza evenings were nice as were the breakfasts and pack lunches but everything else was vile. The leader and driver, overall 4/5. Our driver Roman was lovely and our guide Stalin did a good job. Would I recommend this trip then the answer is possibly but please ask about the itinerary and the food before you commit yourself.

By Jeanette from Penrith | 01 April 2019

KE Adventure reply

Thank you for your review. We are sorry that you found most of the vegetarian food offered by local restaurants and hotels to be horrible. After discussing your preferences with you, your guide did pass on your requirements to each of the places where the group ate. We have taken on board your comments about the itinerary and are pleased that despite your misgivings, you wish to recommend this holiday to others.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Mountain Biking Epic Adventure

Hanoi to Laos Mountain Bike Epic

Well.....this trip was fantastic from beginning to end!!! The places you visit are spectacular, i have never seen views like on this trip. The people are friendly, helpful and welcoming. The itinerary was well thought out and the boat trip really topped off the Laos experience. Make no mistake though this is not a walk in the park, it is a very challenging journey and you need to be quite fit. However the rewards are well worth the difficulty. I really recommend this trip, it is truly epic in ev ery sense of the word!

By Michael from Grantham | 01 April 2019

★ ★ ★ ★

A fab winter walking holiday with day walks in wonderful mountain scenery

Bulgarian Snowshoe Adventure

Overall this was a very good holiday which I thoroughly enjoyed. The two hotels in the mountains were very different - the first a much more basic but charming little ski lodge, the second a modern and fairly luxurious hotel. Bulgaria is a beautiful country and despite walking within winter resorts, we usually had the place to ourselves which was magical. It was also very good value, and with all the meals included I didn't need to spend much there which is always good! Snow shoe walking wa s maybe harder than I expected at times but the views were always worth it, and it was also lovely to walk through snowy forest trails.

By Claire from Oakham | 31 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A fine mix of hikes, exploring this scenic island .

Levada Trails and Peaks of Madeira

Roberto, our excellent guide, provided us with a wonderful introduction to the hiking possibilities on Madeira. We had two mountain days, a spectacular coastal walk, and, of course, a fine selection of levada trails. Thoroughly recommended!

By Mark from Mold | 29 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★

Late season snowshoeing

Bulgarian Snowshoe Adventure

Great holiday. As mentioned elsewhere the accommodation is mixed. Sofia so so, first Mountain place ( 3 nights ) basic but fine, second mountain place ( 3 nights ) very good. Ivo, the guide, was great and tweaked our walking routes to match the weather so we got the full itinerary done,albeit not in Trip Notes order. I had never snowshoed before but half of our group had. If you are reasonably fit you will be fine but be aware that this is a genuinely moderate holiday without any easy days, asid e from the first day perhaps. Group size of 8 was perfect. All in all, if in doubt over the technical bits I would go for it & book this holiday. If you are concerned about being happy walking for a full day in the hills/mountains I would steer clear.

By Emlyn from Liverpool | 27 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Superb trip through the high mountains

Everest Base Camp Trek

A splendid trip. The Everest Base Camp title rather undersells what is a superb walk up the Khumbu valley, close to most impressive mountains all the way above Namche. Ama Dablam in particular is supremely beautiful. A well-organised trek taken at an appropriate acclimatisation pace so that everyone completed it. It is a good feature that it descends the valley mostly on different trails to the ascent. The belvedere paths on the two days down to Namche are especially fine. Pasang Rinji Sherpa, o ur trek leader gave a masterclass in leadership. Always positive, confident and knowledgeable; superbly supportive of those of us who were weakening, and all done with a light touch. Ably supported by Mingma and Little Pasang he set the tone and made the trip special.

By Andrew from Hope Valley | 25 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A real learning encounter with history

Cuba - Buena Vista Cycling

Not only an accomplished cyclist, our guide (Lei) was an absolute inspiration given his depth of knowledge about Cuba and its history. We enjoyed the daily cycle ride which took us to places of great interest and significance. The cycling was really well supported by Heraldo driving the bus behind us, including with regular water stops. Highlights included the skyline route, Trinidad, and much of the overnight accommodation including the Castle in the Clouds at Soroa. Of course, the greatest hig hlight was achieving the route in full, over 500km and lots of ascent to boot! Great trip, thanks KE.

By David from Perth | 25 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★

Peaceful snowshoeing in the beautiful Rila mountains

Bulgarian Snowshoe Adventure

The first day of snowshoeing is on Mt Vitosha just outside Sofia. It is quite exposed and windy but a great viewpoint, with Sofia in one direction and the Rila mountains you are heading for in the other. The Rila mountains themselves are beautiful and quiet. We had variable weather there, so did not always get stunning mountain views, but even walking through the forests in the snow was enjoyable and atmospheric - and we got fine views some of the time. The Archaeological and National History Mu seums are fascinating for those that want to add on some time in Sofia.

By Martin from London | 24 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Amazing scenery in perfect weather

High Level Pyrenees Snowshoe Holiday

We had stunning weather for the whole week. Three clients had to go out and buy sunhats in Luchon after the first day. It hadn't snowed for three weeks, but we still had ample snow for some great outings. The refuge, where we spent two nights, was a beautiful location. Guillaume was a wonderful guide and coped admirably with a lively and humorous group. Strongly recommended!

By Martin from London | 24 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Excellent voyage of discovery

Costa Rica Walks and Wildlife

An inspiring tour leader (Joe) led our varied group on a wonderful voyage of discovery. His inclusive approach ensured all members of the group were active in the way they wanted to be, some with greater interest, for example, in the bird life of Costa Rica were richly involved. The locations were nicely varied in type and led to pleasing surprises throughout. Highlights included snorkeling and an encounter with a turtle making its way back to the sea. A great trip - very well planned and organi sed. Thank you, KE.

By David from Perth | 24 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lifetime experience - must do

Antarctica Classic Expedition

My husband and I had a lifetime experience on the Antarctica Cruise trip. Being in an amazing natural beauty of ice, ocean, sky and wild life was just breathtaking. We were thinking being on the ship all the time might be boring, but with all the educational activity on wild life and antarctica during the voyage made it a great learning expedition. We took the kayaking option which we thought would be a day activity, but we were out almost everyday which gave us the opportunity to experience the wild life and the ice very closely.. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

By Pinar from St-Sulpice VD | 24 March 2019

★ ★ ★

Not too happy about the way things turned out notwithstanding the explanation.

Inside the Arctic Circle - Skiing the Kings Trail

Small group of four with me the slowest on any steep downhills (but determined and strong), guide's assessment of our chances and adverse weather forecasts which were not borne out meant we stopped on day 3, spent 2 days at hut and then had to turn back. Safety must come first and I'm not challenging guide's professional judgment which is key on a trip with any significant potential for risk. But KE needs to build in an extra day to maximise chances of success if our experience is anything to go by. Scenery beautiful however, ski-ing (what we experienced of it) manageable for anyone with a bit of cross-country experience and seeing the Northern Lights was great.

By Phinella from London | 23 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Wonderful introduction to Trekking in Himalaya

Everest Panorama Trek

We chose this relatively short trek as we had limited annual leave but also because we wanted it to be relaxing rather then too much of a challenge. Initially we were worried that the trip was not going to run due to lack of other bookings; but we were kept well informed and given the option of refund / rebook / or pay an additional amount to go on our own. The sum involved seemed reasonable in the circumstances so we chose to go effectively with a private guide for the 2 of us. All transfers an d connections and flight bookings were seamless and efficient; we were whisked through the hurly burly of Kathmandu airport to the calm of the Shanker hotel. The flights in and out of Lukla were as dramatic as promised! Itineraries are designed to have a couple of days slippage in case of bad weather preventing flights out of Lukla- there were no flights for a couple of days after we returned so this seems to be very sensible planning. If there had been any delays effecting us we were confident that being with a persuasive guide and a reputable company would have ensured we got any seats available! Our guide from Lukla was Ricky who seemed to know everybody in Nepal. He was extremely experienced and navigated us effortlessly around the valleys and trails. We were assured of the best rooms and meals and table simply because Ricky was looking after us. He was also quite a spiritual guy and introduced us to the monks and llamas at several monasteries and we joined a service at one of them for an afternoon which made us feel very privileged. We were supported by a young porter; Addy. Addy was unremittingly cheerful and helpful and also knew the valleys and population well enough to do some guiding himself. Ricky always ensure Addy was looked after and accommodated for the night etc The pace of walking was all about altitude and gradient rather than distance; Ricky paced us well and we found this very comfortable; an early start for the best of the weather and usually getting to our destination mid afternoon in time for tea and biscuits. All our lodges were clean and the food was consistently good volumes of carbs ( rice , fried potatoes, noodles etc) with good hygiene and plenty of tea. The boiled water provided each morning for the days trekking pretty much melted our water bottles so we would recommend rigid "Nalgene" type bottles. This was right at the beginning of the season so the weather was by no means guaranteed. we were lucky to have bright clear days with fantastic views of Everest. But it was really cold at night- we had 4 season sleeping bags but were still wearing puffa jackets when we went to bed. Kathmandu had changed massively since I visited 30 years ago and was incredibly noisy dusty and busy but a vibrant and exciting experience. Many of the temples had been damaged in the earthquake but we crammed a huge amount of sightseeing in to 48 hours. Ricky hosted us around Kathmandu as well and convincingly beat us at Scrabble each night- we let him keep the set..... The gentler walk around the lower valleys was definitely the right choice for us on this occasion; we came back relaxed and energised. But it has definitely given us the bug for trekking in Nepal and we hope to be back soon; possibly Base Camp or Annapurna but Ricky really recommends Ganesh Himal...... Richard and Carolyn

By Richard from Guisborough | 21 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An absolutely fabulous trip

Costa Rica Walks and Wildlife

Costa Rica is a beautiful country with an amazing array of wildlife. The trip took us on a superb adventure with an itinerary that showcased the diversity of the National Parks. Kimberley, our tour guide was absolutely fantastic. Her love for wildlife was shared with us, identifying all the birds, mamals and insects we encountered or just heard. We were lucky to see Toucans, the Quetzal, Dolphins, Sea Turtles, four different kinds of Monkey, Sloths, Scarlett Macaws, Hummingbirds just to name a f ew! Kim has an extensive knowledge of Costa Rica and her enthusiasm shone throughout the whole two weeks. Kim certainly made the trip an adventure to remember.

By James from Keswick | 20 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Asset strips the best of Madeira!

Levada Trails and Peaks of Madeira

KE planners get top marks for a superbly well thought out programme that selects the best and most diverse walks in Madeira. I loved the variety and the way we stayed in different parts of the Island. Our guide Roberto was outstanding. Yes, these walks are adventurous and most need a head for heights however all our group of 60 year olds coped fine and got on great.

By Peter from Keswick | 19 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Cape Verde

Walking Holiday on the Captivating Cape Verde Islands

Ive walked on Madeira and the Cannaries and this holiday ups the ante a notch. The grade of walking has enough content to suit an experienced walker but is well within the remit of any able bodied walker.Some of the descents are steep and if you use poles these will come in handy. On first glance some of the accommodation looks underwellming, but stepping inside opens up a whole different perception. All are spotless and some of the rooms are massive, though this can be a lottery. Food is fresh local produce served in vast quantities. (the corriander pesto at Vila das Pombas, Paul. is one to look out for). One word of warning, if youre addicted to your phone/tablet then this holiday is not for you.

By Neil from Hyde | 19 March 2019

Cape Verde

Walking Holiday on the Captivating Cape Verde Islands

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By Neil from Hyde | 19 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Magical

Secret Sierras of the Costa Blanca

Walking in the Spanish mountains with our lovely guides Jose Miguel and Nicola was a liberating experience. I always felt wonderfully supported when I was struggling up hill and also really appreciated learning all about the local flora and customs. The paella Jose Miguel cooked ( a special vegetarian one) was delicious. His leadership skills were phenomenal and my walking companions extremely friendly and considerate.

By Susan from London | 18 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Enjoyable Snowshoe Trip

High Level Pyrenees Snowshoe Holiday

Very enjoyable trip even though we were all geared up for cold temperatures and the weather decided to act as if it was summer. First couple of days we were hotel based and typically of the French, the food was excellent, even had a greater surprise when the guide pulled out a bottle of wine to help digest our ample packed lunches. The mountain hut was situated in the Spanish Pyrinees making it the ideal location to take in the breath taking scenery . A very enjoyable experience which was enhanc ed by all who participated and a big thank you to Guillaume our guide who made this trip extra special.

By Barrie from Pentre | 18 March 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Outstanding trip to Antarctica

Quest for the Antarctic Circle

I had exceptional weather for this trip, which helped - loads of sun, little wind and calm seas. But even with average weather, this trip is simply wonderful. The Antarctic experience is like nothing else, the scenery stunning, wildlife amazing - truly the trip of a lifetime, a much overused term but in this case, totally applicable. The ship and its crew are excellent in every way, totally professional, caring, knowledgeable, friendly, I have nothing but praise for the way the trip was executed . The lectures while sailing are first class, well presented and very relevant on many topics. The food is exceptional, even after 14 days at sea. The facilities on the small ship are first class, satellite internet, sauna and great cabins. Landings on the Zodiacs are outstanding and totally professionally carried out, despite some bouncy seas at times. As a result of this trip, I am now minded to go to the Arctic sooner than later.

By William from BISHOPS CASTLE | 13 March 2019