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97% of our customers rated their holiday Good or Excellent

2135 Total Reviews

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★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Absolutely fantastic trip to Costa Rica

Costa Rica Walks and Wildlife

We have just returned from an absolutely fantastic trip to Costa Rica (Walks and Wildlife). The organisation was faultless from the moment we arrived. Check in at lodges was always seamless, local guides arrived promptly, our drivers and our guide were incredibly efficient. The travelling between the locations was quite demanding but well worth it as we saw beautiful scenery and an incredible variety of birds and mammals - squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, white faced capuchin monkeys, tapirs, c oaties, sloths, a couple of hundred birds, including a superb quetzal and lots of hummingbirds. Accommodation was as it says in the trip notes, varying from lovely eco lodges to a basic refugio. It was never necessary to share dorms with others and we didn’t need mosquito nets. What absolutely made the trip was our incredible guide, Marcos Pitti. We were so lucky that he was available for this tour. He had a fantastic sense of humour and was just so knowledgeable and passionate about the flora and fauna, the environment, the geography and history of Costa Rica, its place in Central America and on the American continent, the politics, social issues, religion, language, the music. On long journeys he always made sure we didn’t get bored by talking to us about anything appropriate and introducing us to Costa Rican music. He is actually quite a dark horse and it turned out that he is a musician too. On the beach at the Pacific he kept us entertained all evening with his singing and guitar playing. It was really fun! He is a great photographer and quickly focussed on wildlife with his scope and phone, allowing us to see brilliant images. His English was impeccable. He knew all the specialist vocabulary and could also give us the Latin names. Unbelievably, he usually guides in French too! He was attentive and diplomatic and in his briefings he always made us aware of what to expect, in terms of nature of hikes, length of journeys, potential hazards. It’s hard to know how there could possibly be a better guide than Marcos and I hope KE and the local agents realise how good he is! Our drivers, Manuel and then Carlos, were delightful too. They were always with us at meal times and, where possible, accompanied us on short walks and helped us to spot the wildlife. The trip exceeded our expectations in all aspects. We stayed in some amazing locations and met lovely people. It was our first KE adventure, but it will certainly not be the last!

By Christine from Hyde | 02 May 2023

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An adventure of a lifetime!

The Ultimate Everest Trek

What can I say, all expectations were exceeded! This trip was stunning, right from the scenery, the culture and most importantly the people. We could not have been looked after any more, our guides were absolutely amazing. The trek had a good balance of being challenging and fun, just what you want. I really recommend this route, as the main path can get very busy. Highlights were scaling the Cho la pass. Something I will never forget as we trekked up to this wall of ice. I would massively recom mend using KE, everything was organised brilliantly. Thanks all! I will return.

By Luke from Horley | 27 April 2023

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A thoroughly enjoyable walking holiday.

La Gomera - Jewel of the Canaries

I was not disappointed to find our small bijou group of 5 including our expert guide, Enekoiz, all of similar fitness to complete each days walk without too much trouble. Having said that a great deal of effort was required and all layers of clothing were needed for the ever changing cloud base especially in the mesmeric cloud forest. With expert knowledge from our experienced guide we negotiated the footpaths throughout the cloud forest and landscapes beyond and immersed ourselves into La Gomer an culture. Enekoiz imparting his local knowledge with enthusiasm as we learned about its turbulent history over the years and about the people and their traditions, for example “el silbo” a whistled language and the use of a wooden pole used by shepherds or goatherds as they traverse the harsh landscape. The walking holiday was made far more interesting as a result of this knowledge. An inspiring visit to La Gomera. Thank you

By Ann from Chesterfield | 26 April 2023

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Great Spring Walking Trip

The Lycian Way

Excellent trip to kick off the year. The weather wasn't particularly warm but it was good for walking. All dinners had a big selection of fresh salads and vegetables which was fantastic. One place did grilled fish, I would suggest having it, perfectly cooked! The trip is graded a 4 but I would make note that the trails can be rocky as it is mainly limestone. I thought that there was a good amount of walking and a few steady ascents. So, get your miles in before the trip to enjoy it. Our gui de Ibrahim was excellent. Very knowledgeable about this history and culture. Was my 10th trip with KE and still not disappointed.

By William from Banbury | 25 April 2023

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

THE BEST GUIDE EVER, THE BEST TRIP EVER, THE BEST WEATHER EVER

The Ultimate Everest Trek

Sonam and his team took this trip to another level. The care and dedication, the organised sunshine every day, the kindness from the team. The smooth running of every day down to meticulous planning. The knowledge of the mountains, the nature and the culture. EVERYTHING was on point. We even were welcomed in to his own home for tea. I have been screaming at everyone I know to book this trip and get out with KE ASAP. If I was allowed (got a 20 month year old toddler) I'd be back next season! Thanks so much. I will never forget!

By Abraham from London | 24 April 2023

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An epic trek of variety and challenge

Gosainkund and Langtang Trek

This was a multiple first for me; first time trekking over multiple days, first time in Nepal and first time over 3100m. Hence, it was a big personal challenge and brought on a mix of excitement and trepidation. The latter was soon assuaged on arrival by the fact that the trek leader, Raj, was clearly a man of great experience and the presence of many experienced trekkers in the group. The latter included the couple with more than 100 KE trips under their belt who featured in the company magazin e. The trek itself was well-paced and the acclimatisation over several days meant that the effects of altitude were easily managed. The variety of trail conditions, from dense forest to open mountainside to rock and snow, meant that each day was different. The standard of the teahouses obviously varied as well. Some are still pretty basic; wooden cubicles in a small, single storey dwelling with a shared toilet. However, many are now newly built and boast "attached bathroom". Whilst these are hardly luxury en-suites, they do meet basic needs and, if you are quick, you might even catch some of the solar generated hot water. Food was a real surprise. It was much better quality and more plentiful than I had expected. Eating 3 square meals a day is really necessary to keep fit but it was not a hardship. Although it is essential to stick to vegetaran options there is still a reasonable variety of fried rice, noodles, fried potatoes and , of course, Dal Bhat. The latter is always beautifully served and comes with additional curried veg and something called "pickle". I advice caution on the pickle! The trek is a physical, and sometimes mental, challenge unless you regularly walk for 6 to 8 hours per day. There are long ascents, often up steep steps (for a nation with relatively short legs the Nepalese do like a big step!) and some rockly descents. However there are some stretches of relatively level (i.e. contouring up and down) forest and mountain trail which are a real joy to walk along. It is always uneven so you will spend a significant amount of time gazing at the ground or the heels of the person in front. This is rewarded with stunning views when you take a breather and gaze around. Best of all, the pace is slow and carefully set by the trek leader who continually, and subtly, monitors the groups progress. Highlights? Almost too many to recount but reaching the Laurebina La and Tsergo Ri and clearly, and literally, high points. We were lucky enough to see a Red Panda which is an incredibly rare event. That did set the bar rather high but there were plenty of other sightings of flora and fauna that were of real interest. Perhaps, less glamourously but of equal importance in my mind was that the organisation of the whole trip worked really well. I think that is a testament to the experience and professionalism of the KE teams in the UK and in Nepal. So, what of lessons learned and advice to others? First of all, if you are a newbie like me, relax. You are in good hands. Some of the guidebooks tend to major on the possible downsides so don't build an unduly pessimistic view. Remember you have only three jobs: make sure your kit bag is packed before breakfast, choose your next meal and put one front in front of the other. Accommodation is fine but it is unheated and above 3000m it will go below freezing at night. Think about how to keep warm in the sleeping bag. Preparation, particularly fitness, pays dividends. No need to go wild but practising going up steps and how to walk uphill at a slow pace but for as long as possible worked out for me. Would I recommend KE - unequivocally yes but perhaps the words of those who have used them time and again speak more powerfully.

By Neil from Banbury | 24 April 2023

An epic trek of huge variety

Gosainkund and Langtang Trek

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By Neil from Banbury | 24 April 2023

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lovely hiking on a beautiful island

La Gomera - Jewel of the Canaries

Really enjoyed this holiday. La Gomera is peaceful, beautiful and relaxing. The guide Enekoiz is friendly, thoughtful and highly knowledgable about all aspects of La Gomera. The days are well paced and covered varied terrain. The grading of 5 seems appropriate - not too taxing but long enough to make you feel like you've done some decent exercise. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend and would like to return one day.

By David from Witney | 23 April 2023

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Not the Hard way - Everest the Best Way!

Everest the Hard Way Trek

Much like the clockwise kora progression round the Boudhanath, this way round the classic three-passes trek will gain you maximum karmic points. The trip is an absolute gem, and is surely the best way of experiencing the Sargarmatha national park in three weeks without doing any serious climbing. Dinesh, Nima, Non and our keen young porters from Thameserku were absolutely fantastic. Everything you want from guides - enthusiasm, local knowledge, professionalism, and ability to fix things with goo d humour. All the logistics of this complex enterprise were meticulously worked out. All you have to do is walk, talk, admire the majestic scenery, eat loads of momos and Sherpa Stew, and do your best to avoid the Khumbu cough. Top tips: Bring the warmest sleeping bag you can get your hands on. Bring at least four buffs, and breathe through one from Lobuche to EBC to Dingboche. Don't eat the yaks. The Gorek Shep toilets will make good anecdotes. And Bistari, Bistari.... Book this trip now. It is similarly fantasic to K2 and the Gondogoro La. But less 'in tents....' (!)

By Andrew from WINCHESTER | 22 April 2023