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★ ★ ★ ★

Watching active volcanoes’ eruptions up and close

Guatemala's Magnificent Seven

In the dead of winter where walking holiday choices are more limited than in summer, it was awesome to watch active volcanoes’ eruptions up-and-close, at sunrise, at sunset, and during daytime’s volcano walk. With a few exceptions, most walks were in the woods, however, and significant amount of time was spent in vehicle transportation; so one would need to set up expectations properly. Room for improvement: 1. The Jan-2020 trip was the first time where the order of days was changed. While t he change decision was made back in Oct 2019, KE’s website (the “Map and Itinerary” tab) was not updated until Jan-2020. Even after the update there were still discrepancies. For example, ascent of volcano San Pedro on Day 9 was replaced by ascent of Maya Face (with tourist police escort) because San Pedro was deemed unsafe (even with police escort), and it has been “unsafe” for some time. Another example: Ascent of volcano Acatenango was actually done in the morning of Day 13 instead of in the afternoon of Day 12, partially because morning has fewer clouds. 2. Our hotel room in San Pedro by Lake Atitlan had mold, where we stayed three nights. We had to open window for the night and change our pillow position away from the wall to reduce the smell of mold. 3. This program’s cover photo on KE website does not truly reflect the key selling point of Guatemala’s volcano walk and some update may be needed. The current cover photo shows a sea of clouds surrounding volcano Aqua as viewed from Acatenango’s base camp, where Aqua is not an active volcano. While it looks nice and interesting, the real attraction is ACTIVE volcano (Fuego) eruptions. I’d be disappointed for the entire volcano walk if I only saw dormant volcanoes without watching active volcano eruptions up-and-close.

By Jin From Lisle | 14 February 2020

KE Adventure reply

Thank you for your review. We are glad you had an awesome time in Gutemala. Note that our website will always show the itinerary for the current trip but in case of updates, you can download the specific itinerary ahead of time for any date, from the 'Dates & Prices' tab. The change from climbing San Pedro to the Maya Face was made due to an incident which occured immediately before your trip. Our guides will also make small changes to the itinerary which are in the group's interest, such as switching a climb to a morning ascent when the forecast is for cloud in the afternoon. We are sorry to learn about the issue you had in one of the hotels and we are investigating this with our local agent. If it is not rectified, we will not use this hotel in future.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Fun Trip!

Italian Cross-Country Ski Short Break

I had never been cross country skiing before (nor downhill for that matter) but I have to say that I really enjoyed this trip. First, we had an outstanding instructor (Emily) who really took the time to help each of us progress. She took us from complete beginners to being able to ski a beginners track on our own in 3 days. She made sure that we had just enough breaks to keep us going and she also did a great job choosing the places where we had lunch. Second, we had a great group. Everyone was friendly and I think we all really enjoyed one another's company. Third, the hotel was excellent. The rooms were clean and spacious (for Europe) and the spa was quite enjoyable. Dinner was at another hotel and I thought the food was quite good. Breakfast was fine and lunches were taken in different restaurants depending on where we were) and were generally very good with the third day being the highlight for me. Finally, the structure of this holiday works well for beginners.  You progress (comfortably, I thought) each day as you gain skills and confidence. Great trip!

By Benjamin From Franklinton | 12 February 2020

★ ★ ★ ★

Excellent and Varied Trip

Kerala and the Cardamom Hills

An excellent and varied trip but don’t underestimate the amount of driving (our guide seemed reluctant for any stops en route) or the heat. We stayed two extra nights in Kochi and would definitely recommend that if you can manage it, both to get over the flight and because it’s a lovely place to wander round. It also made it easier to see the local Kathakali show – the Tissa’s staff can arrange tickets. The tea plantations are beautiful and the trekking gives plenty of wildlife spotting opportunities although some of the trails are quite rough and overgrown and several details in the itinerary need updating. The temple at Madurai is stunning but note that no electronic equipment (cameras or phones) are allowed inside following a fire early 2018 (they can be left in the shop across the road). The Periyar walk is a full day affair - we got close to elephants but this is not guaranteed so suggest you treat it as a lovely walk with the possibility of seeing something exotic. The houseboat was great and we added an extra day in Kovalam which allowed us to explore the nearby fishing activities (e.g. Vizhinjam Harbour – we walked there and got a tuk-tuk back).

By Reviewer From North Yorkshire | 11 February 2020

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A great trip – varied and action-packed.

Kerala and the Cardamom Hills

I would agree with most of the positive comments already made by others but am adding the following tips from my personal experience: I would recommend that people arrive at least one day before the trip start as the first day is fairly full on with arrival late morning, city tour in the afternoon followed by visit to see kathakali (play) in the evening. It’s very easy and cheap to get the regular air-conditioned bus directly from Kochi airport to Fort Kochi and then tuk tuk to the hotel. Don� ��t expect the trip to run exactly as in the trip notes. The bus journeys often ended up longer than stated which had knock-on effects. Our guide, Senthil, coped with this really well and kept the holiday running smoothly whilst still taking on board our requests, making his own suggestions, and always with a smile on his face! Most places in Kerala don’t sell alcohol, this includes most of the hotels we stayed at, or anywhere at all on a public holiday or first of the month! It is possible to find a beer with a little planning, and by asking your guide in advance but still not possible to drink it in restaurants of hotels without a license. The camping was great but very cold at night (in January) so take a good sleeping bag and a lightweight down jacket for sitting outside in the evenings. The food whilst camping was probably the best on the trip, and the beer flowed thanks to our camp staff collecting it daily along with the fresh food ingredients. There was lots of wildlife so well worth taking binoculars, camera with zoom and a bird book. There’s not a great deal to spend your money other than souvenirs or beer/wine. Our total tips came to about £130 pp so well worth taking quite a bit extra in cash. Sterling is fine and can be changed at many of the hotels. ATMs are not common and a bit unreliable and the exchange desk at the airport charged me a bit of a hefty commission.

By Peter From Derby | 11 February 2020

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Geology playground

Walking Holiday on the Captivating Cape Verde Islands

I've not been on a trekking holiday with so much variation of scenery. The itinerary is well planned and gives one a flavour of all that is Cape Verde. Even a paddle in the sea on a black sand beach is included. The scenery is stunning and if geology is your bag, then you will be amply satisfied with this trip. We had the whole trip in glorious weather with temperatures approaching 30deg C. Very hot in the valleys but cooling once on the various hill tops and volcanoes. Fogo ascent amazing - never been on a volcano's caldera in a caldera! 

By Reviewer From Chelmsford | 10 February 2020

★ ★ ★ ★

Successful summit of Kili, despite horrible weather

Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route

Was very happy to summit Kili with KE -- the trek arrangement, over the Lemosho route, with its extra days, was critical to proper acclimatization and ultimately making it without AMS. As with my previous experience, KE did a great job organizing and really appreciate that everything is included. The weather (unfortunately NOT under KE's control) was terrible -- although the dry season, it rained every single day, almost all day, so it was a wet week in tents. Lesson: Even if it's supp osed to be dry, be prepared! I gave only 4 stars this time because I was not completely impressed by the local partner, as I didn't think they were as well organized and equipped as other KE partners. I got the impression they were new and didn't seem familiar with KE or it's way of working. The individual guides and porters were all great, very friendly and hardworking. The logistics of getting to/from the gate were a bit strange, as we shared a bus with the whole team of 24 and made many stops picking up or dropping off members. If I were to do Kili again (not planning on it), I would definitely go with KE and with Lemosho. Despite the rain and mud, it was a ultimately a great experience!

By John From VIENNA | 10 February 2020

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Well organized trip by KE.

Kilimanjaro Lemosho Route

The leader of the team Dismas and all his crew were exceptional from start to finish. Me and my wife were in a group of six and unfortunately the weather was extremely wet the whole trip, which made it hard work for the team, but they were always friendly and helpful. My wife was ill and unfortunately couldn't summit but the remainder of the group did, partially because of the crews help and experience. The down side, KE advertise that they use three man tents for two people but our tents w ere too small. Two people two kit bags and two ruck sacks didnt leave any room to move.

By Reviewer From Norwich | 03 February 2020

KE Adventure reply

Thank you for your review. We are pleased you enjoyed your holiday and are sorry to hear that your wife was unable to summit. The tents you used were Vango Mirage Pro 300 Trek, which are 3-person tents.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Everyone should go!!!

The Ultimate Uganda and Rwanda Gorilla Safari

Uganda is just waking up to the tourist dollar, so now is the time to go before everyone else hears about it. The scenery and wildlife are spectacular! It's not visiting wildlife farms; it is real wildlife! Where else would you see hippo and mountain gorillas in the same holiday. I saw 5 leopards, 9 lions, 27 gorillas, numerous elephants, buffalo, giraffe, chimpanzees, monkeys of various sorts etc. I also saw a few odd things like 2 chameleons, a gaboon viper, mongoose, monitor lizard and 2 otters. The people are so friendly and helpful, and really keen for more tourists. The road network is currently being brought into the 21st century so there are roadworks everywhere. In a couple of years it will be all tarmac and full of other tourists, so get there now! 

By Reviewer From Harpenden | 30 January 2020

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Excellent introduction to cross country skiing

Italian Cross-Country Ski Short Break

Super picturesque location. The perfect place to try Cross -Country skiing. Expert tuition was very encouraging & helpful. Small village but comfortable characterful hotel. I'm now a competent cross country skier but have been back here as such a lovely trip.

By Jan From Ripon | 27 January 2020

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An amazing experience

Ethiopia, Simien Mountains Trek & Lalibela

Review Several people had recommended the Simien Mountains for great trekking and this KE itinerary combined that with visits to Gondar and Lalibela, so it was a no-brainer. Arrangements were excellently managed throughout, both before the trip, and then by our local guide, Tesfa - even when unexpected issues arose, as can often happen. The trek lived up to it’s ‘challenging ‘ rating with the effort required at altitude, but can be managed with pacing, and delivered stunning views. Be prep ared for sleep disruption due to noise at some camps, especially if coinciding with religious festivals. My trip coincided with Timkat in January, but that added an extra dimension to the trip. Toilet blocks require a robust constitution and hand sanitizer is a must, but arrangements at camp are otherwise good with great food (and welcome access to beer at each camp after great walks). But this trip is so much more than the trekking. The journey to the trek, and trek itself, take you into and through local communities, and that continues with the visits to Gondar and Lalibela with their combination of heritage sites and everyday life. It’s a world apart from home.....which is what foreign travel should be. So, not without some hardships, but the rewards of this trip make it all so worthwhile!

By Richard From Hove | 26 January 2020

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The Peruvian Amazon onboard the Amatista - January 2020

Amazon Riverboat Adventure

This one week cruise aboard the Amatista was a great short break to get away from it all. The 28 berth vessel was comfortable, the food delicious and the crew took great care of us. There was a variety of daily excursions via motorised skiff from wildlife cruises down tributaries to village visits and jungle walks. Aside from excursions, it was relaxing to take it easy on the open deck with a gentle breeze to keep us cool as the Amazon river banks slowly drifted by. It's advisable to take l ong sleeves and plenty of changes of clothes to deal with the humid conditions and the numerous mosquitoes. Transfers to and from Lima were managed efficiently and smoothly with different representatives ready to meet us at either end. Overall, this was a great value and inspiring journey to a corner of the world that needs tourism to help preserve it for the future.

By Ross From Preston | 25 January 2020

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Blow-your-mind scenery and a real adventure

Guatemala's Magnificent Seven

This exceeded all my expectations. The scenery is incredible, and for some of it there were no other tourists anywhere to be seen - a real sense of adventure, not a formulaic sight-seeing tour. The guiding team of Luis, Lucas, Mario and Gerson were obviously proud (rightly so) to welcome us to their country. The walking is hard - itinerary and distances are not that much but the terrain, altitude and heat make it tough. Free time was very-much appreciated and didn't feel like hanging around . Highlights? Too many to mention, but the sunrises were incredible and Volcan Fuego lighting up the night sky was spectacular!

By Robert From Swansea | 25 January 2020

★ ★ ★

Amazing trip, but some disappointing details

Guatemala's Magnificent Seven

Guatemala is a beautiful and friendly country, seeing an active volcano from our tent for two nights straight was an absolutely unforgettable experience. Our local guides Luis, Lucas and Mario were knowledgeable, friendly and looked after us in the best manner possible, the negative comments below should never reflect badly on any of them. Our overall experience has definitely been marred by some details: - We had 9 dinners in towns. 3 of these dinners were in places specialising in pizza, one i n an Indian restaurant and one in a place that seemed to do a fusion of Irish pub meals and Asian curries. That left only 4 meals in Guatemalan places, less than half of all dinners in towns. We don’t think many people travel to Guatemala to eat pizza; - it turned out that the phrase "meals included" in the description of the trip in fact means "only main courses are included, and in some places there is a limit on the price of a course". I don't know why KE wouldn't just write that in the description; - lots of meals were taken from very reduced menus. In some there was not even an option to take a starter, even if you were prepared to pay extra for it; another place had a really nice menu online with more than 10 pizzas, but the menu given to us only had the 3 cheapest ones; - in one hotel room we had ants everywhere, including bedside tables, and the bed itself. In another two there was mould on the walls. Pictures have been shared with KE; - There was no water for washing hands at the campsites, and very little water in general. We rarely got hot drinks, definitely never with dinner, and were almost discouraged from filling our bottles. We were given a fork and a spoon each which we were supposed to keep for the duration of the trip, but there was no opportunity to wash these on camping trips. All of this, and other smaller details, has been shared with KE, who essentially dismissed us. You come to KE expecting to pay a bit more but get a perfectly organised tour in return. This time it felt more like a budget holiday and that nobody in the office actually cares about the experience we had.

By Vsevolod From Edinburgh | 24 January 2020

KE Adventure reply

Thank you for your review. As you know from our private correspondence with you, we have taken up your concerns with our trip leaders and local staff in Guatemala, and we have communicated to you the actions we propose to take for future tours. We want all of our clients to have a fantastic experience with KE, so please get in touch with us if you are dissatisfied with the way we responded to you.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Great time in the Sahara

Edge of the Sahara Trek

This is a fantastic trip for a bit of winter sun, but don't underestimate. Although there's hardly any height gain or lost, 22/25km walking days in the desert is not easy but very rewarding. Day time temperature in January was high teens to low twenties and very pleasant but night temperature and early morning were closer to zero, Although KE don't list a duvet on the equipment list, for any future travelers to the Sahara a light duvet would be well worth taking. The last day' ;s walking is about 25km and very hard on the legs as you walk over small dunes, gravel and a very stony section to finish with. As a group we were talking about this section at camp and thought that to finish this trip on an ultra high a pick up at lunch by 4x4's and have an adventure in the dunes to the fixed camp at Ouled Driss would be the icing on the cake.

By Kevin From Caernarfon | 20 January 2020

★ ★ ★ ★

Camp fires and Climbing

Jordan's Wadi Rum and Petra

It's a fantastic experience to camp in the desert, watching the stars and chatting over dinner. The walks in the morning are scrambles with some climbing. The guides were great at helping people but some of the group found it quite tough. Afternoons you're just walking back to camp in the desert. I went over Christmas and it was cold, so pack a thermarest, pillow, and thermals! Other packing tips: take a trek towel, as there might be hot water in the Bedouin camps. Also take some thick socks.... at the Bedouin camps you have to take off your shoes for dinner and your feet get cold! It's nice to spend an extra day or two at the start of the holiday in Madaba. If you do, ask to stay in the Mosaic Hotel....the hotel KE use for your first night is the Miriam, and it's more of a hostel - with truly the worst breakfast I've ever had! Unless you want souvenirs, you only need about £100 which covers tips.

By Reviewer From Fareham | 12 January 2020

KE Adventure reply

Thank you for your review Christine. It's great to hear you had such a fantastic experience in Jordan and we're sorry you felt the group hotel in Madaba was not as good as the one provided for your extra nights. While the Mariam hotel could never be described as a hostel, we appreciate it is much bigger and less intimate than the Mosaic hotel where you stayed for your additional nights. However, the Mariam has the advantage of the facilities of a larger hotel including an outdoor swimming pool. We will look into what happened to the breakfast on your trip and make sure this is rectified for the future.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lots of "uphill" & more "downhill" than you think but the views are worth it!

Walking Holiday on the Captivating Cape Verde Islands

If "Carlsberg did island treks..." this could be it..! The mix of different scenery across the different islands from spartan volcanic landscapes to lush green valleys is stunning. However, it does involve a lot (..and I mean a lot!) of steep ups and even steeper and longer downs so be prepared and make sure your boots have plenty of tread left! Top tips: Make sure you have 3 days of tops, sock etc in your carry on (as well as your boots!) as Lisbon is a huge airport and many bags on o ur trip disappeared for 4 days after we arrived and opportunities to replace any missing clothing on Fogo is almost impossible... Finally... the breakfasts in Cape Verde are basic so you might want to pack plenty of energy bars to cover the morning hikes (all lunches are huge so no problems then onwards!-)

By Reviewer From Swindon | 10 January 2020

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Snowy adventure

Minya Konka Trek

This was out first trip with KE and part of a longer stay in China. We had a fantastic time and the trek was the highlight of our extended holiday. The scenery was stunning and enhanced by the heavy snow fall we got at second camp. Whilst unexpected, the tour leader was able to modify our schedule and we completed the trek by staying at the second base camp for an extra night. We had active and passive acclimatisation and didn’t suffer from any altitude sickness. The days were relatively short in terms of walking but that was good as it left time to adjust the schedule when the unexpected happened. Whilst walking poles are listed as recommended, we think they were essential. Also make sure you have a good quality thermal sleeping mat as it is cold at night. The only negative is the use of single use plastic which is common throughout China. In summary a fantastic adventure and the panda bears are very cute too!

By Simon From Basingstoke | 07 January 2020

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Don't think about it, just book it

Mount Toubkal in Winter

If you're even considering this trip just go ahead and book it, it will be everything you'd hope for and more! Having never been on this type of trip before I had many worries before departure but I am so glad we booked it.  On KE Adventure - 2 KE groups completed this trip simultaneously and I'm not sure how KE decided who was put in each group. We all thought that perhaps the answers given in the "previous experience" section of the boo king form might have played a part because the groupings seemed perfect. All of our group we of similar backgrounds, ages and experience etc which made the whole trip an absolute joy. On the itinerary - One night at each end of the trip to enjoy the madness of Marrakech, long enough to get lost in the markets and soak up the atmosphere. Two nights in the village of Ait Souka, perfect for acclimatising walks and an oasis of calm after the city. Three nights in the mountain refuge, long enough to offer the chance of 2 summits. On the guides - Omar and Abdul were simply outstanding. Omar gave detailed nightly briefings, instructions on crampon and ice axe use, interesting details on the history, surroundings and traditions of the areas we passed through and was our bridge to the local people we encountered. Together with Abdul he guided us faultlessly through each walk, always nearby to offer a guiding hand when needed and moving at the perfect pace for the group. I was slightly worried that the second summit required a short section of scrambling but Omar and Abdul seemed to have some sort of magical sticky boots, allowing them to appear by my side every time I paused, ready to guide hands and feet to the perfect holds. I felt completely safe at all times. Always smiling, they were more than happy to answer our many questions and really made the trip for us. On the accommodation - The hotel in Marrakech may seem a little simple on the first night and is a good 30 minute walk from the main square and markets BUT the breakfast is brilliant and by the time we returned after a week in the mountains it felt like paradise! The gite in AIt Souka is lovely, mixed rooms for up to 4 people with shared showers/toilets on each floor. It is clean, welcoming and has a suntrap roof terrace with fantastic views. The mountain refuge is incredibly well run. It holds up to 80 people in mixed dorms and has 4 toilets and 2 showers. The 3 common rooms for dining/relaxing are heated by wood stoves but the dorms and washroom are unheated. However, with 20-ish people in the same dorm it didn't take long to warm up and we ended up sleeping with the windows open! The washroom facilities are pretty rustic but the refuge staff do a great job of keeping it as clean as possible. On the food - It is incredibly healthy! Fruit, vegetables, couscous, wholemeal breads and all in HUGE quantities. How the refuge staff in particular manage to provide such impressive spreads in such a remote and basic kitchen is a wonder. There are various stalls selling chocolate bars/crisps/cokes and freshly squeezed orange juice etc on the walk up to the refuge and at the refuge itself there is a small shop selling fizzy drinks/choc bars/crisps/toilet rolls/water. Hints for future travellers:  Money. Take cash with you from Marrakech, there is no access to ATMs further up the mountains and you might want to buy snacks/drinks along the route or at the refuge, most things (chocolate bars, juice etc seemed to cost around 15D each) Food. There can be a long gap between the early breakfast and late lunch some days - so it might be worth taking some energy bars from home to stop any tummy rumbles. Breakfast in the gite and the refuge is quite basic, bread/jam/porridge so there isn't much chance to load up on protein for the morning. Power. The gite has power sockets in each 4 person room and extra ones in the common area but the mountain refuge only has a few between 80 guests. Take power banks or multi-usb plugs if you think you'll need to recharge. Luggage. We were able to leave excess luggage at both the hotel in Marrakech and the gite at Ait Souka for no charge. Things I'm glad I brought. Earplugs, hand sanitiser gel, lots of suncream, warm layers for the early starts, walking poles, extra toilet roll, tissues for streaming noses, headtorch for the morning and for the dimly-lit dorm. This is the first guided group trip I have ever taken and I had reservations about it but it really was an excellent tour and one I would recommend to anyone.

By Kelly From Isle of Lewis | 06 January 2020

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Perfect mix of mountain trails and ancient civilisations

Jordan's Dana to Petra Trek

This trip was a wonderful introduction to Jordan - combining stunning mountain trails with UNESCO world heritage sites. The food was amazing also.

By Reviewer From Brussels | 06 January 2020

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An excellent introduction to winter trekking.

Mount Toubkal in Winter

Well organised and professional guide Leycen instilled confidence throughout. Gite accommodation was clean, showers available and good quality and quantity of food. Refuge was 20 bed dorm, basic toilet facilities, occasional warm shower, good lunch and dinners. Breakfast watery porridge and bread. Lunch is late afternoon while at the refuge so advise taking snacks. Chocolate, crisps, soft drinks and water available to buy at refuge. Trek was about 6 to 8 hrs walking per day. Toubkal ascent with crampons was on a par to Ben Nevis in snow all the way. Conditions were dry and sunny on our ascent with snow to aprx 3800m on North facing slopes. Ouanoukrim was my preferred day with more snow, more interesting trek and some scrambling, narrow paths and area of ridge on ascent and descent. Other group members likened it to North face of Tryfan. Highly recommend this trip and KE.

By Amanda From Saltash | 06 January 2020