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97% of our customers rated their holiday Good or Excellent

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★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Achieving a dream

Mera Peak

Just returned from Mera Peak with KE, an excellent trip. My key points would be: Good - our guides led by the amazing Pasang were superb. Their skill, patience and hard work were brilliant - The ‘my KE’ portal makes everything so much easier - Some of the scenery en route to Mera Peak was awe inspiring - I learned lots of new skills, taught to us on the go by our brilliant guides - My dietary requirements (vegetarian) were effortlessly taken into account - The acclimatisation programme was s uperb, we never jumped a huge amount The not so good - if you’ve done EBC you may be disappointed by the scenery during the ‘jungle’ section of the trip but it does offer variety - The lack of summit contingency day is a problem. Mera Peak is a big investment in terms of time/money, there are so many risk factors (weather, altitude etc) it’s a shame not to give people a second chance Comments for KE - you need to review/enforce weight limits for porters if you wish to remain an ethical company. The standard 30kg limit wasn’t being followed on our trip - You need to be clearer about crampons. I have direct comms from you saying the rented crampons would fit any size boot (contrary to your website notes). This confusion almost led to one persons trip being curtailed - Some of the trip notes underplay the difficulty of reaching the summit. While it’s accurately ranked a 10 (kili is 8) there was laughter in our group when you refer to some sections as gentle snow slopes! Overall an excellent trip. Very proud to summit and very impressed by KE and local guides. Ps - if, like me, you’re scared of heights then Mera Peak is achievable. However you will need to grit your teeth on a semi regular basis.

By Luke From London | 24 October 2019

KE Adventure reply

Thanks for your review Luke. We have an excellent success rate on Mera Peak and we are glad we were able to help you achieve your dream. To clarify about the hired crampons, these are fully adjustable 12-point crampons designed for general mountaineering which will fit any size of boot up to around 11 (46). For boots bigger than 11, you need to either purchase Grivel extender bars or bring your own crampons. This is all explained on our website and on the equipment list. The porters more than anyone enable our clients to achieve their personal goals and we all owe it to them to ensure they are properly equipped, well looked after and adequately paid for their hard work. KE has always been in the forefront of efforts to extend the rights and protections of the porters of Nepal. With regard to porter loads, we operate within the guidelines set by the government of Nepal as advised by the International Porter Protection Group (IPPG). Occasionally porters may negotiate independently with their own foreman to carry an extra load for more pay, usually on a temporary basis.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Wonderful road trip through Tibet

Everest From Tibet Discovery Tour

This was an ecellent trip, my 3rd with KE, and as previously, well organised. We were lucky to have two great guides, with their knowledge, enthusiasm and sense of humour. Rajendra looked after us in both Nepal and Tibet, and Kelsa our Tibetan guide. Both were attentive to everyone's needs and ready and willing to share their knowledge. Rajendra has eyes like a hawk for spotting wildlife, and great knowledge. Thanks to him we saw blue sheep, Tibetan hare, marmots, golden eagles and black-ne cked Cranes. There is a lot of travelling but the roads in Tibet are generally good. The route taken meant we saw changing landscapes, from agricultural valleys to the high plateaus, from busy Lhasa to remote villages. All the accommodation was good, including kettles in most rooms and electric blankets in the coldest places. A couple words of warning: public loos are usually very basic and a sense of adventure is required to use them, vegetarians, such as I, don't eat very well in Tibet, menus tend to have meat in most dishes, so take a good supply of healthy snacks to supplement your diet. The journey from the border back to Kathmandu was certainly an experience. The road had suffered badly due to the monsoon and as it is the only route between the two countries the road was a mud bath from the heavy traffic. At one point it had been washed away. However, Rajendra had organised two sets of vehicles, one either side of the wash-out, and organised some locals to carry our bags and help us across the boulder strewn mud. My only disappointment was that the Monsoon was lingering on so our views of Everest were fragmented and from a distance only on our way back from Rongbuk.

By John From Penrith | 18 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Very good trip, spectacular scenery on the trek and architecture in the cities

Mountains and Marvels of Central Asia

The group flight arrived in Dushanbe in the early hours of Monday morning, this afforded us some sleep before our 10:00 departure. It could have been a bit more as the Tadjik ground agent gave each guest a different answer to the question, “what time is breakfast?”. Anyway after a slightly dubious start things quickly improved and we embarked on a mini tour of Dushanbe. This was followed by a safe drive to the start of the trek where we overnighted in a basic but clean homestay. The followin g day the trek commenced with an easy walk to our first camp site. For the next 4 days we trekked through beautiful scenery and camped by rivers and lakes. The trek crew were excellent, the camping equipment was in full working order and the camp food good, nobody got sick at all. At the end of the trek we transferred to a homestay before heading across the border into Uzbekistan. The entry into Uzbekistan was trouble free and much to my surprise there was no paperwork to fill in at the border! On arrival at our centrally located hotel in Samarkand we were offered, tea and snacks and made to feel very welcome, we stayed at this excellent hotel for three nights and during this time visited Samarkand’s spectacular mosques, minarets, mausoleums, museums and madrassas. We then transferred to a centrally located hotel in Bukhara which was OK but more basic but what disappointed me was the poor attitude of the staff, especially the group of men who just sat around, eating, drinking and ignoring the paying guests. From Bukhara we headed to Khiva which was a long old drive (about 10 hours I think) but we still had a little time to stretch our legs before the evening meal. Here we stayed in another reasonably basic but centrally-located hotel, this time just for one night. From Khiva we transferred to the local airport for the domestic flight to Tashkent where we arrived just before midnight, the flight and transfers were trouble free. The final day in Tashkent was a bit dull, by this stage I was ‘mosqued-out’ and wanted to see something different but after the early departure of our Uzbek leader we then embarked on a quick tour of the Tashkent underground and its fantastic Soviet-era stations. The holiday ended with a 23:30 transfer to the airport for a flight at 02:50 the next day. Hints and tips: [1] Take a bag on wheels or just pack light, the Tadjik-Uzbek border is a long way when carrying a trek bag, easily 200m or so of weightlifting. There are streams and lakes to wash your clothes and body in whilst on trek as well as a very cheap laundry service in Samarkand ($6 for a big bag). [2] Understand your capabilities. One of our group was clearly not up to the trip and spent all bar the first morning trekking by donkey. The trek is graded 5/12 which sounds like a walk in the park, it is not, the trekking days are easily a grade 7 (see the ascents and descents in the trip notes) but this is averaged out by the sightseeing days. [3] I did the 16th September departure. The equipment list said to take a sleeping bag comfort rated as minus 10 but the climate notes said that the overnight temperatures would be in single digits, I took a bag comfort rated at 0 degrees and with a liner was just about warm enough as the overnight temperature really dropped off and came very near to 0 degrees at the first camp, a slightly warmer bag would have been welcome! [4] You don’t need to exchange any money when entering Tajikistan as there is nowhere to spend it and you can tip the crew in USD. [5] Finally be warned about the repetitive food. I was aware that the veggie options would be limited (main meal minus animal parts) so in that respect my expectations were managed but what I couldn’t get was why we needed to eat a bland time consuming 3 course meal at lunchtime and then a virtually identical bland 3 course meal in the evening which always consisted of salads, soup, stodge, melon and tea. There was also absolutely no choice which is an irritant of mine. Sorry to end the review on a negative as overall it was a good trip.

By Jeanette From Penrith | 18 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Top of Africa! Rongai Route.

Kilimanjaro Rongai Route

Fantastic journey to Top of Africa. Well organised and well led trip. I selected the Rongai trip as it was 7 days including an acclimatisation day and also because this route is generally quieter and drier than the others. It met all my expectations. 13 in group, 6 guides and 41 porters. Plenty of time to adjust to the thin air. The summit day was very challenging, midnight start and we reached summit just after 6am (5km, up 4,000ft). It was very cold that morning and I would definitely recommen d being prepared to layer up. The other days walking were all taken at a gentle pace to adjust. Being fit at the start will certainly help in the enjoyment of this trip. The Moyoni Airport Lodge at start and end is a little oasis not far from airport and a perfect place to start and end the trip. There is nothing around the lodge so when u are there, u are there. If you want to have time to explore Arusha you would need to add an extra day and use a taxi. Have done several KE trips and as always it was very well organised. From booking, to arranging transfers and the actual trip I cannot fault their services.

By William From Banbury | 18 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An Amazing Experience

Everest From Tibet Discovery Tour

This was a superb trip with spectacular scenery and many glimpses of Tibetan culture. Everything was well organised and the standard of accommodation and food was higher than expected. Our Nepalese guide, Rajendra, was excellent: efficient, knowledgeable and very good company. He is also an expert naturalist and we saw a lot of wildlife that we might otherwise have missed.

By Donald From Carshalton | 15 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A tough, hot, magnificent and amazing trip through Jordan!

Bike Jordan Dead 2 Red

As the headline says. It is tough, especially the beginning. You spend a lot of the time in steep uphills, add on the heat. We hade some 36 c in the shadow, but out on the road there is no shadow. So come well prepared. Jordan is truly amazing. What a landscape! Good food and very nice people too. The guide (Anas) and his crew is truly great. Both well prepared and with a lot of good information and sightseeing skills. If you are into history, the castles are great and the town Petra is spectacu lar. I won't say more about Petra. If you haven't been there you have to go. Dead Sea is also fantastic. The bike trip has as I said very steep uphill but also amazing downhill sections, a lot of very nice undulating gravel roads. Some parts of the trip were into heavy demanding sand were a high cadence is the only the solution. Apart of the sand, the rest of the travel could possibly be managed on a CX bike.

By Björn From Sollentuna | 15 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★

Good... but....

The Inca Trail and Beyond

We really enjoyed the trip. We had a really helpful guide. But perhaps one or two comments... First, be warned that booking closes when limited Inca Trail permits run out. This led to there being just my girl friend and I, and one other very pleasant lady joining us. Three. Not four to fourteen, as advertised at the bottom of this review page. So, err, intimate. Along with nearly a dozen equally pleasant local support staff, all of whom required tipping between the three of us at the end. The fi rst four days walking were STUNNING. Over an isolated pass, just our group. Surrounded by 5,000 metre Andean peaks. But be warned, once you join the Inca Trail, the world and his dog are there. The path becomes uneven stones, that have to be looked down at, concentrated on, rather than admire the still wonderful scenery. German, our ever helpful guide made a great decision to pull strings to amend the itinerary, such that we didn't go up over Dead Woman's Pass AND the following pass in one day, an amendment which I'd strongly recommend should become standard. And when you actually get to Machu Pichu- beware you don't get your eye poked out by all the posing day trippers there with their selfie sticks! I'd definitely go back to trek in Peru with German and his team, particularly if the party was a little larger. It was easier walking than the Manaslu trek in Nepal. The bit before the Inca Trail was superb. Personally, in the first couple of days, I could have done with a little less being dragged to Tourist Tat shops, but I suspect others might disagree. The first few days in Cusco are well spent looking around the Inca capital whilst acclimatising at 3,200m. The add on to the Galapagos was OK, but I wouldn't rush to do it again- spend a similar amount, spend less time travelling, and see similar stuff (as well as stunning scenery) in the southern tip of New Zealand. Be aware that despite being on the Equator, during the cold season in September, the Humboldt current is delivering icy Antarctic water to the Galapagos, which does attract a fascinating variety of whales and sharks-

By Bryan From Filey | 15 October 2019

KE Adventure reply

Thanks for your review. You are right to highlight the need to book early for this trip. The permit system is the only way to control numbers on the Inca Trail and from a sustainability point of view, we endorse this approach. This does mean that permits can run out before the group is full, although it is rare that this happens with only three people signed up. In your case, rather than cancel the trip due to being below our minimum, we were pleased to be able to offer the option of continuing. The key message here is "Book Early for the Inca Trail".

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Kilimanjaro Rongai Route

Highly recommend the Rongai Route over 6 nights/7 days. We travelled in October (early) and we hardly met another group climbing until we reached Base Camp. The weather was good until the morning we began the final summit climb, when we had snow, winds and minus 16 degrees. However, this did not deter us and 10 of our 13 group reached the summit. I had never climbed at this altitude (5895 metres ) before and I only got a mild headache and a little nausea on the summit climb, however, others suff ered earlier. I do think drinking plenty of water helps as well having the extra day to acclimatise, I also took diamox. We had a team of 47 porters/guides led by Emmanuel. The whole team where fantastic and couldn’t have looked after us any better. I can highly recommend KE Travel as the whole holiday ran smoothly and all the staff from the KE office to the team leading the trek in Tanzania were helpful and professional. Can’t wait to book my next holiday.

By Rosemary From Banbury | 14 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Once again: KE Rocks

High Pastures of the Picos

What more can you ask for? The hospitable Spain, spectacular vistas, long but rewarding hikes, and a wonderful guide. Accommodations on this trip were very comfortable, with excellent meals every day. The local wine did not disappoint. Our guide Rosana couldn't have been more supportive, knowledgeable, and good-natured. I would gladly trek with her again. This is not an easy holiday, with some long days and long hikes featuring significant elevation gains. But the scenery rewards the effort . This was my third KE trip and each has been a five star experience. A tip: we arrived a few days early, rented a car, and visited Rioja wineries on our way to San Sebastian, which was a great city to spend a few days (with first class restaurants for the foodies). On the way back to Bilbao to start the trek we stopped at Guernica and San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Great itinerary; I felt like we had a mini-vacation before we had even started our hike. Enjoy!

By Donald From New York | 13 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Beautiful Macedonia

Tastes and Trails of North Macedonia

This was my first trip with KE Adventure, and I was delighted with the week in Macedonia. Danko, our tour leader, was highly competent and responsible, choosing just the right hikes for the weather conditions. The mountains were glorious - much more so than I'd expected. And what can I say about the food?! Always plentiful, and always delicious. The people we encountered were consistently welcoming and generous. I would highly recommend this trip.

By Wendie From Burnaby | 13 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Cultural Granada to great walk and white villages

Walking in Las Alpujarras

Lovely relaxing trip visiting areas of Andalusia we haven't been to. Granada was excellent but recommend adding at least a day to trip for this, as by time arrive and need to leave for bus transfers there is limited time to see the sites. KE adventure booked the extra night in hotel for us. The walks were interesting and different to those we see in UK, giving insight into very different way of living. Guide notes clear, though the .gpx files were helpful, when not sure which sharp turn or track to ignore between waypoints. Each of villages we stayed in was very different, but be warned that many of restaurants weren't open in evening. This may have been time of year (Oct), but even in busy Pampaneira at the weekend, many were closed in evening. We still enjoyed the food we had each day. We travelled on public buses, which were prompt and reliable, and easy to book online. We also didn't buy any bottled water, drinking safely from local fuentes. Overall, this was a lovely experience, which we would recommend.

By David From Bedlington | 13 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★

Great walking trip, lovely beaches, stunning scenery!

Walking on Secret Sardinia

Great walks, not too strenuous, lovely beaches and stunning scenery. Great food, fab guide. Great company. Overall great jolly!

By Michelle From York | 12 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A new European experience

Walking the Albanian Alps

Our Albanian leader Erenik was so helpful and caring. He told us a lot about his country. Close contact with the Albanian people who were so friendly. We seemed to be immersed in a relatively new destination . It's history and culture were fascinating.

By Graham From Swanley | 12 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A little bit of Europe in the Indian Ocean

Reunion Island Paradise

Whilst getting there is a long haul from the UK via Mauritius, the final destination makes the travelling worth it. We arrived to see whales breaching in the sea near the airport runway and then met our guide Claire at the hotel. Claire is a local who knows the island and is an excellent leader for this trip. Whilst the distances on each day do not look on paper too long they are surprisingly hilly and in Claire's words 'efficient'. The accommodation is lovely in both hotels and r efuges and the early morning ascent to get the sunrise on the highest point of the Indian Ocean on Piton des Neiges is well worth the effort. A great trip all round. Advice - Pack light for the trekking phases as you will be carrying it, walking poles are well worth brining if you use them as the paths are very stoney and uneven in places.

By Matthew From Harrogate | 11 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Absoloodle trip. Great group of people to hike with. Guide was excellent .

Levada Trails and Peaks of Madeira

I thoroughly recommend bringing along walking poles.

By Aun From Redhill | 11 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Simply amazing!

Amazon Riverboat Adventure

Boat was clean and comfortable, food was excellent and plentifull, the crew and guides couldn't be more helpfull and the Amazon and wildlife was truly spectacular!

By John From Ashington | 10 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Superb holiday to the summit of Madeira. I would recommend this trip to anyone.

Levada Trails and Peaks of Madeira

Having travelled with KE many times i can honestly say this was up there as one of the best. A great mix of walking, climbing and being immersed in the culture of this wonderful island. Our guide Roberto was full of knowledge and enthusiasm whilst caring for our safety too. It was great to be in a group that gelled so well from day one we all became good friends by the end of the trip. The food, hotels and sea front bars were excellent. Overall a brilliant holiday!

By Richard From THORNTON-CLEVELEYS | 10 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★

Fantastic experience on my first trip to India.

Stok Kangri Climb

It was a great trip and most of the group reached the summit - my first 6000m peak and, by chance, it was on my 60th birthday! The crew did a great job and even made and decorated a cake for my birthday. The acclimatisation worked well in Leh and during the trek so the summit day, though tough, was manageable. The weather was mixed, with rain or snow some days, so go prepared..... There's quite a lot of free time in Leh before and after the trek - it's a pleasant place but not all that much to see, so go prepared for that too - book, cards etc. We played a lot of cards on out trip!

By Alastair From ABERDEEN | 10 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A holiday without negatives.

Mountain Trails of Lebanon

Not having been to Lebanon for twenty years I was very interested in seeing how this very interesting country would look after all that has happened there in the meantime. I wasn't disappointed in any respect. The walking was sometimes a little challenging but doable by all in the group. The "days off" were filled with visits to many historical and some modern aspects of Lebanon. Our guide Caroll and the driver Adib were an excellent team that were friendly, competent, with good l ocal knowledge and initiative when they needed to use it. In the eight days we stayed in seven different locations thereby getting a very varied and always positive impression of the country. I couldn't but recommend booking this trip if you are interested walking and life in ancient and or Modern Lebanon.

By Michael From Dublin | 08 October 2019

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

TWO WEEKS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE

Mountain Trails of Lebanon

Sometimes a short holiday is so absorbing that you come back feel that it has lasted much longer than it actually did. And that's how I feel about this excellent trip to the Lebanon. This was more than a walking holiday, with some exceptional sightseeing to be had. I particularly enjoyed the Roman temple complex at Baalbek and the ruins at Byblos. The walking itself was not that difficult in terms of the raw statistics of ascent and distance, but hot conditions made it feel a bit more chall enging. I wouldn't disagree with the grading, but I would recommend ensuring you are as fit as you can be before setting foot on the trails. As mentioned by Jay, it would be a good idea to bring some walking snacks (preferably not prone to melting!) to supplement the lunch food. The trip was well-organised and run, with our leader (Caroll) doing an excellent job of keeping us in line. It was unfortunate that we were unable to get to the highest point in Lebanon, but that was no-one's fault (except, of course, the Lebanese Army). Caroll did a brilliant job of coming up with a workable Plan B, which was topped off by driver Adib flourishing bottles of beer as we arrived back at the bus. Caroll was always alive to the needs and wants of the group, flexing the itinerary to incorporate the (excellent) National Museum in Beirut. He kept us supplied with baklava and bazarek biscuits on the bus, ensuring that spirits never flagged. Before travelling, I was slightly apprehensive about going to the Lebanon. But the people were very friendly and I felt entirely comfortable throughout the trip. Overall, this is an excellent trip to a destination which is only just now nudging itself on to the tourist trail and I would thoroughly recommend it.

By Michael From EDINBURGH | 07 October 2019