Center based hiking vacations vacations
Tours & vacations in 2019 & 2020

Every day was a new memory in the making, with fabulous company, views, & food (more)MK Kottke

Just fabulous. Great walking, great accommodation, the most amazing food (vegetarian food was not an after thought but well catered for and really delicious), and interesting people to share with. (more)Priti Chotai

The vacation was excellent, really enjoyed it. Fantastic accommodation, Incredible scenery, Chris’s enthusiasm for all things totally infectious I came away a happier person and would do it all again tomorrow! (more)Martin Cooke

Montenegro has stunning scenery, mountains almost everywhere you look. Hiking through mountains in different parts of the country including some not frequented by large number of tourists was a memorable experience. (more)Paula Dowdall

5* (more)Michaela Brinkhaus

The scenery was the highlight. Especially the views from the peaks over 2000 metres. (more)Linda McDonald

Loved it, and would like to return next year. I feel that I only saw the tip of the iceberg in relation to the area. (more)Lesley Holinshead

Patient and attentive teachers made lessons interesting and fun. It was really great to be in such a small group to be able to ask questions and get the opportunity to practise. (more)Mandy Kee

Great. Class time just flew by and the study was actually fun. I was a novice hiker and found the hikes to be challenging, but worth the effort. I really value the friendships I made with others participating in the program. (more)Mark Hindin

Just what I needed. Restful, easy, a real vacation. (more)Paul Johnson

The most memorable part of the vacation was the wonderful hosts and food (more)Ruth Anderson

Peter and Carolynn source as much as they could locally, especially the wine. (more)Dorothy Penny

Probably the best walking vacation I've ever had - spectacular scenery; the perfect combination of hard physical exercise and pampering that you know you've earned. (more)Alison Sadler

If you are unsure whether this vacation is for you - just do it. The guided walks were a particular highlight. (more)Lesley Hadfield

I do want to say that our stay in the chalet was absolutely 5 *****. We were cared for beautifully in a warm and friendly ambiance with delicious, generous and creative meals, including wine. There was plenty on offer at the chalet....tv, games, hot tub. Our guide, Bruno, was fantastic. (more)Denise Hellier

Hard to choose between seeing the most spectacular sunrises from my terrace with a pot of coffee or standing on a high point on a nearby hill, able to see the sea on the horizon and the lunar landscape and mountains to my left. (more)Briony Turner

The highlight was the spectacular walks offering such amazing views. During our 5 days in Lubrin we did three of the long walks and we thoroughly enjoyed walking through the foothills as well as high in the mountain tops, just stunning. (more)Annette Easton

Excellent....The hiking and the views were first rate the accommodation was charming, clean and convenient. (more)Mak Kubeisy

Very good. Our guide, John, was excellent. Patient, considerate and very knowledgable about the history of the area which was fascinating. (more)Pat Wheaton

The walks and the views were memorable, especially the one where we saw Sierra Nevada. Great trip ! (more)Kersti Smith

Great vacation; friendly, relaxed, well planned and led, very flexible too... (more)Chris Watts

We had fabulous weather to enjoy the scenery... It was a lovely relaxing vacation. The food was plentiful and good... (more)Catherine Mclaren

Wonderful scenery, great food, best company (more)Michaela Brinkhaus

Having a great variety of walking experiences was wonderful - from full-on snowshoeing to walking over ice and snow with cleats/microspikes on our boots to gazing across from the mountain tops at the Med (more)Angie Polkey

Wonderful walking in the Vesubie valley and Mercantour National Park in stunning mountains with superb views and dazzling lakes. Beautiful wildflowers and countless butterflies, lots of other wildlife to spot. (more)Ian Sheriff

Liz and Mel made us extremely welcome and were excellent hosts. We were given delicious meals and snacks every day and Liz went out of her way to cater for dietary needs, which was a real bonus on a vacation like this. (more)Janet Nelson

Seeing fantastic landscapes & wildlife was memorable. Really great. (more)Ingrid Beveridge

Our guide, Daphnie, was superb, being always willing to adjust the itinerary to suit people and/or weather, the walking and scenery is incredible, the hotels ideally located in small seaside towns, and the restaurants recommended for us throughout the vacation gave us a perfect 'taste of Greece'. (more)Jim Frame

The fact that our excellent Greek guide was able to give us so much information about the islands, and also about Greek life in general. Through her we met a number of locals and felt it was altogether a very Greek experience. (more)Christa Laird

It was an enjoyable experience but we were not expecting the walks were going to be on trails rather than rocky paths. (more)Eric Middleton

The most memorable part of the vacation was the stunning scenery and walks, excellent hospitality and support. (more)Alyson Small

Beautiful mountain scenery, peace and fresh air. Great hospitality! (more)Philippa Schofield

The most exciting part of the vacation was the spectacular landscape and the chance to hike and climb in it. (more)John Roy

The amazing walking , everyday a different walk. The beautiful blossom trees, truly was a Walk in Blossom. Would have been great even without the blossom though! (more)Elaine Carter

The highlight was the daily hikes: the scenery is beautiful and inspiring. (more)Hilary MacKenzie

The beauty of the massed blossom was the most memorable. Dan was a brilliant leader, affable & good natured as well as knowledgeable about the area. (more)Valerie Ghinn

Fantastic coastal walks and beaches, atmospheric villages and ancient ruins, castles and palaces. (more)Tracey Leach

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in the Sintra hills at Quinta Colina Flora, enjoying the warm hospitality of James and Aasta and the beauty of the park. Thanks to Rosy Responsible Travel for the recommendation. (more)Valerie Montigny

The most memorable was the beautiful cliff top walks with amazing scenery. It was lovely to explore the local area, and the food and Fado was amazing. Excellent vacation - we have lots of beautiful photos and lovely memories of our stay. (more)Doreen Brett

Memorable parts? Reaching the top of Gros Piton. Tips? Go for it! Local benefits? The whole issue of environmentally friendly tourism is a complex one. In many ways there are benefits in that local people get much needed employment and sometimes improved amenities and infrastructure. But these changes don't always benefit those most in need and fail to filter down to ordinary people. We hiked off the beaten track and saw parts of the island that the 'normal' tourist (whatever... (more)Margaret Gravelle

Grazalema was an excellent center for experiencing the wonderful walking, views, fauna and flora of this stunning reserve. The village itself was delightful and we were made to feel most welcome. (more)John and Meg Tyler

The walking is very well described and on relatively easy paths/ tracks so that we were walking a grade above that we had expected with no real difficulties. Dave and Gill are very helpful in providing other walks if you want something easier/ more difficult. (more)Iain Murray

Memorable parts? The food throughout the stay, the choices of hikes (particularly the gorge and the mountain top), and the mix of people. Tips? Be in shape! Be prepared for challenging walks. Local benefits? We left no trace behind on our walks. Food was purchased locally. We visited local markets and went to two local restaurants. Overall rating? This experience exceeded our expectations. We had great food, great guides, interesting and challenging walks and a very... (more)Ken Margraf

The hikes were the main highlights, because that was what attracted me the most of this trip, a personal challenge for me. (more)Fabiana Forni

Excellent, our guide Bert Palmen went out of his way to make sure everyone was happy (more)Anne Higgins

Memorable parts? Going on a 16km triangular walk from the hotel to two local villages, having a Cana (cold beer) in both at local bars, then returning to a warm shower and delicious three course home cooked meal with a beautiful local red wine. Perfect! Tips? Bring water bottles and a phrase book - if you are planning to eat in the local villages and don’t speak Spanish! Language is fine in the nearby town (Ronda) however and English and Spanish both spoken at the hotel. Local... (more)Chloe Smale

We had a great time and would return next time we go to Italy (more)Kay Garvey

We had an excellent vacation hosted by 2 very knowledgeable and caring people. All aspects of the cooking, walking and sightseeing was made so enjoyable because of their enthusiasm and attention to details. (more)Rod Elliott

The mountain setting is splendid with wonderful views and very quiet. Marla and Fabrizio offer exceptional hospitality and locally produced food prepared to a high standard. Cooking with them in a small group was great fun. (more)Valerie Snowden

The walking was good and ending at the beach most days. (more)Richard Greer

The most memorable part of the vacation was hiking all over the sparsely populated, non-touristy island to beautiful beaches with tavernas, sometimes massages, swimming. (more)Lynda Sather

It was a great vacation, very relaxing, we felt looked after but not herded. (more)Catherine Mclaren

If you are looking for a vacation where you can do different physical activities during the day, relax and have good meals with pleasant people in the evening, this is the place to go. (more)Eivind Thorp

Excellent. It gave me exactly what I wanted - great cycling, wonderful food and good company in tranquil, natural surroundings. Very good value for money. (more)Carol Gray

The Pyreness themselves; the stunning scenery , hiking and swimming were out of this world. (more)Hannah Mitchell

This retreat was the best experience I have had as a vacation. Simon & Lucy were the perfect hosts. Nothing was too much trouble. (more)Lesley Goldburn

Fantastic; I enjoyed every minute. (more)ROS LITTLE

A walk from Bérchules incorporating the so-called "Moor's last stand", and definitely seeing the Alhambra for the first time was the top two highlights. (more)Alison Sadler

I had a fantastic time, enjoyed the wonderful walks in the beautiful Alpujarras and the relaxed atmosphere in the hotels where we stayed. Not to forget the good food, drinks and laughs! (more)Anonymous

The whole stay was excellent but the very best day was the horse and cart ride with barbecue. We also loved the remote rural position, the peace, the local produce (especially honey, apricot jam and raw milk), and the company of the other guests. (more)Joan Payne

The most knowledgeable guide I have ever had the privilege to meet, the stunning natural beauty, and the complete detachment from my day to day city life. (more)Paul Kearney

It was wonderful. I was able to explore the scenery, the history and even meet some of the local people. The small number of people made the tours feel much more personal and the staff were warm and friendly. (more)Elizabeth Long