adventure travel

I’ve been back from Burma now for just over a month and still finding myself dreaming about the things that I learnt, the people that I met and the images that I saw!

It’s hard to pick out the highlights on this trip...

Nightfall at Shedagon Pagoda?  The temples of Bagan?  Boating on Inle Lake? The people of Burma?

Ellie Goldsmith and Ben Pinington recently got engaged on our Rift Valley Safari trip with Zanzibar extension. With love in the air we decied to find out more about their trip and the wonderful proposal. 

We wanted to know more from Ellie and Ben about their fabulous group holiday to Tanzania and Zanzibar and  find out why they loved safari.

1. Why did you choose Tanzania and Zanzibar?

Most people may assume that the intriguing historical sights of Jordan are best explored alone or as a couple - well I can categorically say they are wrong.

Make no bones about it, Jordan holidays are fantastic if you are on your own, but to the surprise of many, the country is as family-friendly as it is fascinating. Throughout the entire duration of the trip the kids were able to play football and other games with the very hospitable local youngsters, which really did make the holiday extra special.

It is little wonder that Turkey holidays are so immensely popular among Britons these days. Not only is the country blessed with stunning beaches and red hot weather, but the locals are friendly, the restaurants are superb and, best of all, there is a multitude of activities to engage in.

The lively resort of Kas is everything you would expect from a Turkish seaside destination and more. It has certainly developed a great reputation among adrenaline junkies as a place to take part in some high-octane watersports and I couldn't wait to get in amongst the action.

The old saying that "slow and steady wins the race" tends to ring true in many aspects of life and this is certainly the case when it comes to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, as I found out. There are a number of different ways to get to the top of the famous African mountain and each route requires a certain level of commitment and physical fitness.

Day1/2

Overnight flight to Kathmandu

Day 3 Kathmandu

On arrival in Kathmandu we transferred to the lovely Hotel Tibet. After a briefing from the Guide the evening was free so a group of us opted for dinner in a nearby restaurant.

A meal for 6 which included a drink and main course with some shared starters worked out at £28 between us (550 rupees per person). Evening entertainment was experiencing an Earthquake! (8.6 on the Richter scale). The floor moved but fortunately nothing was broken.

What a perfect end to a breath taking trip.  I’d cruised Lake Titicaca, walked the Inca Trail and seen Machu Picchu in all its glory.  Did I want to go home – no!

After saying goodbye to my group that I had spent the last week with, I joined another group of people who had been travelling on other Adventure Company trips.  There were 12 of us in total, some had been trekking the High Inca Trail others has spent 3 weeks taking in the sights and sounds of Peru.

I’d heard so much about this Caribbean Island and was intrigued to find out about the post-revolutionary social structure and couldn’t wait to see the architectural wonders of the pre-revolutionary period. I'd also heard great things about the walking, the waterfalls and the beaches.

But most of all I was looking for answers. Why are people so fascinated by Cuba? Have they got it right while the rest of us seem headed for economic melt down? Is the food any good?

It was finally here, we were packing our 7kg duffle bags, ready to take on the challenge of the Inca Trail.  There was apprehension and anxiety within the group, all of us doing this challenge for different reasons!  Even though we all had gone through the trip notes with a fine tooth comb no one really knew what to expect or what to pack!

The words tourism and Egypt are never found far apart, but the recent revolution has made even the gutsiest of travellers think twice about booking a trip to the exotic and cultured holiday destination.

As a leading trip provider in the region (and also huge fans of the country) we can completely understand. Although the revolution was peaceful, tensions ran high and the outcome was not always guaranteed to be a bloodless one.