4.7 Stars (217 reviews)
This is my second Active Adventures trip and I was just as impressed as the first (to the Galapagos Islands). Everything went absolutely perfectly, thanks to the guides, Jean-Marc and Kim. We had 4-5 stellar weather days hiking and kayaking, and a few days of clouds and rain, but it didn't matter! With Jean-Marc's humor and personality, it was always fun. With his expertise, it was always safe and educational. With Kim's laid back demeanor and attentiveness, we felt cared for. It is a strenuous hike: 6-7 hours per day of uphill and downhill, and I loved every second of it! The entire trip was so well organized, I felt that I could relax about the logistics, and let the guides handle all that, while I focused on my hiking. In the evenings, we had dinners together as a group, and the food was great and company wonderful. We had hiking, kayaking, a spa day (in lieu of biking), trip to the Crystal Museum (world class), and a visit to a cheese making factory. Thank you, Active Adventures, for so graciously handling all my changes to the itinerary due to Covid and more, and for being so responsive and polite. Love working with you! This was an A+++ adventure!
Tour Du Mont Blanc, January 1970
4.7 Stars (217 reviews)
Amazing trip with so much to like it's difficult to summarize in the allowed space -scenery, group dynamics, food, accommodations, logistics and professional mountain guides and staff all were superb. Spending 7 days of hiking through spectacular scenery including snow covered mountains, glaciers, forests, and wildlife. Hikes were challenging at times, but Katarina and Julie set an excellent pace so it was all achievable. Katarina provided clear guidance at the start of each day's hike as far as distance, elevation gain/loss and breaks. Julie and Holly were instructive as well as supportive of the group. All 3 provided technical advice on an as-needed basis. All feedback from the fantastic four was constructive and timely. This was my first trip guided by professionals and the positive difference was tangible. Kiki provide excellent support for the group with respect to food and transportation. I enjoyed Kiki's positive enthusiast send-off each morning and seeing her bright cheerful smile at the end of each hike was so uplifting. Food was excellent. The group dined in fine restaurants and the lunch spread provided was out of this world. Accommodations were all top notch - clean, quiet and comfortable. Logistics for all activities were well thought out and clearly communicated (more than once each day!!). A very well run operation with everything going off without a hitch. Credit is due to Katarina, Julie, Kiki and Holly. Job extremely well done. I enjoyed the day of rest which allowed for some down time for exploring and shopping. Laundry done by the hotel (at a minimum cost) in Italy was an excellent perk and much appreciated. I enjoyed the kayaking on the beautiful lake - again a nice break from hiking same to be said about the mountain biking. The guides, Holly and Kiki readily shared their knowledge of the area as well as the history of the towns and impactful pioneers.
A fantastic once in a life time trip made possible by Active Adventures. I would recommend this trip to anyone who is interested.
Tour Du Mont Blanc, January 1970
4.7 Stars (1376 reviews)
This is a fantastic trip, 8 days of great activities. Snorkeling is awesome, although the currents were quite cold. Wetsuits helped. We saw so much underwater wildlife, including turtles, sharks, rays, fish, and colorful coral. Hiking and biking we're also great. The tour guides from Galakiwi, Pablo and Paulo, we're awesome. Lodging and food was also amazing. I would go back in a heartbeat
Ultimate Galapagos Islands Adventure, January 1970
4.8 Stars (171 reviews)
Excellent, the trip of a lifetime!
Dolomites Adventure, January 1970
4.6 Stars (28 reviews)
I really enjoyed this Camino de Santiago adventure! I think that the amount of hiking was good for intermediate hikers and liked that they tried to take us on more interesting parts of the camino as opposed to the parts where there would be a lot of traffic and not much to look at. Just be warned that this is not a trip where you will get a certificate at the end as you do not do the full 100k. But you are still able to collect stamps on the way which is cool.
Food and accommodations were mostly great. The one night that stood out was the night we stayed at a lodge off the camino as opposed to a chain hotel. Constructive feedback I would give is to have more of those types of stays as it was unique, and the food was excellent.
Another bright spot of the tour was our guide Jorge. He was super helpful and considerate with everyone's needs and knew much about northern Spain and the camino. Overall this was a really great trip!
Camino De Santiago Adventure, January 1970
4.7 Stars (217 reviews)
This was an adventure I will always remember. It was a combination of stunning beauty and physical challenge that kept me on the edge of my seat. Each day would begin with anticipation and end with a sense of pride that I had accomplished a big goal. I highly recommend it if you are looking to experience the alps in a unique and satisfying way.
Tour Du Mont Blanc, January 1970
4.8 Stars (171 reviews)
Even if you have hiked all your life in the mountains as I have, I would highly recommend this trip. The Dolomites are not like any other mountains I have experienced.
I found the trip challenging with lots of steep terrain to hike - both up and down. Definitely follow the training advice! I blew off the mountain bike training and wished I had been in better shape for the 32-mile round trip - 16 up (groan) and 16 down (whee!).
I was always delighted to have our hiking day broken up with stops at refugios along the way for a bite to eat - how civilized! Nothing better than a thick steaming cup of homemade hot cocoa or delicious cappuccino and a pastry, or a hearty lunch along the way. And all this was topped off with our elegant hotels in Cortina and San Cassiano, or a mountain refugio at the end of the day. Spending the 2 nights in refugios in the park turned out to be lovely, with crisp sun-dried sheets and tasty meals. You will love the sound of cow bells in the early evenings before the cows return to the barn for the night.
You will certainly not go hungry on this trip. Both hotels served wonderfully prepared 3-course meals, and all the refugio meals were well-prepared and hearty.
And how can I describe the trip without giving huge props to Greg and Richard, our intrepid guides? Greg, from New Zealand, was always attentive, making sure all went without a hitch. Richard, a local from Ladin land, made sure no one was left behind. Both were kind, knowledgeable and ready to answer any questions or tackle any problems - leaving us to enjoy every moment of the trip without worry.
As to our group, I found each person to be delightful, funny, smart, and caring.
Thanks to Active Adventures for putting it all together! I would highly recommend this trip to anyone that loves to hike in the mountains.
P.S. If you have never been to Venice, be sure and allow yourself a day or two at either end of the trip - so worth it!
Dolomites Adventure, January 1970
4.7 Stars (217 reviews)
I've gone on many backpacking trips and there's always the astonishing vistas, forests, and meadows, but generally, there's also a lot of drudgery required between the highlights. Active Adventures gets the balance exactly right on their MBT hike. All the good bits are there, but the long days of of hiking roads, boring trails, etc are gone. High quality planning, great guides, strong logistical support, good food (some great), and the overall effect is perfect trip. Highly recommend.
Tour Du Mont Blanc, January 1970