ACCOMMODATION
The accommodation we use is chosen for a variety of reasons such as: comfort, location, service and hospitality, size and the experiences it is able to offer. The selection is more complex than one might think due to a series of factors that must be taken into account, which we won’t bore you with here. However, as a rule, the standard is generally very high and we do stay in some rather exclusive places, but we also stay in some more modest places for a series of reasons and/or because they are the only options available in a given area. We always provide a list of the accommodation and their respective website links together with the trip itinerary, as well as our own brief description of each.
BREAKFAST
Generally taken at the hotels where we stay.
LUNCH
Comes in different forms. It may be an elaborate picnic in a beautiful setting with vehicle access, a more simple spread carried by your guides to be enjoyed on top of a ridge or in the middle of a secluded valley, or it may be at a small local restaurant, café, agriturismo, mountain hut, bar etc. We like a bit of variety and the flexibility of being able to choose whatever formula works best for each day and/or walk.
DINNER
Restaurants are carefully chosen in order to give you the widest and richest culinary experience possible. Quality, great service, locally sourced and traditional cuisine are our guiding lines when it comes to choosing where to dine. We will often choose the menu for you, but we also like to give you the opportunity to choose for yourself on occasion and are more than happy to meet any specific demands or desires. If there is something special, such as a particular fish of the day or freshly picked boletus mushrooms, rest assured that you will have the opportunity to enjoy it.
SNACKS
We provide snacks during all the walks and several other (unnecessary) treats in between meals.
DRINKS
All drinks consumed together as a group at mealtimes, as well as coffee and tea between meals. On our Italian, Spanish and Portuguese trips, all other drinks consumed together as a group are also included, such as a cold beer at the end of the walk, or an aperitif before dinner.
TRANSPORT
All forms of transport used during the trip. This obviously includes the vehicles we use to transfer you to and from the airport (at a determined time) and from one place to the next (when necessary) over the course of the trip. Depending on the trip, it may also include: boats, airplanes, jeeps, trains, undergrounds, rubber dinghies, bamboo rafts, auto-rickshaws etc.
The only transport NOT included are your flights to and from the destination airport and the transfer to and from the airport if you decide not (or are unable) to travel at the established time(s) with the rest of the group.
GUIDES
Two guides is the general rule. For some smaller groups you may be accompanied by only one guide throughout the trip, but this will be specified at the time of booking. We are very keen on hiring local guides to visit certain cultural places of interest (archaeological sites, castles, some towns and churches etc.) when we are certain that this will enhance your experience. For our long-haul trips in South America and South Asia, we tend to use a relatively large number of different guides and/or naturalists in each place visited and on some trips are accompanied by a local guide throughout.
ENTRANCE FEES
Whether it be for a museum, archaeological site, private garden, castle etc. and even if it isn’t described in the trip itinerary (we like to keep some things as a surprise and are open to adding anything that could be of particular interest to you).