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97% of our customers rated their holiday Good or Excellent

2104 Total Reviews

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★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The highlight was the entire trip!

Heritage Trails of Rajasthan

Having been on many KE trips, this was one of the very best in all respects. Katen was exceptional in all respects. He added so much to the trip in terms of knowledge and experiences, and it was a pleasure to be in his company. One of the best tour leaders we have ever known.

By Pamela from Hawick | 11 February 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Walking in Madeira

Excellent communication; prompt, helpful responses; and a thoughtful, well-organized walking trip! Nuno was an exemplary leader and person. We felt safe, not coddled; informed, not condescended to; respected, not dismissed. If there were not a zillion other places I'd like to see, I would take this trip again and again: the island is gorgeous and full of surprises, Nuno is a passionate advocate for his native land, and my fellow travelers were charming and enjoyable.

By Nanette from Louisiana | 11 February 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Heritage Trails of Rajasthan

You can always rely on KE holidays to deliver over and above their descripiton. They are always well organised with excellent guides, researched accommodation, hygiene, and great value for money. Ketan was brilliant -his knowledge was impressive and he showed real enthusiasm in getting across to us the many aspects of Rajasthan.

By Dawn from Keswick | 10 February 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Heritage Trails of Rajasthan

Excellent local guides. Well-planned, full itinerary, a little different to the standard offering. Good, varied interesting, local accomodation wherever possible.

Ketan was highly professional. Always very approachable and helpful. Gave way above what was expected of him- eg extra outings on the first (rest) day. Highly knowledgeable and able to share fascinating information about all aspects of India in an engaging way. Good fun to be with.

By Sheila from Abingdon | 10 February 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Outstanding walking trip for beginner/intermediate walker/hiker

Levada Trails and Peaks of Madeira

Guide Nuno Portela was outstanding. He took care of and managed a group well that ranged from someone on their first hike to highly experienced hikers and made us all feel comfortable and at home. His knowledge of the flora fauna and mountain geography was exemplary. Details of each day were provided and I never felt stressed or under pressure on the trip. Food and restaurants selected were outstanding especially last night. Hotels were fine 4/5. The mountains and Levada of Madeira provide out standing scenery. I would thoroughly recommend this trip for all hikers. To get a sense of distance covered each day here are the miles for each of the 6 days: 9.76, 8.95, 11.62, 8.29, 9.45, 11.57. Note you will be going up and down some significant mountains during each walk.

By Christopher from Minnetonka MN | 07 February 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Heritage Trails of Rajasthan

Not so much a holiday as total immersion into 'India'. Huge variety of destinations and experiences. Oustanding service from guide and driver.

By Paul from Keswick | 06 February 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Temples and Tea Trails of Sri Lanka

Wonderful trip, everything went smoothly, blended together seamlessly. Hari is the best leader I have come across to date (with any company). Always smiling, friendly, relaxed, in control, hugely knowledgeable, enthusiastic. Went above and beyond the call for some in the group. Very approachable, accommodated different needs/requests. An asset to his employers, 5*, exceptional. It was such a lovely trip that I will be keen to return to see more of beautiful Sri Lanka if I can.

By Margaret from Edinburgh | 30 January 2024

★ ★ ★ ★

A great introduction to walking Madeira

Walking Around Madeira

This was our first trip to Madeira. We visited in January 2024. The weather started off good but then we had a significant amount of rain, on some days we had amber/orange weather warnings for rain. The walks still went ahead and we were glad we had planned well and taken all wet weather gear including waterproof gloves, socks, Gortex clothing. Although the trip is self guided the ground agent works with all nationalities and we shared transfers with a German Couple. They were not prepared for t he weather and on some days did not do the walks. Even when it wasn’t raining the paths along the lavadas were wet and muddy. The walk on the second day has been cut short due to erosion. It’s now just a lavada walk, there and back. This was the least enjoyable walk - it’s easy to do with car hire and not the kind of walk you pay for on a trip like this. This walk needs to be changed to something more exciting.
The hotels were all great. One small and practical, one very blingy, a perfect one in Porto Moniz but the Savoy Saccharum being our least favourite as we were given the worst of rooms. It looked out into a damp courtyard - lots of mosquitos in the shade. We found it difficult to dry out our gear as there were messages to not hang anything on the balcony. I suggest up grading at this hotel to a sea view.
After the trip ended we rented a car and a house and stayed on the island to do another 5 independent walks.
I recommend the trip for first timers walking on the island as an introduction.

By Lynne from Devon UK | 28 January 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

A perfect trip

Antarctica In Depth Expedition

This was already a perfect trip, but what made it even better is that KE included an extra night in Ushuaia for the same price that others paid when booking with different companies without the extra night.

By Roy from Hayes | 24 January 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Fabulous self guided tour of Vietnam

Highlights of Vietnam Explorer

Had a marvellous time with some wonderful experiences. From south to north, I would repeat in a heart beat !
From crazy Saigon to Hanoi, night trains, Mekong Delta, beaten HoiAn, Hue and Halong Bay, this holiday got the balance just right on culture and adventure.

By NB from Cumbria | 24 January 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Trekking Guatemalas Magnificent Seven

Guatemala's Magnificent Seven

Extremely well organised. It matched the description perfectly, the local guides were amazingly supportive and fun! Diego was incredibly supportive as well as great fun!

By Gilly from London | 24 January 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Absolutely incredible, well organised, mind blowing trip!

Antarctica – Multi-Active Expedition

I’m so happy we chose this trip for our once in a lifetime journey to Antarctica. There are many options out there, but we were hoping for something active, sustainable, and immersive, and this trip not only delivered but went beyond so many of our expectations. Given that once you’re there, everything is very weather dependent, I was a bit anxious about whether we’d get to see and do what we wished for. But I was under the impression that there was a set itinerary, and if the weather is p oor, you’re out of luck. What I didn’t realise is that the boat is run by expedition leaders who know the place and are equally in love and excited to be there, and they do everything they can to get you off the boat and doing something. They check local weather, and change plans on the go, picking best places to make sure activities get done. We did have good weather on this trip, however did have to change plans a few times, and some leaders ended up pulling three shift days just to make sure everyone gets to do everything they wanted. It wasn’t really super clear from the brochure, but everyone gets to do one session of kayaking, camping, and mountaineering, and if you’re not doing that, you’re either on a zodiac cruise, or on land. There’s no sweat about what you need to do when, everything is well organised, and you won’t miss anything. If your priority is activities, choose a smaller boat that carries less people to have the best chance of making up anything that may be cancelled due to wind or ice (Plancius or Orthelius). The ship is clean and comfortable, older but charming, and geared towards adventure and nipping on and off quickly rather than luxury. Great vibe from all the staff on board. Expedition leaders are lovely and really committed, and clearly passionate about the place and preservation. There are thorough procedures in place for environmental protection, nothing seemed like a chore though. We saw loads of penguins, seals, whales, and even had a surprise orca encounter, when the expedition guides quickly changed plans, dropped zodiacs, and we went riding alongside around 70 of them! Kayaking and mountaineering were the highlights, incredible experiences. Camping was wonderful, although no one slept much due to excitement and nearby humpback whales that we couldn’t resist watching. Hiking and snowshoeing aren’t something you need to book separately – if the snow isn’t firm, they’ll prep snowshoes for everyone so that’s all taken care of. No use taking hiking boots, unless you plan doing very technical mountaineering. The knee high muck boots they provide are brilliant (order your true size, but don’t fret because they have loads to change if they don’t fit). Some landings require stepping into water, where even if you have gaiters, you’d get wet feet. If you bring your own boots, you wear the muck boots to shore and then change – it’s not worth it, the muck boots are suitable for everything, and they have to be brushed and bleached before and after every landing. Mountaineering comes in different difficulty levels and it’s possible to do super basic ones, on a good day, ours was like a super pleasant snowshoe walk! The journey there and back is hard – at least 24 hours of flying, then two and a half days across the Drake passage that took out half the ship, including me. There’s a doctor on board who can give you medicine. I took Stugeron which didn’t help, patch was the only thing that prevented vomiting on the way back. Taxis in Argentina are no problem, at airports they have ushers for queues, and prices agreed before the journey. Dollars are widely accepted, and in places Euros as well, certainly on the ship. Aerolineas Argentinas is the only airline to Ushuaia, do be careful because they’re a lot more relaxed and they often change times and even which airport they’re landing on, Buenos Aires domestic or international. We had our destination airport changed both inbound and outbound. There are multiple flights a day, so if there’s space and your flight was delayed or changed, it’s worth asking if they can bump you to an earlier flight, they can do it. All in all, I could rave about this trip for hours, it was the most amazing place I’ve ever gone to, in a fantastic environment, with lovely people who really cared about giving me the best experience.

By Ivana from Brighton | 18 January 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Amazing Greenland

Icefjords and Remote Villages of East Greenland

I went on this trip in August 2023. I'd give it 6 stars if I could. It was pretty much the best trip I have ever been on with KE. The whole atmosphere of Greenland was utterly brilliant, stunning scenery and cultural insight. The trip was made even better by the suburb guide Einar Finnsson who has a commanding knowledge of Greenland and the Inuit. He was also a people's person, very sociable and managed a somewhat eclectic group very well. If creature comforts are your thing then this is not the trip for you. I shall return to the Arctic soon.

By Richard from Aboyne | 06 January 2024

★ ★ ★ ★

Great game and landscapes

Botswana Wildside Lodge Safari

This was a thoroughly enjoyable tour, highlighting the contrasting landscapes and wildlife of the Okavango, Moremi and Chobe. I've been on high end safaris and I'd say that this one, while cheaper, is a very good introduction to southern Africa, without unnecessary luxury. The local operators and their guides, are highly professional and experienced and attract clients from around the world. One of the things that made the tour fun was the multinational nature of the group, with everyo ne being Swiss, Swedish, Scottish or Australian.

The highlights were probably walking among game in the Okavango delta, the scenery and wildlife along the Khwai river and the Chobe river, the sunset water safari on the Chobe, Victoria Falls (even at their driest), the pre tour option of a guided tour of Soweto in Johannesburg, the evening dinner cruise on the Zambezi, and the good company of the group. People who did the options of the flight over the Okavango and high tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel thoroughly enjoyed those experiences too.

Worth noting though that there is normally a max of 2 single spaces on these tours. Also worth noting that you will spend a long time sitting in vehicles on long transit and game drives, but it's necessary and worth it for reaching the different areas and getting so close to the lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, crocs, etc, etc. We went at an odd and very hot time, late November and early December, so the Okavango was not a waterland, but we were lucky to have the good game viewing afforded by the dry vegetation, combined with the first green shoots of the rainy season and the first babies of the zebra, wildebeest, impala, etc before the tracks became difficult with mud. And finally, you will probably need much more sunblock and insect repellent than you think!

By Bob from Edinburgh | 06 January 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Great Egyptian Adventure

Family Egypt Adventure Holiday

This was a great trip - we were in a private group - family of 5. The itinerary is well organised with enough time to relax but also important sights fitted in. As adults we would have liked more time in Cairo but our teenagers probably found 24 hours enough. Wael was an excellent guide - very professional and we did not get hassled - he always went the extra mile and made good use of time so we saw sights but relaxed, with only two early starts. He thought ahead - e.g. arranged right rooms or late check out on first day so we could relax before train. Drivers also good (although generally Cairo driving is hair raising). Overnight train from Cairo to Aswan quite fun and food & toilets fine. Enjoyed felucca trip in Aswan and you can hike up hill from boat but might get asked to pay to see tombs - we wished we had been brave enough to walk to top. We were lucky because sights (especially Pyramids and Valley of Kings) were not busy. The hotels were good - very nice in Cairo by Nile, in Aswan hotel had garden and pleasant pool by Nile, in Luxor (1 night) comfortable but impersonal, Hurghada resort very pleasant with surprisingly good snorkelling off the beach and good windsurf rental & tennis courts available. Good snorkelling trip and time to relax. Would love to return and professional company arranges itinerary - kayaking, camel trip and cycling exceeded expectations even though cycling is fairly short spin.

By Clare from Kent | 03 January 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Fabulous family adventure in Northern India

Tigers and Temples of Rajasthan - Family India

Our December 23 trip to India was an experience that we will remember forever. 10 nights, 7 hotels, temples, palaces, culture, fantastic food, friendly people and the best tour leader and driver. We packed in so much but it felt well organised and smooth.
Would highly recommend this trip to anyone wanting to see Northern India.

By Derek from Bishops Stortford | 02 January 2024

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

New adventure every day

Everest Base Camp Trek

Awesome trip, hotel, flight and guide and porter. Exceeded all expectations from views to avalanches and experiencing a new way of life. Highly recommended

By Jarred from Whitehaven | 12 December 2023

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Expertly led trek through stunning landscapes on quiet trails

Hidden Valleys of Naar and Phu

As an experienced trekker in Nepal I wanted to get away from the ever-growing noisy crowds found on the popular trekking routes, so I chose the Naar and Phu trek – it didn’t disappoint. Above all else, full praise to Dinesh Rai our guide for taking such good care of our small group, he led and organised perfectly throughout the trip, even making changes to the itinerary we requested – more on that later. Thank you Dinesh, Pream and the porters for everything. The first two days on the Anna purna Road (sorry Circuit) weren’t that interesting for any of the group as we’d all been that way before, and competing with jeeps and motorbikes soon loses its appeal. However it’s necessary for acclimatisation, and once you leave Koto and head into the Naar Phu Valley, you are immediately plunged into wonderful quiet forest in a deep gorge. Our first night in the Naar Phu Valley was supposed to be camping in the forest, but with only four of us we were able to stop in the rooms attached to a little lodge at the campsite. Over the next few days you climb up the valley, away from the forest into pine and juniper as you reach the incredible canyon that leads to Phu. This valley is one of the highlights of the trek, we ran out of superlatives as we followed the ledge-path along the valley side, the rock canyon walls towering over us and down to the river below. It was just stunning. You eventually climb to Phu Gate and then on to the village itself. We were very lucky to discover a ceremony going on at the old monastery, and we were invited in to witness the monks and locals taking part, and we were warmly welcomed and took part as offerings were made to the congregation, a very special moment. Leaving Phu you get to experience the canyon again as you head back down the valley, and over a couple of days you then climb up to Naar. I have to say, the quality of the lodges was better than I expected. The rooms could be small at times, but the beds were comfortable and the evening food was always good. Three of the lodges in the Naar Phu area advertised Wi-Fi, but sadly they were all broken, so don’t plan on relying on any Wi-Fi away from the Annapurna Circuit part of the trek. Leaving Naar village you climb to the camp site at 4,600m. This was a cold night, -10 in the tent, but mattresses are provided, so no need for the thermarest mat listed in the trek notes, our guide told us this before we left Kathmandu, so at least we didn’t have to find room in our kit bags for them. The evening meal cooked by Pream and the team was fabulous, we didn’t know how he managed it. Next morning was up and over the pass, a long, slow plod up over the pass, but with stunning views of the mountains as you climb. We were lucky again, a herd of yaks were being driven over the pass, so we had close up views of the men on horseback moving them up through the snow. Yes, we had snow on the pass which made the climb more fun and picturesque. Some people opted to use the boot spikes provided, but I was happy to just get my poles out for stability. The Kang La itself is a narrow ridge, there isn’t a lot of space so it’s a good job it’s not very busy like the Thorong La can get. The view you get as you come over the pass is amazing, Annapurna II appears head-on over the ridge between the snow and prayer flags, it’s a breath-taking moment. There’s a cup of hot juice and a rest on the pass before you start the long descent to Ngawal on steep scree. It’s a long day, but the lodge we ended up in at Ngawal was very comfortable. And that’s the quiet, wonderful part of the trek over, you’re now back on the Annapurna Road, even Ngawal has a road now. This is where we asked to change the end of the trek. The drive in had been a long, bumpy day, with the 6 hour or so drive from Kathmandu followed by the 2 hour jeep ride to Jagat, so no one was looking forward to an even longer jeep and bus journey home on the last day or the two long days walking on the Annapurna Road. So, we asked Dinesh to change the end of the trek as follows… instead of walking the last long day from Koto to Tal, we instead drove by jeep from Koto to Besisahar where we stopped the night in a hotel. This meant our drive back to Kathmandu was much more manageable with only the 6 hour road section to do, meaning we got back to Kathmandu for a late lunch. This decision proved to be a really good one, not just for the split driving days and reduced time walking on the Annapurna Road, but the last two walking days are very long. The first of these days we still did, we left Ngawal at 7:40am, we didn’t stop for morning or afternoon tea, only a lunch stop and we still ran out of time, we had to be picked up along the road and jeeped to Koto as it was starting to go dark. The last two days walking are just too long, and to do the one we did without a tea break in the morning and afternoon made it feel more like a boot-camp than a walking holiday. I’ll point this out to KE in my review to them, but hopefully they can alter the end of this trek to make it more enjoyable. The time spent on the Annapurna Road is a necessary evil to get to and from the quiet trails of Naar and Phu, and it is worth it for sure. It’s beautiful, and I for one enjoyed the peace and stunning landscapes. The lodges used were certainly better than I expected, the food tasty and plentiful, and the local porters and guides exceptional. This was my first trek in Nepal where all the food was provided, I was a bit apprehensive about this because I like to choose what I eat, but I needn’t have worried, we still got to pick what we wanted from the usual lodge menus, rather than having the choice made for us.

By Mark from Worcester | 12 December 2023

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Lovin' the mountain huts

High Tatras Trekking - The Carpathian Mountains

I've come to trust K.E. for accurate descriptions, fair gradings & great itineraries - as well as good organisation & support. Same again then, in the High Tatras. Thank You. Mountains are rugged & beautiful, transfers not too long - relative to the time trekking. Mountain huts are a real highlight and a proper getaway from the 'white noise' of modern society ... one of the important reasons for me to go. Guide - 'Carlos' - gave us everything from geography lessons, to history, geology & horticulture, famous composers to pathetic jokes! A star attraction. (I bet he sleeps really well!) Only frustration was the knarly paths - especially on the Polish side. (I don't expect steps & carpet !!!) ... but, most of the paths were poorly made up of round, cobbled stones ranging from cricket ball-sized rubble to rocks the size of large pumpkins. It just made for uncomfortable walking/climbing some of the time and you spent too much time looking down at foot placement. ... imagine walking on a stony beach, slowly, barefoot. They're not going to re-lay them just for me (!!!), but be aware of this if you have dodgy ankles or knees. ... not a complaint, just a "heads-up". AND a suggestion for K.E. ... having more than one noble summit as an objective within a week-long trek would be better. We lost our Rysy summit day to awful weather. Had our Guide not been able to suggest an early start to catch up the next day, we wouldn't have topped out for summit pictures and celebratory jelly babies anywhere. My star rating would be 4.5 if I could, but only because a little too much time was spent walking into the mountains on approach roads i,e, tarmac. (I think 'off-road' alternatives would have been possible). Very Good trip overall.

By Guy from nr Tenbury Wells | 12 December 2023

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Excellent

Everest Base Camp Trek

An excellent trip to Everest Base Camp. A slight delay at Ramchap which resulted in us missing our first day trek from Lukla to Pakding but we made up later on combining two short days into one. However we felt lucky considering the previous weeks delay’s which caused havoc to some trekkers plans. Our Trek onwards was flawless with excellent weather conditions. All this made more special thanks to our guide Pasang and his magnificent team of Ang ( Assistant Guide) and Porters Manila & Macendra. Pasang's attention to detail, local knowledge, care and professionalism was second to none. I have traveled far and wide around the world and Pasang and his team are the best I’ve ever had. Be prepared for basic accommodation in Gorak Shep near EBC. Our lodge was overcrowded, cold and restrooms sadly very un-hygienic compared to our previous lodgings. One other uncomfortable thing was that we sadly learnt that our Guides had to sleep outside in Tents in -15 weather conditions due to overcrowding in the accommodation, something that didn’t sit well with our group and find unacceptable. Our trek up Kala Pattar was a memorable one but be prepared for very cold temperatures if doing the sunrise trek (-15). Highly recommended Trek but room for improvement with regards to Guide and Porters accommodation standards. Sad to see the all inclusive Meal deal has been removed from 2024 dates onwards, this alone was a deal breaker for me when booking this trip. Paul Burgess.

By Paul from Arbroath | 12 December 2023