Rambling & Trekking

RAMBLING & TREKKING TOURS with the Groups Company appeal in a variety of ways. Some groups prefer the rigours of mountain walking, with the terrain a challenge. Others prefer the gentler terrain of meandering lanes and tracks. Some groups consist of experienced walkers who want to cover a significant distance each day; other groups may have less experience and prefer to cover shorter and less tiring itineraries. Our walking tours generally have vehicle back-up, or some similar method of transporting your luggage and coming to your aid if necessary. Some groups prefer to walk together, with a tour leader showing the way; others prefer to take off with a map and guide themselves to the next night stop to meet up with the rest of the group at the end of the day. You and your group choose which style of rambling tour you prefer.
 
We operate Rambling & trekking tours to the following destinations:-
Albania, Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, the Caribbean, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Greek islands, India, Italy, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, Pakistan, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, U.S.A., Vanuatu & Vietnam.
 
A typical day ...
After a leisurely breakfast the day’s ramble begins. The distance covered will have been decided by you at the planning stage of the holiday. Your group may have decided to walk together as a group, or to split up into twos or threes, equipped with a map and meet up at lunchtime. Much may depend on the country we are walking in, the terrain we are traversing, the experience of the group members and the weather conditions at the time. You may have a Tour Leader accompanying the group; you may have chosen to equip the group with maps and let them make their own way, as a self-guided walk, to the next stop.

Lunch – together or in twos or threes – may be a meal at a local restaurant, or just a simple picnic by the side of the track, bought by the group individually at a local market or laid out ready for you by our staff at a pre-arranged point.

The afternoon walk, like the morning ramble, may include a stop or two at points of interest along the way, before the group meet up at the day’s night stop. How late in the day you arrive will depend on the distance you have elected to walk that day. We will happily suggest this at the planning stage, but your input is vital.

Dinner will give a chance to talk about the day and perhaps discuss tomorrow’s ride.

Long or short walks, together or in twos or threes, picnic lunch or stop at a restaurant: the choice is yours.

Sample itineraries ...
The itineraries below are intended only to give an indication of what might be possible in a particular country, following an itinerary catering for a particular special interest.

No details of meals or accommodation are included in the itinerary as it would be your decision, at the planning stage, as to what is included. You would decide whether your tour included all meals, just Bed and Breakfast, or Bed and Breakfast plus some lunches or dinners at certain points on the itinerary. Similarly you would decide what standard of accommodation you wanted to use.

The itineraries detailed are deliberately short ones. It is intended to give a flavour, an outline, of an itinerary. If you have more time, then extra time can be built into each stop on the programme, and additional places of interest and overnight stops can be added. Lengthening the itinerary, to 10 days or two weeks, for example, and adding further night-stops will enrich your journey; shown below is just are brief skeletal itineraries as a basis for discussion and more detailed planning.

The price shown is an indicative price only. It is based upon the use of modest hotel accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis and assumes a group size in excess of sixteen paying participants. As you and your group determine much of the detail of the itinerary at the planning stage, the price for your itinerary may increase or decrease as a result.

Thailand – 8 days: -

1. Fly Bangkok.

2. Arrive Bangkok; tour of klongs.

3. Fly to Chiangmai; visit Doi Sutep.

4-6 Three day ramble through tribal villages; return Chiangmai.

7. Fly Bangkok; depart for London.

8. Arrive London.

Peru - 12 days: -

1. Fly Lima.

2. Arrive Lima, city tour.

3. Fly Cusco; day at leisure to acclimatise.

4.Visit Sacsayhuaman and Urubamba valley

5-9 Trek to Machu Picchu and return to Cusco.

10. Fly Lima.

11 Depart for UK.

12. Arrive London.

 
Tanzania (Kilimanjaro Marangu route) - 9 days: -

1. Fly Kilimanjiro. 

2. Arrive Kilimanjiro; transfer to Moshi.

3. Trek to  Mandara.

4. Trek to Horombo.

5. At Horombo.

6. Trek to Uhuru Peak. 7. Trek to Horombo.

8. Trek, and tranfer to Moshi.

9. Fly to UK.  The somewhat harder Machame route can also be arranged.
 

Spain - 4 days:  -

1. Fly Malaga; transfer to village accommodation. Short afternoon ramble.

2. Full day walk in Sierra Tejada mountains.

3. Full day walk in the mountains, or morning walk and afternoon at the coast. Or optional full day excursion to Granada.

4. Full day walk in the mountains; then transfer to Malaga for evening flight to UK.

Spain – 8 days: -

1. Fly Malaga, drive to Frigiliana.

2. Walks in the National Park.

3. Drive Bubion; afternoon ramble.

4.Ramble to Busquistar; return to Bubion.

5. Ramble then drive to Trevelez.

6. Ramble to Juviles; return to Trevelez.

7.Drive to Granada; city tour.

8. Fly London.

Spain – 8 days: - 

1. Fly Malaga, drive to Frigiliana.

2. Walks in the National Park.

3. Drive to Ronda.

4.Walks around Ronda.

5. Drive Grazalema; ramble in National Park.

6 and 7. Rambles in National Park.

8. Drive Malaga; fly London.

Spain - 8 days: -

1. Fly Malaga; transfer to village accommodation.

2. Half day walk to surrounding villages.

3. Full day walk in the Sierra Tejada mountains.

4.Half day walk in the mountains; afternoon visit caves and relax at the beach.

5. Full day walk or optional full day visit to Granada.

6. Full day walk in the mountains.

7. At leisure.

8. Transfer to Malaga for flight to UK.

.
Madagascar - 15 days: -

1. Fly Antananarivo ("Tana").

2. Arrive Tana; drive to Anjozorobe reserve.

3. At Anjozorobe reserve.

4. Drive to Antsirobe. Drive to Ambositra.

6. At Ambositra.

7. Drive to Ambalavao.

8. Drive to Andringitra; start trek.

9 and 10. Trek.

11. Drive to Anja.

12. At Anja.

13. Drive to Ifaty.

14. At Ifaty.

15. Fly to Tana; ddepart for UK.

16. Arrive UK.

Ethiopia - 14 days: -

1. Fly Addid Ababa.

2. Arrive Addis Ababa; city tour.

3. Drive to Kombolcha.

4 and 5. Drive to Lalibela.

6. In Lalibela; visit rock churches.

7.Drive to Gondar.

8. In Gondar.

9. Drive to Simien National Park.

10. Drive to Bahar Dar.

11. Visit Blue Nile Falls and Lake Tana; overnight Bahar Dar.

12. Fly Addis Ababa.

13. In Addis Ababa; depart for UK.

14. Arrive UK.

Romania – 9 days: -

1. Fly to Bucharest.

2. Morning city tour; afternoon drive to Sinaia.

3. Walking tour of town; afternoon cablecar to walk in Bucegi Mountains.

4. Drive to  Piatra Cruiului National Park; guided visit to the Park. Evening observation of brown bears.

5.Morning walk in Zarnesti Gorge; afternoon continue to Bran and Brasov.

6. Drive via Bucharest to Tulcea and the Danube Delta.

7. Explore Danube Delta.

8. Explore Danube Delta.

9. Drive to Bucharest; transfer to airport for flight to UK.

Albania - 8 days: -

1. Fly to Tirana; drive to Kruja.

2. Drive to Shkodra Lake.

3. Ferry through Drin Canyon to Dunishe.

4. Walk to Kukaj and continue to Dunishe.

5. transfer to Ragam; walk to Thethi.

6. At Thethi; local walks.

7. Walk to Boga; drive to Tirana.

8. Fly to UK.ulgaria 8 days

Bulgaria – 4 days: -

1. Fly to Sofia; drive to Bansko.

2. Morning sightseeing tour in Bansko. Then 5 hour walk along the Demyanitsa River to Karantiyata. Return to Bansko.

3. Transfer to Vihren Hut and 5 hour walk among the Bunderishki Lakes.

4. Drive to Sofia; fly to UK.

Bulgaria  (snowshoeing) - 8 Days: -

1. Fly to Sofia; drive to Plovdiv.

2. Drive to Orehovo; walk to Persenk Hut.

3. Snowshoe to Grobite and The Bridges; transfer to Chepilare for overnight.

4. Drive and chairlift to Mechichal; trek to lunchstop then snowshoe to Smolianski Lakes. Overnight in Smolian.

5. Transfer then snowshoe to  Gela.

6.Snowshoeing near Trigad; overnight in Trigad.

7. Trek to Yagodina then drive to Devin for overnight.

8.Drive to Sofia for flight to UK.

Bulgaria - 8 days: -

1. Fly to Sofia; drive to Tigrad in Rodopi Mountains.

2. Visit Yagodina Cave; walk via Yagodina to Trigrad and then to trigrad Gorge.

3. Free day in Trigrad; optional bicycle hire for the day.

4. Trek to Vodni Pad and Kesten. Follow Trigradska River back to Trigrad.

5. Free day; optional visit to Devin, with time to swim in the mineral pools.

6. Trek via Chairski Lakes to Mougla. return to Trigrad.

7.Free day; optional horse-riding.

8. Drive to Sofia for flight to UK.