Reviews

Review 1

What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The gorillas. Quite simply a life highlight. I was breathless with awe AND in stitches laughing at the youngsters' accident-prone antics.

What did you think of your tour leader?

excellent. I admit initial surprise that the leaders (we had two in total) were local Africans, as I'm just so used to Brits/Aussies/global backpackers turned leaders....but it really added to my sense of security and entitlement to be there - I felt much safer and more comfortable rather than such a Western voyeur as if often the case

Do you feel your holiday benefited local people?

it certainly benefitted our leaders, cook & driver. It hugely benefitted the orphanage we visited.

Do you feel that you got under the skin of a country?

as much as one can in limited time and under pressure to cover the quite intense itinerary.

What advice would you give to other travellers?

budget generously for tips/donations, as it felt really good to be able to reward the excellent staff and contribute to the grassroots charities encountered (hence benefitting locals), where you could tell the money would be put to good use without waste. Bring a proper reusable water bottle and refill it from the truck tank (and if really keen some purification tablets of your own to supplement your water supply, like during city stops) rather than getting through/dumping dozens of plastic bottles with no proper local means of recycling them. (As an avid 'recyclist' in London, the lack of recycling was very troubling.) True, the treated water doesn't taste great initially but you honestly get used to it very quickly/soon don't notice, and it's perfectly good to drink. Saves significant petty cash too! Bring at least one warm item of clothing/hoody/decent sleeping bag for surprisingly cool nighttimes at relative altitude.

Reviewed by Sinead Cobbe who travelled in July 2010