Safaris · HIKING & TREKKING
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 hiking & trekking tours worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Start at 7:20 am from Gros Islet for a 4.5-hour open-air 4x4 safari to Anse La Raye and Venus Estate Waterfall. Guides such as Lulu, Marley, Crystal, and Kelvin share island history and plant knowledge while you cross streams, sample fruit, and swim in natural pools.
“Great way to see the island and we were lucky to have Marley and Dee to entertain us along the way!!”
Walk 6 to 9 miles around Howth with guides such as Shane, Zack, Dee, or Sean. Begin with scones, tea, and coffee, then follow cliff paths, heathland, beaches, and sea caves to Baily Lighthouse and Howth Summit.
“The guide Paul was excellent in his knowledge of the area and flexible in making sure I got the best hike for me. This Coastal Hike gave me a good insight into Ireland and some of it's people. I was truly impressed!”
Leave Rovaniemi for a four-hour ski trekking trip through the taiga. Your English-speaking guide, such as Atanas, Maca, Amy, or Aina, fits the route to your group, teaches beginners the basics, and serves hot drinks and a campfire snack.
“Activity was fun, it was amazing being in the middle of a snowy forest. Beautiful surroundings, guide was good and had a sausage in a little teepee around the fire. The skis were not like normal skis and hard to use. But overall had a good time.”
Spend an afternoon and evening with a private English-speaking guide such as Big Boy, June, Bom, or Chai. Trek Khao Sok, swim at a forest waterfall, help cook a Thai meal in bamboo, then search for snakes, scorpions, monkeys, and other night creatures.
“Our guide 'Big Boy' was incredible fun, made us laugh the entire way there and back, he was incredible at finding animals and was a fantastic cook”
Join a Spanish or English-speaking guide for a nine-hour Perito Moreno Glacier outing from El Calafate. You will cross Lago Rico by boat, walk through forest and rocky ground to the ice, then spend two hours at the glacier catwalks. Guides may include Alexa, Diego, Leandro, Victoria, or Camilla.
“we absolutely loved this tour. we had just the right amount of time at every stop. at the glacier the guides leandro and diego showed us which path we should take to see the north side of the glacier. on the boat ride we could gape at the north side of the glacier. for the trekking next to the glacier we even got more guides for our group so everybody was safe. we got more from the tour than we could ever imagine. 10 / 10 would recommend.”
Travel by private 4x4 from Entebbe or Kampala to Bwindi, meet local guides and trackers, and spend a full day seeking mountain gorillas. The package includes a gorilla permit, two nights of lodging, meals, a Batwa community visit, and a canoe ride on Lake Bunyonyi. Guide assignments vary, with Hudson, Joyous, Benjamin, and Richard among the guides praised for their care and driving.
“We had a great time getting to and experiencing the Gorillas. Hudson our guide was amazing and had confidence in his driving and getting us to our destinations. He was very helpful with organising a great porter and we were very lucky to have a great guide to take us to Gorillas. What I once in lifetime experience.”
Meet your Norwegian or English-speaking guide at Hjerkinn, then hike 6 to 15 km through Dovrefjell National Park in search of wild musk ox. Guides such as Kim and Uwe explain animal behavior, reindeer, and local culture. A telescope helps you watch from the required 200-meter distance.
“Kim was a great guide, the size of the group was good and I felt like we were in very capable hands. And of course we saw some muskus oxen!”
Travel privately from Entebbe through Zziwa, Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi, and Lake Bunyonyi. You will track rhinos, chimps, and gorillas, take two boat trips, and travel with an English-speaking guide such as Derrick or Benon.
“The most amazing thing I have done in my life!! Wow, I cannot recommend this trip and tour guide enough. Every day on this trip was magical, seeing things I have only ever dreamed of seeing with my own eyes. A huge thank you to Derrick wRead more”
Walk 10 to 15 km across Howth’s heathlands, cliffs, beaches, and coves with local guides such as Shane, Isaac, or Dee. Expect uneven ground, strong sea views, local stories, a scone and tea welcome, and a free photo video after the hike.
“We had such a great time at this 4-5 hours hiking tour! Our guide Conor was very enthusiastic about the scenery and was very up to date about the area. He made it feel comfortable and he was very funny. It felt like a family trip. When we would visit Howth in the future we would definitely do this tour again!”
Travel privately from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya Lion Rock and Minneriya or Kaudulla National Park. Climb past frescoes and the Mirror Wall, then spend four hours in a safari jeep searching for elephants. Kumaran is one named guide associated with the experience. Lunch can be arranged.
“It was a great day and Kumaran was great at showing us the nearby sights and attractions. We didn't get to see Minneriya national park on the day, so went to Kaudulla park instead which was still great, and he took good care on the trip!”
Start with a three-hour visit to Sigiriya Lion Rock, then stop for lunch before a private 3 to 4-hour safari at Minneriya, Kaudulla, Gal Oya, or Hurulu Eco Park. Your driver and park guide handle transport and wildlife spotting, while entrance fees and meals are paid separately.
“We really enjoyed this activity. Climbing up to Sigiriya rock was an amazing experience and the views were incredible, with so much history. The queues can quickly gather, and it gets hot, so going early was ideal. This can be quite a tough climb, but there are stairs the whole way. There was a wait between activities where we had chance to do some other off tour bits, our guide and driver, Puncha was very flexible and accommodating, including stopping for a beverage before continuing the tour. However, the wait for Minneriya national park was well worth it as we were treated to herds of elephants, including several babies. It…”
Travel from Arusha to Materuni Waterfall, Chemka Hot Spring, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater with a private safari team. Expect a coffee tour, tented camping, meals, drinking water and a safari jeep with a roof. Guides named by the operator include Ezra, Michael, Mathew and Abuu.
“Everything was excellent. We saw a lot of animals. Places for sleep were great and food was pretty good.”
Join a small safari group of up to six people in a pop-up-roof jeep with a driver-guide and cook. You will visit Tarangire, spend two days around the Serengeti, descend Ngorongoro Crater, explore Lake Manyara, then hike to Materuni Waterfalls for a Chagga coffee experience.
“We were very lucky to have a great group of people joining us on the safari, the tour guides were nice and the views & spots were awesome. We managed to spot the Big Five :-) The price was great for the quality.”
Join an English-speaking guide for a seven-hour tuk-tuk trip from Ella through tea country to Lipton Seat. Walk estate paths, eat a picnic lunch, and visit Dambatenne Tea Factory before finishing in Haputale. Hotel pickup, entry fees, and lunch are included.
“Excellent experience despite heavy rain. Our guide did a wonderful job working around the cloud cover and rain, to create an interesting and fun tour”
Join guides such as Bob, Dallas, or Karlie for a six-hour, six-mile hike through Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley. You’ll use binoculars and a spotting scope to watch wildlife, follow bison trails, and enjoy a riverside picnic at 6,500 feet.
“Dallas, our guide was great. He set a pace that we all could follow. He checked in frequently to make sure we were all doing well. He was very knowledgeable about the park. He was very personable and even told a bad bison joke. I wouldn’t have explored Lamar valley on my own. But spending the day there with a guide was awesome.”
Dunes, game drives, camps or snow.
