Walk this way... Welcome to the brand new Walking & Hiking brochure – filled with worldwide walking inspiration, top tips for trekkers and of course, hikes you’ll love. Inside you’ll find adventure for all walks of life, from captivating coastal strolls to challenging mountain summits. These treks will reveal to you the heart and soul of a place – whether it’s becoming a part of a small mountain community for a short while, discovering for yourself the quiet trails the locals favour, or finally achieving that moment you’ve been craving – the iconic view, the perfect sunrise, standing triumphantly on the summit. It’s these moments which make your trek unforgettable. You could be following the Italian cliffs of Amalfi, fulfilling a lifetime’s ambition to trek through the cloud forest to Machu Picchu, or even scaling the mighty Mera Peak. It’s about finding the memories you’ll always treasure, that bring a smile to your face every time you recall that view, and that moment. The adventure begins here. It’s time to discover the best of the world on foot. Chloe Knott, Walking & Trekking Programme Manager For full holiday listings see from p42 WT INT-Front-end.indd 2 13/10/2016 15:44 3 CONTENTS 4 YOUR ADVENTURE, YOUR WAY: 97% Ways to travel 6 WHAT'S NEW? of our travellers would recommend New trips from Greenland to Colombia us to their friends 10 ASK THE EXPERTS FAQs, holiday extensions and grading guidance 12 THE HIGH LIFE 98% Awesome Alpine adventures 17 WALKING & WINE Raise a glass to these great grape escapes of our travellers think we design and 18 AFRICA: A NATURAL BEAUTY operate trips to benefit the local Africa's colourful plantlife community and environment 20 ISLAND HOPPING & COASTAL WALKS Idyllic islands and captivating coasts 4.7 out of 5 average trip rating based on the past 100 online 24 WALKING NEWS customer reviews New trips, trends and views 26 BACK ON THE MAP A welcome return to K2 in Pakistan 27 ANIMAL INSTINCTS Walking trips with a wildlife focus 28 ONE NIGHT IN: AN AMAZON LODGE Fall asleep to the sounds of the rainforest 29 SECRET SOUTH AMERICA Heading off track in the beautiful south 34 PEAK PRACTICE Different summits for all levels of trekker 36 NEPAL After the Earth shook 40 I DID THIS! One traveller's journey to Everest Base Camp 42 HOLIDAY LISTINGS Find all our walking & hiking adventures with essential information from page 42 Cover photograph: Cover photograph: Skogafoss Waterfall, Iceland, TSF p68 Main photograph: The Great Wall, China, TCW p94 WT INT-Front-end.indd 3 13/10/2016 15:45 4 Your Adventure, Your Way YOUR ADVENTURE, YOUR WAY We know how difficult it can be to find your perfect adventure. That’s why we offer a range of different ways to travel depending on what suits you. We’re flexible on how and when you travel, and even who you travel with – whether that’s with like-minded travellers on a group trip, or friends and family on a private tour… Guided Groups For those of you that are new to Exodus, guided group trips are our most popular type of holiday. Guided exploration, with a small group of like-minded travellers is how we began, and we’ve been doing it for over 40 years now. Our groups are normally between 8-16 people. This The Inside Story means our trips aren’t disruptive to the places we visit, SUE CLARKE, EXODUS TRAVELLER and having a smaller number of guests creates a good Sue Clarke has now taken at least six trips with group dynamic too. You’ll get to know a range of people us to destinations as diverse as Croatia and who come from different backgrounds but have a shared Tanzania: “There have been times when I’ve interest in travel. It also works out better value for money only been able to take a holiday at short notice, making it easier to jump onto a group trip than as the costs of the trip are spread across the group. arrange anything with friends or family. Apart And with a local expert on every adventure, you’ll from once, I didn’t know anyone else on the trip before the starting point. experience the true nature of your chosen destination. Our passionate and knowledgeable guides are famous for going the extra mile to make sure your holiday is "It’s a wonderful way to see varied the best it can possibly be! and interesting places in great company, with a really good combination of solo travellers, couples and friends" And I’ve kept in touch with people from all of them, mainly through Facebook. It’s always been good to see what trips they go on, and add them to the wish list! It’s also meant I’ve visited some amazing locations that I hadn’t been planning to see, and places that I wouldn’t have come across without local knowledge – beautiful views, or unusual restaurants and bars. On my trip to Petra, our brilliant guide took us on a back route over lots of rocks past Berber caves so that we came out on an outcrop of rocks overlooking the famous Treasury, rather than at ground level – giving us some great photo opportunities.”. exodustravels.com/guidedgroups Around half of our customers travel solo, booking onto small group trips with a mixture of couples, other solo travellers and groups of friends. It’s a great way to meet like-minded people who share the same passion for travel. And on Exodus guided groups you’ll never have to pay more because you’re booking by yourself. For full holiday listings see from p42 WT INT-Front-end.indd 4 13/10/2016 15:45 5 Self-Guided Adventures Rather than following a guide who points you in the right direction, the decisions are yours to make; based on personal interests and preferences and detailed route notes that offer you all the information you’ll need for your destination. Prefer to spend a lazy afternoon picnicking by a riverbank? With self-guided travel you set your own pace, which means there’s always time for that paddle in the sea, the detour to visit the nearby chateaux, that extra piece of cake at lunchtime! For those looking for a little more independence, self-guided travel provides the opportunity for you to explore things in your own way. And of course, we take care of your luggage making sure it’s transferred and ready for you at your next accommodation. Private Adventures The idea is simple: have your adventure tailored to suit you. We can offer most of our holidays as private adventures, perfect if you’d like to travel with a group of friends or family, or fellow club members. We can run these trips with a minimum of just two people travelling, but the more people who travel, the less it costs per person. All you need to do is let us know which trip you fancy, how many people are travelling, and when you’d like to go. And, of course, you still have all the same benefits of a guided group trip, including the all-important local guide and their invaluable knowledge of your destination. exodustravels.com/privateadventures Flexibility There’s a world of activity and adventure out there – and our trips are hand-crafted to showcase the best, wherever you’re headed. But what happens if you want to take a detour? Linger a little while longer? Sometimes, going from A to B via C really is the only way to travel. We can tailor your tour to fit you perfectly. for chatting to other trekkers - swapping Want to add a bit of beach time after that notes and sharing photos at the hotel of an challenging trek? Or fly home via Paris to visit evening. an old friend? No problem. “It was great to have one base. Our hotel On many group trips you can add extra nights in Dobbiaco had so much character and before or after your holiday. Our holidays come wonderful staff - when we got back from with flexibility built in. We can arrange for Go Your Own Way walking to have a relaxing and comfortable regional airport departures or even sort flight place to stay was very much appreciated!” upgrades to premium economy, business or SONIA JACKSON, EXODUS TRAVELLER Sonia says our Route Notes were a real first class. And on a private adventure almost "We really wanted to see the Dolomites out help, too: “They were very detailed. Even we every element can be tailored to suit your of the ski season. The walks looked fantastic couldn’t get lost! It was a real bonus having requirements. We can organise hotel upgrades, and so scenic, and not all that far from the the highlights of the trip mapped out for us, extra nights, stop overs, extensions and more. UK,” says Exodus Self-Guided customer, so we didn't feel like we missed anything,” Adventures come in all shapes and sizes – so Sonia Jackson. she says. speak to one our sales experts about flexible “I've been on guided tours with Exodus, And, going it alone meant they could take travel options and let’s make it personal. which are great, but we just wanted to try short-cuts, or even longer detours, when the To find out more, or to arrange your own something different this time,” she says. mood struck. “I’d definitely do another self- private adventure on a date to suit you, please Travelling with her husband, Sonia guided tour,” she says, “I loved the freedom ask your travel agent.