Africa holidays

Trip was excellent - 5/5 on all accounts. Mohammed arranged an excellent guide. We will definitely use Tourdust again and recommend you.

Luke Mallett reviewing 3 Day Atlas Valleys Trek

It was a great trip - 5/5 overall and one that I would recommend to everyone. One improvement you could make, would be not to use the Ankober hotel in Addis - it was very average! (Gondor hotel was very good and Mountain View was excellent - 20 mins walk from the churches which we didn't mind but truly the best view I have ever seen in a hotel)

We had a great time and would strongly recommend the trip.

sarah green reviewing Simien Mountains & Northern Highlights

The Atlas Valley Trek was an amazing experience. The scenery in the valleys is absolutely beautiful, and staying in the villages is a great cultural experience that gives you a feeling of the authentic and local way of living. The guide was very competent, and spoke very good english. And the cook prepared the best food. I have no hasitation to strongly recommend this trip to other travellers who like trekking and also want a local cultural experience.

Christine Toessebro reviewing 3 Day Atlas Valleys Trek

We did this trek during September 2011 and had a fantastic time. The transport to Imlil from Marrakesh was excellent and as described in the pre-trek info. We met with our guide Mohammed who was really helpful and knowledgeable. The camping out at night was a treat and the food was great... our muleteers really took care of us and nothing was too much trouble. The food was like eating in a good restaurant which is amazing considering that it is all cooked over one gas burner. We could really recommend this to anyone ~ the walking was hard at times but the scenery was fanstastic ~ well worth the stiff legs! Everything went to plan and the coordination of the trip was perfect. The whole tour was beyond our expectations. Will definitely be booking with Tourdust again.

Robert Bould reviewing 6 Day Toubkal Circuit

Overall tour was fantastic, our tour guide was really really friendly and made a big effort to ensure we got to see the key attractions on the road to the Sahara, very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The guides in the Sahara were equally good, overall a great experience and one of the best activities we did in Morocco.

warren gregson reviewing 3 Day Sahara Desert Tour to Erg Chebbi

Our Guide was first class on our trek, very knowledgeable and always open to questions and was especially open in terms of background to the villages, the people of Morocco as well as the history of where we were trekking. The food, and Chef who prepared our meals, were delightful as well. The food was always more than enough and in the circumstances (on the side of a mountain pass) was first class and fresh. It really made a difference to have the meals prepared fresh and they were always plentiful. We were worried about the Taxi due to Marrakesh being notoriously difficult to find any location due to the mazey streets but the Taxi picked us up from our hotel dropped us at our Trek, and vise versa, no problem at all, which was a relief and very welcome after 2 days trekking. As far as the the whole experience all we can say is that we both loved it and are planning to use Tourdust again in the near future. The service from the booking process, Taxi Driver, Guide, Cook and anyone else we encountered on our experience was second to none. I cannot recommend Tourdust highly enough.

I would just like to add though it might be nice if you add some info on the website about the villages. What I mean in that is we visited a family in a village that had very little but were kind enough to invite us into our home. We also encountered children in the village. Rather than handing out money like confetti we would of liked to have brought some simple items from home which may have been well received by the children, colouring books, pens or something as simple as balloons, playing cards or something of that nature. Something that is practical rather than tipping being the only currency. I realise that this might not be for all your consumers but as a side note I think it would of made a world of difference to us, we did feel slightly uneasy when visiting the village and the warm reception we recieved that we couldn't offer something back that would of been better than trying to tip someone.

Leighton Harvey-Smith reviewing Overnight Berber Valley Trek & Boutique Marrakech

A fantastic experience in a beautiful landscape; I loved staying in the
villages and mountain retreats. It was my first multi day trek.
However I'll defiantly be back for more. My only wish was that my trek
was longer!

Mustapha was my guide. I was delighted
with the service provided throughout the trek by Mustapha and the two
muleteers. Mustapha was great company, friendly and professional and
really enhanced my experience. The food was excellent and all transfers went like clockwork.

Andrew Hale reviewing Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent

Guide (Mohammad) was great, set a good pace, knew how much time to spend engaging with us and how much to leave us alone, friendly. Great guy - a mountain marathon runner with a slightly surprising array of card tricks.
Food was amazing and the chef really friendly. The trek overall was brilliant - I've recommended it to friends and family. Thanks for an amazing trip, and pass on our thanks to Mohamed and crew. He was there to welcome us at the end and was very friendly.

Jake Lomax reviewing Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent

My partner Luke and I enjoyed the trek immensely. Both Mohammed the guide and Mohammed the muleteer/cook were warm, hospitable, knowledgable and helpful.
Both were very well equipped to guide us through the 3 days. The food was nourishing and delicious! I looked forward ti every meal!
During the summit climb, there was still ice on the mountain and unfortunately I had forgotten my gloves….Mohammed was so kind as to lend me his gloves for as long as I required them.
The taxi transfers were fluid and we experienced no problems at all with the timings.
I would highly recommend this trek to anyone looking for a bit of challenge at a good pace.

Angela Santos reviewing Climb Mount Toubkal

Guide: Mustafa was an excellent guide
He was attentive and perceptive of the groups needs and abilities. He was interesting and knowledgeable in relation to the information he gave on the local area. His company was enjoyable without being intrusive.

Food: This was one of the highlights of the trip.
I was constantly amazed and delighted by what was served up in the most difficult locations. The cook was imaginative and his food was varied and plentiful.

Grand taxi: Efficient and punctual

Overall impression: Very satisfied with the trip and the way it was organised.
My weather could have been better as a 4 hour trek in relentless rain was not fun.

anne sherriff reviewing 6 Day Toubkal Circuit

Tour dust facilitated our tour of Ethiopia, which is an amazing country! It is a beautiful country with rich cultural varieties. The mountain trekking on Bale Mt was a great physical challenge, but with a great reward. We saw many different animals and birds that I had never seen (or heard of) before. The trip through Omo valley was like a trip back in time, a view of life before it was cluttered with the conveniences of technology. The tribes are advanced in their own rite, by surviving without modern conveniences, off of the land. Our tour guide, Minalu was very knowledgeable and gave us great insight and information about the tribes. There were people from many of the tribes who not only knew him as a tour guide, but as a friend of the family. This made the experience a more personal one for us. One definitely needs to be a bit adventurous to travel in Ethiopia, but the inconveniences are well worth it. Thanks so much! These are memories that will not soon be forgotten.

Mindy Unger reviewing Tribes of the Omo Valley

A trip that really challenged preconceptions. There was dust and rural poverty, of course, but breathtaking scenery, and people with a strong sense of a long, proud history. The altitude affects you, but you quickly learn to take things gently. I was amazed what fantastic food was produced in quite challenging conditions - although our guide clearly preferred his injera. I was prepared to endure the coffee ceremony with locals, but it was a real highlight. Local organisation was informal, but effective and friendly. Gondar has interesting history and is worth a day of anyone's time. (Disclaimer: Peter is an investor in Tourdust, travelled with Tourdust to the Simien Mountains in spring 2011)

peters reviewing Classic Simien Mountain Trek

We booked a hike in the simian mountains with tourdust because Danielle and I were on a very tight schedule with work and had no time for anything to fall through when we got there and also the big companies were very inflexible with their leaving dates.
Danielle actually didn’t read any of the emails I was forwarding her that Ben had sent us until a few weeks before we left to go to Kenya and then had a last minute freak out that I may have booked something dodgy over the internet. But she was very impressed by how thorough the tourdust emails were, especially their detailed advice on what to expect and what to bring, It was obvious that the people who run tourdust have done the walk themselves before and they give very sound advice.
The guide in Ethiopia was also very approachable by email and gave us advice, as we wondered whether the famine had affected the area and he was able to reassure us.
When we got to Ethiopia we met the man who runs the walks from Gondar and he gave us some last minute advice for the next morning and also we got to talk about diet as I am mostly vegetarian, which they could accommodate.
The next day we were picked up from the hotel and drove to the mountains. We met our guide there, and also the cook, cooks assistance, scout, and muleteers. You walk in the daytime with just a guide and a scout and the others beat you to the camp and set up! We did see some people walking with the minimum “support crew” which is just a scout (which you need to legally camp in the mountains- they have a machine gun to protect you, although it is not at all that dangerous, it’s mainly to give the local people some work.) those people did look a bit uncomfortable at night time because it does get cold and it is hard to organise your own camp food and fire! You would have to be more organised than us to do it independently. The staff were very friendly. The cook and the guide spoke excellent English and were very entertaining. They really looked after us and made sure that we were comfortable. The guide was careful with the pace to challenge but not exhaust us. I had never hiked at altitude before and was surprised at how puffy I was. The guide knew a lot about the birds and animals and geology of the mountains which was interesting. He also taught us some Amharic which was entertaining (especially our pronunciation!).
The food was good (it was faranji food)- cooked hot every night. It does have a lot of MSG in it- but maybe if you asked for that to be kept out earlier they wouldn’t put it in, I’m not sure. They certainly feed you enough (or too much!!). They set up a fire for you at night time, which is very welcome as it is cold!
All in all, the walk went very well. It is a beautiful area, especially at that time of year. You walk over fields of wild thyme and wildflowers, it smells and looks heavenly. And you have the sweeping panoramic vistas of the mountains of course. Photos don’t do it justice. You can see massive birds of prey circling the thermals underneath you. You are so high up that it feels a lot like what being a bird must feel like at times, except that you still have your feet on the ground! You walk through some of the smaller villages as you get to the end of the trek which is also very pleasant. You see some wildlife and a lot of domestic animals!
You camp at the same camp sites as the other faranji doing the hike. It’s very cold at night so bring warm sleeping things and coats!
I did get sick on this trek, though through no fault of the guides or staff! All the staff were absolutely lovely and very caring, making me special foods and drinks and setting up a place for me to lie in the shade. We had to stay a day extra at a camp site and they reorganised the whole trek around it- they provided us with some alternatives and we got to choose what we wanted to do.
All in all, I would recommend this trek booked with tourdust highly. Their local operator was a good one and we had a great trek! Tourdust was very supportive by email and I have trust in their advice. It’s very hard to book something over the internet as there is a big fear that you are throwing your money into the wind and will be left at the airport so to speak, or that you are booking something that will be frustrating and dodgy. In this trek they have chosen their local operator well. I would book another trek with them if I was similarly strapped for time. I would also recommend them to friends who were looking to trek.
The simian mountains are an absolutely beautiful relaxing experience and a great walk!

eb2906 reviewing 8 Day Simien Mountain & Lowlands Trek

We completed the 4 day version of the Classic Berber Villages and Toubkal Ascent at the end of October/start of November 2011. We booked as a couple and were joined by another solo male traveller who luckily we got on really well with, we all appreciated having someone else on the trip but also that it was a very small group.

Our driver picked us up at 9am from the door of our riad as promised, and we drove to meet our guide, muleteers and mules at the start of the route. They had already sorted some equipment we needed to borrow like sleeping bags (to avoid extra luggage on the plane) and drove the other guy to their shop in Imlil so he could borrow some other things.

It's an easyish hike on the first day, we had an amazing lunch on a grassy plateau with the first of many stunning views. The muleteers do an amazing job preparing a range of fresh foods for lunch and dinner and manage to present it beautifully. And let's not forget the constant supply of lovely tea!

We then hiked to the first village where we stayed in a local run gite which was comfortable enough.

We found the 2nd day's hiking hard. The first few hours hiking through villages was really interesting and colourful, followed by a harder uphill hike with the sun beating down on us to where we stopped for lunch. The hiking after lunch was thankfully much shorter to our refuge for the night. The refuge was a great little building with a waterfall right behind. The size and personalities of our group made for a really good atmosphere in places like this, it didn't matter that we were freezing cold and didn't speak the same language, some tea, food, music and card games made for fun evenings together! You tend to reach the place you're sleeping quite early in the day. I'd suggest cleaning up, sorting yourself out for the evening and wrapping up warm as soon as you arrive, and pack some stuff to do! Books, music and card games supplemented chatting to keep us entertained.

Day 3 has a fairly difficult uphill nicknamed '90 zigzags' but when you pause for breath and water the views behind are increasingly amazing. The walk to the 'base camp' refuge after is an easier gradient and we got there by lunch (like I said, lots of down time). This is a large refuge with many groups going to or returning from the summit and their guides. It may be different if there are groups you can get to know but with a language barrier we didn't really chat to the others and preferred the smaller refuge from the day before. Still, comfortable sleeping arrangements, and a nice lounge area.

On our summit day we set off after an early breakfast before 6 (in the dark) and got to see the sun rise over the mountains ahead as we climbed. People talked about 'the first bit being the hardest' before we left but there's not much change in gradient until the last 10 minutes! It took us 3 hours to reach the summit and we had to use crampons for about half because of quite deep snow that was frozen quite solid. The views from the top are stunning and totally worth it. We were up there for about half an hour and were lucky enough to meet only one other climber at the top. As soon as we started descending it seemed less real that we'd been there. Glad we've got pictures and videos to remind me!

After lunch at the refuge we walked all the way down to Imlil (on a different route to the way up) which was straightforward but looong, and we were weary by the time we reached the Imlil shop to settle up for the things we'd borrowed.

A car met us outside the shop and drove us to Marrakech without a problem, however when we got there it was clear that the driver did not know how to get us back to our riads, and actually became quite confrontational about it when we said we didn't want to be dropped on the wrong side of the medina. He was not a taxi like the car on our way out, we got the impression that he had been asked to take us because he was heading that way. Luckily we could use internet mobile to look up the number of our riad and one of the boys from there came out to meet us and direct him. It was a shame to sour the end of our experience with a bit of a shortcut gone wrong.

Overall, a brilliant experience. Our guide, Mohammed spoke excellent English, was very informative and was a great pacemaker. The muleteers Ibrahim and Mohammed did a great job, spoke little English but their personalities shone through. We took everything on Tourdust's suggested list but did not need water tablets as bottled water was readily available to but at least once per day. We would recommend plenty of light and warm layers and both had sports 'skin' long sleeved tops which proved invaluable. We struck very lucky with the weather (no rain) but had both hot and cold climates to dress for.

Overall, a 5 star unforgettable experience and good value for money.

Alex Nicholson reviewing Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent

We had a great time thanks, the guide was excellent as was the lunch in the mountains, really good.

The only downside was that unfortunately my wife, who'd been so keen and excited to go, got a stomach bug the Sunday night so wasn't able to come on the trip on Monday. A real shame but otherwise a big success.

mark naylon reviewing Boutique Marrakech Break, with one day in the Mountains

I would definitely recommend this to other travellers.


This trek was the highlight of our trip to Marrakech and couldn't have run smoother.
The pick up from our hotel was on time and the driver was fantastic, making up feel very confident and safe in his driving, along with giving great information about what we were seeing along the way into the Mountains.
Once we arrived our guide was waiting for us and after a chat about how long we wanted to trek for we set off. Again very informative explaining things along the way.
On descent we stopped at the Berber village Imlil and had lunch at the family-run guesthouse Dar Adrar, which was the most delicious food we had eaten during our stay in Marrakech and the greeting and hospitality fantastic.
Afterwards feeling well fed and tired we were driven back to our hotel again by our very competent driver.

I couldn't recommend this trek enough as a little taster and will definitely be going back to take on the longer trek through the Atlas Mountains and Sahara.
Thanks Tourdust!

Emma Reed reviewing Boutique Marrakech Break, with one day in the Mountains

The 5day Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent was the highlight of our 2wk trip in Morocco. The guide and cook were both very friendly, respectful, and informative. The food was amazing - we wanted to take Rashid home with us! It was very pleasant walking through the villages, with the days getting progressively harder - a perfect build-up to the final 2days of great ascents. Climbing Toubkal was extremely rewarding, meeting various lovely people on that final day. We highly recommend this trek to others, and for those who have already booked it, additional advice would be to take a pack of cards and interesting books because there's so much relaxing time at the end of each day of trekking! Thank-you Tourdust & Thank-You Abdulla & Rashid!!!

Alanna reviewing Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent

The trip was better than we could have hoped for. Dan & I are UK Mountain Leaders, so we weren't sure how necessary a guide was. The answer was very. Abdul was knowledgable about geology, plants and animals, but the discussions we had about middle eastern politics and religion were the most revealing. We could have done this trip on our own and spent a little less money, but the company and the food (amazing - not a ration pack or supernoodle in sight) made us glad that we had chosen to book through Tourdust.

Chris Billington reviewing Climb Mount Toubkal

We had a wonderful trip - highlight of 2011! Everything ran like clockwork, the care and attention from the team was first class. The trekking was fantastic - challenging but just enough so. I don't think we would have changed a thing. Thank you

RachaelErskine reviewing Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent

we had a great time, all of the people we worked with were great, everything went pretty smooth.

A couple of bits which may help you when booking this for others:-

- Day one of the trekking we arrived with not enough water, believing that they would already have it for us to buy, luckily one of the guys had his car and drove off and got us some.
- Food was traditional and excellent!
- At the surf place due to Ramadan we couldn't stay at the centre but was placed in a hotel 200 yards away which had no electricity!! however living including showering by candle light was fab, we played cards, chess and read a lot of books which was great for the kids and i would sell this!!
- There was some confusion over the use of the surf boards outside of the lessons, they were very good about it but insisted that one of them was present at all times. This felt like we added a lot of pressure on them and as such rarely did it, partly because it was Ramadan and in the afternoons when we wanted to go out they were sleeping. To be honest we went to go out on 3 occasions and weren't able to. The team were great so i don't want you to go back and criticise but recognise that during Ramadan its far more complicated and if the equipment is to be used outside of the lessons that it has to fit in with them as well.

Ian Harbour reviewing Morocco Family Holiday: Trek & Surf

a great trip. Organisation was very simple and smooth, and the walk itself - through villages, along valleys and up to the summit of Toubkal was wonderful - altogether a great experience.

tom howes reviewing Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent

An excellent trip with a unique way to experience countries like Tanzania and Kenia.
Every day is different, with a different scenery, but also sufficient time to do the other holiday things like safari's and reading a book.

jacobus pepping reviewing Cycling in Kenya & Tanzania

We had a great time! We really appreciated that the trip was booked with a local tour operator, which we learned was one of the biggest and best in Kenya. Patrick was exceptionally helpful, and came to meet us 3 times to check in and make sure things were going well.

There was an unfortunate change to our flight to Lamu which happened 2 weeks before leaving, but were only told the morning of, and it meant waking early, somewhat unnecessarily, except that our flight was changed to the intl. airport instead, and it also meant stopping in another city on the way, which added time to our flight, and detracted from our time in Lamu.

Nevertheless, we had an amazing time, and are very pleased with the trip!

I would rate both customer service and our experience a 5. I would definitely recommend you to others, and am looking forward to saving up again so I can book my next trip.

Jaclyn Rubin reviewing 11 Day Mount Kenya Trek and Masai Mara Safari Combined

A tough but rewarding challenge with spectacular views of the Atlas Mountains with its many waterfalls and lush green valleys. Make sure you wear good walking boots for this hike, and carry poles for the descent from the peak.

Laura Page reviewing Climb Mount Toubkal

We have finally got back from Kenya. It was without question a holiday to remember.
Thank you for all your efforts; other than that slight glitch the Safari was incredible. I will be recommending you to any of my contacts that are planning to go to Africa.

Husain was an absolute treasure and I cant commend his commitment highly enough. The Landcruiser, was well worth the additional cost, despite breaking down less than an hour into the journey on the first day.

Once again, thank you for helping make this a truly unforgettable holiday.

Christopher Jones reviewing Amboseli and Tsavo East 4 Day Safari

Overall, I was really impressed with the trek and it was definitely the highlight of our trip to Morocco. We stayed in relatively isolated villages, saw few other travelers, interacted with Berbers, saw amazing challenging hiking around the valleys and up Mount Toubkhal. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wanted to do something that was definitely off the beaten track in Morocco.

Jenna Jadin reviewing Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent

We really enjoyed our trip. The driver arrived at the hotel on time. The
car was very clean and in good condition and most importantly he turned
out to be a very safe driver which is a must in the Atlas Mountains!

The guide once we arrived at the Atlas Mountain was also good and the
food that was prepared for our lunch was really tasty and fresh, a real
treat.

EsmeAllen reviewing Boutique Marrakech Break, with one day in the Mountains

Last week we returned from our trip to Morocco. Here's my story....

Originally we had booked the 6 day circuit of Mt Toubkal. On arrival, we met our guide and were informed that we were unable to do the circuit as the snow was too deep in places over the high passes and posed a problem for the mules. Luckily this didn’t come as a surprise as Tourdust had already informed us, during the booking process, that this could be a possibility (good services guys). So with an alternative route selected we set off..... Now I have to mention that my wife and I have done many trekking holidays, including Nepal a few times, Peru and Argentina. We have never booked through a tour agent, nor had a guide...However when we decided to go to the Atlas Mountains it was apparent that trying to trek alone would be "challenging" to say the least. Searching the internet for a possible tour company to book through we both agreed that large trekking groups were out of the question. Naturally, all the big names came up...prices were ridiculous and numbers were 12-16 per group...until we came across Tourdust. It seemed too good to be true..our own private guide and muleteer for a fraction of the cost ?
...back to the trip......
Our guide mentioned that another group of 4 would also be doing the same route as us, all with their own guide and muleteer. - we would meet them later on that day.
After a few hours walking we stopped for lunch and we had our first taste of the infamous Berber tea AKA Berber whiskey!..Tetleys eat your heart out!! The tea was amazing...but what was equally amazing was the food that was prepared by our muleteer, Mohammed. The guy is incredible. After a short nap under a walnut grove we set off for the afternoon leg of our first day. Our lodging in a Gite that night was basic but more than adequate, hot showers and comfortable mattresses made for a good night’s rest. I have to mention at this point, we met the group of 4 later that afternoon. *Sigh* Now I’m not sure if they had read anything regarding Morocco and suitable dress code, but the 2 woman had mini trekking skirts and crop tops on…along with a good portion of oversized muffin tops to go!...even I felt awkward and found myself staring at my feet alot!
As the trip progressed the group of 4 were a constant source of entertainment for the two of us and 3 basic rules should be adhered to at all times:
1) Always listen to the guide
2) Always keep up with the mule carrying the food
3) Never try outsmart your guide
Every village we stayed in, Lashon took us on a tour and it became clear that he was well known throughout the valleys. As a result we were lucky enough to be invited in to a locals house for tea with freshly made bread and local olive oil…mmmm….(not something you are likely to experience in a group of 16) Unfortunately my wife and I were unable to converse with the home owner other than some rudimentary hand gestures, so instead he turned on the TV and switched to an English Muslim channel and beamed from ear to ear. Very bizarre
On day 3 our lodging was at the base of a pass which crossed over to the Mt Toubkal refuge. We got word earlier that day that the lodge was experiencing a few roofing problems i.e. If it rained during the night we were in trouble. Luckily it did’nt rain and we had a wonderful evening with an open fire, scarlet sunset and a golden glow from the surrounding peaks..best of all we were the only ones there. (our group of 4 complained to the lodge owner about the plumbing at this point!!!) It has to said that the accommodation is basic throughout the trip, some better than others, but unlike other trekking holidays we’ve been on, you do get a hot shower at the end of each day.
Day 4 we said good-bye to Mohammed and his mule as the pass was too dangerous for the mule. We would meet up with them later that day as they took much longer alternative route around. The pass proved to be an interesting day…icy bare foot river crossings, hail, snow, rain and sunshine all in 6 hours. (our guide found it highly amusing that we paid money to do this)
The climb of Mt Toubkal on day 5 was perfect. Lashon insisted that we wear crampons for the ascent as practically the entire mountain was still covered in snow and ice. We saw many people trying to do the ascent without suitable footwear and all I can say is THANK YOU Lashon! We summited without incident and were greeted with the most incredible panoramic views of the High Atlas…a superb ending to an awesome trekking holiday.
If you are reading this review and are doing the same Google searches we did trying to find a Tour company. Look no further!..Even though Tourdust’s prices are well below the likes of Exodus for example…the personal experience we got from the local company (Mohammed Aztat Trekking Company) they use is first class. Our guide was safety conscious, never made a rash decision…our muleteer made sure that we were always fed and did an outstanding job catering in some fairly challenging places and best of all they were both very friendly and informative.
Right from the outset Tourdust has been fantastic, recommendations by Anna and Ben were spot-on and any complications that arose were swiftly dealt with and sorted out. It was a memorable holiday…So a big thank you Tourdust.
One recommendation that we have, is that a bag weight limit should be recommended/ imposed. (15kg max)

Andrew M

Andrew Matthews reviewing 6 Day Toubkal Circuit

i had a great experience and would rate it 5/5. The whole trip went very smoothly and i really enjoyed the trek and my guide and muleteer Hassan and Rasheed. The conditions were still quite bad on the mountain because of the late winter but i always felt safe. It was also great to meet lots of people from different backgrounds and nationalities at the refuge.

DanDelaney reviewing Climb Mount Toubkal

Very impressed with Tourdust right from enquiring about experiences to our departure. Always very helpful and efficient. We went on the cookery course in Marrakesh and recommend it to anyone of any skill level. The hotel was amazing with fantastic kitchen facilities and when we went to the spice market we were taken through all the herbs and spices and all there uses! A great experience all in all!

SallyStrudwick reviewing Cookery Course in Marrakech

My boyfriend and went to Morocco in March to enjoy the stunning scenery of the high atlas mountains. Ben helped us choose the most appropriate trek for our needs and the time of year (i.e. avoiding snowy paths). We starting in Imlill after an amazing night at the Dar Adrar hotel where we feasted on mint tea and biscuits on the roof top terrace before enjoying a open fire in our bedroom.

The next morning we left for our 3 day walk. Our guide Abdul was both knowledgeable and fun and paced the walk perfectly. The food was beyond our expectations as we were served fresh hot tagines on top of mountains and as much tea as we could take. The 3 day trip covered mountains, valleys, windy passes and picturesque villages and we were guided through each with expertise and patience (for our continual photo taking). We spent the evening playing football with the children in the village, demolishing yet more delicious tagines and taking in the spectacular scenery.

Throughout the trek we felt very well looked after and although the high Atlas mountains are a popular hiking destination, we still felt that we were walking through a land that time (and tourists) forgot. For this reason we would recommend low season - although bring a good sleeping bag and warm clothes, as what the mountains lack in tourists in the winter months, they make up for in sub zero temperatures at night!

Seamless logistics, professional guides, exceptional food and stunning scenery made this a trip to remember!

kirsty miller reviewing 3 Day Imlil and Ourika Valley Trek

We really can't speak highly enough of our holiday. You and Ben were a pleasure to deal with, knowledgeable, helpful with no pressure or hassle.

Our guide Mohamed and our muleateer Mohamed were a delight - solicitious but never intrusive. You seriously under sell the gourmet element of the trek - every meal was a feast, fabulously presented in wonderful settings. Mohamed Aktaz's house was great and chips a novel but welcome sight!

Some specific suggestions:

- add a water bottle to the kit list. We had tablets as a precaution but anticipated water being provided en-route.
- weather link from your site was helpful, we probably should have taken less "winter" kit on the back of this.
- the 1:50,000 map (Toubkal) from Stamford's was well worth having

Adrian really enjoyed the Toubkal summit - up and down in three hours despite a broken crampon!

AdrianBelton reviewing Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent

An exhilarating two day trek soaking up beautiful scenery in the High Atlas. The guide was excellent, spoke good English and very knowledgable. We had many laughs with him. The picnic up the mountain was a very happy moment... a freshly cooked tagine tastes so good in the mountain air. Highly recommended

YoTakatsuki reviewing Overnight Berber Valley Trek & Boutique Marrakech

I'd give it a 5. Can't think of improvements. The experience itself was great and the guide/muleteer were both fantastic - friendly and generous guys who obviously knew what they were doing. It was the best experience of my holiday there - both the agency and the guides themselves were helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. So much of the trip exceeded my expectations and I wouldn't hesitate to book again.

Marcus Perry reviewing Overnight Berber Valley Trek & Boutique Marrakech

As you predicted, we didn't have one drop of rain and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and already recommended it to our friends.

So to rate your customer service, it must be 5, and our experience of this trip's rating is also 5.

Thanks again and keep up the good work.

William He reviewing Boutique Marrakech Break, with one day in the Mountains

Overall we had a fantastic time doing the Mt Toubkal trek. The climb is casual (no climbing gear/ropes required) however it is not for the light hearted. It was fairly heavy going, very long uphill walks for 4-5 hours on loose rocks and snow. If you aren't used to trekking then you may find this difficult. Altitude sickness is a definite possibility and sore legs are almost guaranteed. The accommodation is very basic and not very pleasant (cold water, dirty, too many people in each room so no sleep at all). The ascent to the summit is tough, very steep, and difficult in the snow. The reward is amazing views, the summit of Jebel Toubkal was excellent and we had an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction and achievement. Our guide was very experienced, helpful and we would recommend him to anyone.

Darren Isbell reviewing Climb Mount Toubkal

We had a wonderful and rewarding time in the Atlas Mountains. We loved the flexibility of the route and pace, which was possible because we had the guide to ourselves. This is definitely something Tour Dust has above the rest. Ali the cook and his trusty mule were also a bonus!

CLARE MACDONALD reviewing Overnight Berber Valley Trek & Boutique Marrakech

Clare and I had a fantastic break in morocco. The trek was a real highlight.

Andrew Larter reviewing Climb Mount Toubkal

I would definitely recommend this trip to other travellers.
Everything ran like clockwork. Mohammed met us at the airport and took us to our riad in Marrakech which was a lovely place right in the centre but quiet as a retreat. We loved sitting on the upstairs terrace chilling out and having cups of mint tea prepared by their lovely staff.

On the trek Mohammed picked us up at 9am and we were taken to the start were we met our guide Mohammed ,our cook Hammed and our Mule who we named Janet.
We spent a lovely 5 days trekking and were really looked after by Mohammed and Hammed. The food was amazing and nothing was too much trouble for them.
The climb up Toubkal was amazing. Lots of snow and beautiful views.

We met some lovely people in the villagers.
We will definitely like to return to climb some more peaks.

Kevin Dawes reviewing Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent

The trip was a huge hit... A massive success

The trekking was good... We were a bit out of shape but our guide was amazing. He just got it and was super knowledgeable. I really think he was the gem. We were cold at night even though we had terrific sleeping bags but that is part of the fun.

The people from the surf school were awesome. The accomodation was a wee bit to funky for us and the man moved us into a super duper cute little studio bedroom with terrace near the village. He was terrific even had everyone to his house for dinner one night and that was one of the best meals I ever had. The surf instructor was perfect.

I found tourdust online and I am sure after our amazing trip that they are a gift from heaven. In two days they created a personal trip for me and my 10 year old son. We wanted adventure,surfing and hiking and it was feb half term we had 5 days to travel...ben and anna could not have been cooler or more organised. We knew every detail of our trip and had an itinerary that met our individual needs and interests. We even had a hand drawn map where no map had existed before. Both harry and I were sorry that the rest of our family couldn’t be with us but feel that we lucked out with our wonderful adventure.

ElizabethWalker reviewing Morocco Family Holiday: Trek & Surf

we have just returned tonight from Morocco and would like you to know how much we enjoyed our Atlas Valley Trek. The guides were fantastic and we were very impressed with Atlas - they responded extremely well to a situation which unexpectedly presented itself : Nanette's leg was causing her some pain so our schedule was slightly altered to give a shorter trip on the 2nd day (the anticipated 6 hours of walking was actually more like 8 hours which in the circumstances would have been too much so the 6 hour day which was then provided was preferable).

Just to give you some feedback - the change of plan was in fact a benefit in other ways as we did spend a very cold night in an unheated shelter on our first night and the change meant that we had a delightful night in a guest house in Imlil instead of a second freezing night in unheated lodgings. It might be useful in future in terms of info you give out to your guests at this time of year - winter sleeping bags are required even for an indoor mountain stay as the mountain gites aren't heated although the guest house in Imlil was. We both had adequate sleeping bags but hadn't expected to be quite as cold as we were when we got into them!

Overall this was a great tip and we would definitely use your company again for booking similar holidays in other areas.

June reviewing Overnight Berber Valley Trek & Boutique Marrakech

Tourdust made the booking of our 2-day trek in Morocco extremely easy. I called them up first to ask a bit more about the trek that I wanted to do and what kind of equipment we should take with us. These were all answered very quickly and I even got some advice for other parts of our trip in Morocco. The trek itself went exactly as it should have done, we were picked up promptly from our Riad, the guide was extremely knowledgeable and very friendly and the walk itself was off the beaten track and we saw only 2 other travellers during the full two days which was excellent and made for the true walking experience we were looking for, nothing touristy at all - Thank you!

Rebecca Hardy reviewing Overnight Berber Valley Trek & Boutique Marrakech

Thoroughly enjoyed my half-day cookery course at Maison Arabe. I'd signed up because I thought it would be fun to learn a bit about Moroccan cooking, but it was a real bonus that it was held at Maison Arabe, which is a really beautiful place. We were 10 in the group altogether, so plenty of attention for everyone from our instructor, Mohammed. He first took us to a local spice shop and we were shown which were the spices most used in local cooking. Then we came back to the kitchen, which had been beautifully laid out, with individual utensils, aprons and ingredients. Cooked a truly magnificent chicken tagine with accompanying salads and then had the pleasure of eating it, served by the staff at Maison Arabe - great. And after all that, we got to take our tagine pot and recipe sheets away with us! A really enjoyable half day in Marrakech and a fun way of learning a bit about local food into the bargain - so glad I did it!

lizsweetman reviewing Cookery Course in Marrakech

The experience was very enjoyable. The climb was tough, but worth it.
The guide was very competent, albeit a little quiet. Fantastic experience, great views, well worth the trek to the top.

matrekker reviewing Climb Mount Toubkal

My thoughts on the trip was that it was over all an amazing experience. The Erg Chebbi trip was the most enjoyable part of our stay in Morocco, Im glad we booked it through yourself as everything ran smoothly and we feel we got an excellent service. We heard some bad experiences of similar trips but were a lot cheaper so I think you get what you pay for.

KateThorburn reviewing 3 Day Sahara Desert Tour to Erg Chebbi

We would highly recommend booking a trek with Tourdust. We had a tailor made 4 day trek with friendly, professional guides. It was fun and well organised with good accommodation and great food. Lots of great memories and stunning photos.

We had an amazing time, mohammed and loshum were both really helpful. took us into the village in the evenings to see the village celebrating eid, played football with the kids in the village. We felt safe. Food was excellent, had our own impromptu cookery course with mohammed. On the last day lucy went with loshum for a harder walk and I stayed with mohammed so catered to both levels of fitness

RuthCrook reviewing Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent

Trip to Erg Chebbi

What a really wonderful trip – many thanks to everyone involved in making it happen. Riding over dunes in the desert at sunset has to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, watching the sun going down behind the orange glowing sand and crescent shaped shadows. I found, to my great relief, that camels are actually quite cooperative animals – or maybe that was down to our guide, Zaieed, who led them patiently for an hour, until we reached our tent. Then a delicious tagine, cooked on the spot, followed by sleeping under the brightest moon and stars imaginable. To top it all, we set off (again guided by Zaieed) in the morning while it was still dark so that we could park our camels on the side of a dune so we could clamber up and watch the sun rise. Pure magic.
It was a long drive down to the desert from Marrakech, but we stopped off at some fascinating places along the way, and enjoyed getting a feel for Moroccan villages after the bright lights of Marrakech. And the drive was worth every minute for such a wonderful experience.

lizsweetman reviewing 3 Day Sahara Desert Tour to Erg Chebbi

Firstly, you guys at Tourdust- what can I say really?! perfect service, informative, timely, reasonably priced etc etc Can't fault you, thanks so much, i'm really glad we didn't leave it to our Riad to book or just risk someone selling tours on the side of the road when we got there! The few extra quid was very well spent.

Mohammed and Aztat Tours- we had 2 guides (just for Andy and I!) the whole time. Met us at our front door and dropped us off practically at the next front door. EXTREMELY sensitive to our wimpy British needs (always checking we were cool enough, had enough water, wanted to take pics, stop for lunch, loos etc) They couldn't have been more thoughtful, even moreso considering they were both without food and water all day because of Ramadan.

The tour was very comprehensive- mountains, gorges, the desert and other stops like fossil factories, film studios and various places of interest along the way. The dessert was an INCREDIBLE experience, the most bizarre silence i've ever experienced and I now know camels regurgitate their food and eat it as mine did this for the entire trip back (rather nice at 5am!)

Things that may be useful in terms of other clients doing the same tour and asking questions: we had no idea we would be travelling quite so far, so although the first and second day were fine and split up with visits and obviously a night in a hotel, the full journey back on the 3rd day was a marathon. I think we stopped twice for the loo and once for lunch in almost 12 hours because there was so far to go.

We also had no idea we'd be leaving our guides once we got on the camels, and trekking 4km to the camp. Our Berber 'host' there was amazing, the tagine the best we had the whole holiday and the 4 other guests a real nice bunch. But we then trekked back at 5am to see the sunrise. Again, a fab experience but we were in shock when we were told at camp we'd be getting up before 5am and going back on camels as 1- Camels are the most uncomfy beasts ever, and 2- We were absolutely knackered!

Also, the sleeping in the desert- we had packed a fleece and our toothbrushes along with wipes medication other items on the list etc. The torch was the most valuable item listed, we would have been lost without it! But anything other than maybe medication and wipes is pointless as there are NO facilities whatsoever, just a loo in a tent. We slept in our clothes and went back in them the next day, there's no point doing anything else really. It is a complete myth that it gets cold in the desert- it was a good 30 degrees all through the night with no wind whatsoever and the camp has thin mattresses and sheets to use if needed so no need for sleeping bag hire either, it was all just extra stuff to lug around. Our guide told us it very rarely gets cold in the desert and this is at the time of year when they move their camp out anyway so no-one would be staying there, doing tours etc

Elena reviewing 3 Day Sahara Desert Tour to Erg Chebbi

Yes I would highly recommend for those with a hardy sense of adventure - Toubkal climb itself is a little more challenging than maybe is made clear, and I am an experienced walker. Hostel was very basic, which is fine as long as travellers are aware from the outset. Need to remind travellers to take passport numbers for hostel registration - add to kit list. Also, tips are appreciated by guides/taxi drivers at end - it is part of African culture.

I have to say that our mountain guide was fantastic. He was friendly and very knowledgeable. The food prepared for us was excellent and substantial. We were really well looked after all of the time. The taxi service to/from Marrakech was very efficient. The arrangements went exactly as planned from start to finish, so we had nothing to worry about, other than ensuring we kept going on the climb. Watching the sun rise across the Atlas mountains was breathtaking, an experience that will last with us for some time.

Pierre reviewing Climb Mount Toubkal

Along the dirt tracks of Masiphumelele, we arrive at the bicycle shop, stocked with imported, second-hand bikes and operated by local residents. One of the first things I notice is a striking mural, which graces the walls of one of the containers. ‘This was painted by the children,’ our guide, Mzwamadoda Zwai explains proudly. ‘This was painted by the children?’ I gasp. In fact, all of these containers comprise an entire complex for the youth including; a sewing centre, a small church, an arts and crafts centre and the bicycle shop itself.

We are each handed sublime, old fashioned bikes with long, curved handle bars, which you have to pedal backwards to brake. After a rusty start (it’s been years since I’ve ridden a bike!), we are soon cycling through the streets of Masiphumelele, with nothing to separate us from the shacks, houses, dirt tracks and local people. I already feel part of the experience.

I don’t believe in God, but I’m smiling. I can’t help it

Our first stop is a Sunday church service and we can hear the rumble of gospel, beckoning from within. We take a seat at the back and observe throngs of people of all ages, in joyous song; dancing and clapping with such energy. When the church leader orders everybody to shake hands with, or hug the person next to them, we are no longer voyeurs, but have folded into this scene. The congregation are shaking us by the hand and offering a warm embrace. ‘I know you,’ one woman says to me, ‘You have a familiar face’. I don’t believe in God, but I’m smiling. I can’t help it. I glance around and the rest of the tour group are too.

If doctors can’t heal your ailments, an African traditional healer can

Our second stop in the township of Masiphumelele is the home of a sangoma (an African traditional healer). We cycle past a local shebeen – the music is pumping and loud, in stark contrast to the church from which we have just come. Off road, we dismount and our walk takes us through a myriad of dirt roads and small shacks. It’s raining heavily and large puddles block the majority of our paths. I’m wondering if these shacks suffer flooding when the rain hits. My thoughts are broken as we reach the home of the sangoma.

This is where you come if doctors can’t heal your ailments; be it physical, emotional or spiritual. We are sat on wooden benches around a low-lit, bare room. A woman sits in a corner with a drum whilst a young traditional healer emerges (the traditional healer’s daughter). ‘Welcome,’ she says. Welcome is also written in many different languages on the walls.

Mzwamadoda is teaching us some Xhosa words, but we struggle with the pronunciation. It doesn’t come naturally to us to make sounds with the back of the throat at the same time as vowel sounds. We simply don’t have the linguistic coordination. Mzwamadoda offers to translate my questions, as the sangoma doesn’t speak English.

She is wearing an intricate headdress with tassels, which she tells me takes a full day to make. Her ancestors spoke to her and told her to make the headdress in the colours of red, blue and white. It is these beads that let her know when someone is coming and, thanks to her ancestors, she already knows what is wrong with a person, before they tell her. The bells on her feet act as a drum, when she dances to evoke her ancestors. Although the role of traditional healer is largely inherent in her community, they have been known to share their art with other traditional healers. Beneath the costume and dancing, the piercing eyes of a wise woman peer out. I stare back at her, wondering what it must be like to possess such ability.

Masiphumelele: ‘We shall succeed’

Our third and final stop is Charlotte’s Place – a small, but cozy shack which she shares with her granddaughter, Tamika. We huddle in from the rain and sit in her living room, sipping on welcome cups of tea (a detox tea, grown in the Cederberg Mountains) and nibbling on delicious chunks of Vetkoek. Charlotte recalls her childhood – her mother was a domestic worker for an Israeli family in Tamboerskloof, so Charlotte grew up in a large house, dining on mussels and herring, and playing with children from a local boarding school. When the Israeli family left, they bought her family a house in Mitchell’s Plein to thank them for their hard work. Township life, in contrast, took a little getting used to for Charlotte.

Charlotte has been waiting for a house for a long time. She doesn’t work full time, which is what is required to qualify for housing, and her job as a tourist guide is seasonal. Despite this, she would never leave Masiphumelele, because she loves her community. It’s a community that shares, a community that toyi-toyi’s for better education for all and a community that campaigns to empower its women. In 2008, Masiphumelele was awarded the annual Reconciliation Award from the Institute of Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), in recognition of it’s efforts to live in peace with foreigners and resist violence. ‘Tamika is always asking ‘why?’ and ‘what?’’ exclaims Charlotte, ‘Perhaps she will become South Africa’s first female president.’

Before you think of typing ‘Xhosa customs’ into Wikipedia, or driving with your camera pressed against the glass of an air-conditioned bus, think of taking a bicycle tour of Noordhoek’s Masiphumelele instead. This great day tour is fully interactive and opens your eyes to age-old Xhosa customs and the township spirit of togetherness. It’s a unique opportunity to say: ‘I was there’.

Lisa Nevitt
Cape Town Magazine, 2010

CapeTownMagazine reviewing Township Tours by Bike

We're now back at home and I'm looking out at a rather wet Liverpool day, a great contrast from our marvellous few days in Cape Town. This is to thank you for being a wonderful guide for our trip to Stellenbosch and for enabling us to learn so much about South African wines in a short time - you've started us on a long journey, I think, and I've already got sawinesonline.co.uk saved in my favourites! I think you'll understand that Albie Koch was the stand out, although being able to tell the very good sommelier at the 12 Apostles that we'd met Jose Conde gave us more than a few brownie points! Can I also congratulate you on choosing Overture for our lunch? You'd obviously read us right from our e-mail correspondence, but how you managed to fix the weather is beyond us! This goes into our very best meals anywhere category, along with the breakfast on the shoreline of Lake Annecy and the dinner overlooking the Mediterranean at Eze, close to Monte Carlo. Exquisite combinations of setting, food and, of course, occasion.

You helped give Jill an introduction to South Africa that make us determined to return and see and learn more - thank you for this. We'll certainly recommend you to friends and would hope to make use of your services on another visit.

john reviewing Classic Cape Town wine tour

I had a wonderfully warm welcome in St Lucia. The volunteer house where I stayed was spacious and all the staff friendly and helpful. The food was also very good and the cook catered for all our needs. Being a more mature person, I was concerned whether there would be a range of ages amongst the volunteers and I was pleasantly surprised that there were people of all ages from different parts of the world.

I was one of three people on the photographic and conservation project and this started with a fantastic but intensive 3 days with a professional wildlife photographer who was inspiring and great fun. The programme was well organised and there was always plenty to do from game drives, bush walks, volunteering at the Crocodile centre, visiting the other projects in the local village such as the Creche and orphanage and of course editing all those photos. The area is fantastic with many different eco-systems from beautiful beaches, sand dunes, lake and wetland etc. I also enjoyed the conservation project in the local village and with the local High school where we helped the children create a garden and build a compost. The local people were very welcoming and very happy to have our support.

There were great opportunities for weekends away too and I went to Kosi Bay and saw turtles hatching and also to Mozambique swimming with dolphins, but you could also relax at the house and pool and explore St Lucia.

I had wished that I had not been a complete beginner in photography as I feel I would have gained much more from the 3 days with the photographer and on reflection I would have chosen to do a course or two before embarking on the trip. Also for me as a beginner it was a slight
frustration that there was only a limited amount of photographic support for the rest of the month.

Overall though I had a fantastic time, met some wonderful people, saw some amazing wildlife and took a some great photos. I would rate my experience at 4.5 out of 5.

Judy reviewing Wildlife Photography volunteering holiday in South Africa

We just got back from our overnight stay. It was excellent. We could not have asked for nicer accommodation and the staff are wonderful.

We were treated to walks with giraffes and really enjoyed the cheetahs. It was unbelievable and a memory of a life time.

Kristen reviewing Overnight Safari from Cape Town

I have one word to describe my Cooking experience: AMAZING! What a fantastic experience! I must say that Pamela went above and beyond what she was required to do as a tour guide. She allowed me to pay once I arrived into Cape Town, met my husband and I at our convenience and gave us a ride back to our hotel from the Pic-n-Pay at the waterfront so we wouldn't have to walk with our groceries! She is not only friendly, but extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what is going on with the black community in Cape Town/Langa. I did two cooking classes and wished that I did all our tours through them, as they are so personal. I cooked with Gamidah in her home in Bo-Kapp for a Cape Malay cooking experience, then two days later I accompanied Pamela to the District 6 Museum where she recounted the history of Apartheid, then drove out to Langa where I was warmly greeted by Eugene, the instructor! What passion he has as well and what an amazing grassroots movement Eziko Restaurant/School is doing. I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of helping this movement succeed and will therefore be writing letters to guide books such as Lonely Planet, Rick Steves and such. I also plan on posting a review on Trip Advisor so the word can get out as to the amazing service and experience Cape Fusion provides at such a reasonable cost! I am recommending it to all my friends who will be in Cape Town for the World Cup.

EmilyM reviewing African Cooking Class Cape Town

We very much enjoyed the Ben Bikes Township Tour. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable and helped us get a glimpse into life in the Masi township. Seeing the township by bike was a unique and intimate experience. We found the township tour to be an important part of our trip to South Africa to gain an understanding and appreciation for how much of the population lives in these communities. The visit to the healer, the local businesswoman, and a local restaurant was a great experience.

Tracy reviewing Township Tours by Bike

The tour was absolutely brilliant, it was just the 2 of us, and we had the opportunity to meet and discuss with many people working on community projects in the townships all around Cape town. The guide was very friendly and knowledgeable!

celine reviewing Township Tour in Cape Town - Cape Care Route

Mohamed is simply the best guide with whom I have walked in Morocco... (Conde Nast Traveller Magazine, Dec 2007)

CondeNastTraveller reviewing Climb Mount Toubkal

Mohamed Aztat, a fluent speaker of English, French, Berber and Spanish is equally at home taking a family group through the low level M'goun valleys or experienced trekkers and climbers up the steepest slopes.

LonelyPlanet reviewing Classic Berber Villages & Toubkal Ascent

There's plenty to see. Effectively a 364-mile (585km) long aquarium, Lake Malawi contains more fish species than Europe and America combined, many of which have evolved in Darwinian fashion according to local conditions around the specific groups of rocks they inhabit.

But you don't have to be a fish fanatic to appreciate the beauty of this place. Within a couple of hours of the minibus-with-earrings experience, the bows of my kayak were biting into the sand of what could have been an exclusive private island in the Seychelles, albeit with limpid fresh water and associated bird life.

My arrival was greeted from the trees by sea eagles that looked like demon headmasters. On a rock around the corner, a group of whitebreasted cormorants lined up to face the evening sun, their beaks open and wings wide, and wherever I walked on the island I seemed to be preceded by the same rainbow skink with a jauntily skew whiff blue tail.

Although the island of Mumbo is uninhabited, this was no hardship experience. A walkway of planks led out to an offshore islet which was home to a luxury tented camp in true upmarket safari style, with fresh Malawi coffee and home-made cinnamon biscuits waiting on the table.

Adamson, who introduced himself as an "island man", chided me gently for having pulled up my own kayak - he would do that - and added that ice had just arrived from the mainland to "chill the greens" - green- labelled bottles of Carlsberg.

Mumbo is one of two islands in the Lake Malawi National Park with camps run by Kayak Africa, a company set up by a group of thirtysomethings from South Africa who've managed to blend the ingenuity of man with the creativity of nature.

The tents are on wooden platforms overlooking the water; you can lie in your hammock in the moonlight, listening to wavelets beneath you.

Kayak Africa's concept is for an all-inclusive island exile, with your own canoe, snorkel equipment and dive gear, and if you don't have a PADI certificate (as I didn't), this is one of the cheapest places in the world to learn to dive.

You don't need to dive, though, to swim with the fish. The majority are ciclids, striped yellow or blue, and they are so unfazed by snorkellers that you could almost reach out and touch them. Many species have developed curious personal habits, which include playing dead, holding their offspring in their mouths, and reproducing in a way which would have Sir David Attenborough struggling for a non-salacious euphemism.

(The Times, London, 15 Feb 2003)

Times reviewing Kayak the deserted islands of Lake Malawi

As an inexperienced hiker I was worried that this would be too difficult for me. The experience was great, walking along the coast listening to whale song was fantastic! The guides were great, full of information about the native flora, and the barnecue was fantastic- almost as good as the sunset from the Cape! I recommend this to everyone! The hike was so much fun that my friend was hooked- he even gave up smoking (for the duration of the hike!) so that he could hike in the lead and see all the animals first!

PhilBer reviewing Overnight Cape Point Hike

A wonderful four days that far exceeded my expecations. Kevin is a great tour guide, good company, a great cook and everything was superbly organised. It was fantastic being able to tailor-make the trip in advance and I heartily recommend Afruka Eco Tours

stepcots reviewing Explore the Cederberg Wilderness Area

A fantastic 2 day hike through the varied landscape of the Cape with the outward and return journeys being entirely different. Magnificent sea views, wildlife, and the abundant flowering fynbos make for a unique experience and endless photo opportunities. Kevin's in depth knowledge and empathy with the area makes him an informative guide and great companion for the trip. We recommend it highly.

JohnT reviewing Overnight Cape Point Hike

First off, Kevin is one of the nicest people I met in Cape Town let alone in my life. A truly genuine and insightful person you can learn a lot from.. Not just about safaris and South Africa, but about geology, botany, engineering, politics, where to eat, where to stay, where/what car to rent, how to get to the airport, worth-while tours, red wine, white wine, other places to see, and the appreciation of nature and life!! Oh -- and then you get to the game reserve and see some of the most amazing animals on the planet.. An incredible experience, indeed! From the time you get picked up, to the time they drop you off at your hotel. Afruka tours and Kevin were some of the most accommodating and knowledgeable guides you could ask for.

jpd reviewing Overnight Safari from Cape Town

A great tour, very well organised with a really knowledgeable guide. The reserve is great and you'll get up close to lots of different animals with the benefit of an excellent park ranger. It's perfect if you only have a few days in Cape Town and I would definitely recommend Afruka tours if you are looking to do something a little bit different.

Mawgan reviewing Overnight Safari from Cape Town

I heard whale song as I walked among the coast through a trail set among the unique vegetation. At the coast I saw more whales than anywhere else, a mother and calf drifted slowly in the water. At the peninsula we watched a seal batter an octopus on the rocks then gobble it up.
The barbecue dinner at the hut was fantastic, even difficult vegetarians like me were catered for. The hot shower a welcome relief and the comfy cots a treat.
The next day we followed a family of ostrich (not intentionally) as they used the trail to make their journey.

Kevin makes a great guide, knows every inch of the cape and respects it. 10/10.

Dilbinder reviewing Overnight Cape Point Hike

It was an extraordinary experience in the beautiful and unique Cederberg area. We discovered not only the spectacular rock formations and Southern Africa San Rock painting art, but also a rich flora and wildlife. This is an amazing - and quite preserved - region, not so well known by foreign tourists, and at only 3h by car from Cape Town.
Last, by not least, our guide was just great !

Hélène, Olivier and Georges from Paris, France.

hbierne reviewing Explore the Cederberg Wilderness Area

Teniqua Treetops is magical. We stayed a couple of nights in Dec 07 and absolutely loved it. We overlooked a stunning pristine forested valley (even the bath overlooked the view!). So peaceful - birds and wildlife everywhere. Did some great hikes around the valley - we have some great photos of us looking very sweaty, lugging the little-uns up a steep path. tree-house was very well equipped, and the owners were really friendly. Couldn't recommend highly enough.

ben reviewing Treetop Lodges on the Garden Route