Country Walkers, Inc.

Pros: The people are naturally friendly and the country is beautiful.
Cons: Terrible guide; self-centered, an extreme racist and did not care about the group.

This was an 11 day South Africa hiking and sight seeing tour, designed to provide experiences with Cape Town, coastal areas, mountains and game preserves. The trip was poorly planned. It was not possible to achieve the schedule that was promised. Parts of days and one entire day were cancelled. We were always late. The lodges and food were good to excellent.
Contrary to the tour brochure, there was almost no exposure to the culture and history of the country. This was partly a reflection of the guide.
The most serious problem with the tour was the guide. (See comments below.)
We would not recommend this tour to anyone. We would recommend a visit to South Africa to anyone and are looking forward to returning next year with a different tour company.

Pros: guides,accomedations, itinerary, dining
Cons: some hiking up the mountains were a little more strenuous than I expected.

This was a magical and wonderful tour. I am 50, my daughter 21, and we were both enchanted with the Ireland, our guides, Pol and Michael, and the Country Walkers. The ac commendations were first class, the guides true Renaissance men, the walks a little more strenuous that I was prepared for, but exhilarating just the same. The food was incredible. Country Walkers did such first rate job for us, I signed up for Quebec in June 2008, and Austria-Bavaria in Oct. 2008. The only thing is worry about is if the "moderate" agenda is too much for me...
Our fellow travelers were all pleasant, educated, wonderful people, and we fully enjoyed them. Kudos to this group.

Pros: the fun loving, knowledgeable guides, the camaraderie of our group and wonderful alfresco lunches
Cons: 3 star as opposed to 4 star accommodations

My husband & I took a walking tour of Tuscany with Country Walkers in October, 2006 and it more than exceeded our expectations. Our guides and fellow walkers were delightful. The alfresco lunches were great fun and delicious. I developed a stress fracture in my foot about 3 weeks prior to the trip,so I could only walk part of each day's trip and the guides were most accommodating, explaining each day what part of the trip they thought would be best. The van would pick me up late at the hotel so that I could meet up with the group or meet me after I had been walking and take me to the destination while others continued to walk. I was not the only one they accommodated in this way.

the hotels were better than average, but not 5 star. We did have trouble with street noise, but if you walk enough and drink enough wine....

Pros: The region is beautiful and best seen by boat. Guides are excellent and food delicious!
Cons: Walking is more limited due to boat travel to and from islands.

This 9 day tour included 7 nights aboard a traditional yacht and a one night hotel stay at a beautiful property just outside the old town of Dubrovnik. The tour featured knowledgeable guides, a fantastic crew aboard the boat and superb local cuisine (especially the meals prepared on the boat by our private chef). The private boat allowed for access to more remote parts of these pristine islands. Walks were more varied than I had expected--a nice surprise. They ranged from dirt hiking trail to strolls through cobblestone streets. One day was devoted to easy rafting down the Cetina River outside of Split. This was a highlight for me, and it followed with a traditional lunch at a former watermill turned restaurant. Local guides in Dubrovnik and Split were a plus. The group of travelers were very easy going, and everyone got along very well. The boat is definitely not a cruise ship, but it was true to the description in the materials; and the only time you really spend in the cabin is to sleep! I would recommend this tour for people who don't require cruise ship state rooms, and who seek a moderate amount of walking.

Pros: The above-board accommodations, food, and itinerary were good
Cons: unfortunately we also had to sleep and use the bathroom facilities

Recently we (husband and wife) took a week-long, very expensive sailing yacht trip with Country Walkers along the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia. Sounds great, and the area is very pretty, but our cabin accommodations were awful, something the company's promotional literature hadn't prepared us for. The shower was all but non-existent (a nozzle attached to the sink faucet, requiring us to soak the miniature bathroom any time we used the shower)and the bunk-size bed did not allow my husband to stretch his legs without sleeping diagonally. Nor could he stand up in the roomette without bumping his head on the low ceiling. All of this had been described by the company as "comfortable" accommodations, a description we regard as misleading in the circumstances. We will not travel with Country Walkers again.