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Madeira walking holiday

COUNTRY:
Portugal
LOCATION:
Madeira
HOLIDAY TYPE:
Moderate walking holidays
DEPARTURES:
2012: 12 Feb, 19 Feb, 26 Feb, 4 Mar, 1 Apr, 8 Apr, 15 Apr, 22 Apr, 3 Jun, 26 Aug, 2 Sep, 9 Sep, 14 Oct, 21 Oct
PRICE:
From £736 - £880 (8 days) including UK flights
MORE INFO:
From £457 - £565 excluding flights. Single supplement £100.
VOUCHERS:
Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
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Madeira walking holiday

Madeira walking holiday

Small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.

How this holiday makes a difference

Madeira is a magical island, and the best way to see it is by foot! Our one-week trip aims to offer travelers the opportunity to get to know the lie of the land, without joining a bus-based package tour.

We use a local operator, family-run hotels and local restaurants that serve fine traditional cuisine (try the fantastic Madeira Wine and Madeira Cake!), which means that the money our groups bring remains within these small communities. Here, the rural island culture continues much as it has for centuries, and we spend as much time as possible out and about walking and learning more about this island's natural environment.

As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost.

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Story of the holiday provider

This small group operator is just celebrating its 30th year and its activity holidays are very popular. Arriving at a village by bike or on foot immediately fascinates the locals and offers you an opportunity to interact as well as being great exercise and allowing you to reach far flung areas. Activity holidays are a great way to escape, get some fresh air and take life at a slower pace, allowing time for thought and reflection. In completing an active holiday, there is an element of personal development and improvement which can really help travellers focus on doing things differently or better.

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Holiday provider no: 276

Madeira walking holiday

Madeira walking holiday

Reviewed 14 Nov 2011 by Miriam Hogan4 star rating

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


Sea kayaking and swimming with the turtle.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


You need to have a relative level of fitness.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


Yes, guide was local.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


Great. Problem though with monarch airline transfers, delay resulting on missing our connection back to Ireland.

Reviewed 13 Apr 2009 by Claire Fulford4 star rating

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


Just the views on the walks were amazing. Also the company of the other members of the groups was fantastic and the tour leader was excellent.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Take walking poles for the steep descents!

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


Yes stayed in various small hotels and used local mini markets and coffee shops/restaurants as much as possible. We all drank tap water as well which helps.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


Excellent.

Reviewed 12 Feb 2007 by Mary Davies3 star rating

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


The balcony walk - beautiful, interesting, fabulous views, challenging.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Take waterproofs and good pair of boots. Book later if you want to be sure of better weather, but early season meant we saw NO ONE on the walks, except occasionally near the beginning or end.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


Expected to have a local guide, providing local employment, but he was British. Had 2 local drivers. Obviously provided income at hotels, shops etc. Driving around not good for environment but guess walking is OK if you're careful.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


Walks were VERY well planned, giving great variety and insight into geography/geology of island. Disappointed in hotel accommodation which was adequate, clean etc but somewhat shabby, absolutely no outlook from rooms (6ft from another rooms window in one case so had to keep curtains closed.) Felt that for price paid it should have been better. Guide was very good. Group dynamics easy and pleasant but actually don't think this group holiday malarkey is for me! Weather was pretty shocking but that was just bad luck! Madeira is stunningly beautiful, Funchal very pretty, but the island more developed than I expected. So overall: ***
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Holiday Reviews

We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!

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Madeira walking holiday
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