We have taken many trips in our 60+ years to places across the United States, Canada, South America, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, and Europe. Our trip with Active Adventures to the Italian Lakes District and our extended visit in Italy has to be in our top three if not our favorite trip of all time! It was definitely Dolce Vita, the SWEET LIFE. The Italian Alps and the Lakes, the hikes and the paddling were certainly up to Active Adventure’s high standard. The beauty of the mountains and the Lakes and the invigorating way we experienced them were fantastic! The things that set this trip apart and put it over the top were the culture, food, and history of the region. Having the combination of Andy, our New Zealand guide, and Enrico, our native Italian, was awesome. Enrico helped us understand first-hand the Italian people and their way of life and gave us insights and access to more than we could imagine. It seemed everywhere we went, they all knew Enrico. The food experiences were unbelievable. The small size of our group and the relationship we built made it seem as if we were family and friends completing a once in a lifetime adventure. I can’t give enough kudos to Active Adventure these two guides for this marvellous experience.
My wife, Shanen, and I had a goal of running a marathon on all seven continents and our seventh took place on March 18, in Rotorua, NZ. So two days after completing our goal, we returned to Christchurch and met up with our guides, Hillary and Dan, along with our fellow travelers. As good fortune would have it we all clicked as a group and off we went.
For the remainder of our journey it was clear that both Hillary and Dan took great joy in what they do. Furthermore, and of great importance to us, they ensured meals had met our vegetarian and vegan needs. We were never made to feel our dietary needs were inconvenient to them and they were handled in such a way that all of us were able to enjoy our group meals.
The actual adventure was well planned out and the expectations of each day were always explained. Our group was one that started together, made sure all finished and enjoyed the adventure.
I had a great time with wonderful team members, guides and porters. I will remember this trip as one of the best and treasure the memories for long, long time.
This was a fantastic trip which was well planned with quality places to stay, eat, and view the wonders of Patagonia. The guides were all excellent and knowledgeable making the trip super informative. Other activities such as kayaking, glacier hike, and mountain biking added to the exploration of a very unique and diverse environment. The transportation from locations was very comfortable. The Patagonia of Chile and Argentina was stunning and the organization by Active Adventures created the perfect experience.
We didn't have the best weather on this trip, but Nick and Elder were able to bring out the best in all of us. Their energy was boundless, their cooking was superb, and their humor and good natures made every day a pleasure.