The Natural Adventure

12/02/2025

"We really loved our week's walking in the Rondane mountains. The lodges were simple but comfortable and the staff kind and friendly." - Sally from Spain

We’re over the moon with these photos and review from Sally, having trekked through a landscape where it feels as if every place holds a story. That’s why Rondane National Park inspired Ibsen, whose iconic play, Peer Gynt, was set amongst these magical and dramatic mountainscapes. Rondane National Park is the oldest national park in Norway, established in 1962 to protect its prolific and perfect mountain terrain that stretches for 963km2. As you can see in these photos, you can trek up past the snowline, past fissures and freezing falls, and just experience the wildness of Ibsen’s fairytale-like landscapes.

For more information, follow the link to this colossal trekking circuit: https://bit.ly/412l6Uj
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09/02/2025

"We really didn't know what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised, from the first night hearing the howling wolves we knew we were in for an adventure. We have done many treks over the years and the Balkans just felt different. The people from Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro were all very friendly and obliging, the accommodation varied from remote mountain huts to lovely guest houses and the food was plentiful. The walks were tough but hey you don't get the rewards and witness the beauty of high Alpine landscapes without the hard work. All in all, if you want a good challenge and experience varying cultures and landscapes I would recommend this walk. The tour operators were fantastic so a big thanks to them for making our amazing experience." Dn from Australia

Look at all that space! And those five-star happy faces too. Thanks to our Australian adventurers for a five-star fabulous review too. This Peaks of the Balkans Trail really is a gem, isn’t it? And they capture it so perfectly, following our self-guided, 11 day trekking tour across three countries along the 190km trail. It’s a colossal circuit through the natural heritage highlights (and highlands) of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. It’s one bonza Balkan beauty.

For more information, follow the link to the holiday: https://bit.ly/4grURLc
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07/02/2025

If you associate canaries with cages, think again, because our Canary Island trips are all about wilderness, freedom and adventures that let you soar high. They do, however, have the most glorious golden yellow glow, as these Spanish islands have some of the most sun-filled skies throughout the year. Having recently doubled our Canary collection, we’re chirping with excitement about our walking holidays throughout the archipelago. Where to start though? With so many beautiful babies in that nest of natural wonders, we’ve chosen our seven best hikes in the Canary Islands, some sub-tropical, others sheer volcanic. They are all day hikes that are part of longer walking holidays, but these ones are our highlights.
For more information, see our latest blog, here: https://bit.ly/42sLO9Q
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Explore our seven best hikes in the Canary Islands, to discover adventures that are all about wilderness, freedom and soaring high.

05/02/2025

"I did this tour solo and self-guided and found it a truly profound and special experience. The guidance and support was generally top-notch and the scenery truly beautiful. I felt I had a chance to get to know the soul of Crete on my walks. All the accommodation was comfortable and the Cretans friendly and helpful." - Amy from London

Not a selfie in sight, but plenty of soul searching and mindful moments from Amy, who travelled solo across Crete. And then kindly took time to share this epic five-star review and photos of a similarly epic journey. Apart from Amy, the main star of this tour is the White Mountains range, with trekking highlights including Imbros Sfakia and Aradena Gorges, as well as some of Crete’s most remote and stunning rambling terrain. With luggage transfers, and 24/7 support, be more like Amy. And make this your year for a Cretan adventure.

For more info, follow this link to the holiday: https://bit.ly/42EgHIo
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31/01/2025

"This was a magnificent trip, the scenery was way too beautiful to sum up, please don't hesitate and book it. The hotels were fine, some better than others but that's normal. Well done guys, great company." - Did and Deb from Brighton

This five-star review gives us a chance to shout loudly from our saddles about this three-country trail. Did and Deb cycled across the Alps and, judging from these photos, they turned what could be described as a triathlon into a fun-athon. Starting in Munich and finishing in Venice, they spent nine days cycling through Bavaria, along the River Isar into Austria as far as Innsbruck. This is the only point where they used a train to ease the pain, although you can use an e-bike to take the strain throughout. After this, they had the drama of the Dolomites before powering through to Venice and the Adriatic coast at Mestre.

To do like Did and Deb, follow this link: https://bit.ly/42n5ewK
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29/01/2025

"The Natural Adventure made it so easy!...we had a fabulous Tour du Mont Blanc experience organised by The Natural Adventure. From the start of our booking process and communications we were well informed. Communications were also timely. During the hike itself we did not need to contact them for anything as everything went smoothly and to plan. This included our luggage transfers, transfers of ourselves, accommodation and food. The accommodation they booked was great and we were well fed at each place. As first timers doing a hike of this magnitude we felt well supported by The Natural Adventure whilst doing our self-guided tour." - Lani from New Zealand

We’re feeling the love for Lani today, with one of our favourite five-star reviews of recent times. Not just for the fab photos but because of the fact that these first-time hikers on a significant long-distance trail, felt well supported and, as a result, had a fantastic Tour du Mont Blanc. Not all of our hikers are regular col conquerors or peak baggers, and our most important aim is to ensure that everyone, no matter what their experience is, can trust us. And when the likes of Lani takes time to tell us that they did exactly that, that’s sweet as.

For more info on the tour, follow this link: https://bit.ly/40rWxi3
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26/01/2025

"What an amazing week we had, loved every minute of it. Our guides David and Zoran kept us safe on our rides and couldn't do enough for us to make sure we had the best experience and the meals were great" - Kazmike from Sydney

We call these tours bike and boat holidays but, judging from these photos, they are bike, boat, beautiful sunsets, and buddies-galore holidays. Thanks Kazmike for your stunning photos and five-star review. Although we think that Croatia’s Dalmatian Islands should really get 101 stars for their inherent natural beauty, dotted throughout the archipelago. On these holidays, you pedal your way to paradise by day, and head back to your aqua-accommodation for nights under the Adriatic’s stars. And there are a lot more than five of those.

For more information on this bike and boat tour, follow this link: https://bit.ly/4jraIwj
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24/01/2025

Imagine having neighbours who owned a collection of lakes, forests and coastal paths, and they opened up all their gates and just let you roam free. This is a bit what cycling in the Baltic States is like. The countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are all neighbours and, when you go cycling there, you have access to some or all of these Baltic beauties in one pretty passage. Together they proffer a triumvirate of natural wonders, a perfect combination of contemporary and traditional culture, and an inherent sense of welcome.

If you don’t know them already, we have 10 good reasons to go cycling there and, for more details, see the blog at this link: https://bit.ly/40IyU60
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Cycling in the Baltic States is like having the gates opened to some of Europe’s most untouched natural beauties. Read more here.

22/01/2025

"We were really impressed with the organisation of the trip, the equipment we were given to help us navigate and the quality of all the accommodation and food arranged for us. Would highly recommend." - Phil from Nottingham

Thanks Phil for this five-star review of your Albanian hiking holiday and for these fab photos. We’re also really impressed with the fact that your walking companion wore their Sunderland AFC football jersey to the top of Albania’s Valbona Pass (1,811m) in the eponymous national park. They’re almost on the verge of upstaging the panoramic views over Theth and Valbona Valleys below. In fact, all of Phil’s photos are ‘back of the net’ moments, capturing the highs of the Accursed Mountains’ valleys and peak trails.

For more information on this tour, follow the link: https://bit.ly/3sudWtA
And more football jersey shots on tour, please folks.
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19/01/2025

Walking in the Azores takes you to an otherworldly archipelago of nine islands which are part of the Portuguese Republic, albeit 1,500km west of Lisbon and far out to sea. Both walkers and whales seek out this Atlantic wilderness haven in packs and pods. It’s clearly a magnet for magic, as you will find on the largest island, São Miguel, or hiking and hopping between Pico, São Jorge and Faial islands. Whichever Azorean adventure that you choose, you can hike to volcanic craters, caldeiras hot springs, ancient coastal trails and secret waterfalls. Home to UNESCO protected vineyards, there is no shortage of opportunities to toast all of this archipelago’s treats.

For more information, see our latest blog, Everything you need to know about walking in the Azores.
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Walking in the Azores takes you to an otherworldly archipelago of nine islands in the Atlantic. Go walking here all year round.

17/01/2025

"It was our third bike tour with The Natural Adventure, first time in the Czech Republic and we loved the Bohemian region with its forests, rock parks and castles. The tour was a mixture of forest trails, bike tracks, secondary roads with ascents and descents so no chance of getting bored. Overall it was a pleasant experience and I would recommend it for sure to others." - Ady from Bucharest

We’re delighted to get Ady’s five-star review of cycling in the Czech Republic (or Czechia) through the aptly named Bohemian Paradise UNESCO Global Geopark. We can shout from the top of the forest canopies that this unique landscape lives up to the name, but it’s only when customers kindly share their paradise photos that the good word spreads. Known locally as Český ráj, these are epic landscapes of naturally eroded sandstone rock towers peeking up over forest canopies, with waterfalls tumbling into vertical cracks in the rock and trails through rock labyrinths or ancient rock ‘cities’ (of which there are twelve). And for bike riding, they definitely rock.

To Czech it out, follow the not-so-labyrinthine trail to the tour page: https://bit.ly/4hslHUL
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15/01/2025

"We absolutely love nature and hiking, so for our 20th anniversary, we decided it was the best way to celebrate. The Natural Adventure team provided us with all the necessary support and information about accommodations, transportation, apps, and trails weeks before our departure. We appreciated staying in different accommodations every day, and the luggage transfer service was incredibly useful. Every part of the trail was absolutely beautiful and stunning. We encountered mountains, lakes, rivers, bridges, massive forests, green hills, and waterfalls along the way. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this trip and we are already looking forward to planning the next one." - AB from Oxford

We’re seeing big love for the L**hweg right now, as with this five-star review from our Oxford trekking enthusiasts. You can almost feel the love emanating from these photos, and we don’t mean just the landscapes, as this was a special anniversary adventure. No better place to capture an array of landscapes than the L**hweg either, a long-distance 125km trail following the L**h River through Austria and Germany. These folk did the short break version in six days, but they still got to immerse themselves and traverse the Arlberg Mountains, a landscape of waterfalls, winding woodland trails, alpine foothills and villages. And some top swimming spots too by the looks of things. Happy hiking anniversary to you both!

For more information, follow the link to this tour: https://bit.ly/3W8PwBg
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12/01/2025

"Beautiful walks every day. Loved the varied terrain and different types of hiking: mountain, village, forest. The Natural Adventure did a great job of selecting hotels and the logistics all worked beautifully. We will do more vacations like this -- fantastic!" - Aarosef from Brooklyn

Isn’t the Via Spluga splendid? We are always over the moon when our customers discover this spectacular long-distance trail between Switzerland and Italy. And when they send glorious reviews and photos like these, we’re excited to share. Still relatively unknown, this 70km trail takes you through the Central Alps from Thusis in Switzerland to Chiavanna in Italy, the highlight being the Splügen Pass (2,115m) in the Lepontine Alps. Trails like these ones in Aarosef’s photos create one of the most beautiful border crossings imaginable.

For Spluga in all its splendour, walk this way and find out more: https://bit.ly/46jHclt
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10/01/2025

If you’ve had the joyful experience of travelling in Italy with children, then you’ll know that Italians welcome you like long-lost cousins. It’s like having a bouncer just smile and let you into some exclusive club. If you aren’t travelling with children Italians are still welcoming, of course, but there are many ways in which you can ingratiate yourself quickly, by having an understanding of Italian culture and lifestyles. Here are our Italian team members’ top tips on avoiding cultural or social faux pas but also making the most out of your trip. When you do that, you’ll feel like a child in a sweet shop anyway, as there are so many treats in store.
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We are lucky to have insightful Italians on our team who’ve shared some of their insider intel and top tips for travelling in Italy.

08/01/2025

"Great scenery. All hotels very good… the app was really excellent. Detailed walk description each day and we could check our progress as we went, particularly any ascents! Good information about alpine huts with yummy lunches en route, so we could plan." - Fiona from Scotland

Thanks Fiona for sharing these three photos of her three-country walking holiday in Bavaria and the Tyrolean Alps, as well as her five-star review. Starting in the traditional Bavarian town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany, at the base of Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain, their week of walking took Fiona and her companion through idyllic Tyrolean towns and landscapes. This trip has beautiful moments throughout and, although you may see three different flags along the way, you won’t flag as you hike, as the spectacular scenery keeps you uplifted throughout. As does the traditional mountain spa town in Italy’s Merano, where the trip comes to a comforting close.

For more info, follow the link to this Tyrolenean trek: https://bit.ly/3W3pcIP
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05/01/2025

The United Nations has chosen 2025 to be the International Year of Cooperatives, giving global recognition to groups of people who practise community-led enterprises and initiatives. We have kept this ethos of cooperative and collaboration in mind when choosing many of our 25 best places to travel in 2025.

To explore them all, see our blog: https://bit.ly/4fFXfh1
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As 2025 is UN International Year of Cooperatives, we’re focusing on community-led tourism in our list of 25 best places to travel in 2025.

03/01/2025

"We thoroughly enjoyed our 12-day Peaks of the Balkans hiking experience, spending 3-4 days and nights in each of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. We were lucky with the weather throughout (only one wet and rainy day). The quality of the accommodation was excellent, even in very remote/rural areas, the attention of the hosts always warm and generous, and the food quality was excellent, often catering well for vegetarian food choices." - Emma from Geneva

Emma’s photos from the Peaks of the Balkans Trail, a 190km trek that traverses the Western Balkans, really do capture the feeling of freedom in nature that you get here. And given that Emma is from Geneva, she really knows her mountains, so this is fine praise! They took on two weeks of walking through the heritage highlights (and highlands) of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. In Emma’s photos, you see the colossal arch on Prosllopi Pass between Valbone and Cerem, as well as the last day’s magnificent trek through one of the craggiest parts of the Accursed Mountains between Vusanje and Theth. And, finally, one of several swimming spots along the way.

Find out more about these walks, as well as options to ascend Mt. Trekufiri, Hajla, Taljanka and Arapi along the way, at the link: https://bit.ly/40NIJ3c
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20/12/2024

"We loved our e-bike trip around Umbria. The booking system was easy, bikes and equipment of good quality, accommodation excellent and navigation app made it all very easy too. The Natural Adventure really excels at their communication with us to ensure we had the best experience." - Bangers from Raglan NZ

These are banging photos from Bangers in New Zealand. As well as their generous five-star review, they have captured all the clichés and shown them to be real, while cycling through Umbria in Italy. Sunflowers, sunsets and Assisi on a week of wine-filled wanderlust. Starting in Spello, in the heart of Umbria and finishing in Spoleto, a magnificent Roman and medieval hilltop town, this tour follows in the footsteps of Frances of Assisi, who may not have been on an e-bike, but will no doubt have received a similar warm, Umbrian welcome.

For more details, follow the link to this tour here: https://bit.ly/4fnuGFi
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