CAMINO WOMEN REVIEWS

I ventured with 9 other women to Northern Laos recently. It was the first time this trip was organized with a mix of trekking days and cultural immersion experiences. It was a really wonderful experience. The guides, particularly Khone, who was with us the entire 11 days and the guides taking us through the jungle areas trekking were all extremely knowledgeable and looked after us so well. The home stays were great expect being off the grid for the time and living as the village families do. It was a privilege and highlight to do this. The families were welcoming and friendly and at the end of the home stays it was about the whole experience the average traveller will not get to do. I was at the older end of the age group but managed well and loved the challenges. Thank you Camino Women for this amazing opportunity to visit and immerse oneself in the beautiful country of Laos.

Northern Laos Trek November 23. A wonderful trip with a great group of women over 11 days. A little bit of 'everything' and all fun - from jungle trekking, village stays, hotel stays, local interest, crafts and food - . Every day was varied and full of interest and something new. I definitely recommend doing this if you're up for a bit of adventure.

I just experienced the Northern Laos trek, for eleven days, with 9 ladies from Australia and New Zealand, ranging in age from 18 to 74. I had a wonderful time, and am very happy that I made the decision to go, even though I didn't know anyone else. We had a great group! My highlights include: * Our guides! Mr Khone cared for us all the whole time, and Mr Tuey made me feel confident we were always heading in the right direction on our trekking days. They both communicated well and shared their stories and answered all our questions. * The food! Mostly arranged by Mr Khone, I loved the variety of dishes. * The village experiences! Both homestays were unique, and exceeded my expectations. The trekking part was a little bit more challenging than I had expected, but we all made it! The touring part gave me the opportunity to see more of the country that I would not normally expect to see, and learn more about the Lao, Khmer and Hmong people, plus take in the splendid landscapes and natural environment. Thanks go to Stevie and the Camino Women team, for putting together this opportunity to experience Laos!

The Peaks of the Balkans was an incredible trip. It was my first group tour and guided hike with a group of strangers. The scenery, culture, people and activities all exceeded my expectations. The guides were fabulous, taking the trip to the next level for me with their knowledge, sense of humour, passion for their country and ability to connect with us. The level of fitness required was not to be underestimated and combined with the heat it was challenging. However I still had the most amazing time and am so glad I took a leap of faith with Camino Women

Had a fantastic experience on the Camino Women trip to the Balkan Peaks. it was fun, professional, with all the details being so thoughtful and considered. Definitely want to book another trip!

Loved this walk from start to finish. We started with a good introduction to Mary MacKillop's life in The Mary MacKillop Centre in Melbourne and then more talks at Bayview College and the Portland Church (can't rember the name) in Portland before the walking started on the Great South West Track. The intro was a great way to see what Mary’s early life was like, it set the stage for the trip. The 1st walking day was sunshine but then we had quite a bit of rain, but that didn't detract - in fact it added to the atmosphere, big sky’s, sea, sand and surf of the Southern Ocean, wind turbines, whales, seals, kangaroos, so many birds and frogs, petrified rock, precarious lookouts. We new, diverse and dramatic landscapes at every turn while walking along the cliff tops of on the sourthern edge of Australia - brilliant views, did I already say that! A bit of beach walking was a bit softer than I would like, but it was OK. After day 3 the walk turned inland to wide farming landscapes with lots of interesting things to see – sink holes, an old railway museum, blue lakes, botanic gardens, Mount Schank - we walked around the caldera of an extinct volcano, and because lots of rain - mud 😊. Then there were lots and lots of cows and sheep, beautiful gentle creatures. Accommodation was interesting too with eclectic and quirky venues, one place had complimentary port, sherry and fruit cake in front of a roaring open fire – this was very popular. We even stayed one night in Mount Gambier Gaol, one night at Dismal Swamp where we listened to the frog symphony and heard from the owner Tim, about his marvellous rambling teddy bear strewn property. Then we got to Penola, the last big day of 28kms, after a rickety walk along the old disused railway, saw 3 snakes, more swamps and lots of cows. We all completed the 193kms, nobody wimped out, go girls. The next day we attended Mass at St Joseph’s Church next to the Mary Mackillop Centre. We had a lovely talk from Sister Luciana and explored the Mary Mackillop Centre and Petticoat Lane. Then off to the winery, who’s magnificent idea was this 😊 a tour and talk about the winery then lunch and wine tasting. Lovely people, great trip.