Frequently Asked Questions

I will let others reply to this question. This is what people have said about Customwalks (taken from Trip Advisor reviews):

"Awesome guides, awesome hikes, very nice accommodations. Customwalks is now my go-to for international trips since REI shut down their international operations."

"We had an amazing trip that created life long memories, full of great walks, food, wine, hotels and company."

"Every part of the vacation exceeded my expectations: from the friendliness and aptitude of the entire staff to the beauty and historical relevance of the hikes."

"It was one of the most amazing trips we've ever taken! I say this because every detail was taken care of for us: planning of hikes, food, beverages, transfers, etc."

"Custom Walks is a first-class outfit. I enjoyed the hiking, food and camamraderie along the trails."

"I can't say enough good things about our guides...The hikes were right on as far as distance and timing, the food was spectacular, the hotels amazing...  We met so many cool people too. Still glowing."

We always have at least one fully bilingual guide on tour so they are capable of contacting emergency services in case of need. All of our guides have first-aid training and carry first-aid kits with them. Previously we have had to cope with medical emergencies and we have always managed to do just that, cope with the situation and ensure that the afflicted client is looked after as best as possible. Furthermore, since we have an office in Italy we can always follow up and help the client deal with insurance issues (which is why we request everyone's insurance policy number and contact details, as well as a contact in case of emergency), or rebooking of plane tickets, etc. Needless to say, having professional bilingual guides looking after you can be of great benefit.

Your initial inquiry goes directly to our owner/manager Brett Naisby, who can answer any questions. Brett is also happy to chat via ZOOM, Whatsapp, or telephone. Brett is in Italy, so please take into consideration the time difference.

Please see the "About US" page on our website. Photos and brief bios of our guides are displayed there.

We cap our walking trips at 14 participants. We usually have groups between 6 and 12.

We confirm our tours when we reach our break even point of four participants. We may guarantee a departure for only two people, but a small group fee would apply. Please see our Guaranteed Departure Policy. for more information.

On our walking tours, we have at least one Customwalks guide accompanying tours with up to 8 participants. Once there are more than 8 participants, there are two Customwalks guides.

To have a private departure of one of our "regular tours," we request a per-person supplement that diminishes from pretty painful for two people (Sorry!) to barely noticeable once you reach six people. Beyond 7 people, there is no supplement for a private tour. We request a supplement for a private/closed tour of fewer than 8 participants because we price our tours based on the expectation that we will get 8 or more participants. By closing off a private tour for a group of fewer than 8 people, we have no chance of getting to 8 participants, and therefore our pricing is “off”. Therefore, we ask for these supplements to bring our pricing in line with our costs.2 participants: a per-person supplement corresponding to 25% of the tour price published on our website. 3 – 4 participants: a per-person supplement corresponding to 15% of the tour price published on our website. 5 – 6 participants: a per-person supplement corresponding to 10% of the tour price published on our website. 7 participants: a per-person supplement corresponding to 5% of the tour price published on our website. 8  – 14 participants: no supplement requested. The price is the price published on our website.
We can also do private tours for large groups. The largest tour we have done was for 35 guests.

We have a mix of clientele. Our tours are not prohibitively expensive, so we get a nice cross-section of people, geographically, demographically, and socio-economically. Most of our travelers are from the United States, although about 25% of our clientele comprises Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, South Africans, and Brits.

On average, ages range from early 40’s to mid 70’s with the majority in the 55 to 70 bracket.

There are usually at least two or three single travelers on our regular departures, sometimes more. We get more single females traveling with us.

Yes, we do, but it is relatively modest since we only charge the extra fees passed on to us by the hotels. We do not penalize single travelers by adding a margin to the single supplement.

Many of our tour participants have traveled extensively, while others may be on their first overseas trip. Generally, we get fun and interesting people who are curious about the world and enjoy exploring new cultures and the wonders of nature. Hikers and bikers are often just that way! Of course, there is always the risk that you may not like someone on your tour, but that is a relatively rare occurrence. We recognize that a group is made up of individuals, and therefore, we design our tours to allow plenty of free time so you can have time for yourself. And lastly, if there is someone who is disruptive to the group, our guides have the authority to kindly ask them to smarten up, or leave the tour. Happily, in 19 years of doing tours, we only needed to do this on one occasion.

We design each day to have a balanced content of activity, cultural content, cappuccino and lunch time, short breaks, and then free time at the end of the day, and then dinner. So a typical day starts with breakfast at about 8 a.m, depart at about 9 a.m, walk for about an hour, have a break, resume, arrive in a village for a snack, another hour of walking, then lunch, then walk a little more, then perhaps a cultural visit/special event, then arrive back at the hotel around 3:30 – 4:00, free time, then get together at about 7:00 for an aperitivo followed by dinner. The guides will then brief you on the next day’s activities.

We design all our trips to have about 4 hours of activity per day, with a little more in the morning. We usually walk between 12 and 16 kms, with the occassional 20 km day. Please see our Activity Rating page.

Brett guided his first tour, a cycling tour in Alsace, in June 1990 for a company called Butterfield & Robinson. He established his own walking and biking company in 1996 called Customwalks. He started running ScooterBella Vespa Tours in 2006 and eventually renamed the cycling division as Mondo Bike Tours in 2017.

The company used to be based in New Zealand with an Italian subsidiary. As of January 2024 we have closed the closed the New Zealand company and the Italian company, "Customwalks Italia SRL" is taking care of all aspects of the business. Customwalks Italia SRL is a limited liability company based in Radda in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy. Customwalks Italia SRL is a bonded licensed tour operator in the European Union.

First of all, we at Customwalks enjoy our meals! The quality of the culinary component of all our tours is equally important as the hotels, hikes, and guides. We generally treat our travelers to various restaurants, from low-fuss trattorias with excellent food that locals frequent to restaurants featuring high-end, sophisticated dining. If the group is small, with less than 8 participants, we tend to order a la carte. We offer our guests three-course meals, and you can choose to do an antipasto (starter) with a secondo (meat, fish, or a vegetarian main) or a primo (usually pasta, risotto, or polenta in the north of Italy), all topped off with dessert. So, you can mix and match. Sometimes, we will order a starter for everyone (usually a mixed plate of tasty delights) to get the ball rolling, and then you can choose from a primo or a secondo. We also typically order “ contorno” (vegetables and potatoes) for the table. You are probably aware that in Italy, vegetables are a side dish (this is not such an issue in France). If the group is a little bigger, we consult with the restaurants to develop a set menu whereby you can choose between two or three plates for each course. Creating a set-menu helps speed up service, reduces the time the guides need to take to translate the menu, and helps the kitchen prepare the dishes in a timely fashion. We also know our restaurants and what they do best, and we develop these menus to avoid duplication during the week and to ensure you can try various regional specialties. We also pay great attention to our restaurants' acoustics, down to reserving particular rooms or tables. Eating together is a social occasion, and nothing is worse than being bombarded with echoey chitter chatter from others or our own tables! 

We do not include wine with dinner because some people don’t drink, and for those who do, some might want to try more prestigious wines while others are indifferent. By not including wine, we feel we can help people to drink what they want. Most of the time, the guides will suggest different wines from the wine list that they know offer good value for money or are particularly good. (We like to drink well!). They will mention the price, and usually, the group will make a unanimous decision. However, everyone is encouraged to drink what they want. We often have several smaller tables, so one table might go big, with a Barolo or a Brunello, while another table might choose something more modest but delicious all the same. Whoever partakes pays their portion. Easy peasy. We settle the wine bill at the end of each meal.

All of the trails that we use are safe. The paths of the Cinque Terre walk and along the Amalfi coast can occasionally become narrow, but only for short stretches. These particular trails traverse the hillside along ancient terraces, sometimes along stone walls or steps. The paths hug the hillside on one side and open out on the other, but not with precipitous drops. There is almost always foliage or else a gradual slope down. Sometimes, we must cross narrow rocky sections, so anyone suffering from acute vertigo may feel uncomfortable. Our guides are used to helping people get over these sections and will make every effort to ensure everyone is safe. However, if you already know that you have severe problems with vertigo, then please contact us for a more detailed description of the trials. In the Dolomites, there are some exposed wide-open stretches of paths that would be difficult to negotiate if you suffer from vertigo.