Testimonials | customwalks.com

Here's what people have said about our tours and our guides. Some links to video testimonials are at the bottom of the page. If you would like some references, please contact us and we will put you in touch with someone who has done the tour which interests you. Please don't be shy! Email me at brett@customwalks.com.

"One of the best guided trips I've done."

"I got my money's worth--outstanding organization."

"Loved everything about this trip, and I consider myself an experienced traveler with high expectations."

"BEST.TOUR.EVER. I'm not kidding when I say it was the best trip ever. Seasoned, well informed, experienced guides, fabulous off-the-beaten-path hikes, thoughtful itineraries, fabulous restaurants, lovely accommodations. From day one, the most major decision we had to make was which menu item to eat and which bottle of wine to order! Melissa and Stephanie spoiled us rotten with their good humor, fountains of knowledge, creative spirit, and adventure seeking capabilities. The Dordogne trip was 6-10 miles a day of medium level hikes, on trails with not another soul! They really have created wonderful routes on the roads less travelled. Highly recommend Customwalks!" -- Judy G., Dordogne Walk Sept 2019

"For the last six years, I have been hiking with Customwalks in Italy, France, Greece, and Spain. Why? Because the trips are fun. The guides are knowledgeable about the history of the locations, the regional food and wines, and do everything they can to make the trips enjoyable. The hikes are through beautiful country. Whether a trip has you sleeping on a Turkish Gulet at night and hiking Dodecanese islands during the day, hiking portions of the via Francigena or Camino Di Santiago, hiking through Tuscany or the Dolomites or Piedmont or Provence or the Dordogne or lake Como with its spectacular view of the Alps, there are a variety of locations they take you. Some places are well known and many are off the beaten path away from the crowds. Trying regional and local food and wine at lunch and dinner and visiting wineries and cheese makers are a bonus. I have been places I never thought I would see with great people and made many friends. I look forward to more trips with the guides and this company and more Italian gelato. Grazie mille Customwalks." Gary P., long-time Customwalks hiker

"Another great trip with custom walks. A nice rhythm of hiking, dining and touring remarkable sites in southern Spain. The guides were fantastic--this was an elaborate trip to organize and they shared perspectives and their interests in the area and in life. Andalusia itself is fascinating--centuries of enlightened Moorish rule with beautiful preserved sites and a regional culture that includes flamenco. I enjoy a week of only having to make one decision---red or white wine. For many years we made our own travel arrangements, but with these trips I became aware of the wear and tear that can distract from simply experiencing the day and the place. Let go, let guide." -- Alan B., Andalusia Walk 2019

"What a great trip, everything included, the food was excellent the accommodation superb and the walks and scenery fantastic and of course Claire (the guide) with her knowledge and wit AND driving skills kept us entertained. The whole experience exceeded my expectations which were pretty high as I have done other tours with Customwalks and they have all been delightful, what you see and read on their website is what you get. Whether walking, biking, vespa tour you wont be disappointed. My only disappointment is that there are no tours this year due to Covid 19, but I'll be back for more when the world settles down. Thankyou" -- Linda M, Corsica Walk 2019"

"Wow. Another 5+ star Customwalks trip. This was our 3rd (Provence, September 2018), and the second year in a row with Melissa. This year, we were also treated to another fantastic guide, Manu. The itinerary was superb and great guides like Melissa and Manu make the country come alive. In addition to beautiful hikes, we saw gorgeous hill towns, ate amazing food, visited local markets, learned about Provence history, and were able to mingle with locals. Every day, there were options available to us depending on if we felt like a rigorous hike or if we would rather spend time wandering through winding streets in town. For me, the highlights were the hikes that took us from hill town to hill town. I'm already planning another Custom Walk or two." -- M.M., Provence Walk September 2018

"This was our first trip with Customwalks and found it to be 'just what we wanted'. All we had to do was get to Venice and the rest was all planned out... My wife and I are different levels for hiking so this trip offered experienced and knowledgeable guides for both. They totally took all the worries of what trail to take and tailored the selection to the weather. They also know the food scene and we were able to get to the restaurants where the locals go for the best of meals. Also, my wife took the optional Via Ferrata trail and was the climb of a life time !! We liked the way Customwalks runs their trips so much we came back came back in April of 2019 for our anniversary and toured the Dordogne region of France." John B., Dolomites Hike Sept 2018

“Brett and his team at Customwalks do a fantastic job with the logistics and organization of all of the tours. The hotels are very nice and the selection of restaurants is superb—we had so much food and all of it was delicious. The work that goes into making the walking tours so enjoyable is very important as there needs to be a contingency plan in case of unforeseen circumstances (weather changes, road closures, etc) and Brett and his team have built in flexibility to all their tours so they can make changes on the fly if necessary. We were a group of 8 last year and we had such a great time we recommended it to our 4 friends here in the US. The key to any tour is the tour guide. Our guide last year in Puglia was Claudia and she was absolutely fantastic. She took care of every little detail and made sure we did what we wanted to do so we could enjoy the full experience.” Puglia and Basilicata Walk 2011

"Customwalks has wonderful hikes and other organized tours. What an introduction to the South Island of New Zealand. Each part of the trip was unique and beautiful. We had a few schedule changes, but the changes were all wonderful. This trip had it all: tropical forests with unique tree ferns, fine dining, the alps, rustic lodges on sheep stations with locally grown lamb for dinner. We hiked in some of the most remote areas of the South Island. We also got to visit Christchurch and see the recovery since the 2017 earthquake. I can't say enough good things about our guides and dinner hosts. This was my second Customwalks hike and I can't wait for the next one!" -- Catherine S., New Zealand Hike Feb. 2020""

"Both my trips with Customwalks (Cinque Terre, Italy & Provence, France) have been exceptional. The teams that manage and organize the tours are pure professionals who think of every detail and manage each situation to ensure everyone has a wonderful experience. Customwalks has deep local knowledge, expertise, and an overall fun spirit which were critical elements to my having fabulous journeys with them. I am already trying to think of when I can take my next Customwalks trip : ) " -- C.G., Cinque Terre and Provence tours 2017, 2018

"Hotel accommodations and food were excellent. I was enormously impressed with the attention paid by the leader to choosing menus that were varied and reflected the "flavors" of Tuscany. Scheduling was prompt and efficient. Not much standing around waiting, either for other hikers or for vans. Pretty terrific!" Tuscany Walk, 2012

"The hikes were awesome and well planned and Manu always stayed ahead of the weather. The accommodations and the food were excellent. I enjoyed both the Hotel Post and Hotel Menardi. I especially enjoyed the many options I had as a vegetarian, even at the rifugios. The trip was excellent because of Manu’s professional manner. Manu is an excellent guide! I certainly would recommend Customwalks to my friends and maybe another hike in Dolomites for me in the future. Thank you again - I had the best time hiking the majestic Dolomites with Manu as our guide." Dolomites Hike, 2012

“Claire, Many thanks for making the Croatia trip such a success. You hit it out of the park again. Josko was fabulous, you did a great job arranging our time/tour/transfer in Dubrovnik, the boat and its crew, etc. Always special to have you 'on board'! Marge and I look forward to future events with Customwalks.” Croatia Walk and Cruise, "2012

"Claire and Melissa were great - perfect foils for each other and both certainly made us feel that they cared for all of us and our well being. It is not easy dealing with a group of individuals with different personalities, expectations and abilities (especially in the "walking" department) but they did it with apparent ease and consistent good humor and kindness. The organization was excellent - hotels, dinners, activities etc yet they were flexible enough to vary things when needed." Provence Walk, 2011

Provence Walk: Melissa and Claire were Amazing!! Fun, informative, helpful and flexible."The trip as a whole was well researched and designed. Claire’s great background in history added depth. Both Claire and Melissa were extremely professional. Kept the trip flowing while engaging with us in a relaxed manner. Both brought something different to the tour and the combination made for an interesting and fun adventure."

"I had a blast. I loved it all. I never expected it to be so diverse. It is the ultimate trip for me. Hiking, history, culture, great food and wine and great people!!!" Corsica Walk, 2011

"Sagra is a joy to travel with.....she brings her energy and enthusiasm to the group and you just want to follow her!"

Cannot express how much we enjoyed our guide, Marco, and all the information and help he provided! He was very fun and informative and does. Great job!!!!!

“Stephanie is a pro. Her attention to detail on everything from the hikes, to hotels, to food exceeded our expectations. She was very attentive to the needs/pace/enjoyment-level of the group. Really good at checking in with each participant and the group. She worked well with the other guide: Ilaria. She gave Ilaria lots of band-width to share her native understanding of Italy. They had a nice cadence with each other; clearly trusting and respecting each other and the roles they played. Ilaria is highly extroverted, and a drama coach/teacher. She made for lots of entertainment and laughter. Stephanie was the wise and grounded guide who counter-balanced her nicely. We enjoyed both tremendously.”

"Brett, The week in Sicily was the best -- your enthusiasm, knowledge, and great good humor enriched our time. Trip mates were terrific. Thank you, thank you."

"Claire and Ilaria really do deserve perfect scores all the way around. They created a great team dynamic and really felt like friends on the trips versus just tour guides."

Read an article about our Tuscany Walk that appeared in New Zealand's "Otago Daily Times" written by deputy editor Simon Cunliffe. Click here.