Hiking

Gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda and the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda was an adventure, an adrenaline rush and the thrill of my life.

by Hugh Clark, Tampa, FL

I had so much fun traveling by rail in Europe during my working years that after retirement I formed a company (European Train Tours) to share with others the joy of rail travel. From 1989 to 1999 my wife, Ruth, and I had the great pleasure of taking small groups on train tours in the Alps.

What immediately follows are two letters from ITN readers who each took a 2-week tour in France with Tours of Provence.

by Harvey Hagman, Fort Myers, FL

Below us was a giant volcanic crater, the Caldeira das Sete Cidades, whose 1,000-foot sheer walls drop like green curtains in spots around its 7-mile circumference.

My friend Kathleen and I traveled to Iceland with the Colorado Mountain Club on a hiking/walking tour, “Mountain Highlights,” with Borton Overseas (5412 Lyndale Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55419; 800/843-0602, www.bortonoverseas.com). The land price for the 12-day tour was $3,200, and airfare on Icelandair from Baltimore-Washington International Airport was $1,178.

“Basque Hills and Coast” was a wonderful guided hiking holiday in Spain that my husband and I took with Alto Aragón (31 Heathside, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9TD, U.K.; phone +44 [0] 1869 337 339 or visit www.altoaragon.co.uk).

Our tour, Sept. 17-24, 2006, began and ended in Bilbao. The cost of approximately £875 (near $1,696) per person included airport pickup and dropoff, very nice hotels, great food (all meals were included), wine and, most importantly, the services of Richard Cash, who is an excellent and accommodating guide.

by Steven Cole, Lowell, MI (First of two parts, jump to part 2)

(First of two parts, click here for part 2)

Besides walking a great deal on our own, on a June visit to London we took two guided walks with The Original London Walks (P.O. Box 1708, London, NW6 4LW, U.K.; phone 020 7624 3978 or 020 7794 1764 or visit www.walks.com. Recorded info at 020 7624 9255). They have an extensive list of all types of walks plus a list of the guides and descriptions of their backgrounds.

by Tim Leffel, Nashville, TN