Italian Lakes District Adventure

Customer Reviews

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  Jacqueline

  · August 25th, 2016
  Spectacular! There is just no other way to describe this trip. Gorgeous scenery, wonderful company and amazing guides. Andy & Enrico did an incredible job and I can't say enough positive things about them. Great job guys! Thank you so much for a fabulous trip. This has been my 3rd trip with Active and is the best to date!
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  Trip date: July 2016
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  Lan

  · July 29th, 2018
  This trip gave me a lot of fresh air and good feelings! I haven't had an experience like this before! Very good!
  Trip date: June 2018
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  Christine

  · July 8th, 2018
  No regrets. Not one bad thing to say. Jo and Andrea, our guides, were the best. They worked so well together. They were funny, encouraging, flexible. We were fortunate in only having five hikers. What a treat. If there were occasions you doubted your capabilities, Jo and or Andrea were there to help you through. The meals, (remember it’s pronounced Eataly) were outstanding. Accommodation was very good. Small local hotels were utilized. My experience was so good, I am now seriously considering Mt. Blanc or the Dolomites next year. Thank you Active Adventures.
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  Trip date: July 2018
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  Melissa

  · July 8th, 2018
  This was my second trip with Active and it won't be my last! The hiking in the mountains was unlike any hiking I have done before. It was stunning! The days spent kayaking were equally amazing. What's not to love when you get to kayak, get out to swim and drink espresso, kayak some more, take a break for a picnic lunch, kayak again, take a gelato break?! Nothing, I tell you! The scenery, food, guides, and travel companions all made for an amazing trip!
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  Trip date: June 2018
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  Kelly

  · August 8th, 2018
  The Dolce Vita trip was beyond amazing. Had an incredible journey as mother and daughter exploring the little known gems in Northern Italy. Our guides were full of knowledge (was there anyone Andreas didn’t know?) and humour, especially our DBB, even helped me with my very shaky Italian. We were never short of adventure be it hiking up mountains or through valleys to stunning views, to paddling around and swimming in stunning lakes to finding a random cafe to stop for espresso or if the time was right a spritz. Now that I’m home it’s got me dreaming of Italy again. Thanks a million guys (especially our guides Jo, Andreas and Giuliano)!!
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  Trip date: June 2018
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  Sandra

  · August 19th, 2018
  This has been the most fantastic trip I have ever been on. I can pinpoint it to the fact that it turned out to be genuinely personal in all respects. Not only were our 2 guides, Andrea and Jo Jo extremely personable, but their constant cooperation, collaboration, caring, fun loving ways and eagerness to exhibit and display the essence of Dolce Vita through customs, culture and food was always top of mind. Andrea shared knowledge of his homeland, mountain valleys and home turf proudly. We learned about mountain life, mountaineering and rescue and saw many spiritual sights. The choice of hotels was exquisite, each with their own charm. Thanks also to Julianno for bringing kayaks and his expertise all the way from Genoa. The shore lunch of fresh focaccia bread was especially delicious. Our kayaking days were unforgettable, with spectacular views and opportunities for refreshing swims in all 3 lakes. This trip had all 5 senses at work. We SAW spectacular views. We HEARD the sounds of cow bells in the meadows and rushing water in waterfalls and rivers. We SMELLED the fresh air of mountains and glaciers. We TASTED the amazing Italian food and drink especially the desserts at the urging of Jo Jo. Her adventurous spirit wanted us to enjoy every aspect. We FELT the amazing warmth and hospitality of all we met. We especially felt the coolness and silkiness of the refreshing waters of the 3 lakes. I will never forget this trip. Thanks to all.
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  Trip date: July 2018
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  Andrea

  · August 22nd, 2018
  The Dolce Vita trip was everything I hoped it would be. The guides were professional, knowledgable and responsive to the needs of each individual in our group. Jo, Andrea and Juliano took great care of us and shared all the beauty, culture and food the Lakes District had to offer. The hikes through the mountains and valleys, punctuated by the sounds of running water and cowbells, were breathtaking. I was surprised that our time in the quieter lesser known destinations, Alagna and Lake Orta, were my favorite parts of the trip. We had a very special moment when a large group from a family reunion cheered us on at the top of the mountain after our final long hike. On an especially hot day our guides gave us a choice of activities and we opted to visit beautiful gardens instead of a strenuous hike. Every day we ate and drank our way through delicious Italian cuisine. We had a wide variety of fresh fish and pasta, as well as daily treats of espresso, gelato and awesome desserts. This was my 5th Active trip and I'm hoping to try one more adventure next year.
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  Trip date: July 2018
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  Julie

  · March 9th, 2018
  Eataly, as our group called the trip, after a well-known food emporium in Italy and the United States, also describes one of the highlights of it. In addition to spectacular scenery especially near Alagna, the village closest to Switzerland, the hiking and kayaking were what I expected. Alas, I’m probably the first person to arrive on an Active Adventure hiking trip with a torn meniscus, the result of an immediately previous trip en route. As I was limited to kayaking, the guides, Jo, who I hiked with in New Zealand and known for being the very supportive ten-minutes-more guide, and the two Italian guides, Andrea for hiking and Guiliano for kayaking were excellent and extremely well-qualified. The accommodations, especially in Alagna and Bellagio were terrific, with a few glitches at a couple of others, the result of electric storms. La Dolce Vita was a sweet trip, easily accessible, and fun.
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  Trip date: July 2018
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  Janet

  · September 19th, 2018
  If hiking in some of the most breathtaking scenery and dipping your feet in the cool waters of Lake Orta or Lake Como is your idea of ""living the good life"" then this is the trip for you. The guides were knowledgeable and took us to places that were interesting and beautiful. Our group had fun together and I loved how accommodating the guides were to give each person the experience they wanted based on their physical level. This was my third Active Adventure trip and I keep coming back because they are so well organized and make sure that you have a trip that will stay with you for years to come.
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  Trip date: August 2018
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  Ivette

  · September 27th, 2018
  The hike of Rifugio Crespi was my favorite! I loved the sound of the bells as we passed the herd of cows, the beautiful chalets in the hamlet and the delicious lunch with local cheeses and beers and the great capuchino!!
  Trip date: August 2018