Tour Styles

Each of our tours has been labelled with both an activity and a tour style, to help you understand how the trip works and what to expect.

Walking & biking tours come in many shapes and sizes! And in addition to things like the activity level (how easy or challenging the trip will be) and the accommodations level (what to expect from your accommodation) the actual format of the trip itself can vary a lot.

Self Guided

Self guided active vacations are at the heart of the Macs Adventure ethos as we believe the best way to explore the world is on your own terms. We deal with the logistics, book your accommodations, transfer your bags and map your route on our user-friendly smartphone app. All you need to do is walk or bike to the next stop and have a great time. There is no guide, no set time to get up and going, no group to keep up with, just you and everything you need to make your trip a rip-roaring success. Try the West Highland Way, the Alpine joy of the Tour du Mont Blanc or pilgrimages across Spain to Santiago de Compostela.

Private Guided

Our aim is to make every trip as personal and immersive as possible. We want you to get the absolute most out of your experience and on some of our trips we offer personal, private guides so that you have the experience of completing the journey with a trusted leader at your side. Sometimes you need a guide because the route is too wild to travel alone. Alternatively, there are some areas where a local guide can show you the hidden gems and give depth and context to your experience. We can accommodate a variety of group sizes into our privately guided trips. Whether you want to get a group together to get up to Everest Base Camp, or you want to go solo to reach Annapurna Sanctuary, we will escort your adventure in style.

Small Group Guided

There are some parts of the world where travel as part of a small guided group is the only way to go. For example, if you want to walk the Inca Trail, local regulations stipulate that you hike with a qualified and registered guided. Wherever we offer small-group tours, we maintain the Macs ethos of flexible travel by ensuring we choose the best available local guides and we try to offer as much independence as possible. The porters and guides who transport your packs along the Inca Trail are invaluable, and your guide on the Laugevegur Trail in Iceland will keep you safe and share their knowledge of the wilderness with you.

Independent Adventure

Choose the best of both worlds! Our Independent Adventures offer a mix of self guided freedom and the added insight of a guide. You will still enjoy flexibility and independence, but some activities and visits will be guided to enhance your experience and enable you to visit remote areas or take part in fun but technical activities. For instance on our Cotopaxi Trails tour in Ecuador, you are free to walk on your own and at your own pace, however on the first day we will take you on a guided tour of Quito to introduce you to this amazing city. On the last day, we will arrange for a guide to take you up to the snowline on Cotopaxi, the highest mountain in Ecuador and an active volcano!

Activity

Drive & Hike

Enjoy the best of a large region by car and on foot. Day hikes in the best places and itineraries usually inn to inn, with mapping provided. No bag transfer. Car hire offered as an option or included.

Rail & Hike

Mix the joys of travel by train with the best walks accessible from the rail-line. Travel inn-to-inn by train and enjoy hikes from each stopping point. Allows you to see more of the destination as you are traveling overland but also on foot. A very sustainable way of traveling. Rail fare included - no luggage transfers as you can take bags on the train.

Pilgrim Trail

Follow a traditional pilgrimage trail, usually inn-to-inn in classic Macs style with luggage transfer. For many a spiritual experience rather than an active adventure as the aim. History and camaraderie of other pilgrims is often a highlight. The most famous of all pilgrim trails is the Camino de Santiago.

Inn to Inn

The classic Macs Adventure style - follow a route/trail by walking or biking from place to place each day, over-nighting in characterful accommodations, which is usually a small hotel or guest-house style of lodging (see more about our accommodations levels here). Your luggage will be transferred each day (unless otherwise specified), leaving you to enjoy the day's activity at leisure.

Hut to Hut

Usually in remote mountain areas - hike from hut to hut (often known as "refuges"). Luggage transfer is sometimes included but this is often not available on some days, due to the remote locations. Your itinerary will always specify this. Facilities are often shared, and rooms may be dormitory style. Generally these are harder hikes and suited for experienced hikers in stunning alpine terrain.

Multi Center

Classic Macs Adventure style, very similar to Inn to Inn, but lingering in the best places - staying 2 or more nights in each accommodation to enable more exploration. More relaxed style of walking or biking vacation as you could opt to skip a day's activity, but this format still offers a sense of journey.

Single Center

Stay in one comfortable lodging - no re-packing needed! A relaxed option which will include day walks or bike rides from your hotel, so you can change the order of the daily activities, or spend the occasional day resting in the hotel or exploring the town. Great for less experienced adventurers, or those who want relaxation or flexibility.

Camp to Camp

Move daily from place to place, but with a cook and camp crew who will set up tents each night and provide food and camaraderie. Usually guided.

Bike & Boat

Stay on a comfortable river barge, your floating hotel for the duration of the trip, which means no packing and unpacking as your cabin follows you along the bike path! Ride on a mix of dedicated bike paths and low to medium traffic roads. Often (but not always) these vacations offer a guide.

Road Biking

Routes designed to be ridden on road bikes - all on tarmac, the majority or all of the riding is on roads used by vehicles, longer distances with more ascent and descent.

Mountain Biking

Routes designed to be ridden on mountain bikes - Often on off-road tracks and trails, some of the riding may be technical so experience and skills are required, occasional on-road sections.

E-Biking

Leisure biking routes where we offer the option to hire an e-bike - Enjoy an extra power boost from the battery to assist on hills and if you are feeling tired!

Multi-Activity

Multiple activities will be available to enjoy! This might include kayaking, horse riding, or sailing.

Search for Your Ideal Adventure!

Use our tour search to find a route or destination of choice and use the filters to narrow down your search to the ideal activity and tour style.

Mr Peter Holloway 30/09/2020

Accommodation of good standard and all bag drops worked well. One leg of the walk however was too long, I thought unnecessarily. Saltburn to Whitby at 20 miles is not really doable. To correct this we walked to Runswick Bay and caught x4 bus to Whitby for the night, returning by same means following morning and then walking through to Robin Hoods Bay which balanced days out well. Would have been nice if Macs had suggested this. I guess accommodation in Runswick might have been in short supply but a stop slightly earlier in Staithes might have been a better option also.
Anonymous 30/09/2020

We booked our holiday at short notice. Due to Covid situation, Macs were working from home and receiving the holiday information was not as smooth as usual. We had to chase up information about the route and what would be provided with the bikes. Also, the bike hire company contacted me directly as we were travelling to our first hotel. They had not received our heights even though I had already provided this information twice. We had a chain break on holiday and Macs were very efficient at sorting that out. Royal Dunkeld Hotel is a little 'tired'. Some of the cycle route instructions were slightly confusing and it was a bit cold to bare right or left at junctions. can you change that to bear please?
Anonymous 29/09/2020

Make sure the daily walk instructions are accurate. Audit the standards of the hotels proposed by local handler. The last hotel was very poor.
Anonymous 29/09/2020

Hilary was exceptionally helpful in my worry about the lack of maps. However the app was excellent when I had confidence to use it.
Anonymous 29/09/2020

This is the 6th self hiking trip we have booked with MacsAdventure and the service and arrangements were impeccable as usual.
Anonymous 29/09/2020

A great challenge and a wonderful experience. Meet great people along the way, comfortable B&B’s, good luggage service....what more could you ask for
Anonymous 29/09/2020

Our first walking holiday and a great way to start. Good customer service and at the end of the phone when you need it. Will be using again as soon as lockdown over.
Anonymous 29/09/2020

Organised the trip at short notice, provided all the information I needed, maps and guides were great. A fantastic trip with great scenery and plenty of physical challenge
Anonymous 29/09/2020

What a great way to see this part of Scotland up-close. Everything worked as advertised. All our dealings with Mac's was efficient and timely. we could not fault them. Would highly recommend their service. It took all the pain out of arranging so many overnights etc.
Karen 28/09/2020

All went perfectly from start to finish. They were waiting to collect our bags where and when they said they would be. Bags were always at our accommodation when we arrived. All accommodation was excellent bearing in mind we booked only one week ahead. Highlight was the Kingshouse Hotel - a real luxury after the 19 mile leg. Would certainly use again
Pepi 28/09/2020

We booked our walking holiday before all this year's craziness kicked off and it all looked so very precarious for many months. We had to make some big changes quite late to make it work at all and Macs did so quickly and efficiently. Everything was seamless on arrival in Portugal. This was our second experience with Macs and I would happily go back again.
Anonymous 28/09/2020

Good quality accommodation, bags collected on time every day but felt there was a lack of communication regards final payment.
Mr James Curry 27/09/2020

From leaving Milngavie to finishing at Ft William everything was perfect, all the hotels an B&B’s were perfect, i would recommend Macs Adventures 👍
Anonymous 27/09/2020

Excellent organisation and support. Great accommodation made for enjoyable experience.
Ms Jane Bennett 27/09/2020

Macs Adventures organised our West Highland Way trip very well. It was all quite last minute because of covid 19 however all accommodation was first rate and bags transferred as promised.
Mr Timothy Young 27/09/2020

The arrangements on the trip were well executed and I was impressed that the baggage porters were as reliable, efficient and friendly as could be. The accommodations were excellent. The bikes were awesome. The app for GPS route maps worked perfectly. We were not able to find the ferry tickets in our materials, and our handlers had no idea where to find them, so we ended up buying our own ferry tickets. The reservation system was less than impressive. Upfront they were urging us to get our information on file and that they pressed to get our deposit down pronto. It took several weeks for them to get back to us -- and then simply said it could not be done. Once I got back on the phone with them and explored alternatives we were able to get it booked.
Mr Moray Angus 26/09/2020

A well organised trip by pleasant and efficient staff who responded quickly and positively to questions and requests. I wouldn’t hesitate to book another Macs walk.
Ms Anna Houston 25/09/2020

I think it was very well planned and organised. From my point of view it went very smoothly almost all of the time! I knew where was going and how to contact the accommodation.
Mr Jeremy Goodyear 25/09/2020

Easy booking process, although needed to be chased this time. Great accommodation every night along the walk. Some was excellent and the worst was good. Craig Dickson kept us well informed by e-mail of a necessary change in accommodation after we had started the walk, and then that there would be no evening meal available in the village, but that the guest house could supply. Thanks. This gave us a comfortable feeling that backup would be available in the event of a problem. Great attitude from Kingshouse Travel. Flexible in altering pick-up time at Ardtalnaig and friendly drivers. On-line trip notes work well, but if amendments are made we should receive an e-mail to alert us. Specifically, when I first received confirmation of the booking, and hence access to the trip notes, I printed them for use on the walk, noting there were no details of how we would be transported back from Ardtalnaig to Killin, but assuming we would learn this in Killin. From a chance encounter with the driver who had come to collect the bags in Callander, I learnt this would be by Kingshouse and that details should be in the trip notes. I looked again on-line and found the details were now there but they must have been added at a later date.
Anonymous 25/09/2020

While the holiday overall was satisfactory, there were a few areas where our Macs Adventure fell short of our previous experience. Firstly, not sending out the paper instructions and maps which resulted in much more time, effort and cost on our part which was not reflected in any reduction of cost. We met walkers with other companies who had received the full pack and we don’t really understand why Covid was a reason for not doing this. Secondly, there were a few hiccups with the accommodation, which were dealt with at the time but were inconvenient, partic at the end of a long days walk. Overall the standard of accommodation was pretty ordinary. Thirdly, with a climb up to 2000 feet most days the walk was significantly more arduous than the promotional material had led us to expect. The detailed descriptions were okay but paths had been eroded or were quite hazardous in some places.