The Island of Samos

The friendly nature of the hotel proprietor and the guides really helped make the holiday - together with the wildlife and cultural experiences.

G.C. Glamorgan, Apr 23

The guide David and driver Georgios were very entertaining with their local knowledge. The excellent views of the Rollers and in particular the Woodchat Shrike and Bee Eaters in close proximity to the Hotel were outstanding. Having the whole hotel to ourselves was very nice and the family who ran the hotel were very welcoming. The fields of wild flowers beyond the beach areas we visited were wonderful.

M.G. Hampshire, Apr 23

Seeing a variety of habitats and being in the company of naturalists, amateur and professional, whose interests were wide ranging. Finding so many different and often difficult to find reptiles was a personal treat. Toby and Phil were remarkable in finding and pointing out the wildlife interest on the island. Their expertise seemed endless and their approachable and humorous personalities added to the enjoyment of the holiday.

E.D. Leicestershire, Apr 19

I thought the holiday was fantastic in all aspects. As far as I am concerned it was one of the best holidays I have ever had, and long will the memories stay with me. It was perfect. And both tour leaders should be commended for their hard work and dedication. Super flowers, super birds, fantastic scenery, superb weather, great food and wonderful wildlife and company. Who could ask for anything more. Keep up the great work and I look forward in anticipation to my next trip.

P.R. Surrey

A fantastic holiday due in no small part to the efforts of the leaders, who put themselves out to ensure that everyone got as much as possible from the holiday. It worked very well having two leaders, allowing for some flexibility in the itinerary to enable people to follow our particular interests. Toby’s lunches were the best picnics I have ever had. The leaders were knowledgeable and approachable. James took a lot of trouble to make sure that everyone got good views of the birds and his enthusiasm was infectious and inspiring. The hotel was very welcoming. The food was great and nothing was too much trouble.

J.O. London

This holiday gave me everything I wanted. The leadership was excellent, with care taken to cater for the various interests and fitness levels of the group. The leaders were prepared to spend more time with the clients than might be expected. They were enthusiastic and knowledgeable and were prepared to recognise the varying levels of expertise of the group members and make sure they were included. The leaders should be congratulated.

D.F. Buckinghamshire

I very much enjoyed the holiday. As well as seeing lots of wildlife in spectacular surroundings, the leaders and other participants ensured that it was also fun.

J.T. Hampshire

I think we all felt that the tour leaders efforts to make this an enjoyable holiday went beyond the call of duty in respect not only of professional expertise, but also in terms of driving, shopping, food preparation and general welfare. Similarly the hotel, run by a genial and obliging young man and his mother, far exceeded expectations. There was a great variety of main course and side dishes through out the whole week and all of excellent home-made quality!

J.T. Warwickshire

Yet another excellent Naturetrek tour. The group were ably led by Peter & Paul who were not only knowledgeable in bird and botany respectively but also very patient with those of us who were not so knowledgeable. The range of interest amongst the botanists was very broad and Paul made sure that everyone had a share of his attention. The picnic lunches they provided were excellent and much appreciated by all of the group. The meals at the hotel were excellent and they attended to our every need and made us very welcome.

J.P. Buckinghamshire

… for many reasons it was one of the best trips I have done with Naturetrek and in particular this was due to the superb leadership of both Paul and Terry… They both had such enthusiasm which they eagerly passed on to us and never tired of being asked the same thing over and over again! They were great fun and easy to get on with, we really couldn't have wished for more.

Mrs P. Oxfordshire

A wonderful holiday. Paul and Terry were such enthusiastic, knowledgeable and patient leaders.

Mrs F. Oxfordshire

Paul was, as always, an excellent leader. Full of a very wide range of knowledge he made sure all our varied interests were catered for. He was also very attentive to the needs of each person in the party.

C.H. Dorset

The flowers certainly lived up to expectations and Paul's encyclopaedic knowledge of every aspect of natural history made a one-leader trip perfectly acceptable. He always went the extra mile with identifying species and preparing picnic lunches!

R.L. Suffolk

Paul Harmes should be complimented on his tremendous efforts to make things work well. He was considerate of individuals and worked very hard indeed to support and inform the rather varied interests of the group. He's good at preparing lunches too!

P.L. Suffolk

Paul Harmes proved to be an excellent leader with an in-depth knowledge of the flora and fauna of Samos. He worked unstintingly throughout the holiday to provide each member of the group with a worthwhile experience - this was not an easy task in view of the fact that the group was made up of individuals with diverse interests. He is an excellent all-round naturalist and I would have no hesitation in taking a holiday in the future under his leadership. In addition to providing a well balanced programme, Paul also produced some first rate lunches, drove us safely all over the island and kept us entertained at dinner. I thoroughly enjoyed this, my first Naturetrek holiday - you have a first class product.

J.C. Herefordshire

Paul Harmes was an excellent leader. He encouraged us to look in his scope at the birds and told us all about them - it was very exciting to see the citrine wagtail, the golden oriole and the roller. He had a wide knowledge of natural history and could answer all our questions whether it was about flora, lizards or butterflies and we walked in beautiful countryside. He balanced all the interests of the group and was open to suggestions from the group when we asked if we could visit the Temple of Hera. He went out of his way to help us and he took us to the Temple on the way to the airport on the last day. It was absolutely fascinating and I saw a balkan green lizard there too!

J.C. Herefordshire

Just to let you know that the trip to Samos was everything we could hope for. Our two leaders - Paul and Terry were excellent for their 'leading' and for their knowledge of the birds and plants. To have seen so many new birds and plants made this (our wedding anniversary trip) exceptional. To top it all seeing the endangered and elusive Golden Jackal was a rare moment indeed. The hotel was as friendly and comfortable as had been reported, and Theo and his mother could not do enough for us. We look forward to further trips with you as both our ventures with Naturetrek have proved to be exceptionally rich in experiences and enjoyment.

D.M. Hampshire