Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
Enjoyable and very interesting. Walks were quite challenging, given the unseasonably warm temperatures, but rewarding too.
Thoroughly enjoyed this trip. A couple of the days walks were challenging, but that was fine with us. The app is brilliant, especially the alert when we have gone the wrong way!!!
The taxi drivers (Savvos and Odysseus) were helpful, informative and friendly and on time!
Great service, great holiday. Great trip, fantastic accommodation and people along the way. The app was particularly helpful and kept us on the right track!
We enjoyed the holiday. Weather was lovely. Walks very nearly all on gravelly tracks and roads esp in the mountains rather dull, better near the sea, swimming in the sea great.
This is our 12th holiday with Headwater mostly cycling holidays. For a second year, we loved walking the routes of the Akamas Peninsula, Cyprus customizing our time over two weeks - one week at Droushia Heights Hotel followed by one week at Aphrodites Beach Hotel - so enjoying a balance of walking the longer routes every second day. We enjoy both hotels very much indeed. We are keen to return to Cyprus to experience both previous walks and new walks.
With experience we have learnt to tailor-make our holidays by researching what additionally paid-for room upgrades are available, and depending on locations, deciding whether it is more advantageous and relaxing to pay for half-board.
This was the first time my husband and I had been on a walking holiday together - although I have done similar holidays with friends. Based on our experience we would certainly take another trip with Headwater
Overall it was an excellent experience and any apprehensions we may have had about the operational arrangements on self guided trip were dispelled whenever something like a taxi pick was scheduled to happen as it always did. As none of us had travelled with you before then we had no reference for your grading which is probably about right although anyone our ages (66,69 & 74) of a lesser fitness level would find some aspects of day 2,4 and possibly day 6 very challenging. The app is excellent with maybe only a couple of ambiguities (day 2). Second part of Day 5 on reaching the coast at Lara Beach is quite disappointing as pretty much all the rest of the walk is an expansive construction site to one degree or another. There is a lot of site traffic and heavy plant machinery causing disruption, partial road closures/diversions. The dusty conditions created combined with that caused by the beach buggy safaris make this stretch quite uncomfortable at times. The walk on Day 6 was the best for us with a great range of terrain and views, the descent down the mountain side towards the end being the highlight. Would certainly consider Headwater again and recommend you. Would also be happy to discuss/expand on any of the feedback given here if you wanted to contact us.
The main remark is really about the grading of the tour. Cyprus is hilly and perhaps a "Moderate" grading in hilly territory is correct, but tough it was.
And then we were indeed surprised not to meet one single trekker during the entire tour - therefore our question: have you really sold this tour before?
Another important information (perhaps) missing is the fact that during the different tracks you cannot buy anything (there simply no shops - no nothing) - hence its important to highlight that plenty of water has to be taken with you from the accommodation. We experienced very hot weather (35-37 degree) and there was no shades to find at all. Hence water is crucial. One final comment: we would have liked to get off earlier in the morning (to avoid the hottest period of the day), but the hotels only serves breakfast from 7:30 or 8:00 and consequently you can only head off by 8:00 or 9:00 leaving you with not option, but to be out in the hottest period of the day.
The Headwater name was clearly useful at both hotels - I felt we were looked after better because of it. The local transport provision with Savvas was brilliant, he is a key part of teh holiday, and definitely earnt his tip! The agent was irrelevant to our booking, but maybe with bigger parties there would be some benefit. We had a wonderful experience during (to us) a very hot week. (Savvas and the locals thought it was mild). the walks were progressively more amazing; the inland walks to start with are a great introduction and aclimatiser, with the peninsula walks being stunning with the forests and coastal views. A head for heights is useful on the way down from Moutti tis Sortiras! Amazing views!
Excellent walking holiday although we were unlucky to lose 2 days walking due to thunderstorms. The Mill hotel in Kakopetria was quirky but very comfotable and we enjoyed the spa bath after the walks. If wifi was necessary the speed was very slow. Droushia Heights hotel was modern and comfortable with good speed wifi. However, we were quite early in the season and the outdoor pool had not been filled. That did not bother us. The final walk we decided to start from Neo Chorio and take the Aphrodite trail. Fabulous walk and terrific views. We completed the walk after refreshment by walking to the next hotel, the Aphrodite Beach hotel. This also was clean and comfortable with good wifi but the beach cafe was not yet open. On our final day we walked to the little port of Latchi for a nice lunch. Gps system worked well.
The itinerary worked smoothly & efficiently. Both hotels were welcoming, comfortable, and responsive to our special dietary requirements. The walks were most enjoyable, especially the (rather earlier than usual) Spring flowers, panoramic views, and beaches. We found a secluded little bay with a rocky, wave-fed, & rocky “spa” pool that was ideal for a bracing quick dip at the end of our day’s walk. The navigation app was quick to master and worked well. (No smartphone battery problems occurred with an iPhone 11 switched to low power mode.j
The Akamas Peninsula is a good destination and we were fortunate with the weather for late February. We liked the choice of short or longer walks which suited us. But the walking notes were not always accurate and were clearly designed for those using GPS. Facilities in the locality were limited, e.g bars and restaurants not yet open for the season. This was despite having checked with the agent that they would, mostly, be available. Food in the second hotel was very poor, although the staff were friendly and tried their best to please. Rooms were adequate but a few additions such as slippers (the tiled floor was very cold at this time of the year) and decent towels would have made the stay more comfortable.
Well organised. App was excellent. Walks were harder than anticipated from grading. Island is beautiful and feb weather is good for walking. Hotels were okay but we would have liked the option to upgrade to a sea view. Second hotel restaurant was overrun with cats. Not very hygienic.
We were very impressed by the customer service provided in setting up the holiday arrangements: Headwater also helped us to arrange an extension of our stay in Cyprus with a rented car, all of which worked very well. Both hotels were excellent, with a special commendation for the home cooking at Aphrodite Beach. The walks were very well explained and the app-based route guidance was easily accessible and reliable. It is a very good idea to offer long and short versions of the walks each day, together with plenty of advance information about ascents and descents. The routes were generally well-chosen, with very little use of roads and we enjoyed some marvellous scenery.
Beautiful location, excellent walking.
Travelling in late January meant that it was very peaceful and we passed very few people on our walks, however there were also very limited options to eat and drink. Fortunately, the hotel breakfasts were excellent and set us up well for the day, but we would recommend that you come prepared with cereal bars and snacks.
Great walking holiday, efficiently organised and accurately described accommodation. Walks were through some beautiful remote countryside and the app was brilliant at ensuring we never got lost. Would definitely book through Headwater again, as soon as possible!
We thoroughly enjoyed walking the Akamas Peninsula in late October / early November 2022. We really benefitted from being able to stay at the Droushia Heights Hotel for 7 nights followed by 7 nights at the Aphrodite Beach Hotel. The staff at each hotel were most helpful and welcoming. We received room upgrades at both hotels. Two weeks provided us with plenty of scope for walking the routes and exploring and relaxing locally. We walked all five 20 km routes, all of which we loved. We cherished people's friendliness; experiencing the detail of the Akamas landscape of foot; the quiet and peaceful villages and environments; the wonderful scenery; pristine beaches for swimming and sunbathing; the delicious food and the warm sunshine. Thank you to Joanne Chaplin and the staff of Headwater, Cyprus Walks, Droushia Heights Hotel and the Aphrodite Beach Hotel for a wonderful holiday.
On previous Headwater holidays the local rep has met us on arrival at the hotel to go through the itinerary but this didn’t happen here. We rang Cyprus Walks on the first evening and we spoke again a day or so later to arrange pick up times when we had more idea of what we wanted to do and how far we wanted to walk. It was good to have a choice of short and long routes each day. In Droushia we ate out each night. There was a choice of tavernas within walking distance but we went to Finikas Tavern every night which had a lovely courtyard at the back with a grape vine for a roof and did a fabulous Greek salad amongst other things. On our first walk we went to Mylari Bistro in Kritou Terra at lunch time for some welcome refreshment. Lovely walk to Lara beach. The Aphrodite Beach Hotel had a nice beach below it and a good fish restaurant not connected to the hotel which was only open in the daytime. Stoney beach so would recommend wet shoes/pumps in the sea. Overall, good holiday.
