We booked our 2nd Camino with UTracks. Booking was easy and straight forward, even with a few extra days added. The accommodation was great. A good selection and usually very central. The directions to our hotels weren't so good sometimes and we resorted to Google maps on occasion. It was good to have accommodation etc booked so we didn't have to look for accommodation when hot and tired. Would book through them again.
Our hiking trip in Madeira was spectacular. Hiking along the levadas and the hike that included Pico Ruivo were hikes that we'll never forget. The in-country support was very responsive, especially given that we were hiking during the Christmas holidays.
Great trip - each day was different The trip was very well put together going from the mountains to the sea. Each day was different in terms of terrain, scenery and for our trip, the weather too - we had all sorts but luckily, not real rain, only drizzle, but that added to the atmosphere.The trip notes could be improved as in places they were vague e.g. stop for lunch at the quaint cafe (what's the name of it?); you must visit the Our Mother's Church (where is it? which town?). Also on one of the days, on reading the trip notes, it recommended a transfer to a certain location but with no reason or details of how to arrange it.What actually would be great for all self-guided trips is for an online blog of some kind where other travellers can put in their experiences, their recommendations and tips. On this trip, one of the bridges we have to cross is closed and looks like it's closed for a long time, so it would be good to warn future travellers of this...we were helped by a kind Portuguese cycler who also needed to cross the bridge, and we followed him to find another route.