Discovered Tuscany in a unique way thanks to Altratoscana. Thank you Tinne for this great experience! Highly recommended for everyone, with or without children.
Hello Tinne, At the end of the donkey trek we didn't speak to you again. However, we would still like to share our experiences with you:
- We found the tour to be very fun and also quite strenuous. For our children, the distances were doable. Our youngest of 6 also walked most (over 80%) of the trek. The heat did make the trek harder we noticed. The 1st and 3rd day were the toughest.
- The routes were easy to find with the GPS and we hardly ever went wrong either. That was very pleasant.
- Regarding locations:
o Incanto del Fiume: nice location, nice room and very friendly owners. The food was also very good
o La Schezza: the location is beautiful on a hill as you walk up. The lady was very hospitable and again a fine room
o Corte de'Butteri: the children really enjoyed the farm with all its animals. The residents were very hospitable. Nice location.
o La Landuccia: Very hospitable people! Dinner was at a big table with all the guests present. That was very nice! The children found the tent a wonderful location to sleep. A very nice place!
In short: it was a wonderful experience. So thanks again for the organization!
Hello Tinne,
We arrived well at the riding school yesterday.
We had a wonderful week with all fantastic overnight stays. (Very varied?).
The hikes were occasionally draining, but it is an excellent concept that we enjoyed very much.
We are now on our way back to the netherlands.
Warm greetings
Giuseppe and Marja
Hi Tinne,
We more than enjoyed our two days we got to spend with Diaspora! She leaves a lasting impression and we already miss her. We brushed and groomed her one last time upon arrival before she left after one last beam back to her friends. We would like to thank you and Diaspora for the great care and unforgettable experience!
Wim&Kelly
What a fantastic week! It didn't start off without a struggle otherwise.... Tuesday morning, bags filled, donkey saddled, hiking boots on, sunscreen applied.... 500m far and then she stopped.... After 1.5 hours of pulling out all the tricks in our bag, 2 children who were more weeping than laughing, ourselves wet with sweat and trying to hide a little despair, we called for help. Thanks to Maurizio and his pickup truck, we were able to continue on our own on foot after about 1 km. Whew!
4 day hikes in a beautiful landscape, hardly met anyone along the way, physically challenging, but achievable for our children (6 and 8y, with the youngest regularly on the donkey), great agriturismos (especially Incante del fiume and La landoucia!.... so hospitable, such good food, such beautiful locations). The donkey makes it extra adventurous, you have to be with it, you have help with it, the kids help take care of it, carry some responsibility.
The combination of the fun of hiking, the fatigue towards the end of the day, the ease and difficulty of the donkey, the satisfaction after a day and the pampering you experience in the agriturismos made it an unforgettable week for us!
Wow, how beautiful Tuscany was! Through the mapped out route you really pass by the most beautiful, unspoiled nature with fantastic views. The accommodations were all excellent! Hospitable people and delicious food at the most beautiful locations.
We had the 2 donkeys Camelia and Emiliana with us during the 4-day trek. The first day was a little difficult and we got to know them and their stubborn characteristics very well. The other 3 days went much smoother and they completely belonged to us. Our kids aged 4 and 5 enjoyed it!!!
Ciao Tinne,
back in wet and cold Belgium, I am already longing for lovely warm Tuscany.
As promised, here is our little report.
Walking:
The distances were certainly not too long. They were nice hiking trails with nice views. It was also good that there were many stretches in the woods and shade. The people at the agriturismos were well informed. We made a detour past Sassa and Libbiano which we thought was definitely worth a visit.
Accommodations:
Incanto del Fiume: Delicious food and incredibly hospitable people. Blessed place to stay and very family and cozy.
Corte de Butteri: Warm welcome. Basic accommodation. Very friendly people.
Villetta: Top location! What a garden and pool. Delicious wine and delicious food. Also a friendly reception.
La Landuccia: Top location! Wonderfully quiet and very beautiful. Very sweet people and good food. We also went to the baths, sulfur springs and the waterfall.
Guado al Sole: A little dream paradise. What a pool and luxury! Also a warm and friendly reception.
Fauna:
3 snakes, 1 turtle, small wild boar (and heard a growling mama, fortunately not seen), crab, bird of prey.
Luggage transport: went smoothly.
Thanks for the happy vacations!
Natalie & Lies
Fantastic experience with Diaspora, "our" donkey. Super reception in a wonderful environment. At some places during the hike you really have an alone-on-the-world feeling and the people of La Landuccia are also very sympathetic. Now over a month later, our youngest daughter (2 years old) still says every day a few times "dia pappen, nee eten" (which means that the donkey should walk and not eat). Truly a great experience!
Hi Tinne. At the end of June we went on an amazing 5 day hike with the sweetest donkey in the world, Diaspora. You had worked out a great route for us. Beautiful mountains, untouched nature, but also the beautiful, typical Tuscan landscape. The Agriturismi were all excellent: hospitable and gastronomic. It was great fun, both for us and for our 3 year old son.
We had a fantastic donkey trek! Adventurous trip, beautiful nature, very hospitable agritourism and a super donkey. Tinne is also very involved and accessible during the trip which we really appreciated. Highly recommended!