I did the Camino Real trek in January 2016. It has been an amazing experience that I would strongly recommend to anyone who wants to experience trekking in the tropical rainforest . Rick Morales from Jungle Treks did an amazing job in preparing us in advance for the trek giving us a lot of information about the hike and the equipment to bring. We even had a video call to make sure that we did not miss anything. We were very lucky and we encountered little rain so I did not find the trek particularly challenging from a physical point of view. We were wet all day long from sweating and walking in the river and making sure that your feet stay in good condition is probably the main challenge! If an opportinity comes up, I would definitely follow Rick and Segundo on another mimi adventure in the future!

I can't recommend this trek enough and as I am not the best with words (a number person to be precise) this review will not give the trek the justice I try to portray here.

Right from the moment I contacted Rick I received very helpful responses and he even organised a skype chat to go through the gear; I would definitely recommend you take his advice on everything he suggests to be well prepared, and also allocate sufficient time to get the right gear. The small things make such a difference towards a better experience.

The trek itself was an unforgettable experience - the combination of being outdoors in varied landscapes and simply being in the natural jungle, whilst facing the challenges of hiking across rivers and varied terrain, carrying a rucksack that only gets heavier by the hour as everything gets drenched. An added bonus is that this trek also offered a historical aspect to it with evidence of the remains of the Spaniards traces. Definitely something off the beaten track. So if you're looking for something different or a new challenge this is definitely it.

In terms of the group it felt like I was part of a small family for 4 days. Everyone was attentive and kind and I always felt safe and content with the group despite being the only female of the group (low season) and struggling after being ill in the preceding days (I made the mistake of taking anti-malarials - there were barely any mosquitos!). Rick, the founder of jungle treks, is very knowledgeable and a very experienced guide prepared for all scenarios - in our case it seemed that the drought that had lasted years had finally ended the day we started the trek! Luckily we were able to complete the trek. It actually added to the experience - knowing that you're safe and dry in a hammock whilst hearing the rain and thundering was an amazing experience. Anyway, he prepared the food himself, which was great and plentiful, and ensured we had comfortable and dry hammocks, which was a welcoming comfort in the evenings after spending the entire day wet!

One suggestion for improvement would be to bring something that you'd enjoy doing in the evenings at camp - a deck of cards, boardgames, music, a book; whatever it is that interests you. Other than that I have no negatives for this trek - go for it!!