Wow! Salamander’s TMB was a wonderful adventure! (Sept. ’23) It was challenging but fun and beautiful scenery each and every day. Our guide, Pete was friendly, experienced, and knowledgeable of the trail. He communicated well about the weather and daily trail expectations. Each day the group met after breakfast, picked a lunch item to carry for the day, and started hiking. The trek was true to the itinerary. The hotels were nice and staying at the auberges allowed you to meet other hikers on the trail. Going clockwise was good because you met different people each day. The food was generally good and it was fun stopping at the refuges for coffee and a fruit tart. We took our binoculars for birding but never used them; there was no time. It was a tough, steady pace each day, but well worth the effort and very rewarding. I would recommend this trek to anyone with a good pair of hiking boots and poles!