We thank Mr Allison for his review and have replied directly in full to all his points.
Exodus takes the safety of its clients very seriously so investigated this incident, and the manner in which the trip was conducted in full. Exodus has operated this trip for 10 years; in this time, over 1000 clients have cycled this itinerary and any accidents have been few and far between. Five Exodus staff members have been on the trip, one of whom went in September 2011, and we have not had any reason to believe that this trip is any more risky than other cycling itineraries. The trip notes explain that clients should, 'be aware that cycling of all kinds has its dangers and that accidents can happen from time to time. Please ensure that you are properly prepared for the riding you are going to undertake.'
Having reviewed the risk assessment for this trip and the established procedures that are adopted by our local staff, and having spoken at length to staff members who have been on this trip previously, we remain confident that Southern India is a suitable part of the world for a cycling itinerary of this nature. We do not feel that cycling in India poses any greater risk than cycling elsewhere in Asia or indeed, many other parts of the world. There is an inherent risk associated with cycling either on road or off road anywhere in the world, but we believe that our local staff are providing our clients with sufficiently thorough briefings each day and the information in the trip notes is accurate.
If anyone has any particular concern regarding any points made in this review please feel free to call us for further information.