Mountains, Temples And Hill Stations Ride

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

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  Lucy Barker

  MOUNTAINS, TEMPLES AND HILL STATIONS RIDE

  

  Written November 2012

  This is probably the best of the 7 exodus cycling trips I've done. It's hard, a full C but full of variety and interesting things to see. I really liked the fact that we could (if we wanted) cycle the whole route from start to finish, made the trip much more satisfying. Someone calculated that our cumulative total ascent over the 10 days came to just over 9000 metres, that's equal to cycling up Everest!! Some cycling trips I've done have felt more like a bus trip with a bit of cycling thrown in. You really don't get that feeling on this trip. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Cycling up the hill to Dharamsala and cycling over the Jalori pass.

  We had a real sense of being off the tourist trail, indeed we didn't see another westerner after leaving Dharamsal until we got to Simla and even there I was surprised how few europeans we saw. 

  What did you think of your group leader?

  pramud was great as was his assistant, Vijay.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  November is a very good month to go as the day time temperature was ideal, never too hot. However it got very chilly on some nights and the hotels don't have heating so take a down jacket, thermals and hat and gloves. You'll need long trousers for cycling over the jalori pass.

  Some of the hotels are definitely basic but there's nowhere else to stay, this trip is definitely off the beaten track.

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  I enjoy cycling in India more than in any other country I've visited. There's always something going on and people to talk to, especially now more and more young people speak such good english!

  Now that so many people have mobile phones with cameras we found we were being photographed just as much as we were taking photos.

   
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  SHEENA DUBOUST

  MOUNTAINS, TEMPLES AND HILL STATIONS RIDE

  

  Written May 2012

  This is challenging holiday. Some of the cycling is fantastic and the scenery is great .It is very much off the beaten track and some of the accomodation is very basic. There is very little rest time for the first few days. There are a couple of hills which are long and steep but are worth it as the downhills are great. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Golden temple is amazing.

  The days ride to Simla was great.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  He was pretty good. Good to have someone who enjoyed talking about India  . He admitted the trip was new and therefore he didn't always remember exactly what the route was like in detail. Initially he seemed reluctant to take any of our suggestions on board e.g having shorter stops on the first few days so we could get to our accomodation a bit earlier to enable us to have more free time. However, he did later become a bit more flexible on this.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

   

  don't know why type has become huge!

  read the trip notes before trip. Some people hadn't and didn't realise it was hilly with basic accomodation

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  Trip could be improved if train trip from Simla was shorter. Could be achieved possible by cycling from Simla- it's all down hill and then catch train. Then travel straight to Delhi and avoid night in hotel in non descript place. Would also give more time in Delhi. I needed a bit of retail therapy by then!! Also perhaps have more time in Maclead Ganj as no time to explore there.

  I think on this holiday it would be better to have all the food costs included in the holiday (as Exodus used to do many years ago!) as we always ate as a group and sorting out the bills seemed to take ages some times.At the end of the day most people ate roughly the same amount.

   
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  Martin Strong

  CYCLING THROUGH NORTH INDIA

  

  Written October 2011

  Cycling was fantastic and back up team very enthusiastic and helpful. Challenging cycling by title, challenging by nature. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  2000m climb and 35km climb

  What did you think of your group leader?

  very good

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  helps if you are a vegetarian since most midday and overnight meal stops were geared for vegies

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  Safety of electricity sockets in rooms and standards of wiring in bathrooms was nothing short of scandalous in some hotels.

  Basic hotels not comfortable - some were a disgrace and I had to do risk assessments prior to sleering in some of them!