Cultural Wonders

An excellent and well organised trip to get a feel of this enormous country and see the rapidity of its development. Although the trip was quite fast paced, having 2 or 3 nights in each of the cities visited meant that things didn’t seem too rushed. As previous reviews have noted, all the iconic sites were covered giving a good amount of time at each and also a fair amount of free time to explore on your own. It didn’t take long to sort out using the metros in the 4 cities but, as has been mentioned in other reviews, you need to be quite fit as walking distances can be considerable(e.g. railway and metro stations) and you often need to move fairly quickly. Buses, metros and bullet trains all very efficient. It was good to be able to sample the different variety of food in the cities, even though sometimes the limited English made life interesting! All of the extra activities were well worth doing-Chinese acrobats, Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show, Sichuan Opera.

Dennis Jenkins Essential China

The “Week in Oman” trip, booked well in advance for April 2026, started with such promise. Neil’s customer service was exceptional, setting a positive tone. Even though I sourced my own, cheaper flights, the anticipation provided by Exodus was palpable as the travel date neared.

But that’s when the poor admin and support became evident. My queries to the Exodus Operations team, intended to ensure proper preparation, were met with generic, outdated direction to the trip notes. Ramadam dates for 2024 and 2025 were irrelevant for 2026, and actual answers remained elusive. The pre-trip administration became a farce: asked for flight details a month out, despite having provided them months prior for the arranged airport transfer. Then, two days later, the exact same request arrived from another team member. My confidence in Exodus’s organizational capabilities plummeted.

Thankfully, when Middle East events cast doubt on the trip, Exodus were back on form. Their communication was swift, options were clear, and the trip was confirmed.

Once in Oman, the experience was truly magnificent, thanks to the incredible team at Zahara Travel. Oman itself, with its stunning landscapes and wonderful people, created cherished memories. While there were minor deviations from the original plan, it became clear Exodus struggles with up-to-date information on their website and trip notes.

Despite the outstanding tour itself, the administrative shortcomings were undeniable. As an experienced fellow traveller aptly put it, “Exodus are not the company they once were.” This trip certainly didn’t demonstrate value for money or actions consistent with their promises.

Roger Bearpark A Week in Oman

A perfect way to see the best bits of China

Justine Webb Essential China