Reviewed October 2019 Jackie Hinrichsen Trip: Walking The Amalfi Coast Time of My Life! Thank you Exodus for such a wonderful adventure from beginning to end. Our tour guide Stefano was everything you could want and more. Informative, knowledgeable, flexible and lots of fun. Hotel 2 Torri was outstanding! Set in the beautiful surrounds of the peaceful town of Bomerano. Perfectly located in the Amalfi Coast. The Acampora family welcomed us warmly into their home. Owners Giovanni and Nicola treated everyone as family and their hospitality was excellent! Manager Gerardo Manna is amazing! A charming host who coordinates top service and waitering. Gerardo excelled in his efforts to meet everyone’s needs. His warm friendliness and consideration must also be noted. A great communicator and people person. Lots of fun! It was absolutely magical to hike the many surrounding treks of the Amalfi Coast. After each trek we arrived home to Hotel 2 Torri to a relaxing happy hour followed by the most beautiful food made with Italia love. I love to cook and was given the opportunity to help with the cooking demonstrations. The kitchen staff were great! I had the best time! Many wonderful memories made. I highly recommend this exceptional experience. Vi amo tutti all’ Hotel 2 Torri ❤️ What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Loved it all! What did you think of your group leader? Fantastic! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Just do it!
Reviewed October 2019 Stevie Johnson Trip: Everest Base Camp Trek Amazing, once-in-a-lifetime adventure - but be prepared! We have just returned from EBC, and it really was quite the adventure. Great scenery (when the clouds lifted!), fabulous trekking, lovely company and lots of laughs. We had a wonderful team - Leader Ajay ('Ozzy'), Sherpa Kaji, Norbu and Newang, our Yak man. We made it to EBC in the snow! Be as prepared as you can, expect long days trekking with lots of both up and down, embrace the culture and you'll be rewarded with incredible views and a great sense of accomplishment. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Making it to EBC obvs, but also chatting to Sherpa Kaji (who has summited Everest 9 times), visiting the memorials, sitting in the Monastery listening to the monks chanting, seeing the expedition tents at BC, seeing the Khumbu icefall, hanging out with our trek mates..……. What did you think of your group leader? Ajay ('Ozzy') was fantastic - he looked after us so well, was a delight to be with, was open and honest about everything. Couldn't have been better. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If you are unable to cope with squat loos, smells, very cold bedrooms, and basic living conditions, then perhaps this isn't the trip for you. If you can cope with those things, then you'll be fine, enjoy the experience and it is all so worth it. Loo roll, wet wipes, Imodium, water treatment equipment, and sense of humour are your friends. Discuss the use of Diamox with your leader. We also valued our Powerbanks, Merino underwear, hand sanitisation gel, well broken-in walking boots, and snacks (although you can buy them along the way). Oh and playing cards! Food is basic but plentiful. Is there anything else you would like to add? We were pleasantly surprised by the number of places we could actually get a hot shower. Many tea houses have invested in Gas showers, and they were very welcome (you do have to pay.) Remember prices for everything go up the further from Lukla you get. Take more ££ than you think you'll need, and make sure you change any spare back (into dollars only, not pounds) before you pass through passport control at the airport on your way out. Dengue fever is currently a significant problem in Kathmandu - take precautions to prevent mosquito bites (see trip notes).
Reviewed October 2019 Pauleen Bond Great trip We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. There was variety in our walks and some stunning views of the countryside. The Cortijo Rosario was a comfortable place to stay with very friendly and helpful staff. The meals were delicious. Our walk leader Michael was outstanding. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The Caminito Del Ray was stunning and as was the limestone landscape of the Grazalema region. What did you think of your group leader? Michael was amazing. He was well organised and extremely knowledgeable about all things to do with Andalucia. As we hiked he discussed the history and geology of the area and gave us information about its plants and birds. It was also interesting to hear him talk about the olive industry. Nothing was too much trouble for Michael. It was quite warm when we we were hiking and he was always mindful of our welfare. He made our week of hiking extremely enjoyable.
Reviewed October 2019 Darren Huston Trip: Classic Dolomites - Premium Outstanding Experience We altogether delighted in the entire Dolomites experience. The staff were well disposed and productive. Food was in every case crisp and tempting. We were additionally satisfied with the way that we could make up and back our very own snacks from the morning meal buffet. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Monte Piana Trekking
Reviewed October 2019 Kevin Walsh Trip: Discover the Baltics A Baltic autumn An interesting trip across the three Baltic countries, with the opportunity to see the three capitals and some countryside in between. Tallinn and Riga were both excellent, although Vilnius was less impressive. First two felt like small, self-contained towns however Vilnius was much larger and more “western”. The size of the group was a little large (at 20) and thus tended to break into smaller units - which we felt detracted from the overall experience. The hotels varied in standard and quality, although in the main were relatively faceless city blocks and unfortunately also used by other tourist groups which made the breakfasts in particular a bit of a scrum and thus not particularly enjoyable. The food in the restaurants was however good and there were some excellent places chosen for the group meals (for those who opted to attend) as well as plenty of other options for the “free” evenings. The tour leader (Migle) was efficient and organised and provided an excellent insight into Baltic history, culture and everyday life. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Not sure about inspirational, but we particularly liked Tallinn and also the Coronian Spit. What did you think of your group leader? As mentioned above, Migle was efficient, organised and very informative. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Check the weather forecast very carefully - we went in mid-September and it was very wet and surprisingly cold. Is there anything else you would like to add? An enjoyable trip but not up there with the best that we have taken with Exodus.
Reviewed October 2019 Catriona Wilkinson Trip: Walking in Andalucia Wonderful walking holiday in stunning scenery Walking in Andalucia is up there with the best walking holidays we have done with Exodus. The combination of an outstanding trip leader in Michael Newcomb, a lovely group of people to share our holiday with, comfortable and relaxed accommodation in the Cortijo Rosario which is set in stunning countryside and the five extremely interesting and varied walks together with a fabulous day in Seville makes this an exceptionally enjoyable holiday. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Walking on the Caminito del Rey was a once in a lifetime experience! The scenery was breathtaking and the achievement of engineering which has enabled walkers to use this path safely is incredible. Having said that, every walking day was very interesting and we were so impressed by the variety of scenery we were able to enjoy. Seville was also well worth the visit and The Alcazar was stunning! What did you think of your group leader? Our group leader Michael Newcomb was outstanding. He took excellent care of us all throughout the whole trip, was so conscientious about our health and safety, went out of his way to be helpful to everyone, was extremely knowledgeable about the flora, fauna, geology and history of the area, and was very sociable, friendly and fun to be with. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Walking the Caminito del Rey is an amazing experience but may not be suitable for those who suffer from moderate/severe vertigo. The beginning of the walk is fairly benign but towards the end in the vicinity of the bridge across the gorge the walkway could be problematic for vertigo sufferers. Is there anything else you would like to add? The flexibility offered by our trip leader during this holiday was a very pleasant surprise. The itinerary on every day is truly optional and it is perfectly possible to opt out of any of the walks and relax at the Cortijo by the pool for the day if desired. On some days it was possible to walk just for part of the day and this was facilitated by the very friendly and helpful team at the Cortijo and our trip leader who organised lifts to and from sections of the walks where this was possible. In summary, we can highly recommend this holiday to anyone who enjoys walking holidays at level 2 with Exodus.
Reviewed October 2019 Amanda Lothman Mt. Blanc Highlights Exceeds Expectations The Highlights of Mt. Blanc trip surpassed our expectations in terms of an overall travel and hiking experience. We heard about hiking Mt. Blanc during a random encounter with other hikers in Sedona, Arizona. We happened upon the Exodus trip during a google search but had never heard of the company being from the US. Every aspect of the trip exceeded our expectations. We thoroughly enjoyed our fellow hikers (11 total from 6 different nationalities). Our hiking guide, Shawn, gave us an overview each day and listened to any concerns. Our Chalet hosts, Claire and Liz, made us feel at home and provided excellent meals and hospitality. We will definitely travel with Exodus again. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Making it up the highest elevation on Day 4 of hiking. What did you think of your group leader? Shawn was a very nice group leader and gave us an overview each day of the next day's hike. He asked for any concerns and tried to adapt accordingly.
Reviewed October 2019 Yvonne Carson Trip: Walking in Mallorca Fantastic walking in beautiful surroundings I really enjoyed this walking holiday. My holiday was a grade 5 and I managed it fine in terms of the walking difficulty and length. I did struggle with the heat at times though, as it was very hot in the direct sun. The scenery is fabulous and I enjoyed every walk we completed. The scrambling was a little tricky but perfectly doable and worth the effort to see those views! Vultures and eagles were seen over head and butterflies closer to the ground. It was well organised, the food was plentiful and good quality. Hotel accommodation in Sóller was great, the Monastery looks impressive from the outside but the rooms are quite dark and a bit basic. Overall, I cannot fault this trip. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Visiting the Monastery de Luc. Very impressive and beautiful building. What did you think of your group leader? Couldn’t fault the group leader. Eduardo was so knowledgable about Mallorca’s culture, food, wildlife, people and geography. I felt educated each time we went out. He is very keen to please and looked after us so well. He had patience and humour and it was a rap pleasure to have him as a guide. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be aware of mosquitoes! Be sure you can cope with long days in the sun. Take a waterproof jacket. The ice cream in Sóller is lovely! Is there anything else you would like to add? A good value trip that is a great combination of walking, eating and culture.
Reviewed October 2019 Sarah Thorneycroft Trip: Walking The Amalfi Coast Beautiful part of Italy Really good trip covering the highlights of the Amalfi Coast. Some of the walking was a bit challenging but overall really enjoyed the experience - and the Path of the Gods was my favourite. It was really nice to stay in one place for the whole week and the food at the hotel was really good. Also liked the demonstrations we had in the kitchen and I have brought a few of the ideas home with me. I also opted to go yo Herculaneum on my free day which I enjoyed far more than Pompeii. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Walking the Path of the Gods What did you think of your group leader? Stefano was an inspiring and considerate guide making sure that we all enjoyed the experience - quite tricky sometimes as we were all had different levels of experience with hiking. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be prepared for some challenging sections which are made harder when the weather is hot
Reviewed October 2019 Candace Maliteare Trip: Walks of the Cinque Terre and Portofino Just a few more steps... We joined the majority of our group mid-Sept with Michela in Pisa. An informal meet and greet and an idea as to what to expect was laid out each day. As quoted by our fearless leader 'A little bit of up and then we level off' this was - pretty much the start of every glorious day. Michela was a great guide - easy going, kept us on point and moving at a comfortable pace. A couple of the days were more steep than others, it was super hot when we were there which didn't help. On a cooler day, the up's would have been a lot more tolerable. The last day provided some amazing views. Moneglia is a cute/quiet town with great options for dining - the host hotel was super comfortable and crazy clean! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Each day really! if it wasn't just getting to the top of the hill , it was turning a corner and being in awe of some really great picture moments of the Cinque Terre. What did you think of your group leader? Fantastic leader! It's not an easy task keeping every one happy and in order. Michela always made sure we had options. Options if someone wasn't well, or wasn't comfortable with the hike. Options for restaurants and suggestions on our free day. She also constantly checked in with everyone as we hiked and kept us updated as to how much longer or what to expect along the way. Thank you Michela!! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Don't underestimate the walks. Up is up and down is down.!! If the heat bothers you, try for a cooler season. Hiking boots are a must. Is there anything else you would like to add? The only small point - the first hiking day. It was mainly in the forest with a few short glimpses of water /valleys. It's a great workout, (that was the inspirational part) and the hikes get better. So hang in there and carry forward.