Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Several - Machu Picchu is awesome - just like the in the pictures. Definitely worth staying until the crowds have gone, or doing the early rise if you can get up in time. The home stay was my personal favourite. Our host was so lovely, we helped out with what we could and it was a humbling experience. Travelling should broaden the mind and things like the home-stay certainly do that. Scooping water from the well rather than turning on the tap make you appreciate the reality of life for so many. I loved the variety of the landscape. Cusco - fascinating place to wander around. I would recommend the Amazon extension. Far less daunting than I had expected. Yes the rooms had only 3 walls and were open to the sounds of the rainforest but we had experienced more biting insects in Southern Europe! The sounds and and scale of the tress are fabulous. The Convent in Arequipa. We should have half an hour after the to just to BE in this place.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I really liked him for interesting conversation at dinner and for learning about his life and views on growing up in Lima. His command of the language was exemplary and he had a lovely dry sense of humour. However as a tour guide he really needed to address the group more often during the long drives with information about the landscape, history and political background to the country. We did ask him too and he was happy to answer specific questions but seemed unwilling to take on the more traditional tour guide role. Having said that I am not sure that the coaches had microphones. He seemed more comfortable talking to smaller groups on specifics than addressing the whole group with general background info. Last year in India we had the Legend that is Mahindra, and that is a very tough act to follow. He should be cloned! Raoul did cope very calmly with the booking error when we got back to Lima at the end of the maind trip and found our hotel rooms had not been booked! It was sorted smoothly.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for very long days in the coach. Make sure you stock up with food and water for these. Buy travel bands ( pressure point ones for wrists) if you might get queasy. Altitude is very challenging. Many took Diamox but not all Doctors are happy to prescribe it. Take the advise regarding drinking water and eating lots of high carb foods. Take it steady. Many of our party felt poorly at some point. Be prepared.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many good things about this trip, but I will give you just 4: 1. Clear skies at night combined with no light pollution meant I managed to see a shooting star without trying. I also saw the Milky Way for the first time. It made me realise that I'd had no idea previously as to what it looked like. 2. The remoteness of this trip, seeing no other tourists and feeling totally tiny in the middle of this huge mountain range was just truly awesome. A place for true relaxation and escapism. 3. Seeing the people of the remote Berber villages we walked through going about their business. A particular high point was seeing 5 women walking back from a wedding at sunrise one morning. The golden morning sun on their brightly coloured clothes was quite breath taking. 4. The food was fantastic. Absolutely incredible. They even catered well for my wheat-free vegetarian diet.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was an amazing man called Abdellah. He was originally from a Berber village and subsequently his knowledge was rich and interesting. Our safety and welfare were his main concern at all times. I cannot fault this man, he is an asset to Exodus.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be respectful of the locals - dress appropriately and don't take photos if they wish you not to. I took water purification tablets rather than buying water and I didn't get a funny tummy, so don't be scared to do this. Don't worry about the pace of the walking, I found it too slow to start with, but settled into it nicely. It was appropriate when the weather got really hot to not be walking any faster. The length of time out on your feet is not to be sniffed at though.

Most Inspirational Moment

One of my favourite days was the optional day of cycling from Trinidad. We cycled to a sugar mill in the morning and the views from the top of the tower were fantastic. We then returned to Trinidad and our guide took us to a family run restaurant (which we never would have found on our own) where we had a delicious lobster lunch. Following lunch we cycled to the beach where we were had a well earned swim and a mojito (or two). I also really enjoyed the final day of cycling when we had some excellent downhill sections, cycled through beautiful countryside and saw working farms, including cowboys. The day finished with a 9km hill climb (don't worry, it is optional), which although I found it very challenging, I felt the sense of achievement at the end made it all worthwhile.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was excellent. He was incredibly knowledgeable and taught us a lot about Cuba's history and economy. He was friendly, approachable and good fun.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't forget to take padded shorts. We also found a bumbag useful for wearing on the bike to carry a camera, loo roll and money etc.

Most Inspirational Moment

Part of the attraction of this particular trip was the visit to Pompeii and Vesuvius. I would have liked to spend longer in Pompeii. The morning was rushed. Meeting new people and learning about their lives and experiences.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Morten was great, knowledgeable , informative, helpful, patient and prepared. He encouraged us all to finish in our own time. He had maps, local history, bus timetables etc for numerous places that various people wanted to visit on the free day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

PREPARE. If you are not already doing similar walks on your own or with a club, I strongly suggest starting with 1 hour ascents and descents to build up your leg muscles and stamina. Don't be afraid to explore on your own. Take a day off if you feel there are other things you'd like to see in the area. Some of our group took a taxi and train to Herculaneum. It's your holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

For me I think the highlight was watching vultures flying at and below eye level from the top of the El Chorro gorge.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group was led by Alexis and he was very very good; informative, fun and interesting, he was very well organised and helped make the week run smoothly. He always let us know what was in store, kept the group going a steady pace when out walking and always arranged for a drink in a local bar at the end of each walk - an excellent idea!.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for some wet weather if you go late in the year; we had one storm that would have been quite unpleasant if it had occurred during the day.

Most Inspirational Moment

Definitely the view from the Um Fourth rock bridge - I hadn't expected the Wadi Rum to be quite as rocky and narrow at certain points (not a negative) so the two hour climb was a fantastic opportunity to look back down and over some of the terrain we had covered. I'd strongly suggest anyone on this trip take that optional climb. Although I have little experience with scrambling on the whole I found it easier than expected and the small use of ropes shouldn't concern you. The guides and assistance they offered was excellent and I felt safe at all times.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Salah was amusing and easy going and I felt struck up a good rapport with us quickly.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Whilst you may as well do the Petra by Night excursion seeing as you are going all that way, it's really not very good for the amount it costs. It's fairly short with little in the way of worthwhile content and borders of slightly cheesy at some points. The one thing I read in multiple reviews was that you should bring gaiters to keep sand out of your boots. They are fairly cheap so it can't hurt however I found that pulling my trousers over the tops of my boots worked just as well.

Most Inspirational Moment

From start to finish everything was different, but the most outstanding feature was the friendliness and happiness of the people.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader and assistant leader were excellent. I treated them as friends, well they are.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The altitude does make a big difference. What would have been easy trekking in the UK becomes more difficult at altitude. You can get tablets for altitude sickness. One of our group did suffer but within half an hour of taking the tablets, was well recovering.

Most Inspirational Moment

Arriving most lunchtimes at an idealic beech for lunch and swim.

Thoughts on Group Leader

V good

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take swimming gear. A couple of stops had a few mozzies, so deet useful.

Most Inspirational Moment

Hearing a wolf howl one evening. Hearing this sound coming out of the forest, in the dark, was genuinely spine-tingling.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Brilliant. Enthusiastic, knowledgeable and a pleasure to be around.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many highlights, some unexpected local scenes! My personal highlight was the rain forest lodge - I'd done the Friendly Spider Course at London Zoo in preparation, but the most challenging part for me was the noise of the rain forest at dusk when i first went in my cabin. Looking back I wouldn't have minded another night there! The visual arts in Ecuador were interesting, from graffiti to art work in the hotels and haciendas. Wildlife is fascinating, and the geography too.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fabian the leader and Mauricio the driver were exemplary throughout. Timings were clear, lots of info and translation when needed

Advice for Potential Travellers

Like other two week long haul trips with Exodus, its not a relaxing holiday. Only a couple of early starts but plenty late finishes, meaning little down time. The bus was comfortable enough to have a mid morning and a mid afternoon nap. Food was good, say starting $15 for one course and a drink at dinner time. Because of the location of the hotels/lack of restaurants near the hotels/times of arrival, a few of the meals are taken in hotels. Check how the price of laundry is worked out - weight or item. What the trip notes didn't say (or maybe it was me not reading properly) is that it is advisable to wear long sleeved light coloured clothes in the rain forest and at the coast, also long socks are needed for the wellingtons in the rain forest. Plenty of insect spray needed. Water, snacks and cash points available. The hot springs are worth a visit in Chimbarazo, cost $5.