Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

We saw all sides of Vietnam - from the frenetic city of Hanoi to the stunning natural wonder of Halong Bay with a visit to the beautiful farming regions. Highlights included; Amazing food in interesting places Having tea with a local family in the mountains and learning about rice farming Sailing and swimming in Halong Bay Touring the beautiful temples of Hue, exploring the outlying villages and having an oscar-worthy reenactment of farming traditions from the lady at the museum. Seeing the beautiful city of Hoi An lit by lanterns at night time Visiting the fascinating Cu Chi tunnels Sailing through the Floating markets in the Mekong Delta Having children running out to greet you as you cycle through villages in the Mekong Delta Having an impromptu cooking lesson at the homestead in Mekong Delta Watching fireflies whilst swinging gently in a hammock after a delicious dinner

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader, Thom, was excellent - he ensured we were entertained at all times and constantly sought out extra activities for us. He fitted in well with the group and had a great sense of humour. Thom was very enthusiastic in his love of Vietnam and we learned a great deal about the culture and history of this fascinating country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would advise taking a sleeping bag liner for the homestays and overnight train (it is an interesting experience!) and plenty of hand sanitiser/wet wipes. Get yourself a Non La on arrival - they are the best way to keep cool in the sun. Definitely worth investing in a camel pack to keep your drinking water cooler on hikes/cycle rides. Take as empty a suitcase as you can - if you need more clothes just buy them there (cheaper than laundry and they are fantastic quality)

Most Inspirational Moment

Ah, the elephants at the orphanage were overwhelming...(but then I am an elephant addict). Yes, they do seem in need of a good meal, and it was heart-breaking to see that it is a bit like a zoo, but in fairness, the elephants in the wild on safari were just as skinny. I also liked the wonderful hotels and food, especially since the last fantastic place was trumped each night to come! I particularly liked the 50 mile uphill ride... the best burn-off I've had in a long time!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Smashing Suresh a lovely, affable person who aimed to please and worked hard to provide a top service.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yep. As a hardened world cycle tourist, I would say fervently, to avoid padded shorts in hot and sweaty climates. Grin and bear it without pads or you will end up with 'nappy rash' as many of my fellow travellers did. Merino wool undies and t-shirts are also the way ahead as in the monsoon showers they dry within the hour (you can wring them out at the breaks), and sponge dry with a small travel towel. Also, I ditched my socks which was far more pleasant for hot and sweaty/wet climates.

Most Inspirational Moment

Watching how hard local porters work and how humble, polite and happy the locals are - the western world can learn a lot.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Gele was exceptional throughout the entire length of the trip - he is a credit to Exodus. From his local knowledge (best places/dishes to eat, mountain names/heights, cultural/legend stories etc.), to 24-hr care for those in difficulty, to the great banter we shared: the man is a model trekking guide.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If, like I was, you're in any doubt whether to book, please do so - you will not regret it! When you're trekking enjoy the journey and savour every last minute. Take it very slowly particularly early on in the trip as this will aid acclimatisation; in my group many who exerted themselves early on struggled further up. Save energy for EBC and Kala Patthar days as these come back-to-back and it's the lack of rest between these two days that causes some people to opt out of the second day. Listen to how much your guide suggests you should drink as this is the second crucial factor in preventing altitude sickness. Sleep, water, sugar/food, body warmth should be your priorities - especially once above 4000m. Diamox may be strongly advised by your guide - remember that it's up to you to make the decision whether you take it or not. I reached EBC and Kala Patthar without any significant altitude sickness related symptoms, and I didn't take Diamox. Enjoy!

Most Inspirational Moment

everything was just well put together and the leader made sure we got the best out of the trip: Loved the space in Mai Chau, the bussle of Hanoi, the history of Hue, the colours of Hoian and the pace of the Mekon Delta

Thoughts on Group Leader

Tom did everything he could to make sure we saw and knew about the country he loves. Nothing was too much trouble

Most Inspirational Moment

It is difficult to pick one moment as each setting is almost jolting. Perhaps the spot where the tectonic plates meet (where the settlers had their annual political talk-fest circa 1000 AD...yes they did!) particularly gripped me. Significant land and political movements in the one spot! Our group experienced it close to end of day so there were less crowds and tour leader gave us a taste of its significance.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Well Kristjan is simply remarkable. He makes tour guiding into an art. You get the information and a taste of the life (in this unusual place) via stories, working knowledge, wit and finely-tuned planning. He also had good antenna for group and individual dynamics.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't assume you will see the Northern Lights with the naked eye. I didn't; however, my fellow travellers vowed and declared they did! Best take a camera cause that's where they most show up; hang around, and don't be too disappointed if you don't see them. There is so much else that is intriguing.

Most Inspirational Moment

So many.. Probably the Wild dogs sighting for me..

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was a great guy!! Helpful, Organised, Knowledgable. Although a bit on the quiet and invisible side at times.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Great trip! I'd recommend it to anyone!! Just try and go with EIGHT or fewer people in the group! Also, Be prepared for the second guides "Colouring book chats" in the middle of a game drive?! GRR...Apple Blossom, Dirt, Poo, History, Bushes, Leaves, Grass, Geology, Ants, Air etc, etc...... chats He likes to test you too, So read up or else!! Because remember people... "What you see is what you get!!!" ;) ;)

Most Inspirational Moment

Where do I start?! Halong Bay was great, all what you expect it to be (apart from the volume of other sailing boats). The surprising moments were the bustle of old Hanoi & its traffic, the overnight sleeper train (which was really quite comfy), Hoi An which is a really pretty & friendly town, the Cu Chi tunnels and the Mekong Delta.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Anh was great. He was knowledgeable yet honest. If there wasn't something he knew immediately then he would always find out and come straight back to us with an answer. He was approachable, friendly and a great leader. An asset to the company.

Advice for Potential Travellers

For both Halong Bay and the Mekong Delta you will need to pack an overnight bag, so make sure you have a small bag you can use.

Most Inspirational Moment

Just being in the nature all day long, seeing elephants real close by, having a young elephant trumpeting at us and having to paddle zig-zag around the hippos.

Thoughts on Group Leader

CB was a great tour guide. Very calm and always in the lead. His trainee Best was just that: all the best!! They cooked great food and made us all feel very comfortable during the whole trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring lots of wet wipes for the days on the Zambezi and the islands. Pack your luggage for the first 3-4 days in your carry-on, as the tour will start right away and you won't have to repack in the dark when you get to the start of the tour.

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day was interesting in its own way, but the first view of Machu Picchu has to be the highlight. We were lucky enough to see it with the sun shining and spent around 5 hours there. It gave us plenty of time to take the 2 hour guided tour as well as walk around the site and also hike to the sun gate. Highlights also included the wildlife on the Belestas Islands, The Nasca lines and driving through the Andes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sebastian was great. He was very attentive and gave us a thorough briefing each evening about the following day. Everything was effortlessly organised from luggage porterage to boxes of water on the bus to refill our bottles during our days at altitude. He was always available and didn't overload us with too much information. There were also local guides used who were also very good.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If this is your first visit to Peru and you want an alternative to the Inca trail then this is a fabulous tour. It gives a large variety of sights and experiences that you would not see if you were trying to do this yourself. The drive from Lima to Cusco via the Nasca lines gave us the advantage of climbing through the mountains to a higher altitude gradually rather than flying direct to Cusco, I found adapting to the higher altitude much easier this way. Most days had an early start, this meant that we were on the road when it was cooler and reaching many sites before they were busy, we would arrive in most cases in the afternoon at the next destination, giving you a bit of relaxation time before dinner. A lot of the day is spent in the bus, but I still believe that I saw much more of the country this way and it was a relaxing way to travel with the scenery always changing. The boat ride across Lake Titicaca in the afternoon was a little rough and I would recommend taking travel medication to Peru with you if you think it may be a problem. The hot springs during the Colca canyon part of the trip is a must do. It was 15 soles entrance (about £3). Nowhere in Peru accepts US dollars. The only trip you can pay for in USD is the flight over the Nasca lines. My suggestion to you is to take Soles with you. I took a mixture of both soles and dollars and found that I didn't need to US at all. food is around 20 - 40 soles for a main course and we very rarely had a lunch stop, other than to buy snacks (eg crackers, bread, crisps, soft drinks) I budgeted for around 70 soles a day but often didn't spend anywhere near that amount. At Lake Titicaca it gets very cold in the evening, take a hat, scarf and gloves with you. If you forget then you can buy them very cheaply in Peru from one of the numerous market stalls.

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing around the ruins at Termessos, hot air ballooning at Cappadoccia and sharing turkish bath experience with the ladies in our group were definite highlights. Our tour guide went out of his way to show us extra things and teach us about Turkish language and culture which made it really special.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Zafer's expertise in archeology and ancient history as well as his ability to engage the group really made the tour. We had moments when the whole group became budding archeologists, finding pieces of old pottery, glass, carvings and metal and asking him which period it came from! He was also happy to show us additional sites, recommend activities in our free time and take us to the best shops and local bars.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Some days we have a lot of bus travel but I expected this from other trip reviews and the sites we saw were well worth it. Accommodation standards varied quite significantly in different locations, but you spend so little time at the hotel in any event. Days are packed with a full itinerary, which I loved, but others might prefer more free time.