Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The shear number of hypos, elephants and crocodiles that line the river bank has to be seen to be belived. The food that our guide Cutherbert and his trusty assistant created was just incredible.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Cuthbert was amazing. He (and his assistant) were every morning at 4am to get the breakfast on. We had a cooked breakfast and on the water by 7am. Cuthbert then set a pace that was just right for everyone and ensured that the itinerary went exactly to plan without tiring anyone. His knowledge of all things related to the bush were demonstrated on the walk around the fly camp - everything from the latin names of all the trees to the contents of elephant dung were covered. We had chilled drinks on tap which was just incredible. The evening meals cooked on carcoal were delicous and just how he got the charcoal burning in such a short space of time was amazing. Most importantly, Cuthbert ensured we had a safe passage - this trip is not without risks and thanks to our leaders knowledge of the wild life, these were minimised.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Listen to the leader and follow his advice for your safety. Enjoy the trip and take it all in! Ask about extending the last day. In my opinion it was too short and the walking safari in the national park is not that great - the chances of seeing anything are slim given you are out on a flat plain where animals will run off before you get anywhere near. The only down side for us was the campsite at Zambezi Breezers was occupied by some rowdy city folk who spent the night getting drunk - so take ear plugs just in case!

Most Inspirational Moment

Staying one night in the mountain refuge, and the added bonus of wandering out from there in the evening and seeing and hearing red deer on the slopes at the edge of the tree lines. Each days arrival at the summit of wherever we were walking, and the spectacular views.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We thought our group leader Sara Bull was fantastic. She has a wealth of knowledge and skills in leading and organising, and she was absolutely committed to making sure we all had the best time possible.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Give Exodus a go. It was the first time we had been with Exodus, and it has wet our appetite for more. If you are unsure about any details of the trip, or have anything you would like to check in more detail beforehand, they will be happy to answer your questions, and to advise you.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sounds obvious but the cycling was the highlight of my trip. The scenery was beautiful & it was lovely to ride along in such great surroundings, chatting to the group & the guides. I just felt great & everyone was lovely.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Nee was brilliant - she made sure everyone was Ok at all times, organised us all, got us across the borders (not a particularly relaxing experience!), made an effort to socialise with the group & kept everything under control, but with good humour throughout.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The mozzies weren't as bad as some of the other reviewers have suggested (at least not in Sept when I went), so don't worry too much about that! I usually get bitten to death so was dreading that side of it but only got a couple of bites. Definitely take a gel seat cover as none of the bike saddles are especially comfortable. I took one & was very glad of it. Prepare yourself for some very basic bathroom facilities. They're fine but most Westerners aren't used to squatting so warm your thighs up!

Most Inspirational Moment

The local tour guide on the day of walking around Castellina. Sarah was a gem - very knowledgeable, passionate about Chianti and the Etruscans, she brought the history to life as she shared the experiences of her own family in the locale - and she was delightful.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Liz was excellent - very organised, managed the accident of one of the team members calmly and professionally, worked hard to organize special requests, rearranged some activities to better utilise time and energy

Most Inspirational Moment

The sense of achievement in accomplishing the trail. The views were spectacular.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Caesar our group leader was amazing. Fantastic english. Very knowledgeable about the tour, sharing his knowledge frequently...He was very supportive and organised...Felt safe with him as soon as we met.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be fit..it is tough. You dont need to take too many snacks as the food is good. Take some juice as the boiled filtered water tastes a little unpleasant on the last couple of days. Walking poles are needed..altitude sickness tablets need to be considered as we found it unpleasant for several days .

Most Inspirational Moment

Highlights included spotting whales, cycling chapmans peak and visiting table mountain. Cycling the coast was fantastic, with some great views and some great climbs.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Group leader and support driver were both excellent. Super organised, full of energy and enthusiasm. Nothing was too much trouble. We were well looked after from day 1.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take some layers, it's a cold wind at times. Food is excellent value for money and eating out is not expensive. If you like wine, this trip will suit you!

Most Inspirational Moment

Ha Long bay and Mekong Delta, plus unexpectedly the food.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Cong was so attentive and always there to point you to the best bits.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Totally safe for singles, family and couples, the Vietnamese such friendly people. Just be wary crossing roads :)

Most Inspirational Moment

The stunning views at the top of some of the climbs

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent

Most Inspirational Moment

First arriving at and touching the great wall at Jiankou: tobogganing down from the wall on the second day: the marvellous views of the wall disappearing into remote distances over dramatic hill scenery: cycling round the wall at Xian during the extension

Thoughts on Group Leader

Kevin was excellent, especially helpful to me when I arrived with a stomach problem contracted on the flight out! He got on well with, and socialised with all group members and was always on hand to advise about the food or other unknowns.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Follow the advice well set out by previous reviewers - take wipes, take toilet rolls and otherwise just enjoy the experience. It was cold in the evenings but during the walks I was in shirtsleeves. The food was excellent and, ironically, I got no stomach problems while I was there.

Most Inspirational Moment

Although I've joined the Ramblers, I'm not an experienced walker. It's a fantastic feeling at the top of the hill looking down onto the Riviera. Some of the slopes are quite steep but at the end of the holiday, having managed to keep up with everyone and no scrapes or injuries, I returned home with a great sense of achievement that money can't buy.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was excellent. I was travelling on my own and the flight was delayed. I made my way to Menton on the local bus where it was dark on arrival and I was so glad Stephanie came to meet me. On the walks, she was extremely helpful and gave lots of advice. She also explained well the local history of the area.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I went in September because I thought it would be cooler but it was still quite warm and you need to drink plenty of water. This is not a problem as the water is good to drink and there are plenty of public taps in all the local villages. The route is accurately described as rocky and you need walking boots rather than shoes. Also take a swimming costume as the beach is just across the road from the hotel.