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Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers  

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It’s the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you’re interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.

Simply use the selector below to search our trip reviews and start reading real feedback from real Exodus travellers who have ‘been there and done that’!

Lots of our clients also like to post handy tips and advice about their travels. It’s great to know what to expect on an Exodus adventure before you go, so make the most of their experience and you’ll make the most of yours!

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15333 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Reviews

Spectacular scenery, Bitingly cold, Eye-watering prices

First holiday in three years for us and a different style too – we usually go on trekking/activity type holidays so a ‘tour’ was all a bit different. Had a great time, Iceland in March is impressive and the tour covers the whole island and visits all the ‘classic’ sites.

Most Inspirational Moment

Just the scenery, different all around the island.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jon was hugely knowledgeable about every corner of Iceland and went out of his way to make everyone happy. Even awkward sods like us who wanted to disappear off and look for plastic tubs under rocks (If you know, you know!)

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you're going in March, dress warm. Really warm. Really really warm. I've never been so cold in my life, and I've done a weeks dogsledding in Sweden which included camping when it was -45C. Don't know what other seasons are like but the clue's in the name - Iceland. Be prepared to spend lots of dosh on lunch, dinner and beer. For two of us, food + drink was another £750 on the price of the holiday, Take cards, no one uses cash. WiFi is good at all hotels and mobile reception was consistently better then we've got in Surrey.

Trekking in Madeira

Lovely island, great guide and group. Really nice hotels, lucky with the weather! However, the most interesting walks to the Eastern peninsula and the central mountains were very busy. Also, for me, the overall pace was rather slow and the distances covered could have been greater.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take 50 cent coins for toilets.

Great Trip

Various scenery and a mix of South Africa, from wildlife to great food (& wine), amazing scenery and relaxed pace

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved Storms River - the energy and scenery produced by the sea - I could watch it all day!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Organised, mixed well, ensured smooth running and went out of his way to fit in all our additional activities

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go and enjoy it

Sri Lanka

The trip involved truly discovering the wildlife, geography, culture, history, religion and entertainment of Sri Lanka and its people. We saw temples, religious ceremonies, games, wildlife, markets, spice farms, tea plantations and dancing; we tasted some wonderful local food; we heard their amazing morning bird choruses, as well as amazing tales by Roshan, our guide; we travelled by bus, boat, tuktuk, bicycle and train, and stayed in some amazing hotels. Travelling with Exodus and having a local guide made the whole experience easy – everything is organised for you. The balance of activity and rest is really well thought out so it keeps you busy, but with rest breaks to enjoy the sun, the pool or simply explore a little more. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone.

Most Inspirational Moment

Joining in the pilgrimage to the top of Adam's Peak, a 1000m climb of 5,500 steps over 7km done overnight to reach Sri Lanka's fourth highest peak for sunrise. It was superb to experience what the locals put themselves through, with everyone from infants to the elderly making their way up past all the tea houses. It is really strenuous, but a great personal achievement too. The wildlife park at Yala, the Sri Lankan games, bicycle ride and farmer's lunch, and cinnamon farm were other highlights among many.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roshan was great - attentive to all our needs, ensuring we were looked after well and keeping us organised; he has great skills in providing story-like tales of the history, politics, religion and cultural habits, using wit and personal stories to bring it to life and keep it interesting. His English was excellent and he made liaising with locals so much easier.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Have access to a good amount of cash, as the optional tours and activities all need payment in Rupees or Pounds. You can pay for meals and drinks in the hotels by cash, or simply use a card/mobile. All the hotels had English style sockets, so no adapters were needed. Be prepared for mosquitos - take repellent such as Aloe Vera or citronella. Be prepared for some early starts, but there's plenty of time to snooze on the bus. Water for drinking bottles is provided. Having a group tipping kitty saves a lot of hassle. Share photos on a WhatsApp group.

Thank you, Andre!

This was a great trip. Madeira is a stunning island, with an abundance of natural beauty. We were very lucky to have sunny clear weather for the Pico Ruivo, and the views were well worth the at times tricky climb. The food and wine were lovely in Madeira!

Most Inspirational Moment

Taking in the 360 degree view from the Summit of the Pico Ruivo - amazing!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Andre Ponte, our guide, was fantastic fun, a very experienced and knowledgeable trip leader. He showed us his island with enthusiasm and pride, and is very conscious and protective of its environment; he adapted the walks according to the (sometimes very changeable) weather conditions. He knows the nature and plant life on the island very well. A huge thank you again, Andre!

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would very much recommend this trip if you are of moderate fitness, and you don't have bad knees! Pack for varied weather conditions if you are going in March; we were lucky most days, but the wind means that weather changes quite rapidly. Wear shoes with good ankle support if you are susceptible in that area. And take a few 50 cent coins for the public toilets - you need them.

Addition to submission already made

I already submitted a review form and won’t add to the comments made there. But I realsied that I wasn’t prompted to say anything about the two hotels we stayed in (or maybe I missed that). These were: Edom Hotel (Wadi Musa / Petra). This was really excellent. Clean, efficient, well-placed and a pleasure to visit. I have no idea why it is only described as “comfortable” rather than being given a deserved 4* rating. The only minor downisde was no bottled water in rooms. Days Inn Hotel Amman. Well, at least the staff are nice and we got bottled water in the rooms! But in other respects it is poor and certainly not deserving of a 4* rating. Everything is tatty, the corridors and rooms – despite being notionally non-smoking – reek of cigarette smoke (this applied to two visits and two different rooms a week apart) and, on our second visit, the bath had not been cleaned – there was a wet pile of hair in the middle of it. I am sure that Amman can do better than this for the same money.

Just about as much fun as you can have on a bike :)

This was my first Exodus trip, so I’ll start by saying I’m very impressed with the organisation and customer support leading up to it. The trip itself was so much fun from start to finish. Maybe I lucked out, but the other 9 on the trip were a great bunch and we all got on really well throughout. The cycling itself started with a real bang with a 3 mile rocky (and a bit technical in places) descent that put a grin on my face that never left all week (well, maybe on some of the ascents it did wane a little…). I’d say it was about 50% descent, 20% “moroccan flat” and 30% ascent, so you do need to put some work in, and I confess that I took advantage of the support vehicle for 2 of the really long ascents. The views are stunning throughout and the Anti Atlas section (which was the majority) was pretty awe inspiring. We were over-fed throughout with snack and lunch stops, so never ran out of fuel or water, and any mechanicals were dealt with quickly and expertly by the support crew. The hotels were all comfortable and I particularly liked the end of the day ‘beer on the balcony’ moments in Tafroute watching the sun set over the mountains, and the meal in Immouzer was incredible.. The bikes were Cannondale 29ers and rolled well over everything – rocks, riverbeds, gritty pistes and tarmac. Some of the switchback descents went on forever (if I go to heaven….), and the final day run down to the sea (with a refreshing dip) was a fitting finale to an amazing week of riding.

Most Inspirational Moment

The varied landscapes of the Anti-Atlas, particularly around Tafroute, will stay with me forever - in fact I'm already plotting a return!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Abde and Hassan led the trip superbly. Special thanks to Hassan who patiently waited for me bringing up the rear on the uphill sections! The support crew were great too, particularly Hammou who fed us all so well!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

It's a very physical ride throughout with a lot of uphill, so get as fit as you can before you go! (I wish I had..). And don't take scottish banknotes to change into Dirhams - you might as well have monopoly money in Morocco!

Fast Paced Adventure

To repeat other reviews – action packed trip – more emphasis on cycling and not on sight-seeing like some other Exodus tours on offer. The distances, pace and elevations are rated moderate, but to some they would be challenging. The pace was faster than we normally go when touring – although there were frequent stops. Excellent organization and leadership from Lam and his team who refreshed us at regular intervals and kept our bikes in good shape. Their support couldn’t have been better or more cheerful. Loved some of the quieter roads and villages but could have missed cycling through the city areas like Hue – unnecessarilly risky, in my view. High quality hotels all the way and some great meals. Not enough time to really see some overnight places like Da Lat. Overnight train trip an adventure but not for the faint of heart (toilets) or light sleepers. Great overnight boat experience in Halong Bay. We certainly saw the country from one end to the other.

Most Inspirational Moment

Beautiful scenery and the waving children along the way.

Thoughts on Group Leader

5 stars! Excellent group leader (Lam) who seemed to have every last detail sorted out way ahead of time from room allocation/ keys, to restaurants, to luggage, tipping, tickets etc. Also, he was extremely knowledgeable about the country. He helped all the slower members of our group along the way and encouraged everyone.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware of the cycling demands and the risks in a country with crazy traffic and roads (pot holes/ animals/ scooters). A few more people in our group might have enjoyed the tour more with an ebike. Expect long bus rides between cycling (up to 4 hours) so be prepared with something to read etc. Take toilet supplies especially for the train and rest stops - some with very basic facilities. (the bush was often the only option along the way). Some of our bike sizes were not what we expected. Make sure to let the company know not just your height but what size bike you generally ride to avoid this hassle.Easier to start with the right ize than have them adjusting along the way. There is no day pack or pannier with the bikes for even the smallest items. Bring something along. The bus is never too far away.

Fast Paced Adventure

To repeat other reviews – action packed trip – more emphasis on cycling and not on sight-seeing like some other Exodus tours on offer. The distances, pace and elevations are rated moderate, but to some they would be challenging. The pace was faster than we normally go when touring – although there were frequent stops. Excellent organization and leadership from Lam and his team who refreshed us at regular intervals and kept our bikes in good shape. Their support couldn’t have been better or more cheerful. Loved some of the quieter roads and villages but could have missed cycling through the city areas like Hue – unnecessarilly risky, in my view. High quality hotels all the way and some great meals. Not enough time to really see some overnight places like Da Lat. Overnight train trip an adventure but not for the faint of heart (toilets) or light sleepers. Great overnight boat experience in Halong Bay. We certainly saw the country from one end to the other.

Most Inspirational Moment

Beautiful scenery and the waving children along the way.

Thoughts on Group Leader

5 stars! Excellent group leader (Lam) who seemed to have every last detail sorted out way ahead of time from room allocation/ keys, to restaurants, to luggage, tipping, tickets etc. Also, he was extremely knowledgeable about the country. He helped all the slower members of our group along the way and encouraged everyone.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware of the cycling demands and the risks in a country with crazy traffic and roads (pot holes/ animals/ scooters). A few more people in our group might have enjoyed the tour more with an ebike. Expect long bus rides between cycling (up to 4 hours) so be prepared with something to read etc. Take toilet supplies especially for the train and rest stops - some with very basic facilities. (the bush was often the only option along the way). Some of our bike sizes were not what we expected. Make sure to let the company know not just your height but what size bike you generally ride to avoid this hassle.Easier to start with the right ize than have them adjusting along the way. There is no day pack or pannier with the bikes for even the smallest items. Bring something along. The bus is never too far away.

First exodus trip

First group trip on some years. Superb experience and packed so much in. Saw big 5, gear locations, food and like minded company

Most Inspirational Moment

The elephant encounter on game drive. A on heat bull in a rampant mood was so impressive. The guides got us in the best places.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both the guides Clifford and Evans had a few challenges with a client going down with heat stroke and then heavy rain. On a different day I might add. It’s when you see the professionalism of people at times like this, they were and handled it very well

Advice for Potential Travellers

Clients need to be fit, not really fit, just hill walking fit. Also some headphones and podcasts for the driving times. Also prepared for a lack of WiFi!