Most Inspirational Moment
Sarajevo
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader was young and enthusiastic
Reviews
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!
Haven’t posted your review yet? Here’s how to do it…
Once you return from your Exodus adventure holiday, you will be emailed a link to add your review. Any feedback collected is posted onto our website, totally unedited.
Alternatively you can navigate to the relevant trip page and add your review via the Reviews tab.
Select a trip specific review:
Reviews
An interesting tour of the Balkans
This is a very interesting and varied trip through Montenegro and Bosnia Herzogovina, covering countryside, mountains, culture and history. A lot is fitted into a relatively short time, so it involves quite a bit of travelling, but the countryside is stunning and our driver was excellent, so it was really worth it. The mountains are reminiscent of the Dolomites, but without the crowds. The cities are medieval and very quaint, but still bear the scars of the Balkan war of the 90’s. The war exhibition in Sarajevo is particularly thought provoking and well worth a visit.
AVV discover the Baltics (121)
I really enjoyed the trip, but had problems hearing some of the guides as we were sometimes in crowded areas. It would be a good idea if we were furnished with audio aids so that we could look at what was being described rather than trying to catch up with the guide the whole time. This really spoilt a very good trip.
Most Inspirational Moment
Palmse Manor.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jolata was an excellent group leader and spent time considering our every needs.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you take warm clothes as the weather can be unpredictable even in June/July.
A fantastic introduction to Croatia
Croatia is beautiful, seriously hot in July when one is out exercising in the midday sun, and the scenery and fabulous coastal roads made for some epic bike rides.
Most Inspirational Moment
Getting the whole group to the end of the first day 12 km climb in 39 degrees was no mean feat, but we all did it and enjoyed a couple of well earned ice creams at the end of it. Whizzing down the hair pin roads with incredible coastal views was fantastic fun afterwards!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guide, Dino, was spectacular, and couldn’t do enough for us.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The cycling was just hard enough to be a nice challenge to earn an extra ice cream, but not so arduous it didn’t feel like a holiday. If you’re a proper vegetarian, be warned for some very uninspired eating, and be aware that most of your calories will come from ice cream (not such a bad thing...).
Great climbs, wonderful scenery, good food and company.
The challenges were so worth while. The guide and driver/mechanic Dimitri and Juli were lovely guys. Juli made you smile every time he passed us slogging up the hills 🙂
We saw different kinds of villages and towns, some busy some remote, all with their own charm.
Having everything organised for you frees your mind to just enjoy the wonderful scenery and sweeping descents (some a little scary).
Most Inspirational Moment
Cycling up a remote valley, seeing traditional farming and hearing the calls for prayer. Cycling through beautiful no-mans land between borders. The first view of The Bay of Kotor.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Lovely guy.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take lots of layers for hot or cold weather. We had a lot of rain and it got cold. Definitely take light overshoes, they take no room.
4 counties in 15 days!
The Balkans cycle trip has magnificent, spacious mountains and lakes.
It’s an adventure, not knowing exactly what the weather or the mountains will challenge you with.
A discovery each day, staying in high alpine mountains or by the spectacular Lake Ohrid.
Likewise, the sea at Kotor and absorbing the cultures and religions of each country.
Most Inspirational Moment
The people on the trip all gelled through the rough and smooth times, making it the best trip ever, for me. The dramatic skies and snow on the hills after rain. Also, cycling up the never ending hills, then free wheeling for miles.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Dhimitraq is a very good leader quietly in control and sorting out any problems. Julio is an excellent driver, entertainer and watchful carer, looking out for everyone.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a good waterproof jacket and warm clothes. Waterproof shoes wouldn't go a miss either.
Stunning
This has to be without doubt the most fantastic trip we have ever done, with breath-taking scenery around every corner. Josh, Dhimitri and Juli were full of local knowledge, well organised and complimented each other as a team. If you have never cycled a steep hill without some motivational Queen or Ram Jam then you have never met Juli!
Accommodation and food varied, as you might expect, but was well above what we have experienced on other trips and generally superb.
The roads were quiet for the most part, but some busy sections with manic drivers have to be negotiated, but no worse than in the UK.
Most Inspirational Moment
The mountains of Montenegro and the Tara canyon were particular hi-lights, but when you just thought you had reached peak scenery and taken every possible photo, around the corner was even better.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Josh was great and is really passionate about The Balkans and their history. We would have learnt a lot if not so tired after the days cycling. We had thorough briefings about the rides ahead and he would often take personal responsibility for minor things that went wrong that were really out of his control. Dhimitri is full of knowledge and is quietly efficient, even to the point of serving us breakfast at one slow hotel. Juli is loudly efficient, caring and tremendous fun!
Advice for Potential Travellers
The climbs tend to come in big hits, which can mean 2-3 hours of constant climbing. We managed them all though and thank you for all those who waited patiently for us at the top! Be warned though, despite the mammoth climbs, miles and the burning of 27,000 calories, somehow we still managed to put on weight ! All those lovely cheesy dishes, beer and coke I think.
Wonderful experience.
We were lucky to have attended this trip with glorious weather throughout and had an amazing time with a real diverse bunch of interesting people from all over the world. The Exodus leader Fred was always quite laid back which reflected on the walks which were conducted at a nice pace without feeling too hurried.
The two girls who operated the chalet were both exceptional and added to the overall pleasure of this trip. The food they provided was a culinary delight for all.
Despite a record breaking heatwave we still experience snow walking at 35c which was a real head-bender.
We booked late so ended up in the loft area of the chalet but even that was more than comfortable. The walks are breathtaking and you will find yourself forever stopping for photos.
Most Inspirational Moment
We did the parasailing which was incredible. We were in the air for a good 40 minutes so could really take it all in. Please book this using the firm Air Sports which Exodus recommends.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Fred was a lovely chap who appeared very laid back but also someone who was fully competent at his job and it showed. I have a fear of steep edges and he calmly encouraged me to overcome this is a professional manner.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you have plenty of room on your camera roll.
Sicilian Volcanoes
Excellent guide and great sites, especially Stromboli. Watching volcanic activity after dark along with a fabulous sunset.
Most Inspirational Moment
As above.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Extremely knowledgeable. Great guide.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you are physically capable. Lots of climbing.
Fantastic hiking trip in a beautiful part of the world
This is a popular hiking trip, and deservedly so. The views every day were wonderful – you’d be hard pressed to enjoy this area to the same extent traveling on your own; having a tour made it so easy to have the paths charted out for us each day, and transport back to the hotel after a tough day’s hiking. Each day brought an exploration of a little bit of a different area. It is rated as a “2” i think, pretty easy, but it was not very easy due to the extreme heat (up to 40C on one day, and well over 35 on every day) and humidity, on steep and rough paths. I’d say it is more like a 3 (I am an over 60 yr old woman in good condition). It is a small (about 15 people) tour so the logistics are manageable, and the group was delightful. Food at the Hotel Due Torri was fine. Only negative: the rooms are haphazard: you might or might not get a good one. Don’t pay for the “superior” room – just a jacuzzi tub in a garret, with a sloping roof, can’t stand up in half the room.
Most Inspirational Moment
Actually what i enjoyed most was the day "off" - since we were there in the middle of a bad heat wave, several of us wanted to hire a boat & driver and go boating up and down the Amalfi Coast, and our guide made that happen for us. We swam in the delightful sea water several times, enjoyed a splendid water view lunch at a small town, visited a deserted beach accessible only by boat, etc. etc. It was truly memorable, like a scene from a movie.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Vania did a fine job. She was accessible, kept the group going, very upbeat, went out of her way to arrange our day on the water - we couldn't have done that without her. I was the slowest of our group (and probably the oldest) - on Day 1 I had to ask her to wait up for me at the rest stops and give me a moment to breath, but once i called it to her attention, she was pretty good about extending those rest breaks just a little longer so i could catch up. She provided options for me to bail out of the hiking at a couple of points, and i did so, (skipped one day of all-downhill hiking to save my knees, took a bus partway thru one day when that was possible, for the same reason). I appreciated her consideration and watchfulness. She did a nice job arranging the departures for all of us - many of us could not use the trip-provided shuttle to Naples Airport, and she got us all squared away with our separate arrangements.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I think if you are over 60, you had better be in very fine form to do this trip. I am fit, and found it quite difficult. The first day was 8.8 miles according to my phone, with 44 flights climbed - a rigorous day especially given the heat. Other days were closer to 7 miles. Bring the trekking poles and good boots as Exodus advises, you will use them every day.
Brilliant Balkans!
Exodus has done well to allow us to cycle the best bits of 4 different countries in 2 weeks. Some epic climbs but all manageable and the grading at ‘moderate/ challenging’ is about right. You always got to enjoy the downhills as well.
The accommodation was fine except for one guesthouse which I believe has now been removed from the itinerary. Remember, this is a new trip and Exodus are still ‘ fine tuning’ it.
Food was excellent and the group as a whole gelled well together.
If you want to cycle 4 countries that are uncommon to cycle in, I would not hesitate in recommending this trip
Most Inspirational Moment
Cycling the unbelievably beautiful P14 road in Montenegro which must be one of the best in Europe. It had only opened the week before due to massive dumps of snow and we went in late May!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Demetri lead the group with quiet authority and arranged a kitty for food which was a good way of doing things, but must have been a nightmare to organise! A wee bit more info on the various places visited would have been appreciated. Our driver and bike mechanic was ebullient and a bit hyperactive but was a good driver. He could have benefited from more equipment though ( ie a footpump that could be used with schrader valves- several of the bikes had these and we were fortunate none of them had a puncture). Bike maintenance during the trip could have been better
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a few waterproofs as the weather can be unpredictable. If you are thinking about it, just book it!