Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Glencairn tea plantation - its location, general ambience, including winderful views Trek to Horton Plains and World End Visit to a 'tsunami' family Views too many to mention

Thoughts on Group Leader

Exceptional. See above. We were a group but he found time for us as individuals.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Exodus covered the ground well enough

Suggestions

In any holiday, there will be one or two small matters. The stay at the campsite was agood idea but the site could use some help in upgrading and siting of toilet facilities. Buffet at Insight hotel needed more attention. However none of this impacted on our enjoyment of the holiday

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the top of Adam's Peak for sunrise, hiking in the remote Knuckles mountain range, and seeing about 8 blue whales on the optional coastal excursion - definitely a 'must-do' option for anyone travelling in the right season.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ruwan was an excellent leader, full of local knowledge of all aspects of local culture, food, flora and fauna. He kept everything running smoothly at all times, was always available, and always patient even when asked the same questions many times. Also a friendly guy with a sense of humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Really varied bird life, so worth taking a small pair of binoculars and a bird book. Take the optional whale watching trip if there in migration season. The first 3 months of the year seem a great time to visit for whales, weather and pilgrimage season up Adam's Peal

Most Inspirational Moment

Almost every day brought us an inspirational moment from seeing Leopards to the scenery to tasting authentic Sri Lankan food, but for me the wow moment was seeing an elephant strolling through a lake of water hyacinths chomping to his (her?) hearts content oblivious to our presence.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Kingsley the guide was exceptional. Not only did he know his stuff about wildlife he could spot creatures that I would have walked past, but he also took the time to take an interest in what everyone in the group was interested in and helped us get the most from the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

A combination of altitude, heat and humidity can take it out of you if you are not used to this type of environment. It's difficult to prepare for these factors so be prepared to find things a bit hard going until you are acclimatised.

Suggestions

This was our first outing with Exodus and we were really impressed with everything, from the pre and on site organisation through to the activities themselves. Kingsley, our guide really made the holiday with his knowledge and attention to our wants and interests. Perhaps it would have been less "busy" to have stopped in some of the hotels for a little longer, but that would have meant longer bus drives or limiting the activities, but overall we were very pleased with everything.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were to many to choose from really. The Buddhist temples were beautiful and very peaceful, the jungle walk and mountain climbing was lovely and it was great to be able to go whale watching and we were lucky to see two blue whales and a white one.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide was excellent, he had a big group to look after (16) but he did it with ease. He was very proud of his country, very informative and very friendly and good fun. He couldn't do enough for us. I would recommend him as guide of the year.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I think this has been mentioned by others but the trip notes suggest walking sandals but I would strongly suggest walking shoes or boots because of the terrain and the leeches in the jungle. Please do not be put off by the mention of leeches, they do not do any harm and the local guides carry a solution to get rid of them immediately.

Suggestions

I could not fault this trip in anyway. We had 16 very different people put together on a small bus and everybody got on and helped each other if needed. If you are thinking about going do not hesitate, you will not regret it.

Most Inspirational Moment

Where to start? Just when you thought it couldn't get better, Sri Lanka had a surprise for you just around the corner. I can't decide - pick any one moment from these; wild elephants up close, arriving at the summit of Adam's Peak, a soaring eagle, a refreshing swim in a river, the sights and sounds of the jungle, whales spouting, amazing historic artefacts and the most incredible local food!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Group Leaders are the face of an adventure company and leaders of the calibre of Sampath Kulathunga put Exodus in the forefront. The complete unflappable professional, Sam ensured that the group was always safe, well informed, entertained and extremely well fed (despite many special dietary requirements within the group). Longish coach journeys were far from boring, with Sam providing great commentaries on a wide variety of relevant subjects. Thanks to Sam, I felt that I hadn't just visited Sri Lanka, but had been totally immersed in its culture, history and geography. One of the very best Leaders I have come across.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Sri Lanka - Whilst the trip notes state walking sandals, light boots/trainers are better for the time of year we went (very wet underfoot at times and leeches abound). Expect your kit to get damp due to high humidity so packing in waterproof bags helps. Although the overall trip is graded Moderate, the temperature and humidity can make some of the walks e.g. Adam's Peak, feel harder (but very rewarding). Maldives - you can't take alcohol into the Maldives; don't try and cheat, your bags (hold baggage too) WILL be Xrayed and checked by customs on arrival and alcohol is taken from you on arrival and returned as you leave - be prepared for this if you have developed a taste for Sri Lankan Arrack like I did!

Suggestions

Sri Lanka is a wonderful place to visit and this trip - well presented by Exodus staff - is an ideal way to see it and get a taste for what the place has to offer.

Most Inspirational Moment

The trip had many highlights but we particularly enjoyed the walking in the Knuckles Mountains which are well off the tourist trail. The walk at Horton Plains is also very enjoyable, albeit quite busy. On the cultural side the caves at Dambulla are exceptional as are the very early wall paintings at Sigirya. For those interested in wildlife, the range of birds seen on the various walks was unexpected.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rewan was an excellent guide - very knowledgeable, always helpful, well organised, sociable and everything was done with a smile. His talks on the bus journeys on a variety of subjects including the history of Sri Lanka were fascinating. In addition to Rewan, mention should also be made of our bus driver who was very accomplished and showed great skill in manoeuvring the bus around some tight roads.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The kit list suggests walking in trekking sandals and has walking boots listed as optional. In my view walking boots are essential given the terrain of some of the walks in the Hill Country and to offer protection against the leeches that exist on the damp forest paths. I would also recommend taking a lightweight pair of waterproof overtrousers as when it rains it can be very heavy and the mountain weather is unpredictable.

Suggestions

This is a very good trip which we felt allowed us to glimpse the 'real' Sri Lanka. Given the range of activities, the distances travelled and the logistics involved in pulling a tour like this together, we felt it offered good value for money. The hotels used are not smart highly 'westernised' places, but all quite comfortable albeit with a few rough edges. We shall certainly return to Sri Lanka in the future.

Most Inspirational Moment

Making it to the top of Adam's Peak. I never thought I would actually make it.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sampath Kulatunga was an excellent guide. Very patient, friendly, very knowledgeable about his country and birds. He definitely loves his job. My first singing tour leader. I struggled during the first few days of the tour with painful knees and adjusting to the hot climate, he was very supportive and patient. I was very very greatful for his assistance.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Definitely bring walking sticks and a sports cream for the sore calves, I wished I did.

Most Inspirational Moment

I think it was about day ten when it finally stopped raining and the group actually cheered the sight of a small glimpse of blue sky! It didn't last long though.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rowan is an excellent tour leader and I firmly believe that he personally learnt a lot from this tour - even by Sri Lankan standards, these conditions were extreme and nothing like anything Rowan had needed to deal with before. That said, he coped extremely well on the whole and even found us a few alternative activities when items in the itinerary needed to be cancelled. He was always helpful and informative, polite and efficient.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't let our experiences put you off going to this very beautiful island, but be aware that it does have a tropical climate and personally I would leave it for a while - the last few months of 2014 saw a lot of rain damage to the islands infrastructure which will take them a long time to recover from - many roads are now in a terrible state caused by numerous landslips and the Ella railway line will probably not be repaired for a long-time. Yala NP has also been very badly effected, now resembling a building site in places where roads have been washed away and with very few animals to see (just birds really) as they have mainly migrated north apparently.

Suggestions

Don't expect luxury - despite the cost of this trip, the transport and accommodation standards are rather poor to say the least. Also, the speed of service in Sri Lanka could be said to be slow! When serving our group of 17 one hotel took an hour & a half from serving the first meal to the last - best to just stick with rice & curry really!

Most Inspirational Moment

When I was young (!) I heard Richard Murphy in Newcastle reading his poems about the mirror wall at Sigiriya - and it didn't seem possible that I would ever see these haunting paintings. So that was great. But I also loved the tea plantations at Dickoya, the locals celebrating Buddhist new year in Ella and the honeypot that is Galle.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader was really helpful in lots of ways though in all honesty he didn't seem so keen on the walking.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I spent my free day in Galle rather the whale watching and totally enjoyed fantasising about which of the few derelict properties would be my new home.

Suggestions

The books of Sri Lankan author Ashok Ferry make for gently amusing reading.

Most Inspirational Moment

sitting on the top of sigyria rock

Thoughts on Group Leader

I thought he was very special. I felt looked after withoput the constant overbearing of some tour guides. He really was a very quiet, special man.

Advice for Potential Travellers

wind down to sri Lankan pace, or you will not enjoy your holiday

Suggestions

I think some people on our tour found the guide a little too quiet. I feel that they may have complained, and I feel very disappointed about this. I could almost feel; some of them mustering at the frey. I find this mentality hurtful and very unconstructive. Our guide in sri lanka was the most amazing, fascinating, caring and thoughtful guide we have had in a long time. I would go on a tour in any country with him. We really had a wonderful time and really enjoyed every day!