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.
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13544 Reviews
4.7 out of
5
Reviews
Sarah Watts
Reviewed May 2024
Stunning scenery and bears
I had no idea how beautiful Romania is the location of Magura was so green in May, the rolling hills and snow capped mountains was perfect. Lovely hotel, friendly staff and plenty of home cooked food all locally sourced.
Most Inspirational Moment
Bears!! And seeing their footprints when out walking, along with all the other wildlife you see and hear (cuckoos).
Thoughts on Group Leader
Thomas was fab!! So friendly, a wealth of knowledge, inclusive of the whole group, a brilliant guide.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take walking poles, as in parts it’s steep and undulating. A lunchbox is a good idea to take, just so it’s not squashed in your rucksack or in the paper bag that’s provided when you make them at breakfast. Take ear plugs as you will hear the dogs barking at night!
Angela Beckwith
Reviewed May 2024
Borneo Wildlife Discoverer
What can I say – what an amazing trip. From start to finish we were incredibly lucky with what we saw and the encounters we had. Starting in Bako NP, we saw wild proboscis monkey and were treated to a rare sighting of a Colugo (flying lemur) taking flight over our heads during the day. On the way back on the boat, we were even treated to a viewing of pink dolphins.
In Mulu, the caves were beautiful and great fun to walk through. Although we were supposedly there during the ‘dry’ season, climate change has made the weather much more unpredictable. We had lovely weather both mornings, but torrential rain in the afternoons and overnight, so much so that the bats stayed inside the cave on the first night. Patience and a willingness to walk in the rain with crossed fingers paid off on the second night, and we were treated to a spectacular bat exodus during sunset. The weather is very changeable in Mulu (and Borneo in general) so even if it looks as though it may be too wet for the bats, I would recommend heading to the viewing area anyway as you never know! Even in the rain, the air temperature is warm and you dry off quickly.
Moving to Sabah, the highlights have to be the Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley. Both were so rich in wildlife and we had such amazing viewings in both locations. The Orangutan and Proboscis monkey sanctuaries are great and do fabulous work, but nothing compares to seeing these animals truly out in the wild. We were incredibly lucky with our sightings and saw not only the Borneo Big 5 (orangutan, proboscis monkey, crocodile, rhinoceros hornbill and pygmy elephant) but a huge array of other primates and birds (long and short tail macaques, gibbons, silver and red leaf monkeys, flying squirrels, owls, civets, slow loris, eagles, deer and many more) . Particularly in Danum Valley, take the opportunity to do as much as possible. There are a couple of places on the track and boardwalk that you can go independently providing the sun is up. A few of us in the group met up at 6am on both mornings in Danum and we were rewarded with a group of gibbons eating and playing in the trees on both mornings – a sight not repeated during the day. Seize every opportunity and just explore and enjoy.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the wild mother orangutan with her 1 year old baby up close in Danum Valley. We were the only group on that particular trail at the time and we were able to observe the two eating fruit up in the tree, before coming down and crossing over to a different tree right in front of us. The gentle and relaxed attitude of the mother was such a pleasure to experience and we were able to observe and photograph the two together in their natural habitat for an amazing time.
I also personally loved seeing the red leaf monkeys (or maroon langurs). These guys were an incredible flame red and moved through the trees so quickly - such a joy to see. Our guide in Danum (thanks Hairie) did such an amazing time in spotting the wildlife for us, and even managed to find two groups of red leafs on the different days.
At Kinabatangan River on our last river safari, we got to see a full herd of pygmy elephants crossing the river right in front of our boat which was just incredible.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had two leaders for the trip - Nizam in Sarawak and J in Sabah. Both were excellent guides and went out of their way to accommodate any requests and ensure that the entire group got the most out of the trip possible.
In Sarawak, Nizam was such a lovely, bubbly guide - always looking for things to show us and little extras to do, be it wild swimming in Mulu or going to see the sea stacks (and accidentally finding pink dolphins) in Bako.
In Sabah, J took over and quickly learned the group's preferences and desires for the trip. He was excellent at adjusting our schedule or activities to best fit with the group and was able to maximise our wildlife viewings and time spent in nature.
I understand that this is the first trip Exodus have operated with the new model of split guide duties. We were lucky that both our guides were amazing, and our group of 7 all gelled really well. It seems to me that it could be difficult for the second guide (and the group) when you switch, having spent the first 5 days bonding and getting into a rhythm with the first guide, only for this to then change on arrival in Sabah. It must be hard for the guide too, to come into an already formed group, but J did a fantastic job.
Advice for Potential Travellers
As mentioned in a previous review, you really do not need much in way of long trousers and tops. It is very hot and humid, so quick-dry shorts and t-shirts are the way to go. It is easy to wash these out in the hotels each evening and they dry quickly in the air conditioning. Almost all the places we stayed (the longhouse excluded) had good air-con and so you could wash and dry clothes quickly and easily. Whilst Borneo is a Muslim country, it is not nearly as conservative as some and shorts and t-shirts are generally fine throughout.
Even in Danum, most of us had short-sleeves on; although you definitely do need long trousers and socks there for the leeches. Be prepared that it can and will rain with little to no warning, so if you are carrying expensive camera gear or anything you do not want to get wet, ensure you always have a dry bag or something waterproof to wrap your equipment up in if necessary.
I found it far too hot and humid to even consider putting on a poncho or raincoat on during the rain, so just accepted I would get wet. Even after a good soaking in Mulu, I was dry within 15 minutes of the rain stopping.
Pack light - you are moving around a lot and do not want to be struggling with a large bag.
Ann Hales
Reviewed May 2024
Croatia 2034
Fantastic holiday with a wonderful tour guide Vanja. Met new friends and saw and viewed great sites.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing Dubrovnik from high
Thoughts on Group Leader
There aren’t enough adjectives to describe how fabulous she was. Went over and above. Best group leader I have traveled with. Including all explore and exodus trips which are about 15
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go on this trip
Diana Mackay
Reviewed May 2024
Brilliant adventure
This was my third Italian walking trip with Exodus, and certainly matched the previous walks in the excellence of our guide (Michela), hotel accommodation and experience of this fascinating part of Italy. We had two bad days of torrential rain, which forced a re-think on how we would spend our free day. On the second day, the scheduled walk would have been dangerous so a different option was chosen. The walks we were able to do in the good weather were challenging, but definately worth the effort for the glorious views down to the cinque terra towns. There were options for those that found the going a bit tough, and preferred a more relaxing pace but most chose to follow our guide.
Most Inspirational Moment
The view of Portofino from the hills above - this was a particularly lovely walk with stunning views. Also, absolutely loved the wine tasting evening.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent - she was considerate and totally involved in making sure we stayed safe and happy. She organised evening options for those that wanted to participate, educated us on the sights and features of Liguria, and encouraged everyone learned a little bit of basic Italian! Could not recommend her more highly.
Advice for Potential Travellers
This is a great trip but just be aware that the Cinque Terra towns are very small and can be very crowded. The restaurants are very accommodating but also very busy. Also take walking poles for the steeper walks, unless you are super fit. They are particularly useful if you have even slightly dodgy knees.
Kim Legg
Reviewed May 2024
Getting up close with the Incas
Great trip – wonderful hiking and views
Most Inspirational Moment
through the sun gate
Thoughts on Group Leader
Very knowledgeable and helpful - taking into account all abilities of group
Advice for Potential Travellers
Wonderful experience
Tricia Purcell
Reviewed May 2024
Wonderful Tour!
Amazing tour! Such a stunning part of Spain! The views from the hikes were incredible but the hiking was very challenging! I thought I was in good shape until we started these hikes and quite a bit of it was steep terrain, which was difficult. I trained prior to the tour but definitely not 3-4 hours uphill at one time. Some of us stayed back at the hotel a couple of days since it was difficult, which also worked out well to relax a little. Just be prepared and know it’s quite challenging. Weather at the end of April/early May was perfect for hiking. Nice cool weather in the morning and rain late in the afternoon. Having snow on the mountains also made it even more beautiful. I loved the hotel and the views from the hotel. We had a great tour guide and wonderful group of people from several countries. It was a very well organized tour.
Most Inspirational Moment
Loved the Cares Gorge hike! It was stunning!
Thoughts on Group Leader
He was very knowledgeable and kind
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be comfortable with long distances uphill on steep terrain.
Marianne Barratt
Reviewed May 2024
An excellent and most fascinating holiday
This was a well organised trip. Namibia is a vast country of great contrasts and spectacular scenery. Each area we visited was so different and fascinating and our guide (Shane Katjirua) was incredibly knowledgeable about the history, geology, people and wildlife of each particular region. This all contributed to a very interesting and most enjoyable holiday..
Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many highlights on this particular holiday.
Thoughts on Group Leader
I cannot rate our Group Leader Shane Katjirua more highly. He was extremely knowledgeable and shared so much of his expertise with us all. He was highly efficient in all his planning and organisation and was extremely helpful to all members of the group with any particular queries/questions they might have had. He was simply amazing in his ability to spot things of interest from afar, be it animals or birds and without his ‘eagle eye’ we would have missed so many things. During our time at Etosha he always seemed to have our vehicle at the right waterhole at the right time, thus enabling us to get the most enjoyment from our game drives and see so much varied wildlife. His driving, on the lengthy journeys and varying Namibian road surfaces was superb. He was always smiling and cheerful and he was particularly helpful to us with his efforts in trying to get to the root of a problem that occurred towards the end of the holiday. This involved our onward transportation, which we had paid for, in advance of the trip but which the company in Namibia, with whom we were taking the onward travel had, it seemed, not received payment for. Our guide spent some considerable time on our behalf trying to sort all this out.
Advice for Potential Travellers
On looking into various options for holidays in Namibia, I received advice from various holiday companies. Many suggested that the option to fly from camp to camp was advisable since, because of the huge distances to cover, more time could be usefully spent in the camps rather than long days travelling. I had initially thought that this sounded good advice. However, we ultimately chose Exodus and this Lodge holiday because, we have enjoyed excellent holidays with Exodus before and the timing of this trip suited us absolutely perfectly, tying in with another commitment we had in Namibia and which followed on from the ‘Discover Namibia’ group trip.
I would say, that although some of the driving days were lengthy, had we opted to fly from lodge to lodge as suggested by other companies, we would have missed so much of this wonderful country. We would not have seen so much wildlife as we travelled along the road, along with scenes of local African life in general and our experience of the country would certainly have been the poorer for that. There was just so much to see as we travelled along the road. The varying contrasts and impressive scenery would have been lost to us.
Robert Kenison
Reviewed May 2024
Walking tour
Excellent walks hotels mediocre
Most Inspirational Moment
Coastal walks and mountain walk
Thoughts on Group Leader
Brilliant
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be aware of the accommodation and what is offered. Exodus briefing a little simplistic
Robert Walker
Reviewed May 2024
Walking the Picos
Walking here was beautiful. The food for breakfast and the 4 course dinners were delicious and memorable. The hotel staff were kind, friendly and always with a smile. They were always willing to help.
Most Inspirational Moment
The gorge walk. It may be the most beautiful place I have been!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Luis was an excellent leader. He was very attentive and encouraging to all. He is personable and has a thorough knowledge of the area flora, fauna, and history. He went out of his way to make us feel at home in his country. Laura stood in well the day Luis had to be away. She was very helpful to me.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Change seating during meals! We got to know our group well with this practice.
TIM WARRINGTON
Reviewed May 2024
Excellent trip with great variety.
A great trip, with a really good balance of sights for each of the three countries.
Most Inspirational Moment
The whole trip was great, the three main cities of course lived up to expectations.
Also it was nice to balance the trip out with several castles, smaller towns such as Tartu and Kaunas and the seaside areas of Jurmala and the Curonian Spit.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Lukus, was an excellent guide, who spoke with great enthusiasm and knowledge about the history and culture of the three countries.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If travelling outside of the summer months, then pack lots of layers as our trip in early May started off at 6c and sunny, then ended up being 20c in Vilnuis.
Also there's no point bringing GBP in cash as the exchange rate for Euros is really low (it was 1.15 in the UK but 0.89 locally in May24).
Most bars & restaurants take cards.
As previously stated in other reviews, be aware of prompt 9am departures on all days. The advantage is that no time is wasted and you see so much more.
