Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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14451 Reviews
4.7 out of
5
Reviews
Elizabeth Comuzzi
Reviewed October 2018
Helpful Information
My husband and I just returned from our first Exodus cycling experience and it will be our last time using Exodus.
Firstly, There were 2 bright spots of this cycle our Guide Marouan was great and the areas that we cycled were spectacular. If you are a cyclist and enjoy climbing this is a great trip. However, don’t listen to the comments on the Exodus site specifically for this trip. You need to know how to cycle, be in good physical shape and have trained for this trip. It is not the Tour De France, but as an avid, athletic cyclist, I found some of the mountains challenging and long.
Secondly, Exodus failed in so many ways on the delivery of this trip.
a) Accommodations: Some of our accommodations were awful, less than 1 star! They were dirty and at some places, we did not have hot water. This to me after a long day of cycling is not a nice thing to have but a necessity. Interesting that on our way home, we met other people who had cycled the same route with different companies and their accommodations were superior to our accommodations. This tells me that better accommodations are possible!
b) Food: The food did not provide the nutrients that were needed for the challenges of the day. There were some mornings where all we received were an assortment of Moroccan breads and jams. Days when we did get a boiled egg for breakfast we were allotted 1 per person. This trip required proper nutrients, especially protein. The meals at dinner were more plentiful and most were tasty.
c) Lunches and Snacks: While cycling, lunches, and snacks were provided. We had the same lunch every single day with the only variation being, rice or pasta. There were a series of cut-up vegetables, rice/pasta, bread, and some cheese. By the end of the trip, we had run out of condiments to accompany the lunches. The lunches were all on the side of the road set up by the drivers and we had stools to sit on that were filthy and lacked any sort of comfort. My husband and I cycle every year with a tour and this is the first time, we have ever not had a pleasant destination for our “lunch break.” To make matters worse, the lunches were prepared by the same people who were driving the support vans and fixing our bikes. Their hands were not clean and one day I saw one of the people preparing my lunch, cutting his toenails! Yes, I took pictures as I was in disbelief! Needless to say, I did not eat any other lunches for the rest of the trip. Exodus..come on, at some of our lunch stops there were restaurants with beautiful vistas of the surroundings 100 meters away from where we stopped. Spend some money and give us the proper rest and nutrition that we need to cycle for the rest of the day.
c) Van Support: On our 2nd day of cycling, we had a really hard and long ascent. Everyone ran out of water on the ascent and when we got to the top of the mountain, 2 of the support vans were there. I could not understand why one of the vans could not have been providing us with water along the way. In addition to this, none of the van support workers knew the dynamics of the ride. When we would ask what to expect for the next phase of the ride most often, their descriptions were totally incorrect.
My husband I met some wonderful cyclists on this trip and certainly the camaraderie made the experience better. As mentioned this was our first experience cycling with Exodus and they failed to meet even our basic expectations.
Most Inspirational Moment
Successfully climbing some of the toughest mountains I have ever climbed
Making it through the 2nd night of our accommodations (not even a 1 star and don't be taken in when Exodus says you will be staying in the guest house of a private home....it is a poorly converted/constructed barn)
Not yelling at our Guide on the 3rd night when once again, we did not have any hot water in our accommodations
Meeting fabulous cyclists that were on our trip
Thoughts on Group Leader
Marouan was great. He had a very pleasant personality and was always of assistance. Marouan spoke about his culture and the heritage of the Moroccan people. I really like that Marouan came to every dinner in an outfit that was unique to Morocco.
I would suggest that in the future while the group is traveling, Marouan talks a little bit about the history of the area.
Although my reviews of the trip are less than stellar, Marouan did an excellent job as our leader.
Advice for Potential Travellers
You need to have a good level of fitness and you need to know how to cycle as the accents are long and in some areas steep but the descents are very long with hairpin turns. You need to know how to navigate a bike. Coupled with the fact that not all of the roads are in great condition. I felt that I had to be very alert at all times on this trip given the road conditions and traffic. (although not a lot of traffic but very narrow roads)
Bring your own soap as most of the accommodations did not provide any toiletries and I would suggest bringing a blanket.
James Treharne
Reviewed October 2018
Land of the Jaguar report
This trip exceeded all my expectations.Seeing a Jaguar in its natural habitat was wonderful. As usual Paul worked hard with the guides to get the results that we all longed for.The accommodation was good, though the food in Porte Joffre could have been much better. I was a little disappointed with the fact that we had to pay for our luggage on the internal flight. This caused some hassle because none of the flight desk attendants spoke English and I do not speak Portuguese. A similar scenario ensued on the return flight.
This was one of the most memorable trips that I have done with Exodus and I look forward to my next one.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing my first Jaguar and being able to follow her for some while, whilst not causing her any concern. Seeing the other animals and birds was also wonderful.
Thoughts on Group Leader
I have been on trips with Paul before, so I know what to expect(mostly!). As I have said before,but it is worth repeating, no one works harder , or is more committed to his clients than Paul. An excellent leader.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure that you have checked the medical advice available on line both for vaccinations and prescription drugs. and take the appropriate medicines.On photographic trips be totally prepared to put in hours.
Nick A
Reviewed October 2018
Fantastic
A fabulous trip that surprised us from day one. Great food, wonderful people and fantastic scenery. Albania was the winner and we will all recommend going there as soon as you can.
Most Inspirational Moment
Riding the pass on the last day.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Erlis(the leader) and Tani(driver) were fabulous, taking care of every detail for us before we even knew it had to be taken care of. They even managed a complete bike change one night for one member of the group without them noticing.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go now. Don't hesitate.
Dianne Anderson
Reviewed October 2018
Greek Wander
This was a trip comprised of 15 Canadian women all of whom I knew. Hiking was what appealed to me the most. Second was supplementing the knowledge I’d gained from sailing in the Cyclades (2013) as well as hiking in Corfu last May. Moving beds every three days on average and catching ferries on five occasions. although spelled out in the tour’s monograph, didn’t seem so onerous until one actually lived it.
Most Inspirational Moment
Standing atop Mt. Zues on Naxos, albeit in the fog, and later descending to relish the views.
Our cooking class on Paros was more hilarious than inspirational but certainly it was a highlight. Also providing after dinner entertainment on our Santorini cruise as we Canadians, fortified with wine, disastrously gave demonstrations of Greek dancing.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Eleftheria worked extremely hard, both up front and behind the scenes, to make this trip stand out. Her knowledge of Hellenic history was extensive and she readily answered our questions. I will admit that our group provided her with great challenges in terms of hiking. Although I read the hike descriptions beforehand I question whether some of my fellow travellers did. We had a person who had never hiked, many who were intermittent walkers right up to myself who started serious hiking eight years ago by climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro for my 65th birthday. Safety concerns were many. There was much grumbling about Eleftheria dissuading some from attempting a hike. As a former ski patroller, safety tops anything else.
Her execution of getting us on and off ferries with all of our baggage was remarkable. Also, she worked hard to find other options when some activities weren't possible due to end of season closures.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If the trip descriptions don't answer your questions before you commit, ask away and be honest about your abilities.
David Harrup
Reviewed October 2018
Very well organised
Good trip that got away from the slightly touristy Porto city and included very scenic walks around the Douro river and further North. Due to the October storms instead of the first walk we visited the nearby town of Lamego with its 612 steps, church, castle and great views – really enjoyed this and probably preferred to a walk. Most of the wine tastings were port wine rather than normal wine (I was only expecting port on the last day) but there was plenty of local wine choice with dinner. The only downside, out of Exodus control, is that all trips depend on the dynamic of the group and it’s a shame when one person dominates.
Most Inspirational Moment
The views over the vineyards, which were variously arranged horizontally, vertically or in a curves depending on the shape of the hill, very picturesque.
Thoughts on Group Leader
András was excellent, and managed to cope with the many fastidious food requirements and varying walking abilities of the group.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring a swimming cap for the indoor hotel pools as they require them. The infinity pool at the third hotel is outdoors and freezing! Although a grade 1 (and the walks were very easy for a rambler like me) it is a walking holiday, you’ll need to be able to walk up say 50m of ascent, up 100 or so steps, and across quite widely spaced stepping stones over a river. Porto city is very hilly.
Mike Howard
Reviewed October 2018
A Brilliant Week in Portugal with Great People
Who could ever have imagined just how fantastic a week long experience cycling (plus laughing, drinking,eating, talking and laughing a bit more) from Porto towards Lisbon would turn out as a new group assembled , on time (in house story), in Porto on Saturday September 22. For me – well I had one of the great experiences of my life and I could say the same for my wife , Ali.
There was a sense of apprehension at the initial meeting but most of that pretty quickly dissolved as we went on our tour of Porto (on foot) and then to our first dinner. We quickly realised we had a great team – and to make a great team we had to have great leadership. That we did in Jaoa ( Zoom Zoom) and Oscar – absolutely brilliant and more on them later.
The tour was everything (“more or less” – there is a story there) we could have hoped for – scenic even breath-taking at times, a huge variety of different landscapes from coast to farmland to colourful villages and picturesque lakes and seaside towns, mainly very good surfaces but nothing un-expected, great accommodation, great camaraderie and ultimately friendships and very good equipment. The tour was, as advised, mainly flat with a couple of good challenging short hills which did take a good bit of energy.
If you have reasonable fitness (e-bikes are always available if you want) and enjoy the benefits of good exercise, connecting with new acquaintances and being blown away with scenery this is a “bucket-list” trip for you. And, to finish in the castled town of Obidos (yes, with a bit of final climb – 200-300 metres – “more or less eh Jaoa”) was a wonderful experience as was the time to enjoy that fantastic city of Lisbon when we arrived there by bus for our final day.
We will never forget our week long cycling experience on Portugal for all the very best reasons!
Most Inspirational Moment
Impossible to mention just one. Everyday was inspirational! From getting back onto the bike each morning, to eating the best Portuguese tarts, breath-taking views, finishing "the road to hell" - not that bad really - just 15km of straight road at the end of the day, the first Super Bock of the day and the evening dinner - there was something to savor all the time.
For me there were 3 key inspirational features. We had great weather throughout so that helped but also helped enjoy some spectacular views. None more so than ascending the short,steep hill before Figueira da Foz and the beautiful views across and city and coastline far below. There was inspiration everyday in the form of our tour leaders who tended to our every need at any time and always wore great smiles. There was inspiration in the way the team bonded together-16 people from 4 different countries and one more little one for me - the wonderful way the whole team gave me a birthday i will never forget!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jaoa ( Zoom Zoom) and Oscar were/are the very best. Capable, experienced, gracious, on top of everything ,hospitable, caring and understanding.
Hard to get all the right words to describe all attributes. These guys were at the core of why our tour was so good.
We may not have been the fastest group but we never missed an opportunity to enjoy every possible experience and our leaders allowed that to happen.
Always in control - they are the epitome of what great tour guides should be - and always with a smile!!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Spend a little time on a bike before you arrive in Porto for training - just helps you to enjoy the tour a bit more. It is not that it is difficult - it is just getting back on the saddle 5 days in a row!!
Hopefully you can get a group like ours and hopefully you can have Jaoa and Oscar as leaders
Joseph Harper
Reviewed October 2018
The best holiday ever.
Basically travelling around for two weeks having a look at almost everything Morocco has to offer. No two days are the same. No two places are the same. The only constants I found was how friendly the locals are and mint tea!
Most Inspirational Moment
It's between the sand dunes in the Sahara Desert and the High Atlas mountains. Both have to be seen to be believed and the skies were absolutely amazing after the sun went down.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Youseff was really helpful and just an all round great guy. Also the driver Mustafa, literally nothing was too much trouble for him.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The travelling times on the trip notes. Double them.
Cheryl Olinyk-Semeniuk
Reviewed October 2018
Portugal Walking & Wine tour
Excellent tour. I would recommend this tour.
Most Inspirational Moment
Day 1 & 5 walks were in the forest . These walks were the longest in length. Beautiful to walk in the vegetation. I really felt inspired by these 2 walks.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Luis & Riccardo were awesome! Our group was so lucky to have them as our leaders. They were engaging. They were very interested in the people in the group.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I have been telling my colleagues & friends about this tour. It's fantastic! Potential travellers should be made aware of the ease or difficulty of the walk.
Saeah Briggs
Reviewed October 2018
Amazing country
Jordan was like no other country on earth, the trekking on sand was challenging but the routes seemed to be planned to take break points just at the point I felt I couldn’t do anymore!
Most Inspirational Moment
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Advice for Potential Travellers
I’d dressed more conservatively than I needed to - girls are ok in respectable length shorts and short sleeved tops in the desert and at Petra.
Terri Markle
Reviewed October 2018
Amazing 7-Day Tour of Croatia
I highly recommend this tour if you want to see the Dalmatian Coast and Croatia’s mountainous terrain. I have never visited Croatia so I was eager to see the big cities-Dubrovnik and Split-but I also wanted to hike in Croatia’s National Parks. With this tour, I could do both plus write about them for my blog (www.femalesolotrek.com). It was a writer’s dream.
Our guide was Mario, a native who taught us so much about his country, the war and the Croats. He was high energy and great fun. I would definitely do a tour with Mario in the future.
I think it is a great decision by Exodus to stay at a seaside Dubrovnik hotel for the first two nights because it features wonderful walks to view the Adriatic Sea (plus friendly cats). There was also a great restaurant for our first night out (order the black risotto with cuttlefish) plus the local grocery store to purchase food for lunches during our hiking days.
I highly recommend that your group pay the extra fee for a walking tour of Old Town Dubrovnik to learn about its history. I also chose to pay to walk the fortress walk. It took about 90 minutes. It was an incredible experience. If you are a cat lover, you will cherish all the time to play with the street cats in Dubrovnik. They are so friendly.
In quick succession over the next seven days, we visited the Island of Brac, Split, Krka National Park (the waterfalls), Starigrad Paklenica and National Park Paklenica.
I loved each location but the stay in Brac was particularly memorable. We had an old fashioned Croatian dinner featuring roasted meats and potatoes. I also loved the goulash served at a mountaintop restaurant/inn. It was a great treat after climbing all morning on Thursday.
You don’t visit Zadar as part of the tour. But the group flight departs from Zadar airport so you can make your own tour on the last day. Our group had several people who chose to take a van back to Split to fly home.
Most Inspirational Moment
It was standing at the summit on each of our hiking days in Croatia’s mountains and marveling at the beauty of this country. I loved the people, the scenery and the adventure.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guide was Mario, a native who taught us so much about his country, the war and the Croats. He was high energy and great fun. I would definitely do a tour with Mario again.
Advice for Potential Travellers
October is a great time to do this tour. Our temperatures averaged mid 70s which made it very comfortable to hike. Do not book this trip during August. Our guide Mario said his group had a difficult time hiking during the heat wave this summer.
