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.

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14479 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

David Whittle

Reviewed October 2018

Peru Holiday

A superb holiday from start to finish, taking in many different facets of Peru as a country. From Pacific coast to historical sites, magnificent mountains, glorious wildlife and fascinating jungle. This trip had it all. Add in the variety of different modes of transport and there is something to appeal to anyone.

Most Inspirational Moment

The completion of the Inca trail trek, despite the dreadful weather, was a moment of true inspiration. Firstly for having completed the physically demanding trek and secondly for the panoramic view of the historic site of Macchupiccu, and realising the scale of it all.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was excellent, dealing with every situation in a cool, efficient manner. His personality was very endearing and his knowledge of the various different places was inspirational. His frankness about the problems facing Peru as a country was refreshing to hear.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do not be fooled by the Exodus rating of the trip. It is harder than they would have you believe. In fact probably one of the most physically challenging things I have ever undertaken. Despite significant preparation there is no way, living in Britain, can you prepare for the altitude effect which affected the majority of our group to some degree.

John Pethick

Reviewed October 2018

Let One Hundred Flowers Bloom

Space, and the (temporary) frontier abound provided that you go boldly, up, more up, and even more up; cast aside fears of teeming hordes, and remember, the people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history. At times, you become the ‘attraction’ – videoconferencing a chap’s wife on her drive home so she could practice her English (at the top of the Wall, naturally). That was a first. High fiving hundreds of school kids, while teachers convulsed with laughter (on the wall too), in a society where physical contact is not a thing, also a first. Underpinning it all, a long past with, to quote a fellow traveller, “zero history of democracy”. And the kittens really do want their fluffy tummies tickled, oh yes they do.

Most Inspirational Moment

Decades of watching China from afar, dissolving whilst sitting on some unused telegraph poles, on a country road, alone at sunset.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Pema. Well, it's always handy to have a Tibetan guide, when you bump into some Tibetan monks, looking for a group photograph with some westerners for their Instagram. Or need to explain the fire in your room. Retrieve a confiscated bank card. Discuss the geological formations under the wall and the materials in it. Get you through 'Security' painlessly. And be objective about Tibet's relationship with China.

Advice for Potential Travellers

1) the Dong Fang has a machine which converts cash banknotes (sterling, USD, canadianD, euros, and many more) into yuan, which is very handy indeed. 2) two types of ATM exist, ones that hand out cash and return the card, ones that are for account management only, and hold onto the card. Make sure you are using an international bank, and a real ATM. Worth watching what other people are doing for a few minutes. 3) Euro / US plugs sometimes work in the local sockets, but if you require mains, take a three pin Chinese adapter. Not many amps in the supply, so charging is slow. 4) Do not, repeat do not, leave electric oil radiators switched on in an empty room. And stand by for a few minutes to pull the plug out of the socket after switching on. 5) keep an eye out, and the camera hot, for feral panda spotting.

Ed Jackson

Reviewed October 2018

What a trip................

This really is a great trip – with a good amount of cycling with some challenging climbs to get the heart and legs working. I love the fact that every day was busy with so much to see and do. The scenery during the rides was varied and very beautiful. The towns we visited were all full of history and culture whether it was Trento, Lake Garda, Verona, Vicenza, Padova or Venice.

Most Inspirational Moment

The whole trip was very inspirational, but visiting Vicenza was definitely a highlight. You could feel the love and passion that Michele has for his home town and briefly meeting his family was very touching.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Michele was and is the best group leader I have had on any Exodus trip - he was my group leader when I went to Sardinia and I booked this trip for the pure reason that I knew he was the group leader. His energy is incredible and he is 100% focussed in making sure that everyone has a great time.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you have reasonable fitness just so you can get the most out of the holiday. You want to enjoy the rides as mush as you can and there are sections that are quite challenging , so a reasonable level of fitness is a huge benefit. And "throw yourself" into your holiday - your fellow travellers are a big part of your holiday, so join in with everything and you'll get so much more from the experience. I've certainly come back home with a new set of friends.

Francesca Wiseman

Reviewed October 2018

Cycle Albania

Albania is incredibly beautiful. It has some of the most spectacular mountain scenery that will forever be etched in my memory. Cycling is a fantastic way to see a country and visit lesser touristy places and this trip was certainly no exception. The people are very hospitable and the Cycle Albania team were simply amazing. The food was a fusion of Mediterranean and Turkish meze style and every meal was a feast in itself!

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the top of Llogara pass was one of the most powerful moments of the trip. The climb itself is not too hard - it is long and steady - but the hills on the way to the pass make the climb more challenging.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was Erlis Rizvanolli. Erlis was incredibly trusting towards us from the word go: Every day we got a map with a description as part of our briefing which was a nice detail which I have not seen on other cycling tours. Erlis let us ride at our own pace and we would re-group at regular intervals and he did not feel the need to control us and always be in the lead - I really appreciated the freedom to ride how I chose, this is not something I have experienced on other Exodus cycling tours and it made this trip stand out from the others. Due to the meze (sharing) approach to eating, Erlis would pay for every meal and trusted us to record the cost of our food and drink and did not take any money from us until the end of the holiday. Erlis was well organized and the tour ran slick. Erlis went the extra mile to ensure we had a fantastic holiday and even got in the kitchen on the final morning to make our breakfast because the chef was hospitalized in a vehicle accident on his way to work.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Albania is not flat - be prepared to cycle up some hills. The Albanians also love cheese, there is usually one cheese dish per meal (sometimes two) but there was an abundance of food so if you are lactose intolerant do not worry!

Janice Waight

Reviewed October 2018

Highlights of Albania

This was a thoroughly comprehensive tour travelling around a large part of the country, involving visiting many fascinating historical sites, museums, the countryside ….various towns,mountainous regions, flat fertile plains and the coast .

Most Inspirational Moment

There were several.... The stunning mountains, breathtaking views of castles , mosques and the courteousness of the Albanian we met....and learning so much about the country thanks to our guide.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Klodi was a very fine group leader. His knowledge of his country and it's history was extremely impressive. We learnt so much and he was always really helpful and had a great sense of humour ! Also, importantly, Ghent, our driver, was excellent. We couldn't have been in safer hands....driving through the mountains was very tricky at times, but he was always calm and very careful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go to Albania now before it becomes too touristy. It's a great country and after such a sad history,the people are doing wonders restoring and revitalizing it. Only one criticism....some of the lunch breaks were too long!

T J

Reviewed October 2018

A Fascinating Adventure!

This was a truly wonderful trip that combines hiking, wildlife and scientific research, in a unique blend of ‘eco-research-tourism’. Exodus – please offer more tours like this!

Most Inspirational Moment

The whole trip was inspirational, though the most inspirational part is learning about the bears and other wildlife that live in these mountains, then slowly starting to understand how it all fits together. In addition, the Rodopi mountains are beautiful, particularly in Autumn - there are some great hikes in this trip, with fabulous views. The hotel and food were also great, with local milk, cheese and honey straight from the village. It was also good to be based in a single hotel for the week, with lots of walks starting and finishing right on our doorstep.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Julian was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about all aspects of biology, particularly bears. He is clearly well-known and connected in the local area, and did a great job of making everything run smoothly. One of the highlights of the trip were daily 'lectures' from Julian, usually during our scenic picnic lunches, about the various aspects of bear ecology.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you have a reasonable level of fitness and have some hiking experience, you should be fine on this trip. A typical day would comprises leaving the hotel with a packed lunch at 08:30 and returning at around 16:00, hiking slowly in the mountains in-between. We totaled 75 km and 3500 m height gain over our 6 days of walking, with hikes ranging from 8 - 14 km. So, the pace is pretty slow, as we were constantly stopping to look for wildlife / change camera traps etc. Julian will adjust the pace and route depending on the groups fitness level and interests anyway. That said, the terrain is fairly steep and rocky, though the trails are good. So, if you have new gear or are relatively inexperienced at hiking, it would be a good idea to put in a bit of practice beforehand so that you get the most out of your trip.

Helen Phillips

Reviewed October 2018

Highly recommended!

My husband and I have just returned from this cycle trip and we can highly recommend it to anyone thinking of doing the same. Alan, the tour leader, was outstanding and I just hope he gets paid enough! We had a lovely group with mixed ages and four lovely Canadians and a very helpful, smiley driver, Tommy. Slightly better hotels could improve the trip and, yes, better coffee and orange juice for breakfast.

Most Inspirational Moment

Completing all the cycling!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Outstanding. Catered very well for the needs of all the clients.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make the most of the beautiful scenery.

yvonne m

Reviewed October 2018

What a fab trip

I cannot describe how amazing this trip was, Namibia is a stunning country, with wonderful scenery – 2nd most sparsely populated country in the world so there is lots of open space (and lots of driving) but the desert, the night sky, the ancient rock art and the animals at Etosha are so worth it

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing rhinos and hyenas in the red search light on a night drive - I was holding my breath, it was spine tingling to just catch them in the beam of the lamp, and to be close enough that we could hear the rhino's footsteps. And to then see a rhino and a spotted hyena at the waterhole in the daytime - a rare treat. But closely followed by the desert trip and the flight over the desert and coastline

Thoughts on Group Leader

Shane was very hard working,, knowledgeable and humorous

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for some long hot dusty days - and bumpy rides on the gravel roads. Mosquitos were not an issue in Etosha. Make sure your camera has a good zoom or telephoto lens - and heaps of memory. Binoculars are useful. you will not regret booking this trip, Namibia is a stunning place to visit. Namibia has a very meat focused diet - if you are not a meat eater, its not the best but you will get by

Ann Clarke

Reviewed October 2018

Brilliant Adventure

What a brilliant time we had on our recent visit to Peru. From the moment we met our guide Sebastian at Lima airport the fun started. The itinerary was full on but it was never overwhelming. All the travel was in comfortable buses and it was broken up by regular stops at places of interest. Sebastians love of his country was clear from the outset and his geographical and historical knowledge was amazing. If you want to see Peru this trip can’t be beaten. Well done Exodus.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing Macchu Picchu

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sebastian was entertaining and extremely informative. Professional from start to finish and nothing was ever too much trouble.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go prepared for an adventure - you won't be disappointed.

Clare Phillips

Reviewed October 2018

Feedback

This was a super experience altogether, from start to finish, with Exodus having thought of everything. The hotels were great, the arrangements brilliant, the guide, Jose, was amazing, thoughtful, supportive, hardworking, well organised: he made it possible for the team (we 13) to be able to concentrate on the task in hand: getting to Compostela on foot. A great bonus, too, was the way we 13 strangers got on together and helped each other. We spent such a lot of time together in a shared endeavour and it was such a great success, that we are planning to meet again in 2019.

Most Inspirational Moment

This was when we (all 13 of us only one Catholic among us) went together to the Pigrims' Mass in the Cathedral at Compostela, when the Botafumeiro swung into action and, at the same time, the cathedral organ crashed magnificently into music. We had really arrived and the pain was worth it!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Brilliant, fantastic, see above Summary question: 10 out of 10.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do this holiday/trek - it's great. Highly recommended.

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