Most Inspirational Moment
Discussions during group meals reminiscing the day.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Mike was AWESOME!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Wear a bright colored shirt or coat as it makes your pictures more spectacular.
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
The best of the best
Fabulous day hikes with the comforts of the same bed for the length of the trip.
An Adventure Above and Beyond. Kris and Garth.
If you want a truly off the beaten track adventure then this is the one for you.
Magnificent scenery, friendly hosts, culture and flora and fauna.
Most Inspirational Moment
Travelling along the Pamir Highway along the Afghan border, Wakhan corridor, Chinese border to Lake Karakul then down the Bartang valley is to say the least truly spectacular. If you are a nature lover there are flowers especially, birds and some animals. Homestays were above our expectations with very friendly hosts. Organisation by the host travel agency was excellent. Reliable four wheel drive vehicles with experienced drivers, on very demanding roads, made the journey exceptional.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guide, Didorali, was thrown in at the deep end when our original guide Sherali had a family emergency. Didorali was very friendly and spoke excellent English. He managed all situations well and organised our hotel and homestays efficiently. He always made sure that the group was sorted before he thought of himself. Although this is a review of our leader we would like to mention the friendliness and excellent driving skills of our drivers.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for some long days travelling over very rough roads. Three per vehicle means that you all have excellent views on a seat rotating basis. As the only couple we were fortunate enough to have our own room everywhere otherwise you may have to share. There were hot showers everywhere except at the highest homestay which had a thermal pool. In some homestays there was only one toilet and they could be outside. They were always clean and western style. Food was plentiful but limited for vegetarians. We had no health issues with food or altitude. Having travelled widely this trip would certainly rank in our Top Ten. We recommend the trip to anyone with a true spirit of adventure who appreciate that all home comforts may not be available. GO FOR IT!
Magical island
Beautiful forest and streams, charming towns and a landscape steeped in history. One of the best hikes I’ve done.
Most Inspirational Moment
Walking above the small village of Vivario with views of Monte D’Oro was a personal favourite.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader was energetic and engaging. Kept things informal.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Relax, smell the pines and put your feet in the streams. This is the trip to have fun and not be too formal. Watch out for the mid-summer heat though and take enough water.
Great combination of physical and cultural activities!
For the first—and probably last!—time in my life, I got what felt like VIP service, because the amazing and honorable company that Exodus is, let this trip run even though I ended up being the only guest! From what I could tell, the trip was run almost exactly how it would have had there been a full complement of guests, and I think I even got a few extra perks that I may not have been afforded otherwise. The cycling was fantastic with great routes, and only a handful of stretches that really tested my limits, otherwise it was mostly very manageable. There were a few cultural stops during the rides and in the evenings that were a nice change of pace and provided interesting insight into Romania’s past. The guesthouses ran the gamut but always provided nice cozy places to rest each night. Finally, food was perfect for me—breakfasts were pretty consistent, and lunches and dinners had a nice range of soups, sandwiches, salads, main courses, and desserts that hit the spot after a nice day of cycling!
Most Inspirational Moment
Watching the cows come home in Viscri :) Gave new/true meaning to an expression I've used for so long without giving any real thought to.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Radu and Vlad (plus Tudor!) were wonderful and humored me throughout the week. Safety was always the number one priority—which was great since I can be a little reckless at times so it was good having Radu keep me in check! They were all so good about answering my neverending questions (make sure you test Radu's knowledge of Romanian history!) and really worked to provide a great experience!
Advice for Potential Travellers
None of the guesthouse rooms I stayed in had A/C, which was perfectly fine for me since I'm always cold, but for anyone who tends to run hot and is doing this trip in the summer months may want to keep this in mind and come prepared with ways to keep yourself cool. Also, please don't beat my QOM on Strava :)
Highlights of Bolivia
Bolivia is an amazing country, well worth visiting and certainly worth putting near the top of the list of places to go. It exceeded our expectations and delivered an wonderful experience; the landscapes, the history, the culture, everything about the trip was just so good. It is such a shame it is only a two week trip, spending an extra day in the Atacama Desert and additional time in La Paz and Sucre would have been wonderful, we would happily have spent three weeks enjoying just the Highlights of Bolivia.
Most Inspirational Moment
Without doubt the Atacama Desert was the highlight, such an amazing place. We travelled great distances and saw amazing landscapes and magnificent sights in the off-road vehicles. The whole group felt very let down by the fact Exodus wanted to squeeze four adults and a driver into each 4x4 vehicle, especially when the men were all over 6'. We overcame this by clubbing together and hiring an additional vehicle at our own expense. There is no way it would have been comfortable and practical to have three adults in the back seats. Exodus, take note and cost in the right number of vehicles to avoid upsetting your clients, or we won't come back.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julia, our group leader, was amazing, such a wonderful, caring and attentive tour leader; nothing was ever too much trouble for her. Her knowledge of her country, its culture and its history was exceptional, so too her knowledge of the flora and fauna of the various places we visited.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't put it off, visit Bolivia, it really is amazing.
Adventure in the Pamir
This was truly an adventurous trip, in fact an intrepid 4×4 adventure into one of the least travelled parts of the world. The constantly changing scenery, geography and geology was often mind-blowing due to its vastness and beauty, especially with the spring flowers in bloom. Photographs do not do any justice. There are also stunning views looking into Afghanistan, Pakistan and China. The trip gave a brief insight into the culture and lives of the people. This was a well designed trip exploring as much of the Pamirs as possible in the short time period!!
Most Inspirational Moment
Literally too many to choose! Following the Afghan border through the Whakan Valley seeing the Afghans going about their daily business; watching the Panj and Bartang rivers crash through narrow canyons; views across the Whakan Valley into the snow capped mountains of Pakistan; the remoteness of Lake Zorkul and Bam-i Dunya (the roof of the world); Lake Karakul surrounded by snowy mountains; driving through the Bartang Valley; the walk up to the village and lake of Jizewdara Valley. Finally the friendliness and welcome of the Tajikistan people, especially in the home stays. Many certainly could not do enough to make our stay more comfortable and memorable.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Having stepped in on Day 3 after we had already started, Didorali did really well. He was well organised, pleasant and courteous. He worked well with all the drivers and made sure that we were all sorted at home stays, hotels, etc and at mealtimes before sorting himself. The drivers were excellent and fully proficient in handling the off-road (and sometimes not even off-road) conditions and extreme weather conditions. Despite limited English they tried to engage in conversation and were good fun on the long days with their music and occasional dancing!
Advice for Potential Travellers
This is a truly adventurous off-road trip. Creature comforts were not always there, but many of the home stays exceeded expectations, having hot showers although a few had little more than a basin to clean up at. Everywhere we stayed had western style toilets, albeit sometimes only one, which might be a short trek outside and often with a queue! Much of the home stay and guesthouse accommodation is shared, not en-suite and sometimes not in separate private rooms; maybe just a corridor or a platform where a mattress could be placed, or even outdoors if you wish. Ear plugs were a necessity, especially if you were in the corridor leading from all the other rooms to the toilet, or to the kitchen when the home stay owners started to prepare for breakfast at a very early hour! On the whole the food at the home stays and guesthouses was good and plentiful, but was occasionally quite limited, especially some of the breakfasts, just bread and jam. The drives are long, bumpy and dusty. Some days are very long especially the journey between Kalai Khumb and Khorog (on the way out and back) due to a landslide but mainly the planned roadworks that closed sections of the road for several hours at a time. Efforts were made to travel to avoid the roadworks (a very early start) but going the landslide meant this did not work and on the return the construction workers just decided to start work early! Be prepared to sit around for several hours. More often where we stopped there was no shade from the fierce sun, and with no opportunity to buy food or snacks. Meal times were quite random with often long periods between meals. I would certainly recommend bringing plenty of snacks or buying them in the market in Dushanbe, as there are little to no options after that except places like Khorog or Murghob. The trip notes originally mentioned changing $200 to cover all expenses not covered (now states $100). There are limited opportunities to buy souvenirs, snacks, etc, so most people ended up having about or more than $100 left. However, this can be used for tips. Also note that changing US dollars with older larger denomination notes ($50 or 100) comes at a much inferior rate. If you have these then make sure that they are the latest version or use small denominations.
An Excellent Week
This was one of my favorite activity vacations. The Algarve region of Portugal lives up to its reputation–gorgeous, unspoiled, uncrowded, and wonderful seafood. I sing the praises of our guides Francisco and Rafael who made the trip so special. They were knowledgable, passionate about the region, always good-natured, and extremely patient. The daily walks were easily managed, just challenging enough for those who are very casual hikers. The daily visits to various local craftspeople who introduced to local traditions were all interesting, and the food uniformly excellent. One of the three hotels we stayed at was a bit rundown, but the other two were quite lovely. We had a great, international group, small enough to get to know everyone, and they certainly were a big part of why the trip was so enjoyable. A special shout-out to Jess, an Exodus employee who also came on the trip. She was so much fun, and her energy was infectious. Plus she agreed to take a surf lesson with me on our day off from hiking–try it, you’ll like it!
Most Inspirational Moment
The views, the stork sightings, and getting to see a less traveled part of Portugal.
Thoughts on Group Leader
I cannot say enough good things about Francisco, he is outstanding, as is Rafael. They made the trip truly special.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The hikes were very manageable, but there were some tricky parts. Our guides did have hiking poles, but you might consider bringing your own. And bring sunscreen!
Very enjoyable, varied trip providing a great introduction to Africa at a value for money price
This trip provided a very varied experience showcasing both the animals and the scenery of the countries we passed through. We weren’t sure what to expect from camping in Africa and the facilities on offer, although basic at times, surpassed our expectations. We did the trip from 16 June – 5 July, and benefitted from seeing Victoria Falls in full flow, uncrowded campsites and great weather (though a couple of nights and early mornings were cold until the sun was up). Not sure if we were just lucky, but we saw no rain until Cape Town. Every day provided a new adventure and made the early starts and long journeys on some days absolutely worth it. We couldn’t have asked for a better ‘introduction’ to Africa.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many! In no particular order: The tour of Victoria Falls park - we got very wet but the rainbows everywhere, views and roar of the falls were great compensation The optional jet boat tour below the falls: how many can say they've been in the spray at the bottom of the falls? The optional sunset river cruise with dinner at Vic Falls Seeing the lions sleeping after their kill in Chobe Park including one going for a drink Being so close to 3 elephants washing each mouthful of grass before eating it on the Chobe river safari Seeing such a variety of game and birds up close - the first time we'd seen these animals in the wild The desert sunrises and sunsets Seeing the sunrise from the top of Dune 45 Sandwich Bay trip with 'dune bashing' on the way back (optional trip from Swakopmund) Spotting whales breaching off Cape Point and the seabirds going mad for the fish the seals were driving to the surface Looking out to sea from the high point on the Cape of Good Hope
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leaders Ende and Petrus were a great team. They were super organised, doing all the obvious jobs and the less obvious ones quietly in the background all with the aim of ensuring our enjoyment and safety. The meals and breakfasts they conjured up in the middle of nowhere over just a gas ring and an open fire were far beyond our expectations: every meal was different and we had the opportunity to try all different 'African' meats in a variety of ways accompanied by fresh fruit and vegetables. We even had dessert on a few nights!! They always enabled us to get to activities at the best time for maximum enjoyment and generated a very friendly, fun and caring atmosphere in camp. Even on days where they had driven for hours on dirt roads and the average person would have been shattered they still managed to put us first, helping when needed to set up tents and getting food on the table always on time and always delicious. Their ability to spot game was exceptional and without them we would have missed many a sighting! They really made a huge contribution to ensuring our first visit to Africa exceeded our expectations and then some.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If you're wondering whether this is the trip for you and are short on time it provides a great introduction to Africa with a varied programme to ensure you don't feel 'gamed out'!! Even if you've never camped before this is a great experience: come with the attitude that any discomfort will be a 'First World' issue and keep your sense of humour and perspective. Essential equipment: a good head torch and charger, a power pack and charging leads for all your devices, a South Africa plug adaptor with USB ports (the guides do have these but with multiple devices needing charging amongst the group having additional ones is very useful), warm lightweight jacket(s) neck warmers and a hat, depending on the time of year warm clothing to wear in bed, binoculars, a waterproof pack for your mobile phone at Vic Falls and on the canoe trips The guest house at Swapkopmund offers a very efficient laundry service The desert dust gets everywhere - dry sacks to keep your possessions clean are a must Taking a cheap plastic poncho from home for Vic Falls is useful If you suffer with dry skin then you'll want loads of moisturiser and hand cream - the desert dust dries you out! It's cheap to buy in supermarkets in Botswana and Namibia. A basic first aid kit is useful - the guides have one but don't provide imodium (cheap in pharmacies in Namibia and South Africa). We mention the latter not because you'll definitely need it but because if you've got it then you won't need it, if you haven't then ......... :) Listen to your guides' advice regarding safety, especially regarding drawing cash at ATMs. They have your best interests at heart and speak from a wealth of experience. Take US$ with you for Zimbabwe, credit cards are widely accepted in Namibia but some trips need paying in cash so do your calculations and withdraw only what you'll need, if you have Namibian $ left then the final campsite in Namibia (Felix Unite) will exchange them for SA rand. Don't forget to have enough cash for tips for guides, toilet attendants, waiters etc. The Revolut card did not work for members of our group in Zimbabwe, it was OK in Botswana, Namibia and SA. This did cause a slight cashflow problem as they had to use their cash to pay for optional trips at Vic Falls, an eventuality they hadn't planned for. Mastercard and Visa worked fine.
Trip to a hiker's paradise
Everest Base Camp is a trip to remember. Starting in the bustling city of Kathmandu where you get the first impressions of Nepal. Hot and busy.
Followed by evening briefieng where you meet your group for the first time. Early morning start with the biggest adventure of getting on a small plane to Lukla 😀 Yes, the trails to Base camp can get busy. We were quite lucky that despite the busy season in April, we still had good amount of time walking alone as a group and passing others at the teahouses. The trek itself is not difficult. The pace is very slow to make sure you acclimatise well, but be prepared for long days of walking -albeit very slowly. We were so lucky to have clear skies coming up and the views were breathtaking. From the first time you get to see Mount Everest to being surrounded by the changing landscape of 6000+ metre giants. All of us made it to Base Camp together after 8 days of ups and downs. It really is an unforgettable trip and for me so much more about the journey itself, rather than stepping your foot in EBC. You get used to the life in the valley, locals, animals passing by, beautiful monasteries and everpresent prayer flags. Food is quite tasty and mostly carbs, which we all appreciated the colder it got. We were so well taken care of by our leader and guides and big thank you goes to them for making us safe and always well fed and happy 🙂
If you love mountains, I can only recommend this trip.
Most Inspirational Moment
Most inspiring would be all the views on day 8. You are finally high enough and surrounded by all the snow-covered giants with teahouses scattered along the way. The views just stunning and we were so lucky to have good weather and enjoy the views as we continued to Lobuche.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader Kumar was a ray of sunshine ever since he picked us up from the airport. He was very kind, funny, knowledgeable and it was inspiring to hear his personal story of becoming a tour leader. It was great to have a local guide for we got to understand the culture and people so much more. He covered many topics from religion, marriage, history of Nepal and daily life.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Pack plenty of layers, hot water bottle and walking poles. Bring some of your favourite snack and power bank - these can get quite pricey as you walk up.
A fabulous journey through the Wackhan valley to the remote and untouched Pamir mountains
This was the first trip Exodus have done to this area.. There is spectacular and varied scenery on route, wonderful people and definitely a journey to remember. I loved every minute of it.
If you like an adventure, travelling to relatively unexplored areas, enjoy Mountains, like an insight into the lives and culture of the local people and their history and don’t mind roughing it a bit, this is a trip for you.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were several ..
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guide Didorali was excellent, as too were all the drivers.