Most Inspirational Moment
The scenery was breathtaking
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader was very professional and friendly
Advice for Potential Travellers
Do make sure you understand the level you signed for in the case of a hiking trip.
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
A refreshing trip
A very well organized trip and very good value for money.
Carpathian walking and bears!
We were extremely lucky with the weather (Aug), however, this did result in some of the hiking being rather more strenuous than anticipated as it was really warm most days – take lots of water!
The trip was brilliant, highlights every day, but the bears (in the wild and at the sanctuary) definitely made the trip!!!
Our guide, Thomas, couldn’t have been more interesting (and funny) and extremely knowledgeable about the fauna, flora and history – simply the best!
Villa Hermani was a hit too; friendly & helpful, good food and very reasonably priced drinks.
Highly recommended trip.
Most Inspirational Moment
The bears without a doubt! Lovely to see in the wild, however, visiting the sanctuary in bright daylight produced the best photos.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guide, Thomas, couldn't have been more interesting (and funny) and extremely knowledgeable about the fauna, flora and history - simply the best!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take plenty of water on your hikes, especially if warm weather. Villa Hermani - don't bother with their wi-fi; extremely slow (used 4G instead).
Elephantastic
This was an amazing trip covering thousands of kilometres, a plethora of wildlife and geological features and some insight into some of the cultures of the countries visited.
Most Inspirational Moment
I thought it would be the elephants crossing the river at Chobe, or canoeing on the Zambesi, or Victoria Falls, or seeing giraffes or or or - the list goes on. However, the sudden gorgeous orange red glow of the African sunsets will stay with me forever as will sitting by the waterhole in Etosha and watching the animals arrive, especially the 40 elephants.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guides were Ende - the outgoing, but sensitive, leader anxious to please us whilst keeping us in check to make sure that we fitted in a very full itinerary, Andrew who was quietly extraordinarily efficient and always on the lookout to make sure we were all right, and Innocent whose knowledge of birds and stars was phenomenal. Their cooking was amazing - don't believe the trip notes' description of 'basic'. It wasn't long before we felt we were travelling with knowledgeable friends. Thank you Ende, Andrew and Innocent.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a hat, binoculars, anti mosquito spray and keep clothes to a minimum. Warm sleeping bag, (possibly + liner). Some long journeys, so you might want a kindle.
Wildlife galore.
This was our 4th trip to Southern Africa (all camping) and our second wild camping trip. The wild camping was great fun, you get to stay in some remote spots with no barriers between you and the wildlife. The guide (Moses) and his team were excellent. Botswana is a thinly populated country and very calm, people are very friendly – a real joy to visit.
Most Inspirational Moment
The wildlife, as we got to see Lions, a Leopard (out in the open too, not hiding in a tree or undergrowth), Cheetahs, an African Wild Dog pack and even a glimpse of the elusive Serval. Elephants, hippos crocs, etc etc.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader Moses was first class, knowledgeable, humourous and friendly.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Yes, the transport (and I must admit this seems to be the norm for Botswana) was an open Toyota Landcruiser with 12 seats for viewing game. It's fine for viewing game etc. but quite hard travelling at speed on tar roads when you get blasted by the wind. The flexible sides of the truck can be lowered to ease the blast but then it is too hot! Please be aware of this.
Great way to explore the region
This is a very nice trip, with no time to get bored. We visited 3 counties in 10 days from the biggest to the smallest cities in the region. It was an interesting contrast. We explored several, churches, monasteries, mosques, UNESCO sites and restaurants. This part of the world is not yet so discovered, it often felt we are the only tourists from abroad. We learn a lot about the history of the area thanks to our skilled leader and tried some local food specialties. The portions are huge there!
We had a lovely group that added to the positive experience.
Most Inspirational Moment
Every place we visited had its own charm. Lake Ohrid was fantastic. It is beautiful yet not so crowded. We had some free time there and I had the chance to go for a short swim in the lake. I was very pleasantly surprised by Skopje. It is beautiful!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Nebojsha was very knowledgeable, calm and friendly. He liked to socialise with the group which was appreciated.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a waterproof jacket, the weather can be unpredictable, and a swimming costume to take advantage of the spa hotel in Skopje and/or to swim in Lake Ohrid. Make sure you have enough space on your memory card.
Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
This trek has been on my ‘to do’ list for over 15 years and boy was it worth it. What a fantastic adventure which I will never forget. I had a little extra time in Cuzco at the beginning and had a great time exploring this wonderful city. Loads of lovely churches and a cathedral to explore around Plaza de Armas, plus there was the Festival of the Sun happening the weekend after I arrived so there was lots of parades and colourful people about. It was great sampling coca tea for the first time in one of the many cafes around the Plaza. Then it was onto the main event – the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The trek was very challenging, but I loved every minute of it. The group I was with were all lovely people, the food was great, cooked up 3 times a day by the brilliant chef and the porters were superhuman carrying all our gear ahead of us and setting up lunch and evening camps. Our group leader, Julio and his second in command, Cesar also deserve a very special mention as they were excellent in every way.
Most Inspirational Moment
Reaching the top of Dead Women's Pass at 4215 metres. Such a sense of achievement and the views were spectacular. Also walking to the final campsite through the cloud forest and seeing Machu Picchu mountain in front of us and snow capped mountains in the distance to the left and right. I managed to phone my wife from this campsite which was great (and also found out England had won 6-1 in the World Cup the day before). Unbelievable views again when I woke up the next morning.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julio was a really great group leader, very informative, helpful and encouraging throughout the whole trip. How he remembered everything he explained to us when we stopped off at the many Inca sites on the way I will never know. He showed a great deal of care towards all of us and also towards the environment of the trail, frequently seeking out orchids and other flora in the cloud forest (and pointing them out to us) to check on the health of it.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If trekking the Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is something you are thinking about, all I can say is Just Do It. You will not regret it, it's fantastic. Don't worry too much about the altitude - as long as you take your time and drink plenty of water you should be fine.
The trip (and JT) was awesome and to the max
A fantastic trip which was an experience rather than bagging a summit. The camaraderie and bond that developed between us and the crew made the trip special. Can I do it again?
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing my wife get to the summit when I had to turn back. Well done my love.
Thoughts on Group Leader
JT was superb. He was joyous and enthusiastic about Kili, Tanzania, his crew and us. He and his crew welcomed us into their family and we all left, I think, leaving a little part of us with him.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared to be smelly - you cannot really wash until getting back to the hotel - but when you do it is fantastic! Get yourself fit, physically and mentally, it is a hard trip and you will most likely have to go past your comfort zone and what you are used to. Close you eyes at some campsites - they are crowded and there is quite some detritus
An Incredible Trip
An incredible journey across a region that has not always been easy to visit.The trip encompasses grand landscapes, huge distances and wonderful opportunities to learn much from the local guides. Bek in Uzbekistan and Aibek in Kyrgyzstan/ Kazakhstan particularly endeared themselves to the group, bringing knowledge, consideration and enthusiasm to the task.
The trip endeavours to give wide and varied experiences and “gets off the worn track” with inclusions such as Termes, Uzbekistan near the Afghanistan border.
Most Inspirational Moment
Expect to be amazed ! ... From bizarre Ashgabet, historically dense Bukhara and Samarkand, roadside interactions with local herders in their Yurt camps to stunning high altitude lakes.
Thoughts on Group Leader
For a trip such as this, which encompasses moving almost every day, 5 currencies , many meal arrangements and visa challenges at borders, an extraordinary guide is paramount for success. Our guide Alejandro (Alex) was without doubt the reason for the smooth progression of the trip. His positive manner, perceptive nature, great humour and organisation skills endeared him to us all.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Beware: The trip is exhausting (particularly with temperatures averaging around 40 degrees celsius in August for much of the trip) even though much of the time is spent sitting in the vehicles. Pack light but include extra layers for high altitude. Be very sure your visa arrangements are correct.
Amazing country, fun cycling
This was a great trip packed with very fun cycling days, a couple days off-saddle to explore the country on foot, and a relaxing day at the end to rest and recuperate while staring at the beautiful Mozambique channel. It was really the perfect mix of activities — all perfectly planned and executed by the amazing trip leader Armel. The cycling was really fun with some challenging hill climbs and amazingly long, winding, fun descents through some of the most beautiful and interesting landscapes I’ve ever seen. There was lots of time to explore nature (tons of lemurs!) and the tiny villages we were cycling through. The food was fresh and delicious. Mel was always willing to share information about this interesting country — it’s people, cultures, music, politics, animals, and history — and went above and beyond to ensure the trip was perfect for everyone.
Most Inspirational Moment
I loved waking up early two mornings to ride while watching the sunrise. Not only did that mean we avoided cycling during the hottest part of the day (in the afternoon), but the sunrise over the mountains was really dramatic and the morning light was just breathtaking.
Go with an open mind
Madagascar doesn’t fail to delight. From the rain-forests to the spiny-forests and the beaches to the highlands there is something to interest everyone. Each of these unique environments harbour their own specialised family of wildlife and the smallest of insects is as fascinating as the the largest of lemurs. It truly is a special place.
Most Inspirational Moment
Getting up close and personal with the ring-tailed lemurs was completely unexpected. Their indifference to us was fantastic as we watched them go about their business. Night walks seeking out the mouse lemurs, chameleons and tree frogs was equally exciting. The amazing range of scenery was stunning, even the long dusty roads against a blue-sky backdrop were dramatic.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader, Claudia, was brilliant. She was in control at all times, had an excellent sense of humour and always in a good mood despite a few challenges along the way - especially when our internal flight to get us home was cancelled and she had to make alternative arrangements at very short notice.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you take a head-torch for the night and cave walks. Pack light if you can - there's only a 5kg carry-on limit on the internal flights and they do try to enforce it. If you're carrying an SLR take it out of your bag before they weight it - it'll save a lot of weight! Make sure you take some Imodium with you, half of our group needed it at some point and you'll be very grateful for it on the long drives! If you're into photography, take a tripod and get some pictures of the night-sky. The views of the milky way are spectacular - especially from the beach at Ifaty. The menus can become monotonous, if you just want a sandwich for lunch rather than a full meal then just ask for one. Also, stock up on snacks when you can.