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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14516 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Helen Homewood

Reviewed February 2018

Discovering Costa Rica (with a Bird watching guide)

As my personal interests are more history/culture/architecture I knew that by choosing a basically wildlife/scenery holiday I was slightly pushing myself out of my comfort zone but I had heard so much about Costa Rica I decided to give it.a go. As I was travelling with two chums one of whom is quite a keen bird watcher we picked a date where there would be a bird watching guide but when I booked and from the brochure it looked as if the tour would be as normal. I found this far from the case and this was as very much a bird watching trip. I must be honest and say there were moments I was bored to death! However, when I look back on the whole trip I did enjoy it and with the exception of one day it was well paced and very varied. The day in question (Monteverde – Manuel Antonio) where the journey time was shown as 4.5hours but due to frequent stops for bird watching it actually took over 8 hours and we effectively missed half a day at Manuel Antonio, a stop I had been particularly looking forward to.

Most Inspirational Moment

The two days at Esquina Lodge deep in the Equatorial Forest with the deafening noise of the cicadas. Zip lining at Monteverde

Thoughts on Group Leader

Johnny Villalobos was a delightful leader and very efficient and pleasant. He is extremely knowledgable and enthusiastic about the birds of Costa Rica and was, understandably very keen that we should all see as much as possible. We had two very enthusiastic birders in the trip and possibly because they were so keen they seemed at times to rather dictate the pace for the rest of the group. After the extended day's travel to Manuel Antonio I think Johnny realised that he had perhaps misjudged things and in the second week he placed more emphasis on some of the non birding options available and from that point I enjoyed things a lot more. To be fair, I think he misjudged one day out of fourteen and that's not a bad average. He was approachable, friendly and fun. I would also like to make mention of Carlos our driver who was exceptional. On road conditions that were far from easy he did his very best to make it a smooth, safe ride and he was also good at spotting birds. He and Johnny clearly often work together.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes, while you do not need any previous birding knowledge or experience if you pick one of the special bird watching dates you need to be aware that the emphasis will be on birding and that will impact on other activities on the holiday. If you are not really interested in spending considerable periods of time peering through binoculars, pick another date. If you do fancy a go at bird watching buy or borrow the best binoculars you can afford.

Elle Irvine

Reviewed February 2018

School trip

I booked this trip on the choosen dates as it was for solo travellers – hoping that it would present opportunities for meeting other individuals who would be keen to do their own thing in the evenings and on free days as opposed to being herded around in a huge group.
This group consisted of approx 7 couples. Not quite the solo group I was expecting, more so as they were of retirement age and older, and being younger I struggled with the overall ‘ school trip ‘ feel of the holiday.
Petty squabbles over who sat where on the bus and evening dinners arranged en- masse either at hotels with buffets or touristy restaurants just added to the disappointment.
This was my first trip to India and what I saw of the region I loved – albeit I had to tune out the rest of the group and go off to do my own thing on many occasions.

Most Inspirational Moment

Loved the tea plantation walk - although the majority of the group clearly didn't pay heed to the trip notes about it being steep in places ( this led to more moaning ) , the houseboat was better than expected and the food - when finding local small restaurants - was outstanding.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He had a difficult job on his hands I feel, managing such a large group of elderly people but did his best I suppose. He didn't make an appearance on the first evening and as such everyone pretty much left on their own til the next morning. Also we didn't get the opportunity to do the early morning village tour around Madurai as we would have had ' to get up really early ' . Really? ?! Every morning was either a 9 or 9.30 am start - rather late I felt.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check the demographics of the group before you pay your final balance. I guess the trip being graded as -1- leisurely, should have been an indicator of the age group it would attract. Be adventurous, use the time in the evening to source lovely restaurants on line, jump in a Tuk-Tuk and have the real Indian dining experience. Bring headphones for the long journeys.

Barbara Binns

Reviewed February 2018

Fantastic skiing on good snow in the sunshine - with excellent leaders

When I first cross country skied in Norway 15 years ago, my leader said ‘go to Dobbiaco’. And now that I have, I understand why she recommended it. The skiing was excellent and varied, with just the right amount of challenge without being scary. The snow conditions were great and we had good weather. The sceenrybwas stunning. The hotel was very welcoming, and a good wellness centre with sauna, swimming and steam – a perfect way to relax after a day skiing.

Most Inspirational Moment

Many inspirational moments - skiing through beautiful landscapes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The two leaders, Ingrid and Alex, were both excellent. Athough we were all experienced skiers, they took time to check out our skills on the first couple of days and helped everyone ski better. They assessed our ability well and took us to places with just the right amount of challenge. They were both good fun, competent, knowledgeable and all round good leaders who made me feel safe and confident.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go and enjoy yourself! But do check you are booking the right grade holiday.

Brian Page

Reviewed February 2018

Brian Page

Unfortunately for the first time ever I suffered from altitude sickness with reduced my stamina and caused loss of balance and coordination. However, thanks to the professionalism, experience and support of the Exodus staff I was able to reach the summit. I have no hesitation in recommending Exodus for an event of this nature.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the summit plateau despite my difficulties

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

No I was very pleased with all the arrangements made for the trip.

Felicity Walker

Reviewed February 2018

All I expected and more

What a fabulous trip. I’d visited Costa Rica before, but this trip truly concentrated on the wildlife and the country has so much to offer. We saw so much and some of it very different – frogs, snakes, spiders, beautiful butterflies, stunning birds, dolphins, humpback whales, I could go on and on. I also thought I’d see a sloth, but we saw so many, it was wonderful.

I had read mixed reviews about some of the accommodation, but I thought it ranged from good to excellent. Where the hotels were merely good, the relative lack of tourists more than made up for it. The food included in the hotels/lodges was also of a very high standard…it would have been difficult to go hungry!

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking around the grounds of the various properties we stayed in, just spotting the animals on the ground and in the trees. Some of the best sights were within close proximity of our accommodation - including a walk along the coast at Cahuita where the sloths were everywhere. Watching humpback whales from the shore - at a time of year when they shouldn't have been there! So many glorious scarlet macaws on the Pacific coast. So many wonderful photo opportunities

Thoughts on Group Leader

Eduardo was very knowledgeable and passionate about the wildlife and was obviously a very experienced guide. I liked the fact that he added in quite a few extra optional walks, which were much appreciated after some long days travelling.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Only the obvious, expect rain, even in the dry season...but the sun comes along eventually

Susan Weaver

Reviewed February 2018

Southern india

It was a taste of the real India rather than the usual tourist holidays. We experienced seeing the day to day living which was a real eye opener. The tour through Indian countryside was scenic and interesting. Watching the women harvesting tea and seeing families washing their clothes on rocks in the river, not to mention the monkeys and fruit bats we passed on our travels.
The driving in India is very unlike the UK, but when we expressed our concerns to our guide after day one, he spoke to the driver, who immediately stopped overtaking on blind bends and slowed down to drive in a way that we felt happy. ( the only problem was, other drivers then started to overtake us on blind bends!)
The overnight stay on the houseboat was very relaxing, and the number of kingfishers we saw was unbelievable! The rooms on the houseboat were much bigger and luxurious than we had been expecting, and they all had large en-suite bathrooms.
The main reason I have scored the trip as very good, rather than excellent, is the comfort of the tour bus. It was an old bus, with over 225,000km on the clock. The seats were not very padded or comfortable for the long journeys that we did, and the suspension was not up to scratch. I did however feel that we had a very competent driver, who completely changed his style of driving after he was aware of our concerns early on.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting up at 5.30 to go on a tuc tuc, then a walking tour of the market as the locals were setting up their fruit and veg stalls. The atmosphere, sights, sounds and smells were just spell binding. This was the real India, and it was a privilege to witness and experience it first hand. It’s certainly a morning that I will never forget. I think it should have been promoted more, as half our group decided not to get up early to go on it, but those who did all said they wouldnt have missed it now they knew how fantastic it was! The hike through tea plantations to the top of the mountain was also a fabulous day. The views were spectacular. The peace and tranquility at the top of the mountain, where we had our lovely picnic is also a day which I will always treasure in my memory.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Manoj was brilliant. He is so well suited to his job. Nothing is too much trouble for him. He was very good at getting things organised. He was particularly good at organising the staff in restaurants to get our orders and bills sorted out with as much simplicity as possible. He always listened to our requests, and did his best to accommodate them. He was able to answer the many questions which we had during the tour. He has a great sense of humour, and really joins in with the group. He took a Yoga class at the home stay one morning, which was a lovely touch for the few people who participated. On the final evening of the holiday, my friend became ill with a stomach bug, which would have meant we couldn’t fly home the next morning. But Manoj saved the day! He organised a doctor to come to our room, with 2 nurses. They gave her an injection and set up 2 intravenous drips and said she would be better within 3 hours. Unbelievably, she was better, and could travel home ok. Surprisingly, the medical cost for this fantastic service, was only £50. Manoj stayed up late to make sure we were ok, and that the treatment had worked. He insisted that he wouldn’t go to bed himself until he knew my friend was feeling better. We both feel that he was extremely caring and went the extra mile over this, which just confirms how well suited he is to his role.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you’re unhappy with the driving, feeling that it’s too fast and reckless, say something to the guide early on. Our driver completely changed his style of driving from day 2 onwards. Get up early for the walking tour of the market. It will be a highlight of your holiday, but it’s not marketed or promoted as such, so half of our group missed out.

Dave Sommerville

Reviewed February 2018

Cycle Vietnam

While it’s ostensibly a cycling holiday, there was much more to the trip than that. My highlights:
– snorkelling off Whale Island
– the cycling descent from Da Lat, we descended from over 5,000ft to sea level in only a couple of miles
– cycling through Hoi An and Hué
– kayaking in Ha Long Bay
– the food, it was invariably fantastic
– the hotels which were far more luxurious than we had envisaged
– Cu Chi tunnels
– War Remnants museum in Saigon – very harrowing
– cycling up and down the Hai Van pass
– children in the villages and small towns shouting and waving at us
The whole trip was just one massive and immense experience – unforgettable.

Most Inspirational Moment

I couldn’t single anything out, I loved all of it. It’s an amazing country to visit. We always felt like we were on a great adventure, which sounds corny, but it was just such an inspirational and fascinating experience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Loc, our guide, was first class, a top man in every way. Tan, Truong and Ly, our cycle support crew were fabulous, they couldn’t do enough for us. Don’t bother bringing snacks for the cycling days, your support crew will NOT let you go hungry!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t be nervous about the cycling, it’s really not too hard if you’re reasonably fit. Take part in everything, embrace it all.

Jo Kent

Reviewed February 2018

Stunning scenery

We took part in this group tour in February 2018. It was the first time we had visited Romania and it was fascinating to learn about its history and experience its wild beauty.

Pros:
Very well organised from start to finish; we felt well looked after.
Food at the hotel was delicious, and we were well catered for as veggies.
Good variety of walking with stunning scenery.
The area is very unspoilt and most days we did not see another person once we got into the mountains.
The country has reasonable prices for food and drink.
Our guide, Holger, plus the staff at the hotel made sure we all got where we needed to go safely.
We were lucky to be in a good group of fellow travellers who we got on very well with.
Flights and transfers were very good.

Cons:
Although the food was delicious be prepared that there is no choice for dinner options (as if often the case in chalet accommodation). At breakfast there is no juice, and the buffet choice is not huge.
Be warned that there are lots of dogs living outside of the houses in the village, and sometimes they bark all night. If you’re a light sleeper, take ear plugs. In room 6 we also had a creaky bed and ended up putting the mattresses on the floor to get a good night’s sleep.
The trip is rated as moderate. I am pretty fit and have completed two Moonwalks (walking marathons), and I found the two longer walks quite challenging. Ice under foot plus the elevation gain made these walks tough, so you’ll need to be fairly fit or a regular walker, not a novice. The yak traks recommended in the packing list are really essential when there is ice under foot.

Most Inspirational Moment

Stunning mountain views in the middle of nowhere.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Holger was very friendly and obviously very knowledgable. He looked after us well. Holger is quite laid back - I don’t think anyone would mind if he was stricter with us about staying together in a group, telling us when and where we need to meet, etc.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take ear plugs and the best yak traks you can afford.

Nigel Carrick

Reviewed February 2018

The Tropical South

A very good balanced trip with more activity in the first week and a more relaxed second week. Most of the stays are 2 nights which gives you more time to settle into a place. There are a number of opportunities to experience the frequent Festivals and religious ceremonies which are for the people and are devoid of tourists (apart from us!)

Most Inspirational Moment

We had an evening visit to a Hindu temple standing close to elephants robed in gold with much loud drumming and traditional horns.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Manoj our leader was passionate about his country and its traditions of being welcome to all comers. He found out about any special events happening in the next destination so he was briefed to enable us to visit everyday life in Kerala. He was well organised and speedily sorted any problems with good humour. His talks whilst travelling were very instructive if occasionally too long but reflected his love for his country.