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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14502 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Pamela Woodward

Reviewed December 2017

cycling vietnam

We were “blown away” over and over again on the trip. Our guide Lam and the support team were beyond excellent. They seemed to know what we needed before we did. Everything was done with a smile and a positive attitude. Over and over again they were checking our bikes and gear. I am so very very impressed with them!!! The weather was hot hot hot in some places and torrential rains in other places. Luckily, no wind. I am coming off from a previous biking injury (broken back and sacrum) and am also taking medication that inhibits my physical ability so I usually finished towards or at the end of the group. I also was not able to finish the Pass however, the guides made every effort to help me out and let me ride in the bus when needed–with no frowns given. The bike rides down the two passes were amazing and had me shouting with joy. The food–excellent. The places Lam had chosen for us to eat were safe for our foreign stomachs as well as being traditional Vietnamese food and good as well. The mid ride refreshments perfect–and often. I have such a positive feel for this trip and the excellent guides. I have been fortunate to have been on several trips with 3 extended biking trips and this trip with the guides, scenery, cycling route… was one of the best.

Most Inspirational Moment

The day I completed the 95 KM day. I have some physical deterrents so I was super excited that in spite of them, I was able to do it. Also, the descent from the two passes. Wow, what a ride! Also, the almost comical riding in the torrential rains with a smile on our faces. The continual "Hello" from the children. We, being from the US did not know how we would be received and the positive attitude and embracing by the Vietnamese was a lesson as well as a humbling experience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Lam, our leader---oh my gosh! Excellent. Like I mentioned, I have been on several guided trips and Lam was one of the best I have experienced. Lam was accompanied by 3 others--Tang, Long, and Y. They anticipated what we would need before we even knew we needed things. They worked so well together. What a team.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The weather can be extremely hot as well as humid. I don't think, unless you live in similar weather systems, that you can fully prepare for that. Train and do what you can to prepare but even if you cannot do the hills and passes, you can still be a part of the adventure. If having to ride in the bus once or twice gets you to experience this adventure, then "just do it". As I get older, I realize that I do not have to be first but to be part of it is so fulfilling.

Tim Brooks

Reviewed December 2017

Land of the Thunder Dragon

Bhutan is a country whose culture and environment are still free from the negative influences of the modern world. It’s a quiet even serene place, free from pollution and benefitting from a low population (just some 700,000 people live in this small kingdom). The five day point-to-point trek was well run and enjoyable. It included visits to a couple of fascinating monasteries. The highlights have to be attending the spring festival in Paro and the half-day trek to the world-famous Tiger’s Nest monastery.

Most Inspirational Moment

Although the spring festival in the Dzong in Paro was amazing, it's the unexpected things of most trips which last in my memory. For my trip in Bhutan, this was the welcome we got from the monks in the monastery on the last day of our trek as we headed down the valley towards Thimphu.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide Norbu and his team looked after us very well. I hope to go back one day and see more of this lovely country. Norbu informed me that Exodus is thinking about opening a new trek in the high Himalayas in the north-west of the country. I couldn't see this trip as an option in 2018 - but will keep a look out for it.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bhutan had been on my bucket list for quite a few years and I was not disappointed. While the cost of the trip is prohibitive, the tourist tax means that there are still relatively few tourists in Bhutan, meaning it's unspoilt. Furthermore, you really don't need much spending money as the tourist tax covers pretty much everything from the accommodation and transport to meals. The only money you'll need is for drinks and souvenirs. This makes the price of the trip more bearable in the overall scheme of things.

Steve Ingleby

Reviewed December 2017

Discover Costa Rica

An excellent introduction to Costa Rica, and in particular its wildlife.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many, although we particularly enjoyed the night walks that were available at the lodges. The forests come alive at night and provide opportunities to see wildlife that doesn't normally appear during the day.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent - Antonio was a superb ambassador for Costa Rica. He organised additional walks to ensure the team got the most out of their visit. He is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of Costa Rica, and is particularly good at identifying the many different birds we saw and heard on our travels. Mention should also be made of our driver, Alex. Despite limited English he was always friendly & enthusiastic, kept the coach spotless both inside and out, and must know the width of the coach to the nearest millimetre!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a universal sink plug - few hotels and lodges have them. Ponchos (and perhaps over-trousers) are more flexible than a conventional cagoule as it covers cameras & rucksack also. For people enthusiastic about photography, take a flash (if not fitted on camera) and a tripod. There is little light under the canopy even at midday and so shutter speeds are slow. For taking photos of specific species (e.g. amphibians) you may find that use of flash is not permitted (sometimes for all species on night walks) and so a tripod is the only way to get good photos. Make sure you protect your camera from moisture ingress. Rain is exceptional at times and a couple of our party had camera damage as a result.

Mary Purnell

Reviewed December 2017

Mantas, extreme weather and good company

The prospect of sighting whale sharks was the big attraction for this trip, along with plentiful snorkelling opportunities. The MV Felicity has great character and a wonderful crew who couldn’t do enough for their guests. We had a lovely group of people and who got along famously from day 1. Snorkelling was well organised and well led by guide Kamey and our multi-talented Captain.

However the whale shark experience was a huge disappointment, not because the crew didn’t do their best to get us an encounter, but because the whole thing in the Maldives appears unregulated with scant regard for the welfare of the creatures. As soon as a whale shark was spotted, boats sped up from all directions dropping snorkellers and divers in the water. There are no speed restrictions in force, and no limits on numbers and we were surprised to find scuba in use around the whale sharks. We had a talk from someone from the whale shark research project on the boat, which set out guidelines for encounters, but these seemed to be disregarded by many of the boats in the area.

Most Inspirational Moment

Snorkelling with manta rays over the reef early one morning. The crew worked really hard to get us in the right spot and I got some lovely photos

Thoughts on Group Leader

Kamey worked really hard to get us the best snorkelling despite the adverse weather conditions, and was very knowledgeable and helpful

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would hesitate to recommend this trip to anyone who wants a whale shark encounter, and come away feeling that the dignity and well-being of the creatures has been respected.

Laura Jones

Reviewed December 2017

Captivating Costa Rica

This trip was varied so provided something for everyone. It was an easy trip – there is excellent infrastructure in Costa Rica, the standard of accommodation was good and the walking was not difficult.

Most Inspirational Moment

Wildlife viewing by boat in Tortuguero Zip lining in Monteverde

Thoughts on Group Leader

Antonio was extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic and organised. He provided an amazing amount of information about the flora and fauna of Costa Rica and his love of the country really shone through. He went above and beyond the call of duty by accompanying us on walks during free time and by always being on hand to answer questions. Antonio's english was exceptional.

Advice for Potential Travellers

When it rains it really rains so take a poncho - that way it covers you and your rucksack. It is difficult to dry things out once they get wet so consider taking some 'proper' trekking clothes that are quick dry material.

steven elliot

Reviewed December 2017

Cycle Kerala an Tropical India

We loved this. India just hits you in the face – sights, smells,sounds,tastes. Exotic and spicy, just like a good curry. Cycling is such a great way of seeing a country and we traveled deep into rural areas where tourists don’t go; we often felt like creatures from another planet and the locals seemed to agree judging by the number of selfies they took with us in them.

Most Inspirational Moment

So many: Riding through Mysore in the rush hour - at the same time both exhilarating and bowel loosening. The ride up to Ooty even though we went through rain and mist and didn't see a thing. The ride the next day down through tea plantations and rain forest Walking round Guruvayoor at night during a Hindu festival and realizing we were the only foreigners. The welcome we received from Muslims on the day they celebrated the birth of the Prophet - sweets,food,ice cream,smiles. Sighting a tiger at Bandipur. The food - piled on weight.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Safi was a star.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You do need to be confident of cycling in traffic. The route takes you through some busy towns/cities and along some highways. Indians allegedly drive on the left but the evidence for this is weak. Motor cycles seem to routinely travel on the hard shoulder in the wrong direction and tuk tuks and mopeds just do their own thing. Cars and lorries don't so much overtake each other as play chicken. The cycling is pretty easy - once you get to Kerala there is a near total absence of hills. The ride up to Ooty is an aberration - similar to but harder than Alpe d'Huez. The altitude of Ooty is over 7000 feet and we were very cold at the top because of the rain ( we were there at the time of a cyclone which caused flooding and loss of life in southern Kerala). Suggest you take full wet weather gear. Take hand gel and if you you expect a high level of toilet cleanliness then this is not the trip for you.

Julia Stevenson

Reviewed December 2017

Manaslu Circuit

This is a highly recommended adventure. The Manaslu Circuit is all it says it will be and much more. It is a truly spectacular, isolated circuit around the world’s eighth highest mountain but weaves through sub-tropical settlements, before climbing into bamboo and rhododendron forest and ultimately, opens out into moraine, glacial lakes and majestic panoramic views of Manaslu, Naike, Peak 29 et al.

If you like your treks remote and rugged, this is for you but don’t leave it too long because the Manaslu circuit is already beginning to attract attention and in a few years may be as popular as its neighbour, the Annapurna Circuit.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were far too many high points to pick out a single moment. Reaching a Tibetan style village for tea and for the first time, seeing the whole of Manaslu and neighbouring peaks before us. Rapidly escaping the chaotic urgency of a yak on a mission and then, from the safety of a wall, watching it break into a stone courtyard to raid the meal of other young life stock. Fleeing for a second time, as the yak was rudely evicted. Witnessing an elderly woman carefully light and attend to butter lamps in gloom of a monastery. Watching shooting stars from the lofty perch of the camp site at Dharamsala. Getting up at 3am for the climb over Larkya La. Stumbling along into freezing driving sleet, head torch carefully trained on the ankles of the the trekker in front of me, aware of the silent brooding peaks unseen in the darkness. The windy euphoria of reaching the long awaited summit prayer flags and the sublime views looking across and down. The glorious walk to the beautiful glacial Pongkar Lake. The unparalleled views walking down the valley to Burdin Khola.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Unlike others in the group, I had never been on a trek with Valerie Parkinson but found her to be extremely knowledgeable and very passionate about all things Nepali. As noted elsewhere, Valerie was the first British woman to climb Manaslu and has also reached the south summit of Everest. She was encouraged to talk about her experiences over a mug of tea post dinner one evening. This too, was a highlight.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do buy a Steripen. I too was sceptical and drank my first two litres of Steripened water with some trepidation but I survived. Don't eat the spaghetti in tomato (?) sauce at the lodge in Samdo. I did and for some days rather wished I hadn't.

Andrea Redgers

Reviewed December 2017

Ancient and Modern Japan

Really interesting and varied trip, an excellent taste of many aspects of Japan.

Most Inspirational Moment

The contrast between the charms of the ancient castles, gardens and shrines and the modern sky scrapers and bullet trains . The courtesy and warm welcome of Japanese people in all the hotels, restaurants and places we visited.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ayaka was an excellent group leader going above and beyond ensuring we enjoyed and got the most from our time in Japan. She made sure we could find the most interesting things to see and do in our free time and teaching us to negotiate the wonders of the subway independently as well as suggesting good places to eat and shop for all sorts things and an idea of how to fit into the Japanese way of doing things. She also gave us good basic understanding of how the places we visited and the things we saw fitted into the bigger picture of Japanese history and culture. She rearranged our trains after the Typhoon closed some lines to close and made sure we didn't miss any of our itinerary.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you want an overview of Japan and its varied and fascinating culture book this trip. Remember to check the weather forecast just before you go and pack with this in mind. We encountered Typhoon Lan and were really pleased to have waterproof trousers and tops, Japan is green country and it does rain.

Steven Burris

Reviewed December 2017

Great trip!

It was a great trip, wonderful to see the animals in their natural habitat. Some long days of driving but well worth it in the end. Erellah was great leader, pointed things out that we would’ve never seen without his help. Wilson, Sam and Esther were great assets to the trip and made it all the more enjoyable. It was my first trip with Exodus and plan on more.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing all the animals!

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was great and very well informed.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Expect some long days of travel but worth it.

Deborah Terry

Reviewed December 2017

Fabulous Costa Rica

A great trip with a group of 16 which gelled really well and an inspirational guide and excellent driver. The itinerary was well-planned and we saw some varied parts of the country without endless bus journeys. All the lodges and hotels were good, and some very good, as was the food and of course the coffee. There was an occasional lack of hot water indoors, and too much rain and mud outdoors, but that’s the rainy season for you. We saw a simply extraordinary variety of bird, animal and reptile life, often spotted by Chico as he drove the bus. Jorge’s knowledge of birds and pride in his country were constantly evident. He arranged far more walks than the itinerary suggested so that we saw as much as possible. Overall a really excellent trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing baby turtles hatch and make their way across the beach into the sea at Tortuguera. Sloths ran them a close second. And then there were the quetzals....

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jorge loves his country deeply and made a great job of showing it to us and telling us about it. Among other topics, I came back very well-informed on the education system in Costa Rica! And his knowledge of birds was wonderful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Two of the hotels are at quite high altitude and in late November it was wet and cold. Take warm clothes and bedsocks. A walking pole was useful on muddy walks, and decent boots are essential.

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