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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This one week tour is 50% wildlife spotting and 50% long travel days. Wildlife is colourful, diverse and fairly easy to spot, but the experiences were hindered by unseasonably cool and wet conditions – unexpected, but nonetheless possible in February. Walks were often spent sheltering under the hood of my waterproof jacket and an appreciation of the Costa Rican landscapes was limited. Road journeys between hotels were longer than expected, often due to heavy traffic. The optional excursions were OK, but not great value for money. Unfortunately, Costa Rica’s high end tourist industry has become expensive and quite commercialised.
Most Inspirational Moment
Simple pleasures such as watching the birds come to the feeders opposite the breakfast table at Arenal a chance roadside encounter with a sloth. These moments felt more like an authentic Central American travel experience than the somewhat packaged included activities.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader was cheerful, knowledgeable about the local wildlife and ran the tour effectively although he could have been better organised and clearer in his communication at times.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I added an extension to Punta Leona on the Pacific Coast to my trip. The resort is vast and spread out over the coastal dry forest. Although the beach was pleasant and there was some wildlife to see, the various tourist facilities on offer felt more like an overwealming choice of expensive options that made for a less relaxing end to the trip than I was expecting.
Reply from Exodus
Hi Ross, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback following your Costa Rica trip. I’m sorry to hear that aspects of your experience did not meet expectations, particularly due to the unseasonably cool and wet weather, which I appreciate would have limited your enjoyment of the landscapes and outdoor activities. While wildlife sightings were positive, I understand that long travel days, traffic delays, and optional excursions that did not feel like good value would have impacted the overall experience. I’m also sorry that your extension to Punta Leona was not as relaxing as anticipated, as I appreciate that the size and more commercial nature of the resort may not suit everyone looking for a quieter end to their trip. Your feedback regarding both the itinerary and the optional experiences, as well as your wider observations on the commercialisation of tourism in Costa Rica, is greatly appreciated and will be shared with the relevant departments as part of our ongoing reviews. Thank you again for your comments, and I do hope there were still some memorable highlights during your time away. We look forward to welcoming you on another Exodus Adventure in the future!
We found dealing with Exodus very satisfactory from first phone call to final departure from hotel at the end of the holiday. Price was reasonable and included reasonable quality accommodation offering comfortable rooms and amenities and good restaurant. Special mention for our guide Veriano who took great care of us throughout the trip.
Most Inspirational Moment
Visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum; views of the Amalfi Coast from height; meeting other people in the group.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Veranio was a good group leader with a pleasant whimsical sense of humour. He was keen to show off his home area giving us interesting information about the history and geography of the area. He was also keen to ensure we were enjoying ourselves and put a lot of himself into the role of leader. He was obviously very keen to please us and needed reassurance that he had done so.
Well organised and thought out itinerary. Well paced trip that showed all the highlights. Very special to have local guides showing us around and meeting generous locals to meet and eat with.Superbly lead by our guide Hicham ( absolute star)
Most Inspirational Moment
So many of those! If pushed then then the day we had in Fez, the Roman ruins (much more there than led to believe and beautiful setting) the Sahara desert and our stay up in Tighza for its scenery, the walking and the children we met. Of course the group we had got on so well. Great company.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Hicham was superb. He was engaging, knowledgeable, very organised and was clear in his instructions. He facilitated many opportunities to meet local people so we felt we'd experienced so much more than other trips. Our meals with local families was very special. He had a lovely sense of humour and ensured everyone was included. Definitely up for guide of the year!
The leader, Prathap, was exceptional and handled everything with great good humour and expertise. Every aspect of the trip more than fulfilled my expectations, and the quality of the leadership and administration was first-rate.
Most Inspirational Moment
Hiking up Kirrigalpottha was memorable, and I loved some the colonial accommodation such as Hotel Suisse and especially Bandarawela Hotel.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Quite exceptional. Excellent in every way. My especial thanks for his extra efforts on my behalf to provide Gluten-free food options wherever possible.
It was a really great and often physically challenging experience, I enjoyed it immensely. Most of the days were very long with no relaxation time, much of this was down to the itinerary changes because the trains were out of action. Some of it was also due to a small number of slow walkers, but I guess you never know who you are going to get.
The tour guide Praphat Jayasinghe was excellent. He had excellent English, was friendly, organised and very knowledgeable. It was the first time the trip had been run plus there were some changes to the itinerary due to the recent cyclone, however everything ran smoothly. His expertise was obvious and we were fortunate to have him as our guide.
Most Inspirational Moment
The views. Prathap’s expertise. He really went out of his way to ensure we were looked after.
I loved the holiday and that it allowed me to travel to places I would not have been able to go to on my own.
Most Inspirational Moment
Adams Peak, felt adventurous and exciting, even though it was so crowded at the top.
Tiny events along the trail - being invited to see a Hindu wedding and our guide giving us the flexibility and time to briefly become involved, seeing birds, interacting with locals.
Thoughts on Group Leader
I have already nominated him for the group leader award on the website, he was amazing: curious, kind, funny, flexible and adaptable to our needs, listened to what we liked and what we didn’t like.
This was my first trip with Exodus but it won’t be my last. The trip was wonderful, well organized with excellent support. Felt I got great quality for the cost.
Most Inspirational Moment
Hiking through the beautiful and varied countryside of Sri Lanka. Hearing about the history and culture, seeing and interacting with the local people. The food was great too!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Mak is an engaging, professional, enthusiastic and knowledgable leader. Our needs and comfort were always a priority. You can have a great itinerary but without a Mak in charge it’s just a hike. He is terrific.
Walking through the amazing tea plantations and seeing the tea pickers. Great walks and scenery.
The beautiful people of Sri Lanka who were so happy to see us. It was heartwarming to be met by the children as we walked through the local villages.
Lunches prepared for us, traditional and authentic cuisine.
Our visit to the Temple of the tooth in Kandy.
Our visit to the tea factory on our last day.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The tour leader Mak was absolutely brilliant. He made the holiday and his local knowledge was invaluable. He was very organised, a great communicator and he went the extra mile to make our trip memorable. The bus driver and his assistant were also excellent. A great team who looked after us extremely well, thank you.
