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

Dulcie Wrinch

Reviewed October 2016

Uzbekistan Uncovered

A well balanced comprehensive trip in that we had time to see all the sights and look around in general before moving on to the next destination. Trips out to the desert fortresses and the night staying a yurt followed by a hike with camel ride to Aidarkul Lake were a welcome break from seeing the historical and other not so old blue tiled mosques and madrassas etc.
The long drives were made more bearable in the fact we had a full sized coach and only 16 people so were able to spread ourselves out, the rest stops were regular and unhurried.
The food was variable and rather greasy and mostly edible. The local people were friendly (apart from some taxi drivers)

Most Inspirational Moment

It is difficult to say what was the most inspirational moment as the sights overall were all awesome and in particular when lit up at night. I think the most fabulous moment was when I was on a camel and saw Aidarkul Lake ahead of me. The other people in the group were a lovely bunch and it made things even better. I came home feeling well satisfied with it all.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Dilshod....He was wonderful, so kind and good humoured. Also very helpful to any needs of our group. His spoken English was excellent, the best of any guides that I have met on Exodus trips to date. He was so organised when it came to ordering meals and drinks and managing the finances of it all. Didn't want to say goodbye.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do not waste time going and leaving Tashkent outside the trip itself, the flights to and fro from London are only twice a week so more time spent there is not worth it. It was difficult to explore as tourism virtually unknown and taxi drivers say they can take you to requested place but haven't a clue where they are going. The hotel used in Tashkent is not widely known or central. The customs forms about permitted medication were non-existent, going through customs was trouble-free unlike what blogs say. A good torch for the night at the yurt advisable unless you like fumbling around in the dark, but we all fell asleep very quickly. Bring lots of of immodium and andrex loo paper, also air freshener as bathrooms have no ventilation!! Maybe download some maps prior to trip because they are non-existent.

Steven Gittens

Reviewed October 2016

A Great Week in the Sierra de Aitana

Five excellent guided walks in the mountains surrounding our accommodation at El Trestellador. Each day was very enjoyable and the walks took approximately 6 hours. It was extremely hot for October and the mountains have little shade, so plenty of water had to be carried. The packed lunch provided was superb and enjoyed on the peaks each day. Returning to El Trestellador for a cold beer was equally enjoyable.

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved the accommodation. It was simple, very clean and our hosts were so friendly. The food provided each night was exceptional and more than enough for the largest appetite.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose is a nice guy with a passion for the Sierra de Aitana. He knows everything about the area and makes the walks interesting. He also is responsible for the excellent sandwiches.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is not an easy week and deserves the Activity level 4

David Williams

Reviewed October 2016

Dolomites

A great week away walking in the dolomites, weather was perfect.

Most Inspirational Moment

Scenery fantastic, hotel comfortable, staff friendly and welcoming, food very good, beer cold, sunshine all week, what could be better.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent leader, helpful, knowledgeable, friendly worked well with the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just book it you won't regret it

Natasha Cornick

Reviewed October 2016

A vegan adventure in Puglia & Matera

A great place to visit with lovely picturesque villages. Great vegan Food. Lovely walks. Recommended for any fellow vegans. The accommodation was good, we stayed in a cave in Matera, which was dark.
Generally a great holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

Matera caves were awesome. Lecce free day was beautiful. Vegetarian Restaurant in Matera.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Macella was well organised and kept the group to time well. Recommended good restaurants.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We went in late September & it was still very warm, especially on the 2 walks where we had picnics. I was glad I took an umbrella for a bit of shade. A long sleeved shirt was good as well. Evenings were cool, & windy so take a warm fleece. Take a torch for the rooms, some were dark. If you don't fancy a full set menu it is ok to dip out & just have pasta. I took a kettle & was glad of a cup of tea after a day of walking. There were hairdryers in every room. We took soya milk, but we did see almond & soya milk in the supermarkets.

Yvette Fernley

Reviewed October 2016

The Zambezi River

An excellent trip, one of the best holidays we’ve had

Most Inspirational Moment

Prepare to leave your comfort zone and enter the world of the Zambezi with its currents and wind taking you so close to its wildlife that you feel that you've entered their world. Relaxing and tranquil but with plenty of excitement and wonder: hippos swimming under the canoes, crocs slipping off the bank into the water as we passed by, an elephant mother and youngster feeding only feet away from us. Not to mention frequent stops for cooling swims in the very clean water. And the Zambezi is big, and wide, banks with only sparse evidence of human habitation and desert islands for our overnight stops, add to a complete sense of wilderness. All in all an unparalleled experience. Although to be fair, if its big cats or the herds of the plains you want to see, or if you crave the luxury of the game lodge. this may not be the trip for you.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Of our guide, CB, Cuthbert, what a guy! Expert on game, great cook, kept us safe, exemplary leadership skills, and massive fun. Not for one moment did he stop trying to give us the experience of a lifetime. All at a comfortable pace. African time. Pole pole. Coupled with an excellent guide, we had an awesome group which provided endless fun and memories to cherish.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Buy plenty of beer or wine at the shop outside Lusaka. We made a mistake and didn't provide enough to accompany the simple but excellent food prepared by the guides. Early October was hot with strong sun, so be prepared. Not bad on the mozzy front and the tents are insect-proof, but of course Deet is essential. Those with plenty of painkillers for injuries and sore muscles proved popular! Changes of clothing seem to become less and less important as you go, so save on packing and chill!

Alan Keen

Reviewed October 2016

Petra and Wadi Rum by Bike

A varied and interesting holiday – just the right balance of activity, culture and fun, and all in a country that is welcoming, safe and friendly. Great scenery.

Most Inspirational Moment

Petra. It's so much more than I expected having read about it and seen pictures of it. Ok, it can get a bit crowded with other tourists and tacky with all the touts but with not too much effort you find quieter places.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Among the best. Wael was efficient, helpful, extremely knowledgeable and had a good sense of humour. Our cycling leader was also excellent.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Your hands will be gripping those bars on those downhills (which are great if you like that kind of thing), so take a decent, padded pair of summer cycling mitts. Allow for a generous budget - enjoy yourself!

Michael Allen

Reviewed October 2016

Glad I went but glad it's over

This was a bit of disappointment because I was hoping to see lots of exquisite Islamic art and architecture. There is some toward the end of trip in Samarkand but the mosques and madrasas in Khiva and Bukhora weren’t very attractive. There was too much shopping time for my taste. I am vegetarian which limited food selections. The salads are very good but there isn’t much choice beyond that and I don’t think even the non-veggies enjoyed the food much. Sometimes a vegetarian dish was just a regular dish with the meat removed e.g. we were told chick peas were vegetarian but they came with some bits of meat which they had overlooked. The local beer, however is excellent.

An interesting part of the trip was learning about the Russian influence, good and not-so-good, and the changes that have occurred since the Soviet Union imploded and Uzbekistan became independent. I also enjoyed learning a about current life in Uzbekistan but am aware that we as tourists we may be presented with a somewhat sanitized view of things.

Most Inspirational Moment

The most enjoyable (not inspirational!) parts of the trip were the yurt stay/camel ride and in Samarkand learning about Ulugh Beg, the brilliant ruler and astronomer, and touring his museum.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was excellent - extremely conscientious, good humoured, punctual, reliable and helpful. He never tired of answering our questions and knew a lot about the history of Uzbekistan. He took very good care of us.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared to be offline for several days. The internet service is very poor and was not working in some hotels. This seemed to be more of a problem for Macs and iPads than Android devices. In Bukhara I went to an internet cafe to check email and even there the connection was very slow.

Helen Mackie

Reviewed October 2016

Cycle Cuba

Fantastic trip with enjoyable cycling through some beautiful scenery as well as interesting towns and great sights recording Cuba’s history of revolution.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many but it was awesome visiting the Che Guevarra mausoleum, and walking in the Sierra Maestra where Fidel and his band were holed up.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Carlos was excellent. He was informative, a good communicator with excellent English. He not only gave us loads of interesting information about Cuba's history but was prepared to share personal insights into his own experiences and into what it means to be a Cuban living there now.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for heat and humidity, and bring your own snacks as it was difficult even for our guide to find more than bananas and avocados as snacks for our stops. Lunch is also sometimes sandwiches which are very poor, dry stale bread with cheese and ham and no butter, so not very appetising - better to have extra snacks to cover that too. Other meals were sometimes good, especially lobster and prawns, but variable, so don't expect too much from the food.

David Hill

Reviewed October 2016

Mount Kilimanjaro

Superbly organised and our guides / porters were the best!

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the summit, against all the odds.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader, Makeke, went above and beyond to make sure that I reached my ambition. He's an excellent asset for Exodus and I wouldn't have made it to the top without him. A true professional who takes real pride in his job and simply looks after everyone in his care.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is a tough, indeed gruelling physical challenge but well worth it.

Harry Johnson

Reviewed October 2016

Superb!!

We went with a group of friends from Church and the experience was absolutely brilliant!The trekking every day is not for the faint hearted and even the best prepared among us received blisters. However, the whole adventure from start to finish was so well organised and a great tribute to the package that Exodus has put together for us. It felt really personalised and the group leader Josea was fantastic. His attention to detail and his kindness and thoughtfulness throughout the trip was truly inspiring. He genuinely cared about every person in the group. I’m 60 years old and can say genuinely say that this was an experience of a life time on many different levels. The food and drink in Galicia was also fantastic!

Most Inspirational Moment

When the group were becoming very tired walking we sang all sorts of songs ranging from modern pop, musicals and hymns-absolutely magical. For me it was also seeing seriously disabled people walking the Camino at their own pace but with such determination. I found this very moving and humbling. Also completing the trek as a group in the beautiful old city of Santiago which is a very special place.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Josea was absolutely superb. He was very protective of the group, was the first up in the morning and the last one to go to bed. He would provide fruit and sometimes cake for the journey and had intimate knowledge of the Camino and surrounding area. He was constantly planning ahead and arranged many fantastic meals at local pensions/restaurants at unbelievably low prices. He quickly assessed the ability of the group members and developed a bespoke approach to every person. Fantastic man management and thoroughly decent and likeable person. We couldn't have wished for a better guide. In fact we were all very sad as he left the group at the end as it was like being parted from a really good friend. He burned with the desire for every person to enjoy their Camino and this desire shone from him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Really do your home work on walking shoes/walking sticks and other gear. Make sure you have plenty of appropriate plasters for blisters and make sure that you have broken in fully any walking boots. It is worth investing in really good walking socks too. Watch the film "The Way" with Martin Sheen which is set around walking the Camino.

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