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A real tour of the highlights of all this peaceful country has to offer. Petra, and especially our second day there, was a real highlight but there was nothing to detract from it. Admittedly, perhaps in Madaba we could have taken time to see more that just the (relatively very modern) basilica of St George, but to have seen some of the other mosaics that we passed on our way there.
Learning to snorkel and visiting the Red Sea reefs was another highlight for me as was, surprisingly, our camel trek in Wadi Rum – the 4×4 tour the previous evening was limited by the failing light.
Overall, highly recommended.
Climbing up to look down on the Treasury in Petra
Sami was excellent, despite mounting personal tragedies in his family, he maintained his professionalism and care for us as a group.
Read the Trip Notes and ensure that you have good walking shoes and a good-sized day pack.
An excellent way to see the variety of sights that Japan has to offer, and as with other Exodus trips the trade-off is some long days on trains, subways, trams and walks (and variable standards of accommodation). However, all the public transport ran like clockwork, and even complicated travel days with 15 of us to look after were easily dealt with by our guide …and I loved the Shinkansen (bullet train). Kyoto was more westernised than I was expecting, but there was still plenty to see. Hiroshima was surprisingly emotional for me, and I loved the local okonomiyaki we had for dinner. The areas around Takayama and Yudanaka were definitely more traditional Japanese, and the ryokans were a big change from the city hotels but they still had wifi (bathing was interesting though!!). Finishing off in Tokyo worked well, getting back into western ways.
Always difficult to know how to answer this one, as we saw so much. For me it was the people, as they were all so respectful and Japan felt very safe from a traveller's perspective.
Chiko Hansen was always smiling, full of energy and kept all of us on time. As with any trip like this there were a couple of hiccups (not of Chiko's making), but she managed to keep us together.
As mentioned, there is a lot of walking in this trip. Although technically you could describe it as leisurely (not climbing mountains!), due to the amount I would rate it more like a 3, especially if you want to see everything. I had taken a pair of hiking boots which was overkill, but sturdy walking shoes are highly recommended. There was more free time than on other Exodus trips I have been on, so planning ahead would help. That includes meals, as not many are included. Despite the hotel in Kyoto being very central, not many of the nearby restaurants stayed open beyond 9pm. We did find a food court at the top of the railway station that stayed open until 10pm, but not until the second night.
Just back from a great week, great group, great fun! Even though the accommodation was basic, the food was amazing and plentiful.
It was great to learn how to walk on the crampons and feel I accomplished something more than just climbing a peak.
hassan was brilliant. A good combination of keeping us driven and keeping us entertained.
Make sure you physically strong as well as fit. I did a lot of circuit training and I probably needed to do more because walking in crampons is more physical than I expected.
Fantastic holiday, well organised trip around fascinating and beautiful country. Hotter and more humid than expected. Cycling also harder than expected only because of heat, humidity and head winds. Stops came every 10 to 15km and were much appreciated. Plentiful water was provided but note you do need to take your own snacks, fruit or energy bars/drinks. We were bitten more than we expected so do take repellant with you and possibly some antihistamines. Casa stay in Trinidad was very interesting and despite appearances was very comfortable with full facilities. All the Cubans were very friendly. Day trip on catamaran to beautiful deserted tropical island was outstanding but was a long motor out (2hrs). Boat trip around lake and dam was quite different though! – rather worryingly unstable, noisy and full of exhaust (and driver’s cigarette) fumes! Somewhat spoilt the beauty of the lake and surrounds.
The helpfulness of the Exodus team when we accidently mislaid a bag. (James was very kind)
Great trip, well organised as normal. Fabulous views, walks and visits, nice group and a really good leader.
Really enjoyed the guided walk round the crater of Vesuvius. Also the Walk of the Gods walk.
Thomas was exceptional, he was well organised and clearly very keen to please us in every way. He lead and organised us very knowledgably and is a very nice and caring man - no ego in sight!
We had very good weather for November with temperatures around 21-24 degs and very warm in the sun. Think it would be quite a tough trip if it was much warmer.
A packed schedule with archaeology/history, food, culture, walking and snorkelling. Note that the walk on Petra second day is quite tough (with some ascent, scrambling and heights not for the vertigo-sufferer) – not to be attempted without walking boots.
I loved the boat trip off Aqaba, and the first reveal of Petra does not disappoint. But that first magical glimpse is a tiny fraction of the Petra archaeological site. The food was pretty good too - especially Tawaheen Alhawa in Amman (but you'd better like hoummus, you'll be seeing a lot of it ;-)
Our leader was knowledgeable and resourceful / flexible in adapting the schedule to changes in circumstances.
You will need proper walking boots if you are going to attempt the walk on the second day in Petra (they are a pretty good idea for the rough ground around all the archaeological sites anyway). To get to the high places above Petra there is some scrambling, and walking along narrow cliffside paths, but your grip of boot on sandstone is generally good, and there are good natural handholds for the scrambles. If you suffer from vertigo, you may want to think carefully about it! At the Bedouin Camp I would definitely recommend you take a sleeping bag / liner, and mosquito protection which works in your tent, i.e. without electricity (a lot of us were badly bitten) [- if you take mozzie coils you will need the tin so there is no fire hazard to the rush mats on the floor of the tent]. Jordan is not malarial, but our bites made for an uncomfortable last couple of days. Head torch is always good (not only for the camp, but also for peering into dark corners of castles, and the further reaches of the Petra site) - I LOVE a good head torch! If you have the slightest tendency to dry skin, take plenty of body lotion / moisturiser to combat the sandblasting effect of sightseeing in the desert. It is not cheap in Jordan - simple meals in restaurants are quite expensive for what they are - and you'll probably want a [soft] drink which will also be quite expensive - we managed to get through JOD40 per day easily before beer, souvenirs or any other extras.
Fantastic experience. Looked after brilliantly from beginning to end
Reaching the peeks of Toubkal
Professional and friendly
Go for it
As in the meaning of Costa Rica (Rich Coast), this trip showed our group the beautiful details offered in the country. The country is renowned for its “1000 needles” of all types creatures, and no matter how big or small they were, they were definitely worth seeing. This trip is for those who wish to see or spot wildlife, walk in the rainforests and don’t let a “little” rain get in the way.
Inspirational Animal There were many great sights in the trip, and mine in particular were the sloths. I have always had a love of these peculiar creatures and they did not fail my expectations. Inspirational Place Monteverde was one of the many places I enjoyed in the trip, as this was an opportunity for me to go zip lining. This is an activity that I have never done before, and having the opportunity to go through 13 zip wires which made this place all the more inspirational. Walking along the hanging bridges were almost serene in overlooking the green canopies of the rainforests, and the vast amount of trees spreading out for what seemed like miles and miles into the distance. We also visited the hummingbird garden where I had the opportunity to let hummingbirds hand on my hand whilst they fed from their feeders, which I had never experienced anything like that previously and it was a privilege to have had that opportunity.
The trip leader was Johnny, and he did an excellent job with our group. He had a fountain of knowledge of the country. Johnny would explain the different kinds of eco tourism and politics surrounding the country with the economic changes, and how the protection of the rainforests and national parks were formed. Our coach driver Mario definitely deserves to be mentioned also, as he was great at spotting wildlife whilst driving to our destinations, and handled our bags and luggage efficiently throughout the trip.
Embrace the rain. You will get wet, just prepare for it. A DSLR camera with 70-400MM zoom will be possibly the best option for this trip if you are into your photography. If your into the night walks, take a good bright torch to get the photos of the animals were a flash cannot be used. There are two main places to get laundry done: Manuel Antonio and Savegre, if you need laundry sooner ask about it in La Fortuna with your guide. Meat lovers: at La Fortuna, go to the steak restaurant Nene's Restaurant and order the Rib Eye! You will not be disappointed.
This was our first time of travelling with Exodus and our first ‘organised cycling tour’. albeit my wife and I have cycled many hundreds of miles in various and exotic parts of the world before.
We had the advantage over most on our group as we had visited Cuba five years earlier whilst on a walking holiday.
From day one the ‘support team’ of Jose our guide and the two drivers were attentive and very professional. This included Roberto the ‘cycling mechanic’ who stayed with us for the first three days, to ensure we all ‘fitted’ our bicycles and that all the ‘brought from home’ items such as specialist peddles, saddles, bicycle GPS kits and extra water bottles stayed attached to the bikes.
During the tour both drivers namely Jose-Lewis ( bicycle & supply bus) and Jose-Ursa (people carrying bus) brilliantly anticipated stops for the essential supply of vast quantities drinking water together a seemly never ending supply of fruit ( Papaya, pineapple, oranges, avocado & guava) together with coconut cake and peanut brittle to maintain our energy levels. Both drivers although attentive did not crowd the riders but kept a respectable distance.
Cuba is ideally suited for cycling with very low traffic levels and courteous drivers. The roads are generally good although potholes proliferate the further you get from centres of population. A good cyclist has to be alert to these wherever you ride.
The accommodation was mostly very good, with stays in wonderfully atmospheric ‘colonial style’ hotels where the staff would make every effort to ensure your stay was memorable.
However, we did experience the most dreadful conditions on the third night at the Playa Largo ( Bay of Pigs) where we stayed at what can only described an ex-‘young pioneers camp’ of concrete chalets, all of which had seen better days, with poor standard of cleanliness and curtains hanging off rails. Having visited Cuba before we are aware that there are shortfalls, but not like this. To add to our displeasure for our 16 hours stay at this encampment there was NO running water. We could not shower or more importantly flush the WC.
On approaching the hotel management they just shrugged their shoulders and laughed! Luckily the group dined out that evening at a local ‘casa-restaurant ‘.
This was the worst experience of the whole trip! You must consider finding an alternative hotel, more so after spending a wonderful evening at the Valasco boutique hotel at Matanzas the previous night!
We were probably the eldest in the group my wife and I being almost 70. However we found the cycling
exhilarating and achievable, but like most in group heat took its toll. Riding in temperatures of 38c experienced on the tarmacked roads made distances easily ridden at home challenging.
The routes were well planned but it is our opinion that the group could have benefitted from earlier starts to avoid the mid-day heat. This was highlighted when the clocks were put back in the second week of our stay.
There were many, but two deserve a mention. Firstly, our stay in at the Casa Sinai in Trinidad, this establishment was run by a young lady called Jenni. It was beautifully appointed, with en-suite rooms, with a roof terrace and dining area. The whole family made us very welcome. The food both breakfast and evening meal (optional) was the best we had whilst in Cuba. The evening meal started with vegetable soup, then a fruit and avocado platter, followed by lobster salad and loin of pork with tradition black beans & rice (both, big enough for two) with a side platter of vegetables and finally a large slice of caramel tart for desert . On the final morning a sumptuous breakfast was ready for us on the terrace at 6am ( still dark). This is where we gifted some of our pens pencils and to Jenni's young daughter for her primary school. Later in the tour en-route to Santiago de Cuba. Jose our guide found a very small (two roomed) school in a less than prosperous rural area where we were able to donate our remaining pens, coloured pencils, writing materials and packets of bonbons to the children. These very poor children were so well behaved they sat and listened quietly as their teacher explained that these Lycra clad strangers had brought gifts for them and their school from across the sea. No one broke rank, we just received eager grins from the 15 or so pupils. How different from their counterparts in the UK!
Jose, was a good leader and cyclist. He was enthusiasm was infectious and he melded well with his two driver colleagues. He took great pains to explain the social structure within Cuban society, as expected he maintained the 'party-line'. He was obviously aware that there were shortfalls which he was powerless to change in particular that of the "Playa Largo" debacle. Where he insisted "you will really like the beach at this hotel" before we arrived. Jose did his best for us, and used his influence when he could. His summaries of the days events and terrain expected were accurate. Although his presentational style somewhat disorganised, occasionally leaving the group to decode in what order the events were likely to occur. Definitely organisation Cuban style! Moreover we never received the promised customer survey forms for our stay at the Casas in Trinidad.
We would recommend taking your own gel-saddle, or failing that a good quality gel-cover. this together with padded cycling pants will make life tolerable. Good quality cycling mittens, to reduce stress on the hands. It is very hot! If you haven't got a 'camel-back' take at least two water bottles, the cycle mechanic will fit a second bottle carrier for you. A small handlebar bag ( for camera, binos & wet-gear) saves wearing a backpack and stay cool.
We are glad that Tony found the local team to be so professional. We were, however, sorry to learn of his disappointment with the state-run hotel at the Playa Largo. As accommodation options are very limited in the region, Exodus has taken the decision that from 2016 clients will stay in Casa Particulares at the Playa Largo which we hope clients will enjoy. We are thrilled that Tony found the cycling to be exhilarating.
Adam Roberts – Product Manager for Cuba
This was my first time traveling with Exodus and in general. It was an amazing trip and super well organized! It allowed me to get a well-rounded trip without the stress of making all of the arrangements. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and made sure everything ran smoothly. This trip is great for people who are interested in traveling and doing out-doorsy activities.
There are just so many moments to choose from...I'd have to select the Inca Trail. I'm not the most fit person, so to say that I've successfully hiked this trail and survived Dead Women's pass is a pretty big moment for me. Also the Inca sites along the trail and of course Machu Picchu was amazing!
Tomas was very knowledgeable and really encouraged responsible tourism, which is greatly appreciated. He made sure everything ran smoothly while making the trip fun. He called us a family and we really were one by the end of the trip.
For the Inca Trail, you really do have to prepare for any weather. We opted for a hotel night 4, and it was the best decision! A bed and hot shower after 4 days of hiking felt great! Also, have good hiking shoes, waterproof. We hiked in the rain and many of us had soaked socks.