Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Totally unexpected but the most memorable and enjoyable part for me turned out to be the Mangrove boat trip when down South. Worth every penny of the £10 it cost. Paddling out to visit the islands was relaxing and felt privileged to be allowed to land on and explore Temple Island where up to 60 monks live then Cinnamon Island where we were shown how the cinnamon sticks, powder and oil are made by the families living there. The cycle ride along the canal also gave an insight into daily life of the people living there and an opportunity to see more wildlife close up. Loved the monkeys living and playing by the ruined temples at Polonnaruwa.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roshan was helpful, polite and displays a clear pride , knowledge and love for his country which he was able to convey well. His daily descriptions on the bus each morning were well paced and informative. He has a great sense of humour and excellent use of English. His enthusiasm teaching us local games on the farm land was infectious with all enjoying the morning's activities. Our group had a diverse range of interests, age and ability which Roshan catered well for. He displayed great patience when listening then dealing with any queries or concerns which arose. It was a relief to see his happy smile greet us on arrival at the airport and we were sorry to have to say goodbye at the end of the trip. I hope if Roshan ever wants to visit Scotland, we can help him see and understand our country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Money cannot be changed into rupees until you arrive in Sri Lanka so you will have to visit the exchange on arrival before leaving the airport. Porters will be keen to help you collect your bags but will expect a tip in return. There are plenty chances to change money throughout the trip and I would advise using cash rather than credit cards to pay as some in our party found their card details being copied. At the start of the trip we each put £20 into a kitty with the guide to cover daily tips, bottled water on the bus etc. which made things easier. You can also pay for optional excursions in sterling though must be notes as £1 coins not accepted. Useful to keep some small notes & coins ( rupees ) handy to give if taking photographs or buying trinkets when the bus stops for rest breaks. Supply of cool water and air conditioning on the bus was much appreciated. Be prepared to be standing on the train as busy and seats can only be reserved in Colombo but great views and lots of character. Wi fi is available free in most hotel reception areas. Handy to have an adaptor plug though most rooms also had square pin sockets. Plugs can usually be borrowed if you ask at reception . When quoted a price for something it is definitely worth haggling as can usually be bought for half or a third of the original price. Price for spices was a lot cheaper in Kandy than at the Spice Gardens. The waves crashing on the shore make it difficult to do any more than paddle on the beach but most hotels had beautiful pools to swim in.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting up to the lake at the base of Fitzroy. It was a tough hike especially the last bit, but it was so beautiful up there. If you get the right weather you will never forget the view.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Denis was a friendly and helpful leader, but sometimes his organizational skills were a little unorganized.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Try and push for an early start on the days of the main hikes. It will give you more time to go at your own pace. Take walking poles if you have them as the walks are hard. At Torres del Paine we set off (late) in really nice weather, but by the time we got to the top it was snowing, it was 1 degree centigrade, and we couldn't see anything. Check on the currency situation before you go. Make sure you have large denomination US$ bills to exchange to get the best rates. It is worth adding on a few days to see Buenos Aires and make a trip across to Colonia (Uruguay).

Most Inspirational Moment

the hike around the high point of Mt. Vesuvius was absolutely incredible - made me feel like I was on the top of the world.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Christine was an amazing guide who provided great information along the routes and made the group really feel like a family in a few short days. She knows everyone along the way which was really fun - we felt so welcomed by everyone! She made sure that everyone was having fun, knew what the plan was, and that we were well fed. couldn't ask for more!

Advice for Potential Travellers

the stairs were a bit of a surprise. while the trip notes said not to go if you had knee issues, only one of the days really talked to how many stairs there were....when in reality every day had quite a few stairs. hiking poles were really helpful to make it up and down all of those!

Most Inspirational Moment

The Panama Canal is a splendid culmination of two weeks of challenging cycling (hills, wind and heat), but the day spent dolphin watching (an optional excursion), the trip to the edge of the volcano and then the caldera, the river rafting and wildlife spotting, and the most delicious pineapples and bananas are also up there. With only one exception (in Arenal) the hotels were chosen with care and thought regarding character.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Guillermo and his team were always ready to answer questions or meet our needs.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Sunscreen and other protection from the rays. It rained throughout our day through the rainforest: many dressed up although I dressed down and accepted I was going to get soaked. Our bikes even had water bottles and speedos which are not normally provided. My reading material remained unread at the end of the trip, there was lots to do.

Most Inspirational Moment

A toss up between the Telouet Kasbah en route to the mountains, and the views of the High Atlas in the snow after a steep stimulating climb.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Experienced, no-nonsense, friendly, efficient, knowledgeable, wise.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The mountain village gite is basic and facilities are very simple, but more comfortable than the trip notes suggest (hot showers every day, western loos, substantial floor mattresses, pillows and blankets are all available). Bring warm clothes for the evening/early morning if there in March. Bring snacks to keep you going on walks unless you like mars/snickers which are available at the gite. Avoid tap water and use bottled water - also available at the gite. Bring a few cans of beer if you fancy a drink in the village. Be prepared for pleasant exhaustion!

Most Inspirational Moment

Paddling a canoe around Halong Bay was definitely a highlight. Wandering around Hoi An in the evening admiring the lanterns was lovely too.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Vinh was excellent, fantastic at organising us, he introduced us to the delicious vietnamese food and gave us a real insight into the lives of vietnamese people. M in Cambodia helped us understand the history of the temples but also more recent events from his personal experience.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Travel light as you will be changing location quite a lot. You can get washing done locally or buy clothes there. Don't forget your passport photos if you are getting a Cambodian visa on arrival. The end of the holiday is busy touring temples so you might want to add on an extra day or so to relax.

Most Inspirational Moment

The whole trip was incredible. Apart from the listed itinerary we were treated to 3 experiences (humming bird garden, crocodile and bird watching boat trip, and the stone spheres at Fina 6) which we were not included by Exodus but were suggested by our guide Edwin, All three were and amazing additions to our holiday. Thrilling moment was seeing several quetzels but I was also delighted by how close we got to wild life in general.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Edwin was inspiring. His enthusiasm for Costa Rica was so apparent and the knowledge of the country he passed on to me was exceptional. He was also a very caring and considerate group leader sensitive to our needs and safety He was consistently courteous and was an excellent conversationalist, his knowledge of the English language is amazing and he was always keen to learn new words or phrases often with good humour and laughter resulting in a really fun time. I have very happy memories of both Costa Rica and Edwin, and thank him for additions to trip (see above).N

Advice for Potential Travellers

No, the trip notes covered the holiday. My only major problem was with Houston airport. My husband and I were taken aside, our travel documents taken by a very stern American and with no explanation we were instructed to sit down. After about half an hour he appeared with our suitcases that had been extracted from all the luggage being transferrred directly from our UK / Houston flight to the Houston / San Jose flight. he then went though our luggage. This delay (with no explantion) meant we then had to race for our connecting flight. I do not want to fly via USA again.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Angkor Temples - despite seeing lots of documentaries/films/etc about them, the size of the complex still takes your breath away. Best cycling days - The cycle from Siem Riep to Banteay Srei with lots of interesting villages on the way. And the winding narrow paths in the Mekong delta on the last day of Vietnam cycling.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rit never stopped smiling :-) He had a very good knowledge of all three countries, was always helpful & very enthusiastic about cycling. The local cycling teams were great too. Tiet in Vietnam deserves a special comment for his very interesting overview of his country's history.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you haven't been to Bangkok before, book an extra day to explore the city. Unless you have special dietary requests, no need to bring own snacks - these were plenty in all three countries. Do bring a "temple dress" though - needs to cover your shoulders and knees - for the day you're cycling in the Angkor. Pack some cycling gear in your hand luggage. Some of us lost our luggage on the way there and didn't get it until the evening of the day 2 cycling.

Most Inspirational Moment

Halong Bay, the home stay in the Mekong Delta and our 3 day stay in Hoi An were all very special

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader Bien Tran was exceptional- he always went above and beyond what we expected and nothing was ever too much trouble and he was incredibly knowledgeable

Most Inspirational Moment

Feeling the heat from the fumerols in the crater on Vesuvius. The views from the top of Vesuvius Walking in the sunshine up the valley of the paper mills in Amalfi

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good, excellent local knowledge, warm friendly manner with out fuss. Constantly keeping an eye on the needs of the whole group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

When the trip notes say STEPS, they mean steps in abundance. If your knees are a bit 'iffy' take poles. According to Christina 'every thing is do able' .Just take it at your own pace. This is allowed.