Request Your Free Brochure For Adventure Inspiration. Order Now

All activities
No results found
Select all activities Culture Cycling Family Mixed-Activity Multi-Country Holidays Polar Walking & Trekking Wildlife Holidays Winter Holidays
All months
April 2024 May 2024 June 2024 July 2024 August 2024 September 2024 October 2024 November 2024 December 2024 January 2025 February 2025 March 2025 April 2025 May 2025 June 2025 July 2025 August 2025 September 2025 October 2025 November 2025 December 2025
Ask a Question
Review Centre
Turtle, Ecuador

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.

Simply use the selector below to search our trip reviews and start reading real feedback from real Exodus travellers who have ‘been there and done that’!

Lots of our clients also like to post handy tips and advice about their travels. It’s great to know what to expect on an Exodus adventure before you go, so make the most of their experience and you’ll make the most of yours!

Haven’t posted your review yet? Here’s how to do it…

Once you return from your Exodus adventure holiday, you will be emailed a link to add your review. Any feedback collected is posted onto our website, totally unedited.

Alternatively you can navigate to the relevant trip page and add your review via the Reviews tab.

Reviews

Enjoyable but hot walks in a lovely part of Spain

Varied walks in a beautiful landscape, some testing steep uphill sections (particularly on the “gentle” Day 2 walk) given the high temperatures at the beginning of the week.
Comfortable farmhouse with spacious public rooms. Pleasant and accommodating staff. Good breakfasts, delicious varied dinners and packed lunches.

Most Inspirational Moment

Loved the Day 3 Sierra de Grazalema and Day 6 with the El Caminito del Rey and optional Ronda visit. The optional Seville tapas lunch organised and selected by Michael was exceptional. The tapas lunch on Day 2, while enjoying (and in some cases participating in) the Flintstone festival, was also delicious.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Michael was very approachable and informative, sharing his knowledge about the local area and people, the flora and fauna, tips for enjoying El Caminito del Rey and comprehensive and helpful arrangements or tips for the occasions where he was not present (Seville and Ronda).

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you are a keen photographer, the pace of the walks does not fully allow you to indulge in your hobby. There were a few occasions where I paused to take photos, only to see the group disappearing round a bend some way ahead. However, it was always possible to catch up at the intermediate rest stops. The optional visits to Seville Alcazar, the Seville Tapas lunch and Ronda were very enjoyable and worthwhile. Tell Michael if you would also like to visit Seville Cathedral. We had a few mosquitos in our room in spite of the dry heat, so bring some insect repellent. Worth looking at suggestions from earlier reviews on coffee, electrical points etc which I found useful.

Suggestions

A full length mirror somewhere in the hotel public areas and a good light over the bathroom mirror would be good!

Fantastic trip - highly recommended

This was the most amazing trip. Well organised from the moment we landed in Amman. The wonderful sites we saw were enhanced by the fantastic cycle routes we took. The cycling was as described – so in the main downhill through beautiful rural countryside. The roads very very good and the support team exceptional. There were a couple of really steep climbs in parts which i struggled with especially in the heat so I took the support option and out my bike on the back of the truck and rejoined the tour at the top. The sights we saw en route would!not have been possible if we had been on a bus. The hotel s were good quality. We would thoroughly recommend the trip

Most Inspirational Moment

Petra was a very emotional experience - it has been on our bucket list for so long. The night in the desert was amazing and Jerash was fantastic . In reality every day was different and wonderful.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sami was our tour leader and Yousef and Lloyd our cycle leaders, Sami was very good and knowledgeable. Lloyd has to get a special mention - he was funny and knowledgeable and his English was very good so we had long conversations with him. He was very encouraging on the hills and we felt very safe cycling with him

Advice for Potential Travellers

Book it you won’t regret it. Be aware that the recommended tip kitty amount is based on a full trip if (as we were) you are a smaller group you will pay more. We ended up being a group of 2 so paid significantly more to enable meaningful tips. Go a day early and have a look round Amman - some interesting sights.

Suggestions

Tourist numbers are low currently due to the Israel situation this was compounded by Amman closing the airport for 12 hours which unfortunately meant that all other travellers were turned back or redirected whilst in the air. Whilst people on other trips came a day later for some reason no-one on our trip did. This meant there was just the two of us. This did not impact on the tour quality however we did miss the group dynamics .

Fantastic trip - highly recommended

This was the most amazing trip. Well organised from the moment we landed in Amman. The wonderful sites we saw were enhanced by the fantastic cycle routes we took. The cycling was as described – so in the main downhill through beautiful rural countryside. The roads very very good and the support team exceptional. There were a couple of really steep climbs in parts which i struggled with especially in the heat so I took the support option and out my bike on the back of the truck and rejoined the tour at the top. The sights we saw en route would!not have been possible if we had been on a bus. The hotel s were good quality. We would thoroughly recommend the trip

Most Inspirational Moment

Petra was a very emotional experience - it has been on our bucket list for so long. The night in the desert was amazing and Jerash was fantastic . In reality every day was different and wonderful.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sami was our tour leader and Yousef and Lloyd our cycle leaders, Sami was very good and knowledgeable. Lloyd has to get a special mention - he was funny and knowledgeable and his English was very good so we had long conversations with him. He was very encouraging on the hills and we felt very safe cycling with him

Advice for Potential Travellers

Book it you won’t regret it. Be aware that the recommended tip kitty amount is based on a full trip if (as we were) you are a smaller group you will pay more. We ended up being a group of 2 so paid significantly more to enable meaningful tips. Go a day early and have a look round Amman - some interesting sights.

Suggestions

Tourist numbers are low currently due to the Israel situation this was compounded by Amman closing the airport for 12 hours which unfortunately meant that all other travellers were turned back or redirected whilst in the air. Whilst people on other trips came a day later for some reason no-one on our trip did. This meant there was just the two of us. This did not impact on the tour quality however we did miss the group dynamics .

Amazing first visit to Amalfi Coast

Fantastic way to explore the Amalfi Coast

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking the Path of the Gods, truly beautiful

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group was very fortunate to have Veriano as our leader. His enthusiasm and knowledge was limitless. Always conscious of everyone's wellbeing and safety, and was especially encouraging when having to tackle the vast number of steps on the Amalfi Coast!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Some of the walks were pretty strenuous over uneven ground, so reasonable fitness required

Suggestions

The food and hospitality at the Hotel 2 Torri was very good

Amazing Vietnam

We had not done an adventure family holiday before and were unsure as to what to expect. Any anxieties were very quickly dispelled and we had a memorable 14 days discovering Vietnam from north to south. The schedule was paced so that we had time to recover from flights and travelling. The heat took some getting used to. Our tour guide said that Vietnam has two types of weather, hot and hotter, so don’t pack a jumper! There were five other families on the tour and we all got along really well. Our tour guide Huyen Nguyen made sure everything went smoothly and imparted her in depth knowledge of Vietnam giving us context and descriptions of her beautiful country. The tour was a mix of activities from rickshaws in Hanoi, Cooking classes in Hoi An and relaxing at Whale island. We didn’t really get into the history of the “American War” until late into the tour which was good, because Vietnam is so much more than its history! The Vietnamese people were warm, welcoming and generous. It is also helpful that English is spoken widely and quite well, which is useful as the Vietnamese language is very difficult to understand. The food was really tasty and we enjoyed the Ban-mi in particular. One final note, the Hotels were really good, particularly the Sincerity Hotel in Hoi An which has a very good swimming pool.

Most Inspirational Moment

So many to choose from! Hanoi and Hoi were beautiful cities which retain their exotic charm and heritage, with Saigon being a bit more metropolitan. Standing in front of the Presidential Palace felt like a moment in history, however snorkelling amongst the Coral on Whale Island has to be the best memory.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Huyen was an amazing group leader who ensured we were well briefed on what was coming and gave really

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't pack clothes for cold weather - you won't need them. Laundry service was available at Hanoi, Saigon and Hoi An at cheap prices. There were cashpoints around but Vietnam seemed quite safe and we carried cash around without any issues. VISA payments were available in most places.

Cycling trip

This was the best way to experience the country of Sri Lanka. The back roads on a bike gave access to the most amazing wildlife, natural beauty and glimpse into the culture and way of life. The cycling was challenging at times due to the heat, humidity and one day of tough climbing. The hotels and food were of a high standard and nothing was too much trouble for our support team.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the top of the hill in Nuwara Elia was a relief but felt like a great achievement.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh was outstanding. He led our group with such vast experience, knowledge of the country and the itinerary was so carefully planned. I really enjoyed the whole experience, not just the cycling.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This trip is a must . It is not for the inexperienced cyclist however. This is due to the heat, humidity, one big climbing day and occasional busy traffic. The food is varied and delicious but can be spicy. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country and seeing it from a bike is ideal. You don’t need too many clothes. Hotel laundry was very reasonable.

Suggestions

We had to have some early starts but it was much cooler in the early part of the day.

Fun But Tiring

This was a jam-packed itinerary, with many walks and other activities, combined with a lot of driving. We moved on every two days, which was necessary to see everything, but it also meant there was no down time. Although this was a wildlife trip, at times the wildlife was rather shy. Some walks we saw very little. We probably saw more wildlife on the boat trips. Our expectations were probably not realistic, but we expected toucans and sloths to be hanging off every branch. It’s not like that (at least in the dry season). We didn’t see a sloth until halfway through the trip when there was one on a tree next to our hotel. Never saw a yellow-billed toucan, although we did see other toucans and toucanets (never knew there was such a thing!). Final count was around 150 different birds, as well as many other creatures (many of which we didn’t know existed). So the wildlife was amazing, but you need to know it doesn’t necessarily just pop out at you. On some walks, especially in Manuel Antonio, there were so many other groups looking at the same thing that it was quite difficult to get in to see things and was quite tiring at times. The walks throughout the trip were also very slow and we understand the pace was to suit looking for wildlife but walking so slowly was difficult and tiring in the heat.

Most Inspirational Moment

Spotting wildlife in its natural habitat is wonderful.And looking at the stars on the beach in Tortuguero. Amazing!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jonathan had an encyclopedic knowledge of birds and other wildlife. We've never had a guide who knew so much detail about everything we were seeing. However, the organizational side was a bit confusing at times. It would have been useful to have had an opening formal briefing with everybody introducing themselves and then daily briefings to let us know what was going on the next day, which we have had on other Exodus trips. Our driver Keylor was great, getting us over some quite rough terrain at times, and even spotting and stopping for monkeys and other animals along the way.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Half of the group got sick (plus Jonathan and Keylor). We are not sure exactly what the source was - although it may have been improperly filtered water from a hotel. So bring enough Imodium for a few days (to help with the long bus rides in particular) and we found rehydration salts helpful. A couple of people brought ciprofloxacin just in case. We don't want to over emphasize this aspect, but we've never been on a trip with so many people falling ill and it did impact our enjoyment of the trip as we had to miss out on some activities. Obviously not Exodus' fault - just the nature of the type of region we were in. Note that you can get laundry done along the way, and the prices are reasonable, especially at Esquinas Lodge. It is difficult for things to dry if you wash them yourself since it is humid and you don't much time at any one place.

Suggestions

Be prepared for long drives - 4-5+ hours at times, with stops. We did the extension to Tamarindo. Because of a bridge that was out, combined with a holiday weekend, it took 7 1/2 hours to get there. On the way back, Exodus arranged for a private transfer because we needed to make a flight. That took 5 hours. A regular group transfer would take longer because you need to change vehicles halfway there, adding a half an hour. So the 4-5 hour estimates are not particularly realistic. Tamarindo was eye-opening, and not entirely in a good way. On the positive side, it is a beautiful position on the Pacific. And while it is quite busy and noisy (the booming music never seems to stop), we were able to find some quieter spots. Our hotel was nice - Arco Iris. Set back from the hustle and bustle a bit, a nice pool and great breakfasts (although not much else on site). On the negative side, Tamarindo represents a highly problematic side of tourism. As we drove in from the north (our driver went off-piste to avoid traffic), we saw lots of luxury hotels and gated communities in development. This appears to be primarily for the American market and likely does not return much to the local communities as foreigners buy up the country. And the roads were atrocious (presumably this will all change in a few years since the rich expats wouldn't stand for this as they drive to their luxury villas). Tamarindo itself was a bit bizarre. Nice beach town in some ways but with an undercurrent of a developing country being gentrified. Once you got off the main road running parallel to the beach, the roads were very poor, frequently without sidewalks, highlighting the dual nature of the place. And then there were the golf carts. You would see men driving their families around in golf carts and then parking them in designated golf cart parking spaces, as if the entire town was just one big luxury resort for their personal enjoyment. And the jacked-up dune buggies were also a sight to behold. So while eventually the extension provided us a bit of downtime after the trip, it was a bit unsettling. And driving back to San Jose to catch a flight the same day resulted in us being in transit for 31 hours, which was a bit exhausting. If you go to Tamarindo we suggest you spend an additional night in San Jose before flying home. However, we suggest that Exodus consider whether Tamarindo is the best place to send its customers. It certainly does not sit with its commitment to sustainability (lots of water is diverted from other parts of the country to sustain Tamarindo and the development around it, and it is clear that the development is not for the locals). Perhaps there are other places on either the Pacific or Caribbean coasts that would not have such a negative environmental and social impact. Also, while we understand why Exodus includes the home visit, it was a bit strange and awkward. It also came at a bad time at the very end as we were on our way back to San Jose when people were tired and many still feeling unwell.

Discover Costa Rica - My First Trip With Exodus

My perspective is that of a fit and active gent in his early 70’s. Also, this is my first trip with Exodus. As another reviewer has noted, “Discover Costa Rica” is almost exclusively a nature trip. The itinerary touches only slightly on the peoples, history and culture of Costa Rica. This is also an active trip! You’re on the move every second day: bags packed and ready for loading by 7:00 AM with 8:00 AM departure. There’s not much downtime throughout this two-week trip.

It struck me that on a nature trip like this, the wildlife needs to “get the memo” that we’re coming. The wildlife needs to show up! Seriously, the forces of climate/climate change, local weather, and seasonality can come together in a way that limits the opportunity for wildlife viewing. Such was my experience. Several of the nature walks yielded very little in terms of wildlife viewing. In no way do I fault our group leader. He was VERY knowledgeable. I can’t imagine anyone trying harder to find wildlife for our tour group to view. So . . . enjoy the walk in the tropics and any wildlife you see is a bonus might be a good mindset.

Most of the wildlife I saw was birds. It seems silly almost to state the obvious. Birds are actually quite small as compared with other wildlife, say, an elephant you might spot on a trip to Africa! A bird can come into view, alight on a branch, and then, within a few seconds, disappear into the lush vegetation. There’s limited opportunity to observe the creature and perhaps take a few photos. I wish I’d considered this more before embarkation!
Accommodation was perfectly serviceable, clean rooms and well maintained. This is not luxe accommodation but it’s not spartan either. It was perfectly in line with the amount I paid to take the tour. The food was varied and tasty. Lots of it!

In my opinion, Discover Costa Rica is a good trip that could be great if the itinerary was tweaked a bit. For openers, I would get rid of one two-night stop (suggest Monteverde as we saw almost nothing) and create two other three-night stops. This would allow for a little downtime. I would also add some trip experiences such as the farm visit on the final day. These added experiences might focus on the people, history, and culture of Costa Rica. This way, if the wildlife “doesn’t get the memo”, there are still some high-quality experiences that the traveler will cherish.

Most Inspirational Moment

I can’t say I had any “wow” moments. That said, I very much enjoyed the 3 river boat trips we took. These plus Manuel Antonio Park were the wildlife highlights. The farm visit on the final day was also great as it offered insight into the life of the owner of a small farm. A very hard-working, gracious, and welcoming host. My wife and I were the only Canadians on this trip; all others were from the U.K. I can’t overstate how pleasant these folks were to travel with! A real delight and they contributed hugely to our overall enjoyment of the trip.

Thoughts on Group Leader

As mentioned above, our group leader Jonathan was very knowledgeable; encyclopedic I guess you could say in all matters about the flora and fauna of Costa Rica. He went all out in his quest to show us all that was possible to see in terms of wildlife. Well organized.

Advice for Potential Travellers

10 of the 18 people (we were 2 of the 10!) became ill on this trip with abdominal upset, etc. Take some meds to deal with this in the event it happens to you. Having some antibiotic pills would be great if your doctor would provide the prescription before you go. Also, bring basic first aid supplies on the walks for scrapes, cuts, insect bites, etc. (The group leader has none.) Give your wildlife viewing expectations a reality check as implied above. In places, the heat and humidity can be brutal for someone like me who comes from a temperate climate (British Columbia). You may have to pass on a few activities if you’re overwhelmed. At 2200 meters elevation (7000 feet), a number of us struggled at Sevegre which is the final stop before returning to San Jose. I was probably the worst as I felt I was constantly struggling for air especially at night when trying to sleep.

Sicily - an island of contrasts

The tour introduced us to Sicilian food and we experienced making pasta, drinking Marsala wine, tasting mozzarella and warm ricotta straight from the buffalo cows, and visited an organic olive farm. This was in addition to eating loads of delicious street food, and exploring fish and vegetable markets. And then we visited beautiful historical towns of Ragusta and Nota – and learned about the ancient history of Sicily in the Valley of Temples in Agrigento. I also walked around a crater on Mount Etna. What a week ! Full of fun and learning.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the exquisite Roman mosaic in the Villa Romana del Casale.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Francesco was passionate about his country, knowledgeable and good fun. A perfect group leader. He saved the day for me when I left my jacket in the first hotel and arranged for it to be couriered to the last hotel so I had something warm when climbing Etna.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Remember your colleagues names ASAP. Go with the Sicilian flow.

Suggestions

The efficiency of Exodus is always impressive, thank you for arranging a different flight home for us. Everything went perfectly.

Ancient and Modern Japan

Overall positive, a good overview of Japan, covering a lot of ground from Kyoto to Tokyo. The group of 15 bonded well and guide was excellent. Transport on bullet train excellent
Areas for improvement – quality of accommodation fairly basic, around 3*. Strengthen context/tours of big cities to give more of an overview.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visit to Hiroshima, very moving.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Quinlan

Advice for Potential Travellers

Learn a little Japanese before you go, as helps to breakdown barriers.

Suggestions

Improve flight options as the exodus route via Hong Kong not used by group. Review group size - 15 a lot to keep together and for eating purposes.