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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13389 Reviews

4.6 out of 5

Laura Rendon-Morgan

Reviewed April 2024

A week to get off the grid and explore Mallorca's stunning Tramuntana mountains!

My husband and I took this first departure of 2024 in the first week of April, the weather was cool but sunny and the trip was fantastic. It was our first visit to Mallorca and a great introduction to the northwestern part of the island and this mountain range. There are several small towns, or villages, that you will visit on your hikes, including Soller, Puerto Soller, Deia, Lluc and others. Several of the hikes through olive groves and orange orchards had stunning mountain and sea views and were scented with orange blossoms as we hiked through. We were on a level 3 departure, graded so for the ascents, descents and rocky paths – be prepared for the rocks and bring your hiking boots and poles. The locations of both hotels in Puerto Soller and Lluc are excellent on this trip, so unique, and Lluc in particular, is so tranquil and scenic.

Most Inspirational Moment

Hiking trails scented with orange blossoms Beautiful sea views on the coastal trails, with a little swim in a quiet cove Summiting Puig Galileu on the last day of hiking

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jacob was fantastic; funny, kind and very capable on the hikes. He was very well organized and we felt very well taken care of. It was a pleasure getting to know him during the week. Since he was a local to the area, he was extremely knowledgeable and provided insight to the culture and customs and context to the geography and history of the area. Thank you for a great week Jacob!

Advice for Potential Travellers

The dry stone path in Mallorca is very rocky, so hiking boots and poles are very recommended. Bring your refillable water bottle, at least a 1.5L, for the hikes, there are plenty of places to refill. Have a plan for your free day, the guide can point you in the right direction, but if you will go to Palma, the cathedral closes at 2pm so you will have to go in the morning. If taking the historic wooden train back to Soller from Palma on this day, you will need to book your tickets ahead.

Graham Ritchie

Reviewed April 2024

Evia

Like most Exodus guides, Thano was excellent. However he went beyond expectations, his local knowledge was extensive (he seemed to know everyone on the island). Always approachable. The packed lunches were varied (and filling). He ordered the starters at every meal which meant that we sampled lots of local delicacies that we would otherwise have missed. Lots of little things (sampling the ouzo, beekeeper visit and so on) added to the overall enjoyment. The guided tour of Athens on the final day was a bonus. On a personal note, he spoke to a doctor on my behalf as I was suffering from an injured shoulder.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He made the holiday.

Nicola Fry

Reviewed April 2024

Magical Jordan

I fell utterly in love with Jordan on this trip. The people gave the warmest welcome, the sights were awesome and the food was delicious. The tour took in the best of Jordan: the northern castles, amazing Roman ruins at Jerash, weird and wonderful Dead Sea, spectacular Petra and the breathtaking Wadi Rum. I have never felt so safe and awestruck in all my travels.

Most Inspirational Moment

Petra was spellbinding, but the most vivid memory is the Wadi Rum at night. The stars and the peace of the desert was food for the soul.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ahmad was the most amazing group leader. His knowledge of Jordan's history and culture enlivened the entire trip, bringing to life over 2,000 years of history and providing understanding the present day. Ahman was generous with his time and his own experience, using stories from his own life to help us understand the current practices in Jordan. Kind and helpful at every step, Ahmad enriched my experience and made the trip truly spectacular.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Follow government guidance, but my recent experience on Jordan (April 2024) is that it is perfectly safe. If you feel comfortable I would recommend now as a perfect time to go. Tourist numbers are very low, meaning that you will have some sites almost to yourself. Petra has never been so quite!

Suggestions

The food is amazing. Try everything, no matter how it looks. You will not be disappointed by the taste!

Keith Sexton

Reviewed April 2024

Enjoyable despite the cycling

This review is written in the context of being a regular cyclist and having cycled with Exodus “Coast to Coast India” and “Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama”.
This trip definitely ranks third in that list. Vietnam is a long, thin country, with 1000+ miles from HCM to Hanoi – it is unclear on what basis the 320 cycling miles on this trip were chosen. Many days the routes are long and featureless, the riding punctuated by aggressive air horns from passing lorries. Some days felt like cycling for cycling sake – starting at a random point out of town, and finishing somewhere equally random.
Long periods on the bus.
That said the segments of cycling along quiet backroads, through traditional fishing villages etc was delightful.
Days are full on – early breakfast and start and late arrivals into destinations leaving very limited chance to appreciate the towns and facilities.
The stops at Whale Island, Hoi An were a welcome relief. The trip to Ha Long Bay at the end was superb.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cycling into Hue as the sun was going down through traditional backwaters.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Luang was excellent, well organised and all the evening meal recommendations were excellent. Perfect English and a mine of local information.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you want to cycle 100km somewhere enjoyable and scenic - do one of the other Exodus trips ( or go to Wales or the Peak District). Book an extra day at the end in Hanoi and consider the optional Cambodia extension at the beginning.

Suggestions

It’s graded moderate - but in March, if you factor in the heat 35c+ and humidity, I would grade it higher.

Brigid Rodgers

Reviewed April 2024

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!

Tracy Meakin

Reviewed April 2024

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 .

Tracy Meakin

Reviewed April 2024

Fantastic trip - highly recommended

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

Advice for Potential Travellers

Suggestions

Janet N

Reviewed April 2024

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

Gareth Jones

Reviewed April 2024

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.

Louise Littlewood

Reviewed April 2024

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.

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