Most Inspirational Moment
Hard to pick just one, but all these are great memories: watching the sunset over lake from our camp site, running herds, herdsmen on horseback, the "performance of contortion by springy girls" in Ulan Baatar.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our trip leader was young but very good, with excellent communication skills, thoughtful and engaging. This was his first trip as leader, though he had assisted on many more. The rest of the support team were clearly experienced and very good at keeping the trip on track, both on the road and at the overnight stops.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Compared with our only previous Exodus cycling trip (Myanmar in 2014, level 3) this trip had much more cycling and less sightseeing. When we booked it was level 3 but has since been re-graded from level 3 to 4. We found the trip notes were pretty accurate, but beware the short days - less distance but plenty of height gain. The trails were generally pretty good, but variable surface conditions (slippery mud, sand, rocky descents) added an extra element of challenge in places, and a strong headwind made for slow progress at times. Expect wet feet - there are lots of river crossings. The general description of "undulating with a few short steep climbs" is fair, but before the short steep climbs there is often a long not-so-gentle climb. The tents and bikes were very good, both in terms of specification and condition. We were happy to see that, having read about issues with bikes and tents in a review of an earlier trip. The support team checked all our group's bikes over regularly, most if not every evening. The sleeping mats provided were OK but not fantastic. If you have a good one that you trust, then bring it.
Suggestions
Bugs were not a major problem in the evenings but bug spray is essential, and we found a solar charger handy for keeping our cameras, etc. in service.