Most Inspirational Moment
The whole trip exceeded my expectations.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Heather was bright and bubbly.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Do it.
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
Tour Du Mont-blanc camping trek.
Fantastic trek with a great group of people. The walking was enjoyably tough and the amazing scenery took your mind of your legs. The 2 Exodus personal, Heather and Neil, were brilliant. Neil’s camp cooking was better than the restaurants.
Embrace the mont blanc adventure
Stunning views. Fantastic walk. Great achievement. If you have a love for the outdoors, challenging walking, spectacular landscapes, making new friends and a sense of adventure then this trip is for you. The walk itself is fantastic going up and down wonderful mountain passes with great views and plenty of coffee and cake stops to take in the local culture. All helped by a really friendly group who added to the experience.
Most Inspirational Moment
All the spectacular views and stunning scenery. When the weather was great, the views could not be beaten. I could soak them in all day long. But never take them for granted as if the weather turns and the views disappear you certainly miss them.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Lotte was excellent. She had a terrific knowledge of the local area, was always friendly and helpful and full of wonderful stories of her adventures around the world. She added to the whole experience of the trek. If she could just control the weather as well then she would have been the best!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Embrace this wonderful walk and embrace every spectacular view. This walk is 105 miles long. It has over 10000 metres of ascent and descent. It is a great great walk and well worth doing for any regular walker with a good level of fitness who walks at a good steady pace. It is a camping trip for 14 days with usual camping facilities, good camping grub, good camping socialising and the need to do your bit for the group with some basic chores. But think seriously if that is for you and if you decide to go then embrace the challenge as you will enjoy it so much more by appreciating the views, taking off the challenge and making new friends.
Mont blanc camping tour
An excellent and inspiring holiday stunningmountain views and fun but challenging walks, but with adequate breaks for coffe and some great cakes at some amazing mountain refuges
Great travelling compaions , the wet nights under the stars helped us to bond and a sense of humour was always enjoyed
Great guide in Heather, who was always helpful and friendly and certainly knows her way in the mountains.
Most Inspirational Moment
The achievment ofhaving completed the tour, how every ones spirits lifted when the weather turned warm. The group doing the final summit together. The trip has also reminded me how much I had missed camping and inspired me to think of doing the full Mont Blanc ascent next time.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader Heather was always approachable , professional, good humoured and always had an amusing story to keep us going. It was a very nice thought of her to carry a bottle of fizz all the way to the final summit so the whole group could celebrate together. As a guide I certainly felt more than confident in her abilities and style of leading the group and iwould not hesitate to go on another tour with her leading the group.
Advice for Potential Travellers
You will enjoy the tour more if you make an effort with your fitness, dont forget to pack for all weather types hot cold and especially wet, extra mountain snacks come in handy.
Walking in the clouds
Two weeks camping trip in August 2015. The start of the trip was very wet and we were walking in the rain/clouds a lot of the time so missed the amazing views that we should have been experiencing. We were up early each morning and had to be packed up and tents down by 7am each day. The walks were challenging. Although the distances walked each day are not great, the gradient of the paths made the walks more challenging than I was expecting.
Most Inspirational Moment
The fantastic views when you could see them.
Thoughts on Group Leader
I felt like I had gone to boot camp rather than being on holiday. I got the impression that Heather was more used to working with children/teenagers rather than adults. She often spoke to the group in quite a patronising way. I didn't find her very approachable. If you asked her a question about the day's itinerary that she had mentioned in her briefing the night before she always made a point of letting you know that you should remember every detail from the previous day's briefing. I felt uncomfortable asking any questions by the end of the trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I would describe this trip as challenging (not moderate/challenging). There are only two days of moderate walking. The majority of the walks are challenging; the last day involved 4 hours of continuous steep uphill walking. I would recommend taking walking poles even if you don't normally use walking poles.
Mont Blanc Camping Trek - really amazing trip!
This was genuinely one of the best trips I’ve been on in my life! We had a great group of people, really good guide (Nick), amazing chef (Joe), the itinerary and the scenery was fantastic, the only hard part is returning to the real world after it. It worked well having 3 rest days as there was a lot of great things to do on them, eg cable car up to Aiguille du Midi (3841m).
Most Inspirational Moment
The amazing views on the high passes, the great food, the good company.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Nick did a great job leading our group and he lived in Chamonix so knew the area very well & had a good knowledge of the plants / trees / wildlife too.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure your walking boots are well worn in before the trip, one person in our group came with brand new boots and got blisters. Bring a reasonably warm sleeping bag, the highest camps were at about 1600m and temp got down to near 0 degreesC in August on clear nights. Eg mine was 3 season (Mountain Hardwear Lamina 20c) and was just warm enough on a couple of nights. Get a good sleeping mat, it doesn't have to be super compact and light as you are not carrying it while walking, I got the 'Thermorest luxury map, large' (7cm thick, 61cm wide) and it was amazingly comfortable & it made such a difference being able to sleep well every night, also helps keep you warm having a thick sleeping mat. Don't worry about a compact travel pillow either, just roll up a normal pillow from your bed at home, much more comfortable! Some of the campsites have washing machines and tumble dryers, so no need to bring lots of sets of clothes. Consider wearing your boots on the flight out, one person from our group lost their luggage. The single supplement is well worth the money as its nice to have your own tent and space.
Anon
Group was far too large with 14 peope, those people wanting to walk at a fast pace raced off ahead leaving a small number of us behind, most of the holiday was spent walking 1/2 mile behind everyone else which was anti social and frankly dangerous, if we had got into trouble or fallen nobody would have noticed. The days were too time obsessed and regimented it felt like I was on a military boot camp not a holiday. Meals out as a group were rushed and unsociable
Most Inspirational Moment
There were none, I found the whole experience depressing and unsettling, I felt ignored, disregarded by the bulk of the group and all of the time walking in foul weather on a difficult mountain so far behind everyone else, I felt unsafe
Thoughts on Group Leader
Overwhelmed by the number of people, she could not have coped looking after everyone despite her best efforts. Some people were just so bossy and domineering they just took over the whole trip. Too time obsessed, never had time to just enjoy the mountains which was the whole point of being there
Advice for Potential Travellers
Ensure you have a military level of fitness and consider another holiday with another company, I could not find anything to recommend this company any more and I have had many holidays with them
Trip of a Lifetime
This camping trek exceeded my expectations. Fantastic, though challenging walks, a great group and leaders and near-ideal weather. I loved the tent camping. It really enhanced the group experience and I enjoyed falling asleep to the sound of cowbells or seeing the shepherds guide the goats into camp in the evening. So great to be out in nature for the full trip.
Most Inspirational Moment
Crossing the border into Switzerland through magnificent fields of wildflowers, hearing the cowbells in the distance, then descending through the forest into a beautiful valley and our campsite (and beer!).
Thoughts on Group Leader
Lotte was great and helped me a good deal when I had some height-fear challenges. She also kept her eye out for segments that I might find particularly challenging. Charlie did a great job with the campsite and cuisine. I always felt safe with Lotte leading the group. I also appreciate that she let us take our time on the walks and allowed plenty of time for relaxing breaks in the shade. I went on this vacation to enjoy the walks and scenery and to stop and smell the roses - not to race up and down the trail or compete with fellow walkers. If all I want is a workout I can go to the gym - I don't need to travel from the U.S. to Switzerland.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I have a moderate fear of heights, so had some trepidation about signing up for the trip. I'm happy to report that, except for a couple of brief moments (including a suspension bridge over the river) I did just fine and found the experience exhilarating and liberating (and my fear of heights has greatly improved). Again, I did fine, just needed a bit of moral support, which the group and leader provided. So glad I went, so if you have a moderate fear of heights, I wouldn't necessarily be discouraged from booking the trip.
Excellent highs on the Tour du Mont Blanc
This was our first experience of an Exodus trip and we were not disappointed. The organisation throughout was excellent, the locations were beautiful and the walking (while tough) was awe inspiring. Before the trip we questioned our ability to complete this undertaking, however the walking was well organised and the leader worked hard to keep the group together and we never felt under pressure to walk faster, or felt that the walking was turning into a route march.
Most Inspirational Moment
The jubilation and sense of achievement at crossing each one of the Cols to be greeted by new and wonderful vistas stretched out before you and then reaching camp at the end of each day of walking, knowing with satisfaction what you had achieved .
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our walking leader Heather was excellent, leading the group and making sure that everybody felt that they were getting the benefit of her knowledge, experience and support. She has massive amount of enthusiasm and this helped make the trip more enjoyable. The camp leader (Neil) should not be forgotten either, not for them the glamour of leading the walking, they are up early each morning to get the kettle on, and laying out the breakfast and lunch supplies, then once we get walking Neil has to get on the road to the next campsite, while getting supplies and provisions on the way, before getting to the campsite and getting the camp set up and possibly dinner on before we the walkers get back, and then turing out some really rather good food from some pretty basic resources.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't figure on having to pack clothes to last the whole two weeks, there's washing machines and dryers at the campsite in Val Ferret and the campsite at Les Contamines. Bring plenty of compeed blister plasters and zinc oxide tape to help protect any raw spots on your feet. We were unsure about bringing trekking poles, but did, and we were glad we did, they really help take the pressure of the knees.
Tents, Tarts and Song on the Tour du Mont Blanc
This was a fun, companionable and challenging trip. It was very well led and organised, with excellent food and great company. The walking itself was more challenging than I expected and it took my legs some time to adjust to climbing a mountain every day, but the reward was increased fitness and a sense of achievement. The scenery was beautiful and we were blessed with good weather on all but one of our walking days.
Most Inspirational Moment
Singing songs from The Sound of Music at the top of le Brévent takes some beating. The company and camaraderie throughout was excellent.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Heather was the perfect mix of fun and professionalism. When we faced our day walking in the rain, she lifted our spirits expertly. I suffer from vertigo and she was very patient in the gnarly bits, making me feel safe. Meanwhile, Neil's cooking and hard work around the camp were very much valued. They were a great team.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Everyone says this, but get fit! I hadn't, and it took a few days for me to start to enjoy the walking. Pack light - you can wash things along the way and you're going to have to take the bag from the van to your tent and back each day. Take plenty of money for snacks - you might think you're not going to need them, but when you've walked 3 hours steep uphill and it's only 11AM, you're going to want the can of cold, sugary pop that costs 5 Euros. Take a few cereal bars or buy them in Chamonix on Day 1 - not many stops in the first couple of days' walking.
TMB - Camping
The trip was fantastic, with only one day of rain on walking days. Fabulous views and great company. There was a real sense of achievement in completing the walks.
Most Inspirational Moment
Completing the whole TMB with the 1500m climb up Mount Brevant on the last day. In the public swimming pool in Chamonix, there is a nice indoor pool and sauna, but there is also a large outdoor pool - it was weird but wonderful to swim outside, surrounded by mountains partially covered in cloud.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Heather was so much fun and knew how to encourage us up the hills - luring us with promises of good coffee and cake - and knowing where the best ice cream was found. But I also had confidence in her as a guide and felt safe and comfortable on the mountains. Neil - the camp organiser was also a star - hot water for tea always available and the food was amazing, especially considering the limited facilities he had at his disposal. Altogether they were a great team, who greatly contributed to the spirit of the trip
Advice for Potential Travellers
Just to say that there are opportunities for washing clothes at some of the campsites (sometimes limited, but most managed a mid trip wash of kit). Be prepared to spend more on cake and ice creams than you might expect!