Reviewed July 2019 Pam Bell Trip: Trails of the Swiss Alps Stunning scenery Five guided walks through beautiful scenery. The moderate grading was just right, with a varied selection of walks through alpine meadows as well as some more challenging steeper ascents. All giving stunning views of mountain peaks, waterfalls and lakes. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The Gasterntal Valley was the most challenging walk, but the sense of achievement when finally eating lunch overlooking Kanderfirn Glacier was worth all the of the climb. What did you think of your group leader? Liz was excellent; aware of all of the groups capabilities and setting a pace that matched it. She was very informative, friendly and supportive, whilst always ready to share a joke. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? When arriving at the airport, leave through the Swiss exit to meet the Exodus guide, not the French/German exit - very confusing as they don't come out in the same place. Take gloves and hat for the Kanderfirn Glacier walk (as well as the normal layers and waterproofs) - its cold up there even in the sun.
Reviewed July 2019 Susan Ware Wonderful experience Great tour guide. Nice accommodation, great countryside, interesting and beautiful villages, towns and cities and just to make it even better wine tasting. Well worth the trip and good value for money. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There were a few but I loved the guided tour of Siena. I hadn't realised it's history and about all the different traditions. What did you think of your group leader? Fabulous guide, Andy was knowledgeable, helpful, kind, thoughtful, funny, interesting and professional. We couldn't have asked to be looked after any better. He also had Teresa shadowing him. She had some interesting information to add and was also helpful and good company. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take insect repellent! Remember it can be hot in Tuscany and it is very hilly so don't be surprised that on a walking holiday in Chianti you have to walk up a few hills in the sunshine.. Is there anything else you would like to add? This is my first Exodus holiday and definitely not my last.
Reviewed July 2019 Grant Cadden Trip: Slovenia Mixed Activity Go on this trip! The week was really fun and well organised. Plenty of different activities in an amazing location. Great activities, food, accommodation and leaders- would definitely recommend this trip! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Completing the canyoning. What did you think of your group leader? The leaders were really accommodating, fun and knowledgeable. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Would recommend the paragliding and advanced canyoning optional activities.
Reviewed July 2019 Gary Lavin Trip: Volcanoes & Temples of Indonesia Sucessful and Safe A lovely and interesting trip What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The temple complex of Pranbaman What did you think of your group leader? He was very informative and helpful Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Enjoy climbing all possible volcanoes Is there anything else you would like to add? The snorkelling is fantastic
Reviewed July 2019 Garance C Trip: Trails of the Swiss Alps Great landscapes in the Swiss mountains This trip covers one of the most beautiful regions of Switzerland, including sights of famous summits. I really enjoyed hiking in a varied and pristine environment, seeing deep blue altitude lakes, lots of waterfalls and powerful rivers going down the mountains as snow was still melting this time of year. The hikes were really adequate for a grade 3 with a few steep parts to keep it interesting and some flatter ones, going through hidden valleys full of spring flowers of all sorts. Very good level of accommodation in a comfortable family hotel where enjoying food and taking time to relax is taken very seriously! We even had a nice welcome drink to get started for the first briefing with our leader. Loads of activities to do on the free day like visiting nearby Interlaken, paragliding, going down a mountain slide or renting an e-bike, that some of our groups tried very successfully! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Discovering the local culture and landscapes was a highlight. We were lucky enough to sample some local cheese kindly offered by a lady who makes her own cheese in an altitude chalet where we had stopped for coffee. What did you think of your group leader? Liz our leader was extremely helpful and very well prepared. She knew how to advise us on the equipment needed so that we were all well prepared for each walk, and where to stop for water refill etc. to make every day very enjoyable. She was careful about checking on us but also leaving space for us to go at our own pace. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Make sure you bring good boots, and if you can, bring some walking poles, they can come very handy on rocky surfaces and when going down long stretches.
Reviewed July 2019 Alison Moir Wonderful trip Excellent cycling holiday across the Croation islands. The scenery was breath-taking. 16 like-minded people from all over the world, ranging from 30 - 77 years old, enjoyed the group cycles and walking tours. The communal meals were also enjoyable at carefully chosen local resturants. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The scenery, and the opportunity to swim in the crystal-clear Adriatic. What did you think of your group leader? Alan Skulic was PERFECT. He was a clear communicator who was qell-organised, and had a friendly personality. He was very patient on the cycling trips, ensuring no one was left behind. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Book Now!! Is there anything else you would like to add? This was a great trip and I look forward to booking another one!!
Reviewed July 2019 Steve Deutsch Trip: Peru Explorer A fantastic journey around Southern Peru An amazing trip full of insight and excitement. 3 weeks seeing the Coast, the Desert, the mountains and the jungle. Lots of early starts but worth it to cram in as much as possible. So many highlights including the Ballestas Islands, the Nazca lines, Arequipa, Colca Canyon and its condors, Cusco, Ollantaytambo, local festivals, the Moonstone Trek, Machu Picchu, the jungle... What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Following the Moonstone Trek, high in the mountains, for 4 days and 3 nights, camping in the wilderness and waking up to snow one morning, meeting virtually no-one, supported by a great team. Visiting Machu Picchu which really is as amazing as the pictures suggest. Going to the Amazon jungle, which was fantastic, such a change from the rest of the trip, with lots of wildlife to see. What did you think of your group leader? Bruce was fantastic. Friendly, committed, cheerful, and informative he kept us to time and schedule and was great company too, even giving up part of his day off to take us to another site. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Just be aware that although the trip is rated leisurely / moderate there are lots of early starts and lots of travel on the coach, with limited downtime, particularly until Cusco. But its a great trip and there's so much to see. Is there anything else you would like to add? Go, its such an interesting country.
Reviewed July 2019 Phill Dixon Trip: Gorillas & Masai Mara - Camping If I could do it again I wouldn't hesitate If you could gurantee the same team, group and even half the wildlife encounters I'd book it up tomorrow. We were very lucky with both the wildlife and to have such an enthusiastic and fun group of guides and guests - which made the trip all the better. The locations are stunning - in two days in the Masai Mara we saw the big 5 and had an epic balloon ride at sunrise. Then we were off to Lake Nakuru and the rhinos and flamingos took centre stage, with the smiles getting wider as the wildlife encounters got better. Sleeping within 300m of a waterfall in Nakuru was a highlight and despite being the most basic, was my favourite campsite - hearing lions and hyeenas calling in the night while sat around a campfire checking out all the stars. At Jinja even novice rafters got to experience the thrill of white water and again the provided photos and videos had us all laughing and reliving the day. The Adrift campsite was also brand new and had great facilities. So the experiences built, Murchison has impressive waterfalls and the boat trip was a good way to get out of the heat of the day. Gorilla tracking in Budongo again had us being lucky, being in the middle of chimps hunting, a once in a lifetime opportunity and not something to be expected, but if you get to experience time with the enigmatic chimps you cannot be disappointed. Queen Elizabeth has less diversity of wildlife but still provided lots of Elephants and on the river you see birds and elephants everywhere. Lastly the gorillas - I did two treks and they were both different but magical experiences. The first involved a long trek but we were surrounded by a group and followed them, experiencing interactions with several different family members. This would be a tough trek if you are not physically fit and used to walking up hills. The second trek involved spending an unforgettable hour with Xmas, the largest silverback in Bwindi and his 1 and 2 year old babies. We could not see other members of the family and the trek was shorter and easier, but a very close and magical encounter - when a baby gorilla looks at you from less than 7m you get a sense of how special and priveledged your time with them is. You are also given certificates to help remember your time with these beautiful animals The trip to the genocide museum was a very poignant reminder of what Rwanda has been through as well. Some facts - the trip involves a lot of early starts and quite a bit of travelling. Your reward is the trip of a lifetime. The truck is large and spacious but keep things in the lockers or that room fills up quickly. You will need to be able to walk up steep hills for the gorillas, but the team takes things slowly and chooses the best path for the group. Campsites often had showers, toilets and a bar so have some dollars for these. A lot of Ugandan service stations and almost all of Rwanda wanted local currency. Some things to note - the Rwandan border was the most difficult to cross, with a problem getting our taxi across taking 2hrs but providing a great side adventure - a sense of humour about delays and acknowledging that you may be asked seeminglystupid questions is par for the course. Get some snacks and drinks before crossing as there is nothing on the Rwandan security zone. The Exodus team were fantastic throughout, working hard to fix any problems ( airline lost bags), keep our trip moving smoothly and provide fun and share jokes over Albert's fantastic cooking ( his cooking may expand your waistline). Gilbert was the charismatic tour leader with lots of local stories and knowledge, Stoney the unflappable driver who always made time to help, Albert the fantastic chef with all the catchphrases and a personality larger than life, and Charles the youngest and ever smiling and helpful team member eager to greet and hear of our days adventures. A good team feels like family not a crew, these guys felt like family and helped knit the group together. I feel exceptionally lucky to have been on this trip, I've travelled a lot and this will remain a trip to remember. If I could do the same or similar trip with the group and crew I would book it tomorrow, if you promised me half the wildlife too I'd still jump at the chance. Thanks Exodus for another epic adventure. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Spending time with the gorillas and seeing the look on everyone's faces as they encounter these incredible animals up close. What did you think of your group leader? Gilbert was really good at bringing people together and engaging the group. He was also active in securing us better times for chimp trekking and minimising time on the truck / getting good plots on campsites. A lot of what he was doing behind the scenes in planning / logistics was while people slept on the truck so he could chat and sing songs when we were all awake. He also had excellent wildlife and historical knowledge and was happy to share The only problem we encountered was on the day the team weren't there at the Rwandan border - and over the phone he was working on a solution to get us moving Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Bring a folder for certificates they give for gorilla trekking Have a sheet or blanket to sit on in the truck as the vinyl seats can get hot in the sun ( thanks Vio) Have some small Ugandan and Rwandan currency so you can buy things at service stations if they don't accept cards or dollars ( Rwanda the bars all wanted local currency). Pack some extra clothes in your daysack when flying - airlines lose bags so have at least a change of clothes to last you a day or two. Go to Carnivores in Nairobi it is a great meal and intro for the group. Don't expect glamping but this is comfortable camping and you get to hear lions calling. Is there anything else you would like to add? If the team running this trip do any other Africa trips I'd gladly go on them
Reviewed July 2019 Laurie Thurston Trip: Classic Dolomites - Premium Spectacular Experience in the Italian Alps! If you're looking for an expertly organized trip guaranteeing you laughter, new friendships and adventure, you simply MUST choose this trip to the Dolomites. Unbelievably, each day is better than the last. Your week will be filled with super fun hikes, spectacular scenery and lots of cultural experiences. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Spending my days in the company of these amazing mountains -- experiencing them from different angles, at various times of the day, in all sorts of lighting -- proved magical. I appreciated getting to know the area very well. Even though all of the hikes were different and every view unique, each day afforded gifts of its own. Truly, a wonderful experience. What did you think of your group leader? Karl freaking rocks! His vast knowledge of the area and the people -- everyone knows him!! -- made every day even more fun. He's organized and on point, but also very laid back and responsive to the needs of both the group as a whole and as individuals. We were a varied group from ages 16 to 72 and he kept us all challenged and engaged every step of the way. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Pack your sense of humor along with rain gear (though we got super lucky weather-wise...but it's the mountains at high elevation, so be prepared). And pace yourself when it comes to the AMAZING food! The dinners are epic ;) You'll love the Hotel Adler: fantastic staff, great accommodations and a super fun little town. On your free day, try out the bike rental and explore Villabassa and Lago di Dobbiaco...don't forget to stop for gelato (Karl will tell you where to go!!)....I would say, if you want a super hard core hiking trip that logs a ton of miles with very little stopping to enjoy the journey, this may not be the trip for you. But if you want to work off your dinners, get your heart rate up a bit and enjoy the views as you climb, this is a perfect trek! Is there anything else you would like to add? Many of the people in our group had taken trips with Exodus before and had nothing but wonderful things to say about their other trips. This was our first outing with Exodus and it will NOT be our last. I am excited to continue exploring with this organization.
Reviewed July 2019 Richard Cooper Trip: Walking in the Austrian Tyrol Fantastic walks in the Tyrol This holiday has it all - great walks, scenery, guides, hotel, food... highly recommended! I didn't have any particularly high expectations of the holiday after reading the brochure and booking it, but I was pleasantly surprised, it's very well thought out and location is excellent. I did the challenging walk each day guided by Paul, these were well planned, and even with some clouds on occasion, the views were stunning and there was an abundance of alpine flowers. The hotel is well located right on the lake, with comfortable rooms. The food is no-nonsense but very good and plentiful, which I appreciated after a day's walking, and has lots of choice in the menu. There were wheat-free options for evening meals and breakfast, and they even gave me gluten free bread each day to make sandwiches with for lunch. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The views over the alps in every direction were stunning. Taking a moment (or half an hour) to lie on the top of the Rofanspitze on my day off in the sunshine with crystal clear views in every direction over the alps was particularly memorable. What did you think of your group leader? Paul was excellent at leading the group, knowledgeable about the flora and fauna, and particularly funny when doing charades to try to get us to remember the names of the flowers! Now was that a trombone or a trumpet Gentian Paul? Do you have any advice for potential travellers? I can only speak for the challenging walks: Walking pole(s) are useful especially for some of the long steep downhill sections if wet under foot. Take some reasonable hiking boots which you will be comfortable walking in on rocks. Is there anything else you would like to add? Whilst I did the level 5 (challenging) walks and highly recommend these, I think this holiday is really good if you're not sure what you can do (or want to do), since you can choose the group to walk with each day. (In response to earlier reviews) the WiFi in the hotel was fine on my Android device. I found it refreshing to take a swim in the lake overlooking the mountains (there is a protected area for swimming very near the hotel).