Reviews

Lot's of fun!

This is a different slant to the other guided trips I have done where you get some instruction on snowshoeing and cross-country skiing and then practice on your own to some extent. This allows you to progress at your own pace and explore on your own. All the other activities are with the group with leaders or guides.
The frozen lake, nearby forests and the rivers are all fantastic to be around, nature at its best. It feels remote and very untouched. Lovely atmosphere when you are out walking on your own.
The accommodation is ideal for the trip, warm, clean, functional and quiet too! There was a light room clean and towel change mid-week.
The communal eating area works well with all the food freshly prepared and plenty of it too. Drinks available all day if you are around. Staff always there to help if needed. Alcoholic drinks available in the evening to buy.
All the clothing and footwear is supplied along with any equipment needed for the activities and whenever outdoors.. This includes a rucksack and flask, even a seat pad to sit on in the snow.
Dog sledging and reindeer farm are great visits, nice to be close to these animals.
We had great weather and this made for a most memorable trip

A great out of season week in Italy

This is a deservedly popular Exodus holiday with a lot of activity packed in to a week. The walking is not especially difficult and has a downhill bias, with many steps to encounter. The Amalfi coast is very scenic and photogenic. Vesuvius dominates the landscape of the Bay of Naples and visits to Pompeii and Vesuvius are naturally included, although we think that a better pairing would be Vesuvius and Herculaneum, the latter being arguably (even) more interesting than Pompeii.

Narnia! (without the witch and other scary beings)

Finnish Wilderness Week exceeded our (my daughter’s and my) expectations! Our incredible guide, Martti, established an amazing group culture, taught us a ton, and kept us safe all week. There were many different ability levels in our group, and Martti made sure each person was challenged, engaged and having fun.

Our 1st-class accommodation, Basecamp Oulanka, and it’s attentive staff, definitely exuded a vibe—totally chill. Every meal was comfort food (Finnish style), delicious and plentiful, with all dinners and desserts made from-scratch. And of course, there was a sauna!

We snowshoed through snow-covered fir trees, we skied on a frozen lake, and we drank hot tea from a thermos at the summit of a mountain, overlooking a lake. Everywhere was so silent!

When we visited the dog-sledding and reindeer farms, we experienced first-hand how the owners of each organization “walk the talk”, and are true stewards of their animals. I, personally, overcame a huge fear of mine, when I was coached, entrusted and encouraged to drive a team of dogs!

Another personal challenge I met, as a claustrophobe, was squeezing through the opening of the quinzee we built, then committing to spending the night in it. And when we turned off our headlamps to call it a night—lo and behold, the Northern Lights began to shimmer!

But my favorite and most memorable travel adventures are the ones where I end each day sitting around a table with new-found friends, eating and drinking together, and sharing stories—this week had that in spades! This adventure is another Exodus home run—challenges, comfort, fraternity.

A Dream Come True

Visiting the Galapagos Islands had been at the top of my wish list for as long as I can remember and this trip was everything I’d dreamt of. Every day brought special, close-up encounters with magnificent animals – male frigatebirds displaying their bright red chests, sea lions stretched out on the beach nursing their young pups or cheekily hitching a ride on the back of our boat and pairs of blue-footed boobies engaged in a courtship dance. The Archipel 1 is modern, spotlessly clean, spacious and comfortable with a friendly, hard-working and efficient crew. The food is excellent in quality, quantity and variety. The boat has the capacity for 16 guests, which enables everyone to get to know one another.

Snowshoeing in the Catalan Pyrenees

A great week snowshoeing with Miquel as our guide. The hotel in Rialp was very comfortable and really friendly owners.

Ups & Downs !

Overall enjoyed seeing Costa Rica and its amazing wildlife, rivers and jungles. As ‘newbies’ to Exodus and this kind of cycling holiday, there were some disappointments for me that coloured the enjoyment of the trip somewhat.

Costa Rica

This was a retirement present to myself and was certainly worth the two year wait. A great group of people, diverse locations, amazing wildlife, all brought together by our amazing guide ,Andreas.

Northern Lights

A great trip to a fascinating country. The highlight was seeing the Northern lights outside the Hotel Laki (and briefly back in Reykjavik). The weather meant that there was clear skies and sunshine, so the views with the snow were excellent. (Which was a good job as there are some long road journeys).

Kvitavatn

This is the third time I’ve done this trip & I plan to go again next year. The location is beautiful & suitable for all abilities. Just don’t expect the shops & bars you get in downhill resorts, because they are not there. Expect a beautiful & wonderfully peaceful wilderness.
I travel alone and choose my holidays with that in mind. The whole set-up is perfect for the solo traveller. Exodus runs a ‘share with a stranger’ accommodation system, so you don’t have to pay a single person supplement. You ski as a group, so no worries about being out there alone. The dining area is set up in such away that the whole group can sit together, so there is no need to dine alone either.
The food was lovely and the chef we had in February 2019 & 2022 was brilliant. Nothing was too much trouble. In addition to the ‘standard’ meal, he provided lovely alternatives for those who declared dietary requirements. These included vegetarian, dairy-free and spice-free. I am sure he could, and would, cater for anything.
The price of the holiday includes ski & boot hire, tuition and guiding, so the only costs over & above what you pay when you book are for alcohol, optional tips for the guides and spending at the airport.

Cycling in Ceylon

What an amazing holiday! This best thing I have done in ages & up there with my best trips.
I booked at the last minute as there was a cancellation due to COVID and was very apprehensive as to what lay ahead. Would I cope, what will the group be like etc. etc.
I don’t cycle regularly and took the e-bike option and really glad that I did. Some days were hard, especially the uphill ascent to Nuwara Eliya and some days were undulating. Using the e-bike allowed me to enjoy my holiday and took away the angst of thinking whether I could do it.
The holiday was great on so many levels: –
Guide & trip support
Suresh was our guide and what a beautiful person he is, kind, caring, thoughtful, funny, always going the extra mile to ensure everyone was happy and catered for… a true professional. I can not rate him highly enough; in many ways, he made the trip.
Suresh was supported by a fantastic team – Suranga, Ruwan and crew. Suranga provided technical support, ensuring all the bikes were ok, he would even be checking them as we cycled. The guys worked so hard behind the scenes to make sure everything ran seamlessly. Making sure that we were fed, watered as we cycled from place to place. In the morning all the cycles were lined up, clean & checked ready to go.
Trip
The trip itself is fantastic, every day was filled with something different to do and see.
Cycling is a wonderful way to see Sri Lanka especially cycling the back roads. It’s so vibrant and provides an assault on the senses… all the colours, smells, sounds, beautiful vistas, wildlife and people. The Sri Lankan people are so welcoming and friendly, children and adults waving as we cycled past…shouting ‘Hi’ ‘Bye’
Accommodation
The accommodation overall was fantastic and even better than expected. I particularly liked the hotels in Sigiriya, Kandy and Ahangama. It was easy to cycle from one place to another…Suresh would check us in & our bags would be waiting for us in the rooms! When leaving we would just leave our bags outside the door and the bag fairies would sort everything.
Food
What can I say…yum, yum yum! So many gorgeous vegetable & meat curries, not forgetting the egg hopper. One must try when one is in Sri Lanka. Suresh took us to some fantastic places to eat. I really enjoyed the family meal where our food was cooked in banana leaves.
One of the things I really enjoyed were the cycling tea stops. We visited small cafes, a Sri Lankan home. We were offered the most divine fresh fruit-mango and pineapple and lots of spicy snacks-I’ve forgotten the names. We had some great lunch stops too.
Activities.
These are all listed in the itinerary and were great and plentiful, I am amazed we packed so much in. Climbing Lion rock, climb in Eliya, visit to gem factory-shop, spice garden, safari-we saw the elusive leopard, tea factory, I skipped the whale-watching as I needed a relax!
Group
As well as Suresh the group really made the holiday for me. I wasn’t sure at first but as the days unfurled, we bonded. We had lots of fun and banter…what a lovely group! I hope we stay in touch.
We even saw the infamous ‘yellow elephant’
Big thankyou to GI Jane & Captain Chris, the lovely Janine & Darren, Sue-‘Queen of the Mountains’, Lady Julia, Richard of Wales, Sir Roger, Peter the Great, St. Simon, Neil Young-the one & only, Jimmy Carter and Bob Hope.
Personal
Final note, I had a bad 2021, felt in a bit of a rut. It was a big step for me to book this trip but I’m so glad I did. It made me feel alive again…what more can I say!
Thankyou Suresh and team, group and Sri Lanka xxx