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.
Simply use the selector below to search our trip reviews and start reading real feedback from real Exodus travellers who have ‘been there and done that’!
Lots of our clients also like to post handy tips and advice about their travels. It’s great to know what to expect on an Exodus adventure before you go, so make the most of their experience and you’ll make the most of yours!
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Once you return from your Exodus adventure holiday, you will be emailed a link to add your review. Any feedback collected is posted onto our website, totally unedited.
Alternatively you can navigate to the relevant trip page and add your review via the Reviews tab.
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14423 Reviews
4.7 out of
5
Reviews
Ian McDonald
Reviewed August 2019
Excellent trip
A really enjoyable trip with plenty of cycling and with options to increase on certain days if you have surplus energy.
A great way to see 3 countries in 2 weeks. Sometimes the cycling was quite challenging – particularly some of the muddy trails in Nicaragua ( which were great fun) and some of the hills in Costa Rica.
Weather was varied . Sometimes really hot and humid and sometimes very wet due to rainy season . So be prepared and keep changes of clothes close to hand.
Raft ride was great . Guides and support team were great . Nice balance between open evenings and meals as a group .
Highly recommend this trip
Most Inspirational Moment
Loved looking down into the active volcano at night . Awesome sight . Enjoyed the raft ride and the crocodiles.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Roberto was top class . A really nice guy who got on well with everyone and nothing was too much trouble.
He gave really good briefings prior to setting out Each day. He also had excellent local knowledge at each stage of the trip. Perfect English too and really easy to chat to .
Advice for Potential Travellers
To enjoy the trip you need to be reasonably fit .. have plenty of changes of cycling clothes. Roberto can advise on the 2 or 3 places over the route where you can get laundry done ( very cheaply) . A few casual clothes ( t shirts and shorts ) are all that are needed for evenings .dont forget mosquito repellent .
Paul Bacon
Reviewed August 2019
Fantastic trip through unspoilt landscapes
A challenging trek through unspoilt mountains with fantastic hospitality from the locals along the way
Most Inspirational Moment
Trekking in the middle of nowhere, with little sign of tourism. The hospitality in the huts was great
Advice for Potential Travellers
Dont take a sleeping bag, you dont need to as blankets are provided even in the huts. The heat can really make some of the days tough, although you can refill water along the way as you will be drinking alot! Take insect repellent as we all got bit alot during the trek
Shirley Bell
Reviewed August 2019
TZS walking and wildlife
Great trip saw lots of wildlife and great walking
Most Inspirational Moment
When we saw a family of lions feasting on a wilderbeast and we got so close to see them.
Walking out of my tent one morning and seeing a family of elephants crossing the river so close amazing.
The views in the mountains.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The leaders were fabulous
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for long bus journeys.
It's cold when the sun goes down
Bring binoculars
Bring waterproofs it does rain sometimes in Africa
It's Africa be prepared for anything to happen.
Nigel Turner
Reviewed August 2019
Wonderful adventure
This was a marvellous trip and a great way of seeing two wonderful areas of the Arctic. In Spitsbergen we saw polar bears and arctic foxes and sailed through the ice to reach 80 degrees north. In Greenland we saw musk oxen and puffins and the most amazing icebergs. We also visited an Inuit community and had the occasional whale sighting.
The ship was great – the Ocean Adventurer. The cabin was comfortable and the food was really good. The operator was first class. We had a great tour leader and a full range of specialist guides, i.e. geologist, ornithologist, photographer, marine biologist etc. They were professional and great fun. the other guests were good company.
We had four days around Spitzbergen and four days around Greenland so we were able to get a sense of both rather than concentrating on just one. So polar bears AND icebergs!
You don’t actually get to see Iceland as part of the tour but you do disembark in Akureyri in north Iceland. We asked Exodus to change our flight back to the UK so we could arrange seven days there. We then drove from Akureyri to Keflavic along the Icelandic ring road seeing the major sights. The waterfalls are truly amazing. Greenland is actually icy and Iceland is green. So we had polar bears, icebergs and waterfalls in a three-week trip.
Note: to get to Spitzbergen you fly via Oslo. Exodus brought forward our flight and booked us into a hotel for two nights so we had a short city break as well. There are some great museums in Oslo (Munch, Viking Long Ship and the Fram Museum of Arctic Exploration) and this was a great start to our Arctic journey of a lifetime.
Most Inspirational Moment
To see a polar bear jumping and swimming from ice-flow to ice-flow.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The expedition and ship staff were all first class. The operator was very professional and we be very happy to travel again with them.
Advice for Potential Travellers
See above - the trip covers Spitzbergen and Greenland - you need to make additional arrangements to see Iceland otherwise you just fly from Akureyri to Keflavic for the flight home..
Paul Sanders
Reviewed August 2019
Fabulous.
An absolutely excellent trip and a great way to see three countries in two weeks. There was a real mix of cycling, from rough, tough, dirty stuff, to long smooth straights as well as everything in between (it’s essentially a road trip though). A few hills were quite demanding (not least in the heat), so the gravity downhill afterwards was welcome! There was some stunning scenery and it’s pretty green and lush everywhere. Beyond the cycling, the other activities added to the sense of holiday, while also giving greater insight into what each country has to offer.
Most Inspirational Moment
All the cycling was excellent and just the right level. Peering into the Masaya volcano was a lifetime moment and the visit to the school in Nicaragua really resonated.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Roberto was excellent on every level. From leading the front riders to congratulating those for whom rides were a bigger challenge, he was personable and professional with everyone. Morning briefings were helpful to all, outlining how each day would work, from the cycling to ordering food in advance etc. etc.. Every day ran smoothly and organisation was excellent. His knowledge and experience showed and nothing was too much trouble. What could possibly go wrong?
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go. Have a change of (cycling and/or casual) clothes in a rucksack on the bus. Be prepared for very flexible lunchtimes (there are always snacks available).
John Orton
Reviewed August 2019
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Great challenging trip but one that’s well achievable.
Most Inspirational Moment
Completing the optional extra peaks
Thoughts on Group Leader
Very good
Rouna Ali
Reviewed August 2019
Rouna's Silk Road
This is a truly spectacular once in a lifetime trip which I will never forget. I would never have been able to travel to such and so many places in the time available if it weren’t for Exodus. The contrast between the three ‘Stans’ Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is infinitely fascinating. The hot deserts, magnificent Muslim architecture, Madrashahs, Mausoleums, Markets and magnanimous hearts of the people of Uzbekistan to the epic mountains, rivers, lakes, forests and awesome pride and grace of the people of Kyrgyzstan (especially the Eagle Hunters which is only one of many highlights on this trip).
Most Inspirational Moment
1. Registan Square in Samarkand in my view is more beautiful and epic than the Taj Mahal.
2. During the Eagle hunting demonstration in Kyrgyzstan I almost cried as the eagle flew above and swooped down in front of me to catch the coyote skin!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both group leaders (one for Uzbekistan) and (one for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan) did their very best for us and Ali bent over backwards to help me in Bukhara when I had a bout of 'Bukhara belly' :0
Advice for Potential Travellers
You might laugh but I regret not taking small bottles of salt and pepper and chilli sauce with me because the food will cause you problems. Take plenty of Immodium and Dioralyte. In Uzbekistan especially they try to put on the menu what Westerners will like and I did not like it at all. Sometimes the food ingredients were really old, not cooked properly or under hygienic conditions and tasted extremely bland. It can take forever to sort out the bill if you eat in a large group. Before you travel I would look at the trip notes and where the hotels are then do your own pre-trip research using google maps and trip advisor to see where all the good restaurants are near to these hotels.
Tom King
Reviewed August 2019
A Brilliant Week of Hiking!
This was great trip – we continually had spectacular views of the Mont Blanc massif and the surrounding area. There was a relatively consistent amount of trekking each day but it never felt like a chore. The hiking routes were well thought out and you were never too far from a mountain coffee shop for a well deserved rest. Our guide Egle was excellent and really made the holiday a lot of fun!
Most Inspirational Moment
Difficult to choose just one but the passes over from Switzerland to Italy and then Italy into France were phenomenal. The last day hiking around the Chamonix valley was also amazing with clear views of Mont Blanc.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Spending a week with Egle was a real treat. She was knowledgeable, fun and looked after the group brilliantly. She really made the holiday and brought the group together. 10 out of 10.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Plan to make your hiking bag as light as possible, its weight will make real difference to the enjoyment of the hiking. You also do not need to carry gallons of water - there are fairly regular opportunities to refill each day.
Jill Haydock
Reviewed August 2019
Go and experience Uzbekistan
An amazing trip if you’re interested in Early to modern civilisation, beautiful architecture and a country rediscovering its heritage and crafts. The people are very welcoming, dress code is relaxed and beer or wine is always an option at mealtimes. It’s a country worth seeing now.
Most Inspirational Moment
The unexpected ‘wild swim’ in the lake and visiting the beautiful Shah-I-Zinda on the day families were celebrating Eid are both magical memories.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Absolutely fantastic! Dilshod’s knowledge of ancient and modern history, the architecture, crafts and culture in each city was phenomenal; and his willingness to share his own stories of recent history put this trip right up with the best.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If you have a problem with pillows try and take your own travel pillow!
Susanna Buckley
Reviewed August 2019
Wonderful family holiday
A busy but well organised trip. This was the first time we’d done a trip like this and we don’t regret it.
We saw so much in the 14 days – I don’t think we could have done and seen so much if we’d organised it on our own. Our two children (16 and 18 years old) had a great time. They made friends with the other young people on the trip and this made it easier and enjoyable for everyone. Everything was organised in a family friendly way and the guides were excellent. It was also good to see the way local communities can be supported by responsible travel.
Most Inspirational Moment
Hard to say - so many lovely memories. The sampan trip on the Mekong Delta and the stay at the homestay were great. The trip to Angkor Wat was amazing - the scale of the place is breathtaking.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had 2 leaders - one in Vietnam and one for Cambodia and Bangkok. Both were excellent.
Advice for Potential Travellers
You need Vietnamese Dong for Vietnam. In Cambodia you can use US Dollars but sometimes it's easier to use Cambodian Riels. ATMs in Cambodia dispense US Dollars and Riels. For Thailand, you'll need Thai Bhat (our guide stopped just before the Thai border so that we could exchange). For visas, you need to pay cash in US Dollars.
We found that we needed mainly cash - some of the restaurants didn't accept cards or some places (eg supermarkets) have a minimum spend before using a card and, if you only want a drink, that doesn't come to the minimum spend. Also, if you want to buy in the markets, you'll need cash. There were ATMs near all the places we stayed (except Mekong Delta).
Pack light, cotton clothing, you don't really need activewear/trekking wear. There are local laundry services available in Cambodia - around USD2or3 per kg.
