Reviews

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.

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14469 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Mark Thompson

Reviewed September 2017

Great exercise, top food and an excellent guide

The Tour surpassed my expectations. The days can be long and the climbs can go on, but it’s worth it for the incredible views, excellent food and the stories and jokes along the way.

Most Inspirational Moment

Dropping from Switzerland into France and having an espresso next to a glacier. Stunning.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Nick was excellent. He knew the name of just about everything we pointed at - and we did a lot of 'what's that' pointing! He was also excellent at describing the regions' nuances and accommodating requests. With a relatively large group, you're going to have people of different abilities and fitness levels. Nick did a great job of making sure everyone remained part of the group while letting some people have moments to run off on their own or have a breather.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack light. You don't need that extra t-shirt. Just take a bottle of travel detergent and use the sinks and showers to refresh your clothes. After 30 minutes walking you're going to be sweaty anyway!

Helen Cavill

Reviewed September 2017

Challenging but very rewarding week in the Atlas Mountains

A challenging trek but definitely achievable with a good level of fitness and pacing yourself. The terrain is very tricky, with steep inclines, scrambling over large rocks and long sections of loose scree. However, the scenery is inspiring and you’ll finish the week with a real sense of accomplishment. Rounding off the trip with a day in the hustle and bustle of Marrakesh is great fun.

Most Inspirational Moment

Standing at the highest point in North Africa (4167m), with clear blue skies and mountains reaching out as far as the eye could see. After setting off at 5am by head-torch light, the summit felt like another world. Also, the food prepared by our local chef was a daily delight - the Moroccan dishes were wonderful and the whole group were far too excited the day that he produced omelette and chips...!

Thoughts on Group Leader

S'aid was brilliant. He did a good job keeping a large group (16) together when we all walked at varying paces. His English was impeccable and he had a great sense of humour. The whole trip was organised really well and the timings were pretty accurate. S'aid did fantastically to ensure that the whole group made it to the summit of Toubkal together (and down again safely) - it was a very long and challenging day but we were in safe hands the whole time.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take some snacks (sweets, nuts etc.) to keep you going on the trek. If you want any kind of souvenirs relating to Toubkal (e.g. t-shirts), make sure you get them before you leave the Atlas Mountains (the village where you stay in the gite is best) because you can't find anything of the sort in Marrakech! Keep walking slow and steady and you'll make it. Walking poles are definitely worthwhile for steep uphill sections and to help with dodgy knees going downhill. Make sure you have good worn-in boots - if you get blisters on the first day you'll spend the whole week regretting it.

Franciska Pouw

Reviewed September 2017

Wonderful Ladakh!

I booked this trip through Sawadee (Dutch partner of Exodus) and I would do it again. The trip was very well organised and lead by Valerie Parkinson. Our local trekking guide Wangail also did a really good job in helping us beating the paths and crossing wild rivers and moutain passes. And my fellow travellers were really nice.

This trip was amazing! A ‘hot’ start in Delhi, early morning amazing flight to Leh when you see the Himalaya mountain range when the weather is good. We had really good views! Leh is very pleasant, kind people, beautiful colours, wonderful monasteries in and around Leh. We even visited the highest motorable road in the world (5600); excellent for acclimatization!

The trekking was everything I hoped for. Really colourful mountains, interesting villages and people. We even saw baby eagle owles, pica’s (mouse hare), a red fox and loads of blue sheep! The camping was very well organized, food was excellent!

I would strongly recommend this trip when you love mountains, trekking and other cultures.

Most Inspirational Moment

I found it all very memorable.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Valerie Parkinson is a very experienced and pleasant tourleader. She really knows all about Ladakh and buddhism, has good humor, knows how to 'handle' a group, gives you plenty of good tips. After trekking days she encouraged us to go for extra acclimitization walks.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take enough batteries and powerbanks with you on the trek when you like to take a lot of photos!

John Sprout

Reviewed September 2017

Trek of Treks

I did this exact same trip with Exodus in 2010. I loved it so much, I did it again in 2017! And again, the Alps were stunning, exhilarating and life-affirming. Every day brings you a new view of green-carpeted mountains and clangy-bell cows (or goats), snow-capped peaks, massive winding glaciers, fresh-scented larch forests, and breathtaking views up and down. The hotel and restaurant people were friendly and generous with their servings and their service. I could do this again.. and again… I’ve hiked hundreds of miles in the Colorado Rockies and 800 miles of the Appalachian Trail, but this is my favorite trail in the world.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the Grand Col Ferret, from Switzerland into Italy, at the highest point of the trip, reaching that amazing view, feeling the wind in my face, hearing the gush of glacial melt all those miles away across the valley...

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ian was 100% dedicated to our group's well-being and success. Full of stories, he kept us engaged and fascinated with our beautiful surroundings.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Train for this. I prefer not to wear the heavier ankle-covering boots, just the lighter ones and mine were fine for this trip.

Patricia Orchard

Reviewed September 2017

Gorillas and Masai Mara

Had a fabulous time.

Most Inspirational Moment

Gorillas

Thoughts on Group Leader

Great

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just enjoy

Daisy Teoh

Reviewed September 2017

Experience of a Lifetime

The Inca Trail tour was the perfect organized group. We had 6 people in our group and 1 guide. It was the perfect number. Not too many, not too few. I originally picked the trip because of the itinerary; I liked that you had 2 opportunities to see Machu Picchu. That’s a definite advantage. The first afternoon, when we arrived, it was cloudy and became more and more cloudy. But the 2nd day when we went back, it was a perfect blue sky day.

The weather is always changing. The Trip Notes are accurate that you just have to dress in layers and be prepared to constantly remove and add layers.

The hike is not easy. If anything, I might rate it a little more difficult. It’s also hard to prepare for, especially if you live at sea level. The hike is a challenge for someone who exercises regularly, but our guide was very accommodating and gave us breaks as much as we needed. Still, we were always on schedule with where we needed to be. The altitude and lack of oxygen was probably the most difficult part. But it was all so worth it. And it feels great to accomplish something that you know you worked hard for.

Most Inspirational Moment

I can't pick just one moment. Every moment was special. Every moment you looked up (from focusing on the stones in the path), it was awe-inspiring.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The best par of the experience was our guide. Frank went above and beyond to not just take care of us show us a good time, but he really took interest in each of us individually. He genuinely enjoyed taking us on an adventure. It wasn't just a job for him. He took us into his life, his background, his culture of the Sacred Valley. He took us back to what it was like in the time of the Inca's. He didn't just lecture us on history, he relived their beliefs and ways of living, and he used the trail, the ruins, the flora, the fauna, the landscape to take us to another world. And then, he was just plain fun. He sang and danced, he was always full of energy. He simply knew how to have a good time, and his enthusiasm was infectious. He ensured we each had an experience of a lifetime.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be open to new experiences. Eat whatever is put in front of you. Bring lots of layers. Be prepared to take them off and on constantly. Drink lots of water. Sun screen and bug spray. Just keep applying, over and over.

Sue Rosser

Reviewed September 2017

Kenya & Tanzania Safari Adventure Aug 17

Although we had previously visited Kenya six years ago (on the Gorillas and Masai Mara trip) we had never seen the wildebeest crossing so I had really hoped to be lucky this time. Also our former trip had been an excellent experience so I had no hesitation in booking this trip with the added Tanzania experience.

Most Inspirational Moment

We were really lucky and saw the great migration, watching the wildebeest crossing the River Mara. There was such a dramatic build up to it - first a small group went to cross and then rushed back when they reached the river and saw crocodiles. We thought we weren't going to see it. Then further along the riverbank, a larger group just suddenly started rushing. We sat and watched for about fifteen minutes as wildebeest were stampeding across the plains joined by groups of zebra and then waded across the river and up the other side.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Erellah was an excellent group leader and a real credit to Exodus. He split his time equally amongst all trip members and would turn his hand to whatever was required be it organising, putting up tents, cooking etc. He was always bright cheerful and full of energy and worked extremely hard.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There is a lot of packing and unpacking in the first 10 days, organise your bag for ease of access and bring a padlock for your locker. Pack walking boots and comfortable sandals. Warm clothes for the Ngorongoro Crater are essential (I took a light thermal layers including vest, leggings, fleece top, hat, scarf and gloves) … I was not going to get cold! Having said that pack light but take a washing line and pegs.

Cheryl Friscia

Reviewed September 2017

A magical experience

This was my first time traveling alone to France and I couldn’t have had a more wonderful experience. From the moment I met the group at the airport to my return to the U.S. The hike each day was more beautiful than the last. Our tour guide Isabelle was fantastic. She was from the region and shared all kinds of tips and history. She interacted with the whole group and made the experience special for everyone. As a woman traveling alone, I felt safe and made so,e wonderful friends alongside the way. I highly recommend this tour.

Most Inspirational Moment

Hiking up some of the most beautiful mountains and seeing the surrounding areas from the top. Walking down the mountain on the road that the Romans built. I was awestruck. There were so many moments during the trip that I just couldn't believe I was hiking in such a beautiful country.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Isabelle was absolutely incredible. She made the entire trip. She was friendly, personable and told such wonderful stories about the region. I loved that she joined us for dinner a few of the nights and was always pulling goodies and bits of information out of her bag. She made sure that everyone was taken care of and did research for us on transportation, sites, etc in the evening after she went home.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you are making your own travel arrangements be sure to coordinate them with the group that is coming from the U.K. Otherwise you will have to take a cab, which is very expensive at about $150 euros or take a bus which can be a little confusing and inconvenient if you don't know the area. People in the local villages may speak a little French but not as much as if you were in Paris or another tourist area. As a single woman traveling alone, I felt very safe.

Tony Wright

Reviewed September 2017

Magic Markha Valley

The Markha Valley Trek was a truly memorable experience. The landscape, wildlife and vegetation, the light, the culture and peaceful atmosphere of Ladakh are unforgettable and we were fortunate to experience it ‘up close’. The trek was superbly organised, with expert and supportive leadership from Valerie Parkinson. The camping experience was great and the local team was full of joy and very competent. We were very well looked after! I enjoyed the excellent company of my fellow trekkers and appreciated the way in which some of the more challenging sections of the trek were paced and supported. As well as the trek, there were excellent visits to monasteries, and good accommodation in Leh and Delhi. 2 weeks felt like 2 months – it was an intense and very satisfying experience all round. Thanks for everything.

Most Inspirational Moment

Many! Getting up to the top of the GandaLa Pass after struggling a bit with the altitude, and seeing the incredible view from the crest. Contrasts between summer crops and the utter barrenness of the mountains. Watching the sunset from the Old village at Markha. Visiting Thikse Monastery. All the opportunities to experience the culture and religion. Walking the final few kilometres down the valley to Shang Sudmdo in golden light surrounded by mountains of other-worldly colours.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Valerie is a truly superb group leader. She brings calm authority, care, respect, humour, a vast depth of expertise and local knowledge, and a calm that is both reassuring and authoritative. She has a great knowledge of group psychology too! I feel very fortunate to have been on a trek led by Valerie.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Carry boiled sweets or peppermints to suck on - helps to handle the dry air. If you want to take a lot of photos, take a power bank with plenty of capacity for recharging your camera, as well as a couple of extra batteries. I ran out on the last day of the trek despite having 3 batteries and a 6000 ma power bank!

Ian Lochhead

Reviewed September 2017

Walking in Tuscany

An absolutely fantastic week staying in a lovely Tuscan farmhouse with delicious home-cooked food. The walks were all very different but each was superb in it’s own way with breathtaking scenery. The local family who run the accommodation were all extremely friendly and welcoming people. Our guide Sara Bull was exceptional(see below) and we were lucky to experience almost an entire week of lovely warm/hot sunshine. Our group bonded straight away and this contributed greatly to the enjoyment of the holiday. The dog Elvis who accompanies the group on every walk is the fittest, friendliest & most loveable dog I’ve met.

Most Inspirational Moment

The entire trip was inspirational in view of the stunning scenery of the Garfagnana region however the highlight would probably be summiting one of the highest peaks in the region, Monte Sumbra, on a beautiful warm day with perfect visibility. The views from the top were simply breathtaking.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Where to begin when describing Sara Bull! I first did this trip 9 years ago and Sara was also the guide then and was outstanding-nothing has changed in that time. Sara is everything you would want in a guide-friendly, sociable, vastly experienced & knowledgeable, organised, attentive and basically great fun to be with. She contributed massively to my enjoyment of the holiday. Sara quite obviously loves her job and goes the extra few miles to make sure every person has the best possible week's holiday.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for all weather conditions. Although we were lucky to experience brilliant weather most of the week the weather can change very quickly in the region-rain jackets and sunscreen required! Also-make sure you're fitness is at a good level. The main advice would be if you are thinking about booking this holiday then definitely do it-you will not regret it!

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