Most Inspirational Moment
I am sorry but there were so many I couldn't chose a single one.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Not enough words to describe Sara, read the summary.
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
A holiday I will remember for years to come
This was my first trip with Exodus and I have to admit my experience during the booking wasn’t the best to start with. It was rather slow and inefficient, but I have sent Exodus some comments on this and I am sure they will take them on board. Also I spoke to other members of the group that have done many trips with Exodus and they have not experienced any problems, so I am inclined to think this was just a one off.
But that’s all the ‘bad over’ and truly the only niggling point. Other than that, I can honestly say it was one of the best holidays I have ever had.
I’ll try and break my feedback down but I’ll start with the guide in case you get tired of reading:
1. The guide – before I went I was surprised and bit intrigued by how many people mentioned this lady called ‘Sara’ and how lovely she was. I don’t think any of us can make justice in writing to who she really is. She is a phenomenal professional, a bundle of enthusiasm and energy and a tremendous human being. One of the most inspiring people I have ever met. And her dog ‘Elvis’ is a legend you have to meet!
With all my respect to Exodus and whatever they do in the office, 90% of your trip experience is the guide. They have the ability to make or break a trip and I can only say, this lady made for all of us a memorable trip that I am sure we will remember for years to come.
2. Experience required – being new to this, I wasn’t sure if the information was exaggerated in terms of fitness or not. Reading back, I think it was spot on, so read carefully the description. Yes there are some climbs that get you a bit out of breath, but all in all it is a manageable pace and Sara was awesome at managing the pace and breaks. Also pay attention to the equipment you need, it was also spot on. For example don’t think trainers and jeans will do, because they will not.
3. Accommodation – not flashy or luxurious in the traditional sense, but really warm, cosy, welcoming. In all honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. To me this place “is” luxury, not fancy hotels with useless toiletries but that’s personal opinion. The family is lovely, the setting is incredible and I’d rather stay here than anywhere else. The food was great and plentiful. So, perfect really.
4. The area and walking – a hidden gem of incredible beauty. Some of the views really take your breath away. Still not very developed in terms of tourism which makes it truly special. On the day off most of us went to Lucca and it really is worth a visit. The trip in general has a really good balance between seeing small villages/cities and different walks.
All in all, if you have any doubts about this trip, book it. Go and I seriously doubt you’ll regret it. Sorry for the lengthy of the review, but hopefully it will help.
High Peaks of Bulgaria, August 2017
This was my first group walking holiday and I am pleased to say it exceeded my expectations. The itinerary for the trip is excellent, including a couple of peaks I knew I wanted to visit (Vihren and Musala) and several other walks I would probably not have stumbled across and which were all really enjoyable. The walk up Malyovitsa was a particular highlight, and the preceding day crossing the Rila mountains was also stunning. Overall there was a nice variety of scenery and types of walking (forests, lakes, valleys, ridges, plateaux) and a nice ‘flow’ to the week’s itinerary as we moved from one area to the next. I enjoyed not having to think about logistics and simply enjoy the walking and the company of the group. The hotels were all very pleasant and we were very lucky with some superb weather too!
Most Inspirational Moment
It's hard to pick one single highlight but the views from the summits of Vihren and Malyovitsa were superb.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Vladimir was a truly excellent guide - unwaveringly enthusiastic, sociable, and knowledgeable!
Already Planning my Return with Exodus
Have you ever connected so deeply with a country, you couldn’t put it into words? That’s how I felt about Bosnia and Herzegovina. As an avid traveler, it’s one of the few places with which I felt a bond this strong. Perhaps that’s due to the nature of this tour — you get a taste of various cities across the country, experiencing different energies and landscapes along the way. The one thing that remained consistent was the beautiful people and invigorating culture. Of course, the focus of this trip is the outdoors. I was happy to see the level of difficulty exceeded my expectations; it was more hiking and climbing (and even included a surprise via ferrata route!) than scenic “strolling” which is what I had envisioned — still, it’s fit for those who only hike occasionally. Overall, the trip was a nice balance of active/offbeat adventure (the majority) and opportunities to soak up the culture.
Most Inspirational Moment
During our time in Sarajevo, before our trek to Lukomir, we hiked to that top of a mountain that played a role in the Bosnian War. Our guides were both children at the time of the war, and shared their stories with us -- not negatively, but in an inspiring, positive tone. It was something we needed to hear, from a locals' perspective, to fully grasp the past and understand the present... how it all started, what life was like during the time, how it ended and how far they've overcome and continue to grow from it. It was a powerful, emotional and beautiful moment.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader, Eldar, was a perfect leader. He established an open foundation for communication early on, which was a nice ice breaker for the group. He's fun, humorous, caring and accommodating ... the list goes on. His assistant, Nedim, also contributed to our group's incredible experience -- they're personalities meshed really well together; by the end of the trip, we all felt like family.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring sleeping pills to knock you out the first few days -- the beginning of the trip is the most active/exhausting. You'd think all the hiking/climbing would wear you out, but a few of us actually found it to raise our adrenaline and keep us up at night!
Amalfi Experience
A super trip to experience many different features of the Amalfi coast ranging from its mountain villages and history down to its fashionable resorts – a real contrast.
Most Inspirational Moment
The 'Walk of the Gods' gave a real taste of rural life in remote communities coupled with absolutely stunning views of the coast from on high making the clash with the hustle and tourist Mecca of Positano all the greater. The scheduled visit to Herculaneum and Vesuvius made the trip to Pompeii on the free day all the more relevant and well worth doing.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Severio was charm itself, helpful and concerned for all, he took real care of the group and was an excellent guide.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be aware that in August whilst Italy can be very hot, with sensible precautions it is perfectly manageable. The village of Bomerano has basic shopping facilities along with some nice restaurants and cafes in the square but allow for the fact that the afternoon siesta is rigorously adhered to as far as the shops are concerned. On the day of departure you will not leave until 4.00pm so plan to do something with the time available; a leisurely coffee/lunch is well and good but allow time to walk up to the forest viewing platform overlooking the coast, it is signposted from the main car park in the village and involves a 1 km walk but absolutely worth it and a circular walk on minor roads will bring you back into the village by the hotel.
Magical From Start To Finish
Every day on this trip was like a dream come true. Over the two weeks we saw over 100 different wildlife species.
Most Inspirational Moment
One of my highlights was watching a herd of female elephants and their calves run towards a watering hole to join the males who were already there. The 30 or so elephants drank, bathed and sprayed themselves with water with obvious joy. Seeing this close up felt like a real privilege. But every single day brought new delights, from seeing a white rhino and her two daughters during a walking safari and enjoying the polers' harmonious singing around the campfire to seeing a wide range of gloriously coloured birds, San rock art and rich sunsets.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our tour leaders, Mira and Marco, were outstanding, enthusiastically sharing their knowledge with us about both countries and their wildlife. They were unfailingly hard-working and well-organised, as well as being great cooks, conjuring up a variety of delicious meals on basic equipment. Their love of their jobs constantly shone through. The guides in the national parks were equally passionate about their subjects and always committed to giving us the best experience. I suggest that you take more money with you for tipping than is suggested in the trip notes, as you will almost certainly want to reward the outstanding service that you receive throughout your trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Of the optional activities on offer, I recommend the flight over the Delta (120 US $) to get a sense of the Delta's vastness. And in Victoria Falls I wholeheartedly recommend the lion cub interaction (75 US $). This chance to stroke and walk with lion cubs is part of a conservation project and an incredibly special experience. I felt totally safe throughout the experience and given that the 'cubs' were 22 months old, that's really saying something! The Zambezi dinner cruise (78 US $) is also definitely worth doing: a delicious five course meal, watching an elephant on the bank and hippos in the river, bathed in the warm, golden light of the setting sun. It really did feel as if life could not get any better.
Reply from Exodus
We would like to thank Debra for her review, and we are delighted to hear that she had a wonderful trip. We really appreciate direct recommendations from our clients for specific optional activities, however, we would discourage people from taking part in the lion cub activity in Victoria Falls. Animal welfare is an important part of the Exodus Responsible Travel policy; and there are a lot of unanswered questions about this activity (and other similar activities in Zimbabwe) and about the extent of how ethical they are. We would therefore advise against people taking part in this particular activity or if they choose to, consider the potential issues surrounding these activities.
Tom Harari – Product Manager for Botswana and Zimbabwe
Fantastic Inca Trail
This is a fantastic trip, it was well organised from start to finish, some of us were a day late arriving in Cuzco due a disruptive passenger having to be taking off the flight in an unscheduled stop, but the staff in London were really good at rearranging flights and keeping up to date with what was going on by email. Julio, the guide, was on hand at the hotel when we arrived to give us a tour of Cuzco in his own time, as we missed it the previous day. what made this trip really special was the other people on the trip, they were very friendly, and gave me lots of encouragement when walking up dead woman’s pass, I found the walks very hard, but with help and lot of encouragement from Julio i made it.
Most Inspirational Moment
All the trip was inspirational, the views were great, especial walking the cloud forest. but the highlight was arriving at the sun gate to over look Machu Picchu in the brilliant sunshine.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julio was a great leader, this was my 7th trip with exodus, and all my guides have been good, but Julio was a cut above the rest, he was friendly, easy going and nothing was to much trouble for him, and I don't think I would of finished the trek without his help and encouragement. His knowledge of the Incas and the Inca trail was excellent, I would also like to thank him for the football match that was played between the trekkers and staff, that was played at 3900m, it was great entertainment and every body enjoyed it. I would also like to thanks Rosa, the assistant guide, as I was slower than the rest of the group, i was normally at the back, it was nice to have Rosa to keep me company.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go for it !!! its a great week, but be prepared, I found it very hard with the heat and the altitude, but saying that I really enjoyed the trip
Great walks - outstanding chalet team
We got lucky with the weather and had 5 great walks showing off the stunning scenery in the Mont Blanc region. Chamonix itself is a beautiful town. Don’t miss the craft brewery and definitely do the parapenting!
Most Inspirational Moment
Every time we looked up and saw another aspect of Mont Blanc and its glaciers.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Marks knowledge of the region and his obvious passion for the outdoors made each walk more than just a scenery fest. Great sense of humour too!
Advice for Potential Travellers
The cable car to the Aguille Du Midi is an absolute must but listen to the advice from Rich about pre-booking. Apart from the craft beer, the food at the brewery is pretty good, cheap and plentiful - worth a try on your free day.
Amazon and Galapagos
Excellent wildlife, the snorkeling was amazing – turtles, sea lions and occasional (small) sharks.
Good guides.
Hectic with early starts and busy schedule.
Worst experience was having my bag with all my valuables stolen from the hotel lobby – although we were aware of steet crime we did expect to be safe within the hotel.
Most Inspirational Moment
Swimming with sea lios
Thoughts on Group Leader
Good - both of them
Advice for Potential Travellers
Never let go of your valuables
Definately a challenging cycle!
We signed up for this trip having done a few other cycle holidays and always finished feeling more cycling would have been good. Not so on this one! It’s certainly a challenging route, with many long hills and often some long climbs before you get to the start of the days longest climb! But the bikes are good, the roads are mostly in good condition, with very little traffic and we were very well looked after along the way. As always, cycling is the best way to see a country and this tour certainly gives you an insight into way of life in the Albanian countryside, how things are developing and a lovely few days in Macedonia too.
Most Inspirational Moment
A few moments of relief on reaching the top of some big climbs - and the time in Macedonia around Lake Ohrid, including visiting the old town (UNESCO site).
Thoughts on Group Leader
Vimo (maybe not the right spelling, sorry) was excellent. Managed the group really well, gave a good briefing about the next day each evening, set out meeting points so that people could cycle fairly large chunks at their own pace and was always on hand with snacks at the re-grouping point.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for some long tough climbs. If that's what you like and what you are expecting then you'll will have a great time! Do consider the impact the weather, particularly the heat, might have on your cycling and ability too when deciding to go. August in Albania is HOT!!
Tour Du Mont Blanc Hotel Trek
This was an excellent walking holiday, well paced, interesting interaction with fellow travellers & informative interludes from Ian our guide.
Most Inspirational Moment
The excellent weather giving us spectacular views of Mont Blanc
Thoughts on Group Leader
Ian was excellent , informative, interested in the individuals within the group & led well giving the group the appropriate amount of time to walk & have breaks.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If you are undertaking this trip the cable car from Italy op & then over to the Aiguille du midi was well worth the expense with a reduced rate for people over 65 if they ask.It is cheaper over all to go from this side & the travel across the massif was truly spectacular.