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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14484 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Hannah Gray

Reviewed August 2016

Good variety of activities in a beautiful setting

This trip has a good variety of everything – hiking, bears and sight-seeing. Overall we really enjoyed this trip and it’s opened my eyes to Romania, particularly Transylvania, as a holiday destination.

Most Inspirational Moment

You will want to go on the optional bear hide trip (40 euros) as this is a highlight; you won't see bears on the hikes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide was very knowledgeable about local history, flora and fauna and most of the time put in plenty of stops to keep the group together.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Things I didn't pick up from the trip notes: - You have to pay the guesthouse in cash (Leu or euros) and there is a charge for WiFi and the sauna - Having some lei at the start of the trip is useful but not essential; get small denominations if you can. Overall as a couple we spent 500 Leu and 100 euros. - Walking poles are useful for the slippery slopes. I borrowed some from the villa. - There is plenty of food; no need to bring any snacks. - You can drink the tap water at the villa. - A visit to the local pub is highly recommended. - Make sure you know how to turn off your flash AND your focussing light (red/green light) before going to the bear hide. (It might be called AF assist.) - The bird-watching doesn't have any chairs or shelter for an hour and a half; if you don't fancy this, we were given the option to stay in Brasov instead.

Cheryl Hoyle

Reviewed August 2016

Cycle Romania

Overall this was an excellent trip that was a perfect combination of great cycling and lots of cultural experiences and sites along the way.

Most Inspirational Moment

One of my favourite moments was our last 10 km or so of cycling. The cycling and roads seemed to get better and better each day throughout the week as we travelled to more remote areas. This particular road was not paved, but hardpacked gravel, so normally this wouldn’t be a favourite for me. But the lush, rolling countryside and the quiet road was so beautiful, it made up for it. Being our very last moments on the bikes, I didn’t want it to end. The most frequent traffic encountered on this road was horse drawn carts. Also, just as we always encounter with Exodus tours, our fellow travel mates were fun, interesting people that were a delight to travel with.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Raluca was an excellent guide and was the key to making the trip not just a cycling holiday but an opportunity to learn about Romania, its history, its people and making it a fun adventure that we will never forget. Raluca has such passion and conviction for Romania and to life in general that she is very inspiring. She also put her heart and soul into doing everything possible for us.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would recommend this trip to anyone who enjoys cycling. I can’t imagine a better way to visit Romania/Transylvania than a cycling tour with an excellent guide like Raluca.

Chris Huet

Reviewed August 2016

Tour du Mont Blanc Week (TWP)

Jenny was a patient competent leader. The terrain was amazing and fellow hikers a lot of fun.

Most Inspirational Moment

Loved the steep steady uphill climbs and enjoyed when we were given free rain to climb straight for 2 hours. Also loved the experience on the top of Mont Blanc on the optional day. would love to go back to hike the glacier and possibly learn to summit the top.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jenny was great and worked well with the variety of needs within the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you have a good cardio base before going as well as bring hiking poles. the downhills can be steep and long so will be hard on weak knees.

Susan Meehan

Reviewed August 2016

Mount Toukbal in the summer!

I was concerned about trekking in the Atlas Mountains during summer as I am not very good in the heat! It was very hot but I drank bottle-fuls of water to keep me hydrated. My heart was overworked at times but I managed to complete all the walking plus the optional extras. I was delighted! You do have to love walking to do this trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

Being able to reach the summit of Mount Toukbal with most of the group after a gruelling walk up on a beautiful afternoon was sensational. The sky was deep blue and the views were tremendous.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan was a fabulous leader whose primary concern was for the group as a whole. He runs a tight ship and his approach is meticulous. He inspired confidence right from the start.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We did a lot of walking - about 7 hours each day. On two days we did quite a bit less than this though had a choice of doing optional/extra walks. It is a great idea to take water purification tablets as we had access to water (provided in a jerry can) at lunch and dinner times and could fill up easily and regularly. Drinking tube attachments which you can fit on to water bottles are a great idea as it will ensure that you can continue drinking and hydrating while walking.

Anthony Houlihan

Reviewed August 2016

Cuba Cycling in August!

If you want to see Cuba ‘as it is’ rather than through a windscreen, cycling is the only way to do it!
Each day takes you to a different location to find and experience different aspects of life in Cuba.
The cycling side of things isn’t too onerous if you are a regular cyclist, averaging 40 to 50 miles a day at most. There were a couple of ‘hilly’ days, where the total climb was in the region of 2500 to 3000 feet, but most days the rides were fairly flat. A little hill climbing practice may be a good idea if your biggest hill is normally a railway bridge!

Most Inspirational Moment

The single most inspirational part of the trip was in Havana on the first day of cycling. As we rode through a suburb of the city, I saw a group of lads cross the road ahead of our group (15 plus ride leader). They ran up the line of cyclists cheering and 'High Fiving' us as we passed by. This set the tone for the rest of the tour: we were greeted cheerfully wherever we went, by young and old alike. Kids standing in their gardens, farmers ploughing their fields, even a gang of workmen erecting overhead power lines, all stopped and said Ola as we cycled past.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader (Maurice Galvez) was probably the best your leader I've had the pleasure to accompany, ever! He explained everything in detail, helped us when help was needed and sorted out problems with an ease that belied the complexity of it. All in all, an utterly reliable and charming leader and tour guide.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Heat: August is really hot and humid - drink lots of water and pop a few canisters of soluble sports hydration tablets in your luggage to maintain your electrolyte levels. Hydration tablets are unobtainable in Cuba, so take enough for the duration, working on 4 tabs a day! (Dioralyte performs much the same function, but tastes horribly salty). Sun: Pack plenty of sport orientated (waterproof) Spf50 sun screen in your luggage. I didn't and suffered! Drugs: A couple of packs of Immodium or similar anti diahorrhoea tablets are essential, everyone (bar one) got the trots during the fortnight. Nobody knows why, it didn't follow any particular pattern, it may have been a dodgy ice cube, or the heat, or poor hygiene standards in kitchens, who knows? Money: Allow a minimum of 30 to 50 CUCs per person per day for incidental expenses - not every meal is included in the tour and you'll need some for tips and optional trips too. There are very few ATMs in Cuba and fewer still that work and fewer still that have an English language option to guide you. Change your cash early and make sure that you have enough for the next few days! Pollution: Virtually no vehicles in Cuba have clean emissions. Most are remarkably smoky. Be prepared!

Lucie Oakley

Reviewed August 2016

A great mix of the old and new in Uzbekistan

A fascinating tour along the Silk Road seeing all the fabulous architecture, mixed with activities which were relaxing and interesting. This is a leisurely tour, a couple of early starts and a few long drives but nothing too onerous. Good to have some free time to explore places. We had an expert guide, helpful and friendly and quietly smoothing our path – perfect!

Most Inspirational Moment

So many good moments....the wonderful architecture (which is largely reconstructed but finding out more about its history over the years was fascinating); the people - so friendly and keen to engage with us, welcoming and open; watching the sunset in the desert camp; swimming in the lake in the sun; watching local bread being cooked in an oven in the market, then eating it; trying nuts and roasted apricot kernels in the market; going to the hammam - amazing! The food - so delicious after all the dire warnings for veggies - I'm a veggie and the salads are wonderful.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Olympics? Dilshod deserves a medal - he is very knowledgeable about the history, economy, religion etc of his nation, but for me it was his personal experience in his own lifetime of Uzbekistan's recent past that was so vivid. We stopped off at a cotton field one day so he could explain how it's grown and how to pick the buds. He organised dinners for us, ordered ahead when we were running late, sorted the bills, stopped at ice-cream shops when we asked(!) and explained everything with patience and good humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go! It's amazing - the architecture is breathtaking and the people are really friendly. Whether you are a vegetarian or not, the salads and the breads are really tasty. Cover up for mosques as per the trip notes - the guide is always very clear about what to wear and when (it's not a major issue, just respect the dress code). Take your cossie! It really is worth swimming in the lake - a unique experience.

Neil Neumann

Reviewed August 2016

Cycle the Baltics

Cycled and toured with a great group of travelers. Despite the occasional rain and cold, we managed to see quite a bit and explore new places. The accommodations were conveniently located to important places of interest and restaurants; liked the fact that we stayed in almost all the hotels for at least two consecutive nights.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting the Vilnius Jewish ghetto and synagogue and imagining how life was during the war.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Lukas was attentive to all our needs and very knowledgeable about the places we visited. He always addressed our concerns promptly and appropriately. He just needs to relax more!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Keep a close eye on the weather reports and pack accordingly.

John Cooper

Reviewed August 2016

TMB Highlights

Excellent trip with stunning scenery on every day and outstanding cooking.

Most Inspirational Moment

Looking back along the Val de Feret towards Mont Blanc and the Grande Jorasse sipping delicious hot chocolate at the Bonatti refuge.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Mark was a skilled and very personable professional guide.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The 5 walks are correctly graded but you need to be reasonably fit, as there is a lot of ascent and descent in hot weather..

Jan Wood

Reviewed August 2016

Cycle Romania

Overall this was a very enjoyable trip and one I would highly recommend for people who want a more varied and challenging experience than would be typically offered by a “coach tour” style of holiday. The cycling was generally easy going with the odd hill and the scenery was always beautiful.

Most Inspirational Moment

The contrasts of the trip are incredible. From waking up in a guest house with chickens, cats and dogs running around in the yard, and cows wandering down the main street, to the luxury of a modern hotel in beautiful Bucharest all in one day makes you realise what an wonderful diverse country Romania is.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Raluca was our excellent group leader. Always at the back of the group on her bike, carrying supplies and spares, making sure no one got lost or left behind. She was always there to help out and instruct us in our regular briefings and give us snacks at our regroupments. Her knowledge and passion for her country was infectious and I know everyone finished the trip with a greater understanding of the country and its friendly people. She really is a credit to her country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Leave behind any preconceived ideas about the country and its people. This really is a beautiful place to visit with courteous and friendly people everywhere.

Doug Hoyle

Reviewed August 2016

Cycling in Transylvania

This trip gives you the ability to time travel. Starting in modern Bucharest, which has architecture and a street plan that made it worthy of the nickname ‘the little Paris’, then blighted by a communist period but is now gradually recovering. But the time travel really begins as the cycle tour winds its way on quiet country roads through peaceful villages which have some modern conveniences but otherwise haven’t changed much in a hundred years. At times it is hard to get used to the quiet, but then the silence is broken by a chorus of barking dogs in the distance and roosters crowing in the next farmyard. Much history is covered during this week, with daily sessions to explain the progression of the various peoples that have struggled over this strategically useful territory. We visited many Saxon fortified churches from the 14th century.

Most Inspirational Moment

Everyone knows the expression 'until the cows come home', but we saw it first hand. Many village homes keep a few cows in their back yard sheds. A local shepherd takes all the cows from the village to nearby hillside fields to graze, and at the end of the day, as they return through the main street, the cows of their own accord leave the herd and return to their respective homes for the night. Remarkable!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide, Raluca, is warm, cheerful, competent and very knowledgeable. She has a genuine passion to relate her country's ancient and recent history to the group. For this trip, she was the sole support during the rides (carrying tools and snacks), although we rode independently with set re-groupment points and vehicle support was on-call.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Romania is well worth seeing. The scenery is beautiful, the food is wholesome and fresh and the trip is excellent value. Bucharest is hot in the summer but the weather in Transylvania is pleasant.

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