Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

I think the most inspirational moment for me was when I completed the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon.Also, a close second was when I reached the top of Angel's Landing in Zion. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

Charlie and Colin were just the GREATEST!   They were always coming up with little treats, and ideas for different things for us to do! 

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepaired to outdo yourself. It's surprising what you can do, when "encouraged"

Suggestions

I had done an RV tour of this area of the States with my family some years ago, but had to miss Yosemite. Also, I couldn't afford a helicopter trip over the Grand Canyon.  Having walked several trails in Yosemite I have seen what a wonderful place it is, especially in the Spring when the waterfalls are at their best.  I have also had my helicopter trip over the Grand Canyon, and even better....walked in the canyon!! THANKS EXODUS!!! 

Most Inspirational Moment

Watching the sunrise in the national parks. And watching the sunset in all of the national parks. AWESOME

Thoughts on Group Leader

 Our two leaders were inspirational.  They encouraged us to rise before the Sun so.that that we were packed up and ready to start our next adventure as the Sun  rose over the horizon.. The horizon was the edge of the worlds in Zion, Bryce,  Monument Valley,  and The Grand Canyon.  AWESOME

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you like the outdoors and all that it encompasses then this is the trip for you. It is AWESOME. 

Most Inspirational Moment

The breathtaking beauty of Natural Arch and the changing colours as the sun went down.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both leaders were friendly and helpful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for: very long journeys in a mini bus which is a tad too cosy. Camp sites that on occasion are a long way from the National Parks and the starts of the hikes, leaving less camp time to get ready or relax. Trolley dashes around supermarkets, shopping for food for meals at the camp site. Very poor facilities at some camp sites ie dribbly showers and cold water. Cold nights and mornings followed by hot days.

Suggestions

Some of the equipment provided was well used and didnt work ie sleeping mats that leaked, chipped 'crockery', odds and ends of cutlery, plastic beakers for cold drinks and also for hot drinks, which became soft and dangerous with the heat, tin openers that didn't work etc etcOverall, the National Parks and hiking were fantastic but the camping experience was very disappointing.I think that the itinerary was too ambitious for the time scale provided, but I m glad that I saw it all, including Hoover Dam which was not on the itinerary but an add on by popular request!

Most Inspirational Moment

The first view of Bryce Canyon did it for me-magic! But also Yosemite, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley and just about everywhere else on the trip was pretty special. Not forgetting the mini stops-Rachel, Nevada on the ET highway, near Area 51-prepare to be abducted, and Seligman, a little tourist town giving us kicks on the legendary, now defunct Route 66.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had 2 leaders on this trip-Jeannie and Whitney. Both were excellent company and lots of fun on their first trip as co-leaders. Did I mention well organised too? Ladies-well done, (and you never again need to be shocked by the amount of beer a bus full of Brits can get through.).

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do this trip. Long days driving, living in tents, shopping and cooking for the group, and ridiculously early mornings are more than compensated for by the scenery. The parks are beautiful, well maintained and litter free. Las Vegas at the end of the trip provides a wake up call and reminds you of the other side of America. Tacky in the extreme, and an amazing contrast.The only grumble  we have was the optional trip to Monument Valley. This was offered as "everybody does it or nobody" which puts unfair pressure on those travellers on a budget. The food and "entertainment" provided by the Navajo was nowhere near good enough. Exodus should do this extra as a drive through Monument Valley, and cut out the rest-the scenery was great but not worth an extra $100. As an extra thought, why not extend your benefitting local communities policy to the Navajo-they could do with some help in making this more enjoyable and professional, and they don't seem to get it from their government.Grumble over-loved the trip.

Suggestions

Br prepared to get stuck in to camp life to get the most from the trip. The trip notes say you are expected to shop/cook/clean so don't expect not to. Be prepared for some brilliant walks in beautiful places, but not all day every day. You can always opt in/out of any walks recommended by the leaders, who do not always walk with the group. We found having the autonomy to choose a good thing , as it allowed us to go where we wanted at our own pace.

Most Inspirational Moment

The scenery is stunning and seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time  took my breath away and put a huge smile on my face.  All of the  scenery up until Grand Canyon had been amazing and I was concerned that the big one would be a damp squib after Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, etc etc but it wasn't : )Sunset, Moonlit and Sunrise walks were FAB FAB FAB

Thoughts on Group Leader

Charles Knowlton and Ryan McCarty were not only competent and well organised they were great fun and such great guys (dudes).  Across San Francisco to the wilds of the desert then to Vegas they were enthusiastic, knowledgable and incredibly patient throughout. They added humour in our visit to the ET Highway and Rachel - hats at the Grand Canyon, enchantment in the moonlit walk in Canyonlands and entertainment at the campfires ....... As a company you should be proud to have such great people working for you - look after them.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Get your head around the participative camping and think whether it is for you...  I felt it enabled us to eat some great food and gelled the group (who were all such great folk too). Tte coffee needs to go on, food needs to be cooked and this is before/after busy and long days.  The group I travelled with embraced it and everyone worked together and it resulted in great meals - ably supervised by Charles (making sure we weren't all cooking pasta), shared chores and real communual spirit.The desert is HOT HOT HOT ..... was great to get up early to walk before the midday sun (and I'm not an early bird)

Suggestions

This trip provides an opportunity to view and experience the Awesome, jaw dropping sceenery in such gargantum proportions,.

Most Inspirational Moment

Well on return home I've been inspired to buy a dutch oven and fire pit and recreate campfire cooking in my back garden... but that probably was not what you had in mind!  Zion National Park was just lovely, an unexpected and delightful stop on the tour. The Grand Canyon is on everyone's must do list and didn't dissapoint, but on a personal note, seeing the sun rise over the Grand Canyon on my 40th birthday was pretty special.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rebecca and Mandy were fun and caring women.  They made it their business to ensure we had a good time, with lots of little extras like: visiting the best pie shop in Utah; wearing the grizzly bear hat to ensure we saw one; visiting the funniest milkshake stop on Route 66, getting us up early to avoid walking in the heat of the day and creating culinary masterpieces on the campfire.  But seriously women, you've gotta get 'viva las vegas' on the ipod for that final drive down the strip!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack insect repellent and have the quarters ready for the showers.

Suggestions

As an extra we went to Monument Valley instead of... well I can't even remember where we were supposed to be going!  Monument Valley is "awesome" (you'll hear that a lot) and I think deserves a place this tour... go on Exodus just add it on as standard.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were more than one inspirational moment on this trip. Nothing can prepare you for your first view of the Grand Canyon so don't be suprised if you feel a tear. I certainly shed some. There was a full moon walk through Cathedral Gorge, accompanied by the howls of coyote's and the best view I have had yet of the Milky Way or howabout the sunrise over Canyonlands National park, the imaginery land of Mordor made real. It was one of the many occassions on this trip that I used the word "awesome" and meant every syllable of it

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had the double act of Jessie AKA Jessie James and Tyler AKA Tyler Durden. Two knowledgeable but laid back individuals. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

There are some really long drives on this trip and there was less walking than I had anticipated.  This is not a trip for walking machines or those using this to come back a dress size smaller.

Suggestions

For me personally although I appreciate the opportunity to break up the walking with some of the extra excursions( 4x4 and rafting on the Colorado river) I think there should be more thought for those who may have saved hard to pay for the trip and just can not afford those extras.  I will say on my trip the guides did take us for a couple of hours to a stream that you could chill out in but with the proviso that we were back in time for the 4x4 people to get picked up.  With a bit of forward planning there might have been a walking  route that could be done without the guides that would have suited people who had chosen a 'walking' holiday better.