Most Inspirational Moment
Messene and Meteroa.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Maria was a very well informed guide, always happy to answer questions.
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
Ancient Greece and more
Well organised trip taking in the well known sites like Delphi and Olympia with lesser known gems.
Amazing places
The itinerary was very well done – each day brought something new and interesting to see and do.
Most Inspirational Moment
The Jenny Lake walk on the first day Wolf-tracking with Kyle - Lamar Valley, Tower Fall Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone walk The day we saw The Fountain Pain Pots, Grand Prismatic Spring, and Old Faithful area. Two Medicine Lake walk in The Glacier
Thoughts on Group Leader
A bundle of positive energy, a caring leader, who knows how to adapt the tour to everyone’s abilities. She explained everything clearly in advance so everybody knew where we were going and which were the options for walks, meals, hotels, restaurants, etc. The planting was very well done, the atmosphere was relaxed and everybody enjoyed the trip. She was happy to help anyone with all small or bigger personal problems that occurred during the trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
in the notes, it should be mentioned that Great Fall Airport is far from the last location of the tour
Living the African bush rather than just seeing it
This was a very immersive experience and we loved every minute.
Most Inspirational Moment
The buffalo stampede to the waterhole at dusk; elephants 'visiting' the carcass of an elephant killed the night before by a pride of lions; hyena suckling her young; pack of wild dogs;
Thoughts on Group Leader
Kenny was our group leader, ably assisted by Mello, Timoth and Yetu. Kenny could be a bit abrupt at times but was extremely knowledgeable and very organised. Superb cooking by Mello and vegetarians weren't an after thought as is often the case; Timoth and Yetu were quiet but very hard working and very appreciative of assistance with packing up the tents and washing up.
Advice for Potential Travellers
You have to be comfortable with being dirty and as a previous traveller said, putting on clean clothes is just not worth it so you'll probably not need as many clothes as you take. We were able to do some laundry in Victoria Falls. We were advised to take USD but in Botswana, it is better to have Pula. We were taken straight from the airport to a foreign exchange bureau and then had to change the USD that we'd brought with us, into Pula. For Zimbabwe, you can do everything in USD. For optional extras, we did the helicopter ride over the Okavango Delta (USD 280), the night time safari with dinner in the Zambezi national park ($140 in total) and the late afternoon boat ride on the Chobe River from Kasane (roughly $45 but payable in Pula). We would recommend all 3. The one thing that we all didn't like, was the tipping. If we had followed our interpretation of the guidelines in the Exodus notes (does per person mean per traveller or per member of crew?), we (a couple) would have ended up paying over$550 in tips which we feel is excessive. Other travellers in our group had different ideas and there were a number of discussions about how much we should tip which made us all feel uncomfortable. If such a large tip is expected, then I would argue that the staff are not paid enough. For the mokoro polers, give all tips to your group leader for distribution.
Some good some bad…
Some parts of this trip were great. But like the previous reviewer the accommodation on the boat really let it down. The ppl in the cabins had a much better time as they were able to sleep. I read the trip notes and understood it to be shared bunk rooms with communal bathrooms. But it’s double cabins that have private bathrooms. No shared facilities, no where to store your stuff and sleeping on the deck was ok until the boat moved both nights (around 1am – 5am). Making it incredibly noisy, windy and cold on deck. If I understood this I doubt I would of booked this trip.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Elly was a great group leader
Advice for Potential Travellers
Leeches… in Sumatra even though I was wearing walking shoes, trousers and socks they still got me. I would take gaiters or thicker socks next time.
A truly mind blowing experience!
We went on this tour in September 2024, and really did have the most unbelievable time.
Each day brought something new and exciting, from hearing Hyenas while trying to sleep, to having Elephants walk just past camp.
Most Inspirational Moment
Sunset on the salt pan was amazing! The chef, Mike, put on a bbq of Steaks and Boerewors for us, which we enjoyed just as the sun disappeared, and the stars started showing. Brian then spent time teaching us about the stars (using the worlds brightest laser pen) which was so informative!
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had 4 guys who looked after us on this tour - Brian, Mike, Timoth and Moeti. They were all amazing, and so helpful throughout the two weeks. Brian himself basically becomes everyone’s favourite person, he’s so well informed on just about everything, and does his best to make sure you get to experience Botswana in the best way possible.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared to be uncomfortable, some drives are very long (although broken up the frequent wildlife spotting). When at the wild campsites there is quite a long break between the morning drive finishing and the afternoon drive starting. We found this to be quite tough, as it can get very hot! So make sure when Brian says to buy supplies, get some soft drinks alongside the beers, to make the day a bit easier! Having read a previous review I decided to take a trail cam along with me, and after a few nights of not getting too much action, I managed to capture a Hyena sniffing around the camp fire! So definitely worthwhile bringing one along if you’re interested!
Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride
Excellent trip despite hurricane-like weather. Our team – Dinish, Theresa and Lionel kept everything moving along safely and timely and kept us motivated and encouraged in spite of weather. They worked together navigating difficult conditions and unexpected events – fallen trees on path. It was an adventure that I won’t soon forget!
Most Inspirational Moment
Riding together in storms and seeing Lionel ahead waiting to offer assistance.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent- knowledgeable and passionate about his country and his work.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Check weather before leaving and pack enough gear to be ready. Also, more hilly than I expected so consider e-bike if uncertain. You won’t be sorry!
Not up to Exodus standards
This was my 5th trip with Exodus and the first time I left feeling unsatisfied. The cost of the trip seemed excessive for what we received. The hotels were not great and food was uninspiring – we passed through lots of lovely little towns and villages and yet on 2 particular occasions stopped in less desirable places for lunch at an odd American styled bar and a buffet style cafe on a busy road. We stayed in masserias two nights instead of one which meant two nights of nothing to do in the afternoon / evenings. People in the hotels and restaurants were very unfriendly and rude. The leader was ok but did nothing above the basics. We had 10 people on e-bikes which in my opinion was way too many as most were inexperienced cyclists.
Most Inspirational Moment
The ride along the coast was beautiful. The Adriatic Sea was absolutely gorgeous. Matera was fascinating and beautiful, especially at night.
Thoughts on Group Leader
In my past tours with Exodus, the leaders have been amazing, going above and beyond. At each town we stayed at, there would be a planned meeting time after the ride where the leader would take us into town, show us the sights and then do a group dinner at a lovely restaurant. The guide on this tour did not do that. Other than the first night and the last night, where all he did was offer to walk people to the chosen restaurant, we were left to our own devices and never saw our guide until the next morning. He made very little effort to mingle or be part of the group. When we ended in Lecce, we were told there was a train strike. Apparently this has been announced in the media a few days prior but never communicated to us. Everyone in the group had to travel away from Lecce and most had planned to take the train. Very little assistance was offered by our guide, and his advice to me was to go sit at the train station and see what happens. Not helpful. One woman had pre-booked a transfer through exodus but we were told by our guide that it was a small car and there was no room for us to join. We were later advised by the woman that it was in fact a 7 seater van and that her and the guide were the only occupants. We ended up having to pay €350 for a private transfer to insure we made our flight.
Advice for Potential Travellers
It was VERY windy during our rides which made them far more difficult than they should have been. Be prepared for that if you go in October as apparently this is normal. When you ride on the coast, bring your swim suit and swim at the beautiful spots on the breaks as the towns you stay in do not have nearly as beautiful swim spots, despite what you may be told.
Pure magic
I’ve wanted to visit Japan for many years, and this more than lived up to expectations. There were times that I felt overwhelmed (Tokyo), and times that I was walking in the woods. A nice mix of free time and structured tours.
Most Inspirational Moment
Philospher's Walk in Kyoto
Thoughts on Group Leader
Gary was excellent. Very thoughtful and well organized.
Advice for Potential Travellers
This is all done by public transit, which is easy and efficient. But there tend to be a lot of stairs, you need to be on time, and you should pack lightly. Do not bother with a bathing suit -- onsens don't allow them.
Sri Lanka, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean!
This action-packed cultural trip ticked every box imaginable for me. We saw incredible wildlife including leopards, water buffaloes and caimans on game drives in Yala National Park. We got the chance to taste the famous tea in lush tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya and find out more about the process from leaf to cup. The group also got to see fire-dancing performances in Kandy one evening, which gave us a real insight into the country’s fascinating customs and traditions. The hotels on this trip are also incredible – we were lucky enough to have unobstructed views of Sigiriya Rock from Hotel Sigiriya and breathtaking sunset views overlooking the lush islands in Giritale. The last hotel, Hotel Cinnamon Red, also had a brilliant affinity pool – taking in the skyscrappers of Colombo! For the adventurous, this itinerary doesn’t disappoint either as you can go on whitewater rafting excursions, rural cycling trips and whale watching (in season). Visits to colourful temples, fresh fruit markets and the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home were other cultural pitstops that gave you a real flavour of what the country was like. Once I arrived home, I wanted to do it all over again. It was an incredible trip with a great group of people that I’ll treasure forever.
Most Inspirational Moment
It had to be when we arrived at the Giritale Hotel - the views blew me away. The open-air lounge was the perfect place for a sundowner. The group got together to watch the sunset with a couple of lion beers and we got the pleasure of watching purple-faced langurs running around with their babies clinging to their bellies as they rummaged through the shrubbery a stone's throw away from where we were sitting. It was incredible watching the sun go down behind the lush islands, and watching the monkeys scurry around - I've never been in a hotel like it!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Roshan was an incredible leader - he's worked for over 20 years as an Exodus expert guide, so his local knowledge and experience was second to none! He was approachable, friendly and informative - everything a great leader should be, I couldn't recommend him enough. He really enhanced the group's experience and it was such a great trip that we'll all remember forever - thanks for everything Roshan!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring temple socks for hot days, when you need to remove your shoes to walk around the temples - they were really useful!
Fantastic Trip
Spent a great week walking in Sierra de Aitana. The walks were challenging but well worth the effort. The views from the summits were spectacular. Jose was a great guide and as he was local he was so knowledgeable about the area and passionate about his country. He made us lovely sandwiches for lunch and we also had pasta one day. Jose’s mother made little cotton lunch bags for us to use for the week – a nice touch. The accommodation was more than I expected – clean, good breakfasts and a lovely 3 course meal with wine in the evening. The drinks are very reasonably priced. There was a room set aside for Exodus and coffee, tea, milk and biscuits were provided. Raquel and Pepe who ran the hostel were a joy! Jose’s dog Bobi joined us on our last 2 walks. So friendly and well behaved. It was also nice to meet Sara.
Most Inspirational Moment
I loved all the walks, there was something different every day but I really enjoyed the Simas Limestone fissures and scaling Aitana Peak.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jose was lovely, funny, kind, approachable and safe. We had a briefing every day about the next days walk so we knew what to expect
Advice for Potential Travellers
Mosquitoes! Make sure you have a good repellent. Study boots/walking shoes as lots of scree. If you use walking poles bring them. Plenty of water bottles or water reservoir - the hostels tap water was drinkable. My trip was in October and the sea was still quite warm so you may wish to bring your swims as Jose took us to Villajoysa after one of the walks.