Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved walking the streets of Ephesus - that was amazing! Turkey has so much to offer - and I was so pleasantly surprised with the well preserved ruins (eg. Ephesus, the Caravanserai, Aphrodisias and more) and villages.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Tour guide was very informative - the local knowledge was really appreciated.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There are some long drives - some days around 6 hours over a day - but these were often broken up with points of interest along the way.  Long drives were definately worth it to see some amazing sites! This tour tends to attract an older crowd, so perhaps bear this in mind if you're wanting to travel in a group with a younger average age.

Suggestions

I have been on a number of Exodus tours and have always been happy with the tour itinerary, the guides and the quality of the accommodation.

Most Inspirational Moment

On the top of Puig Campana on the last day - towering over Benidorm and the Med - warm sun and yet early February - a terrific achievement!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was ideal - local; passionate about the area; excellent command of English; very good with people; an excellent organiser... what more do we want?

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is a strenuous week. The mountains are rocky and steep and the distances about 12 miles most days. We managed (and we are in our 70s) but we could not have done much more.

Suggestions

I have rarely (if ever) had a holiday with such lovely food. It was all really good country fare, and the dietary requirements of a few of the group were handled well. The three small hotels in different villages were all lovely.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Ngorongoro Crater is a must see. Stunning national park with lots of game. Zanzibar is also well worth a visit. Amazing beaches & lots of interesting things in and around Stone Town. Going on a spice tour is highly recommended. Camping in the middle of the Serengeti was also a unique experience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Linda, Emias & Leo were great and really looked after us. Linda especially was very experienced, knowledgeable and took everything in her stride when things went a bit wrong. One of the best crews I have travelled with.  

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for some early starts, cold nights & long drives as the roads are not great. You also do not need to bring a sleeping mat as these are provided. 

Most Inspirational Moment

Petra at night. Walking to the High Place of Petra. Meeting the Bedouins and discovering that many of them look like Johnny Depp! Climbing the sand dune in Wadi Rum and running back down it. The silence of the desert at Wadi Rum.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Khaled Al Omar was a brilliant leader. Full of warmth and humour and very knowledgeable and passionate about his country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack light. Take earplugs as some of the hotels are quite noisy. Some mobile phones were unable to make calls and texts were not received/sent. Best to buy a local SIM card. In Wadi Rum, if it rains (yes, it does rain in the desert!), don't put your bedding out until it stops - ours got wet. Take a walk in the desert and enjoy the silence.All the hotels had hairdryers so it's not necessary to take one. Take sandals for the Dead Sea swim as the salt crystals are quite sharp  and can cut your feet.

Most Inspirational Moment

'End of the World view' after walking up to the monastry at Petra. Stunning mountain scenery. Some delicious Jordanian evening meals - especially all those mezze starters.The treasury at Petra which was almost deserted except for our group (an advantage of going in February).Scenery (and echoes) at Wadi Rum day and night.Running down sand dunes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Brilliant. Excellent people skills, very organised and knowledgable with a great sense of humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

For those going in February take warm layers of clothing!

Most Inspirational Moment

Dobbiaco is a beautiful location. We had perfect weather, warm clear sky and wonderful views of the mountains. Cross country skiing, in my view, is not just about technique and speed but about exploring the countryside in winter. Each say was dfferent, frozen lakes, secluded valleys, open meadows and always the magestic dolomites to take your breath away, ( what was left of it anyway).  My greatest thrill was skiing down a long open meadow and being in complete control of my skis, my speed and having time to look down the beautiful valley as it openned out below me. I knew then that I could ski cross country. The enjoyable aspect of Dobbiaco is that you are never far from a lodge or refuge that serves wonderful hot chocolate, apple struddle and a host of other things to keep you weight on the snow. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

There were two leaders for each of the groups. My leader was David Davis. He was a very good coach. He made learning fun and encouraged each slight improvement. The group was diverse in age and in expectations of the holiday and he managed this extremely well. There were always options to have a shorter day and a bigger lunch. On a number of occassions he skied wth me a gave me very practical tips which actually worked. Both he and Albert the second leader  ensured that we got the most out of our holiday as well as having fun in the evening.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Dobbiaco is a a great location for all grades of cross country skiing . I have expereince of these holidays in Aaustria, France and Sweden and for me this was the right place to learn and to become more confident and competant. There is a great vaiety of terrain around Dobbiaco as a many convenient stops for your creature comforts. The rail and bus services are excellent and so having a shorter day if you become tired is always an option. The hotel is warm and friendly but watch out fot the five courses at dinner.

Suggestions

A big thank you to Albert and David who made skiing challenging and fun and the holiday a great experience.

Most Inspirational Moment

1 Getting through the trecking without injury or blisters2 The craic round the campfire3 Chillling in style on the houseboat

Thoughts on Group Leader

I was initally sceptical as he did not walk with us and seemed quite remote from us. However as the trip wore on and I had discovered a complete inability to order and receive a cup of tea within two hours (delivered to me at my table - not someone else's bedroom!), I realised he was nothing short of a miracle worker in getting buses, hotels, porters etc to perform correctly and on time. Respect!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just do it!

Most Inspirational Moment

The Hot air Baloon ride over the Serengetti. (thoroughly recommended)   Seeing all those beautiful animals in their natural habitat

Thoughts on Group Leader

Linda was a tough lady, very good at sorting out problems.  An excellent driver

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a really good camera if you can and a three season sleeping bag.  If was pretty cold some nights

Suggestions

Its a bit tough packing up your tents in the dark at 4.30 a.m. but well worth it.   Boarding the shuttle ferry for the ferry to Zanzibar was horrendus, I felt I miight be crushed to death at one point.  However I loved the holiday and the food while camping was excellent.

Most Inspirational Moment

The last few kilometers, when I finally managed to skate for significant distances without falling over!  In scenery terms, every day was outstanding.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both Albert and David were excellent.  Considerate of peoples' capabilities they took everyone on great outings.  They were very knowledgeable of the locality and providied excellent information.  They both contributed to a most enjoyable and sociable week.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Consider travelling by rail or take your own food for the flight.

Suggestions

I really enjoyed the region, not having been to the Dolomites before.  Would be tempted to combine X-country and Downhill skiing another time.

Most Inspirational Moment

Impossible to restrict to one moment - seeing jaguars swimming the canal in front of our boat, spending over an hour watching the elusive male quetzal, seeing a tree full of scarlet macaw, being entertained by primary school children (a first for the school), visiting an organic farm and enjoying fruits of the farm for lunch (including a glass of local rum) ...........................

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rafael was abosultely fantastic.  He has a really good sense of humour and had excellent interaction with both the members of our group and our bus driver/boat driver.  He is passionate about Costa Rica - its history, culture, nature etc and is very keen to pass this on to the group.  His knowledge about birds and plants was excellent and he was a great spotter.  He even managed to add a few little extras to the trip to give us a more comprehensive feel for the country.  Our driver Francisco was also amazing - also a very good bird/animal spotter and also interacted very well with the group (family as he called us).  

Advice for Potential Travellers

The temperature at night in Savegre is quite cool so make sure you have some warmer clothing.  Washing and drying clothese was relatively easy so no need to over-burden the suitcase.  Have plenty of memory for the camera you'll be taking a lot of photos! 

Suggestions

If you love birds then this is the holiday for you.  But it is more than that - there are animals in abundance, exotic plants, culture, history, coffee production, swimming and more.