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Just returned from cycling Vietnam, what an excellent holiday we had. The group of 17 was expertly led by Linh Vo and a three person support team. The mountain bikes were in great condition and maintained each evening by the Mechanic ready for each day’s ride. The routes were generally flat and provided a great insight into life in Vietnam taking in all of the popular sights. The south of Vietnam is tropical and the weather was hot, so much so that the screen on my Garmin was burned by the sun when I left it outside for an hour, lesson learned. Linh planned the routes so that regular breaks for hydration were factored in which was appreciated by all. The driver waited ahead at each stop with chilled lime juice (really refreshing) and plenty of snacks, ensuring that everyone was adequately hydrated and fuelled. During the rides there was always a lead rider, typically Linh at the front and a guide at the rear of the group keeping an eye on the riders at the back. The hotels were good and food plentiful and varied with a couple of non-cycling days when we took in some snorkelling and kayaking. Special mention must go to our superb Tour Leader Linh who was simply amazing! He was always available and never ceased to ensure that everyone was looked after and restaurants and hotels were organised, even pitching in to serve food at stops. Early in the tour, my elderly mobile phone charging port failed leaving me without all the things we rely on them for. Linh organised for a replacement part to be sourced and a local repair which involved a good deal of additional work for him and was hugely appreciated. His enthusiasm for his country’s history is infectious and the information he provided covering everywhere we visited was really engaging. I loved hearing about Linh’s early days in a Buddhist Pergoda, his Father’s experiences during the Vietnam war, religion and daily life in Vietnam, even about his family who are charming. We cycled, laughed and sang our way around Vietnam, it was brilliant.
I have travelled with Exodus many times, Linh is without doubt the best Tour Leader I have experienced.
Take plenty of high factor sun screen, maybe some light sleeves for additional protection.
Our family of four went on this tour in February half term 2023. The places you visit are amazing, Pyramids and Valley of the Kings especially. 19 of us on the tour, really good bunch of people and the kids all got on well. We were first time travellers with Exodus and we really expected more effort to have gone in to their planning and attention to detail in making this a family adventure as billed. In reality it’s a tour Exodus seem to resell from an Egyptian tour operator and felt like an adult tour with kids on. e.g. after the 15hour overnight train journey when clearly the group were exhausted, the guide announced that the hotel rooms weren’t ready and we were going to do the next day’s itinerary then. This completely misread the group. Often the plan for the day didn’t factor in meals or breaks at a reasonable time, e.g. on the first day we at left at 0730 but lunch stop wasn’t till 1400, lots of very hungry children. For the overnight train to Aswan they don’t use the main station in Cairo but a small suburban one. They got us to the station 3 hours before the train departure and there was only a small café that served drinks. With a bit of thought they could have easily sorted out a family friendly restaurant with toilets etc, the food on the train is pretty poor so a meal before departure would have been welcome. With some planning all of this could be fixed easily. We didn’t expect someone from Exodus to be with us, but I did expect one of their team to have built the itinerary and worked with the operator to match the vision they sell. This just didn’t seem to be the case. Exodus say they have at some point visited the hotels etc but not been on this particular tour. The Cairo hotel (Cairo Pyramids – Steigenberger) was terrible, you don’t stay in the main part which is on the website but are in old bungalows that were like a 1* motel from the 1980s. I can’t believe that anyone from Exodus has stayed in that part of the hotel and they still let people stay there. At each hotel the group were met by a local representative from the tour operator, but never managed to once get the hotel rooms sorted to match the group, e.g. those that needed three beds seemed to always get two. I realise this seems petty but at 2030 after a 7 hour coach drive you don’t want to be spending another 45mins trying to sort out hotel rooms. It would have really helped if they’d got this type of detail right. The tour operator runs a tipping kitty which Exodus say is optional. In reality it isn’t. You are summoned to pay ($45 or $25 for kids) on the first day, also children age 12 or older are adults for this and the optional tours. The tour operator was literally chasing some people around hotels to collect any missing tip kitty. Exodus have said they are going to make sure the operator knows it is optional, but I think if it’s needed they should simply add to the cost of the holiday. The tipping kitty doesn’t cover the tip for the guide which is recommended at $4/day per person. We really enjoyed Egypt but think Exodus need to step up their game on this tour to make it close to experience they say they offer.
Valley of the Kings and King Tut's tomb. The latter was an option not encouraged by the guide but I would definitely do it. You just gt a ticket at the entrance to the Valley of the Kings.
The guide was good, but we felt he didn’t grasp that this tour had children on it. At times he lost his audience a bit with his descriptions at the various sites. I think, particularly in Cairo, he over sold the optional tours. I’m not sure how the tour would operate if only some of the group opted for the one of the optional tours. Overall though he worked hard.
Don’t use the tip kitty just tip the drivers, hotel staff etc yourself. Bring $100 to $150 cash per person for optional tours etc. e.g. the Cairo Museum is optional and costs $40. You can pay on a card but they add a commission and then convert to EGP at not a great rate. Buy a Egyptian SIM card at the airport on arrival. When booking we were told family / interconnecting rooms weren’t guaranteed, in reality we never got one. As there were four of us we would have packed differently if we had known our rooms weren’t going to be close to each other. The exchange rate for EGP is much better in Egypt than the UK. All the hotels had ATMs with no commission. Make sure you take plenty of snacks each day, often there is a long time between meals. It was pretty cold in February at night, so bring warm clothes.
We want to thank Jon for taking the time to review our Egyptian Family Adventure. This tour was developed by Exodus and the logistics are delivered by our local ground operators, though we are so sorry to read that it did not live up to Jon’s expectations of a family tour.
We include the overnight train as it is the quickest way to travel through Egypt, though we appreciate it is still a long journey and sleeping on a train is not always easy. However, the timings and organisation of this particular departure sound as though they were not in line with the needs of children, which is of course a cause for concern for us. Jon can be assured that we have discussed this with his tour leader and our local manager, as we know a family tour needs to be run differently from adult tours and this especially includes the timing of breaks. We are very confident that this has been greatly improved on subsequent departures, in line with Exodus and our clients’ expectations, though we regret that Jon’s experience was not as positive.
We were concerned to read Jon’s description of the Cairo Pyramids Hotel; unfortunately, there are currently limited choices for accommodation in Cairo for hotels due to the boom that Egypt is experiencing, but our staff visited the Cairo Pyramids Hotel in December 2022 and found the location to be excellent, and the cleanliness of the bungalow accommodation and facilities provided to be of a good standard. We are very sorry to read of Jon’s assessment of the property, however, and while we haven’t received similar feedback from other clients, we will continue to monitor comments we get about the Cairo Pyramids Hotel, and will also continue to explore alternative hotels in the area, should we feel the accommodation in Cairo could be improved on this trip.
We provide a local representative at each hotel, who is there to ensure a smooth check-in and that the right rooms are allocated based on family sizes. We are not sure why this did not go as we plan on this occasion, and are very sorry for any inconvenience caused to Jon and his family, though he can be assured that this has been followed up with our local team.
With regards to the tipping kitty, this is most definitely optional, which has been reiterated to our leaders. Egypt has a tipping culture and it is occasionally hard to know when to tip, who to tip, and how much to tip, so the kitty is intended to alleviate this confusion. The leader manages the kitty and tips where good service has been given, and he is accountable to the group for this expenditure.
Once again, we would like to thank Jon for leaving a review. We are sorry that there were aspects of the trip which left him disappointed, and we have worked on these with our local manager in order to improve this trip and match what Exodus are offering with what we are delivering. We are very confident that going forward this will be the case.
– Kashka Lantis, Exodus Product Manager
Our family of four went on this tour in February half term 2023. The places you visit are amazing, Pyramids and Valley of the Kings especially. 19 of us on the tour, really good bunch of people and the kids all got on well. We were first time travellers with Exodus and we really expected more effort to have gone in to their planning and attention to detail in making this a family adventure as billed. In reality it’s a tour Exodus seem to resell from an Egyptian tour operator and felt like an adult tour with kids on. e.g. after the 15hour overnight train journey when clearly the group were exhausted, the guide announced that the hotel rooms weren’t ready and we were going to do the next day’s itinerary then. This completely misread the group. Often the plan for the day didn’t factor in meals or breaks at a reasonable time, e.g. on the first day we at left at 0730 but lunch stop wasn’t till 1400, lots of very hungry children. For the overnight train to Aswan they don’t use the main station in Cairo but a small suburban one. They got us to the station 3 hours before the train departure and there was only a small café that served drinks. With a bit of thought they could have easily sorted out a family friendly restaurant with toilets etc, the food on the train is pretty poor so a meal before departure would have been welcome. With some planning all of this could be fixed easily. We didn’t expect someone from Exodus to be with us, but I did expect one of their team to have built the itinerary and worked with the operator to match the vision they sell. This just didn’t seem to be the case. Exodus say they have at some point visited the hotels etc but not been on this particular tour. The Cairo hotel (Cairo Pyramids – Steigenberger) was terrible, you don’t stay in the main part which is on the website but are in old bungalows that were like a 1* motel from the 1980s. I can’t believe that anyone from Exodus has stayed in that part of the hotel and they still let people stay there. At each hotel the group were met by a local representative from the tour operator, but never managed to once get the hotel rooms sorted to match the group, e.g. those that needed three beds seemed to always get two. I realise this seems petty but at 2030 after a 7 hour coach drive you don’t want to be spending another 45mins trying to sort out hotel rooms. It would have really helped if they’d got this type of detail right. The tour operator runs a tipping kitty which Exodus say is optional. In reality it isn’t. You are summoned to pay ($45 or $25 for kids) on the first day, also children age 12 or older are adults for this and the optional tours. The tour operator was literally chasing some people around hotels to collect any missing tip kitty. Exodus have said they are going to make sure the operator knows it is optional, but I think if it’s needed they should simply add to the cost of the holiday. The tipping kitty doesn’t cover the tip for the guide which is recommended at $4/day per person. We really enjoyed Egypt but think Exodus need to step up their game on this tour to make it close to experience they say they offer.
Valley of the Kings and King Tut's tomb. The latter was an option not encouraged by the guide but I would definitely do it. You just gt a ticket at the entrance to the Valley of the Kings.
The guide was good, but we felt he didn’t grasp that this tour had children on it. At times he lost his audience a bit with his descriptions at the various sites. I think, particularly in Cairo, he over sold the optional tours. I’m not sure how the tour would operate if only some of the group opted for the one of the optional tours. Overall though he worked hard.
Don’t use the tip kitty just tip the drivers, hotel staff etc yourself. Bring $100 to $150 cash per person for optional tours etc. e.g. the Cairo Museum is optional and costs $40. You can pay on a card but they add a commission and then convert to EGP at not a great rate. Buy a Egyptian SIM card at the airport on arrival. When booking we were told family / interconnecting rooms weren’t guaranteed, in reality we never got one. As there were four of us we would have packed differently if we had known our rooms weren’t going to be close to each other. The exchange rate for EGP is much better in Egypt than the UK. All the hotels had ATMs with no commission. Make sure you take plenty of snacks each day, often there is a long time between meals. It was pretty cold in February at night, so bring warm clothes.
I had been looking at doing this trip for a few years and it did no disappoint. The walks provided both lots of historical interest and stunning views. Our guide, Gizer, was excellent and told us not only about the ancient but also the more recent history of Cyprus. He also pointed out the flora and fauna on our walks. The optional free day is a must and everyone in our group went.
There were many inspirational moments but the lovely views and learning more about the history of Cyprus were the most memorable.
As mentioned in other reviews Gizer was excellent and a true professional. His amount of knowledge which he shared with us about his country was amazing. On our last day, we found out that the group flight (with BA) was cancelled, due to security strikes at Heathrow. Gizer was calm and able to help everyone with changes to our plans which generally worked out well, although for some this meant that they missed out on the tour of Nicosia on the last day, which was disappointing.
I would say that the time of our tour (last week in March) was a perfect time to visit. We had sunny weather, no rain and it was perfect temperature for the walks. It was quite windy on a couple of the days so a fleece or light jacket was needed near to the summit of the hills. This is also a good time to see the spring flowers as we were told that they would have faded by the time you get to the middle/end of April. Also good to know that as well as Turkish Lira, Euro and Sterling are more acceptable than I had expected.
We travelled in February 2023 and there was no evidence of shortages of fuel or food and the people were very friendly and welcoming so please don’t hesitate to visit Sri Lanka in Comfort! The hotels we used were always clean and well-maintained with comfortable beds, air-conditioning (except for Bandarawela), and extensive buffets so there is plenty of choice for all palates. Aliya Hotel in Sigiriya was my favourite with a large infinity pool with views of Sigiriya Rock in the distance. The optional game drive on Day 3 was really worthwhile as we saw several groups of elephants feeding, as well as having a solitary male take a run at our jeep to add to the experience. We saw many bird species including plenty of peacocks. On the game drive in Yala we only saw a couple of solitary tuskers as the herds were at that time in areas of the park which were not open to the public. No leopards spotted in Yala but plenty of birds, a crocodile, water buffalo, a mongoose and wild boar. We could not do the optional white-water rafting as the hydro electric plant had scheduled maintenance so we did not visit Kitugala or do the jungle walk. There doesn’t currently seem to be a plan B for that day on the tripnotes. Also there were not enough people in our group who wanted to do the optional boat trip to do whale watching – it was very expensive -so that did not take place which was disappointing for those who were looking forward to the possibility of seeing whales. The walk on Horton Plains was excellent – a great day being out in the open with spectacular views from World’s End and Little Worlds End. Some of the terrain was bouldery so would recommend walking boots rather than trainers. We spotted some giant tree squirrels and monkeys in the trees as well as birds of prey. We did spend a long time waiting for the train to Bandarawela and it was very full so not easy to get a seat with a view of the spectacular descent. The visit to see the ceremony at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy is not to be missed. There are crowds and crowds of pilgrims all jostling to get a glance of the inner chamber when the moment comes for the monks to open it – not for the claustrophobic! Interesting to witness the dedication of the Buddhist followers. Kandy is in a beautiful location surrounded by hills – the views from the hotel are stunning and there is a lovely rooftop pool. The Dutch Fort of Galle looked very interesting but would have been better to visit earlier in the morning as it was so hot when we arrived there and a number of the group were not inclined to walk around so we did not have much time to explore. I think if the Trip Notes specified a walking tour led by the guide then this might make it more of a scheduled activity. The beach resort wasn’t really safe for bathing – red flag was always up! The beach was small so you could not walk far. There are surely better options! I had some fabulous food – tried lots of different curries. Hoppers for breakfast are fab!
Climbing Sigiriya right to the top was a great achievement - all those open steps! The views are definitely worth it! The little gallery of rock paintings on the way down is beautiful
Sujan was very knowledgeable. He kindly organised a little extra visit for us on Day 12 to the elephant transit station to watch the orphan baby elephants come for their daily feed - it was fascinating to watch from the viewing area - their antics were so entertaining! This was a nice addition to the itinerary.
Do take a pair of old socks for the temple visits - the rocks at Dambulla are very hot indeed and it was quite painful especially if you have sensitive soles! At Polonnaruwa you will also have to walk quite a bit in bare feet over some uncomfortable terrain. Do take binoculars and also a camera with a good zoom to capture the birds and wildlife. You do not need US$ - GBP are fine for exchanging and paying for trips and tips. I used a roll on repellent but I think a spray would give better coverage as the bugs are very good at getting you in the spots you missed!
A wonderful voyage of discovery which takes you to each region of Costa Rica …all made up of unique climate zones with varying birdlife and wildlife. I would hardly identify myself as someone who usually goes out searching for birdlife or wildlife, but this trip captivates you to get involved and go searching …often early in the morning or in the evening. Costa Rica is incredibly lush with a small population and a government appearing to work hard on sustainability and protection of the environment. There were a lot of roadworks in evidence! All the accommodation was excellent and all the Lodges, each one different, were a delight. They allowed you the luxury of sitting on your own veranda allowing the birdlife and wildlife to ‘come to you’ as you were in their environment. Our trip spent its last night miles outside of San Jose centre which, although the hotel was lovely, was a disappointment for me as I’d wanted to spend the free afternoon exploring the vibrant downtown area with its parks, local shops, lovely buildings, museums etc but this wasn’t feasible from Santa Ana. I’ve mentioned this to Exodus. We had a few downpours…mainly late afternoons, but only were out on a trip during one downpour and the Lodge provided everyone with huge ponchos…the rain didn’t spoil the delight of the boat trip. Suggest a waterproof jacket, strong trainers or walking shoes and a camera with a good zoom lens should be priorities for packing!
Staying in the Lodges and exploring the unique landscapes, wildlife around them on guided trips or on our won.
Randall Obsney was knowledgeable, friendly, funny, passionate about Costa Rica, had very good English, caught us all up in his enthusiasm for birdlife, wildlife. flora and fauna and was a joy to be with.
Already mentioned need for a camera with a good zoom. Casual clothes needed throughout. I travelled last 2 weeks of March and wore shorts and tee-shirts most days. A dress and skirt or trousers useful for eating out in bars/restaurants. only wore a sweater/fleece in the mountain and deep valley area. The main thing is the cost of eating out. Friends had warned me that eating out was expensive (all Lodges included all food but some evening meals need to be bought). Most Costa Ricans don't eat out so prices are high in the tourist areas. Think price of a restaurant in the UK plus a Govt tax plus service charge. Bring plenty of dollars! A few of the roads down to the Lodges/hotels were quite bumpy and one road in particular was very narrow and twisty up/down a hillside...we had a fabulous driver so no concerns. it's clear that building/extending/repairing roads is going on all over the country so expect the odd delay.
As a complete beginner with no expectations leading up to it, I was left amazed by the stunning location and excellent tour leaders. The leaders managed the group superbly, considering the various ages, experience and ability levels. The accommodation was fun, though a bit tight for space with 4 grown men sharing a 4-sleepr room, I felt like I was at camp. The skiing itself was one of the best things I have ever experienced and can’t wait to try again. Very demanding at times physically, but I pushed myself more than what was expected. A special mention of the food, which was all included. The chefs really know what they’re doing!
Standing on top of the mountain on the second to last day, having learnt the basics and practiced during the week, thinking.... there is nowhere else on Earth that I would rather be in that moment!
We had 2 leaders, Mary and Ilse. Both were excellent and very knowledgeable. It's clear that both have a real passion about skiing.
If you are sharing in a Quad-share room, take earplugs just in case! Otherwise, just have fun and try your best. If you fall, get up and try again. That's how I learnt quite quickly.
I have to say this is the best Exodus Trip i have ever taken (over a few)& one of my best holidays ever. The itinerary is so well thought-out with the perfect mix of culture from natural wonders to architectural, perfectly paced & so interesting. Its a wonderful country & this trip certainly showcases it. The group i was with were wonderful. Special mention for our Tour Guise Alessandro Derrico who is without doubt the best Guide ive had on any trip-just outstanding. Also our Driver Graziano-i cant thank them enough for making the trip so special & i know all the group felt the same. Thankyou to everyone at Exodus for such a memorable trip!
Too many to choose!!
The best! Excellent!
Pack layers so that you are prepared for Mountain/beach, but pack wise & light-you actually dont need lots of clothes, no need to dress up in the evenings for example.
We had a fabulous time in Costa Rica. The group got on so well together and we had the best guide, Glenda. We were extremely fortunate with our weather too. Although was the dry season, we were warned that we could expect rain at any time, particularly on the Caribbean side. We only had (biblical) showers at La Fortuna, but after we had had our tours. The wildlife was fantastic – we were lucky enough to see several quetzals and sloths and the bird life was abundant. Most of the hotels used were good but the Holiday Inn in San Jose was a little sub standard. The food was poor and the service in the bar very slow. We thought the Monteverde lodge was too close to the road as we could hear traffic at night. The service was rather surly there too. The lodge at Manuel Antonio was also close to the road and our room (very small) was right next to it so we were woken at 5am by traffic. The restaurant was very expensive too – much better to go into the town.
I enjoyed all of it but especially Tortuguero with the boat trips searching for bird and animal life. The lodge was special and had a wonderful pool. I also loved the lodges at Esquinas and Savegre as they were isolated and amongst the wildlife. I also loved swimming in the Pacific at Manual Antonio.
Glenda was amazing. She’s the best guide I’ve come across in many years of travelling. She was so well organised; all the hotels were phoned in advance which made check in really smooth. She is a bundle of energy and enthusiasm with a huge passion for her country and its wildlife. She was honest and really easy to talk to. She has a wonderful sense of humour too - very important when you are together for two weeks. Our driver, Francisco, was also brilliant- an exceptional driver, calm, friendly and patient. He was great at spotting wildlife too.
Go with an open mind. The few negatives are completely outweighed by the positives. There is so much to appreciate in Costa Rica. It is doing its best to preserve its wildlife and rainforests etc. The scenery is stunning and there is so much variety. Some of the journeys are long and there is some rough terrain but there is much to see (or you can catch up on sleep). Take a stout pair of walking shoes and raincoats. An umbrella is also useful. A towel is needed at the waterfall at La Fortuna. Vegetarians are well catered for. It can be expensive - drinks vary enormously in price and wine is rarely included in happy hours! Drinks and meal prices do add up and the optional excursions are pricy so need to be budgeted for.
There were so many aspects of this trip that made it so incredible: a great group of fellow cyclists, a well planned route which ensured we saw the key sights of Jordan but mostly it was our guide Mikhled. Mikhled managed to perfectly blend being a highly professional and effective leader with being friendly and fun to be with. When things didn’t quite work out for us (not his nor Exodus’ fault) he always worked hard to find a solution. For example, on the day we visited all 1500 visitors had to be evacuated from Petra mid-afternoon due to torrential rain and flash-floods. Because of this we didn’t get to climb up the 900 steps to the monastery. The next day, when we had a few hours spare in the afternoon he arranged for those who didn’t want to return to Petra to go back to the hotel while organising a bus for the rest of us to go back to Petra to experience the incredible monastery sight! I would recommend the Petra & Wadi Rum Bike trip to anyone; it is something you will love and an experience to cherish for always. However, if you are lucky enough to have Mikhled as your guide leader you can be assured that everything will be done to optimise every second of the trip. Thank you Mikhled! My only negative comment is that Exodus is possibly growing too fast – the communication with the office team was poor. Emails getting no response until chased several times, welcoming us home while we were mid-way through the trip etc etc.
Petra and the monastery were, of course, incredible sights. The camping in the Bedouin tents in Wadi Rum wasn't a luxury experience but was a wonderful night not to be missed. We had dinner around a camp-fire with food coming from dishes buried under the sand and cooked by the day's sun. Things like these were additional bonus aspects of the trip. Floating in the dead sea was something I'd always wanted to do but it was also moments such as cycling through a little town as the mosque's call for prayer chimed that made it so special.
I can't praise Mikhled enough. He made our trip so special and looked after everyone. He was efficient, highly effective and professional but also a fun member of the group. He did everything within his powers to go out of his way to make every moment the best he could. There was never a "I can't do that" - he always went out of his way to find a solution. If you can have Mikhled as your leader - get the trip booked today!! You won't regret it!
Two suggestions: 1) We arrived a day early so we had time to visit the Citadel and Roman temple. Sadly those who arrived on the scheduled date never got to see these sights. One solution would be to have the 4x4 ride around Wadi Rum on the evening we arrived so that we could have quick camel ride in the morning before returning to Amman early. This would give those who hadn't seen the Citadel and Roman theatre a chance to see these sights. 2) Please change the hotel in Amman. The Days Inn is pretty tired with cracked tiles and mould around the bathroom area. It may be in the centre of the new town but tourists are only interested in the old town. Please find a nice hotel near the Citadel and Roman Theatre. Everyone in our group said they'd prefer to pay another £50++ per night to stay in a nicer and better located hotel.