Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The stunning surrounds of the National Parks, knee deep in snow with a great group of fellow travellers.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was exceptional - a passionate advocate for the nature he helped us discover, gave expert tuition for the new skills we needed - all delivered with great humour and sense of fun.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t think twice about this trip - if you love nature, discovering the great outdoors, and want to feel safe learning new skills - it’s a must!

Most Inspirational Moment

Everything - I couldn't just pick one thing. The excursions were outstanding, especially the Husky Dog Sledging which was definitely a highlight. The scenery was unbelievable and picture-postcard perfect. The guidance from Martti and Anton for the snowshoeing and cross-country skiing was professional and encouraging and full of fun and interesting facts. A session of Sauna Yoga with Nina was the perfect end to a physical day - and she was patient, bubbly and encouraging and obviously loved what she was teaching us and eager for us to enjoy it too.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Martti was brilliant, a real coup for Exodus! He had a great sense of humour, was knowledgeable and you can tell he loves his job. He was consistently patient with everyone when he was teaching us how to ski, snowshoe, etc. He always had little interesting and fun facts to impart to us, whether about the history of Finland, the nature and scenery we were passing or the food we were eating. He also encouraged us to use the equipment in our free time and freely offered advice and maps on placing for us to visit in the surrounding area. Without a doubt, one of the best group leaders I have ever had the pleasure to meet on adventure trips with both Exodus and other companies. We were also fortunate enough to have Anton working with Martti, who was also excellent and very personable. He was jolly and also had a good sense of humour and was very helpful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Relax, have fun and embrace the experience and everything contained within and around it. Pack lightly - the equipment that Basecamp provided for us worked excellently and kept us very warm and dry. The footwear was so effective at keeping my feet warm and dry that I am now looking to purchase similar for my own personal use back in the UK (I generally suffer from very cold toes when I am out hiking in the UK, but the Solomon boots they provided keep my feet warm and comfortable throughout the trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

Standing on the improbably named Strudlekopf – a moment when you felt you were in a proper adventure

Thoughts on Group Leader

Loved Jenny – she tolerated my chronic inattention and snowshoe dyspraxia with considerable grace.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t go if you are not a regular walker and used to the hills. Take loads of layers as it does get cold and the wind can be cruel – at one point I needed a thermal base, fleece, soft shell jacket and Gortex waterproof. Pay particular attention to your boots; we ended up buying new lightweightish 4 season boots in Dobbiaco at some expense.

Most Inspirational Moment

Too many to mention , glorious scenery which constantly took your breath away

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jenny was knowledgeable, calm, good fun snd accomodated all different levels in the group. We felt very safe and well led.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just do this trip! Getting up in the mountains and slow away from all the ski paraphernalia was fantastic. As a life long skier, I didn’t miss it at all. Lightweight 4 season boots are a must . Feet can get v. Wet if they aren’t waterproof . Unusually there is a kettle in the room but provide your own tea/ coffee/ hot chocolate as anything provided in the room is charged for . There is a supermarket across the road from the hotel. A flask is very useful to take a hot drink . There are hit stops but sometimes they are at the end of the route.

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved Petra as they is so much history and culture and also Wadi Rum the star gazing was so cool, made me thinking I was floating in space surround by the stars.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Abdullah is funny, friendly and very thoughtful of all the group. He is aware and helps everyone. He knows so much about the culture, he could easily be a professor at a university. Best tour guide. Five stars out of five stars.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Beware of all the shops as they sell similar stuff and that there is not a lot of alcohol as Muslims do not drink. The weather can a bit cold and there is a lot of smoking. I am from a country where smoking is not a big thing.

Most Inspirational Moment

For me there were two: Discovering the vast area of Petra beyond the Treasury was sensational. We drank tea at the Place of High Sacrifice and took a lesser-trodden route back – the scenery was simply stunning! Wadi Rum was amazing – an overnight in a tent in the desert is an experience not to be missed – the evening meal was delicious!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide Mikhled, was a real ambassador for his homeland. Demonstrating he loved his job, he shared his passion for Jordan with the group. He was professional, caring and at all times determined that our holiday would be the best he could organise. His choice of restaurants and lunches was a feast for the palette and gave a great introduction into Jordanian cuisine. The cooking class he organised allowed us to make some of the dishes ourselves (the recipes were sent to the group to allow us to try at home). Mikhled was at all times courteous, smiling and able to keep the group amused with his dry sense of humor. When difficulties arose, he was able to support and help to find a solution. Thank you Mikhled for making our week such a special experience.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The trip gives a lot but also expects a lot from each group member. It is vital that each person takes responsibility for themselves, their belongings and their timekeeping. It is important not to overestimate your fitness or underestimate the physical demands necessary in such a trip. There are many vista rewards for walking and climbing the age old routes but good footwear is an absolute must. The temperature range is quite diverse (from 8-20 degrees during our week) depending on which location is being visited. Make sure you have layers, warm clothes and a hat as well as swimming gear. For the Red and Dead sea we took water shoes which protected our feet from coral and sharp rocks. A lunch pack is available in Petra – this is a great option as you can choose your stop based on where you are rather than where food is available for purchase. Take a small backpack as you will need to carry the lunch pack. Not all ATM’s work with all UK bank passes so it’s a good idea to get a few Jordanian Dinars before leaving or at the airport to make sure you have money as necessary. There are lots of opportunities for shopping and cash is sometimes preferable. We used about 350 dinars per person during the week.

Most Inspirational Moment

Valley of the Kings

Thoughts on Group Leader

Nemo was great

Advice for Potential Travellers

Credit cards not very welcome. US dollars in great demand. Be prepared to be hounded by vendors at every stop

Most Inspirational Moment

My late husband was into geology and was crazy about volcanos. I made a pilgrimage to Mt. Vesuvius in his memory, and was able to leave a tiny bit of him there. And as he would have done, brought a few small rocks back home to tie us together. It was a completely clear day with visibility for miles and an incredible view over Naples. The other inspiring moment was hiking the Path of the Gods. Indescribably beautiful scenery and solitude. I had a cold and so conquering some of the stairs coming back up were tough, but I was grateful to be there and have done it.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Eduardo Palermo absolutely made the trip, and we adored him. He had lived in the area for many years, and was passionate and proud to share his community with us. He was highly knowledgeable of history and local matters, and brought every location to life for us. He was accommodating to special requests, and infinitely patient and gracious with a “challenging” guest among our group – far more so than I would have been! Eduardo was always around or accessible when we needed something, and seemed totally committed to our having a good time every day. Everywhere we went people seemed to know Eduardo, and his local connections were very helpful. He arranged for us to hire an outstanding guide he knew for the day in Herculaneum and Pompeii, at a reasonable price. We had many laughs together and learned so much from him. Do not lose Eduardo!

Advice for Potential Travellers

(1) Bring a water bottle for the day trips – I put hot tea in mine since it was January. (2) Bring a big appetite! But you’ll walk it all off during the day – didn’t gain any weight! (3) Bring good walking shoes and extra sturdy ones for the Path of the Gods. (4) Being in the small town of Bomerano is lovely and gives you a sense of “real life” in the Amalfi Coast, not just the glittery famous tourist towns nearby. Yet you’ll visit and have time to explore those places before retreating to your “family” experience at Due Torri. (5) For a contrast, consider a day or two before or after the tour on your own in bustling Naples. The archaeological museum there is a must-visit if you’re into history.

Most Inspirational Moment

Amazingly, the second walk took us along the levada and then the coast. The day finished with torrential rain and the group took refuge under gazebos at a bar, we were welcomed and served drinks. For me whilst this was not glam or what we had hoped for, it brought the group together in my view.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Andre was great, I really liked him. He has good knowledge of all the subject matter relevant to the walks, and is confident leading them, and good at engaging with the group. As a walk leader myself, I would only fault him on sometimes not briefing the group on the next stage which in my mind would give some idea of timings and expectations.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting the columns on Christmas Day - stunning views and history and (as usual) an experience made extra special by Thano's attention to detail (champers and Christmas biscuits as a treat).

Thoughts on Group Leader

Thanos was absolutely amazing - in every way he succeeded in looking after everyone both as a group and individuals. We were exceptionally well fed and watered, and he made excellent use of his connections and knowledge of the island to make the week special. This included the history of the area and Greece in general.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check the grading and who is coming - for me personally the trip was physically too easy, and could easily be marked as a 1. If you're after delicious food, views, easy walks and a lot of free time to relax this trip is perfect. Do bring boots! The terrain does warrant having the additional ankle support and lets you appreciate the views more.