Reviews

Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers  

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It’s the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you’re interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.

Simply use the selector below to search our trip reviews and start reading real feedback from real Exodus travellers who have ‘been there and done that’!

Lots of our clients also like to post handy tips and advice about their travels. It’s great to know what to expect on an Exodus adventure before you go, so make the most of their experience and you’ll make the most of yours!

Haven’t posted your review yet? Here’s how to do it…

Once you return from your Exodus adventure holiday, you will be emailed a link to add your review. Any feedback collected is posted onto our website, totally unedited.

Alternatively you can navigate to the relevant trip page and add your review via the Reviews tab.

Reviews

Eileen Cowling

Reviewed October 2019

Wadi Rum and Petra cycling

We throughly enjoyed our cycling trip to Jordan. Gave us a fascinating insight into a completely different culture. Unique and amazing cultural sights and enjoyable cycling through stunning desert landscapes. Our guide was excellent and gave us so much information on Jordan. Hotels and food generally OK. Although we would recommend this trip it is more of a sightseeing tour with opportunities to cycle rather than a predominantly cycling trip. There is quite a bit of coach travel but this is well worth while to see the breath of the country covered by the trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

Petra, floating in the Dead Sea and the overnight stay and jeep ride in the Wadi Rum.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. Very knowledgeable and keen to inform us on the country. Worked very hard to ensure we enjoyed our trip despite some issues that arose that were outside his control. Socialable and engaging with the whole group. Went that extra mile.b

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring Mosquito spray for the overnight stay in the Wadi Rum. Think about buying a Shemagh (traditional bedouin headdress), as well as being stylish it's very effective in keeping the sun off when walking around.

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Annie Hibberd

Reviewed October 2019

Magical mountains in Italy

This beautiful undiscovered corner of northern Tuscany was both a delight and a surprise, and especially gorgeous in all its autumn glory. If you love mountains and views come here. If you love trees, they make the walking even better. There are Medieval villages too and gorgeous local food and wine. Perhaps a little more strenuous than other grade 3 trips, but with a good pair of boots, walking poles, lovely Braccicorti cooking in your belly and the best guide ever, you will reach heights, literally, you hadn’t imagined. With two exceptions, all of our group were 60+ and it was all achievable and a good challenging mixture of climbs and descents (with a fine hostelry at the end in most cases!)
The walks were all interesting and varied in the amazing geography of Garfagnana with a brilliant day out to Lucca in the middle of the week. Don’t hesitate – just go there!

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing to the top of Monte Prado in clear warm weather in late October. The autumn colours of the beech trees, which extend to the tree line, were just beautiful - and catching a glimpse of a golden eagle on the way down. Walking up through the dappled light of the beech woods, knowing there were wild boar, deer and even wolves (higher up) unseen, but there nonetheless.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sara is probably the best guide I have had the pleasure of walking with. Her love and knowledge of the area shines through as well as her vast skill and experience at getting the very best - plus a bit more - out of us motley crew. If I knew she was leading another trip (assuming the endurance levels were within my reach!) I would not hesitate to choose it. She went above and beyond to make two birthday celebrations on the final day most memorable - especially her home made cakes!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take good boots, definitely walking poles - and learn how to use them properly. Layers and rain protection. Late October was lovely and warm on most of the days, but a hat and fleece at the summit was welcome, even in bright sunshine. Leave your busy life behind and be ready to immerse yourself in the amazing peace of the mountains.

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Lajos Hanzel

Reviewed October 2019

A fantastic trek and Machu Picchu

Memorable hike in the Andes without any other turist on the trek, fantastic valleys and mountains plus 1 day Inka trail reaching Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate. This was an all-in-one trek.

Most Inspirational Moment

After an Exhausting steep hike to 4600m ridge suddenly getting the first glimps of Mt. Veronika...wow!!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Thanks to our leader, Fabrizio, I know much more about Peruvian life, culture and the Inka history.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Add an extra day in Cusco for acclimatisation just in case your flight is delayed or cancelled.

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Sheila Oliver

Reviewed October 2019

A wonderful trip

We have just returned from a lovely holiday. There was so much variety – safaris, whale watching, vineyards, penguins, wonderful natural coastal scenery, desert, mountains, history and so much more. The places we stayed were all lovely and different. Our guide, Petro, worked so hard to make sure the whole group enjoyed the holiday. She organised meals for us, told us when we needed to stock up on shopping and gave us good advice on extra excursions and got us up table mountain on the only day we could see it!

Most Inspirational Moment

It is very difficult to pick out one thing - the safari day on the first day was amazing - especially the optional second one which the whole group went on. Perhaps this should be included in the trip as it was so much better in the safari vehicles than the mini bus.The whale watching was excellent too. In a completely different way so was the township tour and showed something of the country which I don’t think we would have seen otherwise. Then there was all the amazing scenery .....

Thoughts on Group Leader

Petro was excellent. She was responsible for everything for 14 of us - driving the bus, explaining everything, making sure we got where we needed to be, making sure we had somewhere to eat in some really lovely and interesting places. She was very cheerful and always helpful and never complained.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared to be flexible. There is such variety that plans may have to change. Temperatures are also very varied - more jumpers, long sleeved tops and a cosy jacket would have been useful. Although they are optional some of the best experiences were the optional excursions- the extra safari, whale watching, Robben Island, Table mountain, would have all been a shame to miss. Some extra time in Cape Town after the tour was very worthwhile as there is so much to see there.

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Joyce Tinsley

Reviewed October 2019

Garden Route tour

The usual well-planned and well-organised Exodus trip. A varied and interesting tour in a beautiful country with amazing flora, fauna and spectacular scenery. The only disappointment for me was that in the trip notes, it stated it would be possible to visit a township on the morning before returning to the UK. The trip leader insisted this was not possible. The visit was arranged on the previous afternoon but by then I had already planned to do something else. This was a minor hiccup as I know from my many previous Exodus trips that a degree of flexibility is to be expected.Perhaps this needs amending in the notes to avoid misunderstandings.

Most Inspirational Moment

Gosh - too many to be able to choose just one but I suppose I did feel there seemed to be a genuine desire from both black and white individuals to make their system work.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Petro our group leader was amazing. Hard working, competent and knowledgeable about her wonderful country. Unfailingly cheerful and nothing too much trouble. Just a point, but I think her South African travel agency could have a hands free PA system in the vehicle. Quite alarming to see Petro trying to manoeuvre the minibus around hair-raising bends and mountain roads with one hand while trying to give us as much information as possible.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go with an open mind and enjoy this wonderful trip.

Reply from Exodus

We would like to thank Joyce for her review and are very pleased to read she had such an enjoyable time in South Africa, with so many inspirational moments. We were concerned to read that she felt the tour leader should have been using a hands-free microphone at times; our local manager has now provided the tour leader with one of these.  John Penge – Product Manager

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Ron Hunt

Reviewed October 2019

TNX191008

Great trip fulfilled all our expectations. The trekking was hard work but the scenery made it all worth while. The guide was excellent as were all the porters and local guides. And really appreciated the comfort of the lodges and the good, varied foods they provided.

Most Inspirational Moment

The sunrise views of the Annapurnas from most of the lodges, especially Himalaya Lodge in Ghandruk and Basanta Lodge in Dhampus.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Prem Gurung was excellent. Extremely knowledgeable and friendly, he made sure that everyone who needed any sort of help was looked after by himself or one of the other guides/porters. Attentive and professional in everything he did. Nothing asked of him was too much trouble.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't need to take much in the way of protein bars. On the hard trekking days the lodges provided a substantial mid morning snack. And had no problems with runny noses, so brought home lots of packs of tissues.

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Andy Evans

Reviewed October 2019

Great trip leaving you wanting more..

It’s a hectic schedule with so much to cover but the trip was well organised and it offers a great taste into what Vietnam has to offer.

Most Inspirational Moment

It’s hard to pin it down to one as I will take away so many memories from the trip, even the long bus journeys were enjoyable just watching the beautiful scenery rolling by.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Chieu was excellent, really friendly and always making sure the group were having a good time. He was happy to listen to some group suggestions for some changes to meal arrangements etc

Advice for Potential Travellers

It’s a busy schedule with a lot of travelling (boats, busses and trains) and not much down time so bear this in mind when considering if the trip is for you. I would have taken a sleeping bag liner for the train trip.

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Andrew Moncrief

Reviewed October 2019

“The best tour so far”

A really enjoyable trip with a charismatic tour leader, and superb scenery, wildlife and food. The support team were great, always trying their best to look after you, and the driver had nerves of steel negotiating the chaotic traffic. Sri Lanka has emerged from some dark times, and is once again a terrific place to visit, with great variety and vibrancy and a lovely, friendly vibe. Plenty of smiles and high-fives as you ride through the landscape, shouts of “Bye!” Following you down the road.

Most Inspirational Moment

Fantastic, often unexpected, wildlife encounters! Seeing how elated my wife was after becoming Queen of the mountain at Nuwara Eliya ! (Good battery life!)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Top man! Suresh was a great guide, knowledgeable and organised to a fault, forever considering the needs and preferences of the individuals in the group. For example, knowing I was keen to get in the waves, he arranged an early morning tuk-tuk so I could fit in a surf prior to a late departure-a real bonus! He has tweaked and finessed the itinerary over the years, and has established a wide network of contacts to create authentic and unique experiences for the clients. No spoilers here, just enjoy the value added!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t expect to lose any weight on this trip, despite the activity-the food is amazing! There are LOTS of dogs alongside and on the road, most of whom are docile, but some really don’t like cyclists. We were chased on a few occasions , and I would have felt happier if i’d had a rabies vaccination before the trip.

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Anne Schofield

Reviewed October 2019

Bucket list trip

Since a child, my imagination has been full of the stories of Pompeii, Vesuvius and the Roman Gods; as I grew older, the romantic delights of Italian food and scenery also inspired me. Finally to have the chance to see it all without the stress of planning a complicated itinerary, having just returned from out first amazing holiday with Exodus, I booked this holiday as soon as I read about it. An impulse never to be regretted!

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking the cobbled streets of Ravello during a spectacular thunderstorm and diving into a delightful pizzeria for lunch.

Thoughts on Group Leader

A seasoned professional, who knew his surroundings intimately and was able to forecast and nullify any potential problems, before they occurred. He also had the greatest dry sense of humour!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Even during the spring and autumn, be prepared for crowds; this part of Italy is busy.

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Sue Potter

Reviewed October 2019

Sicily is truly a treasure

A fabulous trip with a fantastic mix of scenery, walking , culture and food experiences. An outstanding guide, Alessandro who helped the trip run smoothly, was always friendly and informative.
The pace was good with plenty of time to explore on your own. Walks could be taken at your own pace and adapted.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the craters of Etna. Walking in Zingaro. Views from Erice. Selinunte ruins in the sunshine by the sea. Monreale mosaics. Greco RomanTheatre in Taormina .I could go on. Everything was excellent

Thoughts on Group Leader

Alessandro was outstanding, one of the best guides I've had the pleasure to travel with. He provided lots of handouts on food, language, maps, what to see in the towns. He was extremely knowledgeable about his homeland, its history and geography. He was always patient, caring and friendly. A real treasure himself.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take wet shoes if you want to swim in the sea, it's rocky. No need to bring a lunch box. Go on a diet beforehand so you can enjoy all the fantastic food.

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