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!
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289 Reviews
4.8 out of
5
Reviews
B Y
Reviewed July 2023
Hikes to Remember
This trip has been memorable with amazing hikes and breathtaking views. Starting off with the good: our guide Evgenia/Jenny has been nothing but wonderful. She is enthusiastic, easy-going, and knowledgeable. She planned our hikes extremely well, taking into account the athletic abilities of all group members. We got lucky with the weather and did not need rain gear in July. The hikes were paced well and reasonable, most people were able to keep up, but I would rate it more of a 4/7 rather than a 3/7 difficulty due to the steepness in some segments. Trekking poles were a must on several of the hikes. The rest day was essential as most of us had knee aches by the 3rd day. Things that could have been better: my partner and I were among the first to sign up and called Exodus to notify them that we would prefer to stay in Chalet Chocolat over Chalupa (due to location; Chocolat is much closer to the city center). We ended up getting placed in Chalupa anyway, which is still nice but the bus ride takes over 20 minutes. Second, we called to inquire room upgrades and were told that whoever signed up first would have priority on better rooms. We ended up getting the smallest room in the chalet, with low slanted ceilings and no other furniture than the bed while people who signed up later had kitchen/refrigerator, couches, or balconies in their rooms. There should be price adjustments depending on quality/size of the rooms. Third, 2 out of the 5 hikes required taking public transportation which involved being crammed like sardines into buses. I feel like with the amount we paid, private transportation should have been arranged. Regardless of these shortcomings, the hikes themselves make the whole trip worth it. Hopefully Exodus can make further improvements in future iterations of this journey.
Reply from Exodus
We are delighted to hear that B Y had a memorable time in Mont Blanc, and that Jenny, who led their departure, was able to really elevate their experience hiking in this beautiful region. We’re also pleased to read that the weather was favourable during their time there!
We are sorry, though, that B Y felt there were a few things which could have been better. Having spoken to our operations team, we understand that customers who booked this trip were allocated their preferred chalet, where this was possible, based on the order in which they booked on. We regret that the Chalet Chocolat turned out to be full when B Y confirmed their booking, though the Chalet Chalupa is an equally comfortable and well-equipped property. Rooming allocations are similarly done on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, and though being a chalet bedrooms do naturally vary in size and layout, we feel that all rooms at the Chalupa are of a good standard for our guests.
We are thankful to B Y for taking the time to leave their review, and are glad that despite the points they raise above they found the trip to be a worthwhile and memorable experience.
– Danny Bell, Exodus Product Manager
Dave Whaley
Reviewed July 2023
A week walking in the Alps
A lovely week walking in the French Alps, based in a chalet in CHAMONIX. Great food, scenery and exhilarating walks led by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide.
Most Inspirational Moment
View from Aguille de Midi
Thoughts on Group Leader
Superb
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take walking poles and good footwear
Suggestions
No
Rory Verrill
Reviewed February 2023
What a trip!
My first Exodus trip and not my last! Was well organised from the very start, the weather was amazing and so was the leader. My accommodation was great and added to the experience. The chalet hosts were friendly and welcoming and cooked high quality meals that wouldn’t look out of place in a fancy London restaurant. I would highly recommend this trip!
Dee Ramchurn
Reviewed December 2022
Majestic Views, Delicious Food & Just Do It!
This trip was absolutely fulfilling. I’ve never done a hike like this before which encouraged me to push myself, and it was worth it. The trails, majestic views of the Alps, and glaciers were breathtaking. Marta and Neil were also amazing hosts who looked after us. Their 3-course meals tasted so delicious- we all looked forward to our evening meals! There were freshly-baked cakes waiting for us after our hikes every day. I stayed at Chalet Chocolat which had an alpine feel to it and felt very cosy. We made full use of the hot tub in the garden after the hikes and we were rewarded with a view of the snow-capped Alps.
Most Inspirational Moment
The day we crossed over to Italy and hiked Val Ferret to Courmayeur. Whilst we hiked, there was the dramatic view of Mont Blanc and the mountain views on the right-hand side. The experience was surreal and majestic. We were able to see the glaciers if we looked closely. Also, we treated ourselves to either an Italian coffee or beer at the refuge which was a lovely treat! :)
Thoughts on Group Leader
Egle was amazing as everyone in the group had different abilities when it came to hiking and she adjusted the pace so everyone hiked together. She has incredible knowledge of the local flora and fauna too.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Train for this hike and build your stamina
Suggestions
I really want to thank Marta and Neil for catering for our meal requirements and again for looking after us so well. It was honestly the trip I needed!
Mark Gilbert
Reviewed October 2022
Great trip
Booked this trip as a last minute as the one I wanted to go on was not going ahead. I was not disappointed as this trip was very good and worth the price. The chalet (Chocolat) was cosy and had good views at the back of the mountains, great after a day hiking and sitting in the hot tub. The hosts who catered for us (Marta and Neil) were excellent and cooked some authentic meals , 3 course every night. They also baked a cake for the return of every day out. The treks and trails were beautiful and had stunning views. Would recommend as a good trip especially for beginners.
Most Inspirational Moment
Every walk was as good as the others so they all stood out.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Good leader, could of talked a bit more when out on trips but a friendly guide. Very helpful if needed.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The only thing I would check is when you get the flight times. We had to be out the chalet at 08-30 on the last day and we was dropped at the airport. Our flight was not until 17-40 so had to come up with something or would have been sitting waiting for hours. If we had known in advance then could of planned what to see in Geneva but as last minute kinda winged it.
Jamie Sims
Reviewed August 2022
Excellent from start to finish
I couldn’t recommend this trip more. The Chalet (Chalet Chamonix) genuinely felt like home for the week and the views of Mont Blanc & surrounding glaciers from the hot tub couldn’t be beaten. Chalet hosts Liz and Clare were exceptional and the food was fantastic (including freshly baked cakes on walking days). Our guide for the week was Jeffry who was so easy-going, informative and helpful. All three Exodus staff made our week in Chamonix an incredibly enjoyable and memorable experience.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Absolutely excellent in every aspect of his work as a guide, ranging from detailed evening briefings to his ‘nature-talk stops’ whilst out walking.
Kathryn Hardiman
Reviewed August 2022
Great trip . Shame about the range of room standards in the chalet
The walks, guide, chalet hosts and food were all excellent. However there was a massive range in the room size/ standard/ noise level / view at chalet Chocolat . It felt very unfair to have paid the same as everyone else ( and booked well in advance: March 1st 2022) and yet I was allocated a very poor room . It was tiny with a small window onto the front gravel drive . The only downstairs room : adjacent to the communal lounge and a communal toilet and closest to the road . I really feel this room ( and the velux window room upstairs ) ought to be offered at a lesser price and never as a room share. The beds in room 5 ( my downstairs room) were about a foot apart both pushed against the wall with just a tiny shared bedside table between. I felt I had to lock the door when I was in the room as someone could easily mistake the toilet door and room 5 door.
Most Inspirational Moment
All the walks were great and distinctly different to each other in some way
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you are NOT allocated room 5
Reply from Exodus
We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review, Kathryn, and particularly for sharing such positive feedback about your tour leader. On the other hand, we sincerely regret that the room you were allocated fell below your expectations. There are variations between the rooms that our clients are allocated at the Chalet Chocolat, in size and layout as well as position within the chalet, which means that naturally some rooms are quieter than others or can lack a balcony view, as yours did. This is mentioned under the Accommodation section of our trip notes and we are confident that this allows our clients to set their expectations accordingly. We are aware, however, that an administrative mix-up resulted in another member of your group, who booked after you, receiving what could be considered a superior room and we are sorry if this felt unfair. I understand that our customer services team has been in touch directly to resolve your concerns, but we are disappointed that your experience was not as positive as you would have expected. We are glad that the overall trip was an enjoyable experience and hope that you will entrust your future travel plans to Exodus.
Emma Cambers, Product Manager
Kathryn Hardiman
Reviewed August 2022
Great trip . Shame about the range of room standards in the chalet
The walks, guide, chalet hosts and food were all excellent. However there was a massive range in the room size/ standard/ noise level / view at chalet Chocolat . It felt very unfair to have paid the same as everyone else ( and booked well in advance: March 1st 2022) and yet I was allocated a very poor room . It was tiny with a small window onto the front gravel drive . The only downstairs room : adjacent to the communal lounge and a communal toilet and closest to the road . I really feel this room ( and the velux window room upstairs ) ought to be offered at a lesser price and never as a room share. The beds in room 5 ( my downstairs room) were about a foot apart both pushed against the wall with just a tiny shared bedside table between. I felt I had to lock the door when I was in the room as someone could easily mistake the toilet door and room 5 door.
Most Inspirational Moment
All the walks were great and distinctly different to each other in some way.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you are NOT allocated room 5
Emily MacSporran
Reviewed August 2022
A wonderful trip
This trip more than lived up to my expectations with wonderful hosts (Clare and Liz) and a great guide (Jef). From start to finish everything was organised extremely well, the weather was perfect, the treks and the scenery magnificent, informative information from our guide and all topped off with great food every day.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing their sun rise over the mountains in the morning and setting in the evening.
Thoughts on Group Leader
He was a great leader. He had all the qualities necessary to make this trip comfortable and enjoyable for everyone: - understanding of the group and their different abilities -understanding of the terrain and the challenges - knowledge of the area - an all important sense of humour
Catherine Waters
Reviewed June 2022
regaining confidence
Having had two trips to the Lake District with appalling weather conditions where I struggled with hill climbing and broke my wrist on the first occasion, this Highlights trip has restored my confidence and I will be back for more. Our leader, Jeff, knew exactly how to reassure less confident climbers in the group and by the end of the first day I was relaxed about meeting any challenges in the week ahead. His expert knowledge of the flora and fauna in the area was obvious. The walks were varied, the wildflowers amazing and views of the Alps stunning. Clare and Liz were superb hosts at Chalet Chamonix. Food was excellent and Liz’s home-made cake every afternoon was a particular treat. I had a fabulous holiday. Thank you Exodus!
