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.

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56 Reviews

4.6 out of 5

Reviewed January 2013

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: KVITAVATN

Best bits: the guides were fantastic, especially Ilsa who was a brilliant teacher and so obviously skilled on skis. They were so friendly and helpful. Food brilliant and plentiful. Company great, so friendly. Accommodation warm. Great drying room. Great sauna (prepare yourself for a nudist experience). Scenery beautiful. Friendly accommodation hosts – they allowed you to put your own alcohol in the hostel fridge. Perfect 1st cross country ski trip and perfect way to spend a Christmas. Not so best bits: showers poor; tepid temperature and poor water flow. Plus you had to keep pressing the button to keep the shower on and the water flowed for only 15 seconds!! The communal sitting area, whilst warm was not really very cosy. The fire was lovely, but could only accommode about 8 people sitting around it. A real shame that the ambience wasn’t as cosy as it could have been. Some nice rugs and sofas would make all the difference. Bunk rooms small. The holiday information could do a bit more to ensure travellers realise the basic nature of the accommodation and that it is, in fact, a youth hostel.

Most Inspirational Moment

Learning to glide in the cross country ski tracks and realising that this was a great way to get outdoors, keep fit, and that this was a real alternative to down hill skiing, which has always scared me!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Completely brilliant. I had some great conversations with the leader, and she also shared thoughts and experiences with us which showed she really cared about the group. She was obviously passionate about cross country skiing and about teaching it. A great technician and good company.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go prepared for basic accommodation. No luxuries here. Take mittons instead of gloves and try and find some really good thermals to wear underneath the mittons. Don't expect to be stopping at mountain restaurants for hot wine and lunch - there aren't any!! Lunch is eaten out of doors on the mountains - take a flask, because it gets very cold. Everything is massively expensive. Take your own alcohol. If you are in a nice group it gets shared (in ours that's what we did).

Reviewed January 2013

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: KVITAVATN

Both the track and off-track skiing were excellent. This was certainly helped by the amount of snow, but the terrain was always good because it was challenging. The main leader and instructor (Ilse) was excellent – patient, attentive and always helpful.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the peak of Orneneipa on a very cold day, plus completing some of the demanding downhill sections of the tracks.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The main group leader (Ilse) was excellent, as highlighted

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make the most of the opportunities and ask Ilse's advice on how to wax your skis, and which wax to use.

Reviewed December 2012

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: KVITAVATN

This was an excellent holiday, accommodation was good, food was excellent, teaching, terrain and company all siperb. The staff are very friendly the instructors Chris and Ilse are very experienced in XC skiing and taught us well and went the extra mile to making sure we had fuind and learnt XC skiing at the same time. With additional stretching after a hard day, in the mountians or on the recognised routes and XC lessons in the evening.The scenery and history is tremendous and this brief glimpse of Norway that will have me coming back for more.Will definitely be back.

Most Inspirational Moment

I had several but I did

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ilse and Chris are excellent teachers in XC and are clearly passionate and enthusnjnn about the sport and I could ask any question about XC, the terrain and the history of the local area.

Advice for Potential Travellers

To enjoy this holiday dewfinitely take the advice and have a few sessions in the gym before you go is a worthwhile investment. If you want to go to the museum in Rjuken ask the guides how to get there and when to go.

Reviewed April 2012

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: KVITAVATN

Due to the lack of snow at the end of the season, the advertised corss-country skiing turned into a winter walking holiday. Whilst the company was very pleasant, this was a far cry from the winter activity holiday that everyone had expected.

Most Inspirational Moment

In view of the lack of snow it is hard to describe any aspect of the holiday as inspirational. However, it was good that a light fall of snow enabled us to ski on the last day of the holiday. Skiing round the frozen lake gave a taste of what we had missed.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Mary coped very well in the face of adverse conditions. It is no easy task to come up with acceptable activities for a dozen very disappointed people. Her knowledge of the local area enabled her to arrange some pleasant walks in the hills and the cable car to the Hardangarvidda provided a welcome change of scene.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The accomodation is good. You may wish to take a swimsuit for the mixed sauna, although the locals did not seem to regard this as a necessary item. The food was good, with ample supplies at breakfast to make a packed lunch. Be prepared for low temparatures (-14 or less) even in April).

Reviewed March 2012

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: KVITAVATN

Very well organised, friendly holiday. Excellent staff good accommodation. This was our second time on this holiday, still more to do next time too.

Most Inspirational Moment

I found the staff to be knowledgable and dynamic as they adapted to difficult weather conditions.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The holiday was well lead, a real team effort from all the staff.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check the weather reports, take advantage of everything on offer.

Reviewed March 2012

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: KVITAVATN

A very active holiday in a beautiful and remote location

Most Inspirational Moment

gliding across frozen lakes covered in snow with the sun shining and nobody else around Standing at the top of a mountain pass looking out across the mountains one morning having just watched heroes of telemark on dvd the night before in the lodge- it gave a real feel of what those men went through in WWII.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had two - they divided their time between both groups. Mary and Ilse were both excellent, profficient at the sport and their local knowledge was excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

Dont forget your gaiters. Cross country skiing in Kvitavatn is not limited to the tracks - all terrains are covered so you will spend a lot of time in deep snow.If you dont have gaiters you get very wet feet!Go to the gym and work out on a cross trainer before you go - any preparation is worthwhile as the trip is very active and you will find muscles you didnt know you had!Dispel any notion that its like alpine skiing as its nothing like it - far harder, far more energetic but definitely more worth while in my opinion!

Reviewed March 2012

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: KVITAVATN

A holiday that was physiclly challenging but not so much that it was too much.I liked the idea of being ”offroad’ most of the time. The trip leaders were excellent, empathetic, and flexible. Highlight was summiting out on a gloriously clear day

Most Inspirational Moment

view for ever from the peaks

Thoughts on Group Leader

excellent - no need to say more!

Advice for Potential Travellers

give it a go - but be fit so you can enjoy it more without the aches and pians

Reviewed February 2012

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: KVITAVATN

It was wonderful to be back at Kvitavatn again. I felt the location was better than ever with really good facilities at the Fjellstoge and superb food and kindness. Mary and Ilse are the best instructors ever and make every day a positive experience. You finish on a high (literally!).

Most Inspirational Moment

On the last day, getting close to the top of Orenipa and then skiing down on some lovely traverses. Seeing my little sister's face appear at the top as she side-stepped up to the plateau.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both Mary and Ilse provide leading of exceptional quality which is positive and skillful, managing the group well and giving excellent and focussed individual tuition along the way.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You will have a great time and always end up a better skier than before you went.

Reviewed February 2012

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: KVITAVATN

Back at Kvitavatn again for another year and as always a 5 GOLD star experience. The tuition and leaders are platinum and the place is so friendly and relaxed that it feels like home and I do keep coming back for all of that.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sparkly days up high with amazing views - didn't want to be anywhere else on earth.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ilse & Mary are fantastic, they tick all the boxes and I cannot speak more highly of them if I tried.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go, you wont regret it.

Reviewed January 2012

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: KVITAVATN MARCH 2011

Relaxed informal base with great tuition and variety.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the top of Onapeia (excuse spelling!) was a high point in terms of views and the challenge of aiming for a summit. I equally enjoyed the off track routes dodging, or not!, the trees and overhanging branches through the forest. I had a birthday whilst on holiday and Ilse had noticed this and made an effort to make sure I felt special that day which was a lovely quite unexpected gesture.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ilse and Mary led the group. Mary's patience with technique coaching saw me get my first ski award. Ilse knows the area and local snow conditions better than the back of her hand and is a natural teacher inspiring confidence in the most fretful amateur. The morning warm ups are ridiculously fun, and worth the effort for jiggling aching muscles into action.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware that this is very much a centre that welcomes families and groups. If you want to have a quiet dinner for two, maybe book elsewhere, but we love the warm relaxed camaraderie of shared stories over the evening meal, comparing ever more exaggerated tales of the days events. Alcohol is expensive in Norway, there is opportunity to buy a beer at the lodge but you may want to consider calling into duty free before you leave the UK. You will need gaiters if you don't want boots full of melting powder snow. Take something to entertain you in the evening, if you're awake that long.

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