Reviews

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

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47 Reviews

4.3 out of 5

Reviewed January 2012

CYCLING THROUGH RAJASTHAN

Cycling through the countryside gives you a wonderful insight into rural life in India whilst visits to the cultural highlights of the region make this a very interesting and active itinerary.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting the Taj Mahal which is amazing. The Forts at Agra and Jaipur were also really impressive and I enjoyed cycling through the countryside too.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The two leaders, Sajay and Pramod were excellent leaders who not only guided the cycling but also kept us entertained. They worked hard in the background to ensure that the trip ran smoothly. The bike mechanic, bus driver and his assistant were also a good team.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for quite a few consecutive days cycling 40miles+ and consider taking your own saddle rather than a gel cover. If you take your own bike remember that supplies of spare parts such as chains and rear mechanism hangars are aimed at the local bike market and so you would be advised to take a few extra bike bits just in case. The road surfaces can be rough in places and don't be surprised if the locals want to chat to you from their motorbikes whilst you negotiate pot holes, camels, cows etc in front of you. This means that you should be confident of cycling in traffic and some experience of cycling on rough terrain would be advantageous. It is best to cycle with at least one other person as, although almost everyone is friendly, sometimes the children like to jump out in front of you or throw stones. A supply of hand gel is also a good idea.

Suggestions

An active, well organised trip which is almost two holidays in one combining the cycling and sight-seeing. The bikes were great for the terrain and the mechanic was skilled at keeping them running. Some of them would probably have benefited from some new cassettes and chains.

Reviewed January 2012

CYCLING THROUGH RAJASTHAN

Fascinating country, impressed by the resourcefulness and friendliness of the people. Cycling always interesting, so much to see.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking through that arch and seeing the Taj Mahal.

Thoughts on Group Leader

OK, friendly and polite, perhaps could have been a bit more proactive in explaining things.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you go in December don't forget your fleeces. It gets cold at nights and many of the hotels don't have heating.

Suggestions

Realising you can cycle in the chaos of the Indian streets gives a great sense of exhileration - due of course to the allowances that everyone makes for you.

Reviewed January 2012

CYCLING THROUGH RAJASTHAN

An enjoyable trip that provides a varied flavour of all the sights and sounds that India has to offer. It is a mix of fairly easy cycling combined with some longish coach transfers to be able to cover the distances required. One note of caution is to check the weather as traveling over Christmas means you are subjected to very cold nights and often foggy mornings.

Most Inspirational Moment

India. Its a country of such contrasts, history, friendly people, sights, poverty, the contriductions of modern New Delhi versus Old Delhi. The Amber Fort, Jaipur and the Taj Mahal are obvious highlights.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The organisation was very effectifient and able to cope with the minor mishaps you expect on these trips.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check the temperature averages for time of year you are travelling, December and January is close to freezing overnight in Rajasthan and therefore the unheated hotels are very cold at night. Also some mornings when the majority of the cycling is done were foggy.

Suggestions

The day in Jaipur should be one of the highlights of the trip but you will be forced to spend more time at a shopping complex and an awful dull over-priced tourist lunch stop than you will at the Amber Fort. In our case the Amber Fort was a rushed march around the main complex with no time to explore any of the surrounding points of interest. Thankfully as a group we subsequently refused the other commission laden "shopping opportunities" we offered.

Reviewed January 2012

CYCLING THROUGH RAJASTHAN

We travelled by bicycle and bus through villages and the countryside. Cycling through the city’s was quiet an experience, all traffic blowing their horns and animals slowly crossing the streets. Most people along the streets were very kind and the children sheered. Few people thought it nice to endanger you by pouting a stick in front of your bike.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were more than one inspiring moments, driving over the countryside, the visit to the tiger park, where we did not see any of the 5 tigers that are left there. The evenings at some of the reataurants we went to for our dinner.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leaders were very kind and helpful. In order to e clear as they were explaining the goings on of the day they repeated themselves in a way that you sometimes got lost in what they had to tell.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring a horn with you for your bike so you can make as much nois as they do. Be patient. Food is rather spicy and a lot is vegetarian.

Suggestions

Go there enjoy yourself and be aware.

Reviewed December 2011

CYCLING THROUGH RAJASTHAN

Very enjoyable – covered a lot of ground, saw some amazing (and humbling) sights and had superb support from guides and crew who worked really hard to make this a trip to remember.

Most Inspirational Moment

For me the whole trip was about seeing the Taj Mahal and it did not disappoint. We went in the morning (though missed sunrise as it was rather misty) and it really did take my breath away. We had plenty time to wander at our own pace and take it all in.Also thoroughly enjoyed cycling out in the countryside. We took a walk to a local village from the Tiger Reserve and loads of children led us across the fields to explore where they lived, posing for photos, playing with our hair and chatting away though we did not understand a word. It was a lovely experience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Harish and Pramod worked really hard to make sure everyone was happy though we all had different requirements (and demands). They are enthusiastic and knowledgable as well as striking a respectful balance with the locals who were interested in us every time we stopped.

Advice for Potential Travellers

It got chilly in the evenings in December (especially in the Tiger Reserve, though also in some hotels) - I wished I had more warm clothes. Try to stick with at least one other person when cycling through the villages - we sometimes had youngsters throwing rocks and sticks at us (though I have to say that most of the locals were very friendly!)You won't get much chance for shopping - there are some organised trips to carpet/ marble/ jewellery places but limited opportunities to go round local markets - ask early if this is something you really want to do.We got a better exchange rate for our £ at money-changers in town than at the airport. You won't find ATMs every day and some people struggled to use their cards.

Suggestions

I've travelled in India before but the sights and sounds and traffic and poverty still catch me every time. Take time to take it all in - the rides through the countryside are amazing - seeing people at work and going about their business in brightly coloured clothing and being surrounded by locals within minutes at every chai stop. This trip was the first for me where the locals were armed with camera phones and they were as interested in taking pictures of us as we were in them. All in all it was a great trip and we used just about every minute of every day. Be prepared for lots of early starts and some lengthy bus transfers - the trip covers a wide area but it's ok if you are expecting them.

Reviewed November 2011

CYCLING THROUGH RAJASTHAN

Really enjoyable trip. Exceeded my expectations both from the trip and the country perspective.

Most Inspirational Moment

I have lots of great memories ranging from cycling in rush hour traffic in Delhi which was akin to cycling round the north circular but somehow safer (The Indians seem to be less agressive than us Brits), to following a scooter round Udaipur with 16 of us in a conga type of Peleton to hoping to find one of five Tigers in 400+ sq miles of National park at 6am!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both the leader and his deputy were great. They have a lot to cope with. 16 clients all wanting varying degrees of looking after and following the Trip Notes. The other 3 team members were excellent also - bus driver. bike mechanic and the guy who did everyting else.

Advice for Potential Travellers

It is a cycling holiday - the more used to cycling the more you'll enjoy it but if you are a cycling nut and want to get your head down, think twice. For safety reasons you'll only get about 90mins at a time without an enforced stop. Given the heat and things to see/photograph it shouldn't be a problem (or go and cycle the Alpine passess)! We were a mixed group and fairly typical I would think and we all seemed to cope.There is also lots of sightseeing - more than I expected (and in my case more than I needed). But it is well organised and virtually always with an expert, English speaking guide.There are some longish bus transfers and forewarned is forearmed. Check the actual distances (and allow for heavy city traffic) between the overnight stops to calculate.

Suggestions

Go for it. You'll enjoy. Always make time for a Kingfisher (beer) at the end of each day with the rest of the group.

Reviewed January 2011

CYCLING THROUGH RAJASTHAN

Rajasthan is a beautiful place to visit especially by cycle. Great experience and would recommend to anyone with a sense of adventure and experienceing the unexpected. The food, people and sights are vast and contrasting form place to place. The colours of Rajasthan are magnficient.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the Taj Mahal is inspiring and beyond words.

Thoughts on Group Leader

HarishKumar and Pramod are two great leaders who were able to provide guidance whenever required. Their in depth knowledge of the trip was extremely helpful and informing. They were always willing to help whenever it was required. I hope I will get the chance to travel with them again. Harish is a person who you can rely on and depend on making the ride enjoyable and the whole experience fascinating.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring warm clothes as it can get very cold at nite. Sweets, pens for the children you will pass on the roads. Beware of spicy food if you have a fragile stomach. Have a great time.

Suggestions

More time for shopping would be advisable. To wonder the shops of Delhi would be nice as in the other major cities visited.

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