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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14516 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Wendy Dunk

Reviewed March 2018

Discover Sri Lanka - just do it.

If you think India might be too much but really want to discover a different culture, this is the perfect trip to do.
Full on and busy every day but with “free time” just when you need it.
So many experiences in 2 short weeks, cultural, home based, incredible climbs, bike rides, white water rafting, incredible views, ancient cities, spice garden tour with an expert, turtle hatchery, visiting a tea factory, and that is just to mention a few of the things we did.
Our guide was so knowledgeable and soon became part of our group of 16, the bus driver was brilliant as was his support, we felt safe every time we went anywhere, Our Guide Nalaka was charming and always available to us and answered our numerous questions with charm and knowledge.
All the hotels were of a high standard, only two were not that good but for one night they were fine, but throughout the tour we were given 5* treatment and courtesy.

Most Inspirational Moment

It would be difficult to say which particular moment was any more inspirational than another. The whole tour was inspirational. I would have to say that the least inspirational for me personally was on day 12 where we had tea in a coconut shell and played Sri Lankan games. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the novelty and played the games, it was not inspirational in any way.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Outstanding. Knowledgeable. Concerned. Made sure we were safe and happy. Ensured we were given the right amount of information. Excellent communication skills. Friendly and welcoming right from the start. I cannot speak highly enough of Nalaka.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read the notes given by Exodus, as they are accurate. Just go with an open mind, take in all the experiences. Take mosquito repellant with you, it is really necessary. Remember to get your ETA on line Things can be bit pricey but take cash in £'s and US$.

LINDA LAMOTTE

Reviewed March 2018

Vietnam by bike - what a perfect way of visiting this country

This trip was absolutely brilliant, a perfect way of visiting a country, by bike. We really felt part of the scenery and the locals were so welcoming, the cycling was interesting, safe, challenging but not too much, everyone could go at their pace as we had plenty of stops to allow the slower members catch up and have a break too. Every hotel we stayed in was over our expectations, clean spacious with very welcoming staff. The food was out of this world, fresh, local delicious and none of the group had any problems at all. Our guide, the driver and the mechanic were so knowledgeable and really kept an eye on each of us during our trip. We had fresh water and refreshments throughout our cycling and the excursions were great . Vietnam is really a great place to visit, so varied and interesting. I truly recommend this trip to any one that enjoys cycling and it was the perfect way to visit a country; I thank our guide Son who made each one of us feel as ease and handled us well. The guide and driver of our bus were very helpful and so was our mechanic. Well done Exodus!!!!

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day was just perfect,

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent, he really knows how to make each individual feel at ease and kept us all in good spirit. Well organised and so cheerful, couldn't have asked for any better.

Advice for Potential Travellers

To bring a neck cushion for the bus ride as we often needed a nap . Lots of insect repellent and sun cream of course. To bring warm clothes too.

Robert Sharpe

Reviewed March 2018

Vietnam Adventure

An excellent trip. As previously, super hotels, above all perfectly located, never more than a short walk from the centre/sights.
The usual combination of comfort, with a little bit of “edge” & adventure during the day. But go now – at current rate of development, there will be too many of us tourists, & moped fumes in cities will be intolerable.
Our guide, T-V, was absolutely superb. Knowledgeable, caring, & always willing to go the extra mile to deal with eg complex eating habits of the group. Tet (New Year) was actually a great time to visit, lots of buzz, & any downside (eg potential restaurant closure ) was anticipated & dealt with by T-V

Most Inspirational Moment

Saigon Opera House performance

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide, T-V, was absolutely superb. Knowledgeable, caring, & always willing to go the extra mile to deal with eg complex eating habits of the group. Tet (New Year) was actually a great time to visit, lots of buzz, & any downside (eg potential restaurant closure ) was anticipated & dealt with by T-V

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go now - at current rate of development, there will be too many of us tourists, & moped fumes in cities will be intolerable.

Helen Clews

Reviewed March 2018

Cambodia Adventure

This holiday was my first experience of a third world country and as such was extremely interesting. In spite of some poverty, all the hotels were built in recent years and were of a high standard. Our experiences were varied: chaotic traffic in the cities, visits to country villages, two days on cycles, boat trips, learning about the history of Cambodia’s civil war and how the country if recovering, trekking up a mountain and seeing mangroves. We enjoyed visiting the famous temple at Angkor Wat and several lesser temples in the region. The people were friendly and welcoming.

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved the day cycling round the vilages to see rice paper being made, bamboo tubes being filled with sticky rice, tropical fruits being sliced and dried in the sun, fish being processed (very smelly but interesting). All the local people worked long days for little money, but were very smiley and welcoming. At one stop we had a lovely snack of tropical fruit.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was excellent, and able to give us plenty of information. He took care of us very well. We had a few 'incidents' such as a flat tyre and one member of the party being unwell, but he coped very efficiently with everything. He guided us to good restaurants and was always on the watch, making sure we were all there and happy. His own family had been badly affected by the civil war, so he was able to talk knowledgeably about Cambodian history - particularly when we visited the 'Killing Fields' and a Khmer Rouge prison. His English was fluent, though he had quite an accent. However, this was no problem as we all quickly tuned into it. Like so many Cambodians he was small, smiley and unflappable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take the advice you are given to guard your belongings carefully. For example, wear a money belt or use a concealed pocket. Wear bags across your shoulder and hold them. (We had a couple of 'incidents'). We were not too plagued by mosquitoes, but I would advise using DEET whenever outside. Carry some toilet paper to use in the squat toilets. These are usually clean enough and often have running water, but often lack paper.

Larry Meyers

Reviewed February 2018

Trails of Vietnam--Traveling During the TET Holiday

We were a group of 7 representing 5 nationalities. The size of the group bonded us quickly and kept it that way through out the trip. Couple with an excellent guide it was and will be remembered as a memorable trip.
Before booking a trip in January or February check to see when the TET holiday will occur and decide if potential deviations from the standard trip notes will have an impact on what you want to see and experience.
TET is not a festival, rather a holiday period for the Vietnamese people to leave the cities and return to the country to spend time with their families. Millions of people are on the move which starts with the Vietnamese New Years Eve. All told we experienced the impact from Day 5 through Day 13 of our trip. Some guide books will advise you not to visit during TET as you will experience closed businesses and the businesses that remain open often hike their prices. While the hotels are operating restaurants options are limited and may only offer a set course meal to serve to tourists. Our guide was constantly adjusting our schedule to accommodate for TET–substituting a cycle day for a kayak trip, locating someone to do our laundry while in Hoi An and of course picking our restaurants. On the plus side there was less traffic to deal with.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reflecting back now it was clearly the two nights we stayed with the hill-tribes. Given our small group it was easy to interact with the adults and especially the children. The music and the dancing on the second night was as enjoyable for the village as it was for us.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Tuyen Nguyen was everything you would want in a guide--professional, well organized, capable of dealing with multiple changes in itineraries (think TET) plus a good sense of humor. He worked his hardest to make sure we enjoyed our time in his country. Our bus rides were filled with his wisdom and wit.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Weather in the north can be really cold especially at the homestays--a sleeping sheet or a light sleeping bag if you chill easily--the bedding provided is a sheet and a blanket. Ear plugs are essential as the dogs and roosters are everywhere. Bring the slippers from the Day 1 hotel to use in the sleeping rooms. You will be backpacking on Day 3 to your new homestay. It rained on us and was very slippery and muddy. Your large bag will be stored at a hotel on Day 2, 5, 11 & 12. You can pack more stuff after the homestay but you still have to carry it between the bus and your night's stay. Day 7 is a long day and one needs to have cycle gear readily available--from the train right to cycling--gel saddle cover and gel cycle shorts really help. We didn't see the sun until Day 7 but the sunscreen came out from then on. Bugs were not a problem.

M B

Reviewed February 2018

Vietnam Adventure

A busy trip that covered a lot of distance , seeing both north and south Vietnam .
Travelling prior / during and after Tet gave a different perspective to the country and people

Most Inspirational Moment

Exploring the cities ( Hanoi / Hoi An / Hue / Ho Chi Minh City ) was most enjoyable . From 15 degrees in Feb in Hanoi to 35 degrees in HCMC was a bit of a challenge .

Thoughts on Group Leader

TV ( Than Vu ) was very able and ensured everyone was having a good time. He spoke of the history of his country as well as traditions. Managed the logisitics of "Tet amendments " well and always communicated upcoming activities in a friendly , informative way .

Advice for Potential Travellers

Dont worry about the cycling element of trip. The countryside is iron board flat and the pace is very leisurely. If you cant use chopsticks before you go , try to get some practice in . Spoons and forks can be provided but might be worthwhile carrying your own set ( i.e those given away freely by takeaways/ supermarkets in UK )

Richard Atkinson

Reviewed February 2018

The Lemosho route to success on Kili

Just back from a great trip. From the moment you land your African adventure starts. The Moivaro lodge provides a relaxing and comfortable start and end point, but your focus is inevitably on the challenge ahead. Our guide JT gave an excellent pre-trek briefing and throughout the trek provided support and motivation – always with a smile, a laugh or a song.
If you have even the slightest concern about altitude and acclimatisation, the Lemosho route is an excellent choice: the extra time allows for a gradual approach over the Shira Plateau, with some acclimatisation walks (going higher and sleeping lower). And it’s attractive.
Don’t expect to be trekking in splendid isolation on any route. Even on the supposedly quieter Lemosho route (which eventually merges with two other routes) there is the daily traffic of porters passing you every morning…and you get to recognise and chat with other groups as you pass each other on the way.
I hadn’t realised when I first chose my dates, that this trip was a ‘female crew’ trip. I’m so glad it was. Apart from the value of this scheme in providing opportunities for females porters and guides, having a mixed crew really added to the friendly atmosphere of our camp. All organised groups seemed to have moments when their crew sang for the clients, but for us this went to a different level. Not only did their voices (and smiles) really lift the singing, but you never felt this was a performance; it carried on even when they were in their own tent in the afternoons.
Oh, and although we were a small group, we all reached the summit!

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the summit was the highlight, but scrambling on the Barranco Wall was exciting (there is a little exposure in short patches which could cause some anxiety for anyone with a fear of heights, but is otherwise quite manageable. Porters manage it with big loads!). And listening to the female crew members singing!

Thoughts on Group Leader

JT: exceptional. Highly professional and with a great personality. Always motivating us and ensuring we were ok. And he showed similar care for his crew.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go for it! The Lemosho route is great for acclimatisation, and is an attractive route. Don’t be put off by the female crew departures - indeed, I can’t recommend it enough.

Susan Jackson

Reviewed February 2018

Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia

18 day trip with Quark Expeditions on the Ocean Diamond from Uschuaia to the Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula with landings by Zodiac in remote bays where we experienced close encounters with the wildlife, especially penguins and seals and whales swimming alongside the boats. The scenery was stunning especially sailing close to the icebergs. We were superbly looked after on the ship and the cabins and public areas were warm and welcoming and the staff couldn’t have been more helpful. The food was excellent and plentiful and they catered well for my gluten free requirements as I am Coeliac. The expedition staff were knowledgeable as we had experts on penguins, ornithology, geology, whales, history, microbiology and photography. Praise goes to the captain as a mega storm was forecast as we were in the Falklands and we had to alter the itinerary to avoid it and though we hit some rough seas we missed the hurricane in the Falklands where the next 3 ships after us were stuck in the harbour there for 3 days. Ecology was a big concern and we had to have our clothing, rucksacks examined before each trip ashore to check there were no seeds and have them vacuumed, and boots and trousers were hosed down after each trip ashore then we walked through disinfectant.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so many, landing on a beach to be welcomed by King Penguins and 55 thousand more up the hillside as far as you could see and then they approach you without fear, Minke whales coming under and beside the Zodiacs, Humbacks spouting and fluking and the glorious colours and shapes of the icebergs.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent, very knowledgeable and concerned for our health safety at all times, though it was mostly a combined effort of the expedition team working together.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do take some sea sickness pills, though the doctor on board always came to the public areas and gave them out if anyone wanted them and I was not aware of anyone suffering with sea sickness as a result. The cabins were rather creaky and noisy at times, so light sleepers might consider ear plugs.

Annabel Ions

Reviewed February 2018

AWESOME NEW ZEALAND

This trip is one of the best we have experienced with Exodus. The varied walking, landscape and experiences on the trip make it an amazing adventure. Beware though there are many long distances to cover (we did over 3500 Km in the 19 days), but Ian and Sonya made it very interesting with their local knowledge and frequent rest stops at interesting places. The highlight of the walking was of course the Tongariro Alpine Crossing which on the day we did it was truly spectacular with the Emerald lake just like the Guide books. The Abel Tasman Coastal walk again like the guide book pictures. The Diamond Lake and Rocky Mountain walk was tough but well worth it for the views. Other experiences met all our expectations – Sailing on Tasman sea, Jet boat on River Motukituki where at times we were in 5 inches of water, Helicopter to Fox Glacier (paid locally) and overnight on Milford Sound in Fiordland. Christchurch was sad to see but it is good to that they are beginning to get the city rebuilt. It is important to note that a few walks and experiences can be affected by weather. Although it was summer we dodged Storm Fehi – Tongariro was closed the day after we walked it, Windy Wellington was stormy Wellington, roads near Fox Glacier were closed due to landslides and they had had no electricity for 3 days before we arrived. However we managed all the planned itinerary except walking to Fox Glacier due to landslide. All in all an AWESOME trip

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the summit on the Tongariro Alpine Pass and seeing the Lakes as shown in all the guidebooks

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ian was an excellent leader. He was a very confident and safe driver which is important on this trip. He kept us up to date with weather and reasons for his decisions in view of Storm Fehi. We had plenty of rest stops mostly in very interesting places.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take note of distances travelled in order to cover the area - New Zealand is a huge country Be aware that although summer itinerary might be changed due to weather

Gillian Hart

Reviewed February 2018

Spectacular trip!

A great escape from everyday life with the opportunity to try out many different snow activities plus free time to relax or experience optional activities. We were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights on 4 of our 7 nights 18-25 February 2018. Very tasty food and plenty of it. Comfortable rooms with underfloor heating. Overall a wonderful holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

The beauty of the landscape and the wonderful Finnish people. We really enjoyed the dogsledding and it was well worth booking the full-day dogsledding optional activity as the scenery was absolutely amazing. A must if you are a dog lover as the huskies are so friendly and love a fuss.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Anna was superb and went the extra mile to ensure everyone was happy.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Travel light as you only need clothes for the evenings. The water is so soft that you don't need skincare products and oil based lotions are advised against due to the extreme cold. We took our own thermal base layers and all other outdoor gear provided is sufficient to keep you warm during the day. Don't miss out on the sauna and outside hot tub!

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