Reviews

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

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.

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.

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!

Fabulous weeks hiking .....

A wonderfull weeks hiking amongst the most beautiful scenery, Egle (Agi) was a brilliant tour guide and managed the difficulty of varying walking speeds of the group really well. She was also very knowledgable, patient and all round delightful …every day was met with a smile. The host’s at Chalet Chamonix Claire and Liz were also top notch, very helpful, nothing was too much effort, food was great, and even arranged a cake and candles for my wife’s birthday……. and they didnt seem to mind too much when teased about women’s driving!!!! 🙂 ….only slight downside was the chalet, a little tired/old and in much need of some tlc (that is no reflection on Claire or Liz), on a plus it was well situated to walk into the town centre! We were lucky with the varied international group as well, 2 Canadian, 2 Americans, 2 Aussies, 2 Koreans and 3 English; a lot of laughs were had – some great and interesting characters.
Chamonix itself is beautiful, many bars and restaurants to choose from and some great cable rides ‘Aguille du Midi’ and ‘Brevent’ in particular. We chose to book paragliding, if your ever going to do it …..there is nowhere better.
This was our third Exodus trip, and can never fault them; we have already booked Tuscany for next year ….bring it on!

The Hills were Alive!

We had the most wonderful experience on the Mont Blanc Highlights tour. Our guide, Egle, was awesome! And so was our Chalet hosts, Marta and Neal! We trekked on the most beautiful trails full of wildflowers, blue sky, cool crisp air, snow cap mountains, delicious picnic lunches and good company. Egle was knowledgeable, kind and funny. She was attentive to all of us. Marta and Neal kept our cottage comfy, clean and our bellies full. The tour was exactly what we needed, a fun full day on the trail and relaxation, community and home cooked healthy yummy meals at the chalet afterwards. We would definitely recommend this tour to everyone and Egle, Marta and Neal!

Excellent and professional experience.

To whom it may concern,

I am incredibly thankful for the experience I had while I was away on my trip. Zohi and Ben were nothing but professional meanwhile keeping a light hearted friendly attitude throughout the time away.
Their food was exceptional. I was expecting something alot less and what was delivered was nothing short of an incredible dining experience.

If I knew I was getting them again I would not hesitate for a second booking another holiday with Exodus.

To second on that Shaun the hiking guide was professional and made hiking incredible and informative. We learnt so much from him as a group from the surrounding area.

The staff is by far your best asset and will encourage people to come back again and again im sure.

Regards

Perfect!

This trip was just perfect. The daily walks were sublime and breathtaking. Zohi and Ben really looked after us well. They are a magnificent duo that are not only great at what they do, they also enjoy it. The chalet was clean and had everything we needed. The food is gourmet and uses fresh ingredients. Both Zohi and Ben are super friendly. Not only do you get to eat delicious food, the conversations were also fun and genuine.

Our guide John is a master at his profession. He plans what’s best for the group and monitors our walking pace regularly. He is very knowledgeable on not only the hills and mountains surrounding the Chamonix valley but also all the popular hikes around the world. John provides training on the best way to walk (slow and steady) and he’ll also throw in lessons on different types of coniferous trees for free.

The walks and Chamonix itself is already a sublime combination. Throwing Zohi, Ben and John into the mix is certainly what made our trip perfect. My friends and I already agreed we’d do this trip again in a few years time. Here’s hoping the trio will still be there (fingers and toes crossed).

Magnifique!

Exodus,Chalet Chocolat,Ben,Zohi,Shaun,Mark and Kate-thank you so much for a truly magical experience in the French,Swiss and Italian Alps. The list of superlatives to describe this experience is long but magnificent,extraordinary,stupendous,colossal,transformational and gourmet all spring to mind.
The day begins with fresh croissants,pain au chocolat,strong coffee,cereal,yoghurt and fruits to fortify for a day of exertion as we wandered and took in the various delights of the Chamonix Valley in the very capable hands of guide Shaun. The steep,snow-tipped peaks,hanging glaciers,lakes,forest,ancient village houses,cows with bells,flowers,mountain cafes and wildlife are a very bewitching and intoxicating combination,we all felt like we were in a scene from The Sound of Music or Heidi.Our baguette,cheese and ham packed lunch was eaten in a scenic location with jaw-dropping views,our legs were tired and sore by the time we’d descended back to the chalet for a freshly-baked cake (thanks Zohi!) then into the jacuzzi for a well-deserved soak before a beer or wine and some gourmet dinner and dessert treats prepared lovingly by Ben and Zohi.Each day was different and stimulating,the local town of Chamonix was very attractive with its fine restaurants,quality shops and museums and inspiring alpine back-drop. We’ve all left a piece of our hearts in Chamonix and many of us will surely return there for another active alpine holiday. Merci bien Chamonix- à bientôt!

INCREDIBLE HIKING EXPERIENCE

The trip was fantastic! I felt very welcomed and at home from the moment we stepped in the chalet and were greeted by Zohi and Ben. An absolutely beautiful property with a very cosy and communal feel, a great way to bond with your new travel friends. The meals made with love by Zohi and Ben were phenomenal! A great variety for breakfast and lunch paired with 3 courses for dinner – each night was completely unique, delicious and fun. I had some dietary requirements and never felt like this was difficult for Zohi – she made me feel included and provided just as high level and delicious alternatives. Zohi and Ben were so warm and welcoming and became instant friends with the group! They set the tone of the chalet and helped the team bond and enjoy their time at “home”. The meals they provided were so varied, colourful, amazing – and themed to the days events which was a really special touch. It wouldn’t have been the same without seeing them each day and sharing our days experiences.
A beautiful highlight of Mont Blanc with completely different trips and scenery each day, which was very special. Great pacing, good times of day to start and end hikes. It was so magical to see so many different parts of the valley/alps and It was some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen.
Our hiking guide Shaun was incredibly passionate and knowledgeable – he was very professional and always ensured our comfort and safety as well as challenging us and teaching us about the area.
Shaun was a fountain of knowledge about the area and hiking. He was always professional and on-time. His organisation and time-lines were always spot on as well as his “walkie talkies” (what we affectionately nicknamed his updates for the next days hikes) which were very accurate and prepared us for the next day.
I would recommend this trip over and over and over, and can’t wait to travel with Exodus again. Ensure you read the trip notes as they are very accurate and prepare you well for the trip.