Most Inspirational Moment
So many high lights, every hour of every day. I’ve never been to India before. I feel safe as I woman on my own on this trip
Thoughts on Group Leader
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!!!
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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Reviews
Cycle the Coast of Kerala
The guide Shibuk was amazing at looking after us . Anything we asked for he would try his best to achieve. Every café was very welcoming we tried different local foods with him. He was brilliant at his job and his buddy Sandee was very helpful and patient following us and giving us water at every stop. Thank you for an awesome holiday.
Wow what an amazing uplifting experience - 5 stars all the way
I honestly find it difficult putting into words just how much this trip moved me. It was special beyond words and I would describe as a culture trip with cycling. There were so many elements to it that it felt like an explosion of colour, culture, tastes and cycling. This trip will stay with me for a long time and It really helped me reset as a person and slow down
Most Inspirational Moment
Half way through the trip we did a 24 hour boat trip and it was the most relaxing thing we had done for a long time. Also we were lucky enough to experience a Hindu ceremony that made me emotionl
Thoughts on Group Leader
Safi, what can I say you were wonderful as well as Shabu - what lovely guys who made it fun and interesting. It felt like we were a real team and they made it so much more enjoyable - Shabu was my life saver on the trip as I wasn't the fastest
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be open to everything, put your phone down and see Kerala for the amazing place it is
A Perfect Blend of Culture, Scenery and Gentle Adventure!
What an amazing trip! It genuinely exceeded my expectations on so many levels! From beginning to end, everything was exceptionally well organised, with every detail carefully thought through and plans adjusted when necessary to maximise our enjoyment. The cycling routes were a brilliant way to experience Kerala’s towns, cities, fishing villages, stunning coastline and authentic local culture. Loved every moment, but particularly enjoyed the afternoon coasting down the Kerala backwaters on the houseboat, where I suddenly realised I was the most relaxed I had been for many months! 🙂
Each day felt different, with a great mix of activities and experiences, plus some wonderful surprise cultural moments that we simply weren’t expecting. The food throughout was excellent: fresh, varied and full of flavour, and the standard of the hotels was consistently very good. Having swimming pools at many of the properties was a real bonus and the perfect way to unwind after a day on the bike.
Overall, it was a fantastic holiday and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a well-organised, active trip with great food, comfortable accommodation and truly unforgettable experiences.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many unexpected moments that enriched the trip, many of which weren’t even on the original itinerary. Our lead guide, Safi, often added or adapted elements along the way, creating a mix of planned and completely impromptu immersive experiences that made the journey feel truly special and memorable. I was also genuinely touched by the people of Kerala: everywhere we went, we were met with such warmth and friendliness, which will stay with me long after the trip.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Safi was absolutely amazing. He made sure everyone in the group felt cared for, catered for and happy throughout the entire trip. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and he went out of his way to check in with each of us and adapt plans where needed so that everyone could get the most out of the experience. A huge thank you as well to Shibu and Vinni, who worked tirelessly alongside Safi to ensure everything ran smoothly behind the scenes. Their hard work, humour, support and friendly presence really added to the enjoyment of the tour, and together they created such a positive, relaxed atmosphere. As a team, they genuinely made the trip, and I’m incredibly grateful for all they did to give us such a fantastic experience.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don’t be put off if you’re not an experienced cyclist. The routes are mostly flat and the road surfaces are generally good, with just the occasional pothole to navigate. The daily distances are very manageable and, importantly, most of the cycling is done in the mornings, before the heat and humidity really build, which makes it much more comfortable. I’d recommend bringing padded cycling shorts (or gel seat) and gloves if you have them, and making sure you stay well hydrated (with electrolytes), but you certainly don’t need to be a serious cyclist to enjoy this trip. It is a fantastic way to see and feel the “real” Kerala at a gentle pace, travelling through villages and countryside you might not otherwise experience, while also getting or keeping fit at the same time. Overall, if you are happy to be a little active and open to new experiences, this tour is incredibly rewarding and very achievable for most people with a basic level of fitness.
What a fantastically amazing trip!
There are almost no words to describe how fulfilling this Kerala trip was. I have taken a lot of interesting trips in my time, including northern India, but this really touched my soul like nowhere else and I cannot explain why. There wasn’t anything that I didn’t love about the trip. The food was great, the people were so, so friendly, the group was fantastic, the countryside so pretty, hotels were comfortable and the cycling was something I have never done before but really enjoyed. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the elephant walking in the festival parade. I never thought for a minute I would see that in Kerala. But also meeting so many lovely locals along the route
Thoughts on Group Leader
Safi was a great leader. He made sure we always knew where we were going and when and checked that everyone in the group was ok with that. He left some flexibility so that we could add in some interesting excursions when the opportunities arose. A great combination of leadership and teamwork.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Kerala is so beautiful and cycling at grass roots level lets you see and hear everything going on around. You can stop whenever there is something interesting to see (every 5 minutes!) If you are interested in this type of immersive trip but don’t fancy cycling, hire an e-bike. Best of both worlds.
Exceptional Holiday from Start to Finish
I’ve just returned from this tour and can honestly say it exceeded all expectations.
From start to finish, the trip was exceptionally well organised, with every detail thoughtfully planned.
The cycling routes offered a perfect way to take in Kerala’s beautiful coastline and local culture. Each day brought something new and memorable, with a fantastic range of activities and experiences that really made the trip special – with lots of surprise cultural experiences that we did not expect.
The food was excellent throughout, fresh, varied, and full of flavour and the hotels were of a great standard. Having access to swimming pools at many of the accommodations was a real bonus and a great way to relax after a day’s cycling.
Overall, this was a truly fantastic holiday. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a well-organised, active trip with great food, comfortable accommodation, and unforgettable experiences.
Most Inspirational Moment
There are so many! From the local wedding we visited, to learning and watching local craftsman keeping traditions alive to all of the super friendly locals and even a Hindu procession.
Thoughts on Group Leader
A special mention must go to our group leader and his team, Safi, Shibu and Vinnie who were outstanding throughout, professional, supportive, and genuinely passionate about making sure everyone had the best possible experience.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't be put off if you're not a regular cyclist or haven't been on a bike for a while, the route is very flat and there is no hurry or race to get to the next stop, its a very good relaxed pace.
Disappointing trip with poorly maintained bikes
We added this trip as an extension to the Discover Sri Lanka trip which was fabulous and we highly recommend. Unfortunately
this trip for us fell far short of the standard we have come to expect from Exodus. I write this as a qualified ride leader with over 40 years of experience in bike maintenance.
Our bikes had multiple problems including excessive play in the rear wheel, unreliable gears, poorly adjusted headsets and badly set up brakes all which affected bike handling and created unnecessary risk. Having discussed this with Exodus they have assured us that changes will be made to the servicing of the bikes and that the ride leader will test ride every bike before handing it to a client.
Generally it is easy cycling on flat roads with a few minor hills on the last day. A lot of the roads are fairly busy, the Indian drivers like to toot so you know they are there, so it is also very noisy. The backwater roads are lovely but views of the sea can be limited because of the coastal defences. There is also a lot of litter and some unwelcome smells due to the lack of sanitation. The locals are generally very welcoming and friendly, plenty of smiles particularly from the children.
Most Inspirational Moment
Our highlight was the Kerala house boats, they were fabulous especially watching the sunrise in the morning as we sailed along the backwaters.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guide, who we understand was not the usual leader, was a poor communicator, disorganised and a thoroughly disappointing ride leader. On previous Exodus trips the leader has set up a WhatsApp group and used it to keep us informed of departure times and other key information. Our leader asked us to set the group up and rarely used it, most communication was by Chinese whispers. He was also a poor time keeper, we left late in the mornings, rode through the hottest part of the day and didn’t get to lunch until 3:00pm. On rides his pace was erratic, he would stop pedalling when on the phone. He also led us down the wrong side of the road, cut corners and failed to give clear signals of his intentions. Again we raised these issues with Exodus, they have assured us that these issues will be addressed with additional training so that Exodus usual standards are maintained on future trips.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Lycra cycle shorts are acceptable apart from visiting the temples/churches. Use insect repellent on the houseboats overnight as the ensuite had slats and no mesh to keep the mosquitos out.
Fantastic experience
This cycle tour was one of the best experiences I have ever had. Exodus were a great company and as a solo traveller I was very impressed with the support, nothing was too much trouble. It was a great itinerary, our tour leader was informative, flexible to all members of the group and did his best to accommodate everyone, despite there being some challenging members in the group.
All accommodations were great and of a good standard.
I would highly recommend the tour
Most Inspirational Moment
Cycling in the mornings on quiet back roads where you are greeted like celebrities by happy smiling families on they way to school/work
Thoughts on Group Leader
My personal experience was absolutely fine. Unfortunately there were several other travellers in the group who were very challenging, our group leader tried so hard to accommodate but nothing was ever enough. Mr Shaker was professional, courteous, informative, helpful and flexible at all times. A great tour leader.
Potentially great trip let down by unroadworthy bike
Bike: Rear caliper loose, rear tyre coming off rim, excessive play in headset, poor brakes as calipers not aligned with discs. Bike replaced after a couple of days but they sent the wrong size. Leader was at best average. I cycled in Kerala two years age with different company, good Bike, brilliant leader. Hence 2 stars.
Most Inspirational Moment
Homestay and Backwater trip.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Average, made poor decisions about eating places. Communication poor, not using WhatsApp to remind us of important timings , like diner, breakfast and departure. Didn't even set up a WhatsApp group, so I did.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Check your bike thoroughly or get someone with bike knowledge and refuse to get on it until all faults are rectified to your satisfaction. Pot luck with leaders. I walked out of our first night dinner in Varkala without sitting down. Next daythe others said they should have followed me.
Reply from Exodus
We’re sorry to read that Charles felt this way about his Cycle the Coast of Kerala trip, and we appreciate him taking the time to share such detailed feedback. Exodus places great importance on the condition and safety of all bicycles used on our cycling itineraries, and we have stringent checks in place before every departure. Feedback from other members of this group indicates that the majority of bikes were generally in good condition overall; however, the comments Charles raises about his bike are not acceptable and this is being followed up with our local team. We fully understand how frustrating it must have been for Charles to begin his holiday with an unroadworthy bike, and we’re glad a replacement was provided, even if the sizing wasn’t perfect. One of our UK team was in touch with Charles during the trip and we would have been happy to organise a different replacement bike if he had requested at the time.
We were also sorry to learn that Charles was disappointed with his tour leader. We’re proud to have a strong team in Kerala who usually receive excellent feedback for their organisation, communication, and local knowledge, so it’s disappointing to hear this wasn’t reflected on this occasion. His comments regarding communication, restaurant decisions, and group coordination have been noted and will be shared our local manager.
It’s encouraging that Charles still enjoyed aspects of the trip, particularly the homestay and backwater experience, which are often highlights for many travellers. We appreciate him offering advice to future customers, though we feel that our ongoing equipment checks and leader development mean guests can join this trip with confidence.
We’re grateful for Charles’s honest reflections and will use them to ensure we continue strengthening the experience for those travelling with us in the future.
-Oliver O’Boyle, Exodus Product Manager
Fabulous tour - great cycle routes and much more
We did this tour after a week in the North doing the golden triangle so it was nice to sample the north and the south of India – they are very different. The cycle routes were fabulous and as were in the main flat within most people’s ability. The tour should be named cycling the backwaters and coast of Kerala as more time is spent in the backwaters than on the coast – not a complaint as the backwaters are fabulous. The night on the houseboat was amazing and the home stay was better than we expected. A great way of seeing the area.
Most Inspirational Moment
We did an impromptu visit to a local school - which was fabulous. The cycling was amazing
Thoughts on Group Leader
Rahim and his deputy Dipan were fabulous. We felt very safe in their company even in the busier towns.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Just do it
Cycle the Coast of Kerala
Leader was great. Itinerary well planned and we really enjoyed all the activities and places where we stayed, especially the homestay and houseboat.
Most Inspirational Moment
Meals! The food was a highlight especially at the homestay and houseboat - and also the lunch stop by the sea on day 6.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Shibu did a great job - one of him and 7 of us! He was friendly and helpful and kept everything on track all the time and everywhere. We really appreciated his work and care.