Reviews

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

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12 Reviews

5 out of 5

Alexander Denton

Reviewed October 2022

Hiking and Fantastic Scenery in northern Greece

This trip is highly recommended if you want to get away into wild unspoiled areas of northern Greece. Our guide, Danae, was very well organized and we always knew what to expect and what we needed for each day of hiking. Add to this an amazing group of people and it turned out to be the best group trip I have ever been on.

Most Inspirational Moment

Stepping off the rocky trail between Astraka Hut and Dragon Lake to allow 40+ wild horses to pass our group, then seeing them frolic in the grassy meadows below.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Danae was very well organized and we always knew what to expect and what we needed for each day of hiking. She was full of knowledge and enthusiasm and connected with all members of the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This trip is a must for hikers and walkers wanting to enjoy unspoiled scenery, deep gorges and high peaks without the crowds of the Alps and other popular areas. Combine this with a few days on the Greek Islands to relax after hiking and you have the perfect active holiday in friendly Greece!

Suggestions

Go on this trip, it's amazing, the best group trip I've ever been on!

Lesley Cunningham

Reviewed June 2022

A Greek Delight

A most wonderful trip – spectacular awe inspiring scenery in magnificent locations along with expert guiding with the lovely Aris supported by Stephania and a fabulous driver who all took excellent care of us. The accommodation, restaurants visited, a lovely group and all aspects of the trip were at the very least good, at best excellent.
I can’t recommend this trip highly enough.

Most Inspirational Moment

Numerous - being away from the rat race in the most beautiful places, every single day was a delight after a few years of a pandemic never really knowing when it would be possible to enjoy such privileges of being so close to nature, so peaceful and remote. I honestly have to say I'd include the food, the breakfasts almost everywhere and the general quality of almost everywhere we ate. It puts the UK to shame.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Top class Aris - an excellent guide with vast knowledge of the area, the weather situation that meant a change of plan to the week - highly capable and thoroughly nice bloke who took excellent care of all of us. We had a great support leader in Stephania who was a joyful asset to our trip and our wonderful driver Ilias - best exodus support team ever.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make provisions for changeable weather. Prepare to be delighted.

Suggestions

I wish I were going again.

Julian Hobday

Reviewed October 2020

Space to breath

A warm welcome in an unspoilt landscape. Great walking through a rugged landscape with the benefit of joyfully expert guiding.

Most Inspirational Moment

In a quiet corner of Meteora, far from the madding crowds, absorbing the sheer beauty of a monastery perched halfway up the opposite cliff. And there were many more such moments, including discovering just how good Greek yoghurt with honey can be!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Danae is fantastic. Her enthusiasm for life and the great outdoors, spills out at every opportunity. And she made sure that we got the very best from our trip.

Chris Jennings

Reviewed October 2020

Escape From 2020

An amazing trip and break in a truly stunning and lesser known part of the world (that only adds to the charm). The number of highlights are numerous. The ever impressive view points of Vikos Gorge (they get better and better), the charming villages and friendly welcoming locals, to the gravity defining monasteries. Topped off by the walk to, and the nap in the sun by the dragon lake surrounded by the Pindus mountains.
Not forgetting the food 🙂
An all round excellent trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

As mentioned above there are many. The different view points of the gorge, the monasteries perched on the cliff tops to the dragon lake and the mountain hut. Not forgetting traditional Greek dancing in the mountain hut with a number of different nationalities!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Changed a couple of days walking around due to weather conditions with the minimum of fuss and ensured everything ran smoothly, including all things Covid related. Danae's enthusiasm for Greece and the Zagori region shone through and she was good fun and company to be around, as also mentioned by Keisuke below.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you are contemplating this trip and thinking its not well known, it cant be that good think again. It a real Greek treasure, hidden in plain sight! (Possibly to ensure the landscape is not spoilt, and to ensure the villages keep their amazing charm.) Absolutely do it - you will not be disappointed!

Suggestions

The half day in Thessaloniki was a nice way to ease into the holiday, a pleasant very youthful laid back City.

Keisuke Murata

Reviewed October 2020

Truly enjoyable

It was one of the best hikes I have ever had in my entire life. I did not know that such wonderful mountains with dynamic views existed in Greece. VIllages in Zagori with stone houses, unchanged for centuries, are truly beautiful. All hotels we stayed, except for one night at a mountain refuge, were family owned. They are converted traditional stone houses and wonderful. Local Greek food were delicious.

Most Inspirational Moment

Natural landscapes. Astonishing views of mountains and gorges. Hikes were varied from one day to another, from relatively easy hikes to little bit challenging one to get to the mountain refuge. Aperitifs after a walk at stone-house hotels and cafes at a village plaza were wonderful.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fantastic. She, young,dynamic and charming, was the best group leader of Exodus hikes so far as far as I am concerned. Despite difficult conditions with COVID, she managed to make our trip truly enjoyable. With uncertain weather conditions, she flexibly adjusted schedule and itineraries so that we could enjoy every day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This hike in unknown parts of Greece should not be missed. I went there in September. I will come again in spring time.

Suggestions

Hikes in Meteora with visits to monasteries were also very interesting. Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece, is a very lively town.

Kevin Goody

Reviewed November 2019

A brilliant holiday with some great hikes

I’ve done several trips with Exodus and none of them have disappointed! The Zagori region was not an area I had heard of before, but the holiday really lived up to its billing. The mix of locations and accommodation was great, from hotels in the bigger towns to guest houses in the villages and the overnight stay in the mountain refuge. The hikes were really good, with some spectacular views especially of the Vikos Gorge and around the Dragon Lake. The guide, Stavros, was very friendly and knowledgeable and worked hard to make sure we saw everything despite having to change things around a bit after an overnight thunderstorm. A really good holiday in a lovely (quiet) part of Greece. Thoroughly recommended!

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many inspirational moments: - Looking down into the Vikos Gorge from the various viewpoints - The views from the mountain refuge and Dragon Lake - Sunset from the mountain refuge and from the viewpoint on the Meteora area - The Meteora monasteries - A lovely taverna lunch under the shade of a tree in the village square - A cool beer after a long hike!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Stavros was great! Very friendly and very knowledgeable and very keen to make sure we enjoyed all that this region of Greece had to offer. A real ambassador for both Exodus and Greek tourism! Thanks Stavros. :-)

Advice for Potential Travellers

You need to be a reasonably committed walker to enjoy the hikes. You will spend quite a bit of time on your feet and there's quite a bit of uphill - as the trip notes state. You don't need to be super-fit , but if you're only used to walking on gently undulating terrain you'll need to do some training! For example, the trip up to the mountain refuge is about 3.5 hrs of steady uphill. It's not terribly steep, but consistently uphill at a nice steady pace so you need to be prepared for that.

Suggestions

It was a great holiday. Just go for it!

Phillip Burrows

Reviewed October 2019

Trekking in the dramatic Pindus Mountains

Beginning in Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki, we travel westwards by minibus for 4.5 hours to reach Zagoria with its spectacular arch stone bridges. The scenery was spectacular walking amongst 5 of the bridges which date back as far as the 17th century and is a masterpiece of local architecture.

There was a hike up to the Astraka Mountain refuge which commanded a 360 degree awe- inspiring views of rugged mountains and watching the sunset was amazing.

The trek ended in Meteora where we arrive to another spectacular sunset over the rock pillars of mountains where monasteries are located on the tops. We followed the hiking paths of the 12th century monks and visited one of the top-cliff monasteries.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the Astraka Mountain hut and seeing the breathtaking mountains surrounding the area. Also one of the best sunsets I have ever seen. Seeing the monasteries perched on mountain tops and the formation of stone column type mountains was also another highlight for me.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Stavros was very knowledgeable and insightful of the history, geography and culture of all the regions and imparted this on to us with enthusiasm. The group was large and he had many questions to deal with which he did patiently. He was aware of people's abilities and kept everyone in sight and waited at regular intervals for the back markers including myself. He even carried my rucksack at the end of a grueling long day. Stavros was an excellent and patient guide with a great sense of humour and seemed to care for everyone in the group. You always felt in safe hands with Stavros leading.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do train hard for this trek. There are some steep ascents as well as hot weather conditions to contend with. Some of the days are quite long arriving back to the guest houses after 6.30pm. Trekking poles are essential especially helpful on steep descents.

Suggestions

This trek takes you through some dramatic and awe-inspiring scenery in the Pindus Mountains. Be prepared for sensory overload!

Jane Bell

Reviewed June 2019

A great introduction to hiking in Greece

The trip was well constructed with a varied walking itinerary. There were some spectacular views, testing climbs and beautiful riverside moments, as well as the sights at Meteora. The accommodation was comfortable and the food options well thought out.

Most Inspirational Moment

Probably the first sight of the Monasteries at Meteora - but there were plenty of fabulous views throughout.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The leader was helpful and responsive. He made sensible adjustments to the itinerary to capitalise on good weather and was sensitive to the wishes of the whole group

Advice for Potential Travellers

The Dragon Lake day is a long day but reasonably paced. We were very lucky with the weather which is obviously not assured for all trips - good waterproofs would be wise whatever the forecast. It would have been rather miserable if soaking wet and the refuge is unheated in Summer so there would be no chance to dry out. Extra snacks were welcome on the longer days. The ‘kit list’ accurately reflects what is necessary.

Suggestions

The village guesthouses greatly exceeded expectations.

janice kerrigan

Reviewed July 2018

Memorable Meterora in Gorgeous Greece

A wonderful adventure due to our fantastic guide Aris ,the spectacular scenery , the lovely people in the group and our driver Elias.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many memorable sights during the trip but for me it was the rock formation at Meteora.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fantastic!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Suggestions

Please note that if sleeping with a group in the mountain Refuge be prepared for snoring. Take earplugs.!!

Nigel Kerrigan

Reviewed June 2018

Gorge - ous Greece

A varied week of great walking, stunning scenery and delightful villages – led by Aris, an excellent guide, and enjoyed in the company of some excellent fellow travellers.

Most Inspirational Moment

The first proper sight of the Vikos Gorge (followed closely by the Monasteries atop the rocks of Meteora)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent - professional, friendly, accommodating, sensitive to the group's needs and abilities and he laughed at my jokes

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you have warm layers for the night in the refuge - it can get cold in there. That said, those who used the blankets provided rather than lugging a sleeping bag up the mountain did seem happy enough with them. Oh, and be warned, they only have one COLD shower!

Suggestions

I enjoyed it all. Thessaloniki is a good start and end to the trip. We had a very good first group meal in a local restaurant called Rouga.

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