Reviews

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

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14318 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Reviewed April 2012

VIETNAM ADVENTURE

It was a great country but the demographic i.e. mainly older couples, lack of night time activities and more exciting daytime activities were lacking for me.

Most Inspirational Moment

I really loved Halong Bay and the kayaking, but heard the music on the other boat and they were clearly having more fun, jealous.The Mekong Delta was also beautiful and the locals lovely and friendly, the homestay was a bit quiet for me though.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Was initially dissapointed as took an early dive on the 2nd night and decided we didin't need a group meal, the first three days were tough as lack of information on what we were doing and not properly kitted out for the day trip. However; once he asked what was wrong and I explianed he bent over backwards to make the trip really enjoyable. Very knowledgeable guide who was proud of his country and clearly enjoyed his job.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Shopping in Hoi Ann is amazing, bought several tailor made suits and wok shirts which were well made and dirt cheap, so leave space in your luggage and remember you can do laundry there so don't over pack.

Reviewed April 2012

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

I had high hopes for this trip, having read previous reviews, and was not disappointed. Tourism on the islands is carefully controlled, which allayed any concerns I might have had about encroaching into the natural territory of the abundant wildlife. The opportunity to see these creatures in their natural habitat ane experience their environment was truly wonderful. The accommodation, food and hospitality – both on Cachalote and in the jungle (we did the rainforest extension) – was excellent.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many great moments on this trip. Walking amongst wandering giant tortoises, stepping over myriads of marine iguanas, watching sea lions at play......Seeing a whale and calf breach the surface of the ocean ahead of the yacht - even momentarily - ranks pretty high. As did cruising with a pod of Dolphins at our bow - who remained with us, leaping and dancing, for some minutes - especially as our guide had assured us Dolphins don't do that in the Galapagos! Also not forgetting the snorkelling with large numbers of turtles, sea lions and the occasional penguin.Generally, it was the wildlife that provided the highlights - which is what you would expect and the reason we chose the trip.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I would single out Esteban, our mainland guide in Quito, for special praise. Nothing was too much trouble for him. He is clearly passionate about his country and went to great lengths to ensure we got the most out of our time in Quito and had the opportunity to see as many of the highlights as possible while we were there.The joining instructions advised we would be meeting Darwin (who has received many good reviews) in the Galapagos Islands. Our guide in fact turned out to be Franklin, who was knowledgable about the area and the wildlife, and keen to share his knowledge - and his opinions. We were a small group (initially there were just five of us) joined part way through by others (a family of three) and we felt Franklin could have done more to stimulate group cohesion. He also had his own views about what we should want to see, rather than group members' specific interests. We also all felt a little bit abandoned on the first evening on board Cachalote after Franklin left to go to a meeting and the crew retired leaving us to our own devices!In the jungle David was knowledgable but the real star there was Hugo, our local guide, whose wildlife-spotting capabilities were amazing.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just go - you won't regret it, but don't forget the seasickness pills. (Better to be safe than sorry.)

Reviewed April 2012

EVEREST BASE CAMP & GOKYO LAKES

I went on this trip with very little expectation or knowledge of the region – massively underprepared, however with a great bunch of people, a fantastic leader and guides I found this one of the best trips of my life. I would highly recommend it.

Most Inspirational Moment

The trip had it's hard days, but it also had its easy days. A couple of us (with a guide) set of earlier than the main group on the morning of the Gokyo Ri summit, and although we missed sunrise by about 10 minutes it was such a spectacular view.I also really enjoyed the scramble to the top of the Cho La Pass, the day was long and hard but very rewarding - this was more of what I was expecting of the trip.Reaching Base Camp was amazing, there was alot of activity on the trail up, which was a bit of a shock because the route we had taken to get there past the Gokyo lakes and over the Cho La was quite quiet.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Prem was amazing. He was undoubtedly key to making the trip as enjoyable as it was. He was so easy to get on with and extremely knowledgable. We also had 2 guides, Indra and Norbu, both did a great job. Prem was always making sure we were prepared every evening for the following day, making sure we were drinking enough whilst walking, always on the lookout for signs of mountain sickness and always trying to accomodate the different demands of the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This trip doesn't necessarily demand you be at your physical peak, I certainly am not and still managed the trip, although you do need to be prepared, half of our group were on Diamox for the higher parts of the trip. The actual walking wasn't that difficult, there were a couple of long days towards the end, and a couple in the middle, but all in all it was a nice steady pace so very managable.Things I wish I had taken: more wet wipes - very handy when you haven't seen a shower for a couple of days; a thin buff or dust mask - the trails get very dusty, expecially when following a herd of yaks and finally a pack of playing cards (althogh thankflly someone else had thought of this) they help pass the time in the evenings when its snowing outside and there's nothing much else to do.

Reviewed April 2012

ESSENTIAL PERU

This was a wonderful holiday and a truly great experience. Peru has eveything – stunning scenery, friendly people, ancient civilisations and cultures, a unique wildlife and more – and this tour gives a generous helping of it all.

Most Inspirational Moment

Machu Picchu has to be the single most impressive archaeological site that you will ever see, with that first view in the early morning being absolutely jaw-dropping. No books or photos do it justice; it really has to be seen to appreciate the magic of the place. But there was so much else as well; the condors at Colca, the mummies at the Chauchilla cemetery, the stay on Amantani island, the Ballestas trip, endless Inca buildings, museums, markets, churches, the brilliant colours everywhere, the friendliness of the people...........

Thoughts on Group Leader

Juan, the group leader, is simply the best. His in-depth knowledge of just about everything we saw, his enthusiasm for showing us his country, his instinct for reading the group psychology and his organisational abilities made the whole two weeks go like clockwork. The drivers should also be congratulated for getting us around very difficult terrain on a very long trip with absolute safety and reliability, always patient, friendly and on time.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a pair of binoculars as well as a camera.By far the best restaurant we found on the whole trip was Granja Heidi in an upstairs room on Cuesta San Blas, 5 minutes from our hotel in Cusco. This trip can be hard work. It covers 3000km by bus with much of it at high altitude and there’s a lot of sightseeing on foot, often in very strong sunshine. Minor health upsets (diarrhoea, altitude effects, sunburn) are easily picked up. So listen to the guide’s advice, take the uphill bits at your own speed and keep the water handy. None of it is beyond the reach of the average person with a bit of common sense.

Reviewed April 2012

THE AMALFI COAST

First group holiday. Lovely bunch of people made all the difference and an excellent Guide in Francesco.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Walk of the Gods and being on the edge of the crater of vesuvius.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Francesco was a charming , informative and entertaining host. We loooooved him!!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

In case of luggage delay take at least your boots, waterproof jacket, socks and clean undies in your HAND luggage. This will at least enable you to enjoy the first 72hrs of your holiday!! (not that it stopped us having a great time!!) Gatwick failure (electric) not Exodus fault.

Reviewed April 2012

LAND OF THE TIGER

A truly excellent trip, from start to finish. For any wildlife fanatic seeing tiger in the wild is a must – awe-inspiring and majestic.

Most Inspirational Moment

The anticipation when the guides know when a tiger is close.Seeing tigers in the undergrowth but then mounting up on elephants to get closer to see a family of 5 around a kill. The elephant got within a couple of metres, moved a branch and spooked the adult male, its growl at such close quarters got the heart pounding!Taj Mahal at sunrise - didn't think many buildings could compare with Europe's gothic cathedrals, but this does (and beats them).

Thoughts on Group Leader

Krishna was excellent, any problems were sorted quickly with minimal fuss, he was very knowledgeable (better than some of the guides) and very enthusiastic.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Tigers are not easy to spot in the wild and we had 6 days when none of the group saw a single one and Bandhavgarh was easily the best place for us with several tiger sightings. Departing in late March seems a good time to see tigers as it is near the end of the dry season but the temperature was touching 40 degrees most days so pretty oppressive! Also, whilst the sleeper train isn't exactly 5* travel, it is nowhere near as bad as it could have been.If you don't like Indian food - be prepared to go hungry - if you do the food is great!

Reviewed April 2012

ANCIENT & MODERN JAPAN

We enjoyed every minute of it. It combined a wealth of opportunites to get closer to an understanding of the Japanese view of life with many of the ‘must see’ sites. Add to that the exposure to a fantastic cuisine and a great bunch of fellow travelers, and what more could you ask for?

Most Inspirational Moment

Mount Fuji seen at a distance through a gauze-like haze.Geisha-hunting as they rushed fron client to client in the Gion district of Kyoto Seeing the Ticket Inspector bow to the next compartment as he left - there was no-one there, but it was part of his courteous routine, and he did it, no doubt, to make sure he never forgets to do it when there are people there. So typical of the Japanese way of doing things. The Cherry Blossom in the parks in Tokyo - it did not disappoint

Thoughts on Group Leader

Dan was everything one could expect in a tour leader. Not only was he a great organiser, but he was so knowledgeable about the history and culture of Japan that we were enriched by what he told us. He was also amazing at finding and taking us to eating places that were great on food and atmosphere but didn't break the bank. The only negative thing to say was that he warned us of the contrast between the luxurious hotel of Kyoto and the traditional basic facilities of the ryiokans we were to visit, to such an effect that my wife Mary approached them with great trepidation. In the event they were a marvellous experience which we would not have missed for the world. It was also curious that we elderly married couples seemed to be allocated the few rooms with the most Western facilities. Funny, that.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We had the impression before going that it might be difficult to use credit cards or find ATMs. In fact it was very easy - apart from banks and some big shops every 7-11 store had an ATM, and many other places advertised the fact that they had one in the same way that they offered other facilities, like loos or refreshments.

Reviewed April 2012

An experience of a lifetime

This is without a doubt an experience of a lifetime – hard work but well worth the effort.

Most Inspirational Moment

There are too many to mention but a few of my favourites would include:- Reaching Base Camp after nine days of hard slog- Seeing Everest from the top of Kala Patar- Meeting our guide's father, the only livinig survivor from the original 1953 summit climb- Having a fantastic group of fellow trekkers - The best leader, guide and assistant guides one could ever ask for (Lakpa, Domi, Tikka & Anil)

Thoughts on Group Leader

One word - superb!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is not an easy trip and a very good level of fitness is necessary (although it is importan to remember that this is completely un-correlated to how, if at all, your body will react to the altitude) but by being prepared (read the trip notes and fellow travellers' reviews well!), having an open mind and whole heap of positive attitude will serve you well. Oh and don't forget to drink lots and lots of water and walk slowly every day!!

Reviewed April 2012

ATLAS PANORAMA

Wonderful varied holiday with the delights of Marrakech vying with the stunning beauty of the High Atlas Mountains. The latter won!

Most Inspirational Moment

Waking up to snow one early morning in the High Atlas.Taking tea with a local family and watching it being prepared - pure magic and humbling. Hearing a nightingale in the valley near the gite.The last walk on the last morning down to meet the van when we were leaving. The morning was perfect and we ambled along with Hassan while some went ahead (breaking the golden rule we'd kept all week) and felt very relaxed.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Absolutely wonderful. Kind, patient, but with enough authority for us all to want to do what he requested.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You must take warm clothes - you will need them on the mountains (we climbed in snow and very strong winds); you will need a hat and gloves whatever the season! Waterproofs essential. Take a torch.Be prepared for being cold in the gite at night before you retreat to your (hopefully) very warm sleeping bag. Once again, thermals needed and extra layers. Use a rucsac rather than carry the free unwieldy Exodus bag. When we received it, we checked it was ok to take a large rucsac instead and it was - much prefer to carry stuff on my back. (Plus of course a day sac).

Reviewed April 2012

LAND OF THE TIGER

Went looking for Tiger and found 18. A fantastic trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing my first wild Tiger on the first game drive.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Kristna is one of the best leader I have had. Very organised, sensible and calm and extremly knowledgable on all things to do with wildlife.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This a hardcore wildlife watching with many hours spent in jeeps on hot rough tracks, many early starts and disapointing days. 2 Tigers in Pench NP, none in Kanha NP and 16 in Bandhavgarh NP. 7 days into the trip 50% of people on the trip had not seen a tiger but quickly caught up. I was able to do 17 games drives and 3 "Tiger Shows" and would advise anyone not to miss a single chance to see the wildlife.I would suggest that a supply of disposable builders Dust Masks is obtained before leaving home.

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