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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128 Reviews

4.6 out of 5

Howard Perkins

Reviewed April 2018

Even better than expected...

We chose this trip as something that was a bit more special than just trekking in Europe, where we would also be in a completely different culture. It exceeded our expectations in just about every way. There are a number of reasons for that. Firstly, the Wall is simply incredible (in the true meaning of the word). Whenever the Wall headed up some impossibly steep ridge, the question “How did they manage to build this bit?” was immediately followed by the question “Why?”. Secondly, we had really good weather with only a few hours of cloud/drizzle on the whole trip. Thirdly, this was one of the best groups I’ve been part of and finally, the trip leader Jerry was excellent. So I know we were lucky, bad weather and limited views would definitely detract from the experience.

Most Inspirational Moment

All those views of the Wall following ridge after ridge as far as you can see.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jerry was one of the best trip leaders I've ever had. Totally committed to us as a group, but what stood out for me was that he gave us a fascinating insight into Chinese culture, drawing on his own background whenever necessary. But be warned - if you ask a question, be prepared for a very full answer!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read the trip notes! The daily distances are not very far - but you're either going up or down, usually quite steeply. There is very little flat walking. If you have dodgy knees think carefully. You also need to be comfortable on uneven, steep and exposed terrain, especially where the Wall is ruined. Hands are needed in places. I took walking poles, but didn't use them. Jerry recommended a single walking pole, so that you had a hand free for holding on. A lot of the group wore walking shoes - but I think walking boots are more appropriate. The accommodation outside of Beijng is fairly basic. Some people had squat loos, some had a western style seat. In one homestay, toilet paper goes in the bin and is not flushed. None of the tap water is drinkable (even in Beijing). If that sort of thing puts you off, then this isn't the trip for you. However, every room was en-suite and mostly everything worked. I've stayed in a lot worse. There was very little heating and it was surprisingly cold in the evenings/overnight (2nd week April) to the extent that on one night I slept in my down jacket. The food was a lot better than expected and always plenty of it. I personally don't like spicy food but there was still enough choice. There also seemed to be enough vegetarian options too - although perhaps a more limited choice. It's worth practising with chopsticks before you go or else you might be quite hungry! Jasmin tea is the only drink served with meals - but most places you could buy soft drinks or beer. Coffee or milk are not readily available so if you are addicted, take some sachets. Everywhere advertised wifi - but the speeds were really, really slow. There are also several western sites that aren't reachable. If you can't survive without Facebook (really?), then set up a VPN before you go. Finally, just go with the flow and have a great trip!

Dominique Hopes

Reviewed October 2017

Great Wall trip-can not recommend enough!

Travelled alone on the trip, met some incredible people and shared some phenomenal walks! Exodus made real effort to give us the full China experience, rural walks and tourist excursions. Already booked my next trip!

Most Inspirational Moment

Rural walks with amazing scenery

Thoughts on Group Leader

Humourous, knowledgeable and have plenty of cultural facts. Could have done with a second person as sometimes half the group fell behind as slightly held up the rest of us!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do everything, take on all challenges and you'll be amazed what you can achieve.

Joseph Carraway

Reviewed June 2017

Great Wall, great tour

Walking the Great Wall is a great tour with a good mix of activities. I go on theses trips to do some good trekking, but it is also nice to see the important tourist sites in Beijing. What is nice about this itinerary is that you do Beijing, spend time away and then finish in Beijing giving you a nice balance and not spending too much time in the big city. The guesthouses are a unique experience and are run by the nicest people I have ever come across. I highly recommend the Xi’an extension as the Terracotta Warriors are a must see, and Xi’an itself is very different with a lot of charm and character.

Most Inspirational Moment

Overall I enjoyed the day with the spider wall the best but really the highlight for me was any day away from the touristy, restored parts of the wall. That combined with a really great group made the trip exactly what I wanted.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jerry is one of the best leaders you could possibly ask for. He is very knowledgeable and has a good sense of humor to keep things interesting. We had many issues with our itinerary due to the Silk Road Conference, but he handled all the changes well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check the weather before you go to ensure you are prepared. I would recommend some electrolyte supplements for those extremely hot days.

Ferenc Suhai

Reviewed June 2017

Walking the great wall

Before going on the trip the highlight was for me of course the wall and the scenic views but this all changed and the whole experience was the people I was travelling with the teamwork and friendships I made.. has left a positive impact on me and at the moment all I can think about is the next trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

The sense of achievement personally and of the group when reaching a high point and then getting photos of the views stretched out below.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Great.. an original genuine character made the trip an enjoyable experience for me

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read trip notes I did and used blister plasters at early stage and managed to keep feet from getting any worse than just a bit sore.

Michelle Madrigga

Reviewed April 2017

Great experience!

A very enjoyable itinerary to see sections of the Great Wall that are free from the tourist crowds. As stated in the Trip Notes, there are a number of sections where you need to be careful walking and/or which may be unpleasant for those suffering from vertigo. However, in a few (not all) situations it was possible to detour around certain sections.

The trip also included visits to some of the restored sections of the Wall. The section near Gubeikou (last two days) had spectacular views and few other tourists.

I also did the Xi’an Extension, which was a quick but enjoyable trip to Xi’an, mainly to see the Terracotta Warriors. It would have been nice to have an extra day in Xi’an so something worth considering.

I enjoyed the food throughout the trip but it is worthwhile to note that most of the meals (particularly at the guest houses) is served communal style with a number of different dishes served to the table – meals are not ordered individually and the dishes served are to be shared amongst the group.

Most Inspirational Moment

Spending the last two days near Gubeikou walking along the wall and seeing the stretch completed and the stretch ahead - definitely very scenic. Also the cycling tour in Beijing was a wonderful experience. I was a bit apprehensive at first about cycling in the busy streets but it, surprisingly, felt safer than cycling the streets at home!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jerry was great - very organized and informative. He had a great sense of humour and was passionate about his country and its history. He was always concerned about the welfare of the group and went out of his way to ensure that everyone had a great time.

Advice for Potential Travellers

As mentioned above, all of the group meals, including all meals in the homestays, are served communal style and individual meal choices are not available. As stated in the trip notes, vegetarian options are limited. Therefore, people with restricted diets or food preferences may want to consider either bringing their own food or considering another destination if they are not open to trying things they may not eat at home. Also, chopsticks are often the only utensils provided so if you are uncomfortable to use chopsticks you may want to consider packing some cutlery. Walking poles were a definite plus. There were a lot of steep up and down sections and the poles proved very useful, particularly in the descents.

Lucy Potter

Reviewed April 2017

Walking the Great Wall

Great trip with some stunning sights however, various aspects were not up the the usual excellent Exodus standard. Safety in various places on the wall could have been improved by having another guide at the back of the group. A member of the party was asked to do this which was unfair, this was a position for Exodus to fill. Fortunately, we had a fantastic group and no one was left behind on their own. Goodness only knows what would have happened in the event of a mishap, having only one guide who was ahead and seldom waited for people to catch up.

Also, the itinerary was changed, which Exodus reserves the right to do, but we were given no explanation and very vague information on the following days walks.

The city tour was a huge disappointment as our guide gave us very little time to take pictures and did not wait for the whole group before giving information or issuing instructions.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing unrestored parts of the wall and having it all to ourselves.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Nice chap but fairly unenthusiastic and very vague. Overall not up to Exodus usual excellent standard.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you're reasonably fit as there are plenty of steep climbs. Vegetarian food it quite hard to come by but what there is, is delicious.

Brenda Hernandez

Reviewed November 2016

Walking The Great Wall

My first Exodus trip into a country I didn’t know and with people I didn’t know. – I am already looking to book my next one. The Great Wall was amazing, with spectacular and breathtaking views. The walking was great, well planned and everyone done it at there own pace, no harassment to hurry, although there was some steep and challenging sections, I am not a seasoned walker and I managed them without too much effort. Our group of 15 got along great, fun-loving, witty, sociable with interesting lives, this group of people helped make this trip unforgettable. The hotels were all good and the food second to none, except maybe the sandwich for the one packed breakfast we had (don’t believe the stories of being offered dog and scorpions).The Xian extension was really worthwhile, not only to see the terracotta warriors, but also to experience the sights and sounds of this lovely city and the food market also overnight train from Beijing to Xian.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so many - The first steps on the Wall, and the realisation of its vast scale, the third or fourth day of trekking when you looked around and saw nothing but green mountains, with the Great Wall stretching away as far as the eye could see, with no one else but our small group in sight. the Great Wall stretching away as far as the eye could see. Not forgetting the first sight of the warriors.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Kevin was absolutely superb, we could not have wished for a better group leader, He shared his considerable knowledge of Chinese history,culture with us with passion and good humour. Even before and after the actual trip Kevin took care of us, taking us out on our first and last night in Beijing for Food and a trip to a theatre. Exodus should be honoured to have Kevin as a Group Leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There are some physically challenging sections, scrambling up or down steep and uneven slopes. I took trekking poles and was very glad of the extra support. If you are afraid of heights some sections will be uncomfortable. Our group was of mixed ages and abilities - from students to retirees, from occasional day hikers to multiple marathon runners - all managed the walk. What i wasn't prepared for was the actual walks to reach the wall some days - I stupidly thought, after reading the itinerary that we got dropped off on one end and picked up the other - not quite like that but still all great.

Jonathan Howard

Reviewed November 2016

Walking the Great Wall

Was my first ever solo trip and I can’t wait to book my next one. If you’re in two minds about doing it STOP! Book now. You won’t regret it!

Most Inspirational Moment

Day 5. Sun rising over the horizon and the Great Wall stretching away as far as the eye could see.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jerry was amazing. Knowledgeable, approachable and very funny. Would love him to be my guide on every trip!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take some warm clothes for on a night and if the food doesn't agree, take some protein bars and some rehydration tablets just in case.

Caroline Arnold

Reviewed October 2016

Walking the Great Wall

A brilliant trip. The Great Wall was amazing, with spectacular and breathtaking views. The trekking was great, being well paced, as well as having some steep and challenging sections. The Xian extension was really worthwhile, not only to see the teracotta warriors, but also to experience the sights and sounds of this lovely city.

Most Inspirational Moment

The first steps on the Wall, and the realisation of its vast scale. The sunset at Jinshanling. Tai Chi at the temple. First sight of the warriors. The food market in Xian.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide Jay was superb. He was informative, helpful, patient, funny, professional, indispensable, and we miss him!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Leave space for souvenirs, and do the Xian extension if you can.

David Shelton

Reviewed October 2016

Well guided trip

This is a well organised trip – as is always the case with Exodus everything worked, all the arrangements were good and the guide excellent. Also, the trip notes manage expectations around the trekking, hotels and food really well – the experience will be as promised – including the chicken’s feet!

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking parts of the wall which are remote, quiet and unpreserved. They give some idea of the work and "engineering" that created the wall.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jay was excellent. He set exactly the right pace, gave clear directions and exactly the right amount of information each day. He obviously cared that we enjoyed the trip and he could not be faulted. His standard was as good as all the other Exodus guides I have had the pleasure of travelling with.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is obvious, but be prepared for slopes and steps up and down. These are hard to practice for in the UK but this is why the trip can be quite demanding in places, balancing out the short distances on some days. However, a few of us could have walked further on the shorter days so if you are reasonably fit you will be able to cope with this. Take note of the trip notes description of basic hotels and manage your expectations, not everything works sometimes which makes the hotel in Beijing on the final night seem like a palace! You will be served authentic Chinese food with chopsticks for every meal so the diet is very different. However, everyone on our trip was fine, no illness and no sore feet!

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