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

Hilary Hale

Reviewed March 2015

Explore Sri Lanka

A thoroughly rewarding visit to such a beautiful country. Plenty of variation in cultural, wild life and physical activities.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visit to Lion Rock, Sigiriya. Elephant Safari Walking on Horton Plains

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader (Roshantha Fernando) was very good. He met our expectations and was very informative, professional and with excellent temperament.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Adam's Peak optional activity - We would have preferred to climb another mountain, rather than this site, which although important to holy believers was inundated with the volume of people climbing, waiting at the summit and then returning back to the base. Also, we couldn't believe the amount of litter scattered on the route, which has such a religious meaning to the population!

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Penelope W.

Reviewed March 2015

Discover Sri Lanka (not Premium departure)

Beautiful country and friendly people plus good variety of activities, enough free time, coach journeys not too long and only one early start.

Most Inspirational Moment

Horton Plains/World's End walk was fantastic: great weather at the higher altitude and superb views.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roshantha was quietly efficient, obliging, constantly smiling, spoke clearly and there did not seem to be any hitches. He gave us some background information on Sri Lanka (mostly history) during coach trips but not quite enough practical information e.g. what shoes to wear, leech precautions and, in Kandy, someone asked what he recommended we do in our free day and he replied that he had circled 3 places on the photocopy of the map he'd given us, with no further explanation. He never offered to accompany us during our free time, which other leaders I've had have done - maybe that was exceptional - but overall he was good and very pleasant.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The arrangements and accommodation were good so don't worry about anything. The jungle walks were not very difficult but tiring due to the humidity and heat - heavy walking boots not necessary. Seeing whales and leopards is not guaranteed! but there is lots of other wildlife + birds to see. Take a guidebook if you want to explore during free time.

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Andrew McGregor

Reviewed March 2015

Discover Sri Lanka (not premium version)

Excellent trip. Good mix of culture and temples, cities and rural, walking and beach time.
(Please note I did not go on the ‘premium’ version, but I couldn’t the correct trip on the list!)

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing Adam's peak Sigirya Cycling

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roshantha was very organised, kind and caring. Was able to sort out problems and was very knowledgeable. Organised a kitty to pay for tips to avoid overpaying/hassle individually. Organised constant supply of bottled water on coach to save everyone buying in order to save costs and time.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Money - get it at Colombo airport and there are plenty of opportunities to get out of ATMs along the way. Can pay in sterling for optional activities. Option to change in Kandy. Except for three or four days it is a different hotel every night. This is fine as it's the only way to see the sights! There was usually no more than 90 mins spent on the bus at any one time as appropriate breaks built in (e.g. to tea factory, spice garden, tea house etc.) Wifi available at almost all hotels (mostly in reception and not in rooms - I note this was a complaint earlier... but who wants constant internet when on holiday!?) Plenty of time for relaxing around the pool at the end of the trip and also odd afternoons - it's not 'on the go' constantly... I thought it would have been more 'active' but some felt it was too active! Hotels were much better than expected - some were luxury! Most food is consumed in the hotels. In some places there is an option to eat in town, but some may regard the hotels 'safer'. The cycling was very gentle and excellent fun The extra day in Kandy is not really necessary - I'd have rather had an extra day of walking, but it does serve a 'functional' purpose (time to wash clothes, change money etc.) For Adam's peak it cost me £80 as I was the only person in the group that wanted to do it (if more people do it the cost comes down) On one review the person complained that those on single supplement had worse rooms. I can't see how this would be possible. The rooms were almost all equal.

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Caroline Herbert

Reviewed March 2015

Sri Lanka - sparkly people and some lovely scenery

Well we covered a lot of ground! There were some early starts and some of the places we visited were rather busier than expected. The main sites get a lot of tour groups and you can see that tourism is a major growth industry. The best bits, as ever on these types of holiday, were when we went a bit more off the beaten track.

Most Inspirational Moment

Nothing specific but I have been to some amazing so I may be a bit jaded! The Sri Lankans are lovely people and very cheery and seem to be genuinely pleased to see you. We did a lot of waving. So lets say I was inspired by their optimism. Some of the countryside is stunning; particularly in tea country and the upland areas. The beaches looked nice but we really only saw them from the bus apart from getting out near Galle to see some fishermen bring in nets.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ruwan was a delight. Very cheerful and knowledgable. He kept everything ticking a long and was very patient. He and our lovely driver Charles also organised a great birthday surprise (and we had 4 of them on this trip!). I'd quiz your leader on what some of the optional activities are really like as maybe he wasn't as upfront on this as he could have been. We gelled well as a group and everyone was prompt which helped.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Enjoy the scenery, talk to the people, check which side of the bus to sit on each day for the best views. Most walks can be done in a good pair of trekking sandals. Even Horton Plains in my opinion although I did wear light boots here as it was a bit rocky in places. If you go on the whale watching optional trip you will pretty much be out until they find a whale - in our case 8 hours! Be prepared but we did at least see a blu whale. A small umbrella makes a good sunshade. I'd advise against the optional 'jeep safari' after Sigiriya to see elephants. It was nose to tail jeeps and diesel and most unpleasant in my opinion. It seems to be very unregulated and far from the 'eco' in the name of the park.We saw more elephant from the main road on the way back! Try and get away from the endless buffets at hotels. It can be tricky as one of the hotels are isolated and a la carte can be very disorganised (you can see why the hotels opt for buffets). Evening meals can be very crowded and noisy and it does sometimes all feel a bit 'package tour.' Ditto lunches where all the stops seemed to be tourist stops but check for stalls nearby if you're willing to risk eating local (which is also much cheaper). The train ride after Horton Plain is not a chance to meet the locals (as billed) as most of you will be standing up along with other tourists for close to 1.5 hours. The 'locals' have booked their seats (wise) and have all come from Colombo. I'd change more money than advised at the airport. Its quick and easy and rates are pretty much the same everywhere. There are ATMs but some of us had problems.

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Victoria jepson

Reviewed March 2015

Discover Sri Lanka

This was an excellent trip with a fantastic and varied itinerary, but still enough optional excursions/free time to relax if you want to. It has taught me a lot about Sri Lanka and I would definitely go back again. Everyone is really friendly and it’s great to see a mixture of different cultures. There is something for everyone on this tour – wildlife, history, culture, walks, bike ride, optional rafting and the food is fantastic. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone.

Most Inspirational Moment

The pilgrimage walk to the top of Adams Peak.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was Nalaka. He was incredibly knowledgeable, organised, attentive and always smiling - we couldn't have asked for a better leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

£500 worth of rupees should be enough for the two weeks but bring your card as well as there are some shopping opportunities ( Kandy markets and gem factory and Galle ) You will be given bottled water on the tour bus and at every hotel you go to. Bring waterproofs as there was one place we stayed for one night where it was rainy and nearer UK temperatures. There are plenty of monkeys/dogs about so best to get your rabies jabs done before you go - none of the animals were aggressive though so nothing to worry about. The leader will do a tips kitty at the beginning I the trip so you don't have to think about tipping as it go along.

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Ethel Pinnington

Reviewed March 2015

Discover Sri Lanka

A well planned and varied itinerary which provided a good insight into the people, culture and landscape of the island. All the activities were very enjoyable and there was plenty of free time for relaxation at the various hotels. Cycling, walking and the river rafting were a great way of seeing local life and working off some calories from the generally good food. The lunches in the Tsunami House and local cafe were a welcome opportunity to sample local food in authentic surroundings.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many including-Sigirya Rock, elephant safari in the rain, rafting and swimming with locals in the river at Kitulgala and visiting Galle.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roshan was a very knowledgeable and entertaining guide with a very calm and relaxed approach. Although not appearing to get overly involved, everything ran very smoothly under his guidance and I welcomed his laid back input. The driver did an excellent job on the mainly busy and chaotic roads and the co- driver was also helpful and courteous.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for lots of hotel buffet food which was generally fine and varied, but there are a couple of opportunities to eat out in Kandy and Columbo. There were a few long drives but nothing compared to other similar holidays and we generally arrived in good time for a swim or relax. Don't be afraid of the grade 3 river rafting, it was really fun and not too scarey !!

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Janet Roberts

Reviewed March 2015

Discover Sri Lanka

Excellent varied trip with a good mix of culture, animals, physical activities (like walking, biking) and beach time.

Most Inspirational Moment

So many - Sigiriya Rock - an amazing fortress, spotting elephants on two game drives and seeing whales, Tuk tuk rides, Polonnaruwa - a mini Bagan (Myanmar) and the colonial town of Galle is very special to walk around. This trip helps you appreciate how beautiful and varied Sri Lanka is.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Nala was very well organised and gave his own personal insight into Sri Lanka which really added to the trip. He listened to everyones needs and provided additional help, activities and knowledge throughout the trip. He set the tone of the trip - a happy and fun one!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Adam's Peak - there are a lot of steps of varying height and the climb up and down are very early in the morning with little sleep beforehand. It is also very busy and there is a lot of litter. However the views on the way down, (sun rise if a good one) and sense of achievement are immense.

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Valerie Box

Reviewed March 2015

Discover Sri Lanka

A comprehensive introduction to this beautiful island. The mix of activities from safaris to walking on Horton Plains, people watching in the river at Kitulgala or going round ancient cities was well planned. Good to wind down a bit at the end after all the more strenuous activities.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the determination to move on from 30 years of war and the tsunami. Everyone was very welcoming and the projects Exodus has initiated and runs are admirable. The ancient sites were pretty amazing too!

Thoughts on Group Leader

I think Roshan was having an 'off fortnight', given his previous high ratings. The insight he provided into the life and culture of Sri Lanka was excellent on all fronts, but otherwise his involvement was perfunctory.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't expect everything to work - lights, plumbing, wi-fi etc - but if you aren't satisfied then tell either the hotel or your guide so faults can be rectified. There is a genuine willingness to provide good service but many places lack experience. Wi-fi often only in lobbys and slow/intermittent. Above all, look beyond the obvious short comings and enjoy. Sterling accepted for tip kitty and optional excursions.

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Morag Reaper

Reviewed February 2015

Discover Sri Lanka

Some hotel rooms were poor …for those of us paying a single supplement being placed in inferior rooms. Food generally in the hotels …poor

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing Lions rock at Sigiriya

Thoughts on Group Leader

I feel he is stale and has done this trip far too many times. Very little energy or enthusiasm.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do not pay extra for a single supplement room, take a chance on sharing and being given a better room.

Reply from Exodus

We are sorry that Morag was left disappointed by some of the single rooms she was allocated. The trip manager has recently visited our local operator and single rooms have been a subject of discussion; we are confident that the result of this will be a more positive experience for our clients going forward. We were surprised to learn that Morag was underwhelmed by her tour leader as her leader has previously won our Exodus Leader Award and has not received feedback of this nature in the past. We understand that her tour leader was rather unwell after Morag’s trip and we sincerely regret that this impacted upon her group’s experience.

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Daphne Daphne

Reviewed February 2015

Discover Sri Lanka

An excellent cross section of the very beautiful country and how it lives and works.

Most Inspirational Moment

The view of the river from the Kitulgala hotel - the tranquility, lots of locals swimming/washing and enjoying the water.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take UK or European plugs - Worldwide plugs are not in any of the hotels, as usual in that part of the world

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