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.

Simply use the selector below to search our trip reviews and start reading real feedback from real Exodus travellers who have ‘been there and done that’!

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34 Reviews

4.6 out of 5

shaun bowler

Reviewed April 2019

Excllent leader but disappointing trip

A beautiful part of Africa. The trip would have been so much better of some proper road bikes. Town hybrid bikes make the cycling up and down never ending hills very hard work. The accommodation and food was extremely average. The rand is so weak, it was cost so very little more to eat in some nice places and stay in some really nice guest houses we passed. It felt that we were on a budget! The food in SA is exceptional and we never got to experience it. The saving grace was our guides who also were good cooks.

Most Inspirational Moment

the Views in the Drakensberg's, especially when going down hills.

Thoughts on Group Leader

they were both excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take some nice food with you.

Reply from Exodus

We would like to thank Shaun for his review. We were pleased that he found this part of Africa to be beautiful and the tour leaders to be excellent, but we are sorry that he was disappointed with the bikes, accommodation and food. We are very confident that the bikes we use are the most suitable for this tour, as they are robust enough for some of the rugged conditions. The route offers spectacular roads and we select the best available accommodation along these routes for groups of this size. The feedback we usually receive about the accommodation and food on this trip, which visits rural parts of South Africa, is usually very positive, as are the reviews for this trip overall, but we nonetheless regret Shaun’s disappointment. John Penge – Product Manager

Janice Eastman

Reviewed March 2019

Cycling and Safari in South Africa

This was a good trip with a great balance of cycling and safari. However, there are some really long transfers between days, not just the transfer to and from the airport. With 14 in a 14 seater mini bus it was not the most comfortable of journeys, especially for the men with their larger shoulders.

Make sure you do some training before you go as there are some long hills, which require endurance. The guides were most helpful and encouraged everyone. They also prepared some good meals, taking into account everyone’s dietary needs.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting really close to some of the animals in Kruger

Thoughts on Group Leader

Bradley was informative and helpful, also a great cyclist.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Train for the hills. There are many and they require endurance, especially in the heat. If you take your own bike, like I did, it would be preferential to have a 11-32 cassette. I only had 28 and it was very hard work at times.

Bill Petrusiak

Reviewed November 2018

Better than expected

While the scenery, the riding, the safaris were everything we hoped for, what really made the trip were the guides. Peter with his excellent knowledge, Bradley with his encouragement and concern, Vuyo, with his driving skills and always being there, made the trip so enjoyable. They had great insights, a great sense of humour and their efforts enabled us to do it all.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the wildlife

Thoughts on Group Leader

Peter was very knowledgeable and attentive. Even when we thought he was wrong, circumstances proved he was right. For example, getting up at 6 a.m. to see the animals, or getting an early start on a hot day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be ready for some long van transfers. Also, have warm clothes for the high altitudes. Drink lots of water. Use sunscreen.

Denise Hall

Reviewed October 2018

Cycling Drakensberg and Kruger

This tour is not a race it’s about taking your time and embracing the scenery, culture and everything the trip has to offer.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the diversity of the scenery and the wild animals in Kruger.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Tallis ably assisted by Vuyo were first rate tending to all our requirements. All the meals prepared by the leaders were excellent considering the facilities available to them, more than enough for everyone and dietary requirements well catered for.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for some long challenging hill climbs but scenery is worth the effort.

Amanda M

Reviewed September 2018

Diverse trip that exceeded (already high) expectations!

A wonderful trip full of beautiful varied scenery, challenging cycles, wildlife, and history! While we did spend substantial amounts of time cycling, it also felt like there was a good amount of time for non-cycling activities: visiting several historical / archeological sites of interest, hiking, swimming on multiple days, and enjoying a beer in the evening. The cycle days also weren’t rushed, with good breaks for coffee and lunch on most days.

Our lead guide, Peter, was fantastic: so experienced in leading cycle trips and a conservationist on top of it, which was particularly insightful for our time in Kruger.

The accommodation was all very comfortable and the many meals prepared by the guides were great: including several barbecues and often hot breakfasts or lunches at picnic spots!

Most Inspirational Moment

Cycling in the Golden Gate Park (day 1 of cycling) with herds of zebra crossing the road in front of us; the peaceful setting of the Sungubala Eco Camp; everything about Kruger Park; setting off just after sunrise for our toughest day of cycling.

Jennifer Steward

Reviewed April 2017

Cycling Drakensberg and Kruger

This is the trip for you if you’re looking for challenging cycling through soaring mountain scenery combined with wildlife spotting in the Kruger National Park. There’s also time for relaxing away from a city environment in comfortable accommodation in beautiful natural surroundings. The trip is a good mix of active cycling days on a variety of routes (mostly low traffic) but with hills! The game drives in Kruger give a good break before two quite challenging cycling days toward the end of the tour. All round a great trip for people who enjoy active outdoor holidays.

Most Inspirational Moment

Completing the challenging rides through the majestic scenery of the Drakensberg Range and, particularly, the ride along the spectacular Blyde Canyon. Spotting wildlife in the Kruger National Park and observing a rare African Wild Dog face off hyenas on a morning game drive was inspirational!

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader worked hard to ensure the group was looked after well. He has a good knowledge of local history and was sociable with the group. All the team of guides worked hard, were good-humoured and took care to ensure everyone had a good time, plenty to eat and drink and enjoyed the cycling and other activities.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There is plenty of uphill on many of the routes so a bit of cycle training is advised. However all the routes are do-able and there is a support vehicle following the group at all time. Great for travellers who want social media downtime as WiFi is limited in many places.

Ian Cooper

Reviewed April 2017

Ian Cooper. Cycling the Drakensburg Ranges

Very well run trip with Jean-Paul Gardelli looking after us, Ende driving,fixing bikes and game spotting and Skhumbuzo ably assisting and telling stories. The guys turned out excellent meals every day on the road and kept a steady supply of liquorice allsorts to get us up the hills!

Most Inspirational Moment

Ende our driver spotting a leopard on a branch driving out of Kruger was brilliant. The scenery is truely spectacular ( just like the ads!)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jean-Paul Gardelli was great. Very informative on many subjects thrown at him. Obviously loves his country and got on really well with everyone..Nothing was too much trouble for him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is a great trip for the moderately fit. Lots of variety in the scenery and the driving sections are not too long.

Peter Wilkinson

Reviewed March 2017

MZD Cycling the Drakensberg

This was a first rate trip that made me very positive about South Africa. The whole experience was excellent with first class leadership of the guides that made its two weeks to remember for years to come.

Most Inspirational Moment

Just viewing the changes in scenery as we cycled and drove along.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jean-Paul was an inspirational leader who clearly loved his country and was able to effectively impart that enthusiasm.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Come prepared to absorb everything the country and people have to offer.

Jacqueline Wadsworth

Reviewed January 2017

Drakensberg & Kruger

This trip has all the attributes for an excellent trip. Smashing scenery. Wildlife. Good accommodation. However all the great ingredients can still be baked into a moderate cake.

Most Inspirational Moment

Swimming in the pools at Ehlanzeni.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was not a good ambassador for South Africa. He knew little about the areas he was cycling in and he had little recent experience of the route. I don't mean that he got lost, but his expectations of the terrain was inaccurate and he had no knowledge of the sites nearby. He did not give adequate respect to our driver / cook and on a number of occasions took over the duties of his colleague with no adequate reason to do so. That said he was friendly to the guests and tried hard to make everyone feel included and to respond to their requests.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There are a lot of long minibus transfers on this tour, and watch out for the actual length of the trip - you might find yourself home 2 days earlier than you expected to be.

Diana Clanton

Reviewed November 2016