Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The 10 hour 32 kms walk on our last full day in the High Atlas. It was difficult but very rewarding, we were extremely lucky with the weather for the full trip and the ruggedness of the mountains is just something else. The colours were beautiful. The cook from our gite came all the way with his mule to the semi-frozen lake where we had our break and cooked lunch for us there that was nutritious and tasty as always. I also enjoyed the 4-hour walk on our second day, it was reasonably hard and the views on the top were breathtaking.What wasn't so inspiring though was the fact that the first walk (the 7-hour one) felt like hiking on someone's farm. The valleys are reasonably built up by having several villages neighbouring each other, the hills are used for farming sheep or chopping wood. Our first walk was interrupted considerably by dogs who were guarding the various sheel pens. Even if there had been some wildlife, they would have been scared away by the dogs. The walk itself is reasonably strenuous and challenging, the mountains are gorgeous but it feels like being a rambler on someone's farm rather than being out on an adventure.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan is a very warm, genuine and knowledgeable group leader. Not once did he try to limit our options just to make his own life easier. He is very patient and he is without a doubt a very good man.I didn't think much of our guide in Marrakech though, he showed us a couple of sites and took us to shops where he gets his commission. He didn't give us any kind of orientation so we were a bit lost first when our free time came.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take into consideration the amount of time spent in Marrakech, there isn't that much to look at. A lot of historic sites were either destroyed by succeeding dynasties over the centuries or didn't survive due to poor building practices.We arrived in Marrakech on Sunday and had a free evening, had a full day there on Monday with the afternoon/evening free again after being guided around in the morning a bit. Then we travelled the full morning on Tuesday and arrived in the mountains in the afternoon, again with a lot of spare time on our hands. We didn't start the actual hiking until Wednesday.I think it's quite difficult to guage from the field notes the amount of time you need to kill until you can get your hiking boots on properly. It would have been better if we had been able to leave Marrakech Monday afternoon and start hiking on Tuesday. It felt like we were kept waiting for the bit that we all booked the holiday for in the first place.Beware of the hotel you get booked in in Marrakech too, Hotel Oudaya is awful.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the peak of Orneneipa on a very cold day, plus completing some of the demanding downhill sections of the tracks.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The main group leader (Ilse) was excellent, as highlighted

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make the most of the opportunities and ask Ilse's advice on how to wax your skis, and which wax to use.

Most Inspirational Moment

I could choose some of the amazing trips or juddery but visually astonishing zodiac tours but I won't. It may seem simple but the best moments for me were when I was on top of the ship looking out at the serene untouched enviroment. i was wrapped up warm but the cold wind on my face and the silence was amazing. Usually we are surrounded by the noise of people and traffic but when you are the only one looking out and there is no-one in sight and just the peace of solitude all around it is simply breathtaking.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was an Aussie called Woody who was always around wearing his shorts, whatever the weather. The group leader was very experienced and ran a well organised and ordered team of professionals. He kept the slight distance I would expect from a leader but was at the same time highly approachable and willing to help if anyone needed anything at all. This chap knows what he is doing!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go, it is stunning. Make sure you take warm clothes though, and underlayers are always good as well.

Most Inspirational Moment

Huskie sledding. Though bitterly cold the landscape was memorable especially as the daylight faded into dusk. The guide was a very interesting guy and the dogs were fantastic.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very friendly and amenable though didn't provide much insight into the Finnish way of life or culture. The team as a whole did do a good job though and I don't want to take anything away from that.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The option to X country ski anywhere other than on the lake was very limited for a novice. There did not seem to be any trails as such and trying to attempt to go through the forest in deep virgin snow on undulating ground was very challenging if not impossible.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sharing a train train trip from Kandy (PERADENI JUNCTION) to NANU-OYA with what seemed like thousands of other like minded passengers but in particular with a family and friends on a annual pilgrimage to a hilltop temple. The generosity and kindness of our fellow passengers with their food and snacks together with the magnificant scenery made this an inspirational journey............

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader SURESH GAMIATH BANDRA was truly amazing as nothing was too much trouble.....  

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes take this trip for a truly amazing experience before SRI LANKA is spoilt by hoards of holiday makers

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent when out skiing - I was a complete beginner and he made me feel very confident and safe. Excellent choice of routes and activities - we all learned lots and saw some great areas.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You get very hot when cross country skiing so don't need loads of thick ski clothes - layers are best.  Some people in the group had paid extra for a deluxe room - this turned out to be no different than the ordinary rooms (just an extra table), so it isn't worth paying the extra.You don't get a free day but some of us chose to spend a day snowshoeing / walking - this was a lot of fun and well worth doing if you want a change from skiing one day.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sunrise at Siem Reap - not part of the Exodus tour, but our guide organised it for a group of us.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader in Vietnam was a very nice man, knowledgable and helpful.  However his command of English was a little hard to understand at times.  I was impressed at his coolness under fire (literally) when the hotel at one destination (on the Mekong River) caught fire in the middle of the night.   He found us alternative accommodation at 1 am in a nearby hotel.The group leader in Cambodia was very good indeed.  Pleasant, local, very knowledgable and excellent English.  Helpful above and beyond what was strictly necessary.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check which hotel is being used on the Mekong Delta trip - if it is the one with Golf in its name, then don't go - this was the one that caught fire.  The smoke alarms didn't work, and the hotel staff were no-where to be seen.  I have no idea who would have got us out of our rooms if our tour leader hadn't come along and called us.  The fire was actually in the disco in another part of the hotel, but the corridors were full of smoke in the main hotel.  Also disco (before that) was thumping away till at least 12.30 (time of the fire) and showed no sign of stopping.  All our rooms looked towards the disco/town, and none had river views, whatever the Exodus brochure claims.  Hotel pool was also closed, due to broken tiles on the bottom, staff unfriendly and unhelpful.

Most Inspirational Moment

Arrival at Macchu Picchuthe flowers and different excosystems along the trailthe train journey from Macchu Picchu to Cusco was fun 

Thoughts on Group Leader

Disnardia was great, she was very knowledgeable, fun, organised and a great leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Enoy the trip, even the 10 hour bus journey from Cusco to Puno went quickly and the sights along the route were amazing-would have spent more than a day exploring Lake Titicaca

Most Inspirational Moment

Sleeping out in the Wadi Rum was my favourite part of the trip. Initially sleeping in the desert was the part I was most anxious about but the tour leader and the group made it the most fun part and I am definitely going back to do a weeks trek there. Moving from riding camels and watching the sun rise in the freezing desert to the warm sunshine of the Red Sea in the space of an hour was spectacular and expressive orf Jordan's diversity.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ali was an excellent leader. He was very knowledgable and spent time getting to know everyone. He cared about people's different situations and abilities and catered for everyone as far as possible so that included the rock climbers, the adventurers and all those just wanting to relax and take in the culture. It showed just how well he knew the areas. He really came into his own in the desert where you could see this was his favourite part of the trip and he started having fun and that rubbed off on the rest of the group and we all had a great time with him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware that on the last day the drive from the Red Sea to Amman on the desert highway is very long. There are no rest stops for at least 2 and half hours on this road.

Most Inspirational Moment

The cuban people. Always smiling and waving when you cycled past them. Was following a bus with school kids and they went absolutely banas when I pedaled as fast as I could to keep up.  

Thoughts on Group Leader

Gladys was the perfect group leader. She made everything like a walk in the park. I loved the way she said "you may now go on you own free willing". She had an infectious smile and always a good story to tell about the places we stoped. Even the in advance dreaded long transfer day in the end went by in a flash because of Gladys. Mixing cubra libre and mojito was one of the many highlights of the trip. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go with an open mind :)Bring clip on pedles, cycling shorts and shirt, small camera that fits in the shirt and lots of suncream and moscito replant since it is difficult to get hold of in Cuba.November was a nice month to travel. Warm but not to warm and horrible weather at home :)