Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The Nazca lines and Machu Picchu had been on my "must see" list for several years, so they were my highlights and exceeded my expectations.   Exodus didn't offer a flight over the Nazca Lines but I asked our guide if he could sort it out for me and he did.  4 of us took the flight.  You get a truer picture of the enormity of the lines from the air.   Our tour guide Juan was our guide around Machu Picchu.  Our itinerary said we would go in the afternoon, but Juan suggested that we went the following morning arriving before the crowds and having better weather in the mornings. It rained that afternoon.   One of our early starts, we were at the shuttle bus stop for 6.45 am and entered Machu Picchu at 7.20 am without any queuing.  It seemed like we were the only people there and it was a beautiful sunny morning.  Juan guided us around the site for about 3 hours giving us lots of detail about the Inca's, the buildings, the discovery of Machu Picchu and the possible future restrictions.  At the end of our tour we had another couple of hours free time to explore.  It was getting very crowded and the clouds were heading our way.I can't thank Juan enough for his expertise and knowledge that made this visit such a success.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was Juan from Cuzco.  He was always so calm, very organised and his knowledge about all things Peruvian is huge.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for lots of early starts and, therefore, lots of early nights.  If you suffer from travel sickness, take medication with you and use it. The roads through the mountains aren't straight. 

Most Inspirational Moment

The trek we did Munnar overlooking valleys of tea.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. The best tour guide who accommodated all 15 of us according to our needs, but also by going went that extra mile to help everyone that he was in contact with during the tour - the Brick makers, the Dhobi Wallas, the rubber tree harvester.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The cost of meals varies tremendously depending on where you eat. Make sure the group leader gives you choice of the cheaper as well as more expensive restaurant/cafes. The taste of indian food is often better in the cheaper places!

Most Inspirational Moment

temple of Maduraiseeing rubber being harvested

Thoughts on Group Leader

excellent and knowledgeable

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so may that it's difficult to pick on one. Seeing a very hungry cheetah  with 2 cubs make a successful kill . Watching a beautiful lioness move her two tiny 3 week old cubs  by picking them up in her mouth. Spending precious time with a leopard who had 3 cubs..and our 3 vehicles were the only ones there...on two out of two occasions!!! Serval cats , mother and kitten, giving us time in perfect morning sunshine. Giraffes aginst a dark stormy sky. Lions and buffalo "arguing" over who should remain in the area.

Thoughts on Group Leader

There was nothing new. We have travelled with Paul many times before. As always, he worked very hard to ensure that we had the best experience..and we did!! There were times!!!...but then we all have those. Would we travel with him again...yes.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you take adequate sun protection. In December , early mornings are cold but the sun soon warms everything up. Drink plenty of water. Be aware that although the UK allows you to take a penknife out with blades less than 6cm, Kenya will take it off you on your return..the voice of experience!!

Most Inspirational Moment

We spent a long time observing a female cheetah (plus cubs) waiting for her to chase prey. Our patience was rewarded when she chased down a big female impala.Seeing and photographing three different families of cheetahs and a beautiful leopard female (with no less than three cubs) were experiences well above my expectation.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Unique (in my experience) in getting you to the right places to maximise photographic opportunities.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go to see one of Paul Goldstein's slide lectures - advertised on the Exodus website.

Most Inspirational Moment

Loved the Mojitos Staying at the jungle lodge - waterfall and pool

Thoughts on Group Leader

Freddie was brilliant - loved cycling, his country and telling us about it - along with his great stories and jokes

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go with an open mind - Cuba is quite different and very laid back

Most Inspirational Moment

So many great and inspirational moments. Old Havana is fabulous and we all loved the wonderful colonial hotel we stayed in for the last 2 nights in Havana Vieja. I loved the salsa class on the first day - leave your inhibitions at the door! I just felt it set me up for the whole week and I was able to dance with local Cubans at different venues for the rest of the week! Including with our wonderful driver Andres!The beautiful pastel painted colonial towns of Trinidad and Cienfuegos were lovely to visit. And I loved the day out in the countryside of western Cuba on the last day - Vinales, where we visited rum and cigar factories and a farm.I opted to do a catamaran day trip in Trinidad (optional) and had a fantastic time - snorkeling, relaxing on the desert island we ended up on, paella cooked up by the boat crew, stroking tame iguanas, rum and coke flowing all day. It was fantastic and a real highlight for me.There was also the dinner out in Trinidad arranged by our guide where we were taken in classic cars to a fantastic resataurant in the countryside where I had the most delicious lobster ever! Another huge highlight was dancing at the Buena Vista Social Club in Old Havana on the last night. And getting our photos with the band afterwards!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rayselis (Rai) was amazing - she had abundant energy and incredible knowledge of Cuban history, culture, music, everything. She was fabulous! She kept us dancing the whole 8 days!Cuba is complex in tems of where to go to get the best food - she certainly excelled on that throughout, taking us to (or suggesting) incredible restaurants where we could have lobster, fish, or the best of local food. She took us to an incredible place on the last day in Vinales where we paid about £9 a head for this absolute feast - lobster, snapper, chicken, pork, black beans, rice. Totally Cuban food in a country setting - it was amazing.All in all, she was an excellent guide - she just made the whole trip so enjoyable throughout. I'd also say that our driver Andres was exceptional - Cuban roads are not great but he such a safe driver and most charming as well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take sterling cash and change plenty at Havana Airport (good rates there) because you don't get another chance to change at good rates until day 4/5 in Trinidad. Our guide when we were met at Havana airport helpfully told us to change at least £150 per person and I agree that was a sensible amount to change at that point. Be nicely patient at Havana airport - they are pretty slow at immigration....In fact really really slow! Prices are OK but don't expect mega cheap. Mojitos about £2. Lobster meal maybe £10. People in Cuba ask foreigners for soap and toiletries - bring some from home or stash the ones you get in the hotels and then give them out to locals, they appreciate it.Having a few words of Spanish goes a long way. 

Most Inspirational Moment

Meeting such lovely people in Vietnam, an amazing country. Staying in the home stay was a high light and the locals seem to want to share part of their lives with us.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Tuyen-Vu was fantastic. Our group of 15 - aged between 30-75 all had different needs but he managed to look after us all and make sure we all had a great holiday. His knowledge was amazing and his social skills with organising taxi's, meals and cyclo tours second to none. Anyone who has Tuyen as their group leader are in for a great adventure.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Book yourself on the next trip and discover what Vietnam has to offer! If you book flights via Exodus request seats together, while they can't guarantee you will sit together it did work on all our long haul flights.Go with the flow - while we did stick to the trip notes a majority of the time sometimes opportunities come up that you have to grab.Take both Vietnam Dong and US Dollars- While at bigger stores, restaurants and the tour guide accept dollars some smaller places only prefer to take local currency. Don't always assume restaurants take debit/credit cards, they don't.

Most Inspirational Moment

It inspired us all.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was good and most helpful

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't eat the meat or chicken!!

Most Inspirational Moment

Sitting by the waterhole in Etosha and watching a zebra family cautiously make their way round and in to drink; finding one lone elephant having a drink, only for him to be joined by the rest of his family, some giraffes, hyenas, jackals and warthogs; sitting by Sesriem Canyon and watching baboon families on the other side watching us as the sun went down; walking through the dunes to Deadvlei surrounded by the wonderful desert scenery to name just a few!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ronney was very pleasant and helpful and knowledgeable about his country. He worked hard to make sure we got the most out of our holiday. The teamwork displayed by Ronney, Sam and Jonas was exemplary. They were so efficient setting up camp in the evening and striking camp in the morning while we just relaxed! A special mention must go to Jonas' excellent cooking!

Advice for Potential Travellers

November in the desert is seriously hot - even at night! On the last day the market at Okahanja is not the nicest - there is serious pressure to buy and the stalls all seem controlled by one company so you do not feel that your money is going to the community. Check with your guides but depending on flight times you may have free time in Windhoek later that day. There is a community craft market in the centre of Windhoek which is a much more pleasant experience so if you know you will have time there just have a coffee in Okahanja and leave the shopping to Windhoek (the coffee shop in Okahanja served great coffee and cake!).