Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the Northern lights.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jon was great, knew what he was doing, had an encyclopaedic knowledge of his country, and his Icelandic folk stories never ended!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Dont take any cash - Iceland is pretty much cashless now (and expensive). Do take lots of layers - it was minus 17 at Thingvellir after sunset. Be prepared to be in the vehicle quite a lot. Do go to the Blue lagoon on the way to the airport. Most flights are afternoon which gives time. (The taxi from Blue lagoon to Keflavik was 9000 kr, which we shared with someone else. There is a phone with direct line to a taxi firm in the blue lagoon) Consider adding a day or two in Reykjavik before or after the trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

I am not sure what the writer of this form was thinking of for this box, but the scenery is beautiful & amazing.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both Ilse & Mary are good. They are different personalities, but I think that is good in a group environment and in a teaching environment. I enjoyed skiing with both and both are very willing to answer questions, be they related to technique or the area in which we were skiing.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Relax & enjoy your holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the pyramids poking up on the horizon from the hotel balcony actually made me quite emotional....I think a mix of finally, finally being able to travel again and it being a long-held dream to go to Egypt (and maybe a touch of not much sleep!). We'd gone to bed at about midnight (the group flight arrives in the evening and it takes a while to exit the airport) and just by chance I checked the view as the sun rose the next morning. And Abu Simbel is just awe-inspiring but then so are all of the other temples and things you get to see and do on this trip.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Andrew was an excellent leader. He was very organised and very knowledgeable on all things Egyptian. He also had a great sense of humour......the Egyptians invented EVERYTHING.....and made sure everyone was aware of how to deal with the aspects of the trip that we weren't accustomed to such as the hawkers and needing small change for the toilets. He guided us around the temples giving us details of the where/why/when, building up a picture of the history of Egypt as we went south. He gave us ample time to wander around once he'd given us our bearings. We will remember his "Habibis, this way" for a long time.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We went in early February which we found ideal weather-wise. Fleeces were needed in the early mornings until the sun came into its own at about 10am and then the temperatures were in the low to mid 20's. Although sunny in Aswan, the constant wind took the temperature down quite considerably. We took mainly UK£ with us and changed some up at the airport (the exchange rate is fixed in Egypt so you don't get ripped off), we also took some US$ left over from a previous holiday. We paid for excursions in ££/US$/credit card. When working out expenses for the trip, factor-in paying for the optional excursions as otherwise you'll miss out on seeing things such as Abu Simbel.....well worth doing, don't be put off by the time it takes to get there. We did every excursion apart from the monastery and the light shows but others in the group said the light show at Philae was very good. The Nubian village trip was cancelled due to the water level being too low for the boats to negotiate the river so we had a morning off while in Aswan so we went for lunch at the Old Cataract Hotel. I would recommend to do this if possible as it's just a 5 minute walk down the road from the Basma Hotel..... obviously a slightly pricey lunch as you're paying for the view/history but a good way to finish of the holiday (and there's no dress code at lunch so don't worry if you've only got jeans to wear). The Nubian museum opposite the Basma Hotel is also worth a visit, you can spend anywhere from 30mins to 1.5 hrs there and can pop in on the way back from your fancy lunch. The new Egyptian museum isn't open yet (expected Nov 2022 but factor in Egyptian time!) but King Tut's mask is still in the old museum. The new museum looks spectacular from the outside (it's opposite the hotel in Cairo) so it would have been great to have gone there.....c'est la vie!

Most Inspirational Moment

Too many to mention! The husky dog sledding was incredible (definitely upgrade to the 20k option in you can). The snow shoeing adventures around base camp were fantastic and the optional extra to visit the breath taking Riisitunturi National Park is a must. Finally the excitement of getting to sleep in a quinzee you built, is a truly memorable experience (and not as cold as you’d image, even when it’s -16.c outside)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Martti was an exceptional leader, he was very friendly and knowledgeable and above all made the activities fun for everyone. The rest of the staff at base camp were friendly and the food was delicious.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t hesitate - just book it, you really won’t regret it!! Although they do provide the clothing needed for the week I would definitely recommend taking your own clothing if you would prefer, especially base and mid layers including fleeces (as theirs were a little ‘tired’) Their boots and outer layers were of good quality though.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Caminito walk was beautiful, but I also enjoyed the quiet of the other trails. The tapas lunch sitting in the sun in February was a bonus.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Michael was a great leader, really knowledgable on the local area and glad to share this knowledge. He was also very conscious of the needs of the group and making sure we were all comfortable. He dealt well with the challenges posed by illness in the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you would like a chance to see rural Spain and to experience great walks, go for this trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

It’s difficult to pick as we had so many outstanding experiences. From river safaris, guided walks in National parks, swimming in Pacific, cycling through the highlands away from traffic on excellent roads but one which does stand out for me is the amazing number of colourful birds not only on our guided tours but just in the gardens and car parks where we stayed each night. I shouldn’t miss out that we also saw sloths, iguanas, monkeys, crocs too.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto was very professional, kind, nothing was too much trouble and he made sure everyone had the best experience possible. He was well organised, one of the days we had rain and couldn’t do to walk in the afternoon but he worked hard to fill the rest of the day with offering us other options so we didn’t miss out. His passion for his country was shown in his commentary on and off the bike and bus. His team of Paul the mechanic and Luis the driver made the whole trip run like clock work.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just book it! It’s a full on trip as with all Exodus trips and if you’re going for the first time read the trip notes and reviews it will help with being organised as you have new accommodation every night.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing all the wildlife and colourful birds. The enthusiasm of the local staff and their knowledge of their country.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto was a fantastic group leader who went out of his way to make sure all members of the group were happy. He worked very hard throughout the trip to ensure everything ran smoothly

Advice for Potential Travellers

It gets very hot when cycling especially up some of the hills. Take a buff you can soak in water to put round your neck to keep cool. Take a camera and binoculars and maybe even a book of birds of Costa Rica.

Most Inspirational Moment

The views every day were just wonderful.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose Miguel was a brilliant group leader. He is really informative - bringing the region, culture, history and flora fauna to life. He was really considered and professional and we all felt very safe in his hands but also great fun too with a fantastic sense of humour.

Most Inspirational Moment

The views from the top of some of the summits were amazing and being in the sun in February was excellent! Also met lovely people and the food was hearty.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose made this trip. His love and knowledge of the area was clearly evidient, the walks he planned showcased the area. I really liked that Jose guided us to support some local businesses - olive oil, chocolate factory, brewery, hostal and restaurants - this helped to understand the area better. Also he makes fabulous sandwiches!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Book onto this trip ASAP! Bring layers as you can be in a vest top one minute and a down jacket at the summit!