Reviews

A Very Good Trip

The itinerary is well thought out and the pace was good. The beauty of Petra and peacefulness of Wadi Rum have to be experienced. No words can really describe them. Our group also got along very well. It was a pleasure to travel with them.

The side trips to Bethany, Little Petra, …etc. were all interesting. Maybe they should be part of the main itinerary.

Water was available on the bus but we were not always with the bus, e.g. when we were in Petra for 3 days. So we ended up buying a lot of bottled water.

Hotel in Amman was barely a 3 star hotel if one is kind. Since we spent 3 nights in Petra, it would be nice if the level of accommodation is slightly improved. It was not a problem for me but one has to set the right level of expectation.

Two activities that I would have liked to do but was unable to do so were:
1) night visit at Petra: there was no notice about it. When someone asked as we were approaching Petra, the guide mentioned if we were to go, we had to go that night because it was not offered every night. I couldn’t go with such short notice.

2) hot air ballon over the desert: I really wanted to do this and kept asking every day about booking it. The guide kept saying he couldn’t book until the day before. When he finally called, it was booked out 2 weeks from that day. I hope Exodus would offer this WAY AHEAD of the trip so the guests could book before the trip even began.

A Wonderful Walking Holiday

This was a wonderful walking holiday, staying the week in a homely villa set on the hillside above Algamitas, used just by our group. The owners were friendly, and the chef served delightful meals every evening on the terrace overlooking the surrounding countryside. The area is varied, so the walks are different and generally easy going terrains, and provide great views and interest. Three of them started from the villa and three needed minibus trips. It was lovely to have the pool at the end of the day. The day trip to Seville was an interesting change where we were able to have a restaurant meal, experience flamenco, see the Alcazar and other sights, and sup the occasional beer. Our group was friendly and sociable and Michael, our guide provided the perfect amount of guidance, with superb local knowledge, a real polymath. Nothing seemed too much for Michael to ensure we felt safe, at home and well-provided for. I have done a number of Exodus walking holidays and would thoroughly recommend this one. I extended my trip to visit Granada, which was well worth it (but pre-book the Alhambra).

Fantastic vacation!!

We had a great time hiking the Ligurian hills and the Cinque Terre towns. Michela was a great guide, she immediately became an integral part of our group with her gentle, yet thoughtful leadership. We had wonderful views, beautifully-maintained trails and a lot of laughs. Some of us raced ahead to explore all that nature had to offer while others meandered slowly taking pictures of everything. The trail options made our trip accessible to everyone in our group with all our varied walking and hiking abilities. We enjoyed exploring new towns everyday and trying our language skills with everyone we met.

Great trip

Romania exceeded expectations – what a beautiful and varied country! Cristi was a great guide and all in all I would highly recommend this trip.

Book this trip!

You must book this trek. I had about 2 years from the point of booking to departure and had read nearly all books on the market and scoured the internet for all available videos of the trek. None of which prepared me for the journey – in a good sense. I wasn’t sure how I would cope with the altitude, the basic tea houses or the food – all concerns of mine due to the fact I had never been on a trip like this before, but I was pleasantly surprised in each of these aspects. The Lodges are basic, but they are clean, comfortable and welcoming. The food selection is pretty broad, and you can enjoy Western staples such as pasta, pizza, potatoes and toasties if you wish, but do also try the local dishes like Mo Mos (dumplings) and Dal Bhat.

There were a few moments on the trek that I observed that confirmed I had made the right choice in going with a well-established ‘brand’ in Exodus. The organisation, contacts and professionalism of those involved meant that we felt fully prepared and most importantly, safe at every turn – Moreso than had I booked with a local, more independent company. These companies are perfectly fine, but I preferred the security and extensive knowledge Exodus was able to provide.

EXCELLENT HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Trip walking in Andalusia. Accommodation very good and swimming pool a great relax after the walks.
As a vegetarian I was very well catered for bye the hotel staff who went to the trouble of preparing individual meals.
Hotel staff very friendly and very helpful.
Our guide Michael was excellent.The walks at level 2 were pitched very well in terms of distance, difficulty and especially gave a very wide range of differing terrain types in the area. Michael has a VERY great knowledge of the area and very well considered, but never intrusive, health and safety precautions due to possible heat.
His arrangements for our “free day” in Seville option were very well planned and his care pre-booking entrance to the
Real and for our evening meal made the day.
Michael took similar extra care to facilitate our group walk through the Canyon Del Ray, a stunning walk.

A highly recommended trip for the accommodation, scenery, walks and our guide

A wonderful, friendly week in Sardinia

We had an amazing week walking in stunning scenery, eating delicious food and enjoying the company of friendly and very generous locals. The walks have been tweaked so there is no longer an out and return by the same route. All the walks were interesting and gave an opportunity to see the beautiful vistas of this wild countryside. Our guide Michele was excellent and adapted the itinerary to suit the weather and the group.

Great walking, excellent refreshment, star guide!

Gillian and I had a great week enjoying the walking, spectacular views, brilliant wild flowers and varied wines (both Prosecco and some very good local red wines) in the beautiful Prosecco Hills and Pre-Alps, led by the enthusiastic and ebullient Vania de Paoli. It was hotter than expected for the second half of May, making some of the unshaded uphill sections quite taxing, but Vania timed the breaks to ensure that everyone in our varied and convivial group was able (literally!) to take the walks in their stride. A very good way to get back into the swing of foreign holidays after two difficult years.

Wonderful Week in the Stunning Hills of Tuscany

After having to change the departure date several times due to Covid, this walking week in the Stunning Hills of North West Tuscany was truly worth waiting for.
The area is blessed with stunning scenery in every direction, and throughout the week you get a front row seat in experiencing it up close and personal. The trip notes accurately reflect the walks and the summit finishes will get the blood pumping and lungs working overtime, however the reward for this effort is plain to see. A good level of fitness is required, however our group leader, Sara Bull, looked after us all and made sure everyone felt comfortable. She is a truly amazing person, with such local knowledge and obvious passion for the history of the locality and family run business. She delivers the experience with such professionalism and attention to detail, which is to be applauded. From arranging evening outs at local restaurants, taxi’s, train tickets & information to Lucca for the day off excursion, she has everything covered.
The Agriturismo Braccicorti is charming, and is a typical restored Tuscan Farmhouse, complete with its own cast members strolling the grounds. Accommodation is simple but comfortable, the Italian homecooked food is lovely, as is the red wine, and dining alfresco each evening made for a great opportunity to mix in our small group of eight people, and re-live the experience of the days hiking.
My tip to anyone thinking of going on this trip (or any trip to Italy) is try to learn a few words of Italian, as I had done during lockdown. Whilst I’ve a long way to go to call myself an able Italian speaker, my efforts in using my limited vocabulary were met with wonderful enthusiasm and delight on every occasion.
I would therefore thoroughly recommend this trip to anyone considering it – just go for it and you wont be disappointed.

Fabulous trip in a great location

Cortijo Rosario is a lovely place to stay, just outside the village of Algamitas in a beautiful part of Andalucia. Our room was fairly spacious with a comfortable bed and en-suite. The public areas had been fully refurbished with a small bar, lounge and dining room. There is also a reasonable sized pool which we used every day after the walks to cool down. The food was delicious and there was plenty of it; the Paella on the last night was superb. We ate all our dinners outside on the terrace with the added attraction of a wonderful view.
The walking was enjoyable without being too challenging with a fair variety through the week from easy tracks to mountainous limestone scenery.