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.

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14375 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Eric Watts

Reviewed May 2019

A hectic agenda with some nice moments

The first problem was sleep deprivation, 18 hours in the air with a gap at Dubai and the time difference of eight hours means you need time to recover. We did not have adequate time the departure was 8am the next morning which meant getting up at 6.30 to get organised and have breakfast.
A better option would have been to fly the day before and spend the first night in a hotel in Osaka.
The sleep deprivation has knock-on effects such as the difficulty in arranging the lights and blind switches in the Kyoto hotel. They were simple to use once you got used to them but caught me out as I was unfamiliar -there was an opaque blind behind the translucent blind and it was not possible to tell this until the daylight woke me up at 5 AM. It would have been useful to have the hotel staff demonstrate how to use all the controls as it meant I had a second night of poor sleeping.
There were too many sites to see in Kyoto and Tokyo meaning very early starts and late finishes with inadequate time to recover before going for meal and then having little time to digest before going to bed which also impairs sleep..
Most days we stopped for lunch and apart from the sushi lunch meals were mediocre and usually in soulless shopping malls. A long break for lunch is unnecessary and simply prolongs the day. Taking a snack and a brief lunch break would mean an earlier finish and some time to relax in the evening.
The traditional meals were good but too often we went out in the evening to very crowded and uncomfortable restaurants on occasion sitting on stools at the counter which is a very poor substitute for a comfortable meal to celebrate the end of a busy day. On one occasion in Kyoto and two in Tokyo it was hard to find a comfortable restaurant other than going for a pizza which is not what we intended in visiting Japan.
Although the express trains were good local trains are often too crowded for comfort and judicious use of a minibus would have been very helpful: for example New Year’s Day there was hardly any traffic on the road but we were in dreadfully crowded trains and given the option I would far sooner stay in a coach than trudge along a dreary the street market in the rain. There are too many boring markets and too many visits to shopping dreary shopping centres.
It was a major mistake to try and see all sides Tokyo in one day. If the morning consisted of the shrine, sky Tower and the Imperial Palace that would have been sufficient and then we could choose extras for ourselves such as the art museum. Visiting the shopping area to see the equivalent of Oxford Street and then to visit the street market which have nothing of interest, all in the pouring rain was a sad waste of the afternoon.
Finally although your information included average rainfall figures it did not adequately explain that we could be out all day in prolonged rain so that on the last Wednesday everyone was soaked through. My waterproof clothes were too heavy to be worn in hot weather and I do not normally take an umbrella when going walking but it was the best way of dealing with warm rain and it would be helpful to make that point prominently in your info.
Japanese art and culture is interesting and I really enjoyed what we saw but unfortunately there was far too little and too much time spent travelling.

Most Inspirational Moment

There was no single inspirational moment. Many of the shrines were impressive, Mount Fuji is spectacular and the cruise on the nearby Lake was delightful. The Zen gardens were impressive. The Hiroshima visit was very educational and presented some unpleasant truths in a very powerful way.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He worked very hard, was very energetic and very helpful. He had the unenviable task of trying to keep everybody happy all the time and he tried to his utmost to do this, this meant that most of us joined in with trying to see everything, which in retrospect, was not the best idea. It would have been more helpful to have a range of options so that there were alternatives e.g. for those with the limited interest in shops and markets. I enjoyed the visits to the snow monkeys and would have preferred to have spent more time walking in the surrounding countryside

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do your homework thoroughly so that you know what you want to see and what you don't want to. Prepare for the rain, an umbrella is more useful than an anorak because of the usually warm whether. Don't be swept along to see sites that don't interest you, street markets may be interesting for some but in Tokyo the goods on sale were incredibly tacky the market so severely congested that it's hard to move and the novelty value soon wears off

Christine Glossop

Reviewed May 2019

AZN

Amazing desert sand dunes and night sky, astonishing ancient rock paintings, beautiful diverse wildlife

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking sand dune 45, rock paintings, black rhinos at night waterhole, elephants, and elegance of antelopes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good. Would have liked more info about various aspects of Namibia. But layout of minibus was counterproductive, as we were sitting much higher, leader was driving in separate cabin area, and spoke with microphone.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check temperatures before going

Derek Clarke

Reviewed May 2019

A great holiday

Sardinia proved to be a surprisingly beautiful island with good walks and a fabulous coast. The hotel is very good with excellent food and very friendly staff. We were blessed with great weather which I’m sure influenced my enjoyment. The group was also lovely but that’s my experience almost every time with Exodus. If you happen to have Albert as your guide you will indeed be fortunate – a more caring, competent and sociable leader would be hard to find. Personally I would drop the ‘tourist day’, hence only four stars.

Most Inspirational Moment

Perhaps the boat ride!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Superb.

Louis Wiggs

Reviewed May 2019

Discovering Croatia

What an adventure, biking in a country that I hardly knew existed. Croatia is beautiful, almost untouched by the human hands that have sullied much of the urban areas here.
Biking there was very challenging by this senior, but also very rewarding. Allen Skulic, the group leaded was an excellent guide. Allen is very knowledgeable about the area and it’s history. But most important he was very encouraging and supportive. I don’t think I could’ve completed this cycling adventure without his words of encouragement.
I will forever remember the scenic views cycling through the many small cities, farm lands and biking up and down the many mountain roads. Also, memorable was the many ferries that we took to the many islands that we biked. The lunches and dinners were exceptional; the wines superb.

Most Inspirational Moment

The feeling of accomplishment on the first full day riding 10 kilometers up a mountain road. I have never done anything that compares to that experience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Allen Skulic was absolutely wonderful. He was so knowledgeable, passionate, encouraging and fun.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Prepare yourself for the ride of a lifetime.

Gabi S

Reviewed May 2019

Lifelong ambition realised

The whole holiday exceeded our expectations. Our guides were exceptional and our group gelled immediately. The number of flights and time spent in airports was tiring but didn’t detract from the overall wonderful experience.

Most Inspirational Moment

Really can't decide. It was all amazing! That iconic view of Machu Picchu; the scenery; the wildlife in the Galapagos.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Adolfo Salazar in Peru and Berny Jacome on the Cachalote Explorer were THE BEST!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read all the trip notes; they are excellent. Take good waterproof jacket for Peru/Machu Picchu and a pac-a-mac type for Galapagos. You may well not need it in Galapagos and you won't want to carry anything bulky. The ATMs in Galapagos were few and far between and only gave out relatively small amounts. Try to make sure you have enough currency to cover everything before you get to Galapagos as the credit card machine on the ship may not work!

James Smith

Reviewed May 2019

Annapurna Sanctuary Trek TNS

Original trekking itinerary was changed and notice was given just several days before we began the trek. We did not trek to Annapurna Base Camp due to snow, avalanche danger, and damaged structures. An alternative was provided that included climbing Punhill and also Khopra in Ridge. For me it was a physically challenging trip, partially due to my age. I felt I did well in spite of my replaced knees. I was offered encouragement at times which helped. The weather was not the best as a pre-monsoon weather pattern prevailed particularly during the latter part of the trek. This trip for me was primarily a time to bond with my son, Kevin, and I think we did a good job at that. Food was somewhat bland, but new dishes allowed us to get a real taste of what Nepalese eat. Ten years ago, I did the Everest Trek to base camp and Kala Patar. I would say this trip was every bit as physically challenging even though we did not achieve high elevations. The scenery did not include as much high alpine, but this trip traversed through rhododenron forests that were in full bloom.

Most Inspirational Moment

Views from Punehill and Khopra Ridge, of the high peaks jutting up above the clouds. Crossing the long spectacular suspension bridge near Jhinu Dandara.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Milan Tamang did not impress me at first. However, with the passing of each day, I realized that first impressions aren't always true. Milan was truly interested in me as a trekker and an American. I can say now that I have high regard for him as a group leader and an administrator of other guides. He's a man that's true to his word, has empathy for others, and is simply there in times of need. I don't believe our group had any negative incidents such as injury of health problems that he did not know how to successfully handle.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Call two weeks in advance to find out if there have been any changes in the itinerary. My son and I were disappointed that we could not trek all the way the Base Camp.

Shelley Napper

Reviewed May 2019

Amazing Adventure

It’s hard to put into words how amazing the Exodus’ Botswana & Zimbabwe Lodge Safari experience is. I knew this would be a trip with a difference, but this African adventure went beyond my wildest dreams.

Most Inspirational Moment

The two nights wild camping was, for me, the most daunting part of the trip and ended up being my absolute highlight – elephants water-crossing near camp, wild dogs playing and of course the smooth relaxing, mokoro trips. However, wild camping in the Okavango Delta is only one of a multitude of highlights that this trip has to offer -every day offers something amazing!

Thoughts on Group Leader

While I’m sure any trip in Africa could be amazing, it was the Exodus team members that made our extraordinary trip what it was – unforgettable! Rowan (our leader) and Sifiso (our driver) went above and beyond to ensure that this once in a lifetime experience was beyond all expectations. Their wealth of experience was demonstrated through their expansive local knowledge, smooth organisation and the ease with which everything was accomplished. Rowan’s energy, generosity and wide array of interests meant that many experiences had a personal touch – just one of many examples being the drone footage he generously took and gave to our group, recorded memories of something so special I cannot thank him enough. Sifiso’s calm, friendly nature and superior driving skills made comfortable and safe driving days and provided the relaxed atmosphere a trip like this deserves. Rowan and Sifiso, I cannot thank either of you enough!

Jane Jewell

Reviewed May 2019

First trip with Exodus

We had a thoroughly enjoyable varied trip though the walking was more challenging than we anticipated. The uphill and down dale rocky walking was harder for us as we are both in our 70s and these days we have not done so much of this type of walking. Nevertheless, we had an excellent guide in Liz Proctor who made sure that we paced our walking and with her knowledge of the countryside and terrain through woodland, olive groves and vineyards combined with a good humoured small group of 6 persons made our walking very enjoyable. The wine tasting and classes were very informative and fun. On the city days in Sienna and Florence we had excellent guided walks and an in-depth insight into the culture and history ofthese 2 beautiful cities both of which we have visited twice before.
The weather was more chilly than expected and the farmhouse although welcoming was not warm enough in the morning or when we came home each evening.th

Most Inspirational Moment

The beautiful Tuscan countryside and the Agritourism which has enriched the Tuscan landscape and allowed the families to develop their hardworking but enriching way of life. The natural ecological way of living which is a model of living to aspire to.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent, very personable, calm and extremely knowledgeable. As well as acting as a extremely competent driver as well as the guiding. We really appreciated the good planning and timing that went into everyday and we trust that Liz is remunerated fully for this double role and responsibility.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read fully the excellent guidance notes sent by Exodus

Sophia Spurgin

Reviewed May 2019

Fabulous Holiday

I had a fabulous holiday to two inspiring places – Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands. Although the journeys were long and tiring everything worked like Clockwork. We were lucky to have like-minded fellow travellers who we got to know really well by the end of the holiday. The Galapagos was particularly good and the boat ad it’s crew were excellent. We were well looked after with hikes, snorkelling and excellent food.

Most Inspirational Moment

I particularly enjoyed our trip through the Mangrove with turtles and penguins and taking photos at every opportunity.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had two group leaders who were exellent : Adolfo Salazaq who looked after us in Peru. He was always cheerful and through his contacts, always got us where we needed to be. He joined us to meals and answered our questions well. We liked him very much. Berny Jacome in Galapagos was superb. He was extremely knowledgeable and very pleasant and confident in his job. His skills as a guide were impressive in someone so young. I would highly recommend you use him wherever possible.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go!

Linda Kirby

Reviewed May 2019

Excellent

This was a joint celebration of our 70th birthdays so we wanted it to be extra special. It was an amazing experience, with a wonderful group of people, led by an extremely professional, knowledgeable and proficient guide, Johnny Villalobos. Thanks to Johnny’s extensive knowledge of bird calls and habitats, we were able to see a huge number of birds, including the elusive Quetzal. Johnny also had a wide knowledge of the many mammals we encountered.
Apart from overnight stays in San José, we stayed 2 nights in each destination which was enough to enable us to explore what each habitat had to offer. Johnny ensured that we maximised our time in each location, though you always had the choice to opt out of an activity.
Each location was well chosen in terms of being a representative sample of what Costa Rica has to offer, from hot steamy jungle, to cool, high altitude cloud forest. The accommodation was excellent in each place but we particularly enjoyed the remoteness of Esquinas Lodge, surrounded by the sounds of the forest, especially the frogs. An added bonus was the stream fed pool and later, a night walk in the forest, led by a guide from the lodge who was able to identify the many frogs contributing to the incredible cacophony of frog calls.
We were given a warm welcome in each location by the hotel/lodge staff and served some delicious food. However, crucial to the success of this holiday, was Johnny’s enthusiasm for what his country had to offer and his exceptional knowledge, organisational and people skills.

Most Inspirational Moment

Experiencing the huge diversity of flaura and fauna in such a relatively small country. Seeing the vital work being done by Costa Ricans like Johnny, to protect their environment.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We couldn't have wished for a better group leader. Johnny Villalobos was extremely professional, very knowledgeable about birds and mammals and was passionate about caring for the environment. His enthusiasm for his country, it's people and Costa Rica's biodiversity, was infectious. He ensured that every aspect of organising our travel about the country and the transport of our luggage ran most efficiently. Johnny was attentive and caring to two group members who felt unwell. Also, he did his best to maximise our experience of Costa Rica and often gave over and above what was reasonable to expect from a group leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a good poncho, insect repellent (We used Picaridin), binoculars and a camera. Make the most of the time you have there, the plants and wildlife are amazing.

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