Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The trek in Munnar The early morning walk around the markets in Madurai. It's early, but don't miss this! The early morning jungle walk in Periyar. Some climbing to spot a wild elephant! The homestay with lovely home cooked food. The houseboat, peaceful, so much bird life to see, people living on the banks, fishing, washing clothes and themselves in the river. Boats carrying various cargoes, fruit, shopping, canoe ferries transporting families and schoolchildren across the river, even small boats carrying bricks and stones. Kovalam, much nicer than we expected, lovely shops, good beach, friendly people.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Manoj was an extremely efficient, informative and friendly guide. He set high standards everywhere we went, hotels, restaurants and trips. He advised us on menu choices so that we had a full appreciation of local food. No matter how early we got up, he was there! He gave us an insight into Indian culture that no guidebook can give. We were very impressed.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Southern India is hot and extremely humid in the evenings. Don't forget sunscreen and a hat. The sun is very strong and sunburn can happen in minutes. Mosquitos are pretty well everywhere so spray well! I got a more natural spray in our health food shop called Incognito. It worked just as well. Bring tissues everywhere, there's never any loo paper on coffee/lunch stops! And hand gel, often no soap . The masala chai is lovely, I had it at every stop.

Suggestions

The Indian people are very friendly, and if you engage with people, you get a lot back. I could never remember the Indian phases we'd been told, so a Good Morning will always be returned. We were frequently asked where we were from (Ireland) and a conversation often followed. In cases where I asked if I could take a photo, it was always agreed, and I'd usually show them the photo I had taken. The friendliness of the Indian people was one of the highlights of the trip for us. The hotels are fine, standard and comfortable (which only means as far as we could see the 2 that had a swimming pool). Every hotel had a redeeming feature. The Ayurvedic massage is lovely, I had two, and the last hotel in Kovalam was particularly good. The cost is very low.

Most Inspirational Moment

Loved the tea plantation walk - although the majority of the group clearly didn't pay heed to the trip notes about it being steep in places ( this led to more moaning ) , the houseboat was better than expected and the food - when finding local small restaurants - was outstanding.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He had a difficult job on his hands I feel, managing such a large group of elderly people but did his best I suppose. He didn't make an appearance on the first evening and as such everyone pretty much left on their own til the next morning. Also we didn't get the opportunity to do the early morning village tour around Madurai as we would have had ' to get up really early ' . Really? ?! Every morning was either a 9 or 9.30 am start - rather late I felt.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check the demographics of the group before you pay your final balance. I guess the trip being graded as -1- leisurely, should have been an indicator of the age group it would attract. Be adventurous, use the time in the evening to source lovely restaurants on line, jump in a Tuk-Tuk and have the real Indian dining experience. Bring headphones for the long journeys.

Suggestions

This wasn't my first group holiday, although the first with Exodus. They all follow the same format really but I felt that this trip should be marketed at the over 60's /70's with Exodus providing the average age of previous travellers on their website per trip in order to allow potential holiday makers to make an informed decision as to whether it's the right one for them.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting up at 5.30 to go on a tuc tuc, then a walking tour of the market as the locals were setting up their fruit and veg stalls. The atmosphere, sights, sounds and smells were just spell binding. This was the real India, and it was a privilege to witness and experience it first hand. It’s certainly a morning that I will never forget. I think it should have been promoted more, as half our group decided not to get up early to go on it, but those who did all said they wouldnt have missed it now they knew how fantastic it was! The hike through tea plantations to the top of the mountain was also a fabulous day. The views were spectacular. The peace and tranquility at the top of the mountain, where we had our lovely picnic is also a day which I will always treasure in my memory.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Manoj was brilliant. He is so well suited to his job. Nothing is too much trouble for him. He was very good at getting things organised. He was particularly good at organising the staff in restaurants to get our orders and bills sorted out with as much simplicity as possible. He always listened to our requests, and did his best to accommodate them. He was able to answer the many questions which we had during the tour. He has a great sense of humour, and really joins in with the group. He took a Yoga class at the home stay one morning, which was a lovely touch for the few people who participated. On the final evening of the holiday, my friend became ill with a stomach bug, which would have meant we couldn’t fly home the next morning. But Manoj saved the day! He organised a doctor to come to our room, with 2 nurses. They gave her an injection and set up 2 intravenous drips and said she would be better within 3 hours. Unbelievably, she was better, and could travel home ok. Surprisingly, the medical cost for this fantastic service, was only £50. Manoj stayed up late to make sure we were ok, and that the treatment had worked. He insisted that he wouldn’t go to bed himself until he knew my friend was feeling better. We both feel that he was extremely caring and went the extra mile over this, which just confirms how well suited he is to his role.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you’re unhappy with the driving, feeling that it’s too fast and reckless, say something to the guide early on. Our driver completely changed his style of driving from day 2 onwards. Get up early for the walking tour of the market. It will be a highlight of your holiday, but it’s not marketed or promoted as such, so half of our group missed out.

Most Inspirational Moment

We had an evening visit to a Hindu temple standing close to elephants robed in gold with much loud drumming and traditional horns.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Manoj our leader was passionate about his country and its traditions of being welcome to all comers. He found out about any special events happening in the next destination so he was briefed to enable us to visit everyday life in Kerala. He was well organised and speedily sorted any problems with good humour. His talks whilst travelling were very instructive if occasionally too long but reflected his love for his country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You can travel relatively lightly as most of the hotels have good washing services. Most people thought they had brought too much luggage.

Most Inspirational Moment

Backwaters, temples in Madurai, tea plantations.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sam was fantastic. One of the best. He was highly knowledgeable in all aspects of India and gave relevant commentaries as we journeyed. He was also patient with us on the menu selections.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The trip was rated as easy walking. I would say on two days it was moderate.

Most Inspirational Moment

Home-stay, Walk and talk in the spice garden, On the houseboat

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was Good and very hard working although he felt compelled to keep giving commentary despite many people sometimes being marginally interested.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cruising the backwaters, followed by visiting the temple at Madurai, and the tree plantations.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sam was very professional and knowledgeable. He also had a great sense of humor.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for an assault to all your senses and to face the fact that misogyny and discrimination are everyday issues. You also know nothing know about sound pollution, air pollution and garbage/plastic pollution until you have been to India! Quite frankly I came back from the holiday more tired than I was before I left. That's mostly due to the fact that we were traveling from one place to the next every other day (with three nights in a row in a different hotel). But India generally speaking is not a relaxing place, unless you go to a beach and don't move for a few days, I guess. I have learned a lot but I wouldn't say India is a place I'll be eager to go back to.

Suggestions

Get ready to being challenged! Hope you will find some peace and quiet wherever you go.

Most Inspirational Moment

Not one moment but many (in no particular order). The scenery in and around the tea plantations of Munnar (though I did not go on the trek) and the visit to the TATA plantation. Helping to cook our own evening meal with a local family at their home in Periyar. Visiting the Sri Meenakshi Temple in Madurai (probably the highlight of the whole trip for me). The rubber plantation homestay near Erattupetta. Early morning boat ride on Vembanad Lake at Muhamma to watch the mussel fishermen at work. The houseboat backwater cruise of course. The day trip to Kanyakumarti (southern tip of India). The late afternoon / evening walk to the Muslim quarter and fisherman quays, away from the tourist areas, of Kovalam.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader/facilitator, Sam Benjamin, was excellent. He was very knowledgeable on so many topics of Indian life and history. He was friendly, considerate and helpful (he was very helpful when a fellow passenger had a minor crisis during the trip).

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do not take the group flight; make your own way there and own way back. Arrive at Kochi at least 1 or 2 days before the tour starts and depart at least 1 or 2 days from Kovalam after tour finishes to `take-in` and have time to explore on your own or just relax. (Try and get start & finishing hotel details from Exodus in advance to save you changing hotels. Book the hotels directly and not through Exodus as they, Exodus, will add a `mark-up`.) Changing money (with a good exchange rate) and hiring a taxi at Kochi airport is cheap & easy. Although English is widely spoken, try and learn a few words of the local language, Malayalam; it may help you to engage more easily with the locals in Kerala. (I managed to pickup a few words from the local taxi & tuk-tuk drivers.) Make sure that tickets for the lake boat ride at Periyar are confirmed in advance of the day of the trip as I, with the tour leader and other members of the group had to queue for 3 hours under the hot sun for a one and a half hour boat ride. I would recommend visiting Kanyakumari (southern tip of India) by taxi. The taxi, from Kovalam, costs around IR3500 (divided by the number of passengers) for a full day (3 hours each way + 4 to 5 hours at Kanyakumari). Note that there is a `priority` queue for the island ferry (for a surcharge) if you want to visit Vivekananda Rock. It will save you a lot of queuing time if you walk directly to the gated entrance of the quay.

Suggestions

If it is your first time in India, have patience, be mellow and `chill`. You might encounter the odd power cut, the odd shower might not work how you wish, the Wi-Fi connection may be intermittent, restaurant service may be variable, the roads may be rough but, if you go there with a relaxed outlook, mind wide open, you will have the experience of a lifetime.

Most Inspirational Moment

As expected the walk in the tea plantations and the tranquility of the houseboat were highlights. But equally it was the variety and unexpected - traditional crafts like preparing the incredibly long dyed warp threads for the loom on the pavement around a busy square (presumably the only place with sufficient length), seeing and tasting local foods made on the street, the flower market, the kingfishers, the rare and short-lasting but torrential downpours including one in the rubber plantations where we were welcomed into a traditional home for shelter, the many tuk tuk rides etc etc

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sam was a very good leader - the holiday just wouldn't have been the same without him. He was knowledgeable on a very wide range of topics and good at sharing information with us on local customs etc . He was very patient with our slightly unwieldy group of 16 - helping us all to choose meals from the menu and waiting until we had all been served before eating himself. He organised and came to every evening meal (and most of the lunches too) which was much appreciated in our busy schedule. He looked after us all well, and took a mini dental emergency in the group in his stride.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Personally, I was glad of my walking boots on the 2 walks and I wore my waterproof gaiters instead of the anti-leech socks provided which had to be fitted inside ones shoes. However, we only encountered a handful of leeches on this trip and less mosquitoes that I expected, although as always some people got more bitten than others. There was no mosquito screening on the hotel windows or mosquito net provided on the houseboat as I had been told would be the case by Exodus before leaving the UK. A torch was useful in the few short power cuts we had.

Most Inspirational Moment

There was not really 1 powerful moment here. I really enjoyed the long walk and the houseboat trip.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sam is excellent. 1 of the best leaders I have experienced on such trips. He was knowledgeable, considerate, conscientious, friendly. We covered many aspects of Indian life on our trip. He had a good sense of humour, but could also deal admirably with what ever cropped up. He was very aware of our needs and took a lot of trouble helping us make good choices on the menus.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The pace of this trip is not as leisurely as suggested, especially the first part. The walk is moderate not leisurely, and you will need good walking shoes, or better still walking boots, as the paths are uneven and slippery in places. I had boots and a light walking pole, which were appropriate for this. Depends if you feel it is worth taking boots for 2 walks (also the nature reserve walk). There is not much time to relax other than on the coach, though you do get some free time to yourselves towards the end. This suited me fine, but maybe not everyone. You will not be disappointed in the wonderful insight you get into the way people live, their customs, how things are made. Also the unforgettable sights, smells, tastes and sounds of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.