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A very enjoyable trip, during which we saw an abundance of wildlife including 4 of the Big 5. Our group leader Adonia, and our driver Sifiso were great. They were very knowledgeable about all the flora and fauna we saw. There were a couple of very long, but unavoidable, drives. However, we were still wildlife spotting during these and Adonia used this time to talk about the history and culture of both Botwana and Zimbabwe. Our trip into the Okavango Delta was quite different from the rest of the trip but very enjoyable. Listening to the sounds of the wild animals at night was an experience never to be forgotten. On the full day in the delta there was a lot of downtime between the early morning game walk and the late afternoon Mokoro trip. Another game walk during the day would have been a good idea. Special thanks to Adonia and Sifiso for their patience, humour and thoughtfulness.
One of the surprises of the trip was seeing a giraffe very soon after having left the airport at Victoria Falls.
Very approachable and knowledgeable. Well organised. Adonia proved to be a very effective leader of the group.
It was an interesting trip but spoiled by a poor group leader. It was an interesting trip but spoiled by a poor group leader.
Although Genc was very pleasant and easy to get along with, I found his qualities as a tour leader left a lot to be desired. His grasp of English was poor and so were his organisational skills. First of all, he was late meeting us on our arrival in Tirana. It then took him a long time to locate our bus and driver. When we reached our hotel, having had a very early start that morning, we were all ready to go to a cafe for some lunch, but we just had to grab a quick takeaway coffee before setting off on a long walking tour of the city. It soon transpired that we were not expected to have lunch on any day. A quick pit stop was all that had been allowed for on the itinerary. It was not that we needed a large meal, but a rest and some nourishment was essential. When visiting the various sites, it would have been useful to have had Quiet Vox earphones, or similar, so that we could hear what Genc had to say. As it was, he did not gather us together in a group for any explanation but would forge ahead so that only those walking directly beside him could hear him. We could also have done with more information on timing each day so that we knew what to expect. I realise that roads are sometimes bad and museums, etc, are sometime unexpectedly closed but I would have expected him to get this information on the day and then let us know if and how plans had changed. The day I really lost faith in him was in Berat, where, having gone up to the castle by bus, we then had to walk down a very long and slippery cobbled road back to town to visit a museum. Although I could easily walk uphill, I found it difficult to walk down without falling and so I fell behind the rest of the group. I was not too concerned about this as I believed that Genc would wait at the bottom until we had all arrived. As it was, by the time I reached the town there was no sign of them. Luckily, I had obtained a good street map from the hotel that morning and so, after walking on for some way before realising that I must be going in the wrong direction, I got it out and made my way to the museum. By that time my absence had been noted and Genc was frantically looking to see where I was. He apologised profusely but I do feel that as group leader it was up to him to ensure that the group, especially such a small one, kept together.
Make it clear from the start that you need a proper lunch break in the middle of the day.
As a first time hiker I was worried about what to expect from this trip but I shouldn’t have been. Spent a truly amazing week hiking varied and incredibly beautiful landscapes, interspersed with some breathtaking ferry trips. The pace was manageable (although I did start with a good base fitness) and there were often options to shorten or lengthen walks depending on capability but this was always optional. Nes Gard itself is a truly special place and perfect for an escape from real life. Waking up to the view of fjord everyday was such a contrast to living in the UK. The staff at Nes Gard are lovely and evenings were spent eating fab local food and then drinking and catching up in the bar with new found friends. This is the perfect holiday if you want a break from reality, a chance to unwind and to see some truly beautiful scenery as well as the chance to make some amazing friends.
There are too many to really mention but the two stand out moments were getting to the top of the mountain on the first day and looking down over the Fjord. The sun was shining and the water was an incredible turquoise. Our group had laughed and bonded all the way up the mountain and there was a huge sense of achievement at the top. The second was on the last day at the waterfall. We'd all spent an amazing week with each other and there was a poignancy that it was our last day together. The waterfall was magnificent and the scenery breathtaking- it was my favourite hike and it was sad that it was the last.
Anders was a really fantastic group leader. He was knowledgable, kind, funny and you knew you were safe with him. He went above and beyond to spend time with the group, flex the schedule to take is to the bakers for cinnamon buns and overall look after us. He never pushed anyone to their limit and took time to understand the individual needs of the group.
You do have to have a base level of fitness for this trip to really enjoy it. Some of the ascents would be tricky in the rain and the terrain is full of rocks so you also need to be steady on your feet. That said in out group there were 4 people over 70 who managed just fine and had a great time!
Like a previous reviewer I found this much harder that Toubkal or EBC. The walks seem to be up all morning and down in the afternoon. Some of the downs were very hard on the Knees. Despite this the effort was well rewarded with the stunning scenary. Having to put your tent away before brerakfast required some effort, specially if you didn’t master the technique. Camp meals were always filling, and never went hungary. Although breakfast did get a bit repetitive. The group van always contained a cold beer at the end of the day, which was very welcome. I hired my sleeping bag and matt from exodus and the bag was nice and warm, but maybe the matts could have been a bit thicker. Really felt the rocks some nights. Would bring my own next time
Finishing
Train harder than you think you need. Wifi in camps were not brillant, could be aproblem if you need it at all times. If your not feeling to good, and need a day off from walking, it can be a long trip. One of our group needed 5 buses on one day, to get to the next camp
If you are short on time but love adventure, this is a great trip. The trek is challenging, you will need decent boots, and beware of the slippery scree but well worth the hard work. The night in the Refuge was quite the experience, a 16man bunk bed and breakfast at 2.20am so we could get to the top for sunrise. Hussain (our guide) and Lassan (the support guide) were great. I had a nasty bout of altitude sickness at the Refuge and Hussain took me higher to try and conquer it and feel better. The mountains are beautiful, the chef kept us well fed and time for a whiz round Marrakech too. Highly recommended.
The care and support to get everyone safely to the top and down again.
Our group leader was great, hard working, friendly, shared good advice and looked after us really well.
Wear decent hiking boots, pack for four seasons in a day, take large capacity water bottles. Change money in the airport or at Hotel Ali in the main square. Argana in Marrakech has lovely icecream and wifi and Les Jardins Majorelles are beautiful.
A simply outstanding trip. Our guide Eva was informative, friendly and helpful. A lovely small group of people made the trip very friendly and low key. All the sites we visited were just amazing. Lovely hotels, fabulous sights and sounds and awe inspiring insights into living history. Stunning.
Walking through the corridor onto the stadium at ancient Olympia; seeing the oracle at Delphi; the Corinth canal; the theatre at Epidavros; climbing up to the Acropolis. Honestly - too many to choose !
Fabulous. Eva was wonderful.
It’s very uneven underfoot at times - you definitely need proper walking shoes/sandals. In September it was still very hot so make sure you have a refillable water bottle. Be prepared for some days to be more strenuous than others
A busy itinerary exploring a beautiful part of Southern Italy. Some stunning hillside cities with classic narrow streets and cafe culture. Lots of excellent food and local wine throughout. Whilst not strenuous in itself, it was a pretty full on itinerary, with heat, lots of steps and extensive exploring on foot, with uneven pavements/cobbles and walking terrain. Not as leisurely as the trip notes might make you believe, and not really suitable for those with limited mobility or fitness. Some parts are very busy and touristy, but easy to wander the back streets to escape the crowds and immerse yourself in Italian culture. A mix of city, rural areas and seaside to give a taste of the whole area.
Loved the views over the city from the terrace in Matera, and listening to the bells of all the churches ringing out on a Sunday afternoon. Walking into the white city of Ostuni was stunning, taking in an Aperol Spritz at an outside cafe by the cathedral whilst watching the world go by, and then seeing the sun go down along the city walls! Walking alongside the azure blue Adriatic sea in Otranto
Andraea was a very enthusiastic and hardworking leader. He sometimes struggled to understand the question he was being asked and so it was not always easy to get a straight answer. The group were not easy for him to deal with, and under the circumstances he did an adequate job.
Forget the map, just wander through the narrow streets away from the main centres and explore the real Italy! Enjoy the cafe culture and people watch over an aperitif in a central square! Indulge yourself with the local cuisine. Sample the amazing gelato and granita, such an amazing variety of flavours. Don't do this trip if you are not very fit or mobile, it has a huge amount of walking on cobbles and up and down steps, and the busy schedule means you would not maximise the value of the places visited.
Had a lovely trip with a very friendly and welcoming group. Our tour guide was lovely and made some great restaurant bookings for us including one meal right on the beach with the waves crashing! The sea kayaking was the highlight for me, lovely to be out on the water , though it is surprisingly hard work! The hotel Artemis we stayed at was very nice , clean modern rooms, lovely breakfast with amazing views, though getting a drink from the hotel bar was challenging at times!! My only criticism is the walks, they were much harder than leisurely/moderate , some of the walks on the itinerary had to be changed as paths were closed which is fine and unavoidable but the replacements were often on steep scree slopes and involved clambering over large rocks at times , some of the group found this v challenging especially with the heat! If these walks are to be kept then this trip needs to be upgraded in difficulty so people are aware what they will be facing. Turkey is beautiful though and thoroughly enjoyed my time here 🙂
See above - sea kayaking
Very lovely and always helpful , walks were more challenging than expected though so the routes may need to be reconsidered.
See above - the walks are more difficult than anticipated.
Let me just start this review by saying that I have been on over 25 guided trips in the last 22 years so I have experience with tour groups. It never crossed my mind when booking this trip that I would have a poor guide. I have been fortunate that my experiences have always been exceptional. The good: the hiking was fabulous, different challenges, variety of scenery each day. By luck we had a fantastic group of 12 from all over the world. The bad: our guide, luggage transfer and lunches. The guide started off the trip by being very unwelcoming on Day 1. He then proceeded to share way too much about his personal life and how he was so tired each day due to lack of sleep. The first several days of the trip, he didn’t even do any type of route review or what we were to expect for that day’s hike. Thankfully we were a cohesive group (mostly because 9 out of 12 of us came down with a gastric bug on Day 3 of the trip) so we always waited up for the slowest person of the group. Due to us only having one uninterested guide, we had to lookout for that person. One day the group got about a quarter mile down the trail only to find the guide missing. When someone went back to look for him, he was found at the trailhead “chatting up” a woman that was waiting for the bus. The list of complaints can go on. A few days into the trip, three people didn’t get their luggage for 24 hours. The guide suggested that they “borrow” clothes from others on the trip. Luckily, a staff member at the hotel took them into town so they could purchase clothes for that night and the next day (the next day was a free day and there were plans to go to the spa). Nothing worse than coming off the trail and not being able to change into clean clothes. We made our lunches each morning with supplies that the guide set out. Typically the last two people to make theirs ended up with just bread and cheese since everything else had run out. There just wasn’t enough supplies purchased. Also, the meat and cheese sandwiches got a bit boring after a week. Fortunately, after some complaints he did add fruit and some vegetable toppings. Eventually we also got some chocolate at the end. Based on the amount of money that was spent on this trip, I expected much more from the guide. I emailed the company about 5 days into the trip to express my dissatisfaction with the services provided. I am sure that there will be more letters from others that I traveled with. I would suggest looking for another tour group to do this trek with. I certainly encountered many more enthusiastic guides on the trail from different companies.
The scenery and views also making new friends
I would look to book with another tour company.
We would like to thank Lisa for taking the time to leave a review, but are incredibly sorry to hear that she was disappointed with the tour leader assigned to her departure. We have a fantastic team of leaders for Exodus groups travelling to Mont Blanc, and can see that from the feedback we have received in 2023 that our customers travelling this year have rated them an average of 4.80 out of 5 on the Holiday Evaluation Forms we send to each client after a trip. We find this extremely encouraging, and it makes us confident that travellers choosing Exodus can expect to receive an excellent standard of tour leader who can elevate their time in this beautiful region.
However, we would like to apologise to Lisa that this was not her experience, and we recognise that the leader on her particular departure, who is usually consistently attentive, personable, and is an experience mountain guide, did not perform anywhere near our high standards on this occasion. We were in touch with Lisa and her fellow group members about this at the time and, having taken the matter extremely seriously, resolved this to their satisfaction following the trip. We also spoke at length to the tour leader in question, and our local manager has given him comprehensive advice and further training which we feel, in tandem with his previous high level of performances, will mean he is fully ready to lead future departures in line with our and our clients’ expectations.
We are glad that Lisa enjoyed the company of her Exodus group and the wonderful hikes and scenery in Mont Blanc, and sincerely hope we are able to welcome her back on another trip with us in the future which more reflects the positive experience our customers overwhelmingly have.
Danny Bell, Exodus Product Manager
The trip was a good balance for me between excellent walking through stunning scenery and learning about the country’s history and visiting some historic sites.
Dorian was a great guide: very encouraging when walking, coped very well when problems arose (didn't let us know). Extensive local and national knowledge and a good sense of humour. Dorian also cared about our local well-being and needs.
Remember it can be hot and humid. Take lots of water I packed a light-weight hair dryer but didn't need it (either available or too hot!) Small head-torch is useful depending on your itinerary. I felt very safe even when on my own away from people.