Reviews

Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers

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53 Reviews

4.5 out of 5

Susan Darnton

Reviewed October 2015

Highlights of Turkey

An excellent introduction to this large and fascinating country. The itinerary allowed us to get a real flavour of the history, archaeology and topography. The sites and ordering of the stop-overs were excellently chosen.

Most Inspirational Moment

Having been steeped in ancient history from an early age I was amazed to find myself in Troy and to realise that it was a very small small acropolis but with great influence both geographically and historically.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I have been on many Exodus trips and generally have admired the leaders. This time though, Tolga excelled all my previous experience. Knowledgeable and caring about his country and caring of his guests ---and a gastronome who led us to all the best eateries [all Exodus clients seem ready for the next meal].

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do take the trip. One tip is that in terms of cash, it is better to put money into your back account at home and to use the many ATM's available everywhere. There are far more ATM's [and they are open all hours of course] than there are exchange outlets.

Malcolm Otter

Reviewed October 2015

Terrific Turkey with the amazing Fatih Develi and Unal

We set our expectations quite high for this trip but these were exceeded in every way from start to finish after meeting our superb tour guide – Fatih Develi – in Istanbul. His organization and communication skills were outstanding as he guided us smoothly throughout the fantastic highlights of this great country, imparting his considerable knowledge of all aspects of Turkey from religions to history ancient and modern, wildlife, industries, politics etc. etc. Fatih was the highlight of our trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were very many inspirational moments including our visit to 'tremendos' Aspendos with it's 'stupendos' theatre, the spiritual experience of a performance by Whirling Dervishes of the Sema ceremony and exploring the superb city of Hierapolis which was completely unexpected above the travertines of Pumakkale. But for us, the most inspirational moment was undoubtedly in the peaceful setting of Celaleddin Rumi mausoleum in the Mevlana Museum in Konya.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Absolutely superb! He worked so hard to assist each one of us whenever he could and with great wit and humour in order to make our trip as enjoyable as possible. What a gem you have there. It was a great pleasure to meet him and share the journey with him and our fantastic driver - Unal - who was such a gracious traveling companion too. Unal was always there to pick us up on time and handle all our luggage and often went out of his way to assist us. His negotiation of rush hour traffic, especially in Ankara and Istanbul with patience and no little skill was exemplary.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We would probably advise potential travellers on this trip to extend their stay in Istanbul by a day before or after the tour, though we did get to see some of the many places of interest in this great city.

Mary Otter

Reviewed October 2015

Highlights of Turkey

As the title suggests, this is tour which takes in some of the highlights of Turkey. A mix of ancient and more recent history, culture and amazing landscapes, together with friendly people and good food, its a recipe for a great holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

I had high expectations of Turkey and this trip far exceeded them. There were many inspirational moments from the amazing rock formations of Cappadocia and Pamukkale, to the quiet contemplation of Mevlana Rumi Mausoleum in Konya, the poignancy of Gallipoli, and the remains of the ancient city of Ephesus.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Fatih was wonderful. Professional, flexible, and cheerful, he was always able to offer choices to the varied group of travellers. His knowledge and love of Turkey shone through. He was ably assisted by Unal the driver, who was also flexible about the itinerary and timings.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Try not to be too disappointed if you can't take the balloon flight over Cappadocia, we were not able to as it was too windy on the first day and fully booked on the second. There are some long bus journeys, but the bus was comfortable, the driver excellent and the roads good, with regular stops on the way. There is not a huge amount of time in Istanbul so I would recommend adding at least a day at the beginning or end of the trip.

Julia Larsson

Reviewed October 2015

Highlights of Turkey

A very busy tour with some long drives. Some of the hotel bathrooms were extremely small and inconvenient and I feel that single travellers were put into inferior rooms to couples, which is annoying when you pay a supplement to have a single room. However, overall this is a wonderful trip visiting some of the top sites in western Turkey. There is not enough time in Istanbul though.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many. Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul; Ephesus; Kas (a really lovely town); Phaselis ancient city; Mevlana Calaleddin Rumi (Whirling Dervish Museum); rock church frescoes in Cappadocia.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fatih Develi was excellent. He is knowledgeable, flexible with the itinerary, moving visits if we were running short of time, gave us many options and always made sure we were happy with his suggestions. He was always helpful and patient with all our questions. He also has a sense of fun. He made this a great and memorable holiday.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for some very long drives. If you have Unal as your driver you will have a very comfortable bus and he is an excellent driver. Traffic can be heavy getting into and out of cities. Roads are generally very good but there are a few drives over hairpin bends.

Felicity M

Reviewed September 2015

The best of Turkey

A diverse trip, packed with lots of places to see over 2 weeks, yet it didn’t feel too rushed and we had more free time than I have had on other similar holidays.

Most Inspirational Moment

Too many to mention but Capadoccia, Ephesus and the underground city at Derinkuyu were all highlights. Istanbul is fascinating, with plenty to see and do and the hotel in Cunda was especially nice, with dinner on a private jetty.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fatih Develi was knowledgeable, calm and professional and went out of his way to arrange different things for us to see on the way, including a wine tasting, which everyone really enjoyed. He is passionate about his country and knows so much about its history and culture, there wasn't a question he couldn't answer - and we put him to the test!! We couldn't have asked for a better guide and our driver Mustafa was great too, always with a ready smile and there were some long drives.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Spend extra time in Istanbul at the end of the holiday if you can, as there is so much to see there - a boat trip is definitely worth doing. Pack a good mix of clothes - in early September, it was hotter than expected, so take some things to layer up. A spare battery for your camera is also a good idea, one I wish I had had when my camera died while at Ephesus!

Dawn Le-Gros

Reviewed July 2015

Highlights of Turkey

It was an interesting, varied trip but could be improved.

Most Inspirational Moment

The balloon flight. I couldn't believe it when they actually landed on the trailer! No bumpy landing this time. I didn't know whether to take photos of the 100 balloons around us or the landscape! Very impressive.

Thoughts on Group Leader

In my opinion she gave us too much information. We could have looked round the sites while there were not many visitors, but she kept talking so we missed that slot. If we had wanted to know more we would look it up on the internet.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you see the sites behind the theatre at Aspendos. All tour groups don't go there and it was only that I had requested to see it we were allowed. You leave all the crowds behind and get a great view looking down on the theatre in peace.

Janice Tyler

Reviewed February 2015

TURKEY - SULEYMAN - BRILLIANT

Hi All, We had a great tour, small party because of the time we travelled (Christmas) but we experienced a lot, our driver was an expert in the conditions, It was a leisurely time, Saw an amazing amount of Turkey in a short time frame.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cappadocia was amazing but then just being in Instanbul was a culture in its self.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was great, spoke perfect English and once he got to know us was a great joy with bits of laughter and learning of their culture and ways. He was a great historian and knowledge that was surprising.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take thermals just in case of a weather snap. Read up on restaurants and eating places before you go so you know what is around your hotel otherwise you feel a bit lost. Book a cruise of the Bhosperous at the harbour so you can see what boat they are giving you otherwise some are rust buckets.

Rita Normand

Reviewed December 2014

Highlights of Turkey

This was an incredible trip and our guide Zafar made it so. He was extremely knowledgeable about Turkish history and was able to impart it in a very interesting way. His sense of humour and the stories he was able to tell about life and events in history made it come alive.he willingly arranged group suppers for us every night of the trip and we were able to have amazing culinary experiences we would not have had otherwise. The scenery and the variety of experiences meant we were never bored.

Most Inspirational Moment

Several. The hot air ballon ride, the underground cities, the amphitheatres.......

Thoughts on Group Leader

Extremely good. In addition to faithfully following the itinerary,he went out of his way to take us places that were not on the the itinerary but were well worth seeing. He would patiently translate for us in restaurants and elsewhere, not an easy job in a larger group. He was always a gentleman and was very helpful if someone needed to find a pharmacy, buy stamps and other little incidentals. His knowledge was incredible. Exodus is lucky to have him as a guide.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you plan to take this trip, try to get Zafar as a guide. I have already told this to several friends who are considering a visit to Turkey as a result of talking to me about my trip.

Peter Lovatt

Reviewed December 2014

Ancient Sites, Friendly People

This was a tour of an amazing country. Turkey is an amalgam of people that have arrived over the centuries, leaving behind a wonderful heritage; there are so many ancient sites that the local population have lived alongside and only recently begun to appreciate. And yet it is amazingly self-sufficient in the modern climate of globalization.

Most Inspirational Moment

Termessos was my highlight site. It is in a natural state, and our group was virtually alone there, allowing us time to wander, explore, contemplate. This contrasted with Ephesus, which has been partially restored, but was busy with cruise ship crowds. Istanbul's Blue Mosque was fantastic, but so too were sites not on the itinerary. Such as the caravanseri at Saltanhani, and the restored wooden Esrefoglu Mosque at Beysehir. The Museum Of Anatolian Civilisations, and Antikabir were other highlights. We were amazed to find Kemal Ataturk is so highly revered even today. And of course, being Kiwis, and having relations who fought and died at Gallipoli, this was an amazingly special place. The balloon ride is a not-to-be-missed highlight. Our flight had to be rearranged for the 2nd morning in Goreme after the first flight didn't go ahead due to low cloud.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Zafer was an excellent guide. His knowledge, enthusiasm and pride for his country was evident throughout the journey. Long days in the coach would be broken up with history lessons on upcoming attractions, explanations of modern Turkey, and then at the appropriate moment he would throw in some humour to lighten things up. He was always available to answer questions and help make our trip memorable. On the 'free' day at Fethiye Zafer took us to the Lycian rock tombs, the Kayakoy village, then a swim at Oludeniz followed by buying us all ice-creams. It was a wonderful gesture. Zafer took us to group dinners most nights at local restaurants; these are cheap and authentic. By comparison, dinner at the Antalya resort hotel was very average and expensive. A memorable lunch spot was an out-of-the-way riverside restaurant near Aspendos.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Our tour was in September, and it was very hot in the south, as stated in the trip notes. And Turkey is a big country, there are many miles spent on the coach, and some unexciting roadside lunch places. Try to enjoy it all. I enjoyed a wonderful hamam in Fethiye. Do it! And don't miss out on the balloon flight! There is more to Istanbul than what this tour has time for; allow extra time before or after the tour. We also traveled back to Gallipoli for a few more days of leisurely exploration and relaxation.

Dallas Taylor

Reviewed December 2014

Highlights of Turkey

Turkey is an amazing country. There is so much to see and the two week tour is only going to give you a taste of what this country has to offer.

Most Inspirational Moment

Definitely the hot air balloon ride. Be prepared for an early morning start (4:45am) but it is well worth it. So quiet and smooth and amazing to drift over the valley and at one point to sail just a few feet above a local hotel's swimming pool!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Zafer is an extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guide. He took us to many additional ancient sites that were not on the itinerary. He made sure our group dinners were in local restaurants which allowed us to eat very well, mix with the local people and the meals were always at a lower cost than in the hotels. He often treated us to some Turkish sweets. I was glad to have him as our tour leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for some long bus rides. Always have bottled water with you. September/October the weather is iffy so layer clothing. Some of the ancient sites are on the top of a hill - so there are long uneven pathways to hike up. CATS! Hundreds of them. All strays and very hungry especially in the smaller towns. So be prepared to eat lunch and/or dinner and have at least two little faces looking up at you hoping for a handout.

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