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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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Reviews

THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY

A great travel experience

Most Inspirational Moment

That was the first evening on the island surrounded by hills, great sunset and the first taste of the wildlife..

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was good and was always at hand for information & help. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

The advice I would give is that depends on what time of the year you go it does get very cold at night. The other thing to be awere of is that you can be on the river from around 8-9hrs a day with that and the packing and unpacking the boats and pitchibng and unpitching tents each day it can be alot of work....

THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY

Aside from a VERY rocky start to the holiday (see below), this was an absolutely AMAZING experience, which the group took to calling HIPPO-DODGE-EM-US, CROC-IDYLLIC and ELE-FANTASTIC!  The Lower Zambezi was simply stunning; the repeated and close-up experiences with elephants were moving and gorgeous; the hippos were funny and beautiful and scary all at once; the vervet monkeys were cute and cheeky, as were the baboons; the warthogs and water buffalo were wonderful…I could go on and on!  Check out the song I wrote on http://www.monicamaxwest.com/web%20audio/Taking%20It%20Easy.mp3!

Most Inspirational Moment

I have several!  We were a small group of 8 (6 visitors and 2 guides) in 4 canoes, and one favourite moment was rafting (where you pull all the canoes together) next to a HUGE bull elephant eating grass right next to us (about 4-5 meters away)...the elephants are so noble and dignified and intelligent!  I also loved doing the wild camping and watching elephants pass behind the camp in the twilight...mmm...and then going to sleep and hearing elephants and hippos munching the grass right next to the tents (not for the faint hearted)!  I have some wonderful photos on http://www.flickr.com/photos/monicamaxwest/.  I also loved watching the baboons and vervets from fly camp: they play and chase and eat for hours...

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group was led by CB, and our co-leader was Carlos.  Both were WONDERFUL!  They were very knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, funny, generous, and reassuring.  They worked NON-STOP, including making our meals, helping with the tents, and always smiling.  And they even (finally) sang a Zambian song for me (something for kids about an elephant) - fantastic!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes, yes, yes!  As mentioned, I had a terrible start to the trip.  Five of the six of us flew Kenya Airways as part of the Exodus package; our flight out from Heathrow to Nairobi was delayed, which meant we just made it to our connecting flight to Lusaka via Harare...but our luggage didn't.  And in my case, my luggage was not with me until 3 days into the trip, which was a serious health and safety hazard for me.  I've written extensively to Exodus about the problems which ensued, but I'll keep this to advice to travellers here: 1. GETTING THERE: Fly British Airways if you can; Kenya Airways are a nightmare!  They misplace baggage, run late, and cancel flights when there aren’t enough people.  If you do fly with Kenya Airways, pack EVERYTHING in carry-on luggage; as of October 2012, you could bring 2 x carry-ons.  You should be able to fit everything in 2 carry-ons, especially if you don’t over-pack.  If you do check baggage, make sure your luggage can withstand being thrown around a bit by the airlines! 2. LEVEL OF FITNESS: As I work out at the gym 3x per week, I consider myself to have a reasonable level of fitness and I would still say that the canoeing is pretty hard on the arms.  Unless you have someone very strong in the back of the boat to do a lot of the rowing, be prepared for this!  I didn’t hold the oars loosely enough either, so I would strongly recommend fingerless sailing gloves (I got mine on eBay for £5.99) and/or blister plasters (I developed one blister on my hand). 3. PACKING: (bear in mind this is for October weather; make adjustments accordingly) If you're travelling Kenya Airways, pack everything in carry-on!  Whatever your airline, make sure you have everything you need for 2-3 days (including medication, etc) in case you get separated from your luggage!  In October, it is far too hot and dry to require rain protection, pyjamas, etc.  I also certainly didn’t need my sleeping bag, as it only got down to 20 degrees at night.  Accept that you are going to be sweaty and dirty – don’t overpack!  If I were to do the trip again, I’d wear clothes on the plane to keep me warm (and would not wear these again till my return) and I’d bring 2 pairs of shorts, 2-3 vests/t-shirts, and 3 knickers.  You can rinse clothes in the river (careful of crocs!) and they’ll dry quickly overnight.  There's honestly no point in changing for the time on the river because you’ll be sweaty and dirty again in 5 minutes.  Some of my fellow travellers brought light weight trousers that you can zip the legs off to make shorts.  Those were brilliant because it was far too hot – even at night – to bear wearing anything but the lightest weight clothes.  Bring sandals that can get wet for the canoes and one pair of walking shoes (they don’t need to be walking boots – the terrain isn’t that difficult and we never walked for more than 3 hours - just something with a reasonable grip – even trainers would probably be fine); wet wipes (1 package is plenty); toilet paper (1 roll is plenty); 50% deet mosquito repellent (100ml of a pump spray type bottle was plenty); a SMALL size bottle of biodegradable soap (such as Dr Bronner’s magic soap) – you can wash yourself and your clothes in this; sun factor 30-40 (150ml should be fine – carry this in 3 x 50ml bottles for carry-on); earplugs; binoculars; headtorch; unscented lipbalm; mints to freshen breath; dry sacs to keep everything dry in the canoe; a sports bra is great for the exceptionally bumpy ride back to Lusaka; a pillow is handy (the ones provided are uncomfortable); the only reason to bring a swimsuit is for the last night at Eureka campsite - you certainly WON’T be swimming in the river (with the crocs and hippos); the canoe seats are tough on the bum, so if you can think of anything to bring to soften that, go for it!  (Cycling shorts would be way too hot). 4. FOOD: As a vegetarian (and picky eater), it was hard to get enough to eat; I know this contradicts what other travellers have said, but without filling up on white bread sandwiches, I was often hungry.  If I went again, I would bring a pack or two of sealed fruit/nut bars (like Jordan's) to snack on when I was hungry.  Bear in mind you don't want any 'open food' in your tents (so the wild animals don't get too interested). 5. BEING EARTH FRIENDLY: I found I didn’t need a water bottle – there is no recycling or eco way to dispose of plastic in Zambia, so I used one plastic water bottle (bought the water at the airport) throughout the trip.  If you bring snacks, remember to carry your rubbish with you. 6. ELECTRICITY: as it says in the trip notes, there is nowhere to charge batteries on the river.  I took A LOT of photos, and brought 3 batteries, which was enough.  In reality, there was actually a chance to charge batteries at the fly camp (off a big battery they had there); however, that is not guaranteed.  The plugs vary but at Eureka (last night) they were British ones, not European.  Maybe bring one European one in case. 7. OTHER SUGGESTIONS: Ask the guides for African food if you want to try it.  We were not given the opportunity and I was sad about that.  They do get supplies boated in half-way through the camping, so you’d need to ask if you want something.  It certainly isn’t guaranteed you’ll get it, but it’s worth asking!  If you’re new to canoeing, ask for technique instructions, like how to hold the paddle and which hand should be doing the work, so that you’ll maximise your efficiency and minimise your pain.

THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY

An exciting, challenging, hilarious adventure, this trip takes you into the bush to share briefly the territory of the animals living there, observing their behaviour first hand.  Canoeing in formation on the Zambezi is magical, scary and strenuous, depending on wind strength, hippo pods, time of day: a brilliant way to see so many creatures close up and at ease.

Most Inspirational Moment

High spots included the elephant family, with very young baby, spotted three times watering in the shallows of the river; our first proper wash, dipping in the shallows of one of our island camp sites just before the light faded; the last stretch of canoeing each day, when the river was liquid gold and the paddling gentle as the current took us; nights filled with the sounds of the wild animals all around us; all to a constant background chorus of frogs, crickets, and, on one occasion, geese.  Oh and the amazing clarity of the air all around, the light and the night sky - I saw only one small private plane the whole time.

Thoughts on Group Leader

TK, our group leader, enthralled us with his extensive knowledge and understanding of the creatures we saw.  He proved infinitely adaptable as one problem after another beset his plans: I was impressed at his extreme care for our enjoyment and his efforts to ensure we all got the most out of the trip.  TK's wonderful sense of humour was infectious; our group had great fun coping with the wilder aspects of camping and felt completely safe with him around.  Our leader and his assistant, Carlos, somehow managed to rustle up enormous quantities of food at regular intervals: they were in fact tireless in their efforts to make this trip memorable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I wish I had taken protective gloves as initially the canoeing can be harsh on the hands.  On the first day of canoeing, I was more worried about getting the paddling right than taking in what was around me.  A mistake as in fact, there are lots of quiet moments on the river when we paused to watch animals and birds on the banks; it's better to be relaxed - but alert to instructions from the group leader.  Keeping in a line formation took practice! The trip was enhanced by the fact that the group mixed together well: this added a strong element of fun and good humour.   

THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY

A truly superb trip – one simply can not get closer than this to wildlife and nature. The scenery and landscapes keep changing, the animal sightings are countless, nature puts on a show beyond imagination every hour of every day… and the local leaders are fantastic, making the experience even more wonderful with their competence and insights.

Most Inspirational Moment

Hard to pick one... Elephants with their little ones just before sunset on a sand island, us making an approach crawling in the warm sand - a breathtakingly beautiful and uplifting experience. Lions counting the little airplanes landing and taking off at a tiny airstrip we found during the driving safari part of the trip, as if plane spotting during their siesta...The Southern sky... with Milky Way and constellations of such brightness that one could only see such celestial show in high quality astronomy books.The visits to the orphanage and the village were truly inspirational. Ernest is a wonderful dedicated man, huge respect to him for what he achieved and what he keeps striving for. Right next to our camp, herds of different animals coming to drink, as if they were using time slots in a well-organised system... a truly incredible parade, first baboons, then they left, impalas came, then after them came wild hogs, then guineafowls appeared...

Thoughts on Group Leader

I simply can not praise Cuthbert and Best highly enough and one can only have deep respect for them. Superb people, their competence, expertise, personality all made the trip even more memorable. In any situation, one can feel perfectly safe with them, and as it was shown many times, anything and everything gets magically solved. Truly, many many thanks to both for the wonderful experience. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

The daypack should keep one going so packing light is very advisable. A 25-30 litre backpack would be highly sufficient even with camera and extra lenses without problems.A dry bag is VERY recommended, the river can get very choppy when wind picks up and one can end up with quite a bit of water in the canoe. 

THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY

A unique trip that provided great opportunities to view the wildlife close up and experience nature as it had intended. 

Most Inspirational Moment

Were do we begin, watching the elephants bath in the river, dodging the hippos, observing the vast night sky whilst catching glimpses of shooting stars whilst sitting around the fire in the company of our fellow travellers. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

TK and Carlos were excellent, with saftey being paramount. In addition there cooking wasn't bad either. TK had a wealth of knowledge which he was more than happy to impart.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go for it, you will not regret it!We would suggest that despite providing sleeping bags we regretted not taking our own as it got really cold at night. Also due to the rubber coating on the sleeping bags  these were sometimes slightly damp. 

THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY

This was a fantastic trip with just the right mix of activity(canoeing) and wildlife watching, the guide was excellent and couldn’t have looked after us better, it was an experience I’ll remember all my life.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sitting in a canoe on the mighty Zambezi, silently, while a few metres away an elephant watched us from the bank, flapping its ears. Watching (at a safe distance) a pod of hippos floating in the river and snorting at us. Sitting in the quiet of the evening wth a glass of wine (yes!) discussing the animals and birds we had seen that day with our guide.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader couldn't have been better.  He was knowledgable about everything - animals, local customs, countryside - and a good cook too!

Advice for Potential Travellers

This was a relaxing trip well within the capabilities of anyone who is moderately fit and wants a close-up safari.

THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY

A great way to see Zambia and interact with the river life.  Great exercise without being overly challenging.

Most Inspirational Moment

Watching wild elephants on shore from the canoe - amazing!  You can get much closer to the elephants in the canoe than you ever could safely on foot, and I got dozens of amazing photos.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very professional, good humoured and patient.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Come prepared to leave some of your luggage behind.  You don't need a lot of things in canoe (you are carrying everything with you) and you can pick it up at the end of the trip.  If I had of known this in advance, I would have arrived prepared with my luggage separated as there way no time to do this on arrival.  Also it gets a lot colder than you may think at night and the sleeping bags were quite thin, bring your own if you feel the cold. 

THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY

A stress-free way to spend 7 days! The pace is gentle (although if windy, expect to work harder), but the rewards of watching wildlife in their natural settings are well worth any tired muscles at the end of the day. There's plenty of time to relax too (who knew midday naps could be so much fun!).

Most Inspirational Moment

Watching the herd of Elephants crossing from one island to another directly in front of us, and being stalked by an angry Hippo (don't worry, we escaped unharmed after putting in some double-quick paddling!)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. .

Advice for Potential Travellers

You don't need a prescription from your doctor to get Malaria tablets.  Just go to Morrissons (or similar) and they will do this for you, saving you £15 private prescription charge.

THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY

A great holiday if you want to get back to nature.  I really loved being on the river, although at times it wasn’t for the faint hearted!  Dodging the hippos in particular at times could be nerve wracking although the leader (CB) gave us confidence that he knew the best routes to take.

Most Inspirational Moment

Probably seeing a family of elephants swimming from one bank of the river to an island and helping the smallest elephant both get across the river and get on dry land.

Thoughts on Group Leader

CB was very experienced and gave us confidence that he had our safety forefront of mind at all times.  He was also very knowledgeable about the wildlife and had a good sense of humour.  A difficult job that he carried out really well.  Carlos was the trainee leader and was very knowledgeable, but not always at the rear of the group which is where he should have been!

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is really back to basics, so expect to be fairly dusty most of the time - take lots of baby wipes!  Also hippo dodging takes a little getting used to - I found it a bit of a 'Jaws' experience at times, but got more used to it as we went through the week.  I probably would have enjoyed the trip even more if I had been a little fitter as the paddling was fairly strenous at times, particularly when the wind got up.

THE ZAMBEZI VALLEY

The trip was totally amazing – I enjoyed every moment. Although, I have never done either camping or canoeing, I really loved both.        

Most Inspirational Moment

Every moment was inspirational. :)

Thoughts on Group Leader

TK was a fantastic and extremely knowledgeable guide. Both him and Oscar took very good care of us. We felt safe, relaxed and our tummies were constantly full.      

Advice for Potential Travellers

Try to avoid Nairobi airport so if you can, fly BA. If not, you can kill time at the Java café, this is the only place which will help you survive the waiting time. If you fly through Nairobi, be also very careful not to miss your flight to Lusaka. When we were there, no announcements were made that the boarding started.  The things I found most useful were gloves, head torch and mosquito bands.You really do not need to take or buy any snacks, there is no chance to get hungry.