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.

Simply use the selector below to search our trip reviews and start reading real feedback from real Exodus travellers who have ‘been there and done that’!

Lots of our clients also like to post handy tips and advice about their travels. It’s great to know what to expect on an Exodus adventure before you go, so make the most of their experience and you’ll make the most of yours!

Haven’t posted your review yet? Here’s how to do it…

Once you return from your Exodus adventure holiday, you will be emailed a link to add your review. Any feedback collected is posted onto our website, totally unedited.

Alternatively you can navigate to the relevant trip page and add your review via the Reviews tab.

Select a trip specific review:

Select

13469 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Reviewed September 2012

ESSENTIAL PERU

our first long haul holiday. saved for three years but well worth cost.good value, very little to pay for except meals,drinks(cheap) and souvenirs. Good company of fellow travellers.

Most Inspirational Moment

Machu Pichu , seeing condors, lake titicaca. Cusco ( a beautiful place) santa Catalina convent (beautiful and peaceful)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fabrizzio Cornejo was excellent and very helpful re timings,clothing to wear and avaoiding ams. he was passionateabout his country

Advice for Potential Travellers

travel via Amsterdam, much less hassle and local connecting flights rhere from most/all local airports plus no ESTArequired. would recommend exodus, already saving for next hol

Suggestions

Go for it, well organised but be prepared for long tiring days travelling- the price you pay for seeing the sites in such a vast and diverse country.

Anonymous .

Reviewed September 2012

GORILLAS & MASAI MARA

Saw some amazing things along the way but found the trip tiring. Postive side was the trek to the Gorillas was not nearly as challenging as expected. There are porters from local villages and for a mere $10, will carry your pack, drag you up and stop you slipping down! Have one whether you need it or not, it gives them an income which indirectly protects the wildlife and its environment. Think of it as a conservation donation.

Most Inspirational Moment

Balloon ride over the Masi, Rafting in Uganda and of course, the gorgeous gorillas.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Julios was great, got us through the borders quicker than I have ever crossed borders anywhere in the world. I wanted to go 'off schedule' a bit and he was more than happy to help me.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Dont underestimate the amount of time spent travelling in the bus and the early starts. At least 4 -5 hours nearly every day is spent on the road, during our trip, this was when the sun was shining and by the time we arrived at most places, it was raining - hard!!

Suggestions

Im more than used to 'basic' and roughing it but some of the fcilities at the sites were very unpleasant

Reviewed September 2012

DISCOVER COSTA RICA

This trip is suited for anyone who is interested in wildlife, birds and nature. You will be taken to places off the beaten track, learn about Costa Ricas diverse and fascinating ecosystems and escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life (If you are a city worker like myself)

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the 3 toed sloth trying to negotiate it's way onto the tree hanging from a telephone wire, with a black and white owl sat next to it. The leader showing us a anteater asleep in the tree, using his telescope which shows every minute detail. Amazing! The hummingbirds are fairytale like and wonderful to watch hovering midair.Watching the monkeys swinging through the trees, howling (Howler monkeys) and interacting. They are great entertainment and we were very lucky as we saw all 4 different types of monkey native to Costa Rica.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Gio was absolutely fantastic. His level of expertise, professionalism, emotional intelligence makes him top of his game (He has been leading tours for 12 years so he knows what he's talking about). He carried a telescope (which is really heavy) so we could get a better view of the wildlife and was keen to offer additional walks to spot as many birds as possible. His enthusiasm is infectious, I found myself twitching which is a new concept for me.For me a leader can make or break a tour. He made it a fantastic experience for everyone and we wouldn't have seen half of what we saw if it wasn't for him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take something waterproof to protect your bags because when it rains, the heavens open..I think it's a good idea to take walking boots/trainers with closed toes with good grip as there will be some treks on potentially slippery terrain. Book early to avoid disappointment as this is a trip of a lifetime.

Suggestions

BOOK ON, YOU WONT REGRET IT ... AND BRING YOUR FRIENDS, THEN YOU CAN SHARE THE SPECIAL MEMORIES!

Reviewed September 2012

PRAGUE TO BUDAPEST RIDE

Great Ride with Great tourist historic buildings. Not too hard cycling (for me)

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the capital cities and their archetecture. The great local knowledge of the guide.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Matt was an inspuration to all of us, I would love to holiday again with him but I think he will go further in life than just guiding.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check your abilities against the Exodous guidelines as both a too fast or too slow cyclist will not be popular. Thank goodness it was not me (Mr Average). Make sure you want to see all the super things you will see whilst you are off the bike too, not just the great scenery.

Suggestions

This was such a worry free trip. Matt even fixed 2 punctures one guy had and they caught us up before it stopped raining. He got us to see so much about all 4 countries and even filled us in with real life stories about his own family and the Iron Curtain when we cycled to the museum. Would I really have dozed the afternoon away in the hotel and not gone to half those castles (palaces)?

Reviewed September 2012

A WEEK IN JORDAN

A fascinating and varied week with a great blend of culture and delicious food.

Most Inspirational Moment

Looking up at the stars in Wadi Rum.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Danny was a great leader. Very proactive in terms of helping everyone on the tour, stepping in for example when I had received a terrible exchange rate at the airport! Outstanding knowledge of Jordan and it's history and brilliant choice of restaurants.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I was worried about 'covering up' and took long sleeved tops and trousers and long shorts. In fact, short sleeved t shirts and shorts (though obviously not too short) are fine when going round placed like Petra where there are lots of other tourists. I would recommend lots of changes of clothes, particularly tops, and Petra is very dusty and you get pretty dirty... I wish I'd taken more.You don't need to take a sleeping bag for Wadi Rum - they have lots. Mine took up half my suit case and I didn't really need it. You might want to take a sleeping bag liner and maybe a pillow case cover. If your guide suggests the boat trip in Aqaba I would definitely recommend it. It was fantastic - lovely boat, snorkling if you fancy it and a really nice crew.

Suggestions

A great way to spend a week in a fascinating and very hospitable country.

Reviewed September 2012

CARPATHIAN CULTURE AND WILDLIFE

Experience Carpathia a land of pine forests, mountains, and fairytale castles where age old traditions survive and modern day man lives in harmony with nature.

Most Inspirational Moment

The visit to the bear hide will be etched in my memory for years to come. We were deep in the forest and silently walking towards the hide, desperately hoping to see a bear when suddenly Katerina motioned to us to crouch down and stop. A bear was walking towards us! I felt excited but was also thinking that we shouldn't be seeing a bear yet as we hadn't reached the hide!Visiting the Libearty Bear Sanctuary was very moving as some of the bears who had all been abused by humans and now had the option of living deep in the forest opted to come close to the fences as they still wanted contact with humans.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Cosmin Dan was our translator and guide. He looked after each of us and nothing was ever too much trouble.Cosmin was knowledgeable and passionate about the mountains and the animals which live there. He also had a good sense of humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for ALL weathers. I packed with a bias towards cooler, wet weather but it was HOT with temps in the upper 20's Celsius.Take plenty of water on the walks.A small lunchbox stops your sandwiches getting squashed.Be prepared for some steep climbs.

Suggestions

The scenery is beautiful.We arrived in the dark and on opening the curtains the first morning saw a scene from The Sound Of Music. Almost broke into 'the hills are alive !'I was apprehensive about going on a group holiday but everyone was very friendly, a really nice group of people of mixed ages and backgrounds.Katarina who owns the guesthouse is an excellent hostess , nothing is too much trouble and she is knowledgeable and passionate about the wildlife.The trip is very good value for money. I want to go back!

Reviewed September 2012

WHALES & BEARS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

A fantastic experience from begining to end, a wonderful group of people – locations were excellent with lots of wildlife and culture. A couple of niggles: some initial accomodation was below standard (eg: roadside motel), a seemingly perenial problem – lack of choice vegetarian option on dinner menus.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sea kayaking; paddling in the ocean whilst watching Osprey circle and dive around me

Thoughts on Group Leader

Above and beyond fantastic!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware the food portions are huge!

Suggestions

Thank you, again, Exodus!

Reviewed September 2012

WHALES & BEARS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

A fantastic holiday which gives you numerous opportunities to enjoy the local wildlife while also allowing time to visit Vancouver, Victoria and some of the other towns. This was my first wildlife focussed holiday which meant there were lot’s of things i had never seen before including black bears, grizzly bears, orca whales, otters, seals etc. I do think you need to be aware however that you are trying to spot wild animals so you need to accept that anything you see is a bonus, there is the possibility that you might not see certain things depending on the weather, conditions and just how lucky you are. Having said that the people involved in the trips know what they are doing and will always swap things around and will do their best to get you the best possible experience. We were not disappointed and saw so much throughout the holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

For me i think seeing a grizzly bear and her cub playing in the river was a real highlight, it was an absolutely stunning area and to see the bears in their natural environment interacting with each other was amazing. The journey back on that day was fantastic too we managed to see a large group of Orca's together which was breathtaking and at one point the boat was being followed by around 20 dolphins playing in the sea.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our team leader was fantastic, she was extremely organised and enthusiastic throughout the trip. She made the trip easy for us by suggesting places for dinner and organising picnic lunches for most days. She knew so much about Canadian history which she bought into the holiday and was fun to be with throughout the break.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is a fantastic trip to do and i would definately recommend this to anyone, Vancouver Island is a stunning place. Just be aware that seeing wildlife is not guaranteed and just make the most of what you do see. I would suggest taking a small waterproof bag to hold your camera and binoculars for the bear and whale watching on the zodiacs as you can't take a big bag and you don't want to get your camera wet.If you do the kayaking then take a set of dry clothes to change into as you will get wet and i would also advise a hat as my head got a bit burnt and being out for 3 hours you need to be careful.I would also suggest participating in as many of the optional activities as you can as these for me really added to the trip for me, the snorkelling with seals was great fun and the seals were so relaxed on the island occassionally taking a dip in the sea. The kayaking as also great fun, although this is not with whales but round the little islands, it is lovely to see the starfish, fish etc.

Suggestions

This is a fantastic trip, for me it was a great introduction to Canada and to a wildlife holiday with lot's of activities to try out and get involved in along the way. The hotels were a mix although this was a new trip so this may change, all hotels were comfortable and clean which for me is all you need. The hotel in Uculet was by far the best and was a real bonus for the holiday, very comfortable with lovely views etc. The one in naimomo was a motel and very basic but it was only for one night and was clean and comfortable.You should be aware that we did have to lift our luggage onto the roof of the van which again may change as this is a new trip, this was not a problem for us as we had a couple of helpful guys in our group who were happy to do most of the lifting but i would advise to pack a bit lighter because of this. Overall for me this was the trip of a lifetime, we had a fantastic group and saw so much throughout the week, i would recommend doing this trip to anyone.

Reviewed September 2012

WALKING ON THE GREEK ISLANDS

A lot of time in transit on ferries – fine if you get a spot in the sun (or shade – whichever you prefer) but begins to pall by the end of the week.The three islands – Paros and Naxos are genuinely Greek – Santorini felt like cruise ship tourist Disneyland, and I gave up when having to shuffle along in a queue to watch the sunset standing in a pack with several hundred others. The highlight on Santorini was the coastal walk – which was a delight.

Most Inspirational Moment

Felt comfortable rather than inspired. Highlights were time spent chatting with other travellers, watching sunrise over the Aegean, and arriving in port on each island. Old town on Naxos was lovely and worth an extra visit.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Cheerful, charming and helpful but not very interested in or knowledgable about the places we visited. It was a bit of a whirlwind tour, but I did not feel I learnt a lot about what it was like living in the area, and I'm sure there was a lot more historical interest than we had drawn to our attention!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a good book or Kindle for the ferry journeys, or get lucky and have good company (which I did)

Suggestions

Carafes of local rose wine go down a treat, and leave no hangover!

Reviewed September 2012

AMALFI COAST & BAY OF NAPLES

Fantastic holiday and great introduction to Italy if you have never been before. Expect to be kept busy. The food at the hotel is wonderful and there is lots of it. Expect to do lots of walking around, but you will see some amazing sites and views.

Most Inspirational Moment

The cookery demonstrations were also entertaining and a highlight for me. Our visit to Pompeii, Herculaneum and Oplontis were wonderful and gave a real feel of Roman Italy.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was Eduardo who had lots of patients and was very knowledgeable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There are mosquitos so take creams, repellent etc. Things are more expensive than you think e.g. €3 for a can of soft drink so take more money than you had planned to avoid being caught short or having to hunt down an ATM. We went the second week in September and were lucky enough to be there during the festival of the Santa Maria which mean we were treated to the parade through the village with the statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, marching band and fireworks. It did also however mean we had to put up with the Fair ground in the vacant lot next to the hotel in the run up to the festival which blasted dance music until midnight every night, so ear plugs are essential if you want an early night.

Suggestions

Ok small negatives, the website says that “the hotel overlooks the Agerola plain” not from any of the rooms our group stayed in, we all had views of either the neighbouring buildings or the other part of the hotel. To get to the view of the Agerola plains it’s a short walk through the village which our guide took us on. If you like a savoury breakfasts your only options are buttered toast and a boiled egg. There are cereals, pastrys, fruit and various jams to choose from but if you dont have a sweet tooth your out of luck. You might want to pack some marmite. I felt the extra expenses section in the Trip notes needed a bit more detail for those of us wishing to plan/ budget properly. For example; If you are a teacher or an OAP you can get in free/ discounted to some of the sites so don’t forget your ID. The packed lunches we took on a number of days from the local bakery and added to our hotel bill were €5 each, for this you got a sandwich with your choice of filling and a small cake (which I don’t think was made at the bakery given its packaging). Going into the Crypt at the Amalfi Cathedral will cost you €3 each and is well worth it for the beautiful paintings in the Crypt alone never mind the small museum of church artefacts. You will need to cover up for the Cathedral and you can’t use flash photography. There is also the option of the paper mill museum which was also €3 each. In Revello going to the Villa Cimbrone will cost you €6 each and is also worth a look around and has some lovely views and gardens. For our guide at Mt Vesuvius we had to pay €10 each (We were a group of 16) I personally didn’t think this was worth it as she spent about 15 mins 20 at most with us and didn’t say anything I hadn’t already read in a guide book or heard from our guide. On our free day we all opted to go to Pompeii and then the Villa Poppea in Oplontis in the afternoon.The transfer was €25 each, our ticket into Pompeii was €8 each, the cost of the Pompeii guide was €11 each and the ticket for Oplontis was €5.50 each. Oplontis was very beautiful and is a world heritage site, it has some of the most well preserved wall paintings in Italy as it was more recently excavated (60’s), it well worth a visit. For our free time in Naples the optional activities were the National Museum of Archaeology, entrance is €8 each and an audio guide is €5 each or you can explore the tunnels under the city for €9.30 each. In the hotel a glass of wine at dinner is €2 unless you have more than one in which case its €5 so if you are having more than one glass it pays to have three. A glass of Prosecco is €4 each, but it is lovely. On your free night you can go and eat your evening meal outside the hotel, but there aren’t that many options to choose from and when the food was so amazing in the hotel you don’t want to go anywhere else. The food is also reasonable priced.

Prev 1 … 1,150 1,151 1,152 1,153 1,154 … 1,347 Next