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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14297 Reviews
4.7 out of
5
Reviews
Jack Morris
Reviewed December 2022
Better than I imagined
The tour is full of variety and the expert guiding from trip leader Suresh made the experience fun, informative, seamless and well paced for the entire group. Highly recommend! We (Dad, brother and myself) feel like we experienced a great variety of the highlights and friendly hospitality Sri Lanka has to offer – great food, kind and welcoming culture, ancient and rich history, abundant and exciting wildlife, and dramatic and unique landscapes. Suresh and his team of 4 were absolutely brilliant.
Most Inspirational Moment
Travel by bicycle through the backroads, being so welcomed by the people of Sri Lanka as we cycled. The incredible wildlife.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Suresh sets the bar very very high! A truly kind, thoughtful and hard working trip leader. Suresh has incredible experience and remained 5 steps ahead of the group on all fronts, managing every situation smoothly and with skill. It was largely thanks to Suresh that the entire group had such a great time. Managing the challenges of post pandemic travel is no easy feat and Suresh kept a close eye on every detail, and continuously and smoothly corrected and improved service levels for the group throughout the trip, to the benefit of all involved.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Learn some basic Sri Lankan before you arrive, and expect amazing birdlife!
Daniel Morris
Reviewed December 2022
Sri Lanka December 2022
Fabulous cycling trip, filled with amazing activities.
Most Inspirational Moment
Downhill cycling from Ella
Thoughts on Group Leader
Fantastic - knowledgable, funny, entertaining, went way beyond the call of duty
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go on this trip!
Graham Wright
Reviewed December 2022
Career in ruins
As with all Exodus trips that I have been on, prepare yourself for early starts and long days. It is not a holiday but more of an adventure so be prepared to immerse yourself in a feast of archaeology and anthropology in order to gain some understanding of the cultures and history of one of the cradles of civilisation. You will explore the diverse geographical regions from coastal deserts, islands, high altitude lakes, the Altiplanos, the famous sacred valley from Cusco, the spectacular Machu Picchu and the depths of the Amazon rainforest. There are an endless numbers of churches, museums, archaeological sites to admire and inform your thirst for knowledge. The Incas, although significant, were not the only civilisation to occupy Peru.
If you are as lucky as we were, Exodus managed to make the earth move for us (4.3 on the Richter scale at Arequipa} and a nearby volcano even elected a new Pope! Later on, they conversed with the gods to allow us to experience a 24-hour rainstorm in the forest- it easily beat the 5inch days I used to see in Wales.
Our driver, Alex, successfully managed the frenetic driving conditions in the cities, Pan American Highway and our ascent into the Andes- I could not work out whether a Highway Code actually exists. At the end of each day, he was also skilled in Acupressure and massage- enough to release any tensions.
Our guide had the unique knack of managing and leading our group to maximise their understanding of not only his proud identity as one of the ‘locals’ but also to find other passionate guides at different intervals to further our understanding of the history of his country. Despite the farmers’ protests towards the end, he still managed to get us to the pinnacle of the trip- Machu Picchu.
Truly an adventure in which you have to immerse yourself.
Most Inspirational Moment
Having suffered from Altitude sickness for a considerable length of time (11days), which did naturally affect my ability to participate in some activities and enjoy the fantastic Peruvian cuisine, I was glad that eventually, I managed to get to Machu Picchu. This had had been a childhood ambition, encouraged by my father who had bought encyclopaedias to stimulate my interest in other parts of the world that he was unable to travel to in his lifetime.
The sights will stay with me.
A flight over the Nasca Lines is the only way to appreciate the size and scale of these features in the desert, followed by a trip to the local planetarium to understand their significance (nothing to do with Von Daniken's theory) and to observe the rings of Saturn through the telescope.
Thoughts on Group Leader
What can be said about William? A multi-lingual Cusco lad proud of his heritage (although unwilling to sacrifice his own daughter- it is surprising how we can all be a bit selective about taking things from our past!).
He was always available to facilitate not only the group’s needs but also each individuals needs as circumstances arose. I will be forever grateful that he managed to get me support when I had to turn back on the Inca Trail after 20k. How can he be so fit- although he was born at altitude!!!!
His knowledge and enthusiasm for his chosen career was very evident. He also had an incredible network of local passionate guides that only enhanced our experiences.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Do not underestimate the Acute Mountain Sickness; while most will acclimatise within 2-3 days mine was prolonged and before this trip, I thought that I was reasonably fit. Whether Covid-19 had anything to do with this, as I had been ill with it for 3 weeks some 2years ago, I will never know. Just be prepared to consult with a doctor, I had been unable to do this in the current climate as was finding it hard to get a consultation prior to leaving.
tim martin
Reviewed December 2022
Egypt Tour
The trip is really interesting and we definitely learnt a great deal about Egypt’s history. Starting in Cairo my disappoint came from the choice of hotel. We stayed right on the outskirts opposite the new museum (not open yet) with a great view of a Pyramid opposite. The hotel was of an acceptable standard, but overall, the lowest of our trip, but so far from the city it was difficult to venture out for sightseeing or dinner.
The group all agreed that our trip to the museum was too short and as we arrived back at our hotel quite early, we could have stayed longer as there is so much to see. We travelled to Alexandria from Cairo via El Alamein and visited the war museum which is not particularly good.
The old colonial hotel in Alexandria is a great spot with a superb rooftop terrace & restaurant. The local fish restaurant was poor quality although it had a great view, so a different venue would have been better.
The following morning, we visited the castle which was good, but then on the road again to Cairo for our sleeper train. The round trip took over 9 hours by bus for a one-night stay and although I wanted to visit Alexandria 2 nights would have made the round trip more worthwhile.
The sleeper train to Aswan went without hitch and better than I expected for a developing country. Aswan was great and the activities were good with one small issue in that we had a really great meal on our Felucca trip and in the evening a Barbeque on a Nile Island which was much too soon after.
The cruise to Luxor was very good quality and my only comment would be lack of language training of the waiters which I think may be due to Covid disruption, although our guide ate with us and was always there to help.
The temples were incredible and certainly lived up to or were better than their reputation. The engineering fete of moving 22 ancient monuments is almost as incredible as the original build and Abu Simbel really shows this.
A word to would be travellers, this trip is full on and with many early starts to beat the crowds or comply with the Tourist polices schedules. The tourist police are very apparent throughout the trip and in fact on our trip to Alexandria with had an armed guard on the bus who was I have to say was pleasant guy.
All in All, the trip was well organised and ran smoothly.
Most Inspirational Moment
The sheer scale of the temples and the relocation of Philae & Abu Simbel
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader Andrew was brilliant, his explanations were very and kept to a reasonable amount so as not to confuse us too much. It becomes apparent the Ancient Egyptian history is not an exact science with time gaps and the translation of hieroglyphics has a long way to go. Andrew switched our trip to Abu Simbel to the following day as otherwise we would have had a disrupted night’s sleep on the train and then have to get up at 3am the following day, which was great move. Our small group was following only ten strong so Andrew really became a friend within the group.
Whatever we needed Andrew would sort out and if we suggested something we would like to do then he would try and arrange it, if there was time. without doubt 10/10
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be ready for cold evenings especially in the north and be ready for lots of early morning starts.
Paul Daly
Reviewed December 2022
Cradle of civilisation
An extensive tour, taking in the most historic ancient and modern cities in Turkey. Countless UNESCO world heritage sites, wonderful cuisine, friendly people, fabulous weather, and every day was a school day. Educational and entertaining, I’d recommend this tour to any traveler.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many, Ephesus and the library of Celcus, Gallipoli, Aspendos, ballooning over Cappadocia and the magnificence of the Hagia Sofia.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Tolga was a great leader and tour guide. His knowledge and passion for Turkey was infectious, we wanted to know more. Every days drive would begin with our Turkish words of the day. Every site was spoken about with confidence and even on down time, he’d recommend things to do or places to dine. He felt like one of the group, rather than the person in charge. A gentleman.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go with no preconceived notions, and be surprised and educated every day.
Mel Cooke
Reviewed December 2022
Life in the freezer
This was a great week of learning skills – cross country skiing, snowshoeing, igloo building – and enjoying the quietness of the Finnish wilderness. The food and social side were great too!
Most Inspirational Moment
There were several highlights, but I spent the last day completing a local hiking trail alone in the forest and snow. It was stunningly pretty, and an achievement to complete.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Marti was great. Hard working, trying his best to accommodate various requests for activities, and a good combination of looking after us and getting us to explore independently.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The trip notes say that Basecamp supply all outdoor clothing, and you only need evening clothes. This is true, but you might well be more comfortable in your own outdoor or ski clothing that you are familiar with. For our trip, the average temperature was - 15 to - 20 deg C (the same as your freezer!), and a balaclava or covering for chin and cheeks is recommended.
Elsbeth Headley
Reviewed December 2022
Wonderful and varied trip
This is really varied trip, which allows you to see different regions and terrains of Peru , from coastal islands to deserts, to the Andes mountains and Machu Picchu, to the islands and communities of Lake Titicaca. A fantastic choice if you want to see more of the country than just Cusco and Machu Picchu.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were many. Personally I loved Nazca and the deserts around there. But mostly it was the scenery crossing the Andes. Yes the journey was long, but we got to see amazing scenery, which would have been missed by flying directly into Cuzco. Machu Picchu lives up to the hype and is breathtaking. But visiting the communities living on the reed islands of Lake Titicaca was equally memorable.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Luis was incredible, combining a passion for his country with enthusiasm for making sure everyone had a good time. He worked tirelessly, often behind the scenes, to make sure our trip ran smoothly, and dealt amazing with some hiccups along the way. He was a fantastic leader, and you'll be lucky if he is leading your future trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
As many have said.....take layers. It gets cold, esp on Lake Titicaca. A good gift for the communities is something from your local country (even something like a tea towel), as the family we visited had used these as wall hangings in their house. Headaches from altitude were helped by taking electrolytes (either in drinks or powder sachets); I used rehydration sachets and didn't experience too many problems at all. The optional tour around Cuzco and the 4 ruins was a really great first day in Cuzco to get a sense of the history of the area. You might need more spending money than you think - Peru is not a cheap country, and some ATMs had a cap on how much you could withdraw each time, so maybe take some dollars with you to exhchange as well as relying on ATMs (this worked well for me).
Paula Veysey-Smith
Reviewed December 2022
Indochina 19th Nov-3rd Dec
This was an excellent tour with so many happy memories. I still rate as excellent even though there was an issue with the e-bikes. Having said that, I have contacted Exodus about this problem and they have dealt with my complaint promptly and have a made a full refund for the extra cost of booking an e-bike for this trip which unfortunately didn’t work. If you are tempted by this tour please do book it. It is a long time time since I have toured abroad and now, at the youthful age of 55, I knew it was time to get out there again. I’m so glad I did. The group were fantastic company, all the trip guides were delightful and our overall tour guide, Rit, was someone you could put your trust in so you didn’t worry as you cycled along the roads an visited so may amazing places. You always felt safe as you explored these three different cultures.
Most Inspirational Moment
I've had a touch few years so just being there and doing the whole trip was so inspirational.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Rit - he was an absolute star and had to deal with some of us having the difficulties with the e-bikes. He was so humble and I felt that he always had our best interest in mind. He worked so hard to make our trip special which for me it was.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go for it - Exodus really do look after you. By cycling around these countries we got to see so much more of the cultures, met so many amazing people but always felt looked after and safe.
Be Moreton
Reviewed December 2022
Culturally rich and great variety of accommodation
I always find that Exodus trips deliver more than I expect and this was no different. I booked the trip focused on Petra and the UFO camp but have found the country to be so culturally rich and interesting. Our guide – Abdullah was ridiculously knowledgeable about Jordan and it’s history and it was a pleasure to learn so much about the country.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the Roman city at Jerash and the star gazing at UFO camp.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guide - Abdullah was ridiculously knowledgeable about Jordan and it’s history and it was a pleasure to learn so much about the country. He adapted wherever possible to suit the groups needs/wishes. He had a great sense of humour and the trip would not have been anywhere near as good without him.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The weather is more varied than I packed for. Make sure you pack for both warm and cooler temperatures and also some evening wear.
Deborah Gibson-Smith
Reviewed December 2022
Great way to experience
This is a fantastic way to experience and compare the cuisine, landscape and culture of 3 different countries in South East Asia. Angkor Wat is the undoubted hightlight of the trip. Cycling round the complex is a great way to view these amazing temples. Additionally the Cambodian guides provide a really good insight into the history of Cambodia. Conversely, by covering 3 different countries this trip does involve more big cities (so less “off the beaten track” cycling), transfers and bike swapping compared to some of the other Exodus trips. The cycling is pretty easy as it was 100% flat, just the heat can make it a little more tiring.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the amazing temples in Angkor Wat.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Rit was a good tour leader, as are all Exodus tour leaders!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring DOLLARS! The trip notes fail to mention that you need dollars on day 1 for the snack and tip kitty. Also dollars are useful to have in Cambodia where you cant purchase the currency in advance.