Most Inspirational Moment
Petra, Dead Sea and Wadi Rum.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent. Brilliant, with good stories and funny.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Enjoy the best trip ever!
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
Outstanding trip
Outstanding combination of biking, sightseeing the most spectacular sites and “swimming “ in the Dead Sea. Excellent guide with Sami, who is a PhD, so very knowledgeable, has great stories and is lots of fun. Biking is fun and routes are more downhill that uphill. Great scenery. Saw Jarash, Madaba, Mt Nebo, floated in the Dead Sea, had a mud bath, lots of time in Petra (amazing), little Petra, Aqaba, time to Scuba dive in Aqaba while most snorkeled. Wadi Rum was amazing, dinner cooked in the sand, Bedouin style, spent the night in the Beduoin camp. In the morning toile the jeeps to see ancient petroglyphs, climb a sand dune and rock cliff, and rode camels back to Rum. Fantastic group of fellow bikers/travelers. All became good friends.
Amazing experience
October trip to Borneo and Malaysia was full of adventure and surprise, wildlife, rain forest, culture, new flavours and food, big cities and beautiful beaches.
Most Inspirational Moment
Hard to choose but visiting Borneo was amazing, having seen so many documentaries on TV.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had two group leaders, Beverly on Borneo very professional, could not fault her knowledge on all aspects of the wildlife, she was very approachable, always there, calm and gave good advice on preparation for the day's activities, she also was interesting to listen to on any bus/coach travelling. In Malaysia we had Wye, again could not fault her knowledge on the small trips and activities, again very approachable and gave good advice. Both guides were an integral part of the trip and added their own individual vibe appropriately, both very likeable, both made sure everything was smooth running. I hope their earnings reflect their dedication.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Trust the process, the tours guides make the rest easy.
Victoria falls to Cape town Camping AZVR
A well organised trip through 4 countries. 12 of us plus the driver/cook (Leroy) and guide, (Jonathon), both of whom were first class.Vic falls in Zimbabwe then Botswana, Namibia and finally South Africa. We had two man tents approx 2 metres square and the beds plus a foam mattress but weren’t too bad. Stunning scenery and wildlife almost everywhere. The camps were established with usually a shop for basics, often a bar and WIFI that could be purchased and sometimes a pool. Food was excellent with everyone catered for courtesy of Leroy who conjured up many tasty meals. We did 5,647 kms with two or three long days. The ‘bruck’, (bus/truck) was comfortable with plenty of room. Leroy had long days in the drivers seat with roads that were unbelievably long and straight, but coped admirably.
Most Inspirational Moment
In Botswana we witnessed a pride of 16 lions, the most I have ever seen at one time. A waterhole at a Okaukuejo, campsite in Etosha on one occasion had so many animals round it. Elephants, zebras and many different species of antelopes. As one herd drank and moved away, so another would move in. We probably saw 200 animals that afternoon. In the evening, at the same waterhole there were 6 adult black rhinos plus two calves.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jonathon the guide was so knowledgeable with all things African.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for some long days travelling and early starts. A couple of torches and a supply of batteries are essential
Great trip, just a few unfortunate moments
A lovely trip exploring the highlights of Madagascar, staying in some beautiful hotels with plenty of wildlife seen (13 different species of lemur, many frogs, chemeleons, geckos, kingfishers, flamingos) and beautiful scenery. The local guides are exceptional with their level of knowledge and ability to answer all questions! However for context, I visited Costa Rica with Exodus in 2019 and personally I thought it was better than Madagascar in terms of the amount of wildlife seen, and therefore value for money. Just be aware that not every single day on this trip is jam-packed with wildlife viewing. For the first six days of the trip, four of them (8am til 6pm) were entirely on the bus. The long driving days on difficult roads are not to be underestimated, and can feel frustrating at times but really is the only way that x6 national parks in two weeks can be covered. Perhaps naively, I wasn’t prepared for the level of poverty seen, it is extremely sobering and does tug at the heartstrings. All in all a great trip, just with a few unfortunate bits along the way and the only things which let it down for me were the food and the group demographics. With a fitter and more like-minded group, and a less ‘beige’ diet, this trip would have been absolutely perfect.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader Bodo was absolutely fantastic. Our every need was met, we arrived on time for everything and her nightly briefings explaining tomorrow's timings and activities were fantastic. There were some more 'difficult' members in our group but Bodo dealt with each situation professionally and calmly. She did a brilliant job of sharing her beautiful country with us. Most of us also fell ill with some variation of a 'dodgy stomach' at some point over the trip and Bodo was lovely throughout and very caring.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Age-suitability/fitness - please consider your own level of fitness and agility for the sake of yourself, your leader and the rest of the group. In our group of 11 we had two people, not a couple, in their 70s - one spent most of the holiday with vomiting and diarrhoea, and the other fainted one hour into a beautiful flat trek in our first national park, from standing up for too long. Not to sound unkind, but these two scenarios were not fair on the guides, group leader or the rest of the group. The trek in Ranformana is pretty treacherous in parts, and there are some challenging climbs and difficult descents. Our leader Bodo was brilliant though and arranged for the younger fitter folk to be taken ahead by the guide, to save us having to stop every 10 minutes (literally) for a water break for the elderly and unfit out-of-breath group members. In Isalo, it was blisteringly hot (35 degrees plus, in the shade) and dry when walking in the canyons, again we had to stop every 100m to stop the older people from fainting. Whilst I understand that activities need to be inclusive, it was annoying to have spent the entire previous day on the bus, only to finally go for a trek at a rate of 3km in 3 hours. Again, I really don't mean to sound unkind, but these holidays are not cheap and have been much anticipated after a long spell of not travelling during Covid. So when you miss seeing the lemurs ahead you because it takes so long for the group to get going, it's beyond irritating. So taken together and in my opinion, you don't have to have the fitness of an Olympian but this trip is much better suited to younger people, or older people with a sound level of fitness/stamina who can keep to a decent pace on the walking/searing heat days. Additionally, and perhaps this is a generational thing, the two older group members were also the ones who insisted on taking pictures of the wildlife by shoving their phone within inches of the chameleon/spider/gecko every single time, often shaking the leaf or tree which they were perched on in the process. Not only is this selfish and doesn't let other group members see, but it's also far too intrusive to the natural world and by the fifth day of this, it caused a bit of a rift within the group. You don't come to the Southern hemisphere to have your view of a chameleon blocked by an iPhone. Food - only breakfasts are included in this trip, unlike other Exodus holidays. Meals are generally OK although very basic. Expect a lot of zebu & chips, chicken & chips, and very simple (non-filling) breakfasts, typically a hot drink, a very small amount of fruit, a thin omelette and hard bread. If you are vegetarian, there isn't much choice beyond pasta & veg, noodles & veg or couscous & veg but this is a reflection of life in Madagascar though, and not at all due to the standard of hotels, Exodus or efforts of our leader. A sense of camaraderie and a willingness to engage with others in the group is essential, as without this the long days on the road feel twice as long. There was a small group of us with this ethos who got on really well, and it made these journeys much more pleasant.
Amazing but too much?
These destinations especially the Okavango Delta were on my bucket list. It was a great holiday with great people but didn’t really live up to expectations. It goes without saying that the wildlife was unbelievable, and I had some truly magic moments spent watching 5 black rhino at the waterhole in Etosha and some close encounters with elephants in the Delta on a foot safari, but there is a LOT of driving on this trip with endless hours looking at the same scenery and much of it on very bumpy roads, a LOT of eating lunch in the truck/by the side of the road and a LOT of bush toilets – many of which were not near any bushes for the women to hide behind. Some of the places we stayed overnight were breathtaking like the tented tree houses by the lagoon and it would have been great to have stayed in fewer places and move less often. Don’t get me wrong, I am hugely grateful to have seen/experienced all the things I have seen on this trip and overall, it was an amazing trip. Final point…take less clothes than you think you need – wash stuff as you go along, plus add wet wipes, hand sanitiser and packets of tissues to your essential items list.
Most Inspirational Moment
Watching 5 black rhino at the waterhole in Etosha. The waterhole at the lodge we stayed at is in a truly beautiful setting with stone seats. It was fantastic to watch the animals come and go at night and to listen in silence to the noises they make (hyenas are very noisy drinkers!!) Two nights of pure joy!
Thoughts on Group Leader
We got information about the wildlife, but would have been nice to have had some commentary about local people, cultures, economy, history etc
Advice for Potential Travellers
Personally, I think binoculars are a must. So too are wet wipes, packets of tissues and hand sanitiser. I would really recommend getting some safari trousers - the ones that have a zip so you can convert them into shorts. Pack less than you think you need so when you don't need to wear your fleece and walking boots, you can still fit them in your case.
Overall experience
The trip met all my expectations – very well planned and executed. All accommodations were good or very good, choice of eating places excellent, very nice group of people to share the experience with.
Most Inspirational Moment
The whole experience was interesting and memorable since it was my first visit to India.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader Raj was a great asset to the trip. His passion, impressive knowledge of history, his sense of humour and charm were of great value since we spent so much time together. I admired his gentle and respectful way of “protecting” us from ubiquitous and often intrusive sellers of souvenirs. I admired him also for the tactful and delicate manner he dealt with one difficult member of our group.
Beautiful Scenery Tough Gravel Roads
The volcanos and the snow covered mountains are incredible. The guides were great and helpful in every way. But the “gravel” roads were tough, from river stones in Chile to washboard roads in Argentina. The pace on the gravel roads is very slow which meant that we spent lots of hours on arm and butt pounding roads.
Most Inspirational Moment
The views are unbelievable. From the first volcano to the last, I cannot describe. the beauty.
Thoughts on Group Leader
They were fantastic. Even when we gave up riding the gravel roads, they took great care of us.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Just be ready for very rough gravel roads.
Fantastic!!
An absolutely fantastic trip with challenges, sites and wonderful hospitality
Most Inspirational Moment
The guides and the porters who made the trip possible
Thoughts on Group Leader
Wonderful! He was knowledgeable, calm and led the group perfectly
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be fit! The walking is tough and even harder when you take altitude into the mix
Sayeed was amazing
Sayeed was amazing
Thoughts on Group Leader
Sayeed was amazing
Beautiful Jordan
This was a fabulous trip, very full on with lots to squeeze in but well worth it.
Most Inspirational Moment
Star gazing in the Wadi Rum.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Very knowledgeable. He had a difficult week due to a misunderstanding with a guest and a poor hotel in Petra. When asked questions on the bus he needs to repeat it as those at the back can’t hear the question. Did not handle complaints very well.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Do this trip as so much is seen. It’s not a relaxing holiday but worth the long days. Pack a small bag for Wadi Rum. Do take a proper water bottle. Spend longer at Petra on second day.