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:
14330 Reviews
4.7 out of
5
Reviews
Helen Brown
Reviewed August 2019
Safari of a lifetime
An amazing trip that got better and better each day. The wildlife exceeded all of our wildest dreams made possible by our guide, Brian and ‘Top Gun’ our specialist local guide in the okavango delta. The food cooked by our chef on a log fire was incredible.
Most Inspirational Moment
Almost missing a leopard as it was so close to the track. Having an angry hippo charging through the water towards us whilst in a makoros canoe.
Getting up in the night for the bush toilet and looking for red and/or green eyes!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Brian was an excellent. extremely knowledgeable guide. His team of a chef and two others were great too. Brian always went that extra mile to find the wildlife. Lions eating a kill, lion cubs suckling, hippos mating in the water, cheetahs hunting impala, a herd of cape buffalo being hunted by lions and so much more. My husband ticked off 148 different birds! Brian could identify the birds from a brief description or a wing pattern.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for very early starts. Packing up camp in the cold and dark with no washing facilities on some days when wild camping was hard but made up by the incredible wildlife. When we were in the vehicle it was as if we were wearing invisibility cloaks!
Definitely pack warm windproof clothes for the early mornings and take a head scarf/buff for when travelling in the open sided truck. be prepared to get very dusty/sandy!
Sally Chewter
Reviewed August 2019
Brilliant
Fantastic trip – brilliant guide – great accommodation – superb wildlife sightings.
Be prepared for very high temperatures but so worth it.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing our first jaguar
Thoughts on Group Leader
Tony Rodriguez was superb. So knowledgeable, professional and a great sense of humour. He was great company and made sure everything ran smoothly.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for high temperatures - it's hot out there!
Linda Bonner
Reviewed August 2019
Where was the adventure?
Felt more like a coach trip than an adventure holiday…….disappointing
Most Inspirational Moment
The cold war museum
Thoughts on Group Leader
Lovely lady but not a strong tour leader
BELLA RICHARD
Reviewed August 2019
Acg
Good mix of people
Excellent team leader
Good food
Bad internet
No warning that hotel does not have a lift
Most Inspirational Moment
Capri trip
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent
Caring
Mature attitude
Advice for Potential Travellers
Read the trip notes carefully especially about the walk
james tyerman
Reviewed August 2019
Good
This a wonderful trip and I very much enjoyed it. Scenery was lovely, everyone was friendly and it was a real experience.We had a great group .You do need to be fit but the trek is not inherently difficult just long and tiring at times over different terrains. The guides were very good and were always concerned that we felt safe and were enjoying ourselves.
However, we were a full group of 16 with 2 guides.With some walks 14 miles long I would NOT go on this trip unless there were 2 exodus guides (this does NOT include the local guide).You need a guide at the back for those who are not so fast.Fast walkers should be able to walk fast but the slower ones aren’t going to to be able to catch up.
I am not a fast walker and I found the pace too fast at times.There were not enough water breaks or rest stops. For me that made no sense. One day we left the guesthouse at 9am and arrived at the next one at 3pm. We then had 17 hours at the guesthouse in a wood with nowhere to go yet the scenery had been breathtaking !! It was not the guides fault they were being pushed to go faster.
Of the 18 people , 14 (including the guides) fell ill over a period of 2 to 3 days. All stomach issues. Whether you drank the water or not or were vegan made no difference.
Most Inspirational Moment
The scenery
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had 2 guides - in my view a nwcessity. Adnam and Khrisum.Both very helpful.
Advice for Potential Travellers
See above.
In summer it can be very hot.Bedding is provided.
Take pillow case and sleeping bag liner- forget the sleeping bag.
Have long trousers - first full day of hiking we went through lots of nettles.
Have plenty of snacks to supplement packed lunches.
Walk at your own pace .There is nothing to do at the guesthouses if you arrive early. Remember to look at the scenery.
Joseff Rees
Reviewed August 2019
Great trip, great company and a plenty of sticky rice!!!
Excellent trip from beginning to end and thoroughly recommend it. This was my third Exodus trip and I can not recommend Exodus enough as a travel company!
Most Inspirational Moment
The Great Wall of China is truly amazing. Approximately 90% of the time we were on the less touristy sections of the wall with our group being the only people on the wall. To have one of the wonders of the world all to yourself is something not many can say and was really special I thought. Even though walking along the restored sections was beneficial in understanding how the wall looked a few hundred years ago - or in 'Mulan' - I really enjoyed walking along the original/unrestored parts as it gave you a sense of the history regarding the wall but also the people who worked/served on it.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jerry!!! This was my third exodus trip and like all Exodus guides I have met, Jerry clearly loved his country as he was very passionate and knowledgeable about all things Chinese ranging from culture, food, history and language. Jerry had a good sense of humour which ensured a positive group atmosphere throughout.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't be fooled by the distances listed in the trip notes. It may look as if the distances are quite short if you are a keen walker, however the constant up and down of - at times steep - steps in almost constant 30+ heat and 90% humidity ensured it is challenging even for one who may consider themselves very fit. I took a pair of walking boots and trail-running trainers, my advice to future travellers is to take a pair of trainers with good grip because on the one two occasions I wore my boots they were too warm meaning I wore my trail-running trainers for the rest of the time. Also you will need trainers with good grip because the wall is very steep in places and on the one day we had rain the wall was also very slippy! General travel advice, be prepared for plenty of sticky rice and practise using chopsticks before you go if you are afraid of looking like an amateur.
Laura C
Reviewed August 2019
Amazing
This trip was absolutely brilliant. Helped out with great weather in July, we had five stunning days of varied walks in this gorgeous part of the world. A privilege to see MB from so many different perspectives, and so much alpine botany etc.
The whole experience from start to finish was fantastic, from airport pick up to drop off – aided largely from having brilliant chalet hosts, a heroic team leader and a lovely, lovely group of other travellers (a mixed bag of couples, friends travelling together and those who had arrived solo).
Definitely on the classier side, with a comfortable chalet, spectacular food made and served by the lovely, fun and friendly Zohi and Ben, and access to all the amenities of fancy Chamonix.
The trekking was no walk in the park, and you have to be prepared to feel very tired at the end of each day. But if you really wanted to cop out and stay put in town for the day, of course you could – but no one in our group did as the walking and banter was too good!
The only negative was the fairly pants service by Swiss Air – I’d recommend just getting an Easyjet for half the price to be honest and meeting everyone at Geneva / saying bye bye there on way back.
Most Inspirational Moment
Everyone making it through - pushed on by our fantastic guide Emma - each and every day of stunning walking - felt like such a cumulative and collective act of willpower and achievement, despite everyone feeling quite tired and achy!
Zohi's meals in Chalet Chocolat were simply sensational and a culinary inspiration every evening. Truly amazing meals that made everyone realise how rubbish we are at cooking and how much more there is to learn!
Thoughts on Group Leader
AMAZING! Emma was brilliant. She made us feel like a team from the get go, joined us for dinner every evening to recover from the day, was able to rally us all through five days of quite intense physical exercise, and was incredibly knowledgeable about the terrain too. Made for a much ricer experience than a thoughtless if pretty trudge up the mountains. We all felt we had come to understand a lot about the region, its flora, fauna and geology. Top marks, Prof. Emma! She tended to minor mishaps and injuries with calm and care, and kept an eye on all of us - but pushed us to completion and didn't let the pace slacken to a grinding halt when we were all a bit tired. She also made us do some interesting warm ups...but we'll forgive you! Emma had faith in all of us and kept us going. Her previous experience - from the Arctic to Siberia, as well as a thorough understanding of the MB area - meant we all felt in safe hands.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Check your travel insurance for paragliding on the day off, if you want to book a session. We had to cancel last minute realising we weren't covered and this was rubbish for us and the company we let down.
Be prepared to feel tired but in a good way! It isn't easy meandering, although a super pro might think so. But most of us, all in pretty reasonable nick, felt whacked out at the end of each day and slept deeply. Definitely recommend walking poles as descents could be pretty steep and sore on the knees.
Consider flying by Easyjet instead as we were pretty underwhelmed by Swiss Air booking via Exodus - especially the long queue at Geneva airport on the way back as there was no way of checking in using the machines to avoid it.
It was especially hot on our last day of trekking, so be prepared with tonnes of water! Obvious but important.
kitty odell
Reviewed August 2019
Fantastic cycling in stunning Tuscany
A well organised wonderful cycling tour with a perfect balance of cappuccino/gelato and lunch breaks, often in charming ancient hill towns where there was always time for a bit of exploring too. I’ve fallen in love with Tuscany and Chianti, the scenery is simply stunning, the route was fantastic with a great mix of some challenging hills, fabulous descents…. and even some flat bits too amidst the rolling hills! Nice small group and decent hotels too!
Most Inspirational Moment
Every moment that I was on the bike!
Thoughts on Group Leader
David and "Vandy" were both great!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be fit!
Elizabeth Newman
Reviewed August 2019
Beyond wonderful
I had visited eleven game parks on two continents, and spent twenty-six years trying to see a leopard. We saw four different individuals, close enough to get some excellent photographs. We also saw countless lions, two cheetahs and a serval, as well as lots of other game. The food that was cooked on an open fire was terrific, and it was a lovely group of like-minded people.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many it's hard to choose one. Seeing two cheetahs giving each other a very affectionate wash and brush up. The stand-off at the OK Waterhole - when five lions approached the two elephants occupying it, the elephants weren't having it. The lions called for reinforcements, and another five turned up. So the elephants also called for reinforcements, and a third elephant arrived. We then watched them squirting the lions with water, and chasing them off now and again. The lions had to make do with a puddle at the far end of the waterhole. Seeing an adult male lion sniff out a tiny three week old cub. We watched with our hearts in our mouths, but he was a new dad and had been left to babysit. The cub wanted to cross the road, and dad tried to stop it without much success. He was very gentle, and it was a delight to watch. Seeing a serval, which our guide said was most unusual. And last but by no means least - a mother leopard taking a surprising lunch back to her half-grown cub - an African wildcat.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Anton was very knowledgable, and extremely clever at driving round the back of the other vehicles to get a better view from the other side. He also knew when to wait - if nothing exciting seemed to be happening and he was in no hurry to move on, there was always a reason.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a small camping light for the tent, and lots of wet wipes. Also take a power bank if you have one, and as many spare batteries as you can afford. I have a camera trap, and I set that up on several nights so that I could see what was sniffing round the tents - turned out to be a honey badger and a hyena. If you need to go to loo several times in the night remember that it's not a good idea to leave the tent. I took a litre-sized plastic jar with a lid, and was very glad I did.
adam espir
Reviewed August 2019
Adventures in Madagascar
great trip in an exciting and interesting part of the world.
Most Inspirational Moment
Breakfast on the road watching the sun come up.
Lunches cooked by Madame Le Chef from Tana
Seeing the countryside change as we cycled south....
Relaxing on the beach at the end.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader, Mel, was excellent.
Put his heart into making us have a special adventure in his country.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Madagascar is off the map for a lot of travellers, but it has interesting wildlife and stunning scenery.
It is also a very poor country, but the people were very friendly.
A lot of the locals speak French, rather than English, so be prepared to speak some basic French.
In August, its winter, so cold nights but warm days - ideal for cycling...and less mosquitos !
