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!
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14330 Reviews
4.7 out of
5
Reviews
Shirley Bell
Reviewed August 2019
TZS walking and wildlife
Great trip saw lots of wildlife and great walking
Most Inspirational Moment
When we saw a family of lions feasting on a wilderbeast and we got so close to see them.
Walking out of my tent one morning and seeing a family of elephants crossing the river so close amazing.
The views in the mountains.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The leaders were fabulous
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for long bus journeys.
It's cold when the sun goes down
Bring binoculars
Bring waterproofs it does rain sometimes in Africa
It's Africa be prepared for anything to happen.
Nigel Turner
Reviewed August 2019
Wonderful adventure
This was a marvellous trip and a great way of seeing two wonderful areas of the Arctic. In Spitsbergen we saw polar bears and arctic foxes and sailed through the ice to reach 80 degrees north. In Greenland we saw musk oxen and puffins and the most amazing icebergs. We also visited an Inuit community and had the occasional whale sighting.
The ship was great – the Ocean Adventurer. The cabin was comfortable and the food was really good. The operator was first class. We had a great tour leader and a full range of specialist guides, i.e. geologist, ornithologist, photographer, marine biologist etc. They were professional and great fun. the other guests were good company.
We had four days around Spitzbergen and four days around Greenland so we were able to get a sense of both rather than concentrating on just one. So polar bears AND icebergs!
You don’t actually get to see Iceland as part of the tour but you do disembark in Akureyri in north Iceland. We asked Exodus to change our flight back to the UK so we could arrange seven days there. We then drove from Akureyri to Keflavic along the Icelandic ring road seeing the major sights. The waterfalls are truly amazing. Greenland is actually icy and Iceland is green. So we had polar bears, icebergs and waterfalls in a three-week trip.
Note: to get to Spitzbergen you fly via Oslo. Exodus brought forward our flight and booked us into a hotel for two nights so we had a short city break as well. There are some great museums in Oslo (Munch, Viking Long Ship and the Fram Museum of Arctic Exploration) and this was a great start to our Arctic journey of a lifetime.
Most Inspirational Moment
To see a polar bear jumping and swimming from ice-flow to ice-flow.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The expedition and ship staff were all first class. The operator was very professional and we be very happy to travel again with them.
Advice for Potential Travellers
See above - the trip covers Spitzbergen and Greenland - you need to make additional arrangements to see Iceland otherwise you just fly from Akureyri to Keflavic for the flight home..
Paul Sanders
Reviewed August 2019
Fabulous.
An absolutely excellent trip and a great way to see three countries in two weeks. There was a real mix of cycling, from rough, tough, dirty stuff, to long smooth straights as well as everything in between (it’s essentially a road trip though). A few hills were quite demanding (not least in the heat), so the gravity downhill afterwards was welcome! There was some stunning scenery and it’s pretty green and lush everywhere. Beyond the cycling, the other activities added to the sense of holiday, while also giving greater insight into what each country has to offer.
Most Inspirational Moment
All the cycling was excellent and just the right level. Peering into the Masaya volcano was a lifetime moment and the visit to the school in Nicaragua really resonated.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Roberto was excellent on every level. From leading the front riders to congratulating those for whom rides were a bigger challenge, he was personable and professional with everyone. Morning briefings were helpful to all, outlining how each day would work, from the cycling to ordering food in advance etc. etc.. Every day ran smoothly and organisation was excellent. His knowledge and experience showed and nothing was too much trouble. What could possibly go wrong?
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go. Have a change of (cycling and/or casual) clothes in a rucksack on the bus. Be prepared for very flexible lunchtimes (there are always snacks available).
John Orton
Reviewed August 2019
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Great challenging trip but one that’s well achievable.
Most Inspirational Moment
Completing the optional extra peaks
Thoughts on Group Leader
Very good
Rouna Ali
Reviewed August 2019
Rouna's Silk Road
This is a truly spectacular once in a lifetime trip which I will never forget. I would never have been able to travel to such and so many places in the time available if it weren’t for Exodus. The contrast between the three ‘Stans’ Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is infinitely fascinating. The hot deserts, magnificent Muslim architecture, Madrashahs, Mausoleums, Markets and magnanimous hearts of the people of Uzbekistan to the epic mountains, rivers, lakes, forests and awesome pride and grace of the people of Kyrgyzstan (especially the Eagle Hunters which is only one of many highlights on this trip).
Most Inspirational Moment
1. Registan Square in Samarkand in my view is more beautiful and epic than the Taj Mahal.
2. During the Eagle hunting demonstration in Kyrgyzstan I almost cried as the eagle flew above and swooped down in front of me to catch the coyote skin!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both group leaders (one for Uzbekistan) and (one for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan) did their very best for us and Ali bent over backwards to help me in Bukhara when I had a bout of 'Bukhara belly' :0
Advice for Potential Travellers
You might laugh but I regret not taking small bottles of salt and pepper and chilli sauce with me because the food will cause you problems. Take plenty of Immodium and Dioralyte. In Uzbekistan especially they try to put on the menu what Westerners will like and I did not like it at all. Sometimes the food ingredients were really old, not cooked properly or under hygienic conditions and tasted extremely bland. It can take forever to sort out the bill if you eat in a large group. Before you travel I would look at the trip notes and where the hotels are then do your own pre-trip research using google maps and trip advisor to see where all the good restaurants are near to these hotels.
Tom King
Reviewed August 2019
A Brilliant Week of Hiking!
This was great trip – we continually had spectacular views of the Mont Blanc massif and the surrounding area. There was a relatively consistent amount of trekking each day but it never felt like a chore. The hiking routes were well thought out and you were never too far from a mountain coffee shop for a well deserved rest. Our guide Egle was excellent and really made the holiday a lot of fun!
Most Inspirational Moment
Difficult to choose just one but the passes over from Switzerland to Italy and then Italy into France were phenomenal. The last day hiking around the Chamonix valley was also amazing with clear views of Mont Blanc.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Spending a week with Egle was a real treat. She was knowledgeable, fun and looked after the group brilliantly. She really made the holiday and brought the group together. 10 out of 10.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Plan to make your hiking bag as light as possible, its weight will make real difference to the enjoyment of the hiking. You also do not need to carry gallons of water - there are fairly regular opportunities to refill each day.
Jill Haydock
Reviewed August 2019
Go and experience Uzbekistan
An amazing trip if you’re interested in Early to modern civilisation, beautiful architecture and a country rediscovering its heritage and crafts. The people are very welcoming, dress code is relaxed and beer or wine is always an option at mealtimes. It’s a country worth seeing now.
Most Inspirational Moment
The unexpected ‘wild swim’ in the lake and visiting the beautiful Shah-I-Zinda on the day families were celebrating Eid are both magical memories.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Absolutely fantastic! Dilshod’s knowledge of ancient and modern history, the architecture, crafts and culture in each city was phenomenal; and his willingness to share his own stories of recent history put this trip right up with the best.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If you have a problem with pillows try and take your own travel pillow!
Susanna Buckley
Reviewed August 2019
Wonderful family holiday
A busy but well organised trip. This was the first time we’d done a trip like this and we don’t regret it.
We saw so much in the 14 days – I don’t think we could have done and seen so much if we’d organised it on our own. Our two children (16 and 18 years old) had a great time. They made friends with the other young people on the trip and this made it easier and enjoyable for everyone. Everything was organised in a family friendly way and the guides were excellent. It was also good to see the way local communities can be supported by responsible travel.
Most Inspirational Moment
Hard to say - so many lovely memories. The sampan trip on the Mekong Delta and the stay at the homestay were great. The trip to Angkor Wat was amazing - the scale of the place is breathtaking.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had 2 leaders - one in Vietnam and one for Cambodia and Bangkok. Both were excellent.
Advice for Potential Travellers
You need Vietnamese Dong for Vietnam. In Cambodia you can use US Dollars but sometimes it's easier to use Cambodian Riels. ATMs in Cambodia dispense US Dollars and Riels. For Thailand, you'll need Thai Bhat (our guide stopped just before the Thai border so that we could exchange). For visas, you need to pay cash in US Dollars.
We found that we needed mainly cash - some of the restaurants didn't accept cards or some places (eg supermarkets) have a minimum spend before using a card and, if you only want a drink, that doesn't come to the minimum spend. Also, if you want to buy in the markets, you'll need cash. There were ATMs near all the places we stayed (except Mekong Delta).
Pack light, cotton clothing, you don't really need activewear/trekking wear. There are local laundry services available in Cambodia - around USD2or3 per kg.
LESLEY CARD
Reviewed August 2019
Great walks with stunning views
Thoroughly enjoyed this trip. You will need to be reasonably fit as each day has some long steady ups and downs but the views from the high spots are well worth the effort. The walks were paced to suit the ability of the group and the food served each day, by Liz and Clare, was excellent.
Most Inspirational Moment
Reaching the high spots with time to sit and enjoying the views
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader Lotte was exceptional. Keeping us all together and pacing the walks to suit the ability of the group. She was well informed and knew a lot about the geography of local area. Her descriptions of the next days walks were accurate and informative. A very good leader.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Ensure you are fit enough to walk continually up hill for a couple of hours and be prepared for any weather.
Karen Morrow
Reviewed August 2019
Borneo: Lovely but not quite what I'd hoped.
I have mixed feelings about this trip. On the positive side, my husband and I joined a very lovely and friendly group and a delightful guide (Sheila). The accommodation, although more basic than on some trips we’ve done, was mainly fine and some of the restaurants Sheila took us to were in lovely positions and had good food – although rice did tend to dominate the menu! We also saw some lovely things, such as Lang’s cave, with its stalactites and stalagmites, and Bako national park, where we saw silver leaf monkeys, proboscis monkeys, macaques and bearded pigs. I also particularly enjoyed the river trips and going to the ‘sun bear sanctuary’ as well as watching flying squirrels ‘fly’! However, overall, there was a lot less wildlife around than I have seen on previous holidays (especially our visits to Africa and the Galapagos). On some walks we saw virtually nothing, certainly in the way of larger mammals or birds. I think the trip notes – and even the very name of the trip! – implies that you’ll see a lot more. Like most groups apparently, we did not see elephants at all (‘A rare thing to see around here’ according to the guide). We also did not see rhinos (I’ve never seen one in 22 years…’), or, of course, more elusive animals such as leopards or wild sun bears.. We fortunately did see wild orangutans but only briefly on two occasions and at a distance. A necessary evil in such trips is the travelling. However, in Africa, we would often see interesting animals ‘en route’. In Borneo, for a large majority of the time, we were travelling through endless miles of palm oil plantations, which have been planted where rain forest used to be, and virtually no animal life – or wildlife of ANY type except for the trees themselves – exists in these massively impoverished environments. It was very sad to see, as well as being, frankly, tedious. If you, like us, would like a trip based on special scenery and fairly frequent sightings of larger/interesting mammals or birds, then I personally feel this trip is probably not one to choose.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were a few. I particularly enjoyed watching the flying squirrels 'fly' and the proboscis monkeys were lovely to watch. The sun bear sanctuary was interesting and watching thousands of bats emerge from a cave in the late afternoon and fly off 'in formation' was also fascinating.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader, Sheila, was very sweet and kind. She worked hard, was anxious to please and was very concerned about our safety and wellbeing. Her only slight fault was to under-estimate how long each activity would take, so we invariably were running late and time to shower, or relax, was often considerably reduced.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The animals and birds we did see could often be a long way away, so take a good pair of binoculars and a camera with a lot of zoom. We did not have a lot of rainy days, but when it rains, it POURS, so also take a good waterproof and NEVER go out without it! (We did on a visit to a restaurant and would have been soaked through, if Sheila hadn't been able to beg a lift back for us.) You will also need a lot of insect repellent, as there are many mosquitos and sand flies. In some jungle areas, there are also a lot of leeches, so leech socks (or a good pair of long socks such as football socks) are also a 'must'.
