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.

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14330 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Jenny Aitchison

Reviewed August 2019

Wonderful!

The trip provided a great introduction to Mont Blanc for those who were there for the first time, as well as providing new experiences for anyone who had visited before. My husband and I already knew the Mont Blanc area, having walked there on many occasions, but this excellent holiday took us on some routes that were new to us and gave us fresh perspectives on the fabulous scenery of the region.

Most Inspirational Moment

The views of the massif - white snow against the deep blue sky - with the mountainsides covered with a myriad of colourful wildflowers.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Emma Linford was an excellent leader. She quickly learned which, if any, aspects of the routes made individuals uncomfortable and was on hand to offer advice and assistance. She has an extensive knowledge of the geology, flora and fauna of the region and was able to explain things well to the group. First rate!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for the fact that the trip is described as 'moderate', but some felt that it was a little harder than that - more 'moderate plus'. The distances are not particularly great, but there is obviously, given the area, a lot of steep up and equally steep down, in July at least, with high temperatures. There are, of course, low level options available if people don't feel able to complete the higher walks, but these would need to be completed under their own steam.

Phil Watson

Reviewed August 2019

Impressive and full of variety whilst still feeling welcoming & friendly

This trip ticks all the boxes to immerse yourself in Chinese culture and history.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the Terracotta army in all its glory was a lifelong ambition and didn’t disappoint

Thoughts on Group Leader

From the first minute to the last, Avan was a perfect ambassador for his wonderful Country - full of knowledge, always resourceful and flexible to our needs as well as having a great sense of humour which made the trip swing along - we had lots of fun along the way.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Whilst the advice was to prepare for steps and long platforms, in reality wheeled suitcases were absolutely fine and negotiating the train stations was easy even in the busy summer holiday period.

Kim Norton

Reviewed August 2019

Awesome Vietnam experience

The whole experience exceeded my expectations. The trip had a great mix of experiences, my personal favourites being the Halong Bay boat trip and Mekong delta homestay with added birthday cake (surprise from our guide, Tung) for the August birthday celebratees.

Most Inspirational Moment

It is hard for me to choose one, but I am inspired by how welcoming and friendly the people are and their resilience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide, Tung, had an amazing knowledge of the region and always ensured everyone was in their happy place 😊. Vote Tung for guide of the year!!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Stay an extra day or two after the tour ends, to rest. Although the tour is well paced it is still tiring if you are not used to the busy city travel.

Catherine Arter

Reviewed August 2019

A wonderful trip!

I travelled with my 23 yr old daughter and we had a great time. Lots of superlatives which have been covered by reviewers below, so I will not repeat them, but suffice to say that this trip exceeded both our expectations in terms of the amazing variation in landscape in the iconic National Parks visited, and the diversity of activities – ranging from exciting hikes, to laying on the ground in Death Valley looking at the Night Sky. Never a dull moment – and our guide inserted little surprises at regular intervals.

Most Inspirational Moment

Perhaps meeting our inspirational Navajo guide in Monument Valley and learning about her childhood and culture. But lots to inspire both of us ....

Thoughts on Group Leader

Joseph Spaid was an incredible leader. He was so knowledgable, approachable, engaging and fun. He was very interesting to chat to, and worked so hard to make sure everyone’s needs were met. We were quite a disparate crowd of 11, some very experienced hikers, others recovering from recent injury, but he found ways to embrace that - I wish I had his energy!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a brolly as sun shade for Death Valley! And rehydration tabs/powder when it's really hot. We all used it and had no problem with overheating even in August. You get dusty walking so plenty of walking gear - it is a busy trip and there wasn’t much time for washing. I was pleased to have my poles in Zion and the Grand Canyon for long (albeit beautiful) uphill stretches. I would definitely advise a few days in San Francisco before joining the trip. It is an incredible city. Our flight from Heathrow was delayed by 28 hours, so we missed one of our three planned days, but we still were well able to meet up with the Group on Sunday. Las Vegas didn’t appeal to us, so we didn’t stay at the end, and we in time to fly out on the same night. The helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon was just extraordinary!

David H

Reviewed August 2019

An wonderful trip. Highly recommended.

This was a superb trip in many respects. If you are unsure about booking this trip, then just book it, as it will be a unique and positive experience.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting Cambodia was extremely interesting for me. Discovering the temples around Siem Reep was perfect on bicycle, and surely, there is no better way to do it? Phnom Penn, steeped in recent history regarding the Khmer Rouge was a unique experience, and although upsetting, it importantly outlined what happened so we can be more prepared for the future . The border crossings were something to behold. The overall experience was amazing.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Nut was fantastic in all respects. This is my 4th cycle tour, and although they were all excellent, Nut excelled in this role. His attention to detail was well appreciated. The snack stops involved a Tupperwear buffet feast. Ice cold water was always available (appreciated in the heat). On the hottest days, Nut sourced ice cream towards the end of our ride and helped spur us on! He was also a very good guitar player at the Homestay that evening. The support teams were also the best I have had, always smiling and going out of their way to make sure we had all that was needed. The teams took over seamlessly in each country, and having 3 different bikes created no problems at all. Well done!

Advice for Potential Travellers

I was in a particularly strong group of cyclists with average moving speeds of 20Km/h-30Km/h, far higher than stated on the website (13-16Km/h). I enjoyed the challenge during first part of the trip, but the long 80Km day cycling from Cambodia into Vietnam at high speeds was regrettable as the scenery was absolutely stunning and I was unable to get any photos or enjoy the experience fully. So be aware that the trip may be faster than the speed stated in the information and find a way to take pictures on the move, if this is important to you. The temperatures ranged from 28-38 degrees whist in Thailand, so take lots of factor 50 sunscreen with you as very little opportunity to buy on route. The Homestay evening was very enjoyable, but some of us got bitten during the night despite nets, so take some good insect spray with you.

Gill Smallman

Reviewed August 2019

What an adventure!

I have just returned from the Indochina Angkor trip and can thoroughly recommend it. So many different experiences are included in the trip without overwhelming the group and I have memories that will last a lifetime.

Most Inspirational Moment

It is difficult to chose a highlight. We rode along small roads getting a real feel for the three countries, visited classic temples, cruised along the Mekong Delta and still had time to 'do our own thing' in the bigger cities.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader (Nut) was exceptional, taking care of the details and making sure everyone enjoyed their experience.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There is great advice in the Trip Notes but do be prepared for the heat and humidity and try to get in some practise rides in similar conditions if possible.

Melanie Costello

Reviewed August 2019

An amazing holiday!

We had spent a long time saving for and planning this trip for myself and my boyfriend. It did not disappoint. It was even better than we expected.
From the moment we stepped off the plane, everything was organised. We got the direct flight from Gatwick. The flight was 10 hrs and went very quickly. The rest of our group went via Miami and unfortunately got delayed so ended up arriving at the hotel in the early hours and only had a few hours sleep before the tour started. If you get the direct flight you also stay an extra night at the end of the trip so you get a day to explore San Jose which we did but we felt there is not a great deal to do there.
We had 8 in our group and it was a nice mix of ages and we all got on well. The minibus is nice and comfortable with aircon and plenty of room.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing a turtle laying her eggs on the beach at Tortuguero and watching Humpback whales with their calves in Drakes Bay. We also loved watching the hummingbirds in Savegre. This was something I was not prepared for, they are beautiful. Getting to see scarlet macaws up close. A pair landed in a tree right above us and posed for quite a while. Tree frogs, sloths, jesus lizards, basilisks, crocodiles, caiman, birds, bats, turtles, monkeys (howler, spider, squirrel and white face capuchin), coatis.........the list goes on!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Guillermo was excellent. His knowledge of the wildlife was amazing and he spotted things we would never have seen. His enthusiasm was infectious and we were soon all trying to spot and recognise different birds and animals. It's worth noting that the leaders are 'on call' for your whole trip so they work incredibly hard. We were so impressed. One day we stopped for lunch at a tradional Costa Rican restaurant which we would never have gone to withour our leader taking us there. Olman (not sure if I spelt that right) was a lovely driver. His skill driving our bus on some of the mountain roads was impressive. Guillermo and Olman obviously got on very well and made a great team.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a book, there are some long bus journeys and plenty of time to relax in the afternoons. Taking a suitcase with wheels is ideal as there are a few times where you need to move it. I would recommend a hard case or a decent level of water resistance as they may get wet if it rains on the way to Tortoguero. Savegre is cold! Take warm clothes. The temperature difference really is noticeable. I slept with 3 blankets the first night we were there. Take an umbrella. We had ponchos but sometimes they were too hot and a bit too much. US dollars are fine. You can use them everywhere. We had a travel currency card which we used to withdraw dollars as we needed them. ATMS are easy to find and your leader will take you. We thought the food was fabulous. Vegetarians are well sorted and the portions are huge. Prices are about the same as the UK for eating out but we thought that snacks in the supermarket where expensive but probably because we were buying "British type" snacks. Take dry shoes and "water shoes". You have to jump in the sea a couple of times so it's handy to have these. Also a dry bag is useful for the boats to keep cameras dry but also if it rains. All the usual that everyone else has mentioned: sunglasses, hat, suncream, insect repellent, bite cream,torch,

peter mccullagh

Reviewed August 2019

what does 'review title' mean?

i really enjoyed my trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

there is no most inspirational moment. i enjoyed it in the round.

Thoughts on Group Leader

both of them were excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

it is an excellent trip

Sandor Burslem

Reviewed August 2019

A week of incredible contrasts

A wonderful week encompassing a huge variety of experiences in Jordan, from Bedouin tents to a swimming pool on the edge of the Dead Sea, very well organised and covering a lot of ground.

Most Inspirational Moment

A toss up between Petra and the Wadi Rum; seeing the Treasury at Petra first appear between the rocks of the Siq probably takes the prize. Also taking in the Grand Canyon-esque view of the Wadi Mujib, of which I'd never heard before.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ibrahim was knowledgeable, great fun and very well organised, e.g. changing the day's activities to take advantage of the cooler morning temperatures.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The heat in the South and the Dead Sea was intense in August, I managed about ten minutes on the beach at the Dead Sea resort before having to go inside. The temperatures were more comfortable in Amman and Jerash. The week has some early starts so take an alarm with you, and in the Wadi Rum camp you'll need a torch to find the toilet block after sunset! The days in Petra are more akin to a walking holiday than pure sightseeing so you will need walking shoes (though you inevitably see people climbing to the High Place of Sacrifice dressed for the beach). Most of the sites visited have people selling postcards and handicrafts etc though it's nowhere near as aggressive as in Egypt.

Neil Pearson

Reviewed August 2019

Brilliant 'last' family holiday with our kids before they head off into the world / don't want to go on family holidays

It’s a busy trip, with a lot packed into 14 days, but absolutely worth the effort as the experiences are amazing.

We could never have done this in this way as independent travellers, so it was definitely the right choice to take the trip with Exodus. It just made everything easy and allowed the group to make the most of the time, and experience as much as possible.

Very good ground transportation provided, comfortable and safe
There are a couple of long drives, but they are broken up with interesting stops along the way – so while it looks a little bleak in the itinerary they are absolutely fine (although the Siem Reap to Bangkok drive is a tough one).
Hotels all good to very good, and almost all with good pools too; the homestay is great too…more basic but one of the more memorable nights on the trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

28km cycling ride around the Ankhor Wat complex is brilliant - it's all flat out there so not too taxing, although we were all tired at the end of the day. Killing Fields and S21 make for a very sobering and quite graphic day that you will not forget Cu Chi Tunnels and the museum in Ho Chi Minh City is brilliant and to see the story from a very local perspective is interesting Sampan down the Mekong River is great, quite short in the grand scheme of the holiday, but big on memories. Our kids (18 & 15) had an amazing time with the other kids on the trip, all about the same age and they all got on really well. So good to see them having fun and bonding with their peers.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour had 2 group leaders, one in Vietnam and one for Cambodia and Thailand. Very different personalities, but both very good and knowledgable and we never felt like we were in anything other than safe hands at all times

Advice for Potential Travellers

The temples are fine with shorts that are ON the knee, they don't have to be below the knee. For those people who had the wrong shorts, you could buy classic Asian cotton baggy trousers for $3 at the temples, so don't worry too much about this. A few of our group stayed on for an extra night in Bangkok, and I think this is good advice...an extra day of free time in Bangkok could be useful just to slow the pace down before you travel home as it's a busy schedule and you may want to take in a few of the sights that are not on the trip. The homestay is a brilliant experience, it's more simple accommodation than the rest of the trip, but is very comfortable and such a fun night for the group..it's the moment on the trip where we got time to chat and become friends with each other.

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