Reviews

Excellent trip

Beautiful weather and scenery in a part of Europe that gets easily overlooked. Lots of uphill cycling but you do get the long downhills as compensation. The guides Dhimitri and Juli were great – always helpful and Juli (also the driver) scuttling back and forth to ensure everyone was OK and had enough water. Would recommend this trip and the local provider Cycle Albania.

Fantastically enjoyable holiday

If you like sparkling turquoise sea pretty much outside the hotel then this holiday is for you ! I found the walking quite tough as I wasn’t quite fit enough and as other reviewers state it’s more moderate than leisurely especially in June! However, I enjoyed the three walks I did enormously and it was amazing to get up (and down) to the Roman columns the view from which is so memorable and now my screen saver. Solid support and encouragement up and down from Cecile and lovely group members. Plenty to see and do if you want to dip in and out of the walking you can, ie to dip in and out of the sea on comfy sun loungers with inexpensive waiter service from the taverna whilst helping the Greek economy (what’s not to like). One day I went on an astounding snorkelling trip to the renowned Petali Islands : 7 hours for €35 including CAKE !!!

Fantastic trip

We had an excellent holiday around mont blanc. Zoe and Ben were great hosts at chalet chocolat. We are both vegetarian and the food was superb. We loved the freshly baked cake on our return from our hikes. Mark was a great leader and very knowledgeable about the area. Overall 10 out of 10 from us.

Fantastic Week

A really enjoyable, relaxing trip. Accommodation was excellent in all places, our guide Cecile was fantastic, Greek food is wonderful, and the walks were brilliant. Everything was well organized. I hadn’t been to the Greek Islands before, and this tour was the perfect introduction to this beautiful corner of the world. Santorini was overflowing with tourists (there were three cruise ships there when we arrived, and the chaos at the ferry terminal–which is not where the cruise ships go–was truly something to experience) but everyone should visit this stunning and unique island once in their lifetime. The walk on Santorini was incredibly beautiful (although hot–very little shade). Naxos and Paros were more laid back, also stunningly beautiful, and exactly what I dreamed the Greek islands might be like–I took SO many photos! You have some time to explore on your own. The walks are not difficult, and the pace matches the group–steady but no rush. You need sturdy walking shoes for sure, but not boots. If you often walk with a pole, bring it as paths are rocky and uneven in many places. You do spend a fair few hours on ferries but that’s part of getting around between islands, so bring a book and enjoy the experience. I’m sure all groups are different, but ours was a really nice mix of people from the UK, NZ, Australia, and the US, with a median age in the 50-65 range. If you’re even thinking about this trip, don’t hesitate–just book it.

Excellent tour of a less-known country

The trip was packed with interesting and ‘must-see’ visits and activities, but there was still enough time to relax, explore independently, and try the wonderful locally grown food. Mediterranean climate and food. Mountains, fertile plains, and freshwater lakes, natural springs and the sea to swim in. Welcoming, relaxed and friendly people, a fair level of comfort but not ‘touristy’ – Albania is a great place to holiday!

Easy Cycling in the Sunny Baltics

We thoroughly enjoyed the easy cycling on mostly flat terrain through lovely countryside mixed with city visits. We were lucky with the weather as it was warm without being too hot, much of the cycling is through forest providing welcome shade. There was a mix of personalities and fitness levels in our group that overall was supportive and gelled well.

The trip visits all 3 capitals but also more rural spots and much of the cycling is near the coast or lakes. The amount of cycling per day was such that there was never any rush and plenty of time for breaks. The cycling infrastructure (segregated paths) and courtesy of the drivers when cycling on roads is something I miss back in Britain.

In most cases we stayed 2 nights in the same hotel giving time to explore the city or in the case of Palmse – explore the wonderful gardens and enjoy the peace and quiet. See Stephen Mardon’s extensive write up for further details.

If life gives you lemons, make lemoncello

A full on week, fabulous views, busy roads, lemons and more lemons and fabulous Italian food. I have been on many Exodus walking trips and this felt the most like a package holiday but necessarily so because of the numbers of people who want to visit the Amalfi Coast.
Not a get away from it all holiday but embrace the vibrancy of an Italian Amalfi Destination.

One of the best...

For me, there are three criteria that make a great Exodus trip: the members of the group, the leader, and the location/activities. The members of the group on this trip were wonderful: great company, entertaining, and considerate. Mark was the perfect leader (see below). The location was stunning with beautiful Tuscan villages, towns and cities. How can the combination of wine and walking be beaten? (OK, maybe cycling and wine at a push…)

Amazing!

One of my top 3 holidays for sure. A brilliant blend of seeing the beautiful sights of Italy and some relaxing time thrown in. Met a brilliant bunch of people in our group along with my friend I travelled with. Our hotel was perfect too, could not really fault anything! Apart from some scary heights on the Italian roads and viewpoints!

A bladder stretching, inspiring, bumpy, simply amazing adventure!

This is not a trip for anyone seeking a rest. The days are long and you aren’t going to get a nap on the bus unless you nab a front seat or can sleep literally anywhere. However, you will get to see some absolutely amazing creatures in the wild that you will not see anywhere else, see the magnificent baobabs, fake baobabs and fake fake baobabs and find yourself in more different landscapes and climates than you can reasonably expect in one country. So many people have told me Madagascar is on their wish list but, until you have been there, you can not imagine it. They need all the tourism they can get in order to help more locals understand how conservation can actually benefit them and, with the rarity of species that Madagascar has, the sooner you go, the better.