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.

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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14341 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Mary ( Candy) Duggan

Reviewed April 2019

Fabulous Coasts and Country

Wonderful, well organised trip full of interest. Great mix of forest, coasts and wildlife everywhere you looked, even sitting outside your room!

Thank you to our fellow travellers who made this a memorable holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

So many..... seeing a flock of toucans feasting on figs, sitting watching a group of 19 coatis on the beach at Corcovado National Park, being close to hummingbirds, listening to the rain, frogs and howler monkeys in Tortuguero,

Thoughts on Group Leader

Erick was great. Wildlife and bird spotting skill was remarkable. He and our lovely driver Henry had a good rapport and made a good team. Thank you.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I found previous reviews very helpful. Read your trip notes! Do take a poncho, easy to take on and off and covers your back pack, and great on the open boats. Even our lightweight rain jackets were too hot! 12 members of our group took the direct flight from Gatwick to San Jose which avoided changing planes and gave us an extra day in San Jose visiting museums and galleries. San Jose duty free shops are VERY expensive, shop before you get there - try Cheiton Moren on Calle 17 a small not for profit shop and museum run by friendly and knowledgeable volunteers selling works by the indigenous tribes of Costa Rica

Cindy Cochrane

Reviewed April 2019

Exceedingly Good Trip

it was a fantastic holidays exceeding all our expectations.

Most Inspirational Moment

The 2 cycling trips in Hui and Hoian were exciting and memorable. Cycling in busy Hui city was an experience compared to non. Visiting the organic farms in Hoian demonstrated the fundamentals and the source of the freshness and originality of the Vietnamese cuisines. The trip to Me Son visiting the Champa kingdom and seeing the ruins gave me a different historical and religious perspectives about the country which I knew little about before the visit.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Quan was an excellent tour guide and group leader. He provided second to non travel customer service. Travel and visits were arranged like a well oil engine, everything went smoothly. Although the itineraries were structured he listened and tapped into the needs and desires of our group and would alterer to suit. He was very generous with information. Apart from the factual historical facts he also accompanied these with his social commentaries giving a personal and fascinating perspectives into the country from someone who has lived through the tremendous political and social changes of his country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Fabulous and worthwhile experience for first time visit to Vietnam as the journey from Hanoi to Saigon gave a very comprehensive exploration of the country geographically, culturally, historically and politically not to mention the different and changing cuisine during the travel.

Mervyn Jupe

Reviewed April 2019

Don't understand this

Well organised and very good well informed guides. Very comprehensive trip.
Grateful for arriving a day early and leaving a day later arrangements – accommodation & airport transfers.
Excellent accommodation.
Very variable activities – some included (cycling) and some optional (kayaking, cooking)
Hoi An – too touristy.
Saigon – uninteresting.
Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, My Son, Tunnels, Mekong delta, Angkor temples, Floating villages – all excellent.
Phnom Penn s21 prison and nearby “killing fields” – very harrowing.
Meals – some were relatively expensive and I found with a good breakfast that I only needed a snack at lunchtime if eating a full meal in the evening.

Most Inspirational Moment

see above

Thoughts on Group Leader

see above

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't need passport photos for Angkor complex pass. They take your photo when getting your pass.

Gary westwater

Reviewed April 2019

Vietnam Adventure

Our Vietnam Adventure was indeed an adventure – having such a varied itinerary – but not over-organised – with interesting places visited – travel by boats and train- and activities such as bicycling and kayaking-and crawling through tunnels. Staying in excellent hotels – and overall led by a very competent, entertaining and knowledgeable guide – who looked after us, without being imperious

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing up Marble Mountain and seeing the cave used as a hospital by the Viet Cong

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for an active holiday with enjoyable - but long - days

Matthew Handford

Reviewed April 2019

Finnish Wilderness Week

I loved this trip. It was a chance to head to the frozen north (Finland/Lapland) in April and take part in a range of outdoor activities such as snowshoeing, x country skiing, downhill skiing and dog sledding. It was also great to go out in the wilderness and have a chance to see wildlife and perhaps the Northern Lights.

Most Inspirational Moment

What was special was a combination of things - a social group, feeling I could at least begin to get the hang of activities such as skiing and dogsledding, generally travelling around the Oulanka National Park area by road whilst seeing all of it covered in snow and getting to meet the huskies and reindeer. I also had the chance to take off on my own in the afternoon into the wilderness which gave me a sense of exploration!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Elina is a very good leader and had us clearly organised everyday. She took us out snowshoeing and showed us cross country skiing. Else kept us well fed from the kitchen and took us out on a night walk with the snowshoes. Both have a lot of local knowledge and were very social, as part of the group. Elina also organised us with the most outdoor kit I have ever been given on a trip!

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is a week where there is a lot of choice as to what one can do. Hence, perhaps, it helps to have some preconceived ideas as to what one would like to experience from the week.

Linda Dawson

Reviewed April 2019

Aptly described

Against a background of knowing nothing of Bhutan, I found the trip so educational and broadening of my horizons with regard to the country’s culture, customs, history, religion, etc. The trip fulfilled my desire to be immersed in the country’s culture. I found it so interesting to listen to the two leaders in an effort to learn as much as possible of the country both of whom went to a great deal of time and effort to impart their knowledge and experience. I also enjoyed being amongst like minded people within the group and enjoyed listening to their stories, especially of their travels already made and those planned in the future.

Most Inspirational Moment

Listening to Valerie Parkinson's descriptions of treks she has completed and generally of her experiences, especially in the Himalayas. She gave me such inspiration and an impetus to tackle more. This against a background of mixing with ladies in my normal life who are generally not very assertive and rather insular.

Thoughts on Group Leader

2 leaders: Valerie Parkinson & Norbu Tshering: both excellent, both looked after our every need, answered all our queries and, what I appreciated most, were only too willing to take time to impart their extensive knowledge of Bhutan and the Himalayas in general Rinchi, guide, was also excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack Yak Trax if you have them; if not they may be purchased in Kathmandu. This was not on the list of things to take and therefore I did not take my own pair which would have been useful.

Vivien and Paul Newrick

Reviewed April 2019

Fast paced and exhausting tour of Japan - certainly not a leisurely holiday!

It was great touring using public transport including bullet trains but it meant deadlines to catch trains. Because of this we sometimes felt rushed with not enough time to fully enjoy the sights we were visiting. But we certainly saw a slice of Japanese life.

Most Inspirational Moment

We loved the trees - the cherry blossom and perfectly sculptured conifers. We loved the bamboo forest and gardens nearby. We loved the traditional architecture of sliding panels and tatami mats. We loved the politeness and cleanliness of Japan with train guards bowing as they entered and left carriages. We loved the gardens sitting in nests of skyscrapers in Tokyo. We will miss the quirky Japanese toilets and the onsens.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We liked Shin - he organised tickets and reservations perfectly and with assiduous counting managed to keep the group together at very crowded stations during complex journeys.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Prepare for crowds everywhere and standing in trains and buses. Prepare to walk fast. Do your research before the trip to help use your free time. There are great food outlets at the stations where you can grab a picnic.

Caroline Scraggs

Reviewed April 2019

Paro festival and Druk Path trek

What an amazing trip which exceeded my expectations. Bhutan has been on my bucket list for many years and I particularly wanted to go on a trip which combined the experience of seeing the Paro festival firsthand, a visit to the Tiger’s Nest monastery and some trekking and this trip does just that. The festival was fantastic and such a wonderful and joyous occasion with the locals in their national dress watching in their hundreds the amazing storytelling through dance. The final day we were treated to a view of the Thangka which was beautiful. It was a real privilege to be able to witness this festival and be part of it.

The trek had stunning scenery and was challenging enough I just wish it had been a little warmer at night!. Waking up to snow was a little chilly but the hot water bottles in our sleeping bags at night helped to take the chill off!

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing my first glimpse of the Tiger’s Nest monastery. Wow!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Norbu was an excellent group leader, very knowledgeable and also supportive of everyone on the trek.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Thermals, thermals and more thermals! It really was very cold at night. A Nalgene water bottle would have been useful as some members of the group had theirs filled with hot water at night to use as an extra hot water bottle and then used it as drinking water during the day. I don’t normally walk with poles but found them really helpful in the snow and ice. Also if it is going to be cold buy some yak tracks in Kathmandu to help you stay on your feet. I enjoyed the hot stone bath in Paro. It was certainly an experience!

Graham Bacon

Reviewed April 2019

Classic Vietnam and Angkor

What a fantastic trip, Cong the leader was excellent, always willing to share his extensive knowledge of both local and country wide topics.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cambodia and it's smaller temple's.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fantastic, should be inline for the tour leader prize!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Going in March we found that we had taken to many warm clothes. Great time of the year to go.

Danuta Joyce

Reviewed April 2019

Costa Rica - coastal secrets

The geographical and wildlife diversity of Costa Rica is immense- a real treasure of a country. This trip certainly delivered in giving me an idea of its beautiful scenery and the wildlife therein. It left me wishing to revisit the country to see and experience more.
My travelling companions were are bonus – we all knitted well and shared a great enthusiasm for everything.
The Costa Ricans I met were engaging, helpful and enthusiastic about their country and what it had to offer.

Most Inspirational Moment

The diversity of Costa Rica: mountains, volcanos, beaches, forests, valleys, colour and the wonderfully diverse wildlife. What stuck in my mind most, however was one fact our guide told me: the country's energy is mainly renewably sourced- hydroelectric , geothermal.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Erick was great: organisationally on the ball; knowledgeable about politics, history and economics of his country (setting issues and daily life in context) as well as his knowledge of wildlife and the natural world. And ......... what eye sight! He had a great sense of humour which helped bond the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Beware the US dollar to local currency exchange - you will get change in local currency from shops and cafes which do not follow the official exchange rate! Take loads of small denomination dollars. You need to pay for the loo stop at the transfer point at Tortuguero (currently $1.00). The Osa peninsula is not that isolated (sadly) and the snorkelling was rather crowded but I managed to catch a glimpse of a white tipped reef shark - magnificent

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