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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14351 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Elizabeth Jones

Reviewed March 2019

Spectacular Galápagos

From snorkelling with sharks, sea turtles and sea horses to watching giant tortoises, swimming iguanas, dancing blue-footed boobies, leaping manta rays, penguins and mating eagle rays, to trekking around a huge caldera and steaming volcanic vents… this island-hopping adventure to explore the Galápagos by land and by sea was a spectacular and unforgettable experience.

The range of activities and places visited in this trip allowed us to fully experience and be captivated by the unique biodiversity and landscapes of the region. The wildlife of land, sea and sky is so abundant and diverse and allows for many magical interactions. It is fascinating to learn about the culture and history of the islands to more modern conservation efforts, such as the numerous breeding programmes of the different giant tortoise species. We got the chance to meet local people, taste local food and get off-the-beaten-track to be further immersed in the traditions of the different islands. It was truly an experience of a lifetime.

Most Inspirational Moment

Inspirational moments were bountiful, but particular highlights were: swimming with many Galapágos sharks and a hammerhead at Kicker Rock (San Cristóbal) seeing Galapágos penguins, manta rays, dancing blue-footed boobies and swimming marine iguanas around Las Tintoreras (Isabela) snorkelling with many Pacific green turtles, sleeping white-tipped reef sharks and a sea horse at Los Túneles (Isabela) trekking up to the rim and around the impressive caldera of Volcán Sierra Negra to see many lava formations, steaming fumaroles and mineral deposits (Isabela)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our Tour Leader was Pablo Montalvo from Ecuador. He is a very friendly and caring person and was very passionate about his role as a leader, giving time to everyone in the group. He worked hard to keep the trip running smoothly, coordinating with the numerous local people that assisted us. Pablo's knowledge and passion for Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands was exceptional. He explained in impressive detail about the marine life, plants, geography, history and culture in superb English, whilst joyfully helping a few of us hablar Español! Pablo went above and beyond to make the trip an enriching and unforgettable experience.

Advice for Potential Travellers

It was great to have your own snorkelling gear (mask, snorkel, fins) for comfort in knowing they fit well and how to use them. Snorkel gear was readily available for hire on most islands. A rash vest and/or wet suit was a good idea for sun protection and to be warmer when snorkelling (45+ minutes in the water can be cold at certain times of the year). Cotton scarf/ sarong and secure, wide-brimmed hat were very useful on boats when you might be more exposed to wind and water spray and the sun. Waterproof jacket/ poncho and non-waterproof ‘wet’ shoes were useful in tropical downpours and wet-landings and walking on the islands. Take a good camera and underwater camera, with a lot of memory and rechargeable batteries. Take a good wildlife guide to help identify the many amazing animal and bird species. Take plenty of high factor sun cream as it is expensive to buy locally. Read the book ‘Floreana’ by M. Wittmer before visiting Floreana for the fascinating history of island life.

Mark Mills

Reviewed March 2019

Cycling across Cambodia and Vietnam

The trip took us through some rural scenery in the Far East. It was a treat to see the real country as well as the big cities. I was pleasantly surprised by the level of back up from the support team. They seemed to have thought of everything.

Most Inspirational Moment

It had been a bucket list thing for me to visit Angkor Wat. It was a serene moment when we first set eyes on the temples and even more so when a buddhist monk blessed our cycling team.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Seen was outstanding. His professionalism, helpful nature and positive attitude was inspirational. Does this man ever have a bad day?!? He handled the situations presented by our group with discretion and efficiency. I give him top marks.

Advice for Potential Travellers

My best advice is to pack only the basics. The bikes are suited to normal street shoes/trainers and there’s only a need for one water bottle on the bike as there are plenty of refreshment stops along the way from our snacks kitty. They even supplied electrolyte powder for the water. I took a tumble in Vietnam and destroyed my crash helmet in the process. Thankfully, my skull survived.

Jane Hall

Reviewed March 2019

A wonderful holiday

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with very friendly people. We experienced so many different things and visited so many places that gave us an insight into life in Sri Lanka. It was very well organised and it would be hard to see as much as we did without such a tour

Most Inspirational Moment

So many inspirational moments it is hard to decide. Probably seeing blue whales and dolphins on a boat trip from Mirissa. Seeing the wildlife in Yala National Park including a leopard.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Dileepa was a brilliant tour leader, very knowledgeable and approachable with a great sense of humour. There were personal touches that made the holiday extra special including playing traditional games in a village and watching Dileepa and some of the young men in the village play cricket. The driver and assistant were also extremely helpful.

Graham Williams

Reviewed March 2019

A good trip

An interesting and enjoyable walking tour of Madeira.

Most Inspirational Moment

Dramatic cliff walks and beautiful levadas.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Andre was excellent. We were all glad that he rearranged the walk on day 5 because of bad weather in the mountains.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I went in March, when the climate was nice for walking but few flowers were out. Apparently late April, May or early June would be better for flowers but not too hot.

Alison Hawkins

Reviewed March 2019

A fascinating tour

This trip provides an excellent chance to see the main highlights of Jordan. Our guide Jihad was excellent, knowledgeable, organised, approachable with a good sense of humour. He gave the whole group confidence.

I particularly thought camping at Wahi Rum and optional camel ride the best experience. It was well run, more comfortable than anticipated and the food was delicious.

Petra too is amazing but does need a reasonable level of fitness. It is good to pace it over the two days, especially if tackling the climbs. Little Petra was an unexpected treat too.

Most hotels were good though the one at Petra missed the mark on several levels. I believe there is an issue with Petra hotels, which could be referred to in advance.

The trip notes were very helpful and helped considerably with what to expect and what to pack.

Jordan is full of history and the whole trip was fascinating.

Most Inspirational Moment

Wadi Rum, Petra, Little Petra, Jerash

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jihad was excellent. He was the major reason the trip ran so smoothly and devoted his timewith us calmly and efficiently.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read the trip notes carefully and make sure you have good walking shoes, especially for Petra. Go for the camel ride at Wadi Rum, it's well worth it.

Glenys Gibbs

Reviewed March 2019

Walk of the gods and more

Very well organised, lovely friendly hotel. Our representative, Vania, was a a delight and nothing was too much trouble.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walk of the gods was one of the highlights plus the walk on our free day from Anacapri.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Vania was a very hard working, caring leader. Nothing was too much trouble. Lots of fun.

Advice for Potential Travellers

March may be a bit early to see the area at its prettiest, but it was relatively quiet so I think maybe that was a bonus.

Barbara Dean

Reviewed March 2019

A Volcanic Undertaking

Once again Exodus delivered. Our guides were fantastic, the bikes were well maintained, and the accommodation was for the most part great. The food was also better than some previous trips and only somewhat challenging for a gluten free/vegetarian. Power bars go a long way! Finally, the scenery was picturesque and breathtaking. Lots of lakes and Volanoes.

Most Inspirational Moment

Day 4 of the tour. We completed a 20km cycle on some serious gravel and then my husband and I opted to walk the 7.5km climb over 700 metre ascent versus cycling it. We passed a few people who ended up frustratingly walking their bikes but getting to the top felt like quite an achievement especially with blisters on both feet.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Tai was a very impressive young man who did a fantastic job. His brother Yal was a great support and eventually their dad, Marcello joined us making the group complete. Their obvious bond as a family just made our experience that much better.

Advice for Potential Travellers

A gel saddle wouldn’t go amiss as the gravel was sometimes more like boulders.

Andrew McGregor

Reviewed March 2019

Amazing Patagonia

An amazing trip. We were blessed with excellent weather which made it all the more special. The hikes were incredible with stunning scenery. The food and wine weren’t bad either!

Most Inspirational Moment

The three hikes: Torres del Paine Laguna de los Tres Lomo del Pliegue Seeing the Milky Way from the hotel in Torres del Paine. The glacier boat trip.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier was great. Dependable and knowledgable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There are some long driving days as per trip notes. Also the hikes are not gentle. Most are uphill most of the way and moderately difficult in areas. If you’re keen on ice climbing on the glacier book we’ll in advance. Currency: a mix of US dollars and pesos is best as not all places accept dollars. Get pesos out of cash machine but there is a charge. A few of us did a scenic flight in Ushuaia as the weather was so good. Reasonably priced and worthwhile. Book ahead. Suggest having a few days in Buenos Aires at the end to unwind and see the city in a relaxed pace. Even better - Xavier can organise kayaking trips in the Tigre delta which is a great way to get away from the hussle and bustle. When you arrive in Pueto Natales you’ll be wiped out and won’t want a fancy meal... ask about the pizza bar/restaurant along the road. Pizzas were amazing - and big. The beer is good too. Left overs served a great mid-morning snack the next day.

Gill Lambie

Reviewed March 2019

Walking in Andalucia

This was a lovely (grade 4 ) holiday in a rural, unspoilt part of Andalucia. The cortijo is very comfortable with fantastic views over the surrounding countryside. The laid back approach made it feel like a house party and Cartouche & Joke must be congratulated on this. Tea & coffee available all day and a bar with amazing measures. There were 12 of us in the group and we all got on well with lots of laughs. We were fortunate to have perfect weather all week with blue skies, no clouds and temps in the mid 20’s. The walks were varied and the day off in Seville was well worth doing. We all went to the Flamenco dancing in the evening and one of the group was so inspired by this that the next morning she gave us her personal interpretation by the pool before we set off on the walk.

Most Inspirational Moment

The walk in the Grazalema National Park.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Michael Newcombe was our leader and was one of the best we’ve ever had . His knowledge of the area was impressive and he was able to impart this in an intelligent & interesting way. His people skills are excellent and I wonder if he’d even organised the lovely weather....What an ambassador he is for Exodus.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just go

Robert Dredge

Reviewed March 2019

SOME GREAT, SOME NOT SO

First the good. One leader was beyond outstanding and really showed empathy, knowledge and understanding and really took everyone to a higher level.
The food and staff at the accommodation were exceptional. The accommodation itself a bit cramped but adequate. Overall accommodation was very good and not. problem.
The ski hire equipment was very old and dated, but worked OK.
Transfers were efficient and pretty timely.

Now the not so good.
As excellent as one leader was the other was beyond poor. No empathy, limited apparent knowledge of technique and minimal interest in teaching beyond follow me and catch up sometime, even if you fall and are struggling-you were left on your own which affected confidence of some less confident people..

Annoying that I was told in answer to specific request to fly from other than Gatwick that it was not possible( as were at least 2 other couples) on arrival in Oslo we waited for others to fly in from Manchester and Edinburgh.

Petty but annoying-expectation that all may be required to buy own wax throughout the week . Surely at £1500 it could cover £50 a season for leaders to have this-in the event the good leader did wax skis when out if she saw it was needed.

Quite. bit of pressure put on to attend the evening lectures etc-which were variable in relevance and quality.

Most Inspirational Moment

Skiing with Ilse Alt

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ilse -as above beyond exceptional in all she did, attitude, patience, knowledge and ability to improve me, as well s enthusiasm for country and magnificent guiding. Other leader was simply indifferent at best and seemed uninterested and not up to the job.( a view shared by others). She showed no interest in teaching or looking at individuals.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check who is leading the group.

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