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!

Haven’t posted your review yet? Here’s how to do it…

Once you return from your Exodus adventure holiday, you will be emailed a link to add your review. Any feedback collected is posted onto our website, totally unedited.

Alternatively you can navigate to the relevant trip page and add your review via the Reviews tab.

Select a trip specific review:

Select

14341 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Reviewed September 2013

CYCLE THE BACKROADS OF SRI LANKA

An exhilerating and exciting adventure with breathtaking scenery and amazingly friendly people. The perfect way to see this beautiful country and become a part of it, taking on the challenge of cycling its roads and engaging with the locals.

Most Inspirational Moment

On the day of the long climb to Nuwara Eliya, we passed through such dramatically beautiful scenery that it was almost too much to handle! And then the long climb to the top was a real challenge but so worth it for the feeling once we got to the top. All the time we were cheered on and encouraged by the friendly locals smiling and waving. Such a rich experience encompassing awe, determination, pride, hilarity, exhaustion, camaraderie, satisfaction, relief and feeling overwhelmed and humble. There was a very special moment at Gal Vihara at Polonnaruwa where there were hundreds of pilgrims including many families laying offerings at the shrines of the massive Buddhas carved into the rock. The whole atmosphere was very special. Peaceful, respectful, relaxed and warm with a real sense of importance. A little girl was talking to me and we were having a conversation, practising her English. Her uncle gave me some flowers to lay at the shrine which I then did. It was a very moving experience to receive such warmth from a local family and to have the oportunity to be part of such a special place.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh was a great tour leader. He was very well organised and knowledgeable and always happy and smiling. He worked hard to ensure that everyone was happy and had everything that they needed. He took time to get to know everybody indiviually and as a group, helping to build a team spirit as we went. He explained every stage of the cycle route to us carefully so we knew what to expect and was very kind and patient when answering our many questions. He also added some very special and kind extra personal touches and surprises to the tour which demonstrated his warmth and his desire to make us feel welcome in his beautiful country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you would like an active holiday in a beautiful country with friendly people then this may well be the holiday for you. It is very busy and packed with amazing experiences that are different every day. If you decide to book, it would be a good idea to make sure you are reasonably cycle fit before you set off so you can really enjoy all the cycling. And make sure you smile and wave at the locals...!

Reviewed September 2013

NAMIBIA: 4WD DESERT EXPLORER

Excellent off the beaten track camping safari.

Most Inspirational Moment

Coming across the desert elephants in the Palmweg concession, and the lions, giraffes, mountain zebra and all the other wonderful animals.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hans was a star. Even when we had technical problems with vehicles he was calm and confident. He's a great cook!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take thermals for ice cold nights under canvas in the desert. Mornings were cold up to about 11am.

Reviewed September 2013

NAMIBIAN ADVENTURER

This trip exceeded our expectations. There was never a dull moment and always something different to see or do.

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing the "Big Mama" sand dune in the heat of the desert sun and then running and jumping all the way down. Watching animals in their natural environment coming to drink at the waterholes. The elephants seemed to be having such fun rolling in the mud and completely submerging themselves, apart from snorkel like trunks, under the water. Seeing the Milky Way so vividly in the black night sky.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Shane was excellent. He had amazing local knowledge and went out of his way to be helpful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you travel in August you won't need a raincoat but make sure you have enough layers of warm clothes for cold nights and early mornings. It was 1C when we landed in Windhoek.

Reviewed September 2013

THE INCA TRAIL

Wonderful trip. The guides were fantastic. The second day is tiring but the end result was worth it. The guides were supporting the whole way and the cooks on the trip made some lovely food.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking through The Sun Gate and seeing the view below us truly incredible.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was great. One of our party had altitude sickness and wasn't able to join us for most of the trip..he was very supportive of her and ensured that she was able to join us for the last day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you take good waterproofs even in the Dry season!

Reviewed September 2013

WALKING THE AMALFI COAST

I was nervous, as this was my first Exodus holiday and I was on my own, but I felt totally relaxed from the moment I arrived. This was due to the excellent skills of our guide Christine. Moreover the trip was extremely well organised and the hotel was excellent. There were a good range of walks, which were all amazing.

Most Inspirational Moment

I really enjoyed walking around the rim of Mt Vesuvius. Swimming in the sea at the end of a hot walk.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Absolutely fantastic. Professional, informative, caring and she set the right pace.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would say the walks were more moderate but carried out at a leisurely pace so make sure you are reasonably fit and can walk down steps.

Reviewed September 2013

MONT BLANC HOTEL TREK

Pain is temporary; pride is forever! This phrase sums up my experience of the Mont Blanc Trek. The challenge was immense but the satisfaction that I completed th trek will stay with me for the rest of my life!

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day had its inspirational moments. The views were stunning and the company fabulous. The group I traveled with were diverse and we all got on extremely well. I enjoyed the idea of moving from one place to another and exploring The Alps on this Trek. I was lucky enough to see the start of The Ultra Trail; the electric atmosphere will stay with me forever!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was excellent. He was knowledgable and led the group with care and consideation for the whole group. He did not make anyone feel that they were not up to the walking; infact we all worked at our own pace which made a very challenging holiday a relaxing one!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure that you are in good physical health before you embark on this trip. It is a very challenging trek but an immensly rewarding one. Invest in some walking poles and learn how to use them before you do the Trek; they proved to be an extremely useful tool. If you are interetste in Alpine Flora; invest in an identification book; I really wished I had one with me to identify the beautiful flowers in bloom!

Reviewed September 2013

WALKING THE AMALFI COAST

Good leader trying to cope with many levels of fitness – difficult as a couple of people really struggled up any incline, needing long rest periods, which became a little boring at times. Hotel was friendly & comfortable with good facilities & good food. Some lovely scenery & views. Bomerano is unfortunately lacking in charm & interest.

Most Inspirational Moment

Views from Ravello (not on itinerary)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hard working & conscientious. Very personable & a good mixer

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for wet weather at any time. Take a poncho to protect you & your daypack

David Swatton

Reviewed September 2013

Tropical South - ok but could be better

This two-week trip is certainly one of two halves with the highlights in the first week and the second being rather disappointing. The time in the tea plantation area around Munnar was exceptional, the walk being wonderful. The cycle rickshaw ride we had in Madurai and the subsequent temple visit were also excellent. But then the trip went downhill with the two-day stay in Periyar being a miserable and pointless diversion – two nights in damp beds in a dark and depressing hotel and a wildlife walk in the nature reserve that was nothing more than an awful tramp through a leech-infested quagmire with no wildlife. The stay on the backwaters houseboat was good but too brief, essentially being three hours on one afternoon (the boats have to moor for the night at 5.30pm) and an hour the following morning. The last three days at Kovalum are mainly free and this is too much downtime at the end; this essentially became just time to kill with little to do while waiting for the flight home.

Most Inspirational Moment

The walk in the tea plantations and hills around Munnar was exceptional.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Mixed - the group leader was unclear in terms if explanations and in a number of cases seemed deliberately misleading - for example, the trip notes referred to the wildlife walk in Periyar being before breakfast (which is what I would have expected to see animals), however the guide changed the time to late morning and when I challenged this he told me and the rest if the group there were no early walks. When we arrived at the park we met people returning from early walks. This led me to doubt the veracity of everything he told us thereafter.

Advice for Potential Travellers

For the walk in Munnar be prepared for an excellent but surprisingly strenuous walk. In Periyar take waterproof boots as the trail is very muddy and leech-infested - two of our group were bitten by leeches, one badly who was bleeding profusely. Be prepared for VERY slow service in restaurants and hotels - in Periyar we waited over half an hour just for a coffee at breakfast.

Reviewed September 2013

DOLOMITES, LAKE GARDA & VENICE RIDE

We did not want this holiday to finish! The scenery is excellent and the towns visited are really interesting. We loved the local food and our tour leader arranged for us to stop in excellent cafes and restaurants. Our group covered both seasoned cyclists and first timers and we all got on very well. The route mainly follows quiet local roads and cycle paths, and when we did encounter traffic, we found the Italian drivers to be very considerate of cyclists. I wished UK drivers were the same!

Most Inspirational Moment

Lake Garda is so beautiful and Venice is magnificent. All of the towns we stayed in were historic and interesting.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Michele Quaresimin was an excellent tour leader and went out of his way to make this such a good holiday for all our group. He ensured that the holiday ran smoothly and quickly sorted out any problems that arose. He grew up in this area and knows it so well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This trip is a very good introduction to both Italy and cycling holidays.

Reviewed September 2013

CLASSIC DOLOMITES

Just back from a very enjoyable week in the Dolomites. Using Villabassa as a base was clever not only because of its location but also for the comfortable and well run Hotel Adler. I have been on other exodus trips and I have to say that it keeps getting better and better. A Big Thanks to Carl our excellent leader and to Christian and Helene Pircher and staff at the Adler -purveyors of everything that is good about Sudtirol.

Most Inspirational Moment

For me it has to be reaching the top of Monte Piano after an enjoyable and entertaining climb up. The splendour that greeted us was just incredible. I felt that I had arrived into another world, trodden on sacred ground and was left in awe of the surroundings. Carl explained things very well indeed and kept us safe and entertained along the way. It was a poignant moment when we stopped at a point on the way up where lay the graves of some fallen heros of the brutal action during the war. There were red sanctuary lamps beside each rough woodden cross, showing that they had not been forgotten where they had fallen , in that inhospitable spot. As we walked through the trenches and visited observation posts, Carl very knowledgably explained what had happened there. He brought us over to the little war museum on the mountain. It left me with a sense of just how savage and cruel the kind of fighting must have been for the soldiers of both sides.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Carl was an excellent leader. Very approachable when you had a difficulty. He is well qualified and it was plain to see that he is a past master of mountaincraft. As a result, I felt very safe throughout the trip and had no worries. He was also very entertaining and it was like listening to David Attenborough as he spoke in quiet tones about some marmots that appeared in the vicinity. For his knowledge of the surroundings, its botany, geography and the manner he presented it, I would describe him as a scholar and a gentleman. The weather was not ideal the first two days but we got sound advice with regard to our gear and equipment, what to expect and what to do about it. Things came right after day two and Carl explained about how to cope with the heat and sun. Overall he proved himself to be a man for all seasons. I would go up any mountain with Carl. Next time it will be a grade C and I am even dreaming about a via ferrata.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes, regarding pace. Carl set an easy pace but some of the group appeared to lag behind splitting the group from time to time. I could hear them complain on two occasions that they felt that the pace was too fast for them. However I walked to the front and back of the group and made a point of checking their pace against the leader's and found it to be the same. All they had to do was follow Carls instructions when he asked them several times to walk directly behind him in front especially when setting off after each break. If you do that then it is you who will set the pace for the group. The leader is trained not to go any faster than the people behind him are going. Its also not a race to the top. I could hear him explain all of that that many times. You need to take heed of the leaders instructions and also not dally about after everyone has started off -unless of course you need a comfort stop.

Prev 1 … 1,107 1,108 1,109 1,110 1,111 … 1,435 Next