Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The wonderful Indian people who couldn't do enough for us!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Santosh Kumar was an inspired leader who with dilligence and humour lead us on this fantastic adventure. Santosh went out of his way to ensure that every individual had a fantastic holiday, he was kind and fair to all and the whole group got on like a house in fire, due to his great attention to detail. A star!!!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Expect anything and everything on this trip, don't ever go on an Exodus holiday and expect to follow the itinerary, the holiday's themselves always turn out to be much better.

Suggestions

Another amazing Exodus holiday for us! We have been on at least four and they have all been amazing, We wouldn't go with anyone else! Everything has always been superb and we have met friends for life on these trips. Bring on the next one!!!!!!!

Most Inspirational Moment

Without doubt, making it to base camp. On the day you walk up there, you are feeling sleep deprived, tired, possibly sick and then sense of achievement and relief at making it is fantastic. Also, just walking through the mountains and seeing the beautiful snow covered peaks.On top of that the members of the group were brilliant and all helped each other get there and back. It was great to see everyone achieve their ambition.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Uggs was great and as promised very lucky. Lukla Airport had been shut for 6 days before we flew in and 6 days before we flew out. He assured us that he always got his groups in and out on time, and against all the odds we did keep exactly to schedule. The entire team were brilliant from the leader, to the rest of the guides and our yak man. They all showed great patience and gave encouragement when needed to help you get up sections if you were struggling.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just do it. Prepare yourself though, and the more fitness you attain the less you will suffer ;-) Apart from EBC day, the other days are not too long, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. As the guides put it, if you can manage day 2 of the trek, you can manage all of it!!I took Diamox with me (just in case) but didn't need to take it. Paracetemol, ibruprofen and cold & flu tablets are enough to get you through. Don't forget your strepsils though as the Khumbu cough is a matter of when not if. 

Suggestions

There is quite a lot of sitting around once you reach the next tea house to give you a chance to acclimatise and recover so take cards, books etc with you.The food was way better than I expected if a little carbtastic. You can also meet all your junkfood needs all the way to 5,400m as Pringles, Twix's and Mars Bars are available all the way up!! 

Most Inspirational Moment

We really enjoyed the optional trip down to the very tip of India. I would recommend that that day be part of the itinerary. The wooden palace en route was amazing, and the island off the coast where the three seas meet was just wonderful. The ferry was an experience not to be missed.The houseboat was very well appointed and the food excellent with such an attenetive crew. The views as we cruised the backwaters were a delight = very restful and romantic.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Gopal was lovely. Kind efficient and very thorough. He was very good at making sure we enjoyed all sorts of culinary delights. It was our third trip  to India but he found us different tasty meals that we had not tasted before.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You know leeches are not so bad. Inconvenient but not life threatening!!

Suggestions

I did complete a more informed review in September with proper place names etc but it dissappeared and obviously failed to send. After spending ages with ny map getting the place names spelt properly etc I was disinclined to do it again, But I did not want you to think that we did not have a good time because we did. It was a wonderful holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting a Berber family for tea, bread, cheese and cakes.  So welcoming, so friendly.  So generous with their smiles and humour

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excelent.  Extremely good at his job.  It was a pleasure to meet him.  Very caring.  A good organiser and team member. A fantastic snse of numour  - understanding our jokes.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go as sson as yopu can.Take warm clothes for the Gite (this is in the trip notes).Take some souvenirs/pictures from your part of the World for the Berber family - pencils etc for the children Buy a carpet for lonmg time meories.  Haggle, haggle, haggle in the souks. .

Suggestions

Didn't rate BMI at all.  Very poor communication when the plane failedto takje off.  Then the next day we were bounced onto another airlines flight to Gatwick not Heathrow!   All promises about incurred expenses, but no £ yet,However the trip was so good we won't let BMI detract from our great memories.

Most Inspirational Moment

India. Its a country of such contrasts, history, friendly people, sights, poverty, the contriductions of modern New Delhi versus Old Delhi. The Amber Fort, Jaipur and the Taj Mahal are obvious highlights.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The organisation was very effectifient and able to cope with the minor mishaps you expect on these trips.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check the temperature averages for time of year you are travelling, December and January is close to freezing overnight in Rajasthan and therefore the unheated hotels are very cold at night. Also some mornings when the majority of the cycling is done were foggy.

Suggestions

The day in Jaipur should be one of the highlights of the trip but you will be forced to spend more time at a shopping complex and an awful dull over-priced tourist lunch stop than you will at the Amber Fort. In our case the Amber Fort was a rushed march around the main complex with no time to explore any of the surrounding points of interest. Thankfully as a group we subsequently refused the other commission laden "shopping opportunities" we offered.

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day was inspirational for me, i've always wanted to go Great Wall when i first saw it on telly as a kid, can't believe i've done it. The view is so breath taking, everyday was a different section of the wall and different scenery. The people/family running the guest house are lovely and friendly. Food is great out there, so many choices.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Group leader Danny was brill, always smiling and joking around, very approachable, deserves a big raise!!!A trip well planned out and not just a group leader but was apart of our team.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a plastic knife with you for when you stay in guest house, spreading peanut butter on toast with a chopstick was another experience  but a great laugh.

Suggestions

If your thinking about doing this trip, don't think anymore, just book it, you won't regret it!!!

Most Inspirational Moment

Pompeii....or the Walk of the Gods....stunning scenary and amazing history.

Thoughts on Group Leader

She was fab.  Incredibly knowledgable and very friendly.  Kept the group together well without being overbearing.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Very good choice for either a new Exodus traveller to see what it's all about or a great shorter break for a seasoned Exodus traveller (like myself).

Suggestions

Tiny, tiny criticism would be that we spent a little too much time waiting around for transport in Amalfi.  Apart from that fantastic trip, I was really lucky I had such a good group too and a great guide, covered everything I wanted to see and got to eat some really nice food and wine too!

Most Inspirational Moment

First site of a tiger when we where just driving through Bandhavgarh NP.Taja Mahal was an amazing sight and experience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He couldn't have been better. Arranging activities (indian weddings, cooking in the hotels) above and beyond the call of duty. Sympathetic beyond expectation when we were not seeing any tigers. Joining in your joy and amazement when you did. Handling what could have been a difficult situation with professionalism when the train to Delhi was delayed by 8 hours, he kept us fully informed of what was happening from the moment he new there could be a problem - 3 days prior to the delay.

Advice for Potential Travellers

A very full on tour, lots of early mornings, and long days of travelling. Do not expect any luxury on the trains, they are very basic with little privacy, but are an experience not to be missed. Tigers are a rarity to be seen and expect to spend alot of time on safari not seeing much especially tigers. But when you finally see one it is well worth the effort as you feel so privaledged to see such an amazing and elusive creature and to spend time with them.

Suggestions

A very full on tour, lots of early mornings, and long days of travelling. Do not expect any luxury on the trains, they are very basic with little privacy, but are an experience not to be missed. Tigers are a rarity to be seen and expect to spend alot of time on safari not seeing much especially tigers. But when you finally see one it is well worth the effort as you feel so privaledged to see such an amazing and elusive creature and to spend time with them.

Most Inspirational Moment

I was quite surprised by how awe inspired i was by Machupichu, its a place that you think you semi know prior to arrival as its been photographed so many times and plastered here there and everywhere, but being the last people walking in it at sun down was incredibly magical

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rene was natural charmer, managed to appease the groups uncertainties before we even knew we would have them, 10/10

Suggestions

Flights were a problem, missed connections (not exodus fault, but continentals) and not checked in on return flight so my very nervous partner had to sit apart from me on the flight home andthis caused much distress on both journeys, would recomend booking direct flights rather than exodus package.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the top of Onapeia (excuse spelling!) was a high point in terms of views and the challenge of aiming for a summit. I equally enjoyed the off track routes dodging, or not!, the trees and overhanging branches through the forest. I had a birthday whilst on holiday and Ilse had noticed this and made an effort to make sure I felt special that day which was a lovely quite unexpected gesture.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ilse and Mary led the group. Mary's patience with technique coaching saw me get my first ski award. Ilse knows the area and local snow conditions better than the back of her hand and is a natural teacher inspiring confidence in the most fretful amateur. The morning warm ups are ridiculously fun, and worth the effort for jiggling aching muscles into action.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware that this is very much a centre that welcomes families and groups. If you want to have a quiet dinner for two, maybe book elsewhere, but we love the warm relaxed camaraderie of shared stories over the evening meal, comparing ever more exaggerated tales of the days events. Alcohol is expensive in Norway, there is opportunity to buy a beer at the lodge but you may want to consider calling into duty free before you leave the UK. You will need gaiters if you don't want boots full of melting powder snow. Take something to entertain you in the evening, if you're awake that long.

Suggestions

We booked one of the cabins for two people, which I would say is a very expensive supplement, but had fab views of Gausta. We had great cooks at the time we were there, vegetarian food was unusually good for this part of the world and the granola cereal speciality made by Mette should be available as an export!