Most Inspirational Moment
Ascent of Jebel Aklim and views from the tops.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Very experienced and sensitive to the needs of the group.
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
Undiscovered Atlas Trek
Well organised trip. Great group of people to spend a week with, and really excellent support from the trek leader and his team. Thank you all for a very enjoyable week! Domestic Arrangements: The food produced in camp was excellent – astonishing what was produced on two camping stoves! The team were super efficient setting up camp, breaking camp and providing food and drink in camp. Comfortable sleeping mats were provided, which was great. However, the toilet tent arrangement (chemical loo) was basically totally inadequate for the number of trekkers (13) and the support team, and Exodus needs to pay some attention to this aspect (and move to composting toilets?). The scenery is spectacular and you don’t meet other trekking groups. Although it was often quite rough underfoot (and boots with ankle support were therefore necessary), the actual trekking was quite tame for the grading given by exodus.
Fabulous holiday
We very much enjoyed this holiday, due to the perfect combination of good walks, great company from our sociable group, an excellent leader and the lovely Cortijo to stay in (exclusive to Exodus). Highlights included the Sierra de Grazalema scenery, the white village of Sentenil with its cliff houses and kestrels, and the Caminito del Rey. After the walks we usually stopped at a bar with view for refreshment, and could swim in the pool, or sit comfortably outside in the shade, once returning to the Cortijo, which was very homely. It was nice to have an honesty bar and to be able to make our own hot and cold drinks at any time. The Cortijo catered well for our dieteryneeds.
Most Inspirational Moment
The mountain views, the village of Sentenil, dinner on the lodge's patio with the views, learning from our expert guide, chatting and laughing with our fellow travellers.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Michael was a wonderful leader, being extremely knowledgable and passionate about Andalucia and the environment. He frequently stopped on the walks to point out plants and flowers and explained how they were used for food, medicine and farming. He was also an expert birdwatcher - we saw Griffin vultures, glimpses of eagles, bee-eaters and others. Michael's background from living extensively in both England and Spain meant he was able to explain the culture and differences from our perspective, and also to join in with our sense of humour. He was very proactive in organising walks and trips, and looked after us very well.
A wonderful trip across five states that immerses you in the music, cuisine and culture of America’s Deep South.
This trip promised a lot on paper, and delivered so much more in reality, exceeding my expectations. Our group leader managed to cram so much in, while at the same time allowing a nice degree of freedom for us to do our own exploration and choose our own optional activities. The tour began with a deeply moving and affecting look at the civil rights movement, covering the life of Martin Luther King Jr (where he was born, the church at which he preached, his memorial garden and tomb; later on we would visit the place where he was assassinated); the slave trade and its role in creating wealth for the plantation owners and the country as a whole; and the continued oppression of the freed slaves after the Civil War and their struggle for basic human rights. As we went on, the focus shifted toward the music that was created on the plantations, the way it developed and seeped into mainstream culture in America before spreading across the world. While this was very informative and educational, there were plenty of lighter moments too and we were a great group who had a lot of laughs along the way. As well as visiting sites that were significant to the music history, there were opportunities to hear live music – jazz, blues and country – at many locations from New Orleans to Nashville. A wonderful experience that we will continue to savour for a very long time.
Most Inspirational Moment
It has to be day 8 on the itinerary, which I named “Super Saturday”: the day we left Clarksdale for Memphis, going down to the Crossroads at Clarksdale where legend has it Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil for the gift of music; spending 4 hours at Graceland visiting Elvis’ house and the extensive collection of memorabilia on display in the adjacent museums; an emotional visit to the historic Sun Studios to see exactly where Elvis made his first recordings; a meal of dry-rubbed ribs at Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous restaurant, a favourite of Elvis’; a walk along bustling Beale Street in the evening before dropping into The Blues City Cafe to hear real Delta blues played by Blind Mississippi Morris, then riding the trolley car back to the hotel. Days don’t get any better than that!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Invariably one of things that makes an Exodus trip such a memorable experience is the quality of its group leaders, and this trip was no exception. I must confess one or two within the group wondered if Lana Haugberg would be up to the job: relative young, petite in stature, she would be working solo as both driver and guide throughout the long trip. But any initial doubts were soon dispelled: word got round that she had just completed an ultra race in which she ran 120 miles in 24 hours, and we also learned that she is a very experienced driver, having taken television film crews across America. In the course of the trip, Lana drove 1500+ miles as well as giving us detailed information about all locations and sites visited. Lana explained all options on offer, particularly for the free days, and made herself available to support individual choices. She was careful to advise on personal safety and ensure everyone knew the safest options for transport. Nothing was too much trouble, and Lana did everything within her power to make the trip run smoothly and to give us the best possible experience. A few examples: she had put together a Spotify playlist of music appropriate to each destination and leg of the itinerary; she purchased a folding step to facilitate access in and out of the minibus, which had a high drop; and while the group was enjoying a self-guided walking tour of Natchez, she checked everyone into the hotel, unloaded the luggage and took the bags to our individual rooms so that we could all go straight there to rest after a long day on the road. She was always cheerful, attentive and responsive, able to engage with everyone in our group, and always good company.
Advice for Potential Travellers
* the itinerary may change due to circumstances: embrace the options your group leader gives you. On our trip the Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham was closed, so we took a detour to Montgomery to visit the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace & Justice, a very moving exhibition. It was not possible to book the Lynchburg option for the final day due to possible departure flight logistics, but our group leader came up with a pleasantly surprising alternative. * there will be plenty of opportunities to do your own thing at the different cities visited. * be prepare to be shocked by the amount of single-use plastics, particularly in hotels, and a lack of recycling facilities - maybe take your own travel cutlery. * try the local food and drink: have a Hurricane in NOLA, eat beignets, gumbo, jambalaya, and catfish (delicious!) there; try dry rubbed ribs in Memphis, or southern fried chicken; drink Jack Daniels in Tennessee. But there are plenty of alternatives if you fancy a change. * beware American sized portions: consider sharing with another person. Many portions are more than enough for two. * there are some long days on the road, but frequently broken up with comfort breaks and lunch stops at a variety of interesting places. Bring your own playlists and ear buds, if you like to chill out to your personal music along the way.
Amazing holiday
This was an amazing trip, with beautiful scenery, fabulous food and wine, wildlife, and some great places to stay. Would highly recommend it.
Most Inspirational Moment
I love elephants, so seeing them up close in Addo was fantastic. Along with the other wildlife there like zebras and even the dung beetles! The game dive in Schotia was also fab, we saw lion cubs feasting on a recent kill, and a very grumpy-looking buffalo. We watched the sunset from the top of Table Mountain. And visiting Robben Island was so interesting and a moving experience. Oh and the cute penguins at Boulder Beach. Dancing at Marco's African experience restaurant on the last night in Cape Town.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Petro was fantastic. Friendly, knowledgeable, excellent driver! She really looked after us. Our group only had four guests in it which meant we had much more of a personalised and flexible experience.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Definitely go for it. I went in late March/early April and the weather was perfect, although a bit breezy in Tsitsikamma. Take a torch for walking back at night there, and also for the times when the electricity goes off for a while (load shedding).
Beautiful landscapes
This was a very good trip. The landscapes of Cappadocia are truly otherworldly and like nothing I’ve ever seen. Our guide, Aykut, was very good. We had a group of 16 and while some found the walks more challenging than others, everyone seemed happy. Good pacing both on the walks and in the structure of each day. Some notes: – I am not the most surefooted walker but I was fine without hiking poles. There are some steep descents at the beginning of a few valleys but nothing very challenging after that. Some valleys are muddy so consider bringing a mud brush. – The food, though all fine, was not what I had hoped for. The lunches alternate between picnics/barbecues (which I preferred) and stops at enormous lunch buffets designed for big tour groups. There was more variety at the latter but the ambiance was not the local, authentic Turkish experience I had hoped for. Dinners alternate between restaurants and the hotel. The food consists almost invariably of cheese, bell peppers, sausage or kebabs, eggplant, mushrooms, lentil soup, and beans. While I appreciated the abundance of vegetables, everything was repetitive and a bit bland. – I didn’t take out any cash and regretted it. You need cash for some bathrooms and juice stands (try the orange and pomegranate mix). You don’t need cash for drinks at meals; they accepted cards at restaurants and in all the stores we went to. – The balloon ride was a highlight because of the views but the prices do seem to go up frequently. We were charged 300 euros, which is more than Exodus had indicated. There are 24 people crammed into a single balloon in compartments of 4 each. If you happen to arrive after the other people in your compartment, you may end up in the back with an obstructed view. The “champagne” afterward turned out to be some kind of sugary thing that looked like it would glow in the dark. – The valleys do tend to blur together a bit after day 2. If you skip a day I would recommend the one with Pancarlik Valley, Mastafapasa and Gomeda Valley. That day started with a 2-mile walk on very flat main road. – I would have felt safer if we had been given the guide’s phone number for emergencies. There is no cell service at some spots in the occasional valley but it seemed pretty good overall. – The hotel, while spacious and very clean, is obviously still working out a few kinks. Our wet towels were folded up instead of being left hanging to dry (or perhaps we were given new but not dry towels) and the breakfast buffet was seriously depleted by the time we got there if another group staying had been there earlier. The coffee was borderline undrinkable. The hotel is owned by the local company Exodus contracts (Sobek Travel) so I’m not sure how much motivation they have to improve. – And, though this is obviously beyond Exodus’ control, my final note is that, to judge from the experience of our group, Turkish Airlines flights are rarely on time. Leave a lot of time for connecting flights. I was supposed to have six hours in Istanbul and it turned out to be more like an hour.
Most Inspirational Moment
Views from the balloon and Göreme Open Air Museum (where I would have liked to have a bit more time).
Something for everyone!
A full flavoured trip, high octane with activities and culture combined. We were a group of 5 + leader.
Most Inspirational Moment
Loved the cultural immersion, even during cycling there was so much culture to bathe in. You cannot escape the cultural aspect, and you’ll learn so much about the making of different crafts, and how the indigenous communities combine their efforts to ensure their survival and that nobody in their community is left vulnerable.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Hue (Lilly) enthusiastic, sociable and shared local and historical knowledge as well as personal experience. Her organisational skills were spot on and her spoken English was excellent. In short, she went over and above to ensure we were happy and safe. She’s probably by far the best tour leader I’ve had on Exodus.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I went during the first two weeks of April so don’t underestimate the weather. The further South you go the hotter it becomes. Make sure you drink plenty of water, take a hat, sunblock, sunglasses, hand sanitiser/wet wipes, swimwear, inset repellent and a good pair of walking trainers and sandals. Take quick dry or light cotton clothing. The homestays and sleeper train provide decent bedding and mosquito nets (in former) but might want to take a sleeping bag liner. Fortunately Hue had the foresight to request gel saddle seats to save us from sore bottoms during our bike rides. Having gel seats is not a norm but can be requested by the tour leader.
Fantastic trip - unmissable for anyone who loves wild places and walking
This was a simply perfect trip from start to finish, with a group of experienced walkers and travellers, led by a charismatic guide, Xavier, through wild, remote places which appear frequently as the backdrop or subject of TV nature programmes. The vastness, emptiness and isolation of Patagonia has to be experienced to be understood – the feeling of standing on the side of a mountain range looking across hundreds of miles of wilderness and knowing there is no human there is incredible. We were fortunate to have as our Chilean guides on the W Trek, Polo, Anaïs and Cristian who did a lot more than “guide”, injecting a sense of fun even on some of the more tedious parts of the walks.
Most Inspirational Moment
A 5 minute silence on a bluff overlooking Lago Nordenskjöld to absorb fully our surroundings, ended by the crash of an avalanche on the other side of the valley ("silence" has to be understood in the Patagonian context: silent except for the never-ending wind).
Thoughts on Group Leader
Xavier was excellent, in the best tradition of outstanding Exodus guides. He is a very experienced outdoor guide, has a great sense of fun and is happy to share his encyclopedic knowledge of the social and political history, ecology and geology of Argentina and Patagonia in long trail conversations. As his main relaxation seems to be outdoor adventuring in other parts of Argentina, he is impeccably qualified to lead this trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Hope but don't expect good weather. I knew that Patagonian weather could be unpredictable and it was. On one day we had sun, hail, rain and snow and, despite this being late summer, the weather according to the guides was more like late autumn; it was especially cold on the first two days of the W Trek. If you use contact lenses, consider beforehand how you would put them in at 6 am in the half light (or total darkness) of a refuge dormitory with no mirror and nowhere to prop a phone. Don't take a poncho (aka sail) and don't bother with gaiters (the paths are all stony). The explanation in the trip notes of what rucksacks and bags to bring is confusing, but essentially you need a main suitcase (for most of your stuff), a rucksack with about 30 litres capacity or more for the W Trek and, optionally, a smaller day rucksack for the day trips (Perito Moreno and El Chalten). When you are deciding what size of rucksack to bring for the W Trek, bear in mind you will need to leave room for the generous gift of a sleeping bag liner, 1 litre water bottle and travel towel.
Beautiful Sardinia
This was one of the best trips I’ve done. I fell in love with Sardinia. It’s a beautiful, unspoilt island with lovely coastal beaches and soaring mountains.. April is the perfect month to go. The weather was good and the country was lush and green. Some lovely flowers along our walks. The walks are varied and require a reasonable level of fitness. I enjoyed the visit to the archeological sites too. There were 8 people in our group and we all got on really well from day one. We had lots of fun and laughs. The local people, like our bus driver, were amazing. So hospitable and friendly. The trip was really well organised, exactly what I would expect from Exodus.
Most Inspirational Moment
I loved our walk in Canyon Gorropu. We visited the cave called Grotto Ispinigoli which was amazing, although I only viewed it from above. On the final day we took a boat from Cala Gonone to some caves and then climbed up on to the cliff top. This was a lovely walk with beautiful views down to the sea. One day we went to Orosei where we had lunch on the beach. There was nobody else about and it felt like paradise. Lots of inspiring moments.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We couldn't have had a better group leader. Michele was the best!! He was very knowledgeable about the country and shared this with us. He was fun and joined in with the group. I struggled a couple of times on the walks because I am not good with heights but he was encouraging and supportive, he helped me to overcome my fears, as did other members of the group. He made the trip enjoyable and interesting. BGLE!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Definitely do this trip! Go to see Giovanni at the gelataria in Dorgali. His ice cream is the best! April is a great month to visit Sardinia.
Outstanding trip!
This was our 4th Exodus trip, and second Cycling Vietnam trip (first one was in 2009). It was a chance to revisit fabulous Vietnam, as well as paying tribute to a recently deceased relative who was born in Saigon. It was an amazing couple of weeks with a great group of people.
Most Inspirational Moment
Learning more about Buddhism was inspirational for me. Finding out how several generations of families live in one house, supporting and caring for eachother is truly heart warming. Family is everything to Vietnamese people. Our leader Linh Vo fascinated us with personal stories of his life as a child and the struggles within his family when the country was at war.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Linh was the best trip leader ever! He was supported by a very efficient crew, and they looked after us so well. Linh is funny, warm, friendly and knowledgeable. When 2 members of our group were ill, he ensured they had the correct medication and food/drink to aid their recovery. Linh was never off duty. He made sure all the group's dietary needs and allergies were catered for at every establishment. Nothing was too much trouble for him - from finding ATM's, phone shops, jewellers, whatever we needed. He is totally committed to the members of his group, and is a fine ambassador for Exodus. Anyone lucky enough to have Linh as their leader has struck gold! The icing on the cake was his fantastic stories, songs and guitar playing. Talking of cakes, Linh even organised a special dinner for my birthday on the trip, complete with personalised cake and candles!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take lots of chamois cream and padded shorts. Pack light, mix and match clothes (laundry can be done in Hoi An) Use a manageable case/bag, as you are on the move most days & big cases are not best for the overnight train Don't be afraid to order an e-bike. I found it a blessing as I'm waiting for a knee replacement and it helped me comfortably complete all rides (totalling almost 500K)
Everest and its luscious landscape
Regarding the Everest base camp trek, It was in one simple word Breath-taking. Over the 2 weeks we got to see the incredible Sagarmatha national park in all its glory, we lucked out as it was sunny throughout and seeing the picturesque landscape is something to behold. From the Alpine forests of the lower valley passing the milky river. To the highlands of the Khumbu Glacier en route to Base camp. Every step is something special.
Most Inspirational Moment
Walking through the entrance of Sagarmatha national park and seeing the incredible valley for the 1st time and randomly having hundreds of dragonfly's pass by as we entered, felt like we entered a mythical world.
Thoughts on Group Leader
DB was a very gracious, outstanding and knowledgeable leader, who great to talk with and know the valley like the back of his hand