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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14253 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Craig Mitchell

Reviewed March 2023

Annapurna Circuit – Trip of a Lifetime.

This trip was an arduous but ultimately very fulfilling trek round 158 miles of some of the most beautiful scenery in Nepal. Luckily, we had no rain and most of the time walked in bright and glorious sunshine.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing dawn breaking from the summit of Poon Hill towards the end of the trek. It really took your breath away, both the climb and the views. On the summit the full majesty of the Annapurna massif was gradually revealed in all its splendour.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I have been on a few adventure treks over the years and I can honestly say that Sukman Tamang is the best trek leader and guide that I have ever had. I don’t say that lightly, but he is head and shoulders above the rest. Right from the start when he welcomed us all in Kathmandu, his radiant smile and outgoing personality shone through. He made every individual on that trip feel special as well as expertly looking after the group as a whole, whether they were trekkers, assistant guides or Sherpas. He was enthusiastic, likeable and, most importantly, a great communicator. He was able to share his extensive knowledge of Nepal and the Annapurna region in an engaging, interactive and entertaining way. He was able to give us a fascinating insight into Nepal’s rich history and culture. And each evening he was able to deliver an excellent and informative briefing about the following day’s itinerary and everybody knew what to expect. His organisational skills were outstanding, which was no easy feat trying to balance the needs of 16 trekkers and as many guides and Sherpas as well. He kept an eye on everyone’s welfare and I noticed that he checked on everyone in the group on a daily basis. And if anything unexpected happened he remained calm and dealt with the situation in a patient and methodical manner, whether it was someone with a cut on the head, an injured knee or someone forgetting to bring their micro spikes on the Thorong La pass. One of the main reasons that everyone seemed to be enjoying the trip was down to Sukman’s sense of humour. His ready smile and quick wit led to everyone feeling relaxed and comfortable even during the toughest days. Sukman’s hard work and professionalism went a long way towards making the trek for all of us so rewarding and fulfilling. That is what makes him such a great tour guide.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you were worried about the altitude I would recommend that you consider taking beetroot capsules as a preventative measure. The naturally occurring nitric oxide in beetroot increases the amount of oxygen in the blood and can help reduce the risk of acute mountain sickness (AMS) at high altitude. I would always seek proper medical advice before taking any supplements, but they certainly worked for me.

Alan Carter

Reviewed March 2023

Beware the Lorries and Dusty Roads

Be prepared for heavy vehicle traffic and lots of poor roads with Dust prevalent. Cycling Laos is for strong cyclists more interested in getting from A to B than taking in the scenery, local customs and culture. I have done several Exodus cycling holidays and this was the most demanding (correctly graded) but least rewarding trip I have done. The trip would be greatly improved by a change from the key roads to more circular trips that can use the back roads. The very full distance and set sight seeing agenda means early morning starts, combined with late finishes leaving little time to dawdle or do anything other than go out to eat in the evening. Unusually, I was probably the weakest cyclist in this lovely group which meant I never had time to stop to take photographs or take in the views. After the day’s cycling and the transfers, by the time we got to the overnight stays (all of a good standard for this kind of trip) you barely had time to freshen up and prepare for the next day before you were out to dinner and then early to bed for next early start. There was little or no time to take in the delights described in the trip notes. The roads are misleadingly described as being “often to yourself” and does not mention the fairly constant presence of heavy lorries. When these lorries or other fast traffic combines with the deteriorating roads you will have to put up with the dust. Our trip was just after the rice harvest (in some areas there are two) and crop burning meant there was a constant grey haze (even after a full night of rain) obliterating the potentially amazing views of rural Laos. I would recommend you do not go on the late Feb departure and check current forecasts of the harvest time. If you are looking for rural rides and time to take in the scenery I would suggest looking at other trips altogether. All cyclists take note of the grading for this trip and, unless you are a strong cyclist, consider an e-bike.

Most Inspirational Moment

Some good views, interesting monuments eg theWhite palace. Boat and train trips nice variations to travel.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Good, showed expert local knowledge.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If flying direct from UK be prepared to wait for hotel to accept checkin. Planned arrival is 10am, rooms not available until after mid-day. our group’s not ready till nearly 2.00 Be prepared for regular 80km days with some steep climbs. Good for keen club cyclists. Check when the rice harvest is and avoid going shortly after when crop fires leave a grey pall over the landscape obliterating the potentially lovely views.

david irwin

Reviewed March 2023

Cycling in the Cape

This was a treat for us. Cycling in South Africa, Seeing the country and trying the wines. We did some cycling on old rental bikes, we did try some wine and we did see what a beautiful country South Africa is.

Most Inspirational Moment

The most inspirational moment was the last day cycling back to Cape Town along the coast beside the famous apostles in glorious sunshine.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was fine as a group leader but not as cycling guide. He was never prepared for punctures or bike malfunctions. It was obvious that he had done this cycling tour for three months. He knew the route and where to go for evening meals but I had had enough of supermarket lunches.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Firstly there is a lot of time being transported from A to B. The Bikes are old and need to be replaced. How they can justify an extra £250 for an eBike baffles me. Beware that South Africa is a dangerous place so ask if it safe to go out on your for a walk or run. You stay in some fabulous places. The down day in Hermanus is a waste when there are no Whales to see. As always with these trips the last day is the best depending on the weather

Reply from Exodus

We would like to thank David for taking the time to submit a review and were pleased to read that he enjoyed South Africa in general. On the other hand, we were genuinely sorry to hear that he was disappointed by the leadership and several other aspects of his tour. The leader assigned to this departure has been working with Exodus for 6 years, during which time he has led 25 trips and amassed a lot of positive feedback from our clients. Whilst we expect leaders to be familiar with the equipment, they are mostly focused on the general logistics of the tour, which is why our cycling tours feature mechanics who are on-hand to address any issues with the bikes and inspect them after every ride. We understand that your mechanic doubled up as your driver and we can confirm that he has vast experience working in these roles for Exodus and other tour operators. We find that this arrangement works well, although we are sorry if you felt your leader could have offered more support. We regret that David was also disappointed with the quality of the bikes, particularly as the bikes allocated to his group were just 2 years old at the time and had only been used on 3 tours. These bikes were checked by our local manager before being distributed to your group and he has assured us that they were in pristine condition. In terms of the cost of the e-bikes, these are extremely expensive to purchase and maintain and we can confirm that the prices we charge for this option are reflective of the costs we incur to use them. To cover as much of this large country as possible and avoid cycling on busy roads, this trip involves some transfer time in a vehicle, however, almost half of the total distance is spent on the bikes along quieter, more scenic routes. We find that many clients enjoy the transition between bikes and vehicle, as it allows people to recover, whilst still taking in the views, although we are sorry that this was not David’s experience. We would not wish for any of our clients to feel unsafe on our trips so we were concerned to read David’s comments about his time in South Africa. Whilst we advise clients to take caution in all the countries we operate trips in, our local manager, who has resided in South Africa for many decades, has assured us that all the places visited on this itinerary are safe to walk around. This trip’s average rating of 4.5/5* suggests that most of our clients enjoy it, which we find reassuring, although we would not wish to downplay David’s disappointment on this occasion. We sincerely hope that he affords us another chance on a future trip.

John Penge, Product Manager

David Clark

Reviewed March 2023

Cycling

Good trip

Thoughts on Group Leader

Knowledgeable and very helpful

Les Foote

Reviewed March 2023

Holiday cycling in Thailand and Laos

Having been on several Exodus cycling trips before this one, I found Laos disappointing as the roads are dominated by fast paced lorries supporting the building of the Chinese railroad and consequent trade. The lorries kick up a storm of dust as they pass you in both directions, and they have created bad road conditions and ruined the experience of travelling through rural villages. The trip notes, although revised just before our holiday, are misleading and do not tell the true story. Some of the bus transfers are long and hilly and windy. If you are prone to travel sickness, take your tablets. The days of Laos cycling nearly ruined the adventure for me, but there is so much more to experience. Maybe a change of location in Laos would be a good idea, perhaps staying closer to the first border crossing.

Most Inspirational Moment

The cycling was good when not on busy dusty roads, the guides and support staff very helpful and attentive, some of the overnight stops really enjoyable. The Thai and Laos food is really tasty, particularly the lunches provided in small local cafes. The day of rest was a Slow Boat along the Mekong, very enjoyable (apart from the obligatory cultural stop to visit a rural setting where the villagers were encouraged to sell their wares to us though no warning this would happen). The overnight train was a good experience and much more comfortable than I had expected, though don't expect a party or to be able to look out of the window.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was Rit, very knowledgeable and keen to answer questions. He had been a Buddhist monk for 10 years so we learned a lot from him when we visited temples.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for the very busy dusty roads that are broken: take good face protection. The cycling is certainly moderate to challenging, hilly and fast paced.

David & Carolyne F

Reviewed March 2023

Maximum Damage

We had the most fantastic cycling trip around Sri Lanka recently. Everything went to plan from the meet at the airport to the departure 2 weeks later. Each days cycling offered new experiences & sights – the scenery & wildlife was as varied and stunning as you could wish for. The hotels were of a very good quality & the food throughout the trip was both plentiful and of a high quality. We ate at some fantastic local restaurants which offered a real insight into the fantastic Sri Lankan cuisine. Our group gelled from Day 1 and this really helped make the trip memorable. The cycling was incredibly enjoyable and whilst stretching on a couple of days most reasonably fit people would easily cope with each days cycling. Our group leader Suresh was the most inspirational guide a group could wish for – extremely organised, very funny and used his extensive local knowledge to make the trip highly enjoyable. His support team were excellent providing back up bikes, food/water, transport & guidance – real unsung heroes. This was our first cycling holiday – would we recommend this trip – undoubtedly & we are planning our next one for 2024. The phrase Maximum Damage was used extensively by our excellent guide Suresh when we sat down to a buffet !

Most Inspirational Moment

The cycle from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya was both physically testing but incredibly rewarding to see such stunning scenery en route. It was real group effort and some went on e bikes whilst others did the last leg in the support bus but we all made it - what a day. The other magical & unplanned sight was seeing elephants in the wild by the side of the road - amazing to see them in the natural habitat

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh was inspirational. Nothing was to much trouble & he used his years of local knowledge & contacts to take us to places that were not on the beaten track. His choice of restaurants was fantastic, his knowledge of the area was impeccable and he lead the support team incredibly well. Health & safety was a high priority (without being OTT boring). I would highly recommend him as a group leader

Alex Neely

Reviewed March 2023

Excellent

The trip was excellently led from start to finish, everyday an adventure and a challenge. Expectations exceeded. Would recommend. The group I was with were very inclusive. As a single male one is always aware of being able to fit in. A good mix

Most Inspirational Moment

I didn't think of the trip like that, it was all very enlightening. Sri Lanka and it's people I suppose and the warmth that the group leader brought to it. After the years he'd done it, he still managed to Inspire that in us.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Really good, friendly and caring. He was never off duty, always available..

Advice for Potential Travellers

It will be good, don't worry about your ability. The bikes are hybrids and if the hills are too much, just get in the bus.

Anna Rossington

Reviewed March 2023

Great trip

Really enjoyed cycling in Morocco – especially areas off the beaten track. Fantastic scenery, great guides and really friendly people

Most Inspirational Moment

Hard to choose - but probably the scenery around Tafraoute

Thoughts on Group Leader

Abderrahim and Hassan Idmansour were great - really helpful, full of interesting information, always making sure we were well fed, watered and enjoying the whole experience (Our salad lunches were awesome)

Advice for Potential Travellers

It was getting hot already (March) so be aware the expected temp when you travel

Martin Killey

Reviewed March 2023

Wilderness week

Excellent trip definitely recommend it

Most Inspirational Moment

Dog sledding

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good leadership

Advice for Potential Travellers

All outdoor clothing provided and kept you warm

Alan Taylor

Reviewed March 2023

Spectacular scenery, Bitingly cold, Eye-watering prices

First holiday in three years for us and a different style too – we usually go on trekking/activity type holidays so a ‘tour’ was all a bit different. Had a great time, Iceland in March is impressive and the tour covers the whole island and visits all the ‘classic’ sites.

Most Inspirational Moment

Just the scenery, different all around the island.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jon was hugely knowledgeable about every corner of Iceland and went out of his way to make everyone happy. Even awkward sods like us who wanted to disappear off and look for plastic tubs under rocks (If you know, you know!)

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you're going in March, dress warm. Really warm. Really really warm. I've never been so cold in my life, and I've done a weeks dogsledding in Sweden which included camping when it was -45C. Don't know what other seasons are like but the clue's in the name - Iceland. Be prepared to spend lots of dosh on lunch, dinner and beer. For two of us, food + drink was another £750 on the price of the holiday, Take cards, no one uses cash. WiFi is good at all hotels and mobile reception was consistently better then we've got in Surrey.

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