Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

After the 5 km hill we had a beautiful view overlooking the countryside and fun hills to coast down afterwards.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I thought Rita did a good job for the most part. She slipped up a few times by not telling us the correct kilometres to ride when we would set out on our own as she had to stay back with slower cyclists and that led to some confusion. Joao was fantastic. He works so hard yet makes it look easy. He was always very cheerful and has a very kind aura about him. His english is perfect. I think he would be a huge asset to your company if you put him in charge of the tours.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking along the Verdon Gorge--high cliffs with amazing blue-green water below.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Isabelle was amazing. She brought the personal knowledge and insight that only someone who lives in this department (Alpes de Haute Provence) could provide. She knows about nature and geology and art and history and food and contemporary issues. We ran into people she knows. Because of her we were invited into the 16th century home of a Frenchman who provides studio space to artists in residence. She shared figs plucked that morning from her own fig tree and offered us local pastries. She is warm and friendly and able to easily connect with everyone in the group. So many Exodus group leaders are impressive. Isabelle ranks among the top.

Advice for Potential Travellers

While most of the walking is indeed a Level 2, there are a few steep ascents/descents, so poles can be helpful for some.

Most Inspirational Moment

Our guide, Michele, new Venice very well and was able to avoid the crowds and show us parts of the city that we would not otherwise see. Other highlights were swimming in Lake Caldaro and Lake Garda.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Michele was excellent. He was knowledgeable, kept us safe, and went above and beyond what was necessary to ensure that we had an excellent time.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do check that you are able to cycle the distances and do follow the training programme that Exodus provides. Accept that you may have to visit some of the towns again to fully appreciate their history and culture.

Most Inspirational Moment

Summitting Mt Kinabalu, a very tough climb, even in the good conditions we had.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had two leaders, Wye who was fantastic and really gelled with the team. She was very knowledgeable and really helped make the Malaysian part of the holiday great fun. Jeffery seemed very nervous and unsure at times but was helpful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This should be a "Challenging" holiday rather than moderate / challenging. The heat and humidity really makes it tough at times and having an unfit member in the team slowed it down a lot for everyone else. Attendees should definitely be fit and do a lot of waking in UK beforehand, something our slow member said she hadn't done. Sepilok Jungle resort is basic, even though we were upgraded to superior rooms.

Most Inspirational Moment

Arriving at The Sun Gate at the end of The Inca Trail.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Holger was brilliant. He was very knowledgeable, looked after us really well and was really friendly.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Credit cards are widely accepted throughout Peru although dollars are needed to pay for excursions, tips and souvenirs.

Most Inspirational Moment

Summitting Mt Kinabalu, a very tough climb, even in the good conditions we had.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had two leaders, Wye who was fantastic and really gelled with the team. She was very knowledgeable and really helped make the Malaysian part of the holiday great fun. Jeffery seemed very nervous and unsure at times but was helpful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This should be a "Challenging" holiday rather than moderate / challenging. The heat and humidity really makes it tough at times and having an unfit member in the team slowed it down a lot for everyone else. Attendees should definitely be fit and do a lot of waking in UK beforehand, something our slow member said she hadn't done. Sepilok Jungle resort is basic, even though we were upgraded to superior rooms.

Most Inspirational Moment

Watching wild European Brown bears in their natural surroundings and visiting bears at Europe's largest brown bear sanctuary- learning about how many suffered from conditions in captivity was quite emotional. We found several fire salamanders, a Common European viper (Adder), European firebugs and many species of fungi. I also spotted a Lesser Spotted Eagle, Black Redstarts, Chiffchaff, Ravens, Wood Sandpiper, Caspian gull, Little Stint, Black Stork and a Green as well as a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Thomas was a very friendly, organised and flexible leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You can pay for your drinks and bear hide in £s or Euro at Villa Hermani. Change your money in Brasov's exchange shops as the rate is so much better than at home and in the airport. Take binoculars for bears and birds. Learn about your camera settings. A sandwich box is useful. I took my own travel kettle and tea bags to make my own drinks. If you love wildlife, wildflowers and fungi this is a great trip. Wildflowers are best earlier in the year (May-June-August).

Most Inspirational Moment

There were quite a few, but a clear highlight was walking through the sun lit Sun Gate then witnessing the majestic Machu Picchu hovering in the distance. After a hard few hours trekking on the Inca Trail, words fail to describe what it was like seeing it for the first time as you end up looking at it in stunned silence. No one was really talking, they were just looking at Machu Picchu, taking pictures but mostly just sitting trying to take it all in. Walking around Machu Picchu, seeing the scale of the construction throughout the valley and other Inca sites along the trail and around Cusco with its history, really helped put it in context. Kayaking through the mangroves to then have a friendly sea lion pop up, playfully swim around the boat - just as interested in me as I was of him. Being eyeball to "bright blue" eyeball with a flightless cormorant whilst on the rib, up close to Galapagos penguins on land and in the sea and snorkelling with thousands of fish, gigantic turtles and dragon-like marine iguanas - happily munching on seaweed under water.

Thoughts on Group Leader

In Peru we had Will, who was friendly, enthusiastic and keen to help us sample Peru in the short time we had there. We were only a small group of 5 people, it made for a great dynamic and fun time. In Machu Picchu, we had Tina as our guide on the Inca Trail and around the site itself for the second day. She was great fun, vast knowledge of Peru, wildlife and the history of Machu Picchu. In Ecuador, we had Raul who taught us the history of Ecuador and showed us the delights of the old town in Quito - highlight was the Basilica with its epic stained glass and views across the city. In the Galapagos our naturalist guide was Juan, extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic, well organized and a please to talk too. He also does a good turn with the guitar! As always the guides were fantastic and really helped us understand their countries, helping us "experience" rather than just feel we were "just visiting".

Advice for Potential Travellers

When booking , ask to do the one day Inca Trail. It was a tough walk but seeing Winay Wayna on the way to Machu Picchu was great and physically experiencing the landscape really enforces the emotion you will feel seeing Machu Picchu for the first time. If you can do it, don't miss out! In September, if you want to snorkel, try to take your own mask for a good fit and basic wetsuit gloves and rash vest if suffer from cold. We did have wetsuits from the boat. Take ear plugs as the boat is not exactly quiet when chugging along (especially at night).

Most Inspirational Moment

There were lots of stand out moments but if we have to pick one it would be the game walks in the Okavango Delta. There were so many animals (hippos and elephants mainly) just a few minutes from our camp. The whole journey to get to the wild camp was peaceful and a fantastic way to build up the anticipation of visiting this magical environment, drifting along the waterways being steered by our poler. Even though we saw Vic Falls in the dry season this was still absolutely spectacular. I had originally considered a trip just to Botswana but I'm really glad I chose this combination trip instead, seeing the rhinos and the falls in Zim. We had also considered seeing the falls from Zambia - its way better from the Zimbabwe side.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Adonia (Ado) was great fun and made a real effort to get the group to gel together. He was open and realistic about his homeland (Zim) whilst passionate about its future. He had already done this tour 4 times this year before my trip, yet his delivery was fresh and his enthusiasm for what we would see and how much we would come to love both countries matched ours. Ado told us about the painted dog sanctuary and given how unlikely it is you will see one in the wild, the group wanted to visit. It was really interesting, and we all agreed it should feature on the official trip. The food he cooked for us in the Delta was great, and he tried really hard to cater for everyone's preferences. It was clear that giving us the best possible experience from the holiday was his number one priority. That was also true of our driver, Sefiso, who helped with booking up trips and told us where to get some great Biltong.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared to be more "off grid" than most other holidays - electricity and wifi don't often coincide with free time. Buy plenty of water before visiting Matopo as the lodge there is pretty remote and only had tap water Buy a south african plug adapter (not part of a universal adaptor) Take something to read when you pack your small bag for the O Delta - this part of the trip does have a reasonable amount of free time, and not a lot to do between game walks

Most Inspirational Moment

The topography and vegetation of the Val d'Orcia. I fell in love with the cypress trees. The famous winding road lined with cypress. The history of the Etruscans, and learning of Iris Origo's recounting of the war in Val d'Orcia.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Stefano was available, knowledgeable and very personable!

Advice for Potential Travellers

There is a lot of walking, you need good walking shoes, a hat and insect repellent!