Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The cycling

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. Highly organised- so no waiting around . Very safety conscious.  Extreemely caring

Suggestions

I thought it was a very expensive trip for what it was and what it included. I chose single supplement which was £150 ish but when my fellow travellers asked for a single room they had to pay a £10 for the night.I took the decision to go with Exodus so knew the price for this trip was high- and I know there are bikes, a van and a tour guide. But hotels are reasonable priced so I don't know why it was quite so high.  I have been on several holidays with explore ( Cuba/ india/Spain- and Exodus, on this trip- for this time of year is very expensiveI did have a nice time though.

Most Inspirational Moment

There are far too many to choose from, from the first proper sighting of everest through the tree-line heading up to Namche Bazaar, the crystal clear Gokyo lakes and the stunning cloud-strewn views from the top of Gokyo Ri, the sheer satisfaction in having reached the top of the demanding and icy Cho La Pass, the final trek towards the edge of the Khumbu icefall and discovering the vast tent city of Base Camp, the unrivalled views of the highest mountains on earth from the top of Kala Patthar....

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jangbu Sherpa displayed tremendous knowledge of the valleys as we ascended higher up, he spent most of the time looking after the slower ones of the group and making sure they made it to the next lodge but he was sometimes reluctant from mingling with our group, we dont bite honestly!Our assistant guide Nima was always chirpy and full of enthusiasm and often led the group during the day's trekking.  Singing and dancing his way up the mountain he also got us out of bed in the morning with cups of tea and was our 'waiter' of an evening in the teahouses. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

This trek is not to be underestimated, its a long haul and you have to be in good fitness and good health to really enjoy it or you will struggle with it.  Dont skimp on the decent gear, particularly warm clothes for the early starts and when the weather turns (as it usually does in the afternoon).  The many days spent at high altitude does have some effect on you, be it a loss of appetite or trouble sleeping and these are to be expected in even the fittest of you, altitude can affect anyone.  The Cho La pass in particular is a definate challenge involving alot of scrambling, fairly exposed sections and the glacial travel which is often uneven and slippery underfoot unless you have full crampons on your boots.  Care is to be taken on this section as its a long day and you can easily lose concentration.

Suggestions

For those confident in their fitness, determination, those that relish a challenge and want to be surrounded by striking and dramatic scenary with every step, all the while following in the path of climbing parties the world over in their bid to conquer the great Mt Everest, there is little to compare this trip to.  The diversity of the Gokyo valley means it is a great alternative to the standard trek as it takes in a seperate route on the ascent to base camp to the descent.  This trek should be on every wannabe adventurer's bucket list and is truely one of the greatest treks in the world.  For those that go the extra mile the views from Kala Patthar will truely take your breath away - literally and figuratively!

Most Inspirational Moment

There were lots of moments especially in the first few days when i realised I would be fitter once the trip was over, how amazing the scenery was, the food was delicious and I especially enjoyed the preseco!!!  The atmosphere between everyone made the trip even better!  The entire trip was an inspirational moment!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rudy set such a high standard that i'm wondering if any other group leader will live up to it!  I suppose I should book another trip to find out!  Rudy took care of everyone and went beyond the usual call of duty to attend to everyone's particular needs!  All of us apprieciated the effort he put it to making our trip the best ever!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just book and go with the flow!  You won't regret it!

Suggestions

Cycling up and down hills, great company, great preseco!!! What more could a person want or need!!

Most Inspirational Moment

Loved all the walks especially the Walk of the Gods and our trip to Ravello on our free day. Lovely gardens and the lunch was so good at Villa Maria. Hotel staff at 2 Torri so helpful and friendly.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Liz, our group leader was very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly making the holiday a great experience.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for a few hills, but the views are worth the effort.

Suggestions

Would recommend this trip to anyone. It has so much to offer, great walks, amazing scenery, good food and lovely hotel owners who will even teach you to make a pizza.

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day was inspirational!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Absolutely brilliant!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go on the week in Jordan trip.

Suggestions

Everything was good so nothing to add.

Most Inspirational Moment

This is a difficult question, as there were many inspirational moments: the wonderful gardens, staying in a ryokan and having a communal hot bath, the impressive Matsumoto castle with a view over the Japanese Alps, the snow monkeys, the bullet train and of course the cherry blossoms, of which there were many!

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was efficient and well organised. We had plenty of information for our free time and everything ran very smoothly. Suzy was approachable and helpful and did her best to make it a successful tour.On the downside, I would have appreciated more insight into Japanese society and culture from an "insider", either a Japanese or someone who had lived there for some time and spoke the language well. We spent a few days in Japan after the trip with someone who is living there and learned so much more about the country and went to interesting places where tourists who can't speak Japanese would not have been able to go.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be open to new experiences, try unfamiliar foods and take a dictionary. Not so many people speak English. If you ask a Japanese for information or advice, be prepared to wait, as they will often go in search of an answer or someone who speaks English. We found the Japanese in general very courteous and helpful, always ready to assist us "gaijin".Be prepared for a lot of walking, take good walking shoes. 

Suggestions

When I enquired beforehand about the amount of walking, as I had been suffering with a back problem recently, I was told it was just leisurely sightseeing. However, we spent many hours on our feet with few breaks. Luckily my back improved and I coped with that, but there was a member of the group who did not cope well and was quite slow, which meant my husband and I were sometimes torn between not abandonning her and trying to keep up with the rest of the group. I think this could have been handled better, perhaps with clearer advice beforehand and arranging meeting points at intervals. The schedule was sometimes too tight to allow for slower walkers.

Most Inspirational Moment

See the comment above.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Enthusiastic, kind and extremely knowledgeable. It was obvious that he loved the islands and wanted to share his enjoyment with us.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a specially insulated water bottle to keep the water cool as it does get warm when walking around on the islands and in the high temperatures. A hiking stick could be useful on some of the terrain. A telephoto lens is handy for capturing the birds in flight, but all the wildlife is so close that a compact camera is adequate.

Suggestions

This is a complete adventure and although you might be prepared for seeing the wildlife, nothing can prepare you for the masses of birds, sea lions and other species completely relaxed with us walking around in their habitat.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the differences in the countryside travelling the length of the country and hearing about how people live.Petra of course.Snorkelling alongside the coral reef in Aquaba from a boat.Stopping for a tea break alongside 'the grand canyon' in the rift valley. The desert at Wadi Rum.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Khaled was wonderful - he was everything anyone would want in a guide without being too bossy or in your face. He kept us all happy and amused, stopped at interesting and novel places maybe not on ALL tourist routes.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do it !

Suggestions

We were impressed by Exodus and have already booked our next holiday with them. From the first they were full of advice and welcomed questions, they looked after us amazingly well.

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day was new and challenging, all wrapped up in an atmosphere of can do will do. Getting to base Camp and beyond was breathtaking. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

Shailesh, so knowledgable, informed and helpful, everything done with real professionalism yet a sense of humour. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

Ensure walking boots are not new/relatively new. Ensure sleeping bag is suitable for the cold climate and always know the end point is beyond your wildest dreams. 

Suggestions

Exodus have proven to be so versed and experienced they made my trip and those in my group feel capable and confident of completing EBC and in fact going beyond base camp.