Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Making it up the climb to Nuwara Eliya - i'm a casual commuter cyclist generally and it was tough but satisfying to achieve.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh did a wonderful job making sure that all problems were solved and organising anything the group even started to think of needing; also good at making sure everyone felt comfortable and sorting out the few scrapes. Though some of his "motivational distance estimates" (over- and under-quoting) need taking with a pinch of salt!

Advice for Potential Travellers

If in doubt about fitness etc - don't worry, do it! Totally worth it and there's always the support vehicles. If Exodus doesn't follow my suggestion below, women-specific saddles are an essential! July-August was hot, make sure you have sunscreen and keep hydrated, hydration tablets/gels also worth taking. Ignore the advice about stiff soles and no running shoes, most of us were in walking-type sandals (such as the ones with toes, like Keen/Merrell) and had no problems, ventilation wins out over a little more efficiency! And a bumbag for camera and tissues is the easiest minimal thing to take on the bikes.

Most Inspirational Moment

Loved it all - even when we didn't make it, and had to come down early. The assistant guide who came down from the mountain with my grandson and me checked up on us every day, took us to visit his family and took us on unscheduled outings every day, until the rest of the group came down. Had a fantastic time.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Extremely professional and friendly.

Advice for Potential Travellers

A wonderful opportunity for teenagers to do something really exciting.

Most Inspirational Moment

We had 1 - 2 days of clouds on the trails. Upon reaching the refuge, the cloud suddenly cleared revealing panoramic reviews of Mont Blanc.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Mark was an excellent group leader. He was extremely experienced and he described a specific walking pace in the Alps as 'the alpine shuffle' - fast enough to ensure a good days walk but slow enough to enjoy yourself along the way. A exceptional leader for this trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Chamonix is a great town and the chalet is just 10 minutes away. On the free day, go early to avoid the queues for the Aiguille Du Midi.

Most Inspirational Moment

The amazing views on the high passes, the great food, the good company.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Nick did a great job leading our group and he lived in Chamonix so knew the area very well & had a good knowledge of the plants / trees / wildlife too.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure your walking boots are well worn in before the trip, one person in our group came with brand new boots and got blisters. Bring a reasonably warm sleeping bag, the highest camps were at about 1600m and temp got down to near 0 degreesC in August on clear nights. Eg mine was 3 season (Mountain Hardwear Lamina 20c) and was just warm enough on a couple of nights. Get a good sleeping mat, it doesn't have to be super compact and light as you are not carrying it while walking, I got the 'Thermorest luxury map, large' (7cm thick, 61cm wide) and it was amazingly comfortable & it made such a difference being able to sleep well every night, also helps keep you warm having a thick sleeping mat. Don't worry about a compact travel pillow either, just roll up a normal pillow from your bed at home, much more comfortable! Some of the campsites have washing machines and tumble dryers, so no need to bring lots of sets of clothes. Consider wearing your boots on the flight out, one person from our group lost their luggage. The single supplement is well worth the money as its nice to have your own tent and space.

Most Inspirational Moment

The views were amazing , all the walks produced great sights and if you were fortunate and got a first floor room facing South at the Hotel, that was a amazing thing to wake up to. The number of birds circling high above looked fantastic

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide not only knew all the routes, kept us safe but has a fantastic knowledge of the local flora/fauna. Great man

Advice for Potential Travellers

If the weather is good, you might not want to come home

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved the day we hiked up into the high pastures of Piatra Craiului and had our picnic lunch (and wild raspberries!) in a forest glade. The bear watching evening was a real treat, too. And Brasov was a lovely little place, and Bran, and so on - nothing disappointed!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Thomas was great, very knowledgeable and passionate about the place. Nothing was too much trouble, available 24/7, very relaxed yet took care of everything and everybody extremely well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just do it, you'll love it!

Most Inspirational Moment

The scenery with Mount Veronica, the clouds below and about 10 Llama's around us

Thoughts on Group Leader

Cesar was so knowledgable, kind and ensured that we all had a really good time. He had a sense of humour but was obviously very safety conscious.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for the long flights, that was the worse bit, but so worth it.

Most Inspirational Moment

The walk up to the sun gate at Machu Picchu

Thoughts on Group Leader

Leo was great, always trying to fit in all our requests and needs.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for the variable altitude ailments.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking in the vicinity of Thethi -particularly the walk from Thethi to Valbona. The contrast between the two sides of the pass is quite striking. Both are beautiful -but very different scenically. It was a tough walk but well worth it for the views.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I thought Juri was a very good leader. She was kind and caring throughout and looked after us well. There were eight in our party and we were all very different temperamentally- but I think we all agreed that Juri was a good leader-and will get even better with more experience.

Most Inspirational Moment

Can't really single out any highlights - all the walks were in awe-inspiring landscapes and led to fantastic views.

Thoughts on Group Leader

As above, the leader Alvaro was a fantastic guide and I have nominated him for the Leader Awards.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The rooms at the hotel vary in size and some of them are quite small. Views to the mountains from the bedrooms are better at the front of the hotel than the back. However you're not going to spend much time in them and on return from the walk you can always relax by the bar and have lovely views.