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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14457 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Simon Pugsley

Reviewed January 2015

Rewarding Wildlife

Whilst the focus of this trip was chimps and gorillas, Uganda rewarded us with a wide variety of mammals and bird life and in contrasting landscapes; forests, savannahs and volcanic craters.

Most Inspirational Moment

The gorillas were great, but the Kazinga channel was such a surprise, teaming with wildlife and not just birds; elephants, lion, buffalo, hippo, even the elusive forest hog and to cap it all a leopard on the way out.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had 2 Land Cruisers and 2 guides, Male and Sula. Male was the group leader and very professional, sought and listened to our feedback and gave time for photos on game drives. Both engaged with the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a pole for the gorilla trek and definitely make use of the porters as a good way of supporting the local community. These guys are on rotation and may only get to porter one trek a month. We ascended around 500 metres from 1400 to 1900, but you could get a group at 2500 metres. If you don't do the 2nd chimp trek I would recommend to do a birding tour in the morning through botanical gardens and marsh. Stephen from the botanical gardens gave a great tour and we saw some 36 different types of bird. Morning is best. Money - I'd suggest accounting for $50 for your local tipping to cover the entire trip. We were responsible for our own tips, and found the local staff and guides preferred tips in schillings. When it comes to changing you will get a better rate at the exchange your leader will take you to. You can pay in dollars at hotels and lodges but the rate is less. Similarly dollars can be used to pay for optional trips in Bwindi.

Angela Pugsley

Reviewed January 2015

Uganda - Wildlife

We picked Uganda for the diverse wildlife and was not disappointed.

Most Inspirational Moment

Chimpanzee's The Gorillas The tree climbing lion Leopard The Kazinga Channel - Needed more time there

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both leaders were good and flexible with our start times, as we all were so eager to make the most of our time watching animals. We wanted to start as early as possible.

Advice for Potential Travellers

One walking stick is essential for the Gorilla trek no matter how old or fit you are. As they said they are MOUNTAIN Gorillas and it's at altitude. Some long drives but so worth it. US Dollars can be used for payment at most hotels. If you can add a few extra days on to your trip, Murchison Falls we heard was a must - disappointed we hadn't considered this at the time.

Jane Arlow

Reviewed January 2015

Cycle Indonchina and Angkor

A great way to see the three countries visited – up close and personal. Cycling off the beaten track in Thailand takes you to places other visitors don’t usually see and allowed for everyone to cycle at their own pace (be that racer or not). Cycling in Cambodia on the other hand is somewhat of a different nature, particularly in Siem Reap. We really enjoyed the exhilaration of dodging the traffic including mopeds riding the wrong way up your side of the road. Viet Nam was different again with endless over excited children running out to wave and say hello..makes you feel like royalty with all that waving 🙂

Most Inspirational Moment

Realising how lucky we are to be born in Europe and not experiencing the many hardships that continue to this day in Cambodia even twenty years after the end of the Khmer Rouge era. How do they keep smiling? We were also very impressed by just how much you can load into the trailer of a moped and still ride it!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader, Is, was really great - no one in our group has enough good things to say about her good grace and smiles and organizational skills keeping 18 cats herded in the same direction for two weeks. Also, not really a group leader, but the local cycle team in Thailand were also really great - the set up of all the rest stops was superb with lots of fresh fruit and cold drinks and all sorts of nibbles.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Echoing some of the other feedback, padded shorts and a gel saddle are a must! Be prepared for the hideously long travel day from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh. They dug up the road two years ago, all of it, by the look of it, and apart from a couple of 500 metre stretches, have not remade it. So, that day, it took us over 9 hours and not the 5-6 it says in the trip notes. Don't indulge too much in snacking at rest stops as you always have a big lunch too and it feels really bad leaving food on your plate because you weren't hungry any more!

Simon Clifford

Reviewed January 2015

Amazing cycling in beautiful countryside - go before it's too late

This was my first cycling holiday, and I couldn't fault it. The roads are almost void of cars, making riding peaceful and safe. Also the scenery is ever changing, one day we were cycling in open farmland, another along the coast and another in the lush valleys of the interior of the island.The cycle days aren't too long giving you a bit of the afternoon to either, relax, swim, or take in some local sights.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cycling though small towns and villages, where the local children would run out to give you a wave - cliché I know, but lovely when it happens.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We were a full group, but our guide Jazel had a great command, while still being warm and friendly. His knowledge of Cuba was next to none. He went way beyond what I expect from a leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Snacks, like nuts, crisps and sweets, are quite hard to come by, so take some with you.The casa's can be quite noisy, so make sure you take some ear plugs.

Thomas McNally

Reviewed January 2015

cảm ơn bạn

A very well organised trip, with good accommodation and food and great guides.

Most Inspirational Moment

Staying in the homestay on the Mekong Delta was great, especially the cooking and the singalong with our Vietnamese guide.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was very knowledgeable, funny, extremely helpful and great at anticipating potential problems and resolving them before they occurred.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Travel light if you can and make the use of local laundry services (typically 1-2USD per kg)

M Ward

Reviewed January 2015

Great fun

A superb cycling holiday through a beautiful country, and well away from the usual tourist paths.
We had a lot of rain the first week, but once you gave into the rain it was great fun and bonding. The second week brought fantastic sunshine and beaches! Suresh our leader was the star of our trip and ensured everyone was well looked after. Fantastic food too…you won’t go hungry!

Most Inspirational Moment

Discovering Sri Lanka - the people are very friendly, the countryside is beautiful and the food is great.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh is a fantastic leader, and went the extra mile to ensure we were well looked after. He is hard-working, very proactive and caring. Suresh would pick up on little things we said, and take action. We had some very wet weather, but Suresh's positive attitude and playful personality ensured we all had fun and made the most of each day regardless of the conditions. Suresh also went out his way to ensure we had a very memorable Christmas in Kandy and New Year's Eve on the beach.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't hesitate - just book it! Be prepared to get wet and muddy, so take enough cycling gear to last you until you have a two night stay at a hotel and can use the laundry facilities. Don't rely on washing/drying clothing overnight in your room as things didn't always dry in time due to the humidity. Pack an umbrella (for sightseeing when off the bike)! It's a good idea to take electrolyte drink supplements, especially for the big hill climbing day and the 102km day as it can get very hot once you're on the flats. It's a lovely idea to take older cycling clothing and gear that you're happy to leave behind as the locals are keen for cycling items. I gave cycling tops and water bottles to the guide and he distributed to the local community. I also did the Maldives extension to Paradise Island and loved it, was a great place to unwind and rest your muscles.

Brian Kirk

Reviewed January 2015

Great trip , recommended - 9th cycling trip

I’ve done 9 cycling trips to date (not all Exodus), and this definitely rates as one of the best. I took my girlfriend (her first cycling holiday), and it was a good introduction for her to this format of holiday

I believe its organised by the same person that does the ‘Back Roads of Sri Lanka’ trip (done 2 years ago), maps you get everyday are certainly exactly the same format

The distances cycled on busy roads is very limited , so no-one had an issue in that regard. Some of us found the busy roads quite exciting, speeds are generally slow, so risk of injury is actually very low

Most Inspirational Moment

There were lot of notable moments, the Backwaters, and the high speed descent down Ooty

Thoughts on Group Leader

Safi was excellent, all the good stuff, very sociable, helpful, etc

Advice for Potential Travellers

Install (free) Strava on your phone (or similar), good to see your route, speed, elevation, etc Not essential, but I found a cateye useful on previous trips (only need distance, 20 pound job should do the trick) , esp where you get good maps such as on this trip. On some trips we've had everyone install Whatsapp, good to share pics, mssg group re restaurant to meet up at, etc

Ade Pickering

Reviewed January 2015

Southern India coast to coast

If you do just one cycling trip with Exodus, make sure it’s this one. It’s slightly tougher than Kerala and Vietnam, but more rewarding. You don’t have to be anything other than keen and reasonably fit to complete the journey (says the forty-something year old drinker and occasional smoker), but you will discover new muscles and an overall sense of achievement. But isn’t that the point?

Most Inspirational Moment

Successfully finishing a 160km day - by far the longest on the trip before I scare the horses - with my fellow travellers; exhausting but truly satisfying.

Thoughts on Group Leader

All the staff were superb throughout.....I wouldn't have changed anyone or anything about this 'once in a lifetime' trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do it, and do it now. The food, the experiences, the challenges, the weather (October), the comradery, the people and the sense of achievement make it truly wonderful.

michal reed

Reviewed January 2015

Wet and wonderful

You can’t have all that green without rain. But once you let yourself go and make peace with being entirely wet and muddy for days, there is a wonderful sense of freedom. You won’t be cold (except for the summit day) and you will always have a clean warm room to regroup at the end of the day. I can’t imagine a better way to see the variety of eco/cultural/historical systems than cycling through Sri Lanka. Suresh and his support team create an indulgent expereince where all details are taken care of and all you have to do is eat, ride, and enjoy the culture and views.

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved the complexity of the water systems, seen from ancient times to present, throughout the country. The itinerary was fantastic. I was out of shape, exhausted from work and 24 hours of flying, and the warm-up day, the mixing up of riding and walking was perfect. The evening walk at Ella provided a stunning view.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh is a true professional; both as guide and as a Buddhist giving his all to whomever he can. He watches carefully, and anticipates his clients' needs. You only need to ask Suresh once, and he will remember and take care of your request. He is warm and playful; knowledgeable and adaptable. He pulls out the nuances of his culture providing greater depth than other providers. He provided us with local food tasting opportunities and off the beaten path temple visits. And when I knew I wouldn't be able to complete the big hill day and was thinking of taking the train, he encouraged me to give the ride a try. And after 4 1/2 hours of climbing in the cold rain I decided I'd had enough; he smoothly took care of my transition to the support bus for the rest of the way ( and 5 others joined me at the next stop.).

Advice for Potential Travellers

As others have mentioned, prepare for rain. I had brought a cheap poncho for afternoon thunderstorms, but wore it all day throughout the first week. Bad for drag, but good for ventilation. The good thing about the rain is that other than the higher elevation days, it kept the temps cooler without being cold. That being said, pack a fleece and hat for the bus in case you bail on the climb day. Cycling sandals are also a good choice so that your feet can breathe.

Phil Risdale

Reviewed January 2015

Two weeks of rain, cancellations & disspointments

I don’t want to sound like the traveller just complaining because the weather wasn’t very kind, but this trip was very badly effected by torrential rain, landslides, cancelled walks, waterlogged hotel gardens (the route from room to restaurant), all-night amplified religious chanting 50m from hotel room, a riverside campsite virtually under water, a cancelled train ride (line swept away by rain), a cancelled town tour (due to a political rally), power cuts, illness within the group, etc. etc. Add to this that some accommodation was terrible and the bus was far too small for a walking group of this size (all with back-packs, poles, etc) and you’ll see that this tour was not a complete success – but it was an experience though!

Most Inspirational Moment

I think it was about day ten when it finally stopped raining and the group actually cheered the sight of a small glimpse of blue sky! It didn't last long though.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rowan is an excellent tour leader and I firmly believe that he personally learnt a lot from this tour - even by Sri Lankan standards, these conditions were extreme and nothing like anything Rowan had needed to deal with before. That said, he coped extremely well on the whole and even found us a few alternative activities when items in the itinerary needed to be cancelled. He was always helpful and informative, polite and efficient.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't let our experiences put you off going to this very beautiful island, but be aware that it does have a tropical climate and personally I would leave it for a while - the last few months of 2014 saw a lot of rain damage to the islands infrastructure which will take them a long time to recover from - many roads are now in a terrible state caused by numerous landslips and the Ella railway line will probably not be repaired for a long-time. Yala NP has also been very badly effected, now resembling a building site in places where roads have been washed away and with very few animals to see (just birds really) as they have mainly migrated north apparently.

Reply from Exodus

We are sorry that Phil’s time in Sri Lanka was impacted upon by the poor weather and that aspects of the itinerary were affected; regrettably the weather conditions his group experienced were exceptionally bad for that time of the year. A tour leader who has completed this trip since Phil’s departure has assured us that the routes have undergone repair work and services have returned to normal. We are confident that future Exodus clients will not be as disappointed.

Simon Clifford – Trip Manager for Sri Lanka

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