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Turtle, Ecuador

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.

Simply use the selector below to search our trip reviews and start reading real feedback from real Exodus travellers who have ‘been there and done that’!

Lots of our clients also like to post handy tips and advice about their travels. It’s great to know what to expect on an Exodus adventure before you go, so make the most of their experience and you’ll make the most of yours!

Haven’t posted your review yet? Here’s how to do it…

Once you return from your Exodus adventure holiday, you will be emailed a link to add your review. Any feedback collected is posted onto our website, totally unedited.

Alternatively you can navigate to the relevant trip page and add your review via the Reviews tab.

Reviews

Magical Trip

Excellent trip. Very rewarding Petra and Wadi Rum not to be missed

Most Inspirational Moment

The camel ride

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both were very good but Sammi the Jordan guide was excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check whether there are any festivals on in Jerusalem as this could impact on your trip. Add an extra night in Amman as the flight gets in very late

Jordan, Palestine & Israel - March 2023

This was a brilliant and organised trip that allowed us to really discover and get a little taste of the three countries: Jordan, Israel & Palestine. The tour guide leaders (Amer in Jordan / Ibrahim in Palestine and Israel) we’ve had have been absolutely brilliant and are knowledgeable in their area of expertise. The tour is jam-packed and involves crossing the land border between Jordan and Israel. It’s definitely an experience and a tour I’ll never forget. But a massive kudos to a smooth organised tour with no hiccups along the way, and even if there were “potential hiccups” our tour leaders have been exceptional in sorting things out! I’ll cover more of this in the tour guide feedback. We’ve had a fantastic group and had a great time bonding with everyone. This is my first Exodus trip and I can’t wait for the next one!

Most Inspirational Moment

There are just so many to mention but key highlights for me in Jordan are: Seeing the Treasury for the first time, climbing 850 steps up and down again to see the Monastery, spending a night in Wadi Rum and seeing the amazing stars at night and finally swimming in the Dead Sea! Oh and amazing amazing lunch at Madaba that Amer organised for us all. All brilliant accompanied by Amer’s knowledgeable teachings and “story time” of the history of Jordan and its brilliant sites. In Palestine and Israel, the key highlights for me is the day in the holy land and understanding the 4 different quarters within Jerusalem. Following the different stations that Jesus went through. A trip to Bethlehem and seeing the Walled off hotel.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Amer who is our tour leader in Jordan is absolutely absolutely incredible. He went above and beyond I would expect from any tour guide. He is so knowledgeable and really is keen to share his knowledge and stories about the history of the sites we’re going to and I can see the passion he has for his country. I know I joke about “story time” or “lecture time” during the trip but Amer really got me to listen and engage in everything he has to say about everything in the trip and the sites we’ve visited. When he speaks, we listen and he has so many things to say about the places we went to and despite us asking a lot of questions he’s been so patient and so detailed in his answers. I learned so much about Jordan and your amazing country Amer thank you so much for showing us the great Jordan. Thank you for going the extra mile on getting us great Jordanian tea, zaatar and olive oil. Can’t wait to serve these for one of our evenings with friends. Thank you as well for sorting me out when I lost my passport barcode while crossing the Jordan - Israel border. I really thought that would be a major problem but you’ve sorted it. You’ve been an amazing tour leader, thank you Amer! Ibrahim is our Israel and Palestine tour leader and he is also incredibly brilliant and knowledge about both countries he’s showcasing to the group. He’s provided very non-bias responses and because of how deeply rooted the issues there is between both countries, Ibrahim has kept a level of factual input and professionalism in his tour and for this I appreciate him. Ibrahim has made us all feel safe and have gone above and beyond by letting us know he is always at hand and is always a text away. He is very knowledgeable of the areas we went to and great lunch and dinner recommendations as well. The Walled Off Hotel and the Banksy graffiti is one of key importance for me and my partner and Ibrahim made sure that we were able to see everything we needed to in the area and gave us enough time to enjoy everything about it. Even when we thought we’re going to be delayed due to a driver issue beyond our control, Ibrahim was able to sort out a new driver for us immediately and we were brought back to be on schedule again.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check the weather before you go and because in Jordan you’re staying in the desert and in Israel and Palestine you’re going to the holy sites, please pack a lot of warm clothes but also clothes that aren’t tight fitting and clothes that modest. The weather changes from really cold in the morning to quite hot in the afternoon when we went in March. Bring a raincoat in case too! This trip is pretty full on and jam packed with activities, in Jordan there was a bit of time to sleep on the bus but in Palestine and Israel - everything is super close that in 30 mins or so, you are at your destination. The tour would start at reasonable times 8:30am/9am. You need to be prepared for a lot of walking when you get to Petra. So stay hydrated most of the day, there are a lot of toilets so key is to stay hydrated. Be patient when crossing the border between Jordan <> Israel the process does take a bit of time.

Suggestions

Also travelling out of Tel Aviv via plane, give yourself more than 3 hours when arriving at the airport. It can get quite chaotic and a lot of security checks. If you want a chance to grab a bite before your flight, I suggest getting in the airport more than 3 hours before to avoid rushing too much.

Jordan, Palestine & Israel - March 2023

What a wonderful trip! We had wanted to visit Jordan, Palestine and Israel, with their amazing historical and biblical sites, for a while and this trip did not disappoint. Our 2 leaders were knowledgeable, helpful and good fun, and navigated the extensive Itinerary seamlessly. They also spoke about the Palestinian / Israeli conflict in a factual, non bias way. I now have a much better understanding of the conflict. The group bonded very well and we spent hours laughing and having fun over the 10 days. If this part of the world interests you then book this trip immediately.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so many moments: Seeing the Treasury for the first time. Reaching the Monastery after climbing 850 steps. Camping under the stars in Wadi Rum. Swimming in the Dead Sea. Doing the stations in Jerusalem and retracing Jesus’ last couple of days. Visiting The Walled Off Hotel and the graffiti wall beside it, and learning more about the conflict.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Amer (Jordan) and Ibrahim (Palestine & Israel) were both great leaders! Amer was so knowledgeable on every aspect of Jordanian history and great fun, and Ibrahim was nice and very helpful - always giving us advice on to where to eat and go in the evenings. When I said to Ibrahim that I wanted to get a nativity sat in Bethlehem, he didn’t just point out suitable shops but went above and beyond and took me to a place where they carve the figures from olives trees and I got a super hand crafted nativity set that I will keep and cherish forever- thanks Ibrahim!

Advice for Potential Travellers

This trip is full on with very little down time and some long days, which is understandable as there are so many wonderful sights included in the Itinerary, so you will need a certain level of fitness and stamina to be able to do everything.

Suggestions

Pack modest clothes that cover your arms and legs and, if going in Spring, pack plenty of layers, as it could be cold in the evenings but very hot mid day.

Enjoyable holiday due to the spectacular/historic/biblical sites and great travelling companions and NOT Exodus

We enjoyed the holiday but that was because of the spectacular/historic/biblical sites and great travelling companions and NOT the efforts of Exodus.

Effectively all Exodus provided was transport between sites and generally poor hotels, (except the Dead Sea but particularly the grubby SeaNet in Tel Aviv where we endured 2 extra nights at the end of the tour), albeit the hotels were in good locations. The bus in Jordan was not fit for purpose, or Health & Safety compliant, as luggage didn’t fit in (some initially had to go by taxi) and was balanced above the heads of the back row and in the aisle when rearranged and ‘fitted’. Sitting over wheel arches in a full cramped bus is not comfortable on long journeys or good for posture.

Inexperienced, disorganised, uninformative and slow moving guide in Jordan and just a ‘day guide’ in Israel, who provided better information but with limited time on the Tower Mount spent too long talking, such that the guards started emptying the site before we fully enjoyed it. Fortunately we had the next full day to explore Jerusalem on our own.

Petra and Wadi Rum were spectacular but need to start Petra early, not later with the crowds. If relatively fit it is possible to walk to both the monastery and the high sacrifice but is a full day, which meant us missing out on the meal with a local family that had only been suggested that morning. Wadi Rum camp was basic but fun with good food, but it doesn’t give sunset or sunrise views. The guide suggested it was too far to walk to see sunset, though we saw other groups heading back on foot later, and that we could see sunrise by walking round the corner. We walked several corners the next morning but the cliffs were too high, so a walk out towards the centre could have provided both.

The Dead Sea is an unusual experience and the only good hotel on the tour but the Group had to push to get there early enough to enjoy any meaningful time.

The Israel part of the tour started badly as we were waiting over an hour standing at the border control before the bus/guide turned up and then had to wait further as he had 3 additional names on his tour list. We explained they weren’t part of the group and couldn’t have fitted on the Jordan bus but clearly he needed to check with the office.

Jerusalem and Bethlehem are clearly must sees, but we should not have gone back for another night to Jerusalem after Bethlehem but  headed North to Nazareth and Sea of Galilee (we went on a day trip from Tel Aviv and worth the trip). The long journey to Haifa was pointless and hardly a ‘visit’ as was just a view of the port and the Bahai Gardens from over/through the railings and gave insufficient time in Jaffa/Tel Aviv.

In summary great places to visit but can’t recommend this Exodus tour with its current format, guides, transport and hotels, though Exodus failings likely helped the bonding of the group. It was nothing like the experience and support we expected having had a fantastic guide and great time with Exodus in Sri Lanka.

Most Inspirational Moment

First views of the Treasury in Petra and walking to and views from both the monastery and high sacrifice summit.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Inexperienced and poor in Jordan and although better (ie more informative) in Israel/Palestine he was just a day guide, who wasn’t there if issues arose out of working hours. Neither provided good recommendations for food options.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Potentially avoid this tour until Exodus address the shortcomings and feedback. Refuse the small bus in Jordan that doesn’t fit all the luggage in safely or is comfortable for all on long journeys. Get yourselves organised and get early starts for key locations (particularly for Petra get an early night and skip the late night meal next to the hotel) and long travel days. Food and drink is readily available inside Petra at reasonable price and can be in the shade. Insist on seeing sunset and/or sunrise at Wadi Rum. Get to the Dead Sea in time to enjoy the resort. Get the guide to brief you before the Temple Mount and enjoy the time at the top. Reject the long trip to Haifa and get to Jaffa/Tel Aviv earlier.

Suggestions

Exodus need to ensure guides are trained to required Exodus standards, hotels described as ‘comfortable’ are at least clean, and make changes to the itinerary based on feedback and experiences. (eg head north from Bethlehem to include Nazareth and Sea of Galilee and don’t go on the long trip just to get ‘views’ at Haifa).

Review Centre
Reply from Exodus

We are grateful that Nick took the time to leave a review, and are glad that he enjoyed the varied sites of Jordan and Israel and the company of his group. However, we were very sorry to read that he did not have such a positive experience with his Exodus tour leaders and some of the hotels used; we are in contact with Nick about the points he has raised and are in close communication with our local team in this regard, too. We recognise that a number of points relating to the Jordan portion of the trip should have been handled better by the leader, and normally are. While Nick’s leader in Jordan no longer guides for Exodus, we are confident that we have an excellent team of experienced leaders in the country, who we would mention usually receive fantastic feedback. In Israel, most of our leaders live in Jerusalem so typically spend the evenings with their families. However, they can give recommendations for things to do in the evening and places for dinner, and additional guidance has been provided to the leaders as a result of recent feedback. Tour leaders are required to check that luggage is safely stored and on occasion luggage may be transported in a separate vehicle if there is not sufficient space in the main vehicle. The border crossing between Jordan and Israel can be very busy and unfortunately delays such as those experienced by Nick and the group can occur. For future trips we will be explaining the logistics of the border crossing more carefully. We do also regret that Nick was unhappy with the Sea Net Hotel in Tel Aviv, and while we would note that prior to the start of this trip members of our local team visited the property and found it to be clean, comfortable, and well-situated, we acknowledge that the hotel has not been able to maintain the standards we would expect, and we are therefore looking to replace the Sea Net for our 2023 departures. The day with the visit to Haifa is being addressed and new arrangements will be in place before our next departure of this trip. We hugely appreciate Nick’s feedback, as it has allowed us to look to make changes to this tour and ensure that it is as organised, informative, and enjoyable as our customers expect from Exodus trips, though we remain apologetic that this was not his experience.

Journey report

Jordan Itinerary was good but an extra day in Petra is definitely a necessary consideration. There is a lot to see in Petra and to fit it all into one day is a struggle to achieve in one day! Overnight in the desert was one of the highlights of the trip. Rather than visit yet another ruin between Petra and the Dead Sea was too tiring and a blur, we all just wanted to get to the holiday inn to relax and make the most of the resort rather than rush to get into the Dead Sea and again rush to get ready for dinner – we didn’t need to be ruled by time at this stage and lost the enjoyment. The guide was knowledgeable but not as informed as he could have been, perhaps a few more facts should have been forthcoming. Crosssing the border from Jordan to Palestine was ok, however the Jordanian guide had no knowledge of what actually happens, presumably your product department have done the journey and are able to brief the jordan office. On arriving on the Palestinian side of the border there was no sign of our new guide, one of our group called the Jordanian guide for assistance,it transpired the Israeli guide was delayed coming through security – surely sufficient time should have been given knowing there are security checks. Palestine An enlightening journey through Jericho and Bethlehem. It would have been interesting to have included more details about Banksy’s art and hotel decoration on the Palestinian side of the wall and had more time to visit the hotel. Israel Jerusalem was chaotic, visiting the Holy sites was a challenge, whilst it is out of Exodus control a complaint to the Israeli tourist office might make a difference. We will be putting forward a complaint ourselves, it seems the Israelis change the rules on a whim which is unacceptable, the Holy sites belong to the world not to any one country. Haifa was a complete and utter waste of time, please remove from the itinerary and don’t waste time which could have been spent in old Jaffa and Tel Aviv which is much more interesting.

Most Inspirational Moment

Overnight in the desert to a five star hotel on the Dead Sea. Jerusalem without the chaos.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jordan guide is still finding his way and needs more knowledge. Israel guide very informative.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you have any required medications as quite expensive in Jordan and Israel. - Imodium, paracetamol, strepsils etc. Object to the Haifa trip.

Whistle stop tour of two very different countries

This tour is far too rushed Billed as an 11 trip it is actually only 9 days, the group flight only arriving in Jordan after midnight Hotel at 3.30 on day 2. Some of our group left Tel Aviv hotel at 03.00 on day 11. We saw some amazing sights but always felt rushed. Internal travel was in mini bus not very good for sight seeing or taking in the sometimes stunning countryside as the view is very restricted. On days travelling between hotels the luggage was crammed in on the rear seats and in the gangway, and some was shipped separately in another vehicle. Fingers crossed it got there. we did go to some amazing places. Petra was magnificent but really needed two whole days. Jerusalem was so interesting but sometimes a bit scary, tension is bubbling near the surface here. Tel Aviv was disappointing for most people in our group as it was the sabbath on the day we arrived and many of the promised sights were closed. We were staying on for a few days so we had the opportunity to see everything and contrast it with Jerusalem.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the high point above the monastery in Petra was an achievement. thank goodness we were able to get a scary horse and cart ride back or we'd probably have got locked in. The trip to Bethlehem was a lights on moment for me. I got a feel for the Palestinian frustration and anger.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our Jordanian leader was knowledgeable and did look after us as we expected. He was rather longwinded perhaps from enthusiasm but rather tiring in the hot sun. Too fond of cafe stops, squeezing the time at the sites of interest. The Israeli leader. was incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the country and tried to tell us everything Would have been magnificent if I was studying the history of the region at degree level, but too much standing in the hot sun for so long that we had little time to actually see the places of interest. He was however not really a tour leader in the Exodus style. He wasn't there to meet us when we crossed the border turning up 15 minutes later. Didn't take us into check in at the hotel or was at all concerned about the early closing of restaurants and shops, threatened strike and later gun fire and rioting following the death of a young Palestinian on our free day in Jerusalem. Advice on where to eat ect, missing.

Advice for Potential Travellers

In its present form this trip is quite punishing with little down time. The walking can be hard particularly if you are keen to see as much as possible in Petra.

Suggestions

This tour really need to be 14 days.

Review Centre
Reply from Exodus

We are grateful to you for taking the time to leave a review and are glad that you enjoyed Petra and Bethlehem. However, we were very sorry to read that you felt the itinerary was rushed, and that you were disappointed with aspects of your tour’s leadership and the suitability of your vehicle. We put a great deal of work and thought into designing our itineraries, however I should mention that this is a new trip to Exodus, and we hope clients will appreciate that with tours such as this there may be some aspects that we look to amend in order to improve the overall experience, based on the feedback we receive. Please be assured that I will certainly bear yours in mind when I look at what aspects of the itinerary could be changed when I review the tour ahead of the next season and will consider potentially increasing the amount of time in Petra, as you have suggested. Regarding your tour leaders, though we were pleased to read your positive comments about the knowledge they shared with you about their respective countries, we were equally disappointed to learn that you felt you spent too much time standing in the sun, as I can appreciate this would have been uncomfortable. Whilst the weather is of course an uncontrollable factor, going forward we have suggested that longer talks are given under shade or on board an air-conditioned vehicle to prevent groups being in direct sunlight for extended periods. We are sorry that you found the vehicle provided in Israel to be too small to comfortably seat all group members and their luggage, as we would always want our customers to have smooth travels in destination. Having seen photos of the vehicle used and taking into account the number of clients in your group, we agree with your assessment, and we have therefore followed up with our local operator to make sure larger vehicles are provided on future trips. We hugely appreciate your feedback, as it has allowed us to look to make changes to this tour and ensure that it is as organised, informative, and enjoyable as our customers expect from Exodus trips, though we remain apologetic that this was not your experience.

Thomas Manchester, Product Manager