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!

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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.

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14278 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Maria Beer

Reviewed April 2024

Costa Rica Is An Amazing Place

Costa Rica is such a beautiful Country. Can recommend it 100%.

Most Inspirational Moment

Touring Costa Rica was a very humbling experience for me. Nothing could have prepared me for the way a lot of Costa Rican people live. Driving around Costa Rica I noticed how many people live in accommodation that is no more than a shed with a tin roof but the people were happy and smiling. Costa Rica is a poor country compared to many countries around but they are contented . I have loads of wonderful memories of Costa Rica. My most memorable were 1 zip line at Monteverde. Just an amazing experience. 2 swimming at La Fortuna Waterfall 3 seeing animals in their natural habit 4 swimming in the Pacific Ocean 5 Kayaking in the Mangrove Swamp

Thoughts on Group Leader

Pedro was very passionate about his country. From him I learnt a lot about Costa Rica. Knew all the tricks of the trade to try and encourage the wildlife out of their hiding places. Nothing was to much trouble made sure that everyone got so much out of the tour. Tock us on many early morning hikes to spot wildlife.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go on this tour with an open mind. What I mean by this is the Caribbean was not how I imagined it to be. The sea was wild and the sand was not the colour I expected it to be. Before going on this tour I watched a lot of wildlife programmes so I was expecting animals to be everywhere and easy to spot in the rainforest/jungle. Yes saw a lot but sometimes on the hikes we didn’t see a thing. Didn’t really mind this as just hiking through the rainforest was an incredible experience . Something that I will treasure forever.

Philip Harborne

Reviewed April 2024

An adventure with great variety

Remote rice terraces, train ride, boat trip, bustling cities, cool caves, it’s all here.

Most Inspirational Moment

Ascending the slippery slopes of rice terraces

Thoughts on Group Leader

Can’t praise the group leader too much! He was continuously attentive, enthusiastic about his homeland and open about his life and family history.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Prepare for a range of climates and activities.

Gary Josey

Reviewed April 2024

Cape Town and the Garden Route review

A tour of 15 people. Everyone got on well. Some queries with the itinerary. We passed by fabulous beaches without stopping such as Jeffrey’s Bay and Wilderness, yet stopped at service stations for lunch. This actually happened three times; once shortly after Knysna which would have been far preferable. The rooms were not always very good. In Tsitsikamma the room was very good, but it was at least a mile walk each way for breakfast. I’m fit, but this was classified as a leisurely tour. The rooms in Hermanus and Cape Town overlooked car parks. Our room in Hermanus also had no air conditioning. I expected better accommodation quality from Exodus based on personal recommendations. I would say it is comparable to mid range G Adventures. There were no whales (not the season) but also the waterfall in Karoo had dried up and Storms River was very low water also: Our tubing became bouldering. Cape Town and Cape of Good Hope were magnificent. Food provided or purchased throughout was consistently of high quality. A quite expensive trip when excursions, tips and food is added but we probably got what we paid for. A few simple tweaks could have made things better. Enjoyment – 8 out of 10. VFM – 7 out of 10. I regret not seeing some of the wonderful beaches on-route.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cape of Good Hope and Schotia game reserve (a paid excursion of £100 pp) - why wasn’t this part of the standard itinerary?

Thoughts on Group Leader

Petro Pretorious - very good; always cheerful and helpful. A very competent driver.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check the season. In March you miss the whales and rivers are low water. Ensure you visit Schotia Game Reserve. South Africa is dangerous. Take high personal precautions over safety and security.

John mason

Reviewed April 2024

A frenetic Kaleidoscope-Delivering some amazing sights.

Travelled with my daughters and partner, largely repeating a backpacking trip of more than a quarter of a century ago ( the roads have dramatically improved) this trip delivers the highlights of Rajasthan plus Agra and (briefly) Delhi in a compact timescale leaving you planning return visits to your favourite sites. The driver and helper were tremendous. unfortunately there were question marks over the quality of a couple of hotels ( Pushkar Jaipur) and the pace of the itinary leaves little time for snagging if a room change is required. The main downside, having experienced previous Exodus trips, was the failure to deliver on engagement with local traders, food providers, food producers, charities outside of the mainstreem tourist economy and the seemingly non optional arrangements for food and additional activities at additional cost. Group visits were to high end carpet, spice and marble suppliers. The train trip form agra to Delhi was somewhat chaotic – porters were hired at Agra but not Delhi leading to a long walk through traffic with cases to our transport.

Most Inspirational Moment

Of course the Taj Mahal (excellent local guide), Udaipur from the water did not disappoint and Bundi was a great surprise package -but the top award has to go to the good natured paint throwing mayhem of the Holi festival in Jaipur!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Opinions varied. IMO did little to promote group cohesion ( group member supported slower members of the party) and he tended to blame his local admin back up for problems. The first night group meal was curiously expensive and It was unclear what the tipping budget covered. Local specialist guides (Bundi Fort , The Taj) however were well informed and added value.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The 1 night stays leave almost no time in which to open and close a suitcase so fanatical attention to packing detail required. Also Insist on interaction with local traders, not just the tourist economy.

Reply from Exodus

We’re delighted to read that John enjoyed many aspects of his return trip to India after a long time away, and that he found some of the sights covered on the tour to be amazing. We regret, though, that he was somewhat disappointed with some areas of the holiday. Regarding the hotels in Pushkar and Jaipur, we have recently changed the hotel in Pushkar and are looking for an alternative to the property in Jaipur, which we’ll be using from October of this year onwards.

We understand that John would have appreciated more interaction with local people and small, local businesses. We would mention that the visits to carpet, spice, and marble vendors John comments on are only offered to clients as optional visits; however, we take John’s point and have raised his suggestion to include more engagement with local people on this tour with our team in India. Similarly, we get John’s disappointment with the cost of food at times. Our leaders arrange group meals and, especially early on in the trip when clients are getting used to the food in India, our groups are taken to restaurants with high hygiene ratings, which do tend to not be local establishments and can cater for tourists. Customers are, however, always free to opt out of group meals if they wish, or organise them amongst the group members themselves.

Regarding the tipping budget, this is outlined in our trip notes, and our leaders carry a tip sheet which lists all the tips they give throughout the trip, and which clients can ask to see at any point during the holiday.

Finally, we were disappointed to note John’s mixed feelings about his tour leader. This is not at all common feedback for us to receive about our leaders in India, and we will follow John’s comments up with our local manager to ensure that all our leaders are providing conscientious, personable support to all members of our groups.

We’re grateful for John for taking the time to leave a review, and hope we’ll be able to welcome him back on another Exodus trip at some point in the future.

– Sarah Puttnam, Exodus Product Manager

Fiona Allan

Reviewed April 2024

Holi and the Taj

This is a fast pace trip, long days travelling but there is a lot to see.

Most Inspirational Moment

The first glimpse of the Taj Mahal was breathtaking, it is jaw dropping beautiful. However I think joining in with the Holi celebrations especially being at the Krishna temple In Jaipur is a memory that will stay with me.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Gaj was an excellent tour guide. Loved that on our travel days he would pick a subject about India ie education, caste system and explain to us how it works in India. Explained clearly with out any information overload as can be the case on some trips.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Good to go with a bit of knowledge on the indian culture. It is a full on fast pace trip, a lot of travelling. some found the climbs at the forts hard going especially in the heat. Get used to the sound of car horns!!

Niamh Byrne

Reviewed April 2024

Borneo Wildlife Discoverer

This was a very interesting and enjoyable holiday in the tropical rainforest. Monkeys and birds were plentiful.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing an orangutan mother and baby in the wild and many other monkeys and birds.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rony enthusiasm and knowledge of wildlife contributed hugely to the success of the holiday. He brought his telescope which allowed us to get very close views of the animals and birds.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Kuching where the tour starts is a very relaxing and interesting place to spend a one/ two extra days.

Niamh Byrne

Reviewed April 2024

Ancient and Modern Japan

The holiday was an interesting introduction to a country with an intriguing culture

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing Mount Fuji and walking the back streets of Kyoto where there are many temples and shrines tucked away.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was at all times polite and good humoured.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Consider carefully when to visit Japan. It was cold and quiet wet in March. Later would definitely be better for viewing gardens.

Margaret Dunn

Reviewed April 2024

Good but not outstanding

Good trip itinerary, with great wildlife viewing opportunities. Unfortunately didn’t get to see a blue whale or a leopard. Accommodation very good.

Most Inspirational Moment

The sounds of the birdsong in the rainforest. Also having a natural fish foot spa - again in the rainforest.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Friendly and approachable. Spoken English good but had difficulty understanding questions at times.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t come with high expectations of seeing a blue whale - sounds like you would be very lucky to see one. Definitely bring binoculars.

Sheila Stallard

Reviewed April 2024

TBC 140324

One of my best trips ever. Excellent guide and fellow trekkers. Beautiful country and people.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching Tiger's Nest monestery

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. Truly dedicated. Nothing too much for him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't hesitate. Walking in the Himalayas is wonderful and Bhutan is a beautiful country. Follow advice for trekking and ensure fitness beforehand.

Elizabeth Owen

Reviewed March 2024

Fitting. Could also perhaps mention coastline in title

Wonderful holiday on a wonderful island. Returned home feeling very relaxed. Evia was very unspoilt. A real experience of Greek culture, food and hospitality. Hotel was very comfortable and in a perfect location for the beach and town. Hotel staff were lovely, breakfast excellent for a small hotel. I thoroughly enjoyed every day. Walking was varied, interesting routes and stunning scenery, we barely saw anyone else on the walks. Packed lunches were superb. Having private mini bus for the group made it easy for travel. Everyone on group was like-minded. Excellent guide Thano. Thank you!

Most Inspirational Moment

I particularly enjoyed the gorge walk and also the walk on final day to the quarry.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Thano was an outstanding guide. Nothing was too much trouble for him. He was passionate, expert as well as thoughtful and kind - definitely one of the best Exodus group leaders I have met. Throughout the week he went above and beyond to give us a real insight into Evia and Greek culture and history to make the trip extremely memorable. We were treated to local snacks and dishes which felt a real treat. He even gave us an impromptu walking tour of Athens on the last day. He made this trip very special.

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