Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

I agree with my fellow traveller John Croker that the mountainside picnics, complete with explanation of the local produce we were enjoying, were a high point each day. I hope to remember for a long time the details of the guide's explanation of the olive harvest and pressing. And I know I will not forget watching the griffon vultures circling overhead - who was watching whom?

Thoughts on Group Leader

Eduard is one of the very best. Born and bred in Mallorca, and yet also having walked most parts of the globe, he combined a genuine passion for his island with a gentle humility and humour; he was scrupulous in his attention to detail, and yet led with a light touch, mindful of everyone's preferences and needs; he was superbly knowledgeable of the island's flora, fauna and history; and he was greeted warmly wherever we went. He definitely added to my enjoyment of the trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking the length of Jinshanling on a fine, sunny day, and seeing the wall stretch out before us for mile after mile. Fantastic views along the way, great for taking photographs.  I also ran into some fellow Brummies along the way (not really a highlight!)Walking through a Chinese village, mostly seeing only the very elderly and the very young, finding the people there very friendly and hospitable.Visiting the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, a beautiful park with fantastic buildings, flowers, greenery... dancers, musicians....the kind of place you do not want to leave.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Kevin was top notch, a great organiser and very friendly. He went out of his way to help everyone and when weather threatened to disrupt our schedule he was very flexible. He made the trip very enjoyable. When a mystery bug struck our group he made great efforts to secure medicine and medical advice. Very knowledgeable about China, giving us tips about where to go and what to look out for when we went off exploring. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

Out in the villages it can get cold at night, certainly in April, so wrap up well. However the hotel in Beijing was very hot! At various times you will be accosted by people trying to sell souvenirs, always drive a hard bargain, start at least seventy five per cent below the asking price! Remember that to eat all the food offered to you is taken as a sign that you have not had enough to eat, so if you’ve had enough leave some food on your plate.Look out for a "paper cuttings" shop at Jinshanling, if you go in you will be amazed.

Suggestions

Apart from the wall, and the sights in Beijing, I enjoyed getting up early each morning and exploring the villages we stayed in. The people there, whatever they thought as I took photo after photo, were very polite and friendly. Some of us had an extra day in Beijing due to the late departure of our planes / trains. My last memory is of reading and relaxing with two fellow group members in the Temple of Heaven Park in Beijing, just a couple of hours before we were due to leave. They were going on to Xian, I was flying home. A gorgeous place, and lovely afternoon.  Something I will not forget.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cycling through the Sierra Maestra, the most challenging day of the trip and it was also very hot. The sense of achievement was great amongst the team, and the hotel that night was picturesque hidden away deep in the forest.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was very professional, rarely expressing opinion and remaining calm and patient with often very weary travellers. He answered all our questions, and gave us a great insight into Cuban life.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you are female definitely consider taking your own saddle, the saddles currently provided are for males and proved very uncomfortable. Other than that most things are provided, I didn't have to think about much at all!Other general advice - stating the obvious, this is a LOTof cycling so you should be prepared for that. General fitness is obviously necessary, but I would say personal endurance is more key, there are some very long (boring!) stretches.

Suggestions

Probably one of the best holidays I've had! I very rarely felt intrusive or typically 'touristy' since you were more accepted cycling to a village rather than offloading from a bus! The accommodation is OK, nothing special and the food likewise, although I believe these are all characteristic of Cuba generally!I will absolutely be booking another cycling holiday with Exodus, worth every penny!

Most Inspirational Moment

To trek on the great wall of china with like minded people and to constantly think "how the heck did they build it up and down these steep hills".To meet friendly locals and be looked after in our guest houses.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Kevin went over and above his duties as a group leader. He gave up his spare time to look after us when we were ill towards the end of our holiday. We had an extra week in Beijing and he was always at the end of a phone if we needed him (we did'nt but his offer of help was there and it made us feel comfortable knowing that). He had a vast knowladge of the history and geography of the areas we visited. He was always polite, helpful and willing to put himself out. His language skills were excellent and so was his sense of humour.  

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't skimp on rain gear. On the one day it did rain my lightweight Gore Tex jacket and trousers could not cope with the downpour. Take plenty of your own countries pills and potions. We both got man/woman flu and ran out of paracetamol and ibuprofen. The local pharmacies tend not to speak english that's where a great guide comes in handy but the local meds tend to be herbal and if you do manage to buy western meds we found them to be under dosed. Paracetamol came in 250mg not the usual 500mg.The food was excellant and catered for meat eaters and vegiterians.Only drink bottled water which is readilly available everywhere you go. We took a thin sleeping bag that you could open up and use as a blanket. We used it twice.Some matteresses are a bit on the hard side but I found them comfortable.Rather than take pens/pencils to give the kids. I took football cards but ended up giving them to the driver as there did not seem to be lots of kids about.The walking is challenging but we did not find it too hard. Plenty of ups and downs. The routes are safe. Mud paths can be slippy after and in the rain so take a pair of trekking poles with you. They are helpfull on the up and down parts to help on the knees. Just in case take a knee brace with you. I wore mine and it certainly helped.

Suggestions

Take a good camera and lots of memory then just blat a way at everything and when you get home share your pics with your fellow trekkers by sending them discs of your pics in exchange for thiers or by social networking.Leave only footprints and take only pictures..........leave the wall in China. Don't take bits home with you.

Most Inspirational Moment

The most inspirational moment in our trip was watching the sunset and having a glass of wine with some of my best friends!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Michele was really amazing. We were travelling in a group of 13  friends, and he could manage to organize us all. We lost our flight on the first day, and he arraged, together with Roberto, our change in transfers, and adapted our route perfectly. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

I strongly recommend this trip. I have done a Provence and a Alentejo trip before, but this one was, by far, the best.

Suggestions

The experience in the small hotels and agriturismo was also amazing, since the people who work in these small places, were really friendly and helpful.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so many memories which will stay with me for a long time, but the overall experience of seeing a different way of life was probably the most memorable. Crossing two land borders by bike was something which I was looking forward to before the trip and both were really facinating experiences ! Angkor is such an amazingly vast area and exploring it by bike was the ideal way to see it. In contrast cycling in some of the busy traffic in Siem Reap was quite an experience ! Our visit to the Killing Fields and fromer S21 jail in Phnom Penh were both really moving. Both are very important to see in order to fully understand the terrible events which took place in Cambodia in the 1970's & which the country has had to overcome. Into Vietnam and I particuarly enjoyed the cycling around the paths around the Mekong area the night after the homestay. The homstay itself exceeded expectations. Saigon was a city which impressed me and also exceeded my expectations. Although, I have never seen so many motorbikes - crossing the road was an experience !

Thoughts on Group Leader

Moh was a excellent tour leader - really professional and ensured the smooth running of the tour from start to finish. There were two birthdays during our trip and she organised a birthday cake for both ! The leaders in Cambodia (Dyka) and Vietnem (Long) were also great and really passionate about showing us their respective countries. All leaders were full of energy and enthusiasm !

Advice for Potential Travellers

The homestay night might be something which potential travellers may be unsure/curious about. I think everyone in our group would ageee that it exceeded our expectations. It was actually very newly built and had good shower/bathroom facilities. The food was also particularly good !  There are good opportunities to do laundry in both Siem Reap and Saigon.The longest cycling days are during the first part of the trip in Thailand, when it is most likely you will be recovering from jet lag/getting used to the heat. There is no pressure to complete all the cycling on these days and the back up bus/truck is always there if you want a break.

Suggestions

If you want an experience of South East Asia in a little over two weeks go for it !The only suggestion I would make to Exodus is to perhaps consider a slight change in the schedule so as to have a day seeing the sites in Bangkok at the start of the tour. Therefore, allowing the opportunity to see the sites of the city and have a day getting used to the heat, before starting the cycling part of the trip,and then gradually increasing the cycling distances each day, rather than having the longest cycling days at the start of the trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

The panoramic walk on the second day in the high atlas where it is possible to view the high and anti atlas mountain

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan was very informative about the Berber way of life

Most Inspirational Moment

The view from the col on the way up to the arch was breathtaking.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sara is a fantastic leader. She clearly knew the area extensively (and seemed to know everybody) and controlled the pace of the walks very well. She is a very interesting, witty and caring person who made the holiday pretty special for me. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just go. The scenery and views are wonderful. The walks are challenging (7-10 miles and up to 1000m climbs) but not technically difficult (I went on the B grade). Lots of people say walking poles are essential but I think that's personal preference because I managed fine without. Sara will lend you a pair f you want to try them out. Weather was cold in April so take several layers and remember to bring gloves (I didn't !)

Suggestions

Braccicorti is a lovely farmhouse, comfortable and the food was excellent.  They make their own wine (included with the meals) which I thought was much better than most bought wines. Two lovely, friendly dogs. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

 I've been on many group holidays and found Jose to be one of the best leaders I've experienced, extremely competent and good fun.  As a local, he was able to lead us over rough terrain through the mountainous, wilderness areas without marked paths - we had every confidence in him.  Refreshingly, he didn't feel the need to tell us to wear sunscreen in the sun, carry water to drink, a fleece in case it gets chilly and a waterproof in case it rains. Instead he explained the geology of the area, discussed how the region is affected by politics and answered all our questions regarding the flora, fauna and local culture.  

Advice for Potential Travellers

The whole of this holiday is very relaxed; you won't need any smart clothes or makeup.  

Suggestions

 This package is very good value. Not only is almost all the food included in the price (and is far superior to the usual standard on this type of holiday - especially the packed lunches) but local wine is provided with dinner. The only extra expenditure was for a couple of beers at the end of the walks and food on the free day.  This is not just another pleasant European walking holiday, there was something very different and special about this one.  Nothing like the sometimes busy trails of more popular walking areas, this was Spanish walking at its best. 

Most Inspirational Moment

Too many! The tigers were a big highlight - seeing the biggest tiger in Bandhavgarh stroll towards you and getting six feet away is unforgettable! And washing the elephant in the river! Oh, and driving through the chaos of Old Delhi's market on a Rickshaw! And of course, the Taj!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Harish was fantastic. He made our trip very enjoyable and went out of his way to make sure we had a brilliant time. 

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you want to see tigers go in March or April - we were told this is the best time. This isn't roughing it - we thought the food, the accomodation and transport were all more than adequate.  Take your swimming costume for the pool!Take footballs and tennis balls for the children - the footballs went down particularly well.   Game drives can be quite windy and a little cooler, a few jumpers would also be a good idea (and conditioner for tangled hair!)