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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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211 Reviews

4.8 out of 5

Reviews

Back-roads of Sri Lanka September 2015

Holiday of a life-time

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing flocks of large fruit bats flying across the moon-lit sky over Kandy Seeing huge black rat snake in bamboo-grove at Kandy botanical gardens Seeing bear-faced monkeys leaping through Palm trees Seeing buddhas in Dambulla stone temple and at Polunnaruwa Delicious Sri Lankan food three times a day Very friendly smiling Sri-lankan people

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh* was a cycle-tour guide Who took British guests for a ride. He was everyone's friend; We got there in the end And best of all, nobody died! He gave us all good advice Bought elephants at the right price; Each restaurant and bar Was the best one so far For Lion-lager, curry and rice! He asked for two minutes of time He gave soda-water and lime; And "max damage" at meals; Now everyone feels He's the Exodus leader sublime! *Suresh Bandara won the Exodus Leader of the Year award recently and having just had him as our leader it is easy to see why.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You dont need to take your own snacks as masses of food and snacks are provided Walking round Kandy city centre is a bit of a waste of time. Better way to spend the Kandy day is in the botanical gardens. train ride from Kandy to Nuriwa Eliya is good alternative to very hard uphill, but train is very crowded on Saturdays - so if you know you are going to go on train try to book first class observation carriage in advance otherwise you will probably be standing for 4 hours in second class Try to fit in a surfing lesson/session near Kobbala beach - looks fun

10th Exodus Trip & now waiting for 2016 Cycling Brochure

Another great cycling holiday experience with Exodus. Our guide Suresh and the rest of the support crew were fantastic and nothing was too much trouble for them and they were passionate and proud about their country. The cycling was varied but as our group showed doable by all giving everyone a real sense of achievement and a great way to experience the delights & scenery of Sri Lanka. The one watch out is don’t expect to lose weight on this trip as the variety of food available at the buffets means you are likely to end up doing maximum damage for very little money.

Most Inspirational Moment

The variety of the cycling in terms of both the terrain and scenery that you pass through and the warm smiles on the faces of the Sri Lankans even if we must have looked a strange sight in lycra, wearing helmets and being on bikes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh is clearly very passionate about his country and his passion is totally infectious.

Advice for Potential Travellers

For me the hotels were better than I expected and with a reasonable level of fitness doing all the cycling is definitely achievable. I realise it is fairly obvious but be prepared for it to be hot and humid however, our trip was not really affected by the forecasted rain.

Backroads of Sri Lanka Jul-Aug 2015

Great trip, moderate to challenging is about right for the cycling but there’s always the helpful support and tech vehicles. A great way to see the small villages and daily life as you go past (often getting smiles and waves!).

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.

Review Centre
Reply from Exodus

We are glad that Christine had a great trip, but we are sorry that she found her bike saddle to be uncomfortable. We are currently working with our local operator to source women’s saddles, which we hope will help avoid this issue recurring.

Megan Devenish – Trip Manager for cycling in Sri Lanka

Backroads of Sri Lanka

The cycling was challenging due to heat, roads under construction, hills, dogs, traffic but rewarding. Beautiful diverse scenery and friendly people.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the hotel after 102 Km and finding swimming pool overlooking paddy fields. Body boarding in the sea at Koggola, The Hill Club experience,

Thoughts on Group Leader

Brilliant so well organised and going that extra mile to make sure everything was planned ahead. Very keen to make sure any problems were sorted straight away.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Definitely take your own saddle, padded shorts and wet wipes + hand gel.

Magic Sri Lanka

What a country ? Amazing scenery, great food and the most polite gentle people you could meet. What a trip ? Great itinerary going to some great historical places and beautiful scenery.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cycling along the country lanes past paddy fields and Palm trees and villagers waving from their homes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh was great leader. He was always on the phone organising meals, hotels etc so our trip ran well. He is very proud of his country aNd put a lot into the trip to make sure we all enjoyed the trip and his country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

It is a hot country, so drink plenty of water !

Magic Sri Lanka

What a country ? Amazing scenery, great food and the most polite gentle people you could meet. What a trip ? Great itinerary going to some great historical places and beautiful scenery.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cycling along the country lanes past paddy fields and Palm trees and villagers waving from their homes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh was great leader. He was always on the phone organising meals, hotels etc so our trip ran well. He is very proud of his country aNd put a lot into the trip to make sure we all enjoyed the trip and his country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

It is a hot country, so drink plenty of water !

Cycle the backroads of Sri Lanka

This was a wonderful experience, with a wonderful group of people. Despite a number of roads still under construction, the cycling took us to some lovely villages and hills that we might not otherwise have had the chance to see.

Most Inspirational Moment

Meeting children and families on route; the kids would always be thrilled to see us (lord knows why?!) and their enthusiasm never wore off. Sri Lankans are smiley and open. The moment where we saw a crocodile snap up a bird for dinner at the Yala National Park was also pretty cool.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh is quietly confident (things happen almost without you noticing), very hard-working, a super cyclist, and a lovely guy. He has plenty of humour to spare and this is very welcome on a trip which is tough at times from a physical point of view. He has the patience of a Saint (being a novice cyclist, I very much appreciated this a number of times on the trip) and really is an Ambassador for his country; which you can tell he loves. He always does that little bit extra and made all of us feel very welcome and at home at all times.

Advice for Potential Travellers

For the ladies: take your own seat. The hire bikes are great, but from a purely physical point of view ladies would be better off with a women's seat. Gloves are a must, as is the anti-friction gel. I took several changes of cycling gear as you get dirty and sweaty of course, but there are two laundry opportunities too if needed. Rehydration salts are a good idea almost as a prevention rather than a cure as you're sweating a lot.

Tour De Sri Lanka

My trip was second to none. Despite being the only Aussie, I felt right at home with the group.
The natural beauty of Sri Lanka and it’s people was amazing. Cheers and children along town roads and in villages, spurred me on.
The weather, mountains, beaches, lakes, rice paddies, tea plantations, animals, water falls and country spirit surrounded us always. Not to mention best daal (and other) curries!
The guide was superb, ensuring that all group tastes and trip features were met, and the group, my room mate and driver, bike mechanics and assistants were the best.
I’ll treasure the holiday, the memories and the people. We were also quite lucky to be in Sri Lanka during the Lunar or Buddhist New Year and got to experience those celebrations.
It wasn’t just bike riding. The beach, visiting a gem museum, tea factory, spice gardens (with a complimentary massage!) and a jeep safari at Yala National Park, were among the few extras we did, along with shopping at Kandy or Galle, and Elephant riding, and going to an elephant orphanage. Temples, ruins and hikes and much more, jam packed into 14 days.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Elephants and Mountains.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The cream of the crop.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Consider Tips. Mosquito repellents. You may wait a few days for Laundry facilities Train before you go if and when you can! Travel light so you can buy a lot more.

Cycling Back Roads in Sri Lanka

I have just completed a cycling trip in Sri Lanka – it was fantastic!! Lots of variety and very informative. If you enjoy cycling, friendly hospitality, great food and a brilliant leader then I would highly recommend this trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

All of it!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent! Suresh was really attentive and very informative. We couldn't have had a better guide!

Advice for Potential Travellers

We hired the bikes on arrival and they were great - definitely saved a lot of hassel at the airport. Also don't need to take much luggage.

Cycle the Backroads of Sri Lanka - Trip code MIR 150308

The cycling in the first two thirds of this trip was fairly challenging, at least I found it so. Whether it was fear of unseen wild elephants or just a keen, fit group, I don’t know but the pace was brisk and the effort needed to rejoin the peleton discouraged me from taking as many photos as I would have liked. On many days there were supplementary activities which provided plenty of photo opportunities, however.

The food and accommodation was generally excellent. The sophistication of the hotels and lodges was variable but everywhere was welcoming and clean.

Towards the end of the trip, there was no longer any pressure to reach destinations and the cycling became much more relaxed, giving a chance to chat and take photos. The roads were quieter too, with one morning in a bird sanctuary.

Galle fort was very picturesque but full of a different sort of tourist to ourselves! Colombo was a mixture of elegant colonial buildings in the centre, now restored to create elegant shopping malls, and many miles of poor, rather depressing, ‘suburbs’. Strange, to my eyes at least, that the extra income in the city seems to bring about a reduction in the quality of life compared with the country.

Most Inspirational Moment

The ascent of Lion Rock in Sigirya was a high point in more ways than one, as the rock itself dominates the area. To reach the extensive remains of the summit fortress involves climbing many hundreds of stone steps (and a few more modern iron ones). The effort is worthwhile just to admire the 5th C engineering but the view from the top is stunning, with an almost shear drop to the palace ruins and gardens 200m below, and a panorama of the surrounding countryside. On a quite different level I was constantly amazed that we seemed to be such a source of fascination (and amusement) to local children. A cheerful "Good Morning" resulted in gales of laughter. Equally unfathomable was why all the children shouted "Bye", even though we had just arrived! It was very noticeable how, even in the poorest areas, the children were sent to school so neatly dressed. There was little evidence of Sri Lanka's colonial past on the trip, at least until we reached Nuwara Eliya. The Hill House Hotel had all the ambience (and stuffiness) of a rather run-down Surrey golf club and made me wonder whether colonial grandeur had ever been all it was cracked up to be. The trip to the tea plantation and factory was fascinating however, though I wouldn't care to be a worker there. I will never look at the picture on boxes of Brooke Bond tea in quite the same way again.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Dileepa is a terrific leader, who combines hard work and professionalism with a very likeable personality. I think that he also set an excellent example for his support crew, who could not have been more helpful. He genuinely seemed to enjoy being with our group, even 'out of hours'; this included organising some party games at the end of the trip and even a cricket match. The very few problems that cropped up were dealt with, with efficiency and good humour. Having a native Sri Lankan for a group leader is of huge benefit, whether it is a matter of enquiring whether a roadside snack is suitable for vegetarians or understanding the history or way of life of the country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Although the trip notes say that 95% of the roads are tarmac, this is not how it feels. 95% of the distance could just about be tarmac but certainly not 95% of the riding time, particularly as Sri Lanka seems to be in the middle of an ambitious road improvement programme. Sri Lanka is very hot and humid, just like it says in the trip notes. Despite starting each day soon after first light, the temperature rises quickly and, particularly when it was necessary to ride through the hottest part of the day, this could be exhausting, in spite of the regular drink and snack stops. The ride distances may seem modest but the effort (and time) to complete the rides is much greater than a comparable distance in the UK.