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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14420 Reviews
4.7 out of
5
Reviews
David Berry
Reviewed July 2023
Great walking holiday!
As older walkers, on our first organised walking holiday, we weren’t sure whether we would be able to keep up with the youngsters. Pleased to say that some others were slower, and our various minor ailments didn’t stop us enjoying all the walks. The hotel was lovely and traditional and the family atmosphere shone through. The meals were good and the packed lunches substantial. The hotel BBQ was excellent! The walk up Vesuvius, the walk to Amalfi and the Walk of the Gods were all spectacular. A good holiday and we’ll be looking to do another one with you.
Most Inspirational Moment
Walking the rim of Vesuvius with no safety rails, but with a very experienced guide.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guide for the week, Severio, was good and stretched us, although it took a couple of days to get used to him. He had excellent local knowledge, and his good connections meant that we experienced good coffee, ice cream, restaurants and the best specialist guides for Vesuvius and Pompeii.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Follow the training regime that Exodus provide - it certainly helped our fitness, and therefore the enjoyment of our holiday.
Andrea Morrall
Reviewed July 2023
Wonderful time cycling the Baltics
This was a brilliant trip from start to finish. We have learnt so much about the history of these three countries, the trip was about so much more than cycling. The scenery is beautiful, and we cycled a variety of terrains including along a beach! We were lucky to have a really good guide who is local and rich in the history of the Baltics. The cycling was gentle, not too challenging, which was fine for us. There were many activities to participate in, aside of just cycling. It was just non-stop from the beginning of the day until we flopped into bed every night! The hotels were all perfectly adequate, some really nice – with the exception of the hotel in Riga – tiny rooms, a teeny shower and poor breakfast. We had group meals every night bar one, and mostly they were good restaurants. Lunches were well thought out and mostly in small cafes. We loved this holiday. We were blessed with a great group of people to travel with and have made some fantastic new friends. If you are thinking about this trip, I would not hesitate. Do it!
Most Inspirational Moment
The highlight for me was definitely the cycling in the first country- Estonia. The cycling around the lake was just beautiful. Tallinn and Vilnius are simply stunning and I wish we had had more time in both to explore. The cycling in 'Little Switzerland' was also fun. In Riga, I recommend visiting the Sky bar at the top of the Radisson. The food (and view) was magnificent and actually cheaper and far far better quality than the tourist trap restaurants in the town centre.
Thoughts on Group Leader
I would say that Andrius is probably the most knowledgeable we have ever had on a cycling holiday. He made the trip about so much more than just the cycling and the scenery. It was a history lesson from start to finish. We have come away with so much knowledge about the region and it's history. He is also very funny, he kept us entertained throughout the holiday and had a fantastic rapport with the group. His taste in music is terrible, but apart from that, I wish I had a bigger suitcase as we would gladly have put him in that and taken him home!
Advice for Potential Travellers
I do have advice if you have tall women in your party. The bikes are not that great, they are Kross cycles and seem to come in two 'sizes' - Male and Female. My first bike was too small for me, and luckily I was given a spare man's bike which was better. Two other ladies in the group were not so lucky, their bikes were far too small for them which made cycling uncomfortable. I'm 5ft 8. Email Exodus a few weeks in advance of the trip and ask for a man's bike if you are as tall as me. The company that supplies them bring them to Estonia from Lithuania and need advance notice before they are loaded onto the trailer. I would also recommend booking an extra night in Vilnius at the end of the holiday because you don't get much time there and it is truly beautiful. We were the only people on the trip not on the group flight which came and left via Frankfurt. We were able to find direct flights both ways from Luton with Wizz and Ryan Air. Only a couple of hours both ways.
marcelle holt
Reviewed July 2023
i thought it was gonna be good and it was even better
this was a trip I had been dreaming of for about 15 years, so I was pretty excited, but the way the trip was put together and the specialist guide just took it to the next level. there is a lot of driving, but these were sometimes just as cool as the activities themselves, with bespoke playlists and most importantly a very experienced guide who was funny and knowledgeable to PhD levels, quirky stories and never felt pressure or ill at ease and had a gentle way of bringing the group together an amazing itinerary for sure but the great guide, side quests to lakeside festivals, diners and burrito bars was what made this trip next level.
Most Inspirational Moment
perfect, super experienced, reassuring, patient, kind, funny, great stories
Advice for Potential Travellers
maybe book yourself a couple of extra nights in San Francisco if you can afford it, as such a stunning city and no time to do anything extra like Alcatraz or museums or shopping. make sure you have money to tip your guide - cos you will want to!
Beth Harris
Reviewed July 2023
Excellent
Very enjoyable trip, excellent guide and guiding, great exploration of local flora, fauna and foods.
Most Inspirational Moment
The whole experience.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Julian was an absolute font of knowledge on everything relating to the Rodopi mountains, always sharing his knowledge with enthusiasm. His knowledge was far greater than bears also a bit of an Orchid expert. The bears are elusive and don't perform on command. We didn't see any in the first couple of viewings but Julian managed to arrange an extra evening in the hide for us.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The trip is far more than the bears. The mountains are stunningly beautiful, think Swiss alpine mountain and there is an abundance of other flora and fauna.
Pete Batchelor
Reviewed July 2023
Fantastico!
Outstanding full-on tour of southern Peru, with its wonderful variety of scenery and historical attractions. Overall organisation and itinerary were excellent. There were some very long drives but not tiring as there was so much to see. Food (huge portions) and drink were very good, reasonably priced and quite varied (nice to see lots of craft beers). Hotels were very good. There were only 3 of us, luckily we got on very well! Others had cancelled, doubtless scared off by the civil disruption early in 2023. People were friendly and we encountered no problems, in fact Peru felt safer than some southern European countries…
Most Inspirational Moment
So many highlights, Machu Pichu, Cusco, condors in Colca Canyon, Reed islands in Lake Titicaca, festivals at Cusco and Raqchi.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our tour leader Leo was excellent. He was highly competent and patiently attended to our needs including arranging great restaurants for dinners.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Just go. When you book, check that the flights selected are the best for you. KLM really messed up my arrangements by changing and cancelling my flights.
Andrew Pullen
Reviewed July 2023
Our First Exodus Expedition (And Not Our Last!)This
This was our ‘Trip Of A Lifetime’ and thanks to Exodus it exceeded all our expectations. We had always wanted to see the Rockies and our outstanding tour guide Isabel certainly ensured that we did!
Most Inspirational Moment
This has to be the Rockies. The mountains, waterfalls and wildlife, Isabel showed us it all.
Thoughts on Group Leader
If you were to make a list of all the attributes you wanted form a tour guide then Isabel has them all and then some. Isabel has excellent knowledge of everything from the mountains to waterfalls, glaciers to wildlife, she knows it all. My wife and I, and our travelling companions, were truly astonished at the excellent standard lunches Isabel was able to provide with only the facilities of a hotel room in which to prepare them. She could not do enough for us. Once she overheard us talking about Wagon Wheel biscuits, lo and behold the next day she produces Wagon Wheels at lunchtime. Isabel is a safe, competent, knowledgeable and And to top it all she is a safe driver who can handle a minibus and trailer with ease.
Angela Beckwith
Reviewed July 2023
Amazing Wildlife, Amazing People
What an incredible trip. The scenery, the wildlife viewing and the people all combine to make a fabulous itinerary. We were incredibly lucky with the wildlife from the very start, with the Big 5 achieved between the Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru, along with five cheetah, lions, baby giraffe, elephants, zebra and so much more.
We were incredibly lucky with the boat trip in Queen Elizabeth NP, getting to spend time watching two herds of elephants, both with babies, come down to the water’s edge to drink.
The whitewater rafting in Jinja was intense but absolutely brilliant and the safety was top notch. There are options on the rafting for how intense you want the experience – our group did the highest class available and spent a fair bit of time in the water, but it was such a fun activity.
The chimp trekking in Budongo was on relatively easy paths, with only the last 5-10mins being properly ‘off-track’. The chimps stayed up in the trees, however we still had a great viewing, with a young chimp playing around and giving some fabulous poses and facial experiences. Beware of the chimps throwing things down at you – they are surprisingly accurate with their aim!
The gorilla trekking is everything you imagine and more. It is impossible to predict how far or how hard your walk will be, so go prepared for a tough hike. Our group had around an hour of reasonable hiking on established tracks, followed by around 30-40 mins of full scrambling up and down a steep ravine as the gorillas moved away in search of a different food source. Once the gorillas had re-settled, we were able to spend the hour with the whole family, from the massive silverback to the playful adolescents and the relaxing females. The trackers are awesome and the gorillas showed no signs of being even remotely bothered by our presence, coming up towards us and playing / posing for photos near by.
As other reviewers have previously mentioned, there are lots of early mornings, but you soon adjust and, as this is when the wildlife is most active, it is definitely worth it. The campsites were generally of a very good standard. We had a slight issue with very late and loud music at the Jinja camp (take earplugs), and one campsite did not have working showers when we were there, but as this was one night only it really did not have a big impact. Most of the facilities were good and some were excellent (lovely hot showers), but really this trip is not about the accommodation – with good food (thanks Ken!) and great company, you really do not need luxury and the experience of waking up to the sounds of baboons and hyena made everything worthwhile. The Exodus tents and mattresses are good quality and well cared for, and there were plenty of opportunities for upgrades if you wanted a break from camping.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many. Helping to rescue a lost/abandoned baby elephant in the Masai Mara (big shout out to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for their prompt action) was such a privilege. Watching a cheetah run flat out across the plains, demonstrating just how fast and graceful they are. And of course, the hour spent with the gorillas in Bwindi - what an experience. The gentle giants were so relaxed, whilst the young adolescent gorillas were playful and cheeky. It truly is an extraordinarily honour to get to spend time with these amazing family groups.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Clara was amazing - so full of knowledge and passion for the region, she took the time to speak to us about a different local topic each day and enhanced our understanding of the local customs and history. She was always smiling and helpful, and so caring, especially when some of us were feeling unwell or needed a bit of extra help.
Stoney the driver is a legend - how he navigates some of the roads in the truck is a true talent. The truck is well taken care of, and we always felt safe throughout the trip, even on some of the very bumpy roads. He also did a fabulous job of navigating the safari drives when we used the truck, and finding us great view points to watch the various animals.
Ken's cooking was amazing - the variety of soups and mains he managed to conjure up were fabulous, and he went out of his way to cater for all the dietary requirements of the group (veggie, no-peppers etc). Nothing was ever wasted and all the food was tasty and exactly what we needed after a long day of adventure.
James, our overall helper, was a joy. His ability to put up and take down tents in the blink of an eye was amazing and nothing was ever too much trouble. He was always there to help with the cooking, cleaning, dealing with stiff truck windows, and just being an overall help throughout the trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Just go! It is completely worth it.
My whole group agreed that the Nairobi-Kigali direction was our preference - building up to the gorillas at the end of the trip and sharing that experience with people you have just spent two weeks bonding with, was incredibly special. Proper hiking boots for the gorilla trekking are a must. The group will be split into eight for the gorillas, so you may be split or joined by other people if you are not an even 8 or 16 people. We hired three porters for our group of eight (20USD per porter) and these guys were invaluable in helping with bags and some of the steep scrambling we had to do to reach our gorilla family. The money goes to supporting the local community and, by association, the protection of the gorillas.
Get the combined East Africa Visa, as this saves a lot of hassle at the border crossings into Uganda and Rwanda. It is the same cost as getting the visas separately, and is worth it for the ease.
USD notes need to be flawless - even the slightest pen mark or nick/tear in the note will be rejected in Uganda, so make sure you check your notes before leaving the exchange bureau. Exchange places and ATM availability was fine for local currency, which you will need for the snack stops and small souvenirs, and many of the campsites have bars with reasonably priced beer.
David Williams
Reviewed July 2023
Wonderful part of the world
A great hiking trip in the dolomites, a choice of great walks each day, a good quality hotel to stay excellent knowledgeable leaders, fantastic scenery .
Most Inspirational Moment
The dolomites themselves.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jen was a great team leader.
Advice for Potential Travellers
A brilliant trip in a fantastic part of the world, just enjoy it.
David Scott
Reviewed July 2023
Everything hoped for
What you see on a trip such as this is always dependent on being in the right place at the right time. However the hard work and depth of knowledge of the expedition guides made for a memorable experience. They were always up, (if they ever went to bed), scanning the land and sea and sea ice, out early in the morning in zodiacs looking for the best opportunities to see wildlife, and using their experience to take us to amazing places. As a result we had good encounters with five polar bears over three days, saw hundreds of Walrus, thousands of sea birds, whales, seals and dolphin. Although not seemingly planned, the captain and expedition leader decided a complete circumnavigation of Svalbard was possible, so that’s what we did. It felt like a true expedition and that we were in the hands of experts. If anyone tells me that we were lucky to see and do so much, I would reply that one definition of luck is preparation meeting opportunity and the efforts of the guides and leader ensured we were prepared to take advantage of every opportunity that arose.
Most Inspirational Moment
The whole trip was inspirational and it is difficult to isolate particular moments: looking at a tundra landscape of flowering alpines was just as meaningful as watching a Polar bear from a zodiac walking along the shore and going about it’s business unconcerned by our presence. Being surrounded by perhaps 30 Beluga Whales in a glacial Bay and turning off the engine to listen to them blowing and chattering to each other was pretty special.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader, Woody, worked phenomenally hard, and took a personal interest in ensuring that everybody on board was getting the most out of the trip that they could. His knowledge and experience, and direction of the expedition guides was faultless, and his seemingly effortless control of the whole trip and enthusiasm made us wake up each day looking forward to a new adventure.
Advice for Potential Travellers
At the end of the trip the option to pay shipboard gratuities by MasterCard was offered. However the ship we were on, Ocean Adventurer, did not have a card reader leading to my suspicious bank immediately blocking my card when they tried to put it through remotely and a bit of a struggle to get it unblocked. If I had thought about it I would have brought enough dollars to pay the gratuities in cash, and thereby avoiding embarrassment.
Lynda Berry
Reviewed July 2023
Gret trip, harder than I expected having trekked up Kili, but amazing views of the Atlas mountains.
Overall a great trip, the Atlas mountains were amazing. Views from top of Toubkal were stunning, and we had the summit to ourselves. The terrain was harder than I thought it might be, having already trekked up Kilimanjaro, but it was do-able. The team including the mule drivers worked really hard and deserve to be paid more. June was a good time to go. Hot but not unbearable, until we returned to Marrakesh to 47 degrees! Was only 32 when we left. Shame there wasn’t more time alone in Marrakesh to bargain hunt in the souks. Would have happily forgone the guided tour of Marrakesh if I had known.
Most Inspirational Moment
Getting to the top of Mount Toubkal to have it all to ourselves, so spent an hour up there taking photos, and drinking in the sight of all the surrounding mountains which go in every direction. Our guides took a bit of lunch up for us so we sat there in the peace and tranquility eating sardine and cheese sandwiches. Fabulous.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Omar was great, and clearly knew the mountains like the back of his hand.
Advice for Potential Travellers
A water pouch (Camelbak or similar) was a must. Those with just drinking bottles didn't keep hydrated half as well. Take lots of small local currency to buy the freshly squeezed orange juice on the way (15 dirhams and worth every penny - delicious). Good well worn in walking boots are a must as the terrain was very rough with rocks and shale. Hard on your feet. Blister plasters a good idea too. And lots of layers as even in June it was cold at night and early morning till you got going. Take double the suggested amount of tip as it appears the mule drivers in particular are not paid for all the jobs they do (like setting up tents etc). And don't forget your loo roll!!
