Reviews

Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers

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14423 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Helen Bouchami

Reviewed September 2019

Relaxed itinerary but plenty to do

This was the most relaxed itinerary of any Exodus holiday I’ve been on. No early morning starts or long journeys, yet we managed to pack a lot in, I think due to this trip focusing on a limited geographic area.
Three nights in each of two hotels.
I enjoyed the variety of the trip. Split and Dubrovnik are ‘must sees’, but it was good to escape the cruise crowds with two visits to nature reserves on islands, and the smaller town of Trogir was lively and picturesque enough without being overwhelmingly busy.

Most Inspirational Moment

Mljet Island; walk to the peak of Montokuc. Beautiful island with its internal 'lakes' and pines. The climb was not difficult (256m) with steeper sections interspersed with level ones. Lovely views at the top. We did one leg of the journey by boat on the lake, stopping briefly on an island with a monastery. With the walk around the small and big lake + the climb approx. 8.5 miles - a good leg stretch without being overly demanding. Those who didn't want to climb had the option of remaining at the lakeside for an afternoon's swimming.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ivan was a warm, friendly and organized leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The Dubrovnik card is not necessary. The city tour includes a couple of museum visits and we were then given a museum pass to use during the rest of our stay. The entry ticket for the (optional) walk around the walls also includes the fort, which can be visited that day or the next. Steps are definitely a feature of this coastline - even within the hotels. For anyone with knee problems, a stick or walking pole might be helpful. Mussels and oysters are specialties along the coast, but I found both overly salty. But the langoustines (scampi) at the More restaurant on Korcula were delicious. Because the coast is steep and rocky, there are few sand beaches and entry into the water for a swim can be hard on the feet/ slippy. Protective shoes are available for sale, or if you have some, bring them.

Ron Powell

Reviewed September 2019

A Stunning Country

The scenery exceeded our expectations and walking among it seemed a real privilege.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were several: Bergen, the scenery on journeys by mini-bus and ferry, Nes Gard farm guesthouse and the view from our room, the overall views of mountains, waterfalls and glaciers.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Lukas's passion for his country shone out and enthused us at the same time. He adjusted the programme sensibly to cope with the variable weather we experienced.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We had sun and rain, so be prepared. It was also a little wetter underfoot than some other trips we've been on. Definitely not sandal country.

Pamela Gardiner

Reviewed September 2019

A Comprehensive Tour

This is a very interesting and comprehensive tour of all the major sites in Turkey though with 11 different hotels in 14 days it’s not particularly “leisurely” and some hotels I would describe as “basic” rather than “comfortable”. Apart from the obvious (Ephesus, Cappodocia, Whirling Dervishes etc) my highlights were the lovely seaside resort of Kas where I had a free day to explore, the clean and bright Islamic town of Konya and the beautiful World Heritage town of Safranbolu where our hotel was a former Ottoman house. Many towns are cobbled, particularly in Safranbolu, where this could be a problem for anyone with less than perfect mobility. Be prepared for very hot temperatures in August and appropriate clothes for visits to the mosques which should not be missed. On this trip there is no time for sightseeing in Istanbul and despite arriving a day early 24 hours wasn’t enough. As the oldest in my group at 69 I thoroughly enjoyed this trip and am already planning to re-visit Istanbul. Highly recommended if you want to learn about Turkey’s amazing history.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were lots of highlights but the less obvious was the beautiful seaside resort of Kas where I had a day to relax and explore on my own and the lovely Islamic town of Konya. The floodlit mosque was stunning as was watching the sunset at Pamukkale with wine provided by our tour leader!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Emir was a lovely man and very knowledgable about all the gods and extensive history of Turkey as well as being fun.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for 38C+ heat in August, take appropriate clothing for mosque visits, including headscarves for ladies, long trousers for men. Last 2 road journeys are long - ours were 9 hours plus including toilet and lunch stops. Driver is obliged to take at least a 45 minute break for Tachograph reasons so take plenty of music or reading material.

Eric Pagtaconan

Reviewed September 2019

Mont Blanc Highlights is 10/10!!!

The Mont Blanc Highlights tour has been the best holiday experience! I was looking around other companies’ websites, and I’m glad we went with Exodus. The website’s ease of use and overall fantastic customer experience throughout the holiday was a blessing.
Our two young-adult chalet hosts, Zoe and Ben, welcomed everyone as family! They took out all the hard work with planning a holidays, from driving us to each trail head, informing us of the town and things to do during the free day, providing us with world-class meals everyday, and sharing with the group their positive vibes and energy.
The group that shared the same chalet with me was such a lovely treat as well. It feels like I’ve made so many friends from so many backgrounds. Everyone I stayed with was so kind and thoughtful, that they soon were a source of inspiration when it came to the challenging bits of the hiking. Seeing my fellow chalet-mates give their absolute best and motivate myself and each other was such a beautiful experience.

10/10 would do again.

Most Inspirational Moment

There are so many inspirational moments, that it's very hard to point at just one and say this is THE MOST inspirational one of them all. I can mention the many beautiful views around charmonix or even just simply waking up each morning and opening the windows to the fresh mountain air and scenic views of the sunrise hitting the mountain summits. I can recall the many delicious meals provided at the chalet as well as the fancy restaurant with the 3 course dinner that our group went to together during our free day. I can remember the challenging bits during our hikes and the quietness of the moment when our group sat around to eat lunch. Everything, from the start to especially the finish of the trip was inspirational.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I feel absolutely #blessed to have Adelene as our group leader. What makes her a great lead is her passion and enthusiasm! She loves what she's doing and absolutely doesn't mind sharing that joy with the group. Adelene is also perceptive on people's strengths and weaknesses. She takes special care to make sure that everyone in the party is enjoying themselves, whether it was those close to the head of the pack and those holding strong at the rear. She is also in tune with the difficult bits of the trails. Adelene offered a helping hand whenever the trail got tricky. At no point did i feel in any danger during the hikes. Adelene was also a teacher in a past life! It was awesome to ask a question about the local geography and receive a well thought out and immersive discussion of the topic. Adelene, thank you for being you!

Advice for Potential Travellers

My only criticism is that I can't give more stars for this review. I kid, in seriousness, I can see why previous reviewers mentioned that this felt a bit more than a 3/5 difficulty. It's not enough to grant a 4/5, but taxing enough where a good pair of hiking shoes and trekking poles are highly suggested. It's also good to have excellent situational awareness when hiking, as there are moments with very narrow trails, slippery stones, scrambling up rocks, and tree roots that can snag your feets. It's nothing new for those that hike occasionally, but is useful information to have if you are considering this tour. Make sure to pre and post stretch your legs, and to take full advantage of the jacuzzi at the end of each hike or the local spa center on the off day. It will help your knees and legs tremendously the day after. My fiance and myself came from US, and we used Mountain Dropoffs as our van service from Geneva airports to the chalet. I recommend going through them as the entire experience was smooth as silk at a very good cost. One last thing, just be aware not to overindulge with the hot water when you shower, as you wouldn't want other chalet roomies to miss out on a warm shower.

Helen Cordery

Reviewed September 2019

Great adventure - our expectations were blown!

A fantastic, safe but action-packed way to explore a totally new country. The wildlife was amazing (the crocodile eating a howler monkey was a ‘highlight’), as was the white water rafting. A wonderful way for a family to connect to each other and to nature.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so many, it's impossible to choose! But I think the Costa Rican wildlife in all its glory was the highlight. Seeing a baby humpbacked whale swim alongside our boat will stay with me forever, as will the crocodile eating a monkey - but in a different way. Our driver spotting a group of scarlet macaws as we drove along the highway, and then spending several minutes watching them with our mouths open was another highlight. On another level, the white water rafting was exhilarating and such fun. But the whole country and its people was inspirational too.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Gio was amazing - his wealth of knowledge about Costa Rica, its history, geography and nature was amazing, as was his engagement with the group (kids and adults). His lovely last speech as Roberto was driving us to the airport brought tears to my eyes! He was always very mindful of our safety, which was so important when you factor in the excitable kids (and adults) who could potentially forget themselves and make unsafe decisions. I am also extremely grateful to him for just ignoring my travel-related migraine (and vomiting) within minutes of meeting him at the airport!

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you, like us, want a real adventure, but are nervous about how to do this when you're not that confident travelling, this is a definite trip to consider. This was our first trip abroad as a family, but has set the bar very high for future trips!

Sandra Davies

Reviewed September 2019

Do it!

This was my first solo trip ….. ever! I needn’t have worried, despite a very tight connection flight, 1 passenger and some luggage (including mine) didn’t make it, everything else was spot on. I understand that this was due to the usual airport being temporarily closed, not a lot Exodus could do about that.
Finland is beautiful, the activities on offer were varied, Basecamp comfortable, the food was good and everyone we met was very friendly.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the bears, we were so lucky with the amount of activity. Mums with cubs, cubs up trees, big bears, little bears .... so many bears. It’s a close run thing between that and the day on the river Kitka.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Elina was an absolute delight, she wasted no time reuniting myself and a fellow passenger with our luggage. She also located our missing passenger. I was in a small group of 5, Elina joined in with our silly conversations, got our British ‘humour’, took us out on some amazing walks and felt more like one of the group, than the ‘formal guide’.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t be afraid to do the optional whitewater experience. I had never done any rafting before and absolutely loved it. We were well looked after and the hike up to the viewpoint half way along the river was well worth the puff. I took far too much with me, all you need is some decent walking shoes, the usual walking trousers and tops etc. Dinner is very informal, don’t waste luggage space on smarter stuff for the evening, instead of packing the ‘just in case skirt’ put some Deet in instead, you will need it.

Nicola Cullen

Reviewed September 2019

Outstanding Week in Chamonix Environs

What a week! I have already completed the TMB with Exodus but decided to come back with a friend and was not disappointed. The walks, whilst in the same area as the TMB route, were varied so that I didn’t feel that I was repeating the routes and saw different areas of the mountain range.

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day was fabulous - the walks were varied and interesting and the views stunning. We all made the most of the day off in Chamonix - going up the Aguille Du Midi and watching people ascend Mont Blanc, or having an afternoon with adreline activities such as paragliding or relaxing in the new spa. I have come away with 11 new friends and amazing memories of another great week in Chamonix and with Exodus.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide, Adelene, was outstanding - she flexed the days to make best use of the changing autumnal weather and with 'mizzle' days still ensured that we had fulfilling walks. She was aware of everyone's strengths and weaknesses, and was in tune with the dynamics of the group. She had the honesty to advise less able walkers on the routes and recommend alternative activities for these walkers - this ensured that they weren't pushed out of their comfort zones and still had an enjoyable time during the week.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Whether you have never been to Chamonix or have done walks in the region before, you should still have a great time walking and relaxing!

Anita Williams

Reviewed September 2019

Walking in Albania..................

Such a beautiful, currently unspoiled, country full of diversity and dramatic scenery

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the top of the mountain ranges and looking out across the wonderful landscapes ......and......the boat trip on Komani Lake - magical!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very pleasant and accommodating

Advice for Potential Travellers

You need to have some Hill walking experience in order to enjoy this trip. The duration of the ascents is more of a challenge than the gradient

Rachel Cox

Reviewed September 2019

Trip of a lifetime

I always wanted to go on safari, but had never been camping before, so I was a little apprehensive about that. But camping was all part of the adventure and it was lovely gathering around the campfire in the evenings. It also makes you feel very immersed in the wildlife, e.g. hearing lions roar as you’re going to sleep and wondering how far away they are! So if you’re worried about camping, just do it, you won’t regret it.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were countless amazing moments on the trip! Being right next to a leopard that used our vehicle to hide behind to stalk an impala. Finding two cheetahs. Seeing two female lions sneak up on a giraffe while it was drinking water! Hippos crashing out of the bushes and through a herd of elephants, to get to the water to mate. A hippo blocking the path of our mokoro in the delta (scary, but exciting!). Numerous sightings of lions, including lion cubs playing and suckling from their mother. Being so close to a male lion he was sniffing the air around our vehicle! And absolutely countless sightings of elephants, hippos and 148 different species of bird.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Brian was amazing. He is very experienced and so knowledgeable about how to find the animals and about the animals themselves. All of the other guides know him too, which obviously helps to exchange information about recent animal sightings. He went above and beyond to give us great experiences and we got so close to a lot of animals!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Ladies, bring a buff/headscarf to control your hair while in the vehicle. A fleece is a must, as it gets very windy in the vehicle. I had a shewee and an empty plastic bottle for emergencies and I did use them one night when there were too many eyes staring back at me to use the bush toilet! Babywipes are useful to wipe away the sand before bed. Toilet paper is provided, but make sure to bring plenty of kleenex for the stops by the side of the road (I also used lots of tissue blowing the sand out of my nose!). I brought a diary, which was a nice way to document the trip and keep myself busy during downtime. Bring flipflops and a travel towel for the shower. It's possible to get laundry done in Victoria Falls (In-Da-Belly, down the road from the lodge, only charges 5dollars/bag), but it's not feasible in Maun due to time constraints, so just plan ahead for that. Make sure you have US dollars for Zimbabwe (visa and spending money). Oh and maybe don't opt for the scenic flight if you're in any way prone to motion sickness... I vomited and most of the others felt unwell too (although maybe it was a particularly windy/turbulent day when we did it).

Lucy Wiggins

Reviewed September 2019

Excellent trip, Excellent Leader and Excellent Chalet Hosts

I went walking the first week of September 2019 and had an amazing week. I was very lucky in that the group I walked with were all lovely. The leader, Adelene was extremely enthusiastic, gave brilliant briefings for each daily walk and adjusted in accordance with weather and forecasts and was extremely knowledgable for the area we were walking. From start to finish the Chalet Chocolat was an incredible experience, the two hosts Ben and Zohi went above and beyond to make us all feel incredibly welcomed and the food was brilliant and we could not have been looked after better. The team leader and chalet hosts are a real credit to Exodus and I could not recommend them enough in making our trip such a memorable one. Thank you.

Most Inspirational Moment

The people I met during the trip and beautiful scenery of the Mont Blanc region

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

A lot of the group used walking poles. On your day off get up early and visit the L’Aiguille du Midi and then head to the Spa which is incredible and an experience like no other I have visited

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