Reviews

Lovely experience

This trip was an excellent experience blending history and tourist sites with food experiences. The itinerary is well done. We were a small group of 7, and got along well, and our guide Tiziano was energetic and good natured, and attentive to everyone’s needs. He was very organized and everything went off as planned. He was also personally helpful to me on 2 occasions, with forgotten eyeglasses and arranging individual transport to the airport. I really enjoyed all the tasting/eating experiences, including olive oil, cheese farm, wine tastings, cooking class, street food tour in Palermo, and group dinners. We moved a lot, staying one night in most places, but that was enough to see everything, and get a feel for the towns. The travelling distances were not very long between towns, so we had plenty of walk around time. My only criticism would be of the choice of the Siracusa hotel, which could be greatly improved, even if it meant charging a bit more for the trip. The rest of the hotels ranged from decent to lovely. Would definitely travel with Exodus again. Great value.

Memorable Adventure

Walking the Great Wall in the less touristy sections (in fact almost no other people at all) together with the Xi’an extension to see the Terracotta Warriors surpassed my expectations. It also opened my eyes to a whole new positive side of China that my preconceived ideas had not imagined. A wide range of walking from the flat in Beijing to the undulating and steep on the Wall, on even paths to shingle and scrambling. Delicious food throughout, far superior and less salty than in the UK and friendly, curious locals. Topped off by an absolutely superb Leader/Guide Jerry, whose infectious enthusiasm, wide knowledge of all things Chinese, sense of humour and ability to tell jokes in English made for a truly memorable experience.

Exceptional tour leader/guide

Despite the weather, which could have put a real damper on the trip (pun intended!), the trip was made exceptional by our guide, Sara Bull, and the fabulous people we had in our group. I would recommend (and do) any tour that Sara is leading.

The farmhouse and surrounds are stunning, too – quintessential Tuscany. And the food cooked by Angela and Flora, delicious.

Amazing adventure

This was the most wonderful trip. Words really can’t describe it. The Himalayas are awesome, the walking wonderful. Going over the tharong la pass was immensely challenging and we all made it. We saw wonderful sights, a baby vulture still with its white down, magnificent mountains, the sun rising over Poon hill, isolated villages where we were welcomed as we walked through, temples and monasteries. The food was freshly cooked throughout. The only down side was that some walking involved going along the road which is being build along the trek. If you’re thinking of going on this trek, I would recommend going sooner rather than later as this road continues to be built. It was lovely walking in the company of like minded people and we had a lot of laughs and supported each other throughout. Gun, our leader and his fellow guides could not have done more. They were kind, supported where needed, acted as nature leaders, made sure we had everything we needed. One final point. This is graded at a level 5 and it feels harder than that. We had 19 days walking, starting usually at 7.30am (usually up by 6.15-30 ….. Gum only let us have an extra 30 mins sleep after crossing the tharong la pass 😀😀) and finishing at 4-5. So in summary. Tough and extraordinarily wonderful !! Go for it.

The most amazing experience of my life

Going on this trip had to be the best decision I’ve ever made regarding a holiday. Everything was perfect- the weather, the scenery, the route, the accommodation, the food, the guides. I’ve never been trekking before or climbed a mountain or anything along those lines, the rating Exodus gives the trip for difficulty is very accurate. It was a challenging trip, with two 12-hr days of trekking (this only happened because the route had to be changed as the pass we were supposed to take was blocked by snow (we were also walking quite slowly as had an older gentleman in the group)) but it was certainly do-able and 100% enjoyable. The food was amazing the whole trip, the best food I have ever had- nobody in the group complained about the cooking, the portions were incredible also. There were 16 of us and there was always plenty of food available, they are very good at catering for different diets. Around 50% of our group was vegan or vegetarian (I am vegan myself) and I have to say I was worried before we started the trip that we wouldn’t have enough food available but there were certainly enough! The guides and even the locals we interacted with were the most friendly group of people I have met, the were all lovely and easy to talk to- most had extremely good English and spoke around 4/5 languages themselves so very interesting and intelligent people. It also cannot be put into words or even captured in a picture how beautiful the Atlas mountains are, you’ll just have to go and see them yourself!

DIdn't hit the high notes

This was a curate’s egg of a trip, definitely not the best Exodus trip we have taken. It is rather a tour that is done on bicycles rather than a ride proper and yet it fails as a tour. The riding was not challenging enough for me and a bit challenging for my wife – so probably the right level for us as a couple. That said, far too much of the riding was done on endlessly boring cycling paths with unchanging views. There are a few climbs of decent length and steepness, hence the challenge for some of the group including my wife. Only two descents were memorable and I dislike being told to go slowly on them – go carefully yes, but not to go slowly for the hairpins that did not exist. And ultimately, very sad that you cannot ride from Padova (Padua) into Venice – due to lack of suitable routes – obviously beyond Exodus’ control.
As a tour you visit some fascinating places, Verona, Vincenza, Padova and Venice to name the main ones, though only in Venice do you have time to explore. Vincenza has 23 buildings by the architect Andrea Palladio and Padova is home to a great university. Venice is one to see if you have never been before. That the visit to a family vineyard is considered to be the highlight of the trip for many – superb buffet lunch and most agreeable tasting – underscores that this is not an epic ride.

The “support” van was a disappointment compared to our previous trips. For mechanicals, not an issue, but to support human endeavour distinctly lacking: only water was provided. No coffee, tea energy drinks; no biscuits, chocolate covered raisins or other energy giving eats; no picnic lunches magicked up in remote and beautiful places, no fresh fruit.

Great trip

A very good option for a week in Europe. The islands between Split and Dubrovnik are beautiful and in May there was very little traffic.

Scenic cycling

A lovely tour through beautiful countryside. Challenging climbs rewarded by stunning views and downhills. Pity that both the olive oil tasting and the visit to the museum of the Mediterranean diet (film crew took precedence apparently) did not happen and the bad sea conditions cancelled the boat trip. The visit to the buffalo mozzarella farm was a bit of a disappointment for us as farmers. I had hoped a worker would show us round rather than Paolo who knew less than I did. Also we were not allowed to see any cheese being made or see inside the dairy, all rather frustrating.
Amalfi itself is just one big tourist trap but Ravello is really worth the climb and an enchanting place, the garden there is magical. All together a great holiday, but a bit more attention could be paid to the attractions en route.

Do it!

Egypt is beautiful and the temples, pyramids and other sites you will visit are absolutely amazing, its an experience I will never forget!

Great holiday

Fantastic walks, amazing scenery, and good food. Severio, our guide, was knowledgeable, interesting, and entertaining. I was very happy with my accommodation, but some in the group were disappointed with their hotel, which was some distance away and not of the same standard. On a minor note, I wished we could have had some of our dinners at local restaurants – for variety and because I found the hotel restaurant too noisy – it was like being in a school dining hall. Overall, a very enjoyable holiday which has left me with some great memories.