Reviews

3 for the price of one!

Literally just returned from this trip and have to say it was amazing. the kind of holiday where you get 5 days in and already feel you’ve been away for 2 weeks and by the end of the actual 2 weeks you can’t quite believe you’ve only been away for a fortnight.

it’s a trip of 3 parts: a) jungle safari b)cultural foodie city breaks and c) a weekend beach holiday.

We got really lucky and saw the Malaysian big 5 i (Orangutan, croc, proboscis monkey, sun bears and pygmy elephant) and all 6 hornbills.

the Malay peninsular was a smorgasbord of food and culture (go see the Baba Nonya house in Malacca and the Blue Mansion in Penang).

Wonderful Andalusia

A peaceful, relaxed walk amongst olive groves, outstanding scenery and quiet, white villages. Based in a cortijo which served superb food.

An amazing trip

We have just returned from the Cycle Vietnam holiday and had a wonderful time. We were slightly apprehensive having never done a group holiday or cycling holiday before, and I was worried that we might not be able to keep up. However, the tour was so well planned and organised that we were fine. The tour is graded a 3, and that felt right to us. It was challenging at times to us as recreational, 50 something cyclists, but not impossible.

Our group consisted of 12 people – two couples, 4 lone men and 4 lone women, and that worked really well. We all got on and had a great time together.

Our tour leader, Son, was incredible. He ensured we all had a good time and kept reminding us that we were on holiday and there to enjoy ourselves. He also arranged stops for us in little out-of-the-way places, which we would never have seen otherwise.

The heat was gruelling – high 30s but with humidity it felt like low 40s. Someone in our group was from Puerto Rico and he found it too hot, so it wasn’t just us Brits! The support truck and bus were there is you needed it – some people chose to only cycle in the morning and get on the bus for the afternoons, and that was fine. The only time I had to give up was on a 10km climb where the heat got to me after 8kms. I was picked up by the support truck which was always there if needed. Also, although the bus usually met us every 20kms with water and fresh lemon juice, on very hot uphills the stops were 10kms apart and at one point 5kms.

Cycling through the small hill villages is incredible, all the children shout out to you and some of them want to touch you. Everyone was amazingly friendly. Our only regret is that it was often quite difficult to stop to take photos.

As well as the cycling itself, we got to go snorkelling on Whale Island which was lovely. There is no air conditioning in Whale Island so be prepared for hot nights there. However it was stunning. Snorkels and flippers are provided but my husband took his own snorkel and mask. The trip to Halong Bay was also incredible, staying out on the boat overnight under a full moon took some beating. Our group had the boat to ourselves, and the staff on board couldn’t have been more helpful. They also made great cocktails! I hadn’t realised before we got there that you’re not allowed to swim there, which I was a bit disappointed about until I saw the size of the jellyfish and then was relieved! We kayaked in the bay which was really good fun.

Imperial

Morocco is a great country with lovely people. Marrakesh and Fez were the highlights. Our guide, Mohammed, was excellent.

Imperial

Morocco is a great country with lovely people. Marrakesh and Fez were the highlights. Our guide, Mohammed, was excellent.

Jordan’s treasures explored

A fairly comprehensive tour of the antiquities of Jordan, from the Prehistoric to the medieval and then up to recent history. The Roman sites in particular were much more impressive than I was expecting, with wonderful mosaics and architecture. The highlight however must be Petra and spending three nights at the hotel there does enable two full days of exploration and time to recover afterwards. There is a lot of walking required, with many steps, to get around which is quite tiring, as the site is large and much more than the “Treasury”. The campsite at Wadi Rum was also outstanding. The itinerary is extensive and enables a good overview of the impact of the various empires that have swept over the country and left their mark to be appreciated.

Wow!

This really was a holiday of heightened senses: the most brilliant colours, the noisiest roads, the most intense flavours, the brightest smiles, the biggest views – and everything experienced in the thick of it, either from a bike or on foot. Vehicle transfers are few and far between, meaning there’s nothing between you and your environment (including a tiger, if you’re lucky enough to see one – which sadly we weren’t).

The great thing about Exodus at their best is that they can organise things we could never do on our own: not just carefully picked hotels and restaurants, but also temple and palace tours, a safari, a houseboat trip, a bespoke lunch in a bay of the Indian Ocean – and much more. That not only makes this trip great value – it also makes a lifetime memory.

And then, of course, there are the guides. The unfailing cheerfulness and knowledge of Joseph and our support driver Maneesh were a constant bonus that contributed to this being not only our best Exodus trip to date (it was our fourth) but one of the best holidays of our lives. Cycling aside, in fact, a highlight was a lesson in Bollywood dancing from Joseph – who is incredible at it!

Awesome trip to Everest Base Camp

Great trek with fantastic leaders & an amazing group of people

Best Experience Every ...

Brilliant, just brilliant experience and led by professional and competent people.

I do admire Val, her experience, communication and leadership of the team and ourselves was impeccable.

You will experience much more than you expect, in terms of terrain, views, people and accommodation too.

It’s a jungle out there!

A very enjoyable two weeks spent in the company of 15 other Exodus travellers who embraced the spirit of adventure and discovery in Malaysian Borneo. Together we journeyed the length of Sarawak and Sabah by minibus, coach, plane, boat and jeep visiting spectacular locations including breathtaking caves, stunning rainforests and acquainting ourselves with the local wildlife and bird life.