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Overall this was not the trip I expected and I am disappointed. There were many pros but a lot of cons too. Starting with the good points:
Pros:
-the guide Michele Q was excellent. He guided us safely, was enthusiastic, knowledgeable about the places we visited, encouraging, funny, very supportive. He went above and beyond trying to find places for us to eat (more about that in the ‘cons’) and dealt with last minute problems smoothly. Even though he didn’t need to, he stayed out with the group and socialized. On a horribly rainy/thunderstorm/lightning day he called ahead to make sure our hotel rooms would be ready when we arrived soaking wet and freezing cold. I rate him 11/10.
– bikes: were very good for this type of terrain. The gearing was excellent, we could climb steep gravel hills easily. Comfortable. I liked having a waterproof pannier. The brakes were good.
– the agriturismo olive farm was the BEST day/night. It was luxurious (the pool, the terrace, our suite), the olive oil tasting and education was so interesting, the food was delicious. Very peaceful and elegant.
– the hotel in Osturia was also lovely.
Cons:
– we did the first trip of the 2019 season, beginning April 8, 2019. Now that I have done this, I think it is too early in the season to do this trip. It was sometimes a challenge to find cafés or restaurants open to eat at during the day. At a couple of hotels, we were the first guests of the season, and it was clear they were not really ready for us.
– dinner: It is the Italian custom to eat dinner(supper) at 9 pm at night. This is not the custom in North America or England, and as people who had been cycling all day and who needed to be awake fairly early the next day, this didn’t work. After two nights of eating very late, Michele would call ahead to the next town and try very hard to negotiate a fixed-price 2-choice menu, and tried to convince the restaurant to open at 7 pm for us to have dinner. Mostly he was successful, but it often meant we didn’t get food until around 8 pm at night. As well the afternoon siesta made finding food a bit challenging at times.
– picnics: many of my friends have taken this trip, and other trips with Exodus. Their experience was: a pot of money was collected from the guests and the van driver would purchase food for “a fabulous picnic” which would be waiting at the lunch stop. This was not offered, and it would have been a very nice option.
– my own problem: our Italian hotels didn’t have in-room coffee. I’m not a human until I have coffee. I did not like having to get dressed and wait for the breakfast to be served to have coffee. I admit, this is my problem.
– group riding. I found out that I really don’t like riding in a group. I felt that 90% of the time I was watching the bike in front of me, and making sure the bike behind me didn’t do something stupid. I didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the scenery as much as I would have liked. I felt that if I stopped to take a photo (which had been a very important goal of mine – photography!) that I would be slowing down the group. Thus, not many photos taken to my disappointment.
– the van: the van was for luggage, and not a support van for injured or tired riders – that was made clear at the start – no problem. However, we were told by our guide that if we wanted to skip a day of riding, and take transit, just tell him in the morning. So we decided to skip day, told him at 0700H as required, and we were told we would have to pay for the bikes to be transported to the next town. We said “but can’t you put them in the van?” No, the van is full. “Can’t you put them on the roof racks of the van?” No, the roof racks are broken. In the end, the bikes WERE put on the “broken” roof racks, but I recall thinking ‘it’s not my problem that Exodus hired a van with inoperable roof racks. Fix this problem’.
– some of the hotels were quite basic, and one hotel had broken air conditioning, which made the night absolutely intolerable.
– on a day with horrific rain, I felt it was dangerous to continue riding. The water was inches deep on the road, we were riding in traffic for about 30 minutes, and we could not see the road under the water. One of us could have hit a pothole and been thrown off the bike into traffic. The traffic also made “tidal waves” as it passed us.
– automobiles: Near Matera and one other town it was very clear that the car and truck drivers HATE cyclists. Sometimes they would pass very close to us, dangerously so. What I thought were friendly waves were in fact the exact opposite.
The seaside ride was very beautiful.
He was FANTASTIC. He was the best part of the trip.
Consider doing this trip later in the season than April 8th. The weather was quite cool (that's ok when cycling) but there were some very wet days.
The tour was well organised and interesting. The group dynamics worked well and we were given the opportunity to experience many aspects of Sicily including the delicious food, fascinating history, fantastic archaeology and beautiful scenery.
I was blown away by the mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale and the tastings of various marsala wines was fun!
Rosario was one of the best group leaders we have met and we have met many over the years. He was a mine of information, his English was perfect and he made sure that we all had a wonderful holiday.
The distances in Sicily were far greater than I appreciated so it takes longer than expected to get from place to place and the weather can be chilly, particularly on Mount Etna.
The countryside walks were paced perfectly, with time at the end of each to visit beautiful hilltop towns for leisurely lunches and sightseeing . Visits to Siena and Florence provided a taster for these beautiful cities. The wine tasting, particularly the Siena Wine School, was enjoyable, as was the Chianti imbibing throughout the week. Everything at Villa Casalta was very relaxed, owner and her staff friendly and helpful. I appreciated the tea and coffee making facilities set up in the sitting room for Exodus customers. I loved having day off mid week when I spent a leisurely day in Castellina.
No single moment as I enjoyed it all.
Liz Proctor is brilliant in every way - friendly, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, helpful, and more...
To book a time slot for Uffizi Gallery the trip notes suggest between 11.45 and 16.00. Liz has discovered a very good free walking tour of Florence 10.30 to 13.00, which I had to leave at noon. Also 4pm is too late as it's a minimum half hour walk back to the bus for 5pm. I suggest around 2pm would be ideal time slot. I was pleased I took walking poles and used them on all the country walks.
I had high expectations for this trip and I was not disappointed. The trip was perfectly described in the brochure and offers an unforgettable experience of this fascinating country.
There were lots from watching in disbelief as mopeds carrying everything weave between each other in Hanoi, to the mysterious Halong Bay, to the beautiful lanterns in Hoi An to the vibrancy of Saigon. I particularly enjoyed being part of a group to share the whole experience with. And of course having a Vietnamese guide who gave us such an in depth insight into this country.
Our group leader, Tan Nguyen, made the trip. He gave us such an insight into the life and culture, as well as share some wonderful stories with us. His knowledge of Vietnam and his spoken English was excellent and everything was always done with a smile. We were never disappointed with his restaurant recommendations. On numerous occasions he guided us safely across the busy roads. Anyone who has been to Vietnam will know that this is no mean feat!
It is a hectic schedule with some early starts and a lot of travelling including the overnight reunification train. There is also plenty of walking in hot humid conditions. But if you want to see and really experience this country, I cannot think of a better way of doing it. Taking a silk sleeping bag liner for the train is very useful and a pack of cards to pass the time away with fellow travellers! Also, when changing cash in Hanoi, they much preferred new notes. They weren’t keen on my crumpled £20 notes!
A tour to be thoroughly recommended, covering all aspects of Sri Lanka and it’s lovely people. Busy, lots of early starts and some long journeys but so worth it. The trip notes were accurate and we were also able to see sights at their most opportune moments, I.e. climbing Lion Rock before breakfast and before the crowds, Temple of the Tooth while a ceremony with drumming was on, Horton Plains early before the heat and the mists descended. Having lunches cooked by villagers and our guide stopping and buying us bananas, watching curd (yogurt) making and tasting it, eating freshly sliced Jack fruit at the roadside. We enjoyed every minute.
Seeing elephants and leopards (and other animals) close up from a jeep in Yala and Minneriya. The ceremony at The Temple of the Tooth. Climbing Lion Rock. On the cycling day we enjoyed seeing the countryside, wildlife, and the local people, also having an amazing collection of curries cooked on a farm for lunch. Paul and I don’t cycle but tuc tucs were hired for the non cyclists so that we could still enjoy the day to the full.
Ruwan was an amazing tour leader. There are some long journeys on this trip but they didn’t seem long as he made them very interesting with his informative talks on the history and culture of Sri Lanka and by regular stops for treats like bananas and Jack fruit, view points and waterfalls. He was very calm and well organised, warm and friendly and a good sense of humour. We were always well informed on where we were going, timings and what to take etc. Nothing was too much trouble for Ruwan and it was a pleasure to have him as our tour guide.
Travel light, the hotel laundry service was excellent, good value, and in most cases same day service. Leave some room in your suitcase for purchases, I.e. tea. It was very hot and humid during our stay (March) so you’ll need loose cool casual clothing. It’s probably best if you like curry, there’s the most amazing selection at the buffets, and a lot are vegetarian. However, it’s usually possible to order a la carte, just remember to do so at least half an hour in advance! Binoculars were useful, especially in the game parks. Walking trainers best for Horton Plains. We changed some money at the airport on arrival but all the hotels took credit cards.
A most interesting and enjoyable trip with good company and plenty of wildlife to see. The safaris enabled us to see lions on 3 separate occasions, a leopard up a tree and a ‘crash’ of 5 white rhinoceros asleep under a tree as well as elephants on land and swimming. We stayed under canvas but with en-suite facilities except at the Okavango Delta. The visit to Victoria Falls at the end of the trip was impressive the scale of them is huge.
Two nights camping at the Okavango Delta which we reached by mokoro (dug out canoes) being poled by local villagers. This was experiencing real Africa.
Rowan was knowledgeable and helpful as well as an excellent cook during the camping.
Take your camera protected by waterproof bags to Victoria Falls you will get some amazing pictures.
A most interesting and enjoyable trip with good company and plenty of wildlife to see. The safaris enabled us to see lions on 3 separate occasions, a leopard up a tree and a ‘crash’ of 5 white rhinoceros asleep under a tree as well as elephants on land and swimming. We stayed under canvas but with en-suite facilities except at the Okavango Delta. The visit to Victoria Falls at the end of the trip was impressive the scale of them is huge.
Two nights camping at the Okavango Delta which we reached by mokoro (dug out canoes) being poled by local villagers. This was experiencing real Africa.
Rowan was knowledgeable and helpful as well as an excellent cook during the camping.
Take your camera protected by waterproof bags to Victoria Falls you will get some amazing pictures.
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).
seeking and seeking the pygmy elephants in the wild
our two trip leaders were knowledgeable, friendly, fun and fab.
you can hire wellies for the jungle walk so no need to take walking boots, a pair of trainers is sufficient for the rest of the Borneo bit. make sure you have a waterproof, there are some heavy rain showers Be adventurous with the food - the trip leaders know what they are doing and the most wonderful food is available at the street markets - didn't get dodgy tummy.
A peaceful, relaxed walk amongst olive groves, outstanding scenery and quiet, white villages. Based in a cortijo which served superb food.
Watching the griffon vultures soaring and enjoying the numerous wild flowers. pleased to see Ibex too.
Alexis was great for giving us information about the area and what we could expect.
Go if you want to discover a peaceful Spain.
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.
It was all amazing but for me, the ability to cycle in areas we would never have gone to on a bus or car trip was so special, coupled with the friendliness of the people
Son was incredible, as were the support team. He spent time encouraging us, telling us the history of Vietnam, negotiating for us with local people, and showing us the hidden side of Vietnam. He was also brilliant about sorting out things like getting our laundry done locally rather than using the hotel laundry, and arranging for us to order pizza delivered to the train for the overnight journey
Be prepared for the humidity. It hadn't occurred to me that on non-cycling days we might get through 3 changes of clothes in a few hours! Don't eat the food on the overnight train. As well as it not looking very appetising you have to go to the dining car which is the only place on the train where smoking is allowed. It's not pleasant!