Reviews

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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14469 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

da Lloyd

Reviewed January 2019

Good balanced trip.

I picked the trip as it balanced wildlife and the culture. It was a good mix and highlighted the differences between Borneo and ‘Malaya’ parts. About the right time spent in both areas.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sunset boat ride in the adventure lodge. The War cemetery at Sandakan and the food 'mekan' tour in the peninsula, watching the sunset on Petronas tower at Traders Bar.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The guide Wye in the peninsula was excellent. Would give her 5 stars for organisation, enthusiasm and hard work. Her suggestions for things to do and places to eat were good. I was less impressed with Aldrin, he did not seem to be as well organised, didn't know our flight times, the botanical gardens we had barely 20 minutes and then left us with a "guide" for the 'hike' who went off and left us struggling down the slippery paths without waiting for us. We ended the walk early as we felt unsafe.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take an umbrella as is too hot for rain coats and useful for the sun and frequent rain showers. Take lots of insect repellent as you sweat it off. It is not a 'leisurely' trip so if you don't like getting out of your comfort zone don't do it but for me was a great place to visit. You will be fed every couple of hours on the pensinsula so don't order too much as there will be more to come later!

Michelle Etheridge

Reviewed January 2019

fantastic country and people

Just returned from this trip over Xmas and loved it. The pace and distances were just right, allowing us to soak in the atmosphere of the Country. Safi, our guide and his team were brilliant in every way. Patient, knowledgeable and helpful. The bikes were of very good quality and made it easy to cover the distances without too much effort.

Most Inspirational Moment

Loved the House boat trip, so peaceful and relaxing.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Safi was fantastic and helped to make the trip so enjoyable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This trip is ideal if you've never done a cycling trip before. The distances and pace make it achievable for most people with a small level of fitness and most of it is flat, so no scary hills to tackle. Be aware that when staying at the homestay and on the boat, there is no hot water, so no hot showers, but don't let this put you off. The experiences of staying on the boat and at the homestay more than make up for the lack of hot water.

Caroline Grainger

Reviewed January 2019

Excellent

I really recommend this trip. Peru was an amazing experience. There was so much to see and the scenery and the wildlife were amazing.
Yes there are some early starts and long drives but I found I didn’t mind with the help of a few downloads on my tablet and the amazing scenery. There was plenty of (free) water provided and ample toilet/food stops and we were mostly on a large comfortable coach.
I highly recommend the Nasca lines plane trip (don’t eat beforehand) and Machu Piccu lived up to the hype.
I worried about altitude sickness but for most people it’s not a big issue. Walking is more tiring and you may well get a headache but paracetamol should fix that.
In terms of things I wish I’d known beforehand -you will use a lot of cash. Credit cards are not accepted everywhere -even the expensive plane trip had to be paid in cash (although it seemed like Exodus used the only operator that didn’t take cards). ATMs are plentiful and will issue US$ and local currency but you will need soles for restaurants and entrance fees.
I also hadn’t appreciated that you need an overnight bag for the island trip.
We would have liked Exodus to provide more information about optional trips beforehand. Our guide didn’t sell them which although a blessing in some ways meant that we would have missed out on the Rainbow mountain trip if our fellow travellers hadn’t recommended it. For my sons this was a real highlight. (Bring gloves and a hat in winter it gets cold). You do need to be fairly fit for this trip but the horse option helps.
I would skip the sacred valley tour which is largely a lengthy shopping trip.
The hot springs however were really enjoyable and we had time for swim in one hotel so bring swimwear but towels were provided.
We went in August (winter) which seemed like an excellent time to go. It was mostly pretty warm although cold at night in Cuzco and on the island and I was glad it wasn’t any warmer in Machu Piccu with all the steps.
In terms of ages our group ranged from 19-70. Exodus suggested the average age wiuld be around 40 which seemed about right. This was the first time i had been on a group tour and I was worried about whether my sons (19-24) would enjoy. They did -there is so much to see I think you would struggle to fit so much in if you self organised – you don’t need to be super fit but as well as a lot of sitting down there is a fair amount of walking and a lot of steps.
The hotels were fine (3 star clean comfortable with mostly decent wifi) and food was generally good or excellent. We ate in groups (sometimes there was really only one place to eat but otherwise optional) but everyone paid individually (I imagine that’s usual but I hadn’t done a group tour before).
Our guide Armando was really nice and helpful and Exodus seemed pretty organised.
If you think you would enjoy this trip you probably will.

Most Inspirational Moment

So many amazing moments but MP is inspirational. (Also in particular the Nasca lines the mountain scenery and condor viewing in the Colca Canyon. I didn't go to Rainbow mountain but my sons raved about it.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. Knowledgeable helpful and approachable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Cash -i would suggest £600 per person minimum excluding shopping. Check out the optional trips beforehand as you won't be given detailed descriptions. I forgot to bring a sun hat -even in winter it would have been useful.

John Duffield

Reviewed January 2019

An amazing trip and a fantastic value!

Loved it.

Most Inspirational Moment

Going up the shaft in the #2 Pyramid. Wasn't expecting what an adventure that would be.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Amazing. Was a step ahead throughout.

Beth Lord

Reviewed January 2019

Experience the sights, sounds, and tastes of South India

This is a fantastic trip with a lot of variety. From trekking in the mountains to relaxing on a houseboat; from bird- and animal-spotting to touring a magnificent Hindu temple; from seeing tea and spices growing to tasting the most wonderful Keralan cooking; and generally seeing, hearing, and learning about the rich variety of South Indian life and culture. This was my first trip to India but it certainly won’t be my last.

Most Inspirational Moment

There is no one moment that stands out for me. The day-to-day interaction with south Indian culture - whether through food, commerce, walking in the heavily congested cities, stopping at village tea-houses, meeting people and guides, spotting wildlife, and just looking through the bus windows at people working and living were all inspirational. All life is here! I have to say that I didn't really enjoy the camping. I am not a "camping" person and for me it was to be tolerated rather than enjoyed. However, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the trip overall. And it is true that the food on trek is wonderful (including a cooked lunch for 12 that the guide carries up the mountain!!)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Santhosh is the best tour leader I have met on any organized tour. This kind of trip involves a huge amount of logistics and management - in India things do not always run to plan and the tour leader has to have a very high level of local knowledge and a plan B (and plan C) up his/her sleeve. Santhosh was just oustanding: hugely informative, generous, and good-humoured, so much so that you don't realize just how much work he is doing behind the scenes to make sure the trip runs smoothly. We all felt very well taken care of on this trip, thanks to him and all the local guides and camping/cooking crew that we met.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take everything that is recommended in the trip notes. Also take tissues, wet wipes, and the recommended dog-poo bags (you'll need them). The weather is cool for a surprising amount of this trip, and can be cold on trek, so bring several pairs of long trousers and warm layers. Flip-flops are useful for bathrooms, which are often wet. A deck of cards or a board game would be a good idea; there is not much to do in the evenings after dinner. Mostly, bring your curiosity and you will not be disappointed.

Guy Dixon

Reviewed December 2018

petra and wadi rum by bike

Petra and Wadi Rum were the highlights, and the basics were covered in terms of being met at the airport etc., but we lost one day due to bad weather and the following day, despite excellent weather. Aqaba is very much a Russian holiday destination these days and we found the coral and snorkeling disappointing and surprisingly expensive. Nevertheless, Petra is impressive, as is the Wadi Rum desert. The hotels were OK.

Most Inspirational Moment

Petra

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was friendly for much of the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Avoid Aqaba if you can.

David Gruber

Reviewed December 2018

A great trip but.....

We took the trip over the Christmas period and it was a good one, the crew (Jacob, Stoney, Silvia and Dolly) were all excellent and could not be faulted. The organisation was good, the driving excellent, (how Stoney gets that truck along some of those roads is unbelievable) and the food was good and plentiful.
There were 11 of us on the trip and we all got on very well which is a good thing if you are stuck on a truck for 2 weeks. Do not worry about charging batteries as the truck has a plug by each seat which can be used anytime whilst the truck is moving.
The White Water Rafting Option in Jinja was excellent and the safety precautions couldn’t be faulted, you are almost guaranteed to be thrown out at least once but we all felt perfectly safe when we were.
The campsites were in some cases very basic with no water in the toilets and cold or no showers but they were adequate and in others there were options for upgrades to rooms if required.
On day 8 the trip notes stated a visit to the top of the falls, what they did not say is that it involved a boat trip and then a trek along an uneven trek and a climb up several steps of uneven height, which was a bit testing for some people, although I see that this might have changed now but you might want to check.
The big but is that on our trip both the Chimps and Gorillas were unco-operative and people thinking of doing the trip need to be aware that there is no guarantee of seeing either. On our trip some of us trekked 5 miles along tracks and off track just to see 1 Chimp and for the Gorillas we left camp at 4.45am and drove for 3.5 hours to the start point and then split into 2 groups, the moderately hard trek group took 7 hours of hard trekking up and down steep slippery and overgrown hills there and back to see the Gorillas who were up in the trees and not all that easy to see, the easier trek group took 10 hours and 4 of our group needed stretchering out with exhaustion which cost them between $200-$300 dollars each. We then all had another 3.5 hour drive back to camp getting back between 20.30 & 22.30 hours, much to the relief of Jacob our guide. Although this is what happened on our trip, we were told that that was not the norm but…..

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the animals were amazing, especially the big cats in Kenya and it only took us 36 hours to see the 'big five', plus many others, ranging in size from Mongoose to Elephants.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you do this trip, make sure you are really fit, for us the Leisurely/Moderate 2 rating in the trip notes was very misleading, a lot of the roads are really rough and can be very uncomfortable and the Chimp and Gorilla treks were probably 4 & 5 respectively. For the Gorillas, make sure you take good boots, a lot of water, money and do hire a porter as they can be indispensable. Make sure you take earplugs as you might have to share sites with other less considerate campers and with early starts most mornings (7am & earlier departures) you do need your sleep. As long as you are aware of the above and are willing to 'rough it' at times then you will enjoy this trip.

Mavis WIlliams

Reviewed December 2018

Fantastic walks, amazing scenery, great food and a fantastic guide

Walking in North Cyprus was a lovely surprise. The trip was very well organised by Exodus and we had a fantastic guide called Gizer who was very knowledgeable, kind and professional. The trip was a hotel based walking trip at Christmas time. The weather on the whole was perfect for walking and showing off the amazing scenery. (just one afternoon of rain) The walks were varied, quite tough at times but very rewarding. We mostly visited castles and monasteries during the walks. The hotel was a good standard with nice big rooms and very friendly staff. The group were amazing and inspirational. The Guide was fantastic and organised great restaurants with really good food at very reasonable prices for us all. He was the perfect host to show off this beautiful part of the world and he ensured all of us enjoyed our holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

The walks and amazing scenery. The Manastir abbey was one of my favourite places so pretty and peaceful. The lunch spot on the walk on day 5 was amazing and will live long in the memory. Oh yes and the christmas eve dinner - lots of dancing yay

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was excellent, going out of his way to make sure everyone was happy and enjoyed themselves. He was extremely knowledgeable about the history and area and had a calm easy manner which made the trip so enjoyable. I would describe him as the perfect exodus guide.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Ensure good walking boots as terrain can be a bit tricky. Layers are needed in the winter particularly in December when it can be all sunny, warm, cold or some rain.

Amrit Panesar

Reviewed December 2018

amazing trip, full of surprises

a great, well organised trip – The hardest thing i needed to do was to wake up on time – everything else was taken care of. Loved the safaris, bird watching, village walks/cycling, train journey, whale watching and more. Hotels were great too.

Most Inspirational Moment

Elephant safari was my highlight- so exciting getting close (but not too close) to the elephants. A totally majestic animal. I also loved the cycling through the village, meeting locals along the way- taking photos of breathtaking scenery along the way. To top it off, we had the most amazing food in the village, sitting in the open surrounded by trees and plants. Food was absolutely amazing, best meal of the tour - and the family was so friendly. They were so happy for us to dine at their home. was a total pleasure.

Thoughts on Group Leader

A Legend. Sujaan, looked after us throughout the trip and would make sure that we didn't miss out . on anything, including eating fresh fruits and local delicacies - not to mention teaching us how to make coconut daal.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You will be dining a lot in hotels- mostly buffets which is not great if you are vegetarian- i did feel that i was eating more western food, as i wanted to try out the local food. Apart from that, Sri Lanka has everything to offer. I felt very safe, being a solo traveller and a women.

Vic S

Reviewed December 2018

Challenging riding, good location

A well-run trip – good organisation and helpful leaders and support crew. There is a variety of riding and dramatic scenery. A fair amount of uphill riding too, so fitness important.
The technical descents are challenging. I have ridden mountain bikes for over 30 years and parts tested me. Some riders on the trip had limited experience off-road, so found it tricky.
Weather was changeable – be prepared for anything!

Most Inspirational Moment

The fast descents on rough ground, going through remote villages, were great. And then being met by the support crew with lunch ready was even better!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Great organisation, and kept the group going well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Practice your off-road skills before hand. You'll get more out of the trip if you're not always looking down and crawling along at walking speed. Get your fitness up. There are long rides, with uphill sections that can go on and on!

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