Thoughts on Group Leader
Michele
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
Incredible Trip!
Had an amazing time in Italy!
Walking in Puglia and Matera Private Departure
We had very good service from the Exodus sales team in planning the trip for our Nordic walking group. The itinerary was very well planned and gave us the chance to experience walking and cultural visits in this fascinating area of Italy. Overall the holiday exceeded my expectations.
Most Inspirational Moment
Our first view of the Sassi in Matera
Thoughts on Group Leader
Marion was an excellent leader who ensured all members of our group had the best time.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Unless you have an early departure you will not have time to do the activities described on Day 1. Check what type of adapter is needed for Italy.
Fabulous Scenery
A great insight into war between the Balkan countries. Starting in Kotor, we headed into the mountains. The countryside is spectacular: the scenic walks around lakes, looking down into deep gorges with impossibly blue/green water plus the fields of buttercups and blue wild violas were amazing. Many wild flowers including orchids along the way. In Sarajevo and Mostar the damage left by the war is so noticeable. Destroyed buildings protected by Unesco, but the owners not having the money to repair them, mortar shell and sniper holes in buildings. Learning about the siege of the town and the tunnel built under the airport were fascinating.
Most Inspirational Moment
The fabulous wild flowers, swimming in the Kravica Waterfalls, getting in amongst the alleys of all the old towns; but the trip to Lukomir up in the hills was amazing. Many miles on very bumpy dirt track ending at the village with spectacular views of the gorge and a great lunch was breath-taking.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Lorenc. Sorry, I don't know his surname. his is the most polite, caring leader you could wish for. We were also accompanied by Dina who is a guide already, but not for this trip - she was learning about it. Her knowledge of the history was great.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If you are very interested in the history of this conflict I suggest you read up on it first. A couple of the guides were OK, but did not give as much information as they could have. A good overview was achieved.
An all round fantastic experience.
An excellent located hotel for all trips within the itinerary, offering very good vegetarian options, and a complimentary glass of wine with all evening meals. The walks were challenging however they were graded correctly. The views were fantastic, and our leader was attentive to all individual needs of the group.
Most Inspirational Moment
Too many inspiring moments to mention. However the walk to Tiscali was amazing. And the fresh seasonal fruit (lemon, cherries and loquots) grown by the hotel, which was offered for breakfast was brilliant. The hotel owners were open, honest and great listeners.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Group leader (Tony Sardo) was attentive to all individuals needs, and changed the itinerary positively to suit weather conditions.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Good quality walking boots/shoes essential.
Tuscany Kevin
An excellent tour with sensible walks, great food and marvellous sightseeing.
Most Inspirational Moment
Revisiting Siena
Thoughts on Group Leader
Outstanding
Advice for Potential Travellers
Enjoy!
Survey feedback
Overall trip was a great experience
Most Inspirational Moment
Santiago cathedral was breathtaking
Thoughts on Group Leader
Alvard Simenes was excellent. I lost my luggage, Al supported me and came with me to purchase some walking gear.
Stunning scenery and bears
I had no idea how beautiful Romania is the location of Magura was so green in May, the rolling hills and snow capped mountains was perfect. Lovely hotel, friendly staff and plenty of home cooked food all locally sourced.
Most Inspirational Moment
Bears!! And seeing their footprints when out walking, along with all the other wildlife you see and hear (cuckoos).
Thoughts on Group Leader
Thomas was fab!! So friendly, a wealth of knowledge, inclusive of the whole group, a brilliant guide.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take walking poles, as in parts it’s steep and undulating. A lunchbox is a good idea to take, just so it’s not squashed in your rucksack or in the paper bag that’s provided when you make them at breakfast. Take ear plugs as you will hear the dogs barking at night!
Borneo Wildlife Discoverer
What can I say – what an amazing trip. From start to finish we were incredibly lucky with what we saw and the encounters we had. Starting in Bako NP, we saw wild proboscis monkey and were treated to a rare sighting of a Colugo (flying lemur) taking flight over our heads during the day. On the way back on the boat, we were even treated to a viewing of pink dolphins.
In Mulu, the caves were beautiful and great fun to walk through. Although we were supposedly there during the ‘dry’ season, climate change has made the weather much more unpredictable. We had lovely weather both mornings, but torrential rain in the afternoons and overnight, so much so that the bats stayed inside the cave on the first night. Patience and a willingness to walk in the rain with crossed fingers paid off on the second night, and we were treated to a spectacular bat exodus during sunset. The weather is very changeable in Mulu (and Borneo in general) so even if it looks as though it may be too wet for the bats, I would recommend heading to the viewing area anyway as you never know! Even in the rain, the air temperature is warm and you dry off quickly.
Moving to Sabah, the highlights have to be the Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley. Both were so rich in wildlife and we had such amazing viewings in both locations. The Orangutan and Proboscis monkey sanctuaries are great and do fabulous work, but nothing compares to seeing these animals truly out in the wild. We were incredibly lucky with our sightings and saw not only the Borneo Big 5 (orangutan, proboscis monkey, crocodile, rhinoceros hornbill and pygmy elephant) but a huge array of other primates and birds (long and short tail macaques, gibbons, silver and red leaf monkeys, flying squirrels, owls, civets, slow loris, eagles, deer and many more) . Particularly in Danum Valley, take the opportunity to do as much as possible. There are a couple of places on the track and boardwalk that you can go independently providing the sun is up. A few of us in the group met up at 6am on both mornings in Danum and we were rewarded with a group of gibbons eating and playing in the trees on both mornings – a sight not repeated during the day. Seize every opportunity and just explore and enjoy.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the wild mother orangutan with her 1 year old baby up close in Danum Valley. We were the only group on that particular trail at the time and we were able to observe the two eating fruit up in the tree, before coming down and crossing over to a different tree right in front of us. The gentle and relaxed attitude of the mother was such a pleasure to experience and we were able to observe and photograph the two together in their natural habitat for an amazing time. I also personally loved seeing the red leaf monkeys (or maroon langurs). These guys were an incredible flame red and moved through the trees so quickly - such a joy to see. Our guide in Danum (thanks Hairie) did such an amazing time in spotting the wildlife for us, and even managed to find two groups of red leafs on the different days. At Kinabatangan River on our last river safari, we got to see a full herd of pygmy elephants crossing the river right in front of our boat which was just incredible.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had two leaders for the trip - Nizam in Sarawak and J in Sabah. Both were excellent guides and went out of their way to accommodate any requests and ensure that the entire group got the most out of the trip possible. In Sarawak, Nizam was such a lovely, bubbly guide - always looking for things to show us and little extras to do, be it wild swimming in Mulu or going to see the sea stacks (and accidentally finding pink dolphins) in Bako. In Sabah, J took over and quickly learned the group's preferences and desires for the trip. He was excellent at adjusting our schedule or activities to best fit with the group and was able to maximise our wildlife viewings and time spent in nature. I understand that this is the first trip Exodus have operated with the new model of split guide duties. We were lucky that both our guides were amazing, and our group of 7 all gelled really well. It seems to me that it could be difficult for the second guide (and the group) when you switch, having spent the first 5 days bonding and getting into a rhythm with the first guide, only for this to then change on arrival in Sabah. It must be hard for the guide too, to come into an already formed group, but J did a fantastic job.
Advice for Potential Travellers
As mentioned in a previous review, you really do not need much in way of long trousers and tops. It is very hot and humid, so quick-dry shorts and t-shirts are the way to go. It is easy to wash these out in the hotels each evening and they dry quickly in the air conditioning. Almost all the places we stayed (the longhouse excluded) had good air-con and so you could wash and dry clothes quickly and easily. Whilst Borneo is a Muslim country, it is not nearly as conservative as some and shorts and t-shirts are generally fine throughout. Even in Danum, most of us had short-sleeves on; although you definitely do need long trousers and socks there for the leeches. Be prepared that it can and will rain with little to no warning, so if you are carrying expensive camera gear or anything you do not want to get wet, ensure you always have a dry bag or something waterproof to wrap your equipment up in if necessary. I found it far too hot and humid to even consider putting on a poncho or raincoat on during the rain, so just accepted I would get wet. Even after a good soaking in Mulu, I was dry within 15 minutes of the rain stopping. Pack light - you are moving around a lot and do not want to be struggling with a large bag.
Croatia 2034
Fantastic holiday with a wonderful tour guide Vanja. Met new friends and saw and viewed great sites.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing Dubrovnik from high
Thoughts on Group Leader
There aren’t enough adjectives to describe how fabulous she was. Went over and above. Best group leader I have traveled with. Including all explore and exodus trips which are about 15
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go on this trip
Brilliant adventure
This was my third Italian walking trip with Exodus, and certainly matched the previous walks in the excellence of our guide (Michela), hotel accommodation and experience of this fascinating part of Italy. We had two bad days of torrential rain, which forced a re-think on how we would spend our free day. On the second day, the scheduled walk would have been dangerous so a different option was chosen. The walks we were able to do in the good weather were challenging, but definately worth the effort for the glorious views down to the cinque terra towns. There were options for those that found the going a bit tough, and preferred a more relaxing pace but most chose to follow our guide.
Most Inspirational Moment
The view of Portofino from the hills above - this was a particularly lovely walk with stunning views. Also, absolutely loved the wine tasting evening.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent - she was considerate and totally involved in making sure we stayed safe and happy. She organised evening options for those that wanted to participate, educated us on the sights and features of Liguria, and encouraged everyone learned a little bit of basic Italian! Could not recommend her more highly.
Advice for Potential Travellers
This is a great trip but just be aware that the Cinque Terra towns are very small and can be very crowded. The restaurants are very accommodating but also very busy. Also take walking poles for the steeper walks, unless you are super fit. They are particularly useful if you have even slightly dodgy knees.