Most Inspirational Moment
Cycling into Noto for a fab lunch after a challenging morning!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Iris is knowledgeable, a great leader and good fun to be on holiday with.
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
Thoroughly enjoyable
An excellent holiday all round. Beautiful scenery and architecture, great bikes, lovely company and a fantastic guide in Iris, supported brilliantly by the two Guiseppes!
Beautiful Africa.
Safari means journey. This really was an intense journey through Botswana & Zimbabwe. But a journey with the added bonus of sightings along the way, magical birds at the side of the road and on one occasion slowing down the bus to see a bull elephant only to be gobsmacked by a pack of 10 wild-dog just a couple of trees away! Journeys don`t have to be boring; long bus rides are often part of the adventure. On this holiday we had the added bonus of River safari`s and, in the Okavango Delta, Mokoro rides with only the gentle sound of water lapping by your side, damsel flies and giant hawker dragon-flies buzzing around your ears and in the evening a gigantic frog chorus like something from a Fairy-Tale.
Of course Safari is all about the animals but on this holiday I became more aware of the rich variety of people that helped us along the way. Kaiser the leader of the Polers in the Delta, Rowan our Tour Guide, his trusty driver Siwasu and the dozens of others who did their bloody best to give us the holiday of a lifetime.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were a great many. But the moment that will live with me was on a walking safari in the Delta. Somebody yelled "Kudu", I looked through my binoculars and shimmering in the early morning sunlight I could just see a pair of twisted horns emerging from the long grass. The horns morphed into a beautifully marked male Kudu who, having emerged from the grass like a Gladiator in a Ridley Scott movie just stood there staring at us. He was joined by a couple of others. His long piercing stare said it all. He was a king in his own realm. We were just there to watch.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Rowan is quite a character. Good with people. Excellent at animals and he had the ability to keep everyone happy at the same time - no mean feat. I particularly appreciated his pointing out a small scopes owl one night; he knew I was interested in birds and on another occasion he showed me a fearsome video from his phone of hundreds of may-flies perishing on the lawns at Victoria Falls oddly enough something I found curiously fascinating. I think his inspired use of the Millionaire Game on the longer journeys is something other tour guides should think about doing. The number of long journeys I have been on where the leader simply goes to sleep is legion. I did not meet anyone on the trip who had a bad word to say about Rowan. I think he is a real star and somebody who actively contributed towards the success of this brilliant trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
1. Take warm clothes as it gets cold in the mornings; 2. Take a spare torch; 3. Don`t just take photo`s - feel and hear the animals and birds. Don`t just get caught up in the technicalities of photography - appreciate your experience. 4. Take something for the locals. I took some pens and was so very touched by the warmth of the thanks of the locals. These are people who really appreciate your kindness. 5. Don`t drink too much late at night - wandering to the "bushy-Bushy" in the middle of the night is an adventure but best avoided!!
fabulous holiday!
We had a fabulous holiday in Finland with our 10 year old daughter. The other travellers in the group were lovely and we all got along. The accommodation was clean and cosy and our daughter loved sleeping in the mezzanine level. The food was really good- wholesome and tasty and plenty of it.
The staff at basecamp were so nice too and very helpful. The activities were good fun- especially the rafting- and it was good being out in the great outdoors with all the clean fresh air. We were also able to take out the kayaks and canoes out on the lake whenever we liked which was a bonus.
Most Inspirational Moment
I really enjoyed the peace and quiet and no TV etc. At night after dinner we would play cards and games with the children or go down to the lake to make a fire and have a chat. We also used the hot tub and sauna a lot- very relaxing. I slept really well too! It was great to see reindeer wandering around.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader Martii was fantastic- so knowledgeable and really great with the children. He was really good with all the safety elements which inspired confidence. A genuinely nice person!
Advice for Potential Travellers
If you like outdoor activities and don't need bars, shops etc then this trip is for you.
Dolomites 2018
Exodus provided a very well planned and executed trip. Communication with Exodus prior to the trip was easy, and they were very good about answering questions.
The guide, Alex, was excellent. He was very well informed about the geological and historical history of Northern Italy, and he was eager to share this history with us. Alex would be an excellent professor! He always let us know what the next day’s hike would be like, and he would describe the hikes by his estimated degree of “spiciness” (one pepper, two peppers, etc.).
The Hotel Adler was the perfect place to stay for the week. The Adler is family owned and staffed, as it has been for over 50 years. They were very friendly, warm and welcoming, and couldn’t have been more helpful. The food was delicious and plentiful, and the menu varied every night. The small dining room staff of 3 or 4, were there for every meal, and were very friendly, helpful, and efficient.
Of the 16 people on this trip, all but 3 or 4 of us had traveled with Exodus before multiple times. Not only was this trip very well planned, organized, and executed, it was also an extremely good value at half of the price of other companies we looked at for a similar itinerary. I will definitely travel with Exodus again.
Most Inspirational Moment
The closeness and friendship within our very diverse group 16.
Thoughts on Group Leader
See previous comments.
Cycle Albania, if in any doubt...do it...
Excellent week, great guide & support, great group of people, lovely country, well maintained bikes. Food was very good at all of the stops and the although some of the accommodation was a little basic it’s all you need as you are only there for the night and there isn’t much time spent around the hotels / guesthouses as we were always busy with activities.
There seems to be a lot of money being spent on new roads and the 14km descent on a brand new road was fun 🙂 , I do wonder if these roads will become busy in time, but at the moment we saw very few other vehicles on a large percentage of the rides.
Most Inspirational Moment
The stunning scenery of the mountains and coastline. The feeling at the end of the week went you look back at all of the days achievements.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Erlis was FANTASTIC... He did everything he could to make the trip enjoyable and informative while leaving the group to do things at their own pace.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Many other reviewers are saying do this trip sooner rather than later, before Albania becomes like any other European country and I can only agree.
A terrific cycling holiday
This is clearly a carefully chosen itinerary made up of backroads through picturesque country side, forests, along rivers, across plains, through sleepy country towns and into the big cities of Vienna and Budapest. There are plenty of opportunities to sample local produce and learn about the history of this part of central Europe.
Most Inspirational Moment
I loved the night in the wine cave sampling local wines with the vigneron himself, a jolly old fellow. Vienna was gorgeous, as was Bratislava and the southern part of Czech Republic, including Cesky Kromlov and Telch were superb.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guides Dana and Peter were informed, friendly and professional, but the atmosphere was casual and relaxed.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The days are generally light-moderate cycling for someone who cycles reasonable regularly and has moderate aerobic fitness and strength. The longest day approx 70km of rolling hills was a solid workout. Recommend this trip without hesitation.
Cycling Albania
A really good trip, ticked all the boxes – good cycling, stunning scenary, great weather, good food, great group to travel with and an excellent trip leader
Most Inspirational Moment
For me, it was seeing the group cycle up the Llogora pass, closely followed by the way the way group bonded.
Thoughts on Group Leader
He did a really good job, logistics were superb, route descriptions spot on, very clear on what we could expect, and where the tough bits were! Gave us some good background on the history and politics of Albania. -Thanks Erlis
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for some hard cycling in places, read up about Albania and you'll enjoy it more
CHALLENGING BUT VERY REWARDING
We thoroughly enjoyed the whole Dolomites experience. We selected the challenging week and found that it was just the right level for us. The treks took us to different mountain peaks and we were always rewarded with the most fantastic breathtaking views. Alex our guide was friendly and knowledgeable.
Hotel Adler was centrally located with shops, bars and cafes nearby. The staff were friendly and efficient. Food was always fresh and appetising. We were also very pleased with the fact that we could make up and back our own lunches from the breakfast buffet.
We would recommend this trip for views and excellent value for money.
Most Inspirational Moment
Trekking to the top of Monte Piana where the Italian and Austrian Fronts were battling during the 1st World War and seeing the trenches.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Alex was an excellent and efficient group leader with lots of advice and knowledge to impart.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Train well to enjoy the experience and ensure that you have done plenty of hill walking.
Corsica is the perfect hiking and holiday destination
Corsica is an absolute gem. The trip was exactly as described, and it just makes me want to go back!
Most Inspirational Moment
Having been to Corsica before, I chose the trip as a way of introducing my son to hiking holidays and as a way of sharing one of my very favourite places. He loved it!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Martin is great. Relaxed and somewhat understated. Just right.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Read the trip notes! The notes for this trip are really very good. When it says you should have a reasonable level of fitness and that the paths can be steep and rocky, it means exactly that. It is at the challenging-end of a “moderate” trip.
If you want wild .....
….then this is the trip for you. Our second trip to Namibia (previously “Discover Namibia” in 2008) this one has the emphasis on wild. Etosha, Okakuejo, Namutoni, some of the best-known destinations are all visited, whilst the jewel in the crown must be the Palmwag Concession: a huge area where, apart from the occasional wildlife ranger, we didn’t see another person for two days. We saw no less than six rhino, including one of the dominant males – managing to get (safely) within 100 yds. As well as rhinos, we had a leopard up a tree, which we watched for 1.5 hours before she finally came down to walk past the truck! Giraffes “necking” – in a violent exchange, before trotting off together, several sightings of lions – including a magnificent male in his prime, herds of elephant, and the wealth of wildlife that makes Namibia such a special destination. First class guide in Hans, and an exceptional support crew in driver Simpson, Fritz, and the culinary expertise of Tyrone that never disappointed. (And not to mention a first-class Toyota Land-Cruiser – panoramic windows with no obstructing pillars.)
Most Inspirational Moment
After spotting the leopard relaxing up the tree mid-morning, returning later that afternoon and waiting patiently for her to come down and slowly walk past the truck... all with the sun in the right place to give that special photo opportunity.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Hans delivered everything and more: Primarily, his skills in finding the rhinos' tracks, anticipating its movements, consideration for the wind direction etc. and getting us into the right position. Also, a broad range of knowledge covering not only the animals and birds, but the plant-life, the trees, the landscape and the history of the country. Additionally, he always went the extra mile for the photographers in making sure that the sun was behind us wherever possible, and advising on tips to get that extra-special shot. Long days driving in difficult conditions, then back to help the support crew in delivering the evening meal. And every morning - meticulously cleaning and polishing the viewing windows. Quite simply, a first class guide.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Palmwag is very rough going in places. Its terrain will rattle and shake every bone in your body - be prepared! The Land Cruiser will take you into (and out) of some of seemingly impossible locations.