Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day provided us with an inspirational moment- In Kyoto the beautiful garden at the Silver Palace, coming across a Geisha in the lamplight outside a tea house, exploring tiny Zen gardens at the minor temples, waiting to begin the most beautifully arranged food all of which is completely alien in looks and flavour. Tokyo, a city of contrasts. It is epic in size and yet manageable via its incredible transport system. Something weird and wacky on every corner. Owl cafes??? Japan has the appearance of familiarity and yet is so culturally different.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ayaka was energetic and enthusiastic. Always on hand to help us make the most of every moment of the trip. Her attention to detail was second to none, ensuring that we managed the busy itinerary and navigated transport systems with ease. In the major cities she provided us with a guide and a transport map that she had annotated with the major sites and suggestions for quirky areas to visit. Always with a smile and an infectious laugh. She gave her time to every person on the trip ensuring that we all gained a personal experience of her country. Her knowledge and information giving was always just enough for us to gain an insight and understanding of the sight or area we were visiting yet she was always willing to expand further to individuals with specific questions. Ayaka was an excellent guide and we would not hesitate to recommend her.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There is a lot of walking and the pace is fast so you need comfortable and water proof shoes Take an umbrella or buy one when you arrive. When it rains it can be torrential! Be prepared for early starts and very long days. You will often not return to the hotel before 9pm. If you have particular interests research them before you go and your guide will help you to locate shops or museums. Take a good guide book as you will have a free day in Kyoto and another in Tokyo. If you are on the group flight home you will not leave the hotel until 5pm so you have effectively a 2nd free day. Your guide will also be incredibly helpful. Just ask. Breakfasts are not provided. Eating out is possible but local stores sell yoghurts, fruit and some even oats and muesli so easy to have breakfast in your room. The local bakeries are fantastic. The Akibukuro station close to the Tokyo Hotel has an excellent supermarket and takeaway food dept. Consider adding additional days to the end of your trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

Riding an Arabian stallion round the Pyramids with hardly anyone about. This was something I arranged privately because on Day 1 I opted out of the tour to visit an equine charity I support which helps the working horses in Giza

Thoughts on Group Leader

See above. Sayed Mansour was an excellent guide

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take £ notes as you can pay for the entry visa & all the extra trips with these (or dollars or local notes) & just change a small amount of Egyptian pounds A hat or scarf is a must. And don't wear hot pants-type shorts as your legs will burn & it offends the locals. Be prepared for the traders to hassle you endlessly, which can be intimidating

Most Inspirational Moment

All the sites are magical, even the Acropolis, overrun with tourists. Our favourites from the past, Delphi and Olympia were still amazing, but one of the special visits was to Eva's favourite, Ancient Messene. We'd hardly heard of it, but it's a wonderfully excavated site with a complete stadium and mausoleum- you can even see the basins that the athletes washed in. And even better, there were only half a dozen visitors apart from us! We can't decide whether to write to Mary Beard and tell her to get on out there and make a programme about it, or just let it remain a well-kept secret.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Eva was brilliant. We did a similar trip some years ago, where the tour leader was British and just dealt with group logistics. At each site we picked up a local guide, some of whom were better than others. Eva combined both roles with enormous energy and enthusiasm. As a Greek graduate in archaeology she guided us round the sites, answering questions, pointing out details that we would not have been aware of, ensuring that we were up to scratch with the flow of Greek history. These discussions continued whilst we travelled. At the same time she was always aware of group dynamics, wanting to make sure that all eleven of us were having a good time.. There was a lot of laughter and enjoyment! By the end of our trip she must have been exhausted! Exodus, I hope you realise what an extraordinary resource you have in her. She certainly made our eight days memorable and educational (in a very good way!)

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take note of the accurate title of the trip - Highlights . As travellers now in our seventies we had visited almost all the sites over the last fifty years and the purpose of the holiday, for us, was as a refresher. For this, it was a brilliant itinerary. It would also be excellent as a taster if you had no experience of the sites and wanted an overview. But don't expect to linger! Also, be aware that two sites, the Acropolis and Delphi, are steep with very uneven surfaces. Make sure your shoes are up to it.

Most Inspirational Moment

The White City. Ostuni.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Agata was a great guide and we all regarded her as a friend, very kind to me and a lovely sense of humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This really is a full on holiday, full of interest and each of the four places we visited were so interesting May is a good month to visit this area the wild flowers were really lovely.

Most Inspirational Moment

The « challenging » day four. Great sense of achievement!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Knowledgeable Reliable He made the trip

Advice for Potential Travellers

Book now

Most Inspirational Moment

The second day's Ridge walk, great views, lovely breeze to counteract the heat.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Interesting, warm, not overbearing.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Wear lighter walking boots- ankle support useful, but leather boots too hot!

Most Inspirational Moment

Completing the last days climbs and the whole trip in general after a tough first day where I doubted my abilities.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Erlis was great-knowledgeable and supportive throughout. Very enthusiastic with his work ensuring everything is perfect.

Most Inspirational Moment

The views from lunch time spot on day 1 at the fire watchers lookout post. and the visit to Serra Orrios to see the Nuraghic village - but do visit the Dorgali Museum to see the artifacts from the site

Thoughts on Group Leader

Engaging, patient and determined that we should all have a great holiday.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Probably not suitable for novice walkers unless you have experience of being in the hills e.g. rock climbing.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Hiroshima display was moving. The Silver pavilion in Kyoto, its makes you realise a garden does not have to be just lawn, so beautiful and peacefull But I come back to the Japanese people, I dropped my watch at a Station and some young person ran after me to hand back the watch to me and didnt even wait for me to say thank you

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ayaka Tsukamoto Clearly in the top 3 of tour leaders i have had with Exodus (around 20 trips) the effort she put in to make sure the trip was wonderful was amazing. On our days off - she spent time making sure we could see everything we wanted and the best way to achieve it i mentioned, just in passing, whether there was an english language Japanese paper - next day there was one at my hotel door we where given guides for each city and in each guide, by hand, each page was circled with things of interest and what would be covered in the tour and where we could go on our days off Ayaka is a very lovely person and was laughing all the time - we were very very lucky to have her Channa

Advice for Potential Travellers

In Toyko there is two underground companies (Metro/ Toel) and i recommend instead of I/c Pass that you purchase from the ticket office , a metro/toel pass (800 yen- if you have your passport, 900 yen otherwise). Though you can get unused money back from I/C card for 200 yen fee - i found that i kept hopping on and off the tube (easiest way to navigate the city) and would have saved money with the pass Bring an umbrella and good waterproof for the daybag - when it rains it rains heavy all day - there is a reason why Japan is so lush and green

Most Inspirational Moment

Too difficult to say. Drifting on the mokoro trip through the reeds, The polers singing round the campfire. The welcome of the people. Going to sleep in a tent with lion roaring in the distance.. Walking thro the bush. All of it.

Thoughts on Group Leader

N'Gandi was a brilliant leader who was always polite and firm while encouraging us in the right way. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of all the animals and birds, an interest in people and respect for the countryside. He explained local customs and sensitivities as well as making sure all park rules were obeyed and that we took away only good memories. He was quietly always checking for our safety.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pack less, bags get heavy and getting sleeping bags back into full cases each night is impossible. One wind proof top was all I needed, fleece was unused. Also only used trainers, boots were surplus luggage. Charging packs for cameras essential if like me you take thousands of photos. Our scarves were borrowed by those on windy hot seats!