Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Stopping at some of the highest points on our walks and taking in the scenery.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had two leaders, Albert Callewaert and Eric Woolley. Both were highly competent leaders. They worked well together and organised some great walks for us. Due to inclement weather conditions during our week (19th Sept), several times they had to change planned parts of walks due to rain causing landslides or high winds. This was not a problem and good, safe walks were enjoyed. They were very helpful in making suggestions and giving information for activities on our free day and also organised a local wine and cheese tasting for the evening and a meal in a local restaurant.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We stopped for coffee and lunch at mountain rifugios on most days, so there was no need for the larger of the two water containers I had taken. It was also good to use the facilities. Tap water in Italy is good, which saved money (I find the tap water in England does not taste good). The hotel was well equipped, so I did not need to use the hair dryer I had taken (double room).

Suggestions

You really do need to be prepared for any sort of weather, if going in September. We had sun, rain and high winds. And you do need to take sunglasses, not just for the sun, but also for the reflection of the sun on the white limestone.

Most Inspirational Moment

The day the chair lift and cable car were not running on our descent on a challenging walk which meant another hour or so on a tough day. No one complained. We all saw the positive side Of walking through the trees, and our leader getting to walk a new walk for a change!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Albert Callewaert & Eric Wooley were brilliant. They each had their own skills...Eric was the natural orator as Albert said and Alberts ability to encourage all of us to keep up with him on the tough walks without words, just through example and giant size steps making us run a little at times!

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you're afraid of heights, but want to conquer your fear do as a member in our group did and join the level 3 walks. It is confidence boosting. Bring poles as they help with the ascents and descents.

Suggestions

Nope

Most Inspirational Moment

It is difficult to say what was the best part - possibly the ascent of the Piz Boe peak (3152m) with the most fantastic panorama!

Thoughts on Group Leader

There were two group leaders for this trip because there was a choice every day of doing a level three walk or a harder level five. I did some of both levels and therefore got to see both of our leaders in action and I have to say that both Eric and Albert were first class. The daily walks were fully explained in advance and led with absolute competence which included the occasional diversion from the original plan in order to accommodate changes in weather conditions.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you fancy a change mid-week it is well worth the bus trip to Bolzano which is a lovely city with pedestrianised, cobbled streets. The Ice Man museum is fascinating too. Allow at least one and a half hours here.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the highest point on the trip (Piz Boe, 3150m) after a fun scramble; Sense of achievement from finishing the first Grade 5 walk of the week, which included a couple of steep ascents & descents, and then the celebratory beer afterwards at a mountain Rifugio.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leaders, Albert & Eric, were friendly, helpful, & always enthusiastic.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Get it booked.

Most Inspirational Moment

The first beer after each walk! The Dolomites provides the opportunity to walk all day & look back at what you have achieved. tremendous.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Albert was excellent at setting expectations of the route ahead & controlling a steady pace. clearly very experienced.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Budget more for lunches at refuges, travel locally & evenings.

Suggestions

I was fine having booked a budget hotel. Having no transport & having to catch 8am local buses to beat the rush was annoying being on holiday. I would have preferred to pay more for a hotel nearer the walks starting point. The proprietor is a rather eccentric individual & put on the odd performance at evening meals - didn't exactly make anyone feel comfortable at other times. its such a good trip otherwise & could be easily rectified.

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing up a steep slope to the Vaiolon pass, involving a fixed ladder on Day 2 Coming down a long and steep descent through meadows and forest on Day 4, after a stimulating walk over a couple of passes.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Albert was excellent. Sometimes a man of few words, he was always aware of where everyone was and how they were doing. I always felt comfortable in his group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This was a more expensive holiday than I had expected. last year ( in Tuscany) the daily travel to start the walks and the wine with the meal was included. Here, everything was extra and we used both bus and ski lifts in abundance because we were staying a long way down the valley from many of the walks. People should be warned about this

Suggestions

The hotel was only adequate. The rooms were small, the beds narrow and uncomfortable and the food at dinner was poor. The saving grace was the salad bar, where we could supplement the other shortcomings.

Most Inspirational Moment

On the final day, after an extremely steep climb, celebrating at the top of a pass with fantastic views. Finally getting a good look at marmots that we'd heard alarm-calling all week. Floating silently down a mountain in a chair lift - magical! Often, if we stopped and looked back, we could see our impressive path for miles behind. We regularly felt a sense of real pride as we realised what we had achieved.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We did not walk with Lizz's group, but she was extremely helpful, friendly and organised regarding other aspects of the holiday. We have had Albert as Group Leader on a previous trip (Espedalen, cross-country skiing) and we were delighted to discover that he was leading us again. His laid-back style engenders a really nice atmosphere in a group and he has the knack of making you work just hard enough to feel achievement without feeling pushed too hard. His selection of routes was surprisingly varied and we would love to have him leading us on future trips.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take walking poles. There were lots of long, steep descents and poles really help take the strain off knees. Take a backpack hydration system. It can be hot, hard work and regular sips of water as you go along are much better than waiting until the stops and then drinking loads. Prepare for the holiday by improving your fitness as much as you can.

Suggestions

The leaders suggested going up to the Sas de Pordoi on our free day. This was well worth it to experience the strange, lunar-landscape plateau, although you will be experiencing it with an awful lot of other people! Make sure you go over near the Cross to see the 'hole' - some people on our trip missed this impressive feature. Moena itself is a beautiful, friendly little town with a lovely atmosphere, useful shops and plenty going on. We had an excellent group meal out, there were at least a couple of evening musical street events and we were lucky enough to be there for an enchanting lantern festival.

Most Inspirational Moment

Dolomites !!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both Eric and Albert were great.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The June trip offered a daily choice between levels 3 and 5 walks. I'm a level 5 at going up, level 3 going down. By listening to the next day's routes I was able to make a reasonable choice on which one was suitable for me. First time I used poles - they helped me and my knees down.

Suggestions

(1) When walking, we both found that we had to concentrate on the footing and the person just ahead - we would like many more short stops to look up, see the view and take photos. The scheduled morning stop and the lunch break often centred around the time to get fully served at a mountain hut, but always were too long - perhaps packing lunches all the time is a better option. (2) Most days involved ~45 minute local bus rides each way - all well synced with lift times by the tour leaders. On our last walk day the level 5 group paid a supplement to taxi (there was no bus) out to the start - that was a lot quicker and more comfortable for my 6 ft 7 in frame. Maybe Exodus could try a taxi-service for all walks.

Most Inspirational Moment

To realise that I could still climb and walk a ridge and also do a small grade (not dangerous enough to be clipped on but thrilling nevertheless) via ferrata. I may be aging but I am no dinosaur just yet !!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Eric had confidence in me...............so I had confidence in me. I thank him for the help and tips he gave me along the way.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were a number! The main highlight for myself was the Via Ferrata walk which a small group of us did on the free day. Easily the most thrilling walking/mountaineering experience of my life! Another highlight was the final walk on the Friday with a spectacular ridge and equally spectacular views. Also climbing to the highest altitude I've ever been to(just under 10,000 feet) was pretty special(done by cable car!)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both Eric & Emily were brilliant leaders. Nothing was too much trouble for them and they contributed massively to my overall enjoyment of the trip. Both had a great sense of humour and they were incredibly experienced. The fact they gave up their day off on the Wednesday to take us on the amazing Via Ferrata walk summed them up perfectly. It's obvious that they both love what they do as they have such enthusiasm. Thanks guys.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure your walking fitness is good prior to departure. Also, be prepared for all weather conditions. We had a couple of very heavy showers on a couple of the walks. Walking poles are a definite advantage if you have them. Apart from that just go and enjoy a superb holiday!

Suggestions

The hotel was comfortable and the staff were very welcoming. The small town of Moena where we were based is a very picturesque place with stunning scenery and beautiful buildings. The weekly travel ticket that we purchased on the first day was incredibly good value, covering all the buses & cable-cars/chair-lifts we used each day for just Euro 58.