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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14462 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Amanda Wiggill

Reviewed October 2017

Highlights of Morocco

This was an amazing adventure and a great way to see as much of the country as possible, experience the culture, learn about the history, and meet the friendly locals. We had a great tour leader and driver and stayed in some authentic accommodation sites from an auberge in Merzouga, a bedouin camp in the Sahara Desert, a kasbah in the High Atlas Mountains and a riad in Essaouira.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so many amazing and inspirational moments that it's hard to choose. The Medina in Fez was fascinating and a true maze of local artisans. Riding a camel in the Sahara Desert and spending the night under the stars was fun and the beauty of Todra Gorge and the High Atlas Mountains were breathtaking.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our Tour Leader Lahcen was brilliant and obviously loved his country, people and culture very much and was keen to share this with us. He had a great sense of humour and and did an amazing job of entertaining and bonding the group as well as sharing his knowledge. Lahcen went out of his way to ensure that we all got as much out of our time in Morocco as possible even inviting us to visit his moms house who graciously welcomed all 15 of us tourists into her home with mint tea and almonds. He also went out of his way to try and find shops for us to buy drinks and snacks from and a pharmacy when some needed imodium, to stopping for ATM's and banks when we needed.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for the heat if travelling from April through to September. Temperatures were just under or over 40°C each day when we went in September. Take Imodium as some of our group developed dodgy tummies though Lahcen was great at ensuring we visited a pharmacy for those who did not bring any. As advised by our local leader be careful when tipping or giving money to beggars especially children as this encourages their families not to send them to school.

Mary Ziebell

Reviewed October 2017

Beautiful hikes, beautiful sea and sky

Coming back to Due Torri was really nice after hiking and exploring all day. The family run hotel is comfortable and they took great care of our group. The cooking demos were really fun and the food and wine was really good.
The hikes were good physicial work outs, not to mention the scenery was spectacular. This tour is rated properly as moderate, but I would not consider the hikes as walking tour. Being a hiker in the mountains where I live, I was able to negotiate and feel physical good, but some people in our group did struggle.
The ‘path of the gods’ hike was the highlight for me.

Most Inspirational Moment

The 'path of the gods' hike was the best. Standing up above the sea, looking out, knowing I had got there on my own two legs was a thrill. The view just filled my heart with such joy. Also, the hike around the crater at Mount Vesuvius was unbelievable. What an experience.....

Thoughts on Group Leader

Severio was our group leader and I did like him. At times his pace was a little too fast and there were a couple of occasions where we had stopped for a rest and he just took off again, leaving a couple of us still sitting. Other than that, was a good leader, he did take care of us and lead us on some awesome hikes. My friend Beverly's luggage did not arrive in Naples with us and I'm pretty sure Severio and the Due Torri staff did some Italian/connection magic to get her luggage to her the next day

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is my first trip with Exodus and was pleased with how it went.

Carlo b

Reviewed October 2017

MWV - Cycling Puglia and Matera

This was my 8th cycling trip and my first time in Puglia and it was a very enjoyable tour. The overnight towns were all very beautiful each with their own special charm. All the hotels were located in or within a 15-20 minute walk to the historic centre. Our group was lots of fun and got along well. The cycling was fairly relaxed overall but there were some short hills and one day was quite windy so it was more challenging than other days. Highly recommend this tour for the fabulous food, wine and sights.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so many but here are a few: 1) view of Matera during breakfast and at night from Il Belvedere hotel 2) Matera at night 3) group dinner at "Soup Kitchen Ristorante" in Matera 4) Ostuni 5) the picnic lunches 6) so many great views of the sea 7) gelato 8) staying in a trulli home in Alberobello 9) coffee stops 9) last but not least: Italian caffe

Thoughts on Group Leader

Emanuele was great. He was very organized with a calm and laid-back demeanour which made the trip a true vacation. He kept an eye on everyone and dealt gracefully with all requests for bike adjustments. Nothing fazed him. The coffee stops and restaurant suggestions were all wonderful with excellent Italian food and wine and great-tasting espressos. And Piero, who drove the support van, prepared very tasty picnic lunches with plenty of local Italian delicacies and even took special requests -straciatella!

Advice for Potential Travellers

I always tell people who want to do a bike tour that they will enjoy it a lot more if they are at least comfortable riding a bike - it's not the time to learn how to cycle. We were lucky because the weather was perfect for cycling every day but one day we missed a potential rainstorm so rain gear would be a good idea. Arrive in Matera a day early to explore the town and stay in Lecce an extra day to explore that town too.

Lesley Prosser

Reviewed October 2017

Very well-run tour of a great destination

This was a fascinating insight into a country I knew little about. The pace was good, and both the sites and the sights were interesting and varied. With one exception, the accomodation was better than my expectations. We were 15 people in a full-size coach, a real luxury for the several long drives. It was great to be able to swap sides to see a better view, or join others for a chat. The group were a pleasant assortment of people who got on well with each other and were enjoyable company.

Most Inspirational Moment

What can one say? The Registan at Samarkand. Just when we thought we were all mosqued out, there it was...

Thoughts on Group Leader

I generally prefer solo travel, as I like to go my own way, but Dilshod had made a convert of me. He is a brilliant leader. His long experience shows in the effortless ease with which he performs this very demanding job, but nonetheless, he injects his presentations and information sessions with a freshness and enthusiasm that never, ever sounds like he is just playing a tape recording in his head. He is an immensely likeable person, and a pleasure to chat with out of hours. He is the first leader I have come across who was willing to spend dinner with his group every night to make the ordering and paying a painless process in restaurants where English was rare.

Advice for Potential Travellers

While standards of hygiene are generally good, some public toilets really require you to have a supply of tissues and sanitiser. Oddly, if you wanted to buy a roll of toilet paper, it would be easily found in any little local shop. Kleenex, on the other hand, is hard to come by - you really need to find a pharmacy to buy that. So take plenty of Kleenex.

Alicia Bjerkseth

Reviewed October 2017

Surprisingly Disappointed

Armenia & Georgia were countries #36 & #37 for me…I have never been so disappointed and discouraged by group travel, thus I am re-thinking all future travels as independent or highly-active tours only. While both countries are absolutely beautiful in their own ways, and working hard to recover from Soviet times, a better experience interacting in these countries, other than just sight-seeing, would have been a welcome opportunity. The majority of each day was spent in the bus traveling long distances between locations, with little time offered at the actual site being visited, compounded by the tour leaders using the majority of that time to give historical explanations. I was truly disappointed to finally reach some of the sites I had read about, and having little time to explore, for example…a very rushed hour at the Armenian Genocide Museum, and ten minutes in almost-darkness at Noratus cemetery…two places I really was looking forward to exploring fully. The days in Georgia were equally long in the bus….arriving after dark to mountain villages that were likely beautiful places to explore, but really only being there to sleep in a chalet and leaving the next morning. While I’m sure this provides income to the locals, the visit to Gergeti Church with jeeps destroying the mountain-side terrain and the monks feeling worried about the large number of tourists visiting their site does not feel like responsible tourism to me. I honestly think a better itinerary with more meaningful experiences could be developed for these two countries….with exceptional time in great locations….quality versus quantity. Maybe seeing the whole of the country is not what matters. There is little interaction with the people who actually live in these countries….one of my favourite and really brief moments were those where locals showed us how they made breads in both countries and the lunch visit to the Molokans. I grew bored with the numbers of daily church and monastery stops…some of them really were not fascinating or unique and could easily be left off the itinerary….unless seeing 3-4 churches every day is your thing. I originally purchased this trip through Imaginative Traveler, and did not realize until the first day of the tour that it was being operated by Exodus….the travel group was a completely older demographic than I am accustomed to traveling with and activity was a slow pace. The tour leader for Armenia was exceptional with his historical knowledge and concise explanations that made sense, while the tour leader Nik for Georgia had a very confusing tangential way of giving information, so I never really knew what he was talking about. I would have appreciated meeting instructions in Armenia at the hotel for the morning of the tour, but none were left for guests who had arrived earlier on day one….I made several trips back to the hotel to continue checking in, and only found out we were meeting at 9am the next morning when my roommate barged in at 2am from her flight….unacceptable.

Most Inspirational Moment

I arrived to Yerevan a few days early and did my own visit to Karahunj...the Stonehenge of Armenia...this place should be included in the trip....and the bus goes right past it!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Daniel, the tour leader for Armenia was exceptional with his historical knowledge and concise explanations that made sense, while the tour leader Nik for Georgia had a very confusing tangential way of giving information, so I never really knew what he was talking about.

Shannah Murland

Reviewed October 2017

Machu Picchu combined with rugged peaks

This tour spends a few days in the “big” mountains and then joins in to the Inca Trail, so you get a bit of everything. You also arrive at Machu Picchu in the afternoon, so you avoid all the groups who get there for sunrise. Instead, you have some time in the afternoon and then camp down by the river (instead of leaving right away like the other tours do), and then you go back up for the majority of the next day.

Most Inspirational Moment

Camping up near the glacier on Mt. Salkantay.

Thoughts on Group Leader

She had amazing knowledge of history and culture in the region.

Shannah Murland

Reviewed October 2017

Well-supported hike

The guide-to-guest ratio was excellent and we were well-fed and taken care of. Others in the group had altitude sickness symptoms and the staff were great at recognizing and managing these situations.

Most Inspirational Moment

My burst of energy near the top that had me free-climbing to the finish just before sunrise (I had lost the trail because I went around someone who was sick...).

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very capable and knowledgeable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

A great route that has less people on it.

Hugh Price

Reviewed October 2017

What an amazing holiday

Brilliantly lead, excellent fellow travellers and a very full and varied itinary. Probably the best of many great Exodus holidays…so far.

Most Inspirational Moment

The fact there were so many speaks volumes, nbut the 34km downhill definitely was one of the best

Thoughts on Group Leader

Extraordinarily good. Nothing was too much and he never faltered. Without doubt the best of many good leaders.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Its hot and it is humid so nothing dries. The humidity can really limit your physical ability, certainly around mid day, but there is always the support vehicle to jump into.

susan brown

Reviewed October 2017

classic dolomites premium

This was my first Exodus holiday and first trip on my own, so i didn’t know what to expect. I need not have worried. the trip was absolutely first class five star. the Group leader was a real character, very knowledgeable about the area, the walks were very cleverly thought out and the views were spectacular. The Hotel Adler was very welcoming and the staff were very helpful, the food was delicious. and catered for vegetarians and food sensitivities.

Most Inspirational Moment

The most inspirational moment of the trip for me was the actual walk programme, which was perfect for a level 3. As a group of strangers we all got along very well.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was a real character, bringing a great deal of knowledge about the area in which we were walking. He was very tentative and ensuring the safety of all the group members.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared to be wowed by the scenery.

Roma Fernandopulle

Reviewed October 2017

An unforgettable experience!

The highlight was the Gorillas, but the whole trip was an experience never to be forgotten. We saw the big 5 in the Masai Mara and other animals in their natural habitat that you only ever see on the television. I can also now identify exotic birds I never knew existed! And we had a hippo join us at the campsite for dinner!

The trip was made more memorable through the wonderful Exodus team of Jacob – our guide, Boniface – our amazing driver, Godfrey – our wonderful chef & Esther -his assistant, who was learning the ropes & always smiling.

Most Inspirational Moment

Looking into the eyes of a Silver-back gorilla. I didn't think that we'd get so close to them, they brush passed you as they walk by. Just watching them interact with each other - grooming, playing and feeding, was amazing. The hour we had in their company flew by and was truly unforgettable.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jacob was our tour leader and he was excellent. He was very knowledgeable about where we were travelling, always full of good advice and very patient & professional. Seat rotation was suggested for the truck and all worked smoothly. My wristwatch broke in Doha on the way to Nairobi and he was very helpful in ensuring that I could buy a replacement at the earliest opportunity and so stay on time.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Travel with an open mind, be prepared for anything & you'll have an amazing unforgettable experience. Take advantage of hiring a porter for the gorilla trek, as he will be invaluable in helping you. I was a little apprehensive about the camping since I've not done any before but it was fine. The group were all well travelled and we all gelled together, helping out with the washing and air-drying of plates!

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