Most Inspirational Moment
Waking to the sound of howler monkeys.
Thoughts on Group Leader
A really good guy.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Think carefully about when to go. We thought the rainy season would be on its way out. We were wrong.
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
Discover Costa Rica
A great trip, full of wildlife. Quite different from the other Exodus trips we’ve taken to South East Asia. Costa Rica is doing well in promoting eco-tourism and deserves a lot of credit. As usual we had an excellent guide.
Casablanca to Marrakech
Nov 13 – Nov 27
Guide- Abdullah
Driver- Said
Driver was excellent and very accommodating. Also had a quirky side to him which was great. He was very personable. Thanks Said!
Guide was also great -very friendly and knowledgeable about the places we visited and the life of the people. I learned quite a bit of Berber and Arabic dialect. Thks Abdullah! Personally I don’t like long drives because it takes an entire day and it leaves nothing to do upon arrival at accommodations so maybe in the future the all day drives can be cut in half whereby we get settled in accommodation after lunch or before evening so we can have time to explore the area and shop for souvenirs than we can continue on after breakfast the next day. Also I think hotels/Riads would be better in an area where there’s easy foot access to get around. A couple of times it felt like lockdown upon arrival at accommodations because they were away from everything. And lastly I would have preferred a choice in accommodation; not talking about the dessert places. Overall it was a great trip with a terrific group of people who have given me memories I will treasure forever.
Most Inspirational Moment
The place where the river/water divided Rabat and Salle. Think I spelled that correctly. Place was absolutely beautiful with breathtaking views from every angle. Thanks also to one of the residents who lead me up her tiny quaint staircase to her patio for a view access the waters.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Abdullah was very knowledgeable and accommodating but he doesn't stray from the trip notes. A little leniency would be great.
Advice for Potential Travellers
It's a great way to experience Morocco. I don't think I would have seen most of the places on my own. Hopefully they shorten the long drives as I've explained.
Beautiful Japan
I booked this trip as I wanted to be in Japan for the Autumn colours and it didn’t disappoint. Mix the colour with the shrines, temples and culture of this amazing country and it made a for a great trip.
Most Inspirational Moment
I loved Kyoto, we were there for 5 days but you could easily spend 10 days there and still not have covered it all. The hotel was great with the subway right next door. Another highlight was seeing the snow monkeys, they were up to all sorts of mischief in the sulphur pool.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Unfortunately our tour guide was the one let down on our tour, he offered no history or local knowledge throughout the trip and we spent a lot of time wondering where we were going and what we were looking at. It was a real shame as I love learning about new places and new cultures and was the main reason I booked this tour. The group just decided to do our own research before each day out.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take layers, whilst it's chilly outside, the hotels restaurants and trains are incredibly hot! Also wear slip on shoes or you will be constantly unlacing as you go in and out of the shrines and restaurants.
Highlands of Sri Lanka
Exhausting, exhilarating, exceptional, exciting.
Most Inspirational Moment
Almost every day brought us an inspirational moment from seeing Leopards to the scenery to tasting authentic Sri Lankan food, but for me the wow moment was seeing an elephant strolling through a lake of water hyacinths chomping to his (her?) hearts content oblivious to our presence.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Kingsley the guide was exceptional. Not only did he know his stuff about wildlife he could spot creatures that I would have walked past, but he also took the time to take an interest in what everyone in the group was interested in and helped us get the most from the trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
A combination of altitude, heat and humidity can take it out of you if you are not used to this type of environment. It's difficult to prepare for these factors so be prepared to find things a bit hard going until you are acclimatised.
An amazing adventure never to be forgotten
I would not hesitate to recommend this holiday. The steep ascents of the treks were tough going but the routes through the villages at harvest time and the ‘Namaste’s of the local children kept me going. Arriving at the beautiful mountain lodges to such wonderful hospitality made it all worth while and the sunrise and sunsets were stunning (we were lucky in having clear skies every day). The rafting was fast enough to be fun and exciting but not scary, and the river camp felt like a real story book adventure. The activities at Chitwan were well planned and allowed for some time to relax by the pool.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many it's hard to pick. Sunrise in the mountains was beautiful, but each part of the trip had it's own special moments. The accommodation is lovely and the food is amazing!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Keshar made everything run smoothly. He knew so much about his country - the customs, the flora and fauna etc. I learned a lot from him and have so much respect for the people of Nepal. He was always cheerful and madesure we were well looked after. I had great confidence in him.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Pack light - there is a lot of packing and unpacking Climb some hills in preparation. If you have a chance to bathe with the elephants in Chitwan, get in that river, it's great fun! Try and stay longer in Kathmandu. There's a beautiful museum in Patan's Durbar Square that is worth a visit and is easily accessible by taxi.
The Tropical South
This was my first trip to India. I chose this area in particular because I’d heard good things from others who had been there. I wasn’t disappointed, Kerala and Tamil Nadu were so much more colorful, lush and relaxed than I’d anticipated. We saw so many different things, from the tea plantations to the beach, with a cruise on the backwaters in between.
Most Inspirational Moment
Meeting the local people. Everywhere we went people were so friendly and welcoming. The hotel and houseboat staff, strangers we got chatting to in cafes, shops and museums. We rarely went anywhere without being invited for tea of having a photo taken!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Phillip was conscientious, knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. We were a small group and he looked after us amazingly, his attention to detail was incredible. He was passionate about the area and it was infectious.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go to the Gandhi Museum in Madurai, a fascinating place. Leave with plenty of empty space in your suitcase, there are some great shopping opportunities. Do bring shoes with good grip for the walks, it can be muddy.
Trip of a lifetime
What an amazing trip! Three beautiful countries, all very different from the other. Abundance of wildlife, rolling hills, big hills, active volcanos, stunning hotels, fun guides, bus karaoke! Cycling was achievable but challenging in a good way! My fitness went from being in the bottom half of the gears to then maxing out the gears and needing more! Started hating hills and now hate flats! Beautiful humbling countries , full of happy smiling people; young and old wanting to interact with you!
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the active volcano in Nicaragua and Ometepe Island, jumping in the sea wearing cycle gear at the end of a good day! The best ride was by far the additional one added through the indigenous tribe in Panama, ammmmaaaaazing!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Roberto was fantastic! Great sense of humour and never rushes you despite where you fall in the group! I struggled with hills at the beginning and was going way too fast and burning out. He taught me how to endurance cycle over this trip and on the last day I was good enough to lead the group even though just for a short while! He also rearranged the trip around a Hurricane adding the best extra ride on his day off and even a cheeky shopping trip! Salvo the driver was amazing and a very cheeky sense of humour! Always beeping and waving you along! Paul the mechanic was faultless. A fun, hilarious and cheeky smile added to his absolute professionalism throughout! Always encouraging! Gerhardt, hardcore athlete was put through his paces which surprised even him and he had some awesome stories! Just don't mention bananas!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't think, just do it! Trip of a lifetime awaits!
Wonderful Experience.
Our holiday was outstanding!
It was a photography heaven, between pair of us we have 3000 photos.
Thoroughly enjoyed EVERY DAY.
Expensive, but including Extension to E.I this was definetely worth it.
Most Inspirational Moment
Probably the most inspirational moment was a sunset picnic in front of an Ahu on Easter Island extension. Yes there was a reflection and realisation of the cultures that had passed before. But also a chance to relax and reflect on the wonderful tour and the high number of great experiences over the whole tour. There was a highlight virtually every day. It was like being on holiday 4 times as each environment/landscape is very different and it feels like you've entered another country/continent. We'd like to do this trip all over again, and again?
Thoughts on Group Leader
Miguel Angel was informative, efficient, humourous and very experienced with the running of this tour. We enjoyed his company, thoroughly nice chap.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for cold weather at Desert (-8 degrees at Taita Geysers sunrise) and also Patagonia. Although the extreme cold at Patagonia is from the wind chill so have windproof clothes with coverage over all exposed areas, hats, scarfs gloves etc. This isn't a strenuous trip. Easy walking, no big slopes. Paths are well maintained. Perhaps the cost of restaurants and bars is quite high (London prices) but you have a variety of options including take aways from supermarkets (yep its like mcdonalds/kfc/greggs/waitrose all in one?). And the off sale wine / pisco sour is cheap too!
Walking the Amalfi Coast
This was my first time traveling for pleasure completely alone, and I didn’t really know what to expect. I think I thought it would mostly be a nice break in between jobs, perhaps some time alone for self-reflection and contemplation in a stunningly beautiful place. It was all that but actually so much more for me.
As a self-described “city slicker,” I was pretty much a novice at this hiking thing, and the week was full of experiences that kept pushing me, and challenging me to grow. Each day felt special and offered something different. Pictures cannot do justice to what you need to see in person. In these beautiful coastal towns, when the sun melts into the horizon, and the dusky mountains hug the sky, you don’t know where one ends and one begins. I went in November, which is the off season, and was anxious about how the rain/weather might impact the tour. But even on the day(s) that it rained, that only added to the atmosphere and sense of adventure. It was special seeing the Amalfi Coast at a time when there were no tourists.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many highlights, but for me, the most dramatic, climactic one was climbing Mount Vesuvius, a volcano that is still considered active. Climbing inside the rim of the crater, you can see Pompeii from a dizzying height and even feel the steam that wisps from the cracks in the rock. It was like drinking from a heady elixir that produced fear, exhilaration and a sense of accomplishment, all at once. My heart was still in my throat as I descended back down the volcano, but I could not have felt more alive. A once in a lifetime moment.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Paul McDermott was our leader and he is phenomenal. Although he is inherently modest, you could tell that his 35 or so years of experience in the army had trained him to be the type of leader who naturally elicits trust and confidence from his team. As I was a "city slicker" who had never been on a hiking tour like this, I was anxious about how I would do, but I felt safe in Paul's hands - he was so clearly a master of the terrain. It was also evident that Paul must have diligently been doing work behind the scenes to make our tour run smoothly and seamlessly, but he did it with such quiet aplomb and grace that he never made it seem like work; and he added thoughtful touches to help make the tour special, like carrying bottles of wine in his backpack while hiking for several hours, without telling us, just so that we could lazily savor a drink in the sunny piazza during our lunch break on the last day of the tour. It was nice hearing about the Amalfi Coast's history and culture from Paul's perspective, as he is a worldly traveler who has a natural affinity for soaking up the local culture. Most importantly though, Paul was always engaged with the group, and was deeply, sometimes it even seemed telepathically, attuned to the needs of the group as a whole as well as the unique personalities of each individual. By the end of tour, I thought of him not only as our guide but our friend.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be aware that if you go during off-peak season, like in November, as I did, there will be certain things that will be closed and activities that might not be available. For example, I believe during the summer months, you are able to take a boat ride, which is supposed to be lovely. Also, when we ended up in some of the resort towns, some of the sights / shops were closed. Personally, however, this was not an issue for me at - I appreciated that we were able to see the Amalfi Coast in a way that not everybody gets to see, and it felt more intimate and authentic. You should also come prepared for the weather at the time you go. I packed varying layers of fleeces and rain-proof gear, which came in handy. At certain points of the hike, I wore short-sleeved T-shirts and sweated through my gear. When we went to Pompeii, it was freezing in the morning, and that was the one day that I had left my extra fleece in the hotel. Best to pack everything in your backpack just in case.
Annapurna in Luxury TNX
Another great trip and an enjoyable diverse itinerary from, temples to trekking, to white water rafting, to safari. Some long days transferring between sites, but well worth it in the end. Great company, excellent leader and a wonderful, friendly country well worth visiting.
Most Inspirational Moment
On the trek being woken at 6.15am by a knock on the door from the porters with a cup of coffee/tea and coming out of the lodge to see the mountain range appearing above the clouds. Unfortunately, we only had a brief sight of the Fishtail, but the trek to the Himalaya Lodge was well worth the climb. White water rafting down the Seti River was great fun as was the search for one-horned rhino at Chitwan.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Chandra was great fun. He was funny, became part of the team and went to great lengths to pass on his love of his country and the local traditions. On the last night of the trek, all the porters, the Ghurkhas, the group and Chandra danced the night away. Whilst it was no "Strictly", happy hour freed our inhibitions and everyone got up and danced (sort of)!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for early mornings and long days travelling. Some part of the treks have numerous steps, if you are used to walking with poles, take them with you. Sink plugs come in handy. We spent approximately £250 each on food, drinks, etc, but if you enjoy spending money on trinkets, presents, etc then you definitely need to allow more.