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.

Simply use the selector below to search our trip reviews and start reading real feedback from real Exodus travellers who have ‘been there and done that’!

Lots of our clients also like to post handy tips and advice about their travels. It’s great to know what to expect on an Exodus adventure before you go, so make the most of their experience and you’ll make the most of yours!

Haven’t posted your review yet? Here’s how to do it…

Once you return from your Exodus adventure holiday, you will be emailed a link to add your review. Any feedback collected is posted onto our website, totally unedited.

Alternatively you can navigate to the relevant trip page and add your review via the Reviews tab.

Reviews

Antonios Angelopoulos

Reviewed September 2016

3 peaks of Ladakh

A good opportunity to experience the raw and unspoilt beauty of the Himalayas. A challenging trip with only the basic amenities, taking you to less frequently travelled paths and up some less renowned but no less spellbinding peaks. Also, for those willing to listen and learn, it offers a good exposure to Tibetan Buddhism, its rituals and beliefs. Finally, a good chance to meet very interesting, widely travelled people who appreciate the challenge and don’t mind the monastic austerity of the trek.

Most Inspirational Moment

Without doubt it was the climbing of Jo Jongo, a 6,200m peak. A good, hard climb next to a glacier. We had to cross patches of hard ice and this gave us the opportunity to use our crampons. Obviously there were varying competences in the group but people become very supportive of each other in such circumstances. The feeling of elation at the top is magnificent.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Valerie was excellent. Very familiar with the terrain, cautious, prudent, offering advice but prepared to allow initiative.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Spending the evenings in cramped tents can be uncomfortable and you don't get a restful sleep. Maybe you have done a lot of that and you are used to it. In any case, you should be prepared for an amount of discomfort. You will be compensated by the wild beauty of the surroundings.

Reply from Exodus

 

We thank all our customers for posting online reviews of our trips. Please note this and previous reviews relate to our old itinerary ‘Three Peaks of Ladahk’.  From 2019 on our new itinerary ‘Peaks of Ladakh’ will be running.  We hope you will join us on this adventure soon. 

Show more

Caroline Woodall

Reviewed September 2016

Borneo Wildlife Experience

Two weeks of wonderful wildlife, rainforests, enormous caves and much more. We were extremely lucky to spot Proboscis monkeys on our first morning at Bako National Park – and then we saw wild Orang Utans later on our trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

Driving 82km off the main road in a convoy of 4x4's on an unmade road to reach the most wonderful 5 star hotel in the middle of primary rainforest - and then a wild Orang Utan appearing in a tree just outside the hotel restaurant whilst we were eating lunch.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Manuel was extremely well mannered, sociable, & very knowledgeable about all forms of wildlife - especially the smaller types - snakes, frogs, spiders, etc.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't be disheartened if you don't get to see all of the wildlife that you expect to see - birds were particularly difficult to spot in the rain-forest - they are up in the canopy & often quite small to see. The first few days in Sarawak - we saw mostly insects, spiders, etc - and were beginning to worry that we wouldn't see much else - but Sabah made up for it - the second half of the trip we saw wild Orang Utans, two types of Macaques, many Proboscis monkeys & finally three of us managed to spot a Borneon Gibbon.

Show more

Michelle Mason

Reviewed September 2016

Phenomenal TMB experience

We couldn’t have asked for a better guide, group, campsite support or weather report!! An amazing 2 weeks spent circumnavigating Mont Blanc with vista after vista of stunning scenery; brilliant and challenging walking through valleys and up and over cols (minus Col de Tricot in the heat – bleurgh!); fabulous camping and camaraderie; a truly awe-inspiring day watching the UTMB; and too many superb cake stops to mention en-route. Jenny and Clare did a top-notch job in delivering our trip and we all enjoyed the journey due to their care, diligence and smiles. Simply unforgettable

Most Inspirational Moment

Watching the the UTMB - hands down the most impressive and awe-inspiring day of the trip closely followed by the trip up in the cable car from Courmayer across to the Aiguille Du Midi and back again.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jenny knew every facet of the trail and where we could deviate to get an even better viewpoint, challenge or piece of cake :) I have a serious addiction to tart aux myrtilles now. My waistline thanks you Jenny

Advice for Potential Travellers

This is a challenging walk. I have done Kili, Toubkal and EBC and this was the most challenging walking by far. True, it doesn't have the altitude of these other hikes, but with about 9,500 meters of ascent in total, it is not a walk in the park.

Show more

Catherine Grimes

Reviewed September 2016

Madagascan Discoverer

This was my second trip to Madagascar, I wanted to go somewhere that I have not been before so I thought that going to the west of Madagascar would be a good idea and I was not disappointed. The Tsingy was amazing with stunning views and the “Alley of Baobabs” at dusk was stunning.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking in the Tsingy, it was better than I ever imagined. I had not been to Anja park before and I was pleasantly surprised to see the ring tailed lemurs enjoying themselves in a natural setting. I have never seen so many ring tailed lemurs in a single tree as I did here. Walking in the Isalo National Park was stunning.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader Sol was very good and he was very helpful when people had problems.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't miss out on seeing the spiny forest at Ifaty. It was very sunny so take some good sunscreen, I used factor 50 and didn't burn.

Show more

Steve Hall

Reviewed September 2016

Big skies and teeming herds

A great trip in stunning landscape. A good mix of easy riding with time to enjoy the views and more challenging ups and downs. It is quite something to see herds of horses running beside you while you ride, to watch eagles soaring above you as you camp by a pristine stream. If you are happy on a bike and in a tent I can think of no better way to see Mongolia than this.

Most Inspirational Moment

Hard to pick just one, but all these are great memories: watching the sunset over lake from our camp site, running herds, herdsmen on horseback, the "performance of contortion by springy girls" in Ulan Baatar.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our trip leader was young but very good, with excellent communication skills, thoughtful and engaging. This was his first trip as leader, though he had assisted on many more. The rest of the support team were clearly experienced and very good at keeping the trip on track, both on the road and at the overnight stops.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Compared with our only previous Exodus cycling trip (Myanmar in 2014, level 3) this trip had much more cycling and less sightseeing. When we booked it was level 3 but has since been re-graded from level 3 to 4. We found the trip notes were pretty accurate, but beware the short days - less distance but plenty of height gain. The trails were generally pretty good, but variable surface conditions (slippery mud, sand, rocky descents) added an extra element of challenge in places, and a strong headwind made for slow progress at times. Expect wet feet - there are lots of river crossings. The general description of "undulating with a few short steep climbs" is fair, but before the short steep climbs there is often a long not-so-gentle climb. The tents and bikes were very good, both in terms of specification and condition. We were happy to see that, having read about issues with bikes and tents in a review of an earlier trip. The support team checked all our group's bikes over regularly, most if not every evening. The sleeping mats provided were OK but not fantastic. If you have a good one that you trust, then bring it.

Show more

Kara Brown

Reviewed September 2016

Four Countries in 10 days !

This was my 12th holiday with Exodus (my 9th cycle tour) and one of the best, so it is not often I feel that I wish to write a review, so here goes !
This tour is a great way to see four countries and four capital cities of central Europe, all in just 10 days. Our group comprised a friendly bunch – a mix of English, Australian & Americans and with me, the token Scot of the group !We were lead by a very professional team of Dana along with Hynek and driver Lubos.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were a few highlights and memorable moments on this trip. A few of them were: - 1) the free day in Vienna, and I would recommend the morning bike tour round the city centre. We all took this optional tour and it was worth it to see the highlights of the city, and still leaving the rest of the day to see the sites in your own time. 2) I also really enjoyed the cycle from Vienna to Bratislava. I cannot think of any other tour where you cycle from hotel to hotel (capital city to capital city !). 3) Cycling along the Danube, particularly on the last day which included a short ferry ride. 4) The most fun evening was the wine tasting, which we all really enjoyed !

Thoughts on Group Leader

Dana was a lovely person and a great guide. She ran a trouble free tour in a friendly and very professional manner. Assisting her was Hynek who was also great at the back of the back of the group. Our driver Lubos was always there to help with loading/unloading the bikes & luggage and was always keen to try & improve his English !

Advice for Potential Travellers

The first three days or so were hilly but after that the ride is flat.

Show more

Marilyn Jones

Reviewed September 2016

One of the best trips I have ever been on!

I travel internationally a lot and I am often asked what my favorite destination is. I never really had a favorite until now. I cannot say enough about my like-minded travel mates, the friendly and professional tour guides, the beautiful buses we were transported in, the selection of hotels near tourists areas, the varied itinerary and the wealth of free time allowing us to explore on our own or simply rest is we needed to. Exodus does it right! I will hopefully embark on another Exodus adventure in the future!

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many: sunset over Halong Bay, the Angkor Archeological Park in Cambodia, the friendliness and helpfulness of the Vietnamese and Cambodians, and Hoi An historic sites are all favorites of mine.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both Cong in Vietnam and Vanney in Cambodia were excellent -- efficient, friendly and knowledgeable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you travel in the summer, know it will be hot. Bring hydration salts and lightweight clothes. If you need to rest, rest; the heat and humidity can be exhausting. And drink lots of water.

Show more

Amanda Johnson

Reviewed September 2016

Fantastic trip

Fantastic trip which I wish I could do all over again! I loved every part of it (even the dreaded sleeper trains). It was such good fun and although it covered a lot of China it has made me want to see more – it is a great country that is well worth a visit or two. Good job the visa is now multiple entry and valid for two years! 🙂

Most Inspirational Moment

Gosh there are just too many to mention as it all lived up to my expectations and in some cases exceeded them. I think the best moment for me was sitting in the rooftop terrace bar in Shanghai with a cocktail and a great group of people discussing all the things we had done on the trip and not believing it was all over! In addition, the limestone karst landscapes of Yangshou was breathtaking, the toboggan run down from the great wall and the early evening bike ride on Xi'an city walls were the best experiences but I have to say and this sounds really cliché but it was the people in the group and the fun we had that was the best part of the whole trip. Spending 3 weeks with strangers on a very busy schedule could be an absolute nightmare but we laughed the whole way round China - it was fabulous!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Gina was fantastic! The way she dealt with and fitted in with the group was great. She really got our sense of humour and did a fantastic job of keeping us in line. The variety of transport and amount of travelling we did seemed seamless as Gina just got on with it and made it happen. Gina felt like part of the group and not just a guide which made the trip even more special.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I'd like to say travel light because of the amount of travel and lugging of suitcases but the climate was such that you really needed those extra clothes to change into as there isn't much time to get any washing done. Take plenty of tissues / toilet roll - there are plenty of public toilets but no toilet paper. There will be LOTS of people but considering the volume the queues move quickly.

Show more

Colin McCabe

Reviewed September 2016

Cycle the Baltics, August 2016

A very enjoyable trip with great weather – we had sunshine every day. The cycling (for a reasonably fit non-cyclist) was manageable and we arrived in towns and cities in time to see some/most of the major sites.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Baltics themselves - each country and their towns and cities are full of history and culture. I'm definitely going back to see more.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Vaida was brilliant - I arrived a day early and she was there to greet me and some other travellers, and she contacted me a couple of days after the tour ended with my transfer arrangements. She really did go the extra mile to ensure we were all happy and sorted.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring bug spray - I was murdered by mozzies. It makes sense to arrive a day early to see Tallinn as there is not enough time on the trip to properly enjoy it.

Show more

Angela Milne

Reviewed September 2016

Walking in the Picos de Europa

An extremely well organised trip in a delightful hotel on the outskirts of a small but busy village. The trip was fully catered apart from the day off and the standard of cuisine was exceptionally high.Transport was provided to the coast on the day off and advice given on a walk along the coast and where to eat.The bar and outside terrace of the hotel provided an excellent place to end the day and sit outside enjoying drinks and sun.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Carres gorge is a fantastic walk and we did it on the last day as this was forecast to be cooler and less crowded as many of the Spanish visitors were on their way home. The two scrambling summits we did were also highlights.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Alvero was brilliant, he was full of enthusiasm, organised the programme to suit the walks to the weather conditions and even carried 8 litres of water for group use on very hot days.Jim the hotel owner and cheif cook was also extremely helpful and very interesting to talk to.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We spent a couple of days in Bilbao before the trip and one after to enable us to go Easy jet from Manchester. Exodus booked us the flights so we had a package.It is a fantastic compact city and the Guggenheim is an amazing piece of architecture.The town is well worth a visit. Shortage of plugs for charging devices so if you have a two way charger take it.

Show more