Reviews

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.

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.

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.

Most Inspirational Moment

Yangshou

Thoughts on Group Leader

Gina was the BEST. Always happy, always efficient, always amusing. If you go on this trip, make sure Gina takes you

Advice for Potential Travellers

Get Gina as leader

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing out of Ohrid to the plateau overlooking the Lake and seeing the tiny villages bellow. Also for me it was making it up the steep sections on days 2 & 3 without getting off.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was very fit, he often had to drop back to help someone with a problem, then ride up to the front again.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes, you need to get fit riding up 10% hills (1 in 10) and be able to ride up long hills before you take the trip or you may not enjoy the tough sections so much. Some of the shorter gradients reached 14-16% (indicated on my Garmin). You do get some good down hill bits to recuperate, and there are stops for people to catch up. Age is not the problem it's the fitness that counts. Ride at a speed your comfortable with, don't try to keep up.

Most Inspirational Moment

The last 48 hours of wildlife viewing was the best I have ever experienced. It was almost like a wildlife documentary (sadly David Attenborough was unavailable) as we met a cheetah and her cub at dusk, again in the early morning and then witnessed the cheetah make a kill. Later that afternoon (via wild dogs) we met the cheetah again but tragically there was no sign of the cub. Her calls would make even the strongest man blub, but then 2 lionesses stalked and chased the cheetah and we believe she escaped. Surely that was the big finale to the trip? Errr no.... 2 male lions vs a herd of buffalo the following morning.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sam was excellent. He knew his country, the wildlife and how to run a brilliant trip allowing the customers to enjoy themselves. He coped with unexpected luggage issues and our constant demand for bigger and better sightings. Vasco the Botswana guide was brilliant getting us closer to the wildlife than we would have hoped for, without worrying the wildlife. He knew where to position the van to get excellent shots. Timon and Dodga (the assistants) were both hard-working, friendly and helpful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

As with all Exodus trips study and follow the trip notes carefully. It was cold on some nights (I took a down sleeping bag) and very cold for quite a few hours on the truck, so you do need lots of warm clothing until it heats up. The dinner cruise at Victoria Falls was a highlight for many of us as the service, food, drinks and views were all excellent - a touch of luxury. Take advantage of some of the extra activities. The advice on tipping in the trip notes was contradicted by Sam and this needs clarification, but allow more than is suggested for local staff as well as the crew.

Most Inspirational Moment

Roberto took us to a remote school in Panama, where he told us that because the children did not watch TV they were completely innocent, and very rarely saw people from other countries. For me, this was one of the highlights, especially seeing how Roberto talked to the children, and how he got all of us to introduce ourselves to the children in Spanish!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto is a top leader in every way. He is very passionate about his country (Costa Rica) and gave us all sorts of information about each of the countries as we travelled through. He was always concerned for our safety when cycling and gave us clear instructions at the beginning of each ride so that we stayed safe

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would travel a day early to get over the jet lag when you arrive. Make sure you have high factor sun cream, especially for your arms (The cycle leaders put sleeves on their arms for the long rides)

Most Inspirational Moment

Every moment was brilliant. Cycling, swimming, dancing and drinking with lovely new friends were fantastic moments. Woke up in the early morning before the sunrise and went to the sea where's no one else but me. Floating on the sea and seeing the beautiful sunrise was one of the inspirational moment.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The leader Freddy is perfect leader we can count on in this trip. His accurate knowledge of history, technical advice for riding, smart joking boosted our travel. Also his prompt action with warm consideration was really helpful when I had a trouble.

Advice for Potential Travellers

No worries about cycling. The support vehicle follows us every time, you don't have to have any equipments during cycling. A bandanna is useful to clean your face, to cover your mouth with it. You sometimes get a terrible vehicle emission when riding behind the cars.

Most Inspirational Moment

It's hard to choose just one. It's impossible to master all of Romania's complex history in just a week, but at the end of the trip I felt as though I had really seen the country. In addition to beautiful scenery, we experienced life in the villages, visited a flour mill and a family-run wool factory, met Saxon priests, and even squeezed in some sightseeing in a couple of cities.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Raluca is an outstanding guide. She is competent, attentive, organized, personable, and passionate and knowledgeable about her country. From the guesthouse stays to the daily history lessons, she did everything to ensure that we experienced the real Romania. The fact that she clearly has strong personal relationships with everyone we encountered testifies to her commitment to her job.

Most Inspirational Moment

Looking into the active volcano at night. I was a bit cynical at first about the school visit but it is the real thing , Roberto truly loved those children and made a meaningful interface between us and the children so that they and us gained without patronising the children.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto and Steve who took over on last days were both great and went beyond anything expected.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do some hill training before you arrive as there are some steep climbs.I had only prepared on the flat . No sure I ever will hear the word "undulation " again without wincing