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first time skiing of any sort so everything was new to me! Enjoyed it immensely [apart from the classic ‘third day ‘when everything ached and nothing worked!!] By the end of the week the last 3 days comprised quite a lot of of track skiing and suddenly I was managing to stay upright, turn and stop going down hill!
The enjoyment was enhanced by the generally superb weather, mainly clear blue skies and sunshine.
The fourth day [Thursday] everything suddenly started to come together. On Wednesday night I had gone to bed fully expecting to be hardly able to move certain parts of my body on Thurs am, but not only were there no real aches, when we got going I actually felt like I was starting to cross country ski!
Both Ilse and Mary were supportive, instructive and very helpfull.
If you want to cram in 3 countries in 2 weeks then this is the trip for you. Cycling is not nearly as difficult as other moderate to challenging trips. Because of the distances involved you’ll spend quite a bit of time on the bus.
It was amazing to see so many volcanoes, stunning beaches and wildlife.
Memo took a while to warm to us but once he did he was good fun. Paul the mechanic was really friendly and a special mention to the bus driver who understands more English that he lets on and is a very safe driver.
Not matter what time of year you go it will be HOT! Think 33-38C during the day and down to 20-22 at night. Expect it to rain and for it to be heavy! Food is great value, fresh and tasty. You can't go wrong with whatever you order. Group flights were with United airlines. I'd say they are the "Ryan air" of intercontinental flying and best avoided unless the price is too good to ignore.
This tour, A Taste of Cuba, did what it said on the tin. It provided an introduction to the country, mainly the western part and La Havana.
Trinidad - despite its touristy nature it was a charming small town. I had a superb massage there so this is probably my personal highlight!
Lazaro was an outstanding group leader. His command of English was incredible as he had never visited the UK or the US - just read a lot he said. He was informative and always willing to answer questions. He was always approachable. Above all he was keen to let the group know about his country, its history, culture and people.
The trip was a bit breathless - there was not a lot of free time except in Trinidad and Havana. Some people had extra time at either the start or the end - I wish I had done this. Cuba was more expensive than I had imagined, certainly for food but less so for drinks and trinkets. Be prepared for long lines to change money especially at the airport; the ATM in Havana did work though.
We really enjoyed this trip which was well thought out and very varied. The hotels were generally of a good standard and some of them were positively luxurious. Most had pools which we enjoyed using. The guide and drivers were excellent and we had a big coach for 16 people so we were able to spread out when travelling. We saw an awful lot of different things but still had some free days and afternoons to relax or do our own thing.
There were lots of these: seeing elephants in the wild, cycling between villages looking at the wildlife and visiting 2 families for snacks and meals, visiting Dambulla cave temple, trying all the delicious Sri Lankan food, meeting friendly Sri Lankan children and adults, dining in the formal restaurant at the Hill Club, walking on Horton Plains...
Ruwan was excellent. He was very attentive to individual needs whilst being extremely well organised and ensuring that the trip ran smoothly. He was also very knowledgeable and able to tell us things in an easy to understand way.
Take a guide book to enable you to make the most of the free time available.
A very enjoyable and interesting experience. The tour was well planned with a fair balance between organised trips and free time.
Cycling around the island off Hoi An. It was lovely to be in a rural setting, very peaceful, and giving an insight into how the people lived off the land.
Our guide in Vietnam, Thao Do, was excellent. He always looked after us; always very caring and obliging, taking us to restaurants, sharing great knowledge when showing us the sights and telling us so much about life in Vietnam.
You need an overnight bag for when you leave your luggage in the city on two occasions. It would have been good to know this beforehand.
A trip I will remember for ever! Sri Lanka is a beautiful country and Suresh is an absolutely outstanding leader, who made sure we experienced the very best of it.
The cycling can be challenging – plenty of hills and heat – but the distances and hills build up over the days so that your fitness increases to be able to manage each stage.
The scenery, birds and animals are beautiful. I’d struggle to identify more than a robin in England, but by the end of the trip was able to tell the difference between a bee catcher and a kingfisher flying past.
What really made it special for me was Suresh’s attention to detail and the special experiences he arranged – street food in Kandy, stopping to buy fish from the market for dinner, the evening visit to a multi faith temple, and multiple tea stops in local places for tea, lentil cakes, fudge and other yummy snacks. Just don’t expect to lose any weight on this trip – my Fitbit said I burned 4,351 calories on the climb to Nurwar Eliya but I’d say every single one of those was replaced with the maximum damage we did every night with the delicious food and Lion beers!
1. Reaching the top of the climb to Nuwar Eliya with a lot less difficulty than I thought and realizing just how fast my fitness had improved over the space of a week 2. Reaching the bottom of the downhill from Ella (I'm terrified of heights but with Suresh's patience and encouragement I was able to complete it) 3. Watching the sunset from the top of mini Adam's Peak (with thanks once again to Suresh for holding my hand to get me up and down!) 4. Watching a serpent eagle soar down the tree lined road in front of us as we cycled along And a very memorable one was eating a delicious dinner by candlelight in a private house in Ella during the biggest power cut Sri Lanka had experienced in 20 years!
Ten out of ten fantastic! I cannot fault Suresh. He got to know everyone as individuals incredibly quickly and made sure each of us was well looked after. I have a melon allergy (bizarre one I know!) and the staff everywhere would produce alternatives without me needing to ask. I also wondered why dogs were being magically ushered off the road in front of me by Suresh's team. Suresh had spotted I am nervous around the dogs without me saying a thing, and had briefed the team to help me out! And he held my hand whenever I felt scared of heights! He also let those of us who wanted to cycle fast have the opportunity to do so, whilst also accommodating those who wanted to take it slower, whilst still making us feel like one tight knit group. He is efficient (bags always in our rooms before we got there because he memorized whose was whose on day one), resourceful (magically transporting forgotton glasses and phones across the country to catch up with us) and patient (see previous example!). He constantly added little extras (which I won't identify so as to not spoil the surprise for others!) and I'm really touched by his thoughtfulness. He is patient, kind, fun, knows Sri Lanka inside out, has a talent for getting the measure of people quickly and managing a group, and is obviously respected and liked throughout the country. I can't thank him enough for making this such a special and unforgettable trip.
1. Take a lot more sunscreen than you think you need - it is very hard to find sun lotion in Sri Lanka and highly unlikely you'll be able to buy more during the trip 2. Same goes for hand sanitiser 3. Plan to hand wash a lot – my washing line came in very handy and there is enough time each evening to rinse a few things out 4. Don't be afraid of the dogs. Most are fine and by the end I didn't even mind the barky ones - they won't actually bite you. If I'd realized that earlier and relaxed about them, the first couple of days would have been more fun 5. Take a baseball cap/other hat as the sun is very strong and you'll need one for times you're not riding
Exodus say that they do everything they can to make it possible for you to achieve your aim of getting to the summit, and they lived up to their word. The local guides and porters work tirelessly to make everyday a success, their good humour is infectious and the feeling of standing at the summit is wonderful beyond words.
Summit day is a long slow slog in the dark, the final approach as the sun broke through and the realisation that nothing could now prevent standing at the peak was an uplifting moment. We had a great group and all bar one made it. The guides worked hard to get amongst those flagging and was something we noted and praised once we finished the trip.
Makaike was well organised and briefed well. He was surrounded by a strong team and at no point did we feel unsupported or unsure as the days passed. He was good humoured and considerate to the individual needs.
The exodus travel notes are superb - the detail is all there. The only thing I would recommend is that, unless they have very good sleeping mats, hire Exodus ones as the ground is quite rough and a good nights sleep is more likely on a comfy mat.
A busy trip to see unique animals and some interesting birds. Particularly good for primates. Quite a few early starts. Most accommodation in basic lodges. Food good. Local people friendly and willing to show us round. The holiday gave me an insight into how people live with basic amenities. Wonderful scenery, particularly towards the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The gorilla trek is tough and the advice to hire a porter to help you with the terrain is good to accept. I would definitely go on this holiday again.
The gorilla and chimp treks are amazing and the highlight of the trip for me. Although I found it tough personally.
The local leaders wow fantastic and extremely knowledgable.
Drink plenty of water throughout the trip and take some dextrose sweets to help give you some energy for the gorilla and chimp treks. Also take your own walking poles although the lodge does provide some wooden ones.
From start to finish the trip was great. Overnighted at a hotel just outside Heathrow. British Airways flight from Terminal 5 couldn’t have been better. BA really efficient and comfortable; Terminal 5 speedy, efficient and without hassle. Thomas, the group leader met us in Bucharest airport and the first clue about what was to come came when he announced we transfer from the mini coach to two 4×4 minibuses to ascend to the hotel. Katharine, the owner/manager of the hotel was superb. All staff were very friendly, serving excellent food and the accommodation was nice and cosily comfortable. The snowshoeing was lovely, we were blessed with good weather and in the first part of the week temperatures of about -10C/-15C which meant light fluffy snow. The walking was at times quite demanding and having undertaken the Finland trip previously (moderate) I felt Transylvania was a good moderate. I’d never visited Romania before nor the Carpathian mountains. Romania was unspoiled, “untouristy” and the mountains were beautiful. I’d happily return to the area in the Spring or Autumn to see another season. There were some serious climbers in our group, a number of whom were eager to come back and “do” some of the peaks/ridges. The whole group, which had quite an age range, got on well together with no awkward moments.
More than one: The bear and wolf sanctuary. The ice stalagmites inside a cave. The overall "wow factor". Seeing a wall creeper which I understand is rare.
Thomas was very knowledgable about wildlife and local history. He was the sort of person one could rely upon in a crisis. His estimates of difficulty and distance/time seemed a trifle optimistic sometimes!
Go for it - you'll be glad you did. The Romanian currency is the Leu with an exchange rate of a little less than 6 to the UK pound, but Euros are also accepted in some places. Consider getting yourself a pair of Yaktrax (Pro preferably) before you go.
An excellent holiday – once we got there! It was great – everything from the variety of activities, the culture, the food – and learning so much about the history to modern day life in Vietnam
So many to choose from - from the history of the country, the madness of vying with the motor/scooter cyclists, the beauty of the countryside and colour of the people, fabulous food - through to modern day life in a country which has had ndured so many changes
Absolutely fabulous. Kien Le went over and above to educate our group about his beloved Vietnam and to integrate a diverse solo travellers group. He treated us with huge knowledge of the country - everything from history, the politics (from a cultural view point based on facts) - through to food - we experienced everything from smart restaurants to real street food based on his recommendations. There were a few times when one or other person had personal problems. Kien was both sensitive and caring and ensured that their concerns were dealt with and that they could move on to feel that they were once again part of the group.
Check age groups of travellers before booking to ensure that at least you have something in common with the people in your group. If for example the main group is in their 30's and you are the only one in your 60's then select a different date - the group leader can only work with the people he is presented with.
I would like to thank Christine for her review, although I am sorry that she was disappointed with her flight arrangements and the subsequent flight delay she regrettably experienced. Whilst we have recently opted to use Vietnam Airlines for our group flights, flights with Malaysia Airlines had already been booked for this departure and they were considered a suitable option given that travelling with another airline would have increased the clients’ overall cost of this departure, and we have received positive feedback about the service provided by Malaysia Airlines. Our sales team are happy to discuss all available flight options with clients at the time of booking, but we genuinely regret the inconvenience Christine experienced. We understand that although luggage labels are usually distributed to our clients, some group members did not receive these on this occasion; we have taken this issue up with our marketing team, which we trust will help prevent similar situations recurring.
Megan Devenish, Trip Manager for Vietnam