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Well, where do you start? Danh (‘Jan’) is the most happy, knowledgeable and friendly person you will meet. As a guide you will never surpass him. We had such a brilliant time with slick organisation making travelling in a hot climate so enjoyable. Cycling, culture, history and great food are wrapped into this brilliant 2 week trip that you cannot fail to enjoy it. We did the Atlas descent last autumn and whilst harder technically the higher temperatures in Vietnam make it tougher than the level 3 would suggest!
We traveled as family of 4 with 2 teenage girls (17/19) and had very different expectations of a holiday, but ‘Jan’s’ personality and abilities engaged everyone on all levels.
If Exodus would like a small tip-stick some semi-slick tyres on the bikes as there was no need at all for knobbly MTB ones, the roughest terrain was a sandy road.
Many but 'kayaking'( and swimming!!) in the lagoon within one of the islands in Halong Bay. On a boat on the river at night with floating candles In Hoi Ann.
Exemplary-an awesome asset to Exodus!
Its hot. If you have a favorite saddle take it!! The hotels were all brilliant , a very high standard but breakfasts are weak unless you like pork noodle soup! No need to take any snacks.
A fantastic opportunity to meet and travel with like minded souls through a beautiful country, of constantly changing scenery. The locals were amazingly happy and friendly despite many living hard, hand to mouth lives. The history of the war was brought to life by visiting the tunnels, and put in perspective by the marvellous tour guide Lingh.
Being welcomed into the local way of life up close and personal. And Han long bay was just stunning!
Lingh was absolutely fantastic! Everything was brilliantly organised. Nothing was too much trouble - from retrieving forgotten shampoo from previous hotel, checking each room after we had left and checked ourselves, sorting taxis, where best to buy specific gifts and often going himself to ensure best deals, advise on when and how to barter, selecting amazing lunch venues, ensuring a glass supplied with cans of drink, I could go on...... Lingh was entertaining when informing us about Vietnam, it's people, culture, ways of life, and he was very knowledgeable on a huge variety of topics - war, religion, regional work, crops, education..... He got the perfect balance between educating us and leaving us to soak up the atmosphere or sleep! Lingh ensured we understood what was planned each day, how far we would cycle, how hilly, when we would stop for breaks, eat, so we could decide whether to cycle or bus a stage, although we all chose to cycle as he inspired us with his just do it positive attitude. Whilst our group was a very friendly supportive bunch of people, Lingh was certainly the glue that stuck us all together in the background or leading from the front as appropriate. He made a great holiday into a fantastic one!
Do some training for a couple of months beforehand if not a cyclist already. There are a couple of days with stages that are quite hilly and challenging. Other days maybe flat, but up to 100 km, in heat. So a good general fitness, bum sore savy I.e.take your own seat if familiar and liked, and a good pair of padded, lightweight, cycling shorts is very useful.. Cream up! Mosquitos not a major problem if sprayed up. Rehydration tabs worked for me cos boy do you sweat! Although salty snacks, fluid and fruit is plentiful at each break! Don't need own snacks, water bottle holder. Do need cycle bag to carry camera, own water bottle. Also ruck sack bag to leave on bus so can have creams, money, change of clothes.....
Just book this trip!! A superb trip, fantastic guide, great variety of different styles of accommodation, excellent choice of food and a nice group who all got on very well and helped by great weather (very little rain on the 24th October – 7th November 2015 departure), so much so we only missed one afternoon walk (which was an extra that was organized by Eduardo our guide) due to the torrential rain. This did not stop us doing anything as most of the group sat outside our rooms bird watching and trying to take more photos of humming birds!!
All of it......!! I can not pick out one moment as the whole trip ran so smoothly due to the efforts of our guide Eduardo...... Tortuguero - an enjoyable boat ride, great lodge (although quite busy with other groups), lovely swimming pool, excellent food from the buffet, the Caribbean Sea (which you can not swim in due to the rip currents) and superb bird and wildlife sightings from the boat - not covered so make sure you wear a long sleeved shirt and trousers otherwise you will get sun burnt (even though it is a 530am and 3pm excursions). Arenal - the hotel is situated a 2 minute walk from the main square where there are restaurants and souvenir shops (and a good coffee house behind the church). A good walk in the forestry and across the lava field to see the views of the Volcano and Lake followed by a very cooling swim in the river below the waterfall. Eduardo changed the order for today so we did the walk when the weather was cooler and before the rain was likely to come and then we swam in the afternoon to cool off!! Monteverde - We did a group walk in the morning and then Eduardo offered to take us up to the viewing tower (extra) before lunch. Followed by the (optional but worth doing) "canopy trail - suspension bridges" - even if you are apprehensive of heights, just go for it as the bridges are in good condition and stable! It was great seeing the trees from above instead of getting neck ache looking up the whole time! Most of the group also visited the Orchid Garden (optional) and did a night walk which were both very interesting. Manuel Antonio - prepare yourself for humidity, heat and a busy town of other tourists!! That said, we did a walk from 7am (the time the park opened) and got ahead of the crowds and the heat too! Saw lots of birds and iguana and the beaches were relatively empty until about 10am when we finished the group walk. We then had the rest of the day free to explore the park further (I walked all the other available trails and got back to the hotel about 3pm - make sure you pack plenty of water and snacks with you), swim in the Pacific Ocean which was very warm, chill out and watch the great sun set!! Golfito / Esquinas Rainforest Lodge - was an excellent lodge and location set in a very peaceful area. A couple of walks over rough, wet and muddy terrain (you need walking boots although wellington boots are available to borrow) but we saw lots and really felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. Probably the best lodge on the trip for remoteness!! Savegre Valley - a very different lodge, but very pleasant with good views and you can sit outside your room and the birds come to you! We were lucky enough to have 2 sightings of the male and female Resplendent Quetzal bird (very shy) but we did leave the hotel at 530am to get ahead of any of the other groups. We also had our "Last supper" at this lodge School and farm visit - an enjoyable morning and the children made us very welcome - so pleased to see us!! Eduardo translated for us but the children did all try speaking English too. The farm visit was very interesting too and we had some very tasty food provided too!
Eduardo Caravaca was a superb leader with more than 15 years of guiding experience and is a very keen naturalist too - his knowledge, passion and enthusiasm for Costa Rica are huge and this comes across to all the guests the whole time. He is obviously very proud of his country and loves sharing all his extensive knowledge. He has "eyes like a hawk" so rarely missed any birds, mammals, reptiles and was keen to share sightings through his scope with us. So much so we saw more than 120 different species of bird (and we were not on a bird watching departure), 2 & 3 toes sloths, monkeys, snakes, frogs and the very shy "Resplendent Quetzal" bird. He arranged a 530am walk most days as he was so keen to go out and look for wildlife himself and always asked the group members to join him - that is dedication to the job!! He was extremely well organized, caring, on time, explained everything to us about the optional extras and the day to day schedules for us. He suggested various restaurants to us, for when meals were not included and generally we all ate as a group at his very good choices - plenty of different dishes to choose from etc. His inter-action with the school children and with the lady at the farm / house visit was great.... the children were so engaged with him and were listening to everything he was saying and you could tell that Eduardo was having a great time too!! This was my 36th group holiday with Exodus and various other operators and Eduardo is one of my top 6 guides (who are all equal first!!) - so much so I have nominated him for Guide of the Year. The driver, Walter was excellent too and took great care when driving, the vehicle was very comfortable and in good condition with plenty of space too.
Make sure you pack plenty of memory cards and spare batteries as you will take thousands of photos. The plug adapter required is a 2 pin flat type and there were plenty of sockets available in most of the bedrooms for charging. Water is drinkable from the taps and drinks coolers and no need to use purification tablets. Salads and fresh fruit are readily available too with no problems. A waterproof coat is a must and potentially a poncho is better as it covers your camera and ruck sack and when the rain comes it is very heavy and the weather conditions become humid too. Walking boots are a must as some of the terrain in the national parks is very rough and muddy. Warmer clothing, (a fleece) for the coolness of the air-conditioned transport, the Santa Elana Cloud Forest (Monteverde) and at the Savegre Valley which is at 2208m above sea level is also required. Although driving days are about 4-5 hours, there is plenty to look at en route and we stopped for photos, "comfort" breaks, coffee stops etc! All the hotels / lodges have free Wi-Fi and connections are generally very good. Pack some pens, pencils etc for taking to the school but make sure you give them to the head teacher who will distribute them accordingly. You can also donate to the school for buying equipment in the future. Just book the trip!!
This is a cycling trip not for the ‘faint hearted’ It is a truly cultural experience which takes you to the heart and soul of the local people in the remote mountains and valleys of Laos. It would be almost impossible to get to this part of Laos without cycling and without the knowledge and back up of the local leaders and drivers.
Stopping to visit a mountain village while the road was temporarily closed and drinking the most amazing Green tea in a small road side cafe. Meeting the smallest woman I have ever seen carrying a basket ofthe biggest pieces of root ginger I have ever seen!
Great. Knowledge enthusiasm and fully committed to the trip and everything Laos!
If you just want to cycle as far as possible for as long as possible or as fast as possible each day without looking to the right and left, ahead or behind and without stopping for the unexpected, then this trip is not for you! You will miss sooooo much!
History, culture, tradition, wildlife, real-life, unique experiences and fun all packed into 9 days
Walking down the track and through the gorge into Petra. Seeing the amazing colors of the rocks and the way they had been carved before a glimpse, then the full splendor of the Treasury. But it then gets even better with the royal tombs and the evolving walk and climb to the monastery. And then even better with the climb to the place of sacrifice and the return round the back away from the visitors. Not to mention, swimming with fish in the Red Sea, floating in the Dead Sea, riding a camel in Wadi Rum and the other world heritage sites.
Our group leader was very competent and knowledgeable with the right balance between leadership and choice of activities. He adjusted and responded well to the group and helped make it a memorable experience.
Jordan is a great country with a range of very interesting places to visit and experiences. They are relatively close to each other and therefore can be visited together in a single trip without excessive travel. It is a young and ambitious country which works hard to attract and look after its visitors. There is something well worth seeing and doing for everyone here.
A very hard and very rewarding trek to a place beyond the clouds. A once in a lifetime experience. Great group and guides, always positive. Thankyou.
Reaching summit and seeing sun arriving also as if to welcome us at the top of Africa. Stunning.
Charles. Legend. All the other guides were fantastic and a special thanks to all the porters also who helped me get my backside to the top. Without them, no way.
Be as fit as you can. See it as a challenge and dont leave it too late in life. Dig deep and achieve.
An amazing trip, full of exciting excursions, beautiful landscapes, astounding wildlife encounters, amazing weather, good co-travellers and a very informative and easy going leader! What more could you want of this once-in-a-lifetime-trip?
Snorkelling with turtles, sea lions, sharks, rays, penguins and marine iguanas. OK, this wasn't one moment, but the whole snorkelling experience was awesome!
Very good, informative, knowledgeable, easy-going, funny.
Bring plenty of sun cream; bring sandals and flip-flops, as well as good walking shoes; make sure you can stand constant movement of the ship, or take drugs; be prepared to spend time in small spaces. Bring binoculars (for birds mainly) as well as a decent camera, zoom not so important, as the animals are very close! Other that that: just do it!
This trip exceeded my expectations – crossing three quite different countries for our introduction to SE Asia allowed us to experience different foods, customs and sites of interest.
Impossible to pick a moment - we whizzed along some delightful rural roads in Thailand, climbed through the impressive towers of Angkor Wat, and soaked up a very special atmosphere as darkness fell on the stilted village and mangroves during the (optional) boat trip to Tonle Sap Lake.
Is, who accompanied us as our guide throughout the trip, was a key factor in the success of the trip. Her sound knowledge of the region and in particular of the routines of rural communities made her particularly good at spotting things/places/activities which she knew would be interesting to us. Opportunities to watch people making items from local raw materials, harvest crops, prepare food etc, and to be able to inquire about their lives, allowed us to gain new perspectives and feel that we had gained from the experience rather than simply cycling past their doors
Cycling on this trip demands more endurance than hill-climbing power.
This was a wonderful trip. Balvinder, our group leader, could not have done more to make the holiday memorable and fun. All the travel went smoothly, the accommodation was fine and the game drives lovely.
Seeing my first wild tiger actually in the wild.
Brilliant.
Take fewer clothes that you think you will need. You wont wear then all! Take a dust cover for your camera and binoculars.
This was a relaxed, no-fuss trip. As a first-time Exodus tripper, I was impressed with the organisation and delivery from the very start to the finish. For solo travellers, peace of mind and feeling safe is paramount. Even in our farmhouse where we stayed for the entire trip. there was no need to even lock the doors to our rooms, keys simply were not required. Amazing!! The trip leader absolutely made it for all the group , I am sure. Knowledgable, charming and so considerate.
Too difficult to identify just one experience. Overall, it was just so very relaxing.
Exceptional.
It is super-relaxing. If you are looking for bars, theatre ,lots of night-life, this may not be the holiday for you.