Reviews

Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers

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14469 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Richard McFeeters

Reviewed October 2015

Carpathian, Walking, Bears & Mushrooms

A superb week which unfolds in dramatic scenery almost everywhere you look

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing 5 bears including a mother and cub at the bearhide. Generally admiring the scenery on our hikes. Pastries and schnapps at the Saxon village! Seeing the Bears and learning some of their sad stories at the sanctuary.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Udo was charismatic, knowledgable, principled and possessed a wicked sense of humour. Crucially on the walks he ensured there were plenty of breaks and waited for everyone before imparting information. In the hotel Katharina was a very inspirational person to talk to. I recommend group members try to grab 20-30 minutes of her time to talk about conservation in the region.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I got away with walking shoes but ideally you should have waterproof hiking boots. The weather forecast doesn't apply to higher levels of the Carpathians! Lunch most days consists of ham and cheese sandwiches which you prepare yourself at breakfast. I was grateful for the snacks I brought with me as there is no food (officially!) available at the hotel between mealtimes. If you are unfit do not consider this trip. The walks are tough in places if you do not have a decent level of fitness. There are hiking poles available to use at the hotel. Most of our group used poles at some point and given the volume of slopes encountered I would recommend all but the most experienced hikers consider using them. The cable car to the top of the mountain in Brasov is not part of the itinerary but it is highly recommended for your free time there.

Janet Hardiker

Reviewed October 2015

Walking in Tuscany

A wonderful way to explore the mountains of Northern Tuscany and experience “agritourismo”, the views at the top Monte Sumbra and Monte Prado and stunning and breathtaking. The colours as we walked up through the beach woods and the up to summit of Monte Prado and Monte Sumbra were amazing. It has really awakened my appetite for mountain walking in Tuscany.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the summit and seeing the views across the mountains and valleys of Tuscany was inspirational, the walk through the beach trees on the way up was stunning too, such an array of colours. We also enjoyed taking the train into Lucca and Florence, respectively and cycling around the walls in Lucca, visiting the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio in Florence and of course enjoying a leisurely Tuscan lunch with wine.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Amazing, nothing was too much trouble. Very knowledgeable about the mountains, health, local agri tourismo, environment etc. Very good driver, we felt very safe with her at all times and that we were in capable hands. She was also very caring and creative too, speciality in local jams and cake. Also loved the dogs Dora and Elvis too, really made my trip going out all together.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The walks to Monte Prado and Monte Sumbra, do not have any toilet stops, so if you dont like going "au naturelle" this could cause you a problem as there aren't any facilities along the way.

Debbie Shles

Reviewed October 2015

Wonderful hike with great views

The Sierra De Aitana is predominately limestone, so there is lots of loose rock underfoot. The walking is not too tough if you are fit, have a head for heights, are careful with your footing and can manage as much downhill as uphill.
For the rest the views & mountain summits and ridge walk are breath taking and worth every step you take.
The history of the area with terracing farmlands & the plight of the people is extremely interesting.

Most Inspirational Moment

Being a regular hiker, rock formations always fascinate me. The jagged limestone ridge of the Castellets and other rock strata are intriguing & inviting to try & climb. I love every summit and every sheer cliff and the two together make for an exciting adventure. Enjoying each day with your fellow hiker, learning from them , laughing with them & helping each other is part of the adventure that makes you long for more.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose' Miguel is passionate about his hike, the land & these mountains. The maginficent power of the rock flows through his veins and feeds his soul. He imparts this to everyone interested in loving the adventure. Jose' contiuously feed us with treats & sandwiches, and interesting information past & present.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't try a challenging hike if you are not sure if you are capable or fit enough. Be sure of your capabilities. This hike is not tough. It is a beautiful adventure.

gary collard

Reviewed October 2015

Walking in Picos de Europa (challenging week)

This was an amazing week of walking with stunning views which just got better and better as the week went on. There was a bit of rain at the start of the week but this also improved as the week went on and the last 3 days were spent in the glorious october sunshine. You really felt on top of the world at times and apart from the Cares Gorge we barely saw another soul on the walks so felt like we had the whole Picos to ourselves.
Jim and Pilar run a great hotel and really make you feel at home. The rest of the staff are great too.
Jim was great with giving everyone all the info for options on the free day and was happy to do anything to make sure everyone could do what they wanted even if only one person wanted to do a particular thing.
Really enjoyed the hotel food, some of the best I’ve had on an Exodus trip which is no mean feat.
A fantastic part of the world of which i knew little about and would love to go back to at some point.

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing the twin summits of Mancondiu which was a bit of a challenge but not as difficult as it looked.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Alvaro was a brilliant leader full of enthusiasm, knowledge and passion for the area. He was a very friendly and funny chap to have lead us during the week and must have walked so much further than us with all his running round checking the group were all ok from front to back and making sure everyone was enjoying themselves. He even carried extra water in case anyone ran out which was rarely needed but showed he was doing everything he could to look after us all.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you feel you can do the challenging week then do it as I think you will be missing out on the full experience although I'm sure a standard week would be amazing too. Vegetarians need not be worried about food choices. The 2 vegetarians on our group thought the food really good. My favourite main of the week was actually the vegetarian choice on the last day. Make sure you are in the bar for some of Jim's evening tales.

Jo Dolan

Reviewed October 2015

4WD Desert Explorer

A fantastic trip – which more than lived upto my expectations. We covered a lot of miles, and got to see so much of this fascinating country, its wildlife and people. We travelled in Toyota Land Cruisers which had been adapted – so the roof lifts to give excellent game viewing to all passengers. The support vehicle carries all the tents and camp equipment – so space is never an issue!

Most Inspirational Moment

It's impossible to say, as there were so many, each time we thought the wildlife could not get any better, it would. However for me it had to be sitting in the middle of nowhere under the clear star filled southern hemisphere night skies, no light pollution and no "man-made" noise. We were also lucky enough to be able to view the Desert Elephants in the Hoanib river from a hill-top, which gives a totally different perspective on these fascinating creatures.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Like Graham said, Hans and Richard were just great. They did a fantastic job of looking after us, I am sure Hans could see Rhino even before they came over the horizon! nothing seemed to escape his eyes. I would also add that the support crew were fantastic, each evening when we arrived at camp, the tents had been erected, camp beds made up, fire lit, table set etc etc etc. And then each morning we moved on, the reverse, after breakfast as we headed out on our next adventure the camp crew would pack up and move on to the next site.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yep take plenty of batteries and memory - you will be amazed at the number of pictures you will take. In the group I travelled with most people took over 2000 pictures. I'm not much of a photographer so I used my binoculars most of the time. The tents, bedding, towels, toilet-rolls etc and just about all your meals are provided, so yes pack light. We travelled in September - and at times it got incredibly hot - so if you don't like the heat, choose the time of year for your trip carefully.

jimmy dippnall

Reviewed October 2015

trails of Vietnam

I have just had 2 of the best weeks of my life absolutely amazing a group of 16 different people from all walks of life come together and get the chance to experience a culture unknown to any of us no negatives whatsoever still buzzing from the trip thanks to exodus and all my traveling companions

Most Inspirational Moment

In one word our wonderfully humble guide lin

Thoughts on Group Leader

lin an incredible interesting gentleman a man who will remain in my memory bank forever thank you sir

Advice for Potential Travellers

go for it you will never regret it tip take powdered tea

Barry Gee

Reviewed October 2015

Cycling in Sardinia

This was our first cycling holiday – so we weren’t quite sure what to expect – we did not need to worry it was an excellent holiday and we were looked after from the moment we arrived in Sardinia until we left the island a week later. Everything was organized and arranged and all we needed to worry about was choices for lunch, our evening meal and what flavor of gelato we should try next.!!

Most Inspirational Moment

Day three was the day we were introduced to 'the wall' - everyone in the group was concerned and a little apprehensive, lots of hard work, and sheer determination meant that the vast majority of the group were able to achieve the climb - the inspiration came from those who had to work that little bit harder and the way that the whole group gelled and willed, cheered and cajoled everyone to make it to the top - a great days work and followed by a fantastic down hill section..!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had two group leaders and they were fantastic - nothing was too much trouble and they went out of their way to ensure we were well and truly looked after - Michele and Michele true gentlemen and a credit to the Exodus team

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just do it - don't worry about having the ability and or the level of your experience as a cyclist. Our group had a complete mix of riding abilities, some hardened and experienced riders and some with little or no experience it did not matter as there were plenty of opportunities for individuals to go that little bit faster or sprint and race before we all met collectively again before moving off - it worked a treat

Corine de Groot

Reviewed October 2015

Great trip!

A very beautifull trip to the High Atlas. The 3 walks are all very different and all very beautifull. The food (at evening and cooked lunches allong the way) are very good. Hassan is a very responsible guide with a lot of knowledge and a very nice person.

Most Inspirational Moment

Gazing at the stars from the balcony of the Gite. Never seen so much stars and never had such a good view of the milkyway before.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan is really good in keeping everybody safe and on time. He has a lot of knowledge of the surroundings, and of may other places outside Marokko. His advice on how to deal with taxi drivers in Marrakesh really helped and kept us from paying to much. When one of us got stomach problems he was really concerned about her wellbeing and he made sure she took all the precautions to not become sicker. His guidance of our little group made this holiday very pleasant and relaxing.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you read the trip notes and come prepared. The gite was equiped with head cushions, so no need to bring your own.

Dennis Jenkins

Reviewed October 2015

Balkans: Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina

This was a trip covering a wide range of experiences. Starting in Dubrovnik, the transfer to the very attractive Kotor was in itself a taster to some of the superb scenery we were to encounter later in the tour. Kotor and the old town of Bdva enabled us to sample the Montenegro coast followed by some spectacular drives into the interior. The Durmitor National park provided opportunities for walks for many of us and then further spectacular drives took us into Bosnia & Herzegovina visiting the very interesting cities of Sarajevo and Mostar. Having 3 nights in Sarajevo and 2 nights in Mostar gave us the chance to get to know these cities reasonably well. All of the drives were broken up with interesting places to visit including some wine tasting at the Tvrdos monastery on the return to Dubrovnik.

Most Inspirational Moment

Many highlights especially the stunning scenery. The visit to the isolated village of Lukomir and the hike to the Ratinica canyon in the area.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Evelin Balta was excellent. He took great care of the group and was always keen to discuss some of the turbulent history of his country(Bosnia) and particularly showed a great passion for the great outdoors. He was always very helpful in deciphering menus and took us to some interesting restaurants.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Stay a few extra days in Dubrovnik. Although we had been there before, we found it was an excellent wind down after the tour, especially by visiting Cavtat and Lokrum Island(by boat) to avoid the cruise boat crowds during the height of the day. We stayed at the Hotel Aquarius, a very pleasant small, family run establishment.

Elaine stalker

Reviewed October 2015

Peru Explorer - September 2015

Exodus describe this trip as leisurely/moderate – it’s not. Be prepared for lots of 6am starts, several very long days on the coach and very little free time unless you opt out of organised activities. The Inca Trail is tough going, particularly on days 1 and 2 when the combination of heat and altitude make it quite a slog. Conditions in the jungle are far more basic than described in trip notes.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the top of Dead Womans Pass on day 2 of the Inca Trail and knowing that it was mainly downhill from there to Machu Picchu.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rene and the other local guides were very well organised and knowledgable. My only criticism would be that they tried to cram too much in and we often felt that we were racing round museums and sites without time to take in our surroundings. By the end of our trip I definitely felt Inca'd out!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Read the trip notes before you go. Appreciate just how much of this trip will be spent sitting on the bus. Accept that the standard of hotel used by Exodus (and the hotel rooms allocated to Exodus guests) are perhaps poorer than could/should be. Use sols rather than US dollars (except for Nazca flight). Don't do souvenir shopping until Aguas Calientes or Cuzco markets. Accommodation in Amazon is very basic and rainforest walk in wellington boots is a lot of effort if you hardly see any wildlife. Book an extra day in Lima at the end of your trip so that you don't face a long journey home smelling of the jungle - we were up at 6am in jungle for 2 hour boat trip, 1 hour bumpy bus journey, flight to Cuzco from Puerto Maldonado, flight from Cuzco to Lima, 6 hours in Lima airport, 11 hour flight to Paris, 5 hours in airport then 1 hour flight back to UK when there had been almost no water in our jungle lodge shower

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