Reviewed October 2007 AnonymousMountains and more mountains (wonderful)What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Visiting the Potala Palace, and achieving Everest base camp.Because we had no adverse affects to the altitude,it has givenus the confidence to one day attempt a trekking peak.What did you think of your group leader? Gum was brilliant.Everything you would want from a leader.Knowledgable,good natured,well organised,and extremely helpful.If I ever do a trekking peak, I hope Gum is the leader !Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Imerse yourself with the locals. Try to communicate and interact with them; its so rewarding for everybody.Is there anything else you would like to add? Our first foray into this type of holiday, but wo'nt be the last.
Reviewed October 2007 Anonymous Trip: Spitsbergen ExplorerThe best holiday ever!What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Waking up to beautiful blues skies, calm seas, sea ice and the awesome sighting of a mother polar bear and her two mature cubs. We had a couple of hours watching these creatures, dashed into breakfast only to be called out on deck for another mum and her pair of 6 month old cubs. The ship silently manoeuvred into place so that we had a great vantage point of the polar bears, and didn't disturb them in their family group. We had another couple of hours with these guys until the mist came down and they swam off. Whilst sailing away from the area, we came across mum number one and her youngsters, doing a bit of synchronised swimming for us!What did you think of your group leader? Woody was outstanding! He threw away the itinerary and went with his instincts (and the Captain's advice) to find the best locations for wildlife viewing in the archipelago. Woody took account of the weather and sea conditions at all times, and made sure that we got the best out of each trip. We were so lucky to see so much Arctic wildlife.Do you have any advice for potential travellers? You will not regret booking a trip to the Poles with Exodus! They have an excellent partnership with the ships and crews used. Even before we had completed our Spitzbergen trip, my friend and I were straight on the phone back to Renee at Exodus to book an Antarctic trip with the same ship (and hopefully the same crew!)Even when we were transitting from one location to another, the crew kept us entertained with interesting and informative lectures on environmental issues, wildlife presentations, discussions on life at the Poles, and funny stories about their first polar bear encounters! The Vavilov ship is spacious so that you never feel as though you are crammed in, and the scenery is so stunning that you can always find some one on the upperdeck gazing into the distance!Is there anything else you would like to add? I have recommended Exodus to all my friends....I should get an introduction fee! I have completed 9 trips, to various and varied parts of the world and have never been disappointed! The Spitzbergen trip wasn't just about bears though! We had fab sightings of reindeer (up close and personal), walrus, arctic foxes and birdlife galore. You will not be disappointed!
Reviewed October 2007 Anonymous Trip: Spitsbergen ExplorerA wonderful Northern experienceWhat was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Watching polar bear families for 4 hoursWalking on the tundra, seeing the exquisite wild flowersGetting up close to glaciers (and reindeer) (and walruses) (and whales)The wonderful colours of the skiesExperiencing true wildernessBeing inspired by the enthusiasm, commitment and knowledge of the group staff What did you think of your group leader? Woody was excellent in every way and the partnership/contrast with Paul effective and entertainingDo you have any advice for potential travellers? Be prepared for a continuous stream of experiences available twent y four hours a day, a sensory feastThe trip will be best enjoyed by those who enjoy being active; it is not a sedentary cruise, but the ship is very comfortable and the meals are lovelyIs there anything else you would like to add? The ship is incredibly stable. The captain is very skillful in getting close to wildlife. All the staff show the utmost respect for the wildlife and the environment. The staff are also very hard working, we can only assume their enthusiasm keeps them going. The ratio of staff to passengers is excellent and there is always someone available to answer questions or provide information. We were also impressed by the attention to the safety of all on board.
Reviewed October 2007 AnonymousThe scene as you enter the wonderful monument of Abu Simbel......What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The valley of the kingsAbu SimbelThe River Nile at AswanThe archaeological museum and the mask of TutenkhammenWhat did you think of your group leader? Mazen was very thoughtful and tried to ensure that all participants needs were metDo you have any advice for potential travellers? Take the sleeper trainFly to Abu SimbelFly with BA rather than KLM because the times of flights are SO much better and this will avoid exhaustionIs there anything else you would like to add? A thoroughly enjoyable week; wonderful sites and hotels with time to be inspired as well as vegging out by the pool
Reviewed October 2007 AnonymousWonderful holiday with varied paceWhat was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Shopping at the markets in the souksWalking in the Ouirgane valley in lovely wheatherWhat did you think of your group leader? Very pleasant and patient
Reviewed October 2007 AnonymousFantastic!What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There was so much we did that it's hard to single out one thing. Machu Pichu does stand out - it was stunning. Cucso was amazing, Lake Titicaca Homestay was an experience not to be missed - even if we got beat at football. What did you think of your group leader? Ant was great. Kept things moving. Became part of the group and not a detached leader. He helped make the trip work! Don't forget the co--driver/leader. Tubbs was a great guy and a good compliment to Ant. They found some great camps and great places to eat.Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Have an open mind and a good camera. Try as many as things as possible - you may never be there again so give it a go. Try to learn a bit of the local language before you go but don't let it out you off anything if you don't.Is there anything else you would like to add? Exodus Overland provided us with a great way to see South America. We went from Lima, as far south as we could get due to snow and then back up to Brazil. We made loads of new friends - many I still keep in touch with. They made dreams come true!
Reviewed October 2007 AnonymousBeautiful surroundings, stimulating exercise and friendly support from the Exodus teamWhat was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Learning the 'skating' technique was exciting, as also a day spent snowshoeing.What did you think of your group leader? James and Cathy were capable and friendly leaders.
Reviewed October 2007 AnonymousRevised itineraryWhat was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The weather in Norway had been as appalling as it was in Britain, meaning that a large part of the trip was unsafe for the first part of our week there. The leader and local guides adapted the trip admirably, meaning that we still got to ascend Norway's two highest peaks and spent three instead of the planned five days trekking in the Jotunheim between mountain hotels. On top of that masterful reworking of the itinerary the leader threw in a free day's white water rafting at the end and the most incredible three course meal at the hotel in Lom. I have never heard Norwegian cooking particularly praised before but I have been raving as much about the quality of the food since I got back as about the beautiful scenery, friendly people and excellent walking.What did you think of your group leader? He was absolutely excellent - very solicituous of our welfare, knowledgeable about the local area and history and able to adapt to circumstances so that we had a very enjoyable week despite the change of itinerary.Do you have any advice for potential travellers? You should go - you'll have a great time. The facilities were not as basic as I had thought they would be in the mountains and the food in the mountain hotels was almost as good as that in the village of Lom.
Reviewed October 2007 AnonymousEvery day of the trip was excellentWhat was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The backdrop of the Picos on every walk was stunning. The day spent among the higher peaks was probably the most impressive and exciting. What did you think of your group leader? Added greatly to holiday, very fit and shouldn't have to retire at 70! Good fun, very knowledgeable about the area but not overbearing.Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Best left luggage lockers at Bilbao Railway Station but not many. Recommend not making own flight arrangements.Is there anything else you would like to add? Travel light and don't forget your suncream.
Reviewed October 2007 AnonymousStarry NightsWhat was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The stars at night - so so many more than we see in our light polluted world.The freshly baked Saharan bread baked in the sand every morning and night.What did you think of your group leader? Excellent - every morning we had a "lesson" from him while the other guys packed up the camp and loaded the camels. The lessons covered all sorts of things like the geography, politics and history of the area, Islam and one day we all learnt how to write our names in Arabic. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be prepared for the weather. We arrived in torrential rain and a hailstorm. The walking is pretty flat and is relatively easy. The challenge is really dealing with the sudden drop in temperature when the sun goes down in the evening and the sudden rise when it comes up again in the morning. Is there anything else you would like to add? If you are a strict vegetarian or vegan this trip may not be for you. I am a non meat eater as was someone else on the trip and for the first two days (until the meat ran out) our meals clearly came from the same pot as a meat stew/tagine/couscous but without the actual lumps of meat in it. I can understand the difficulties as there is only really one pot available for the meals and we both decided just to accept the situation and eat it. There was a vegan in the group who had more difficulties. After the first couple of days when there was no meat left every meal was vegetarian as were all the lunches. Other than this issue the food was excellent for a trekking trip, hot and plentiful food at night and refreshing salads at lunchtime.