Reviews

Beyond the bucket list!

I am keen on the natural world, fascinated by large carnivores – walking and sharing their world was the reason for booking. The spectacular mountain ranges are wild and empty of people. I enjoyed the fact that each day had a different emphasis and the lack of rest day enabled us to really make the most of our surroundings. Relaxing drinks on the patio, a feast of local delights and the company of likeminded, funny and interesting folk was a great end to each day.
I’d love to return in the autumn , but the wildflowers and butterflies were superb.

Nice Trip

The excursions were fun. I enjoyed all the people in our group. Food was good and plentiful. The family that runs the hotel did not seem very friendly. The sister in-law of one of the brothers was very annoying, when she speaks she screams. The family always ate next us in the dining room, she was horrible, our guide even asked her to pipe down. The staff was fantastic. Nice grounds but barely a 3 star.

A great trip to experience a remote unspoilt area

I thought this was an excellent week, with beautiful walks in spectacular scenery and almost no other hikers; fantastic flora and the excellent guide explained lots about the wildlife and history of the region which I hadn’t known much about. The local staff were very hospitable and it’s hard to see how the week could have been much better

Fabulous adventure

Beautiful scenery- forests, mountains,wildflower meadows. If you like getting off the beaten track you will love this.
Enjoyed the evening meals in the hotel. Our group would meet for drinks on the terrace beforehand. It was a fun and sociable week.

A spectacular week of coastal walks and unforgettable views

As an Exodus staff member, I had high expectations for this trip – and it exceeded them in every way. Walking the Island of Madeira offers a fantastic mix of dramatic coastal trails, lush levada paths, and panoramic mountain scenery. The itinerary is well-paced, with each day showcasing a different side of the island, from rugged cliffs to tranquil forests. Accommodation, transport, and organisation throughout were seamless, making it easy to focus on enjoying the experience.

Fabulous escape into quiet trails with wildflowers and fantastic views

This is a fabulous trip if you love hiking and being in nature. In the whole week we only encountered one other person on the trails, so lovely. The terrain was varied with some longer ascents and descents but our efforts were rewarded with lovely views. Although there were 14 of us in my group we were all of a similar pace so the walks were very enjoyable.
The accommodation was of a good standard and it was so lovely to eat traditional Bulgarian and local speciality dishes everyday. There was plenty and the choice of desserts every night was a real highlight.
I highly recommend this trip. Go ahead and book it. You will not regret it!

Fantastic tour from start to finish

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Our tour guide. Artur, was wonderful! Very friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about sharing the history and culture of Albania. He was always checking on us to make sure everyone was comfortable and enjoying the experience. His kindness, professionalism, and attention to detail made the tour truly special.

Our driver. Diu, was equally excellent: professional, polite, and very attentive throughout the trip. He drove safely, took great photos for us. His knowledge of the roads and local area was impressive.

The Mercedes-Benz van was clean, comfortable, and in excellent condition. I highly recommend this company and sincerely thank both the tour guide and driver for making my experience so enjoyable and memorable! 😊🙏🏻⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Calling all birders and wildlife enthusiasts!

As an Exodus employee, this was my first Exodus trip and a fantastic way to experience Costa Rica firsthand. Our leader, Johnny, was outstanding throughout, and the combination of incredible wildlife, beautiful scenery and a welcoming group atmosphere made it a memorable experience. A great trip for solo travellers and groups of friends alike.

Wonderful

We had a glorious week.

Disappointing

I feel a little guilty about the three stars when others have scored this five but my level of expectation was really quite high after reading the reviews. In particular I was looking forward to wonderful scenery but instead we encountered uninspiring vistas and roads strewn with litter.
The trip notes promised mainly traffic free roads, but that certainly was not case, in particular the last ride was mostly along busy ones and the final approach into Syracuse was definitely not for the faint hearted.
The towns we visited were interesting and pretty and were the highlights of most of the days. The cyclings was the easiest I’ve experienced on an Exodus holiday (this was the twelfth ) and with, the exception of the ride up to the Cassibile Canyon, some of the dullest.
I’m probably being too negative but I did feel short changed. We actually did enjoy ourselves – the hotels were good, the weather was hot and most days we were in the pool by mid afternoon; there was a lot more down time compared with other Exodus excursions. Also loved the Sicilian food and wine and our leader was exemplary.
In general terms I’m not sure the fifty fifty split of e-bikes and ordinary ones works; we were very spread out, the e-bikes and stronger or competitive riders way out ahead and the stragglers a long way back. Saddle Skedaddle stipulate the following on one of their trips “Please note, if opting for an e-bike, the pace of riding will be set by the hybrid riders”. Perhaps Exodus should have a similar policy?

Most Inspirational Moment

I thought the fifth ride was great - best scenery of the trip, a nice climb and super switchback descent. Loved Syracuse on the Saturday night, locals quietly enjoying themselves late into the night - as much ice cream as wine being consumed.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I was impressed by Michele’s professionalism and attention to detail. Trip ran like clockwork. Sebi was also an absolute brick - a super guy

Advice for Potential Travellers

I personally could not recommend this trip but each to their own and I think everyone else in our party loved it.

Reply from Exodus

Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful and detailed review, and for travelling with us again – especially as this was your twelfth Exodus trip.

We’re really sorry to hear that parts of this itinerary didn’t live up to the expectations you had based on the trip notes and previous experiences with us. In particular, your comments around the scenery, road conditions and level of traffic are disappointing to read, as these are key elements of the experience we aim to get right when designing and maintaining our cycling routes. Your feedback on the final ride into Syracuse is noted as well, and I appreciate how that would have felt at odds with what was expected.

It’s equally important for us to acknowledge the points you’ve raised around pacing and the mix of e-bikes and standard bikes. As you’ve highlighted, this can have an impact on group cohesion, and your suggestion around setting the pace based on non e-bike riders is a helpful one that we are already discussing internally.

On the other hand, we’re really pleased to hear that there were aspects you enjoyed, particularly the towns visited, the food and wine, and the time to relax. It’s also great to hear such positive feedback about Michele and Sebi – I’ll be sure to pass that on to them.

We genuinely value feedback like yours, as it helps us refine both our itineraries and how we describe these experiences to future customers. While I’m sorry this trip didn’t match the standards you’ve come to expect from Exodus, I do hope we’ll have the opportunity to deliver a better experience for you on a future adventure.

 

The Exodus Team