Reviews

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

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It’s the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you’re interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.

Simply use the selector below to search our trip reviews and start reading real feedback from real Exodus travellers who have ‘been there and done that’!

Lots of our clients also like to post handy tips and advice about their travels. It’s great to know what to expect on an Exodus adventure before you go, so make the most of their experience and you’ll make the most of yours!

Haven’t posted your review yet? Here’s how to do it…

Once you return from your Exodus adventure holiday, you will be emailed a link to add your review. Any feedback collected is posted onto our website, totally unedited.

Alternatively you can navigate to the relevant trip page and add your review via the Reviews tab.

Reviews

Stephen Sinnhuber

Reviewed December 2014

A whiz round Jordan

Busy schedule but very good. Highlight is of course Petra and it lives up to expectations. This trip involved quite a lot of bus riding. The camping was not as remote as I expected as we were near a road but it was much more comfortable than I expected too. If you are a bible follower I expect this would be a must do trip.
Our group were a great bunch and more than anything this made the trip fun. We have all kept in touch since.

Most Inspirational Moment

Hike in the back country around Petra.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sammy is an excellent group leader who looked after us well. His knowledge of Jordan is very good and he obviously loves his home. If I had to make one observation it would be that he had been working non stop for months (7 days a week) and I think had got a bit jaded and in need of a holiday himself! Ramadan was coming up so I hope he got his rest.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Get ready for impressive sights, heat, interesting food, no alcohol (well, limited) some long bus rides, dust. But if you haven't been to Jordan do it!

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didier cuny

Reviewed December 2014

omg

What a vacation. Non stop adventure from the hills north west of Hanoi down to the Mekong Delta. You will feel like a true adventurer even if all the checking in and checking out and transfers happen seamlessly thanks to your guide and you often have the option of a massage in your hotel or a dip in the pool.

Most Inspirational Moment

it is hard to choose for me it could be taking in the amazing beauty of Halong Bay or cycling through villages in the Mekong Delta.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hoc was amazing, making sure everything was ready for us wherever we were heading to, sharing his knowledge about Vietnam, making sure people with special diet were catered for and ensuring we took paths on our treks and cycle rides where we would come across locals rather than other tourists. making us walk through the rice paddies was great fun and a memory that will remain with me forever.

Advice for Potential Travellers

don't pack too much, we didn't need the mosquito net that exodus recommend you pack, and when you check in at the Lantern Hotel in Hoi An you can leave your laundry to the lady across the street (miss Yang I think ) and pick it up the following day at 4pm clean and nicely folded.

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Jackie Underwood

Reviewed November 2014

Cycling Sri Lanka

Well organised cycle tour around the none tourist areas of Sri Lanka. Unfortunately we had poor weather for 14 days and this could easily have been a wash out. However, the trip was rescued by our guide Suresh and his team, who still made the holiday enjoyable despite the conditions.

Most Inspirational Moment

Most of the evening activities organised by Suresh were inspirational.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh and his team were excellent from start to finish. Everything was well planned and organised.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't take your best cycling clothes as I ended up binning several tops due to them being ruined by mud.

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Gordon Stainer

Reviewed November 2014

Cycling the Cape and Winelands

This was an excellent tour taking in breathtaking views, lovely scenery, hills and valleys, wine and beer-tasting, varied accommodation, ocean-swimming, penguin and whale-watching, history, geography, nature studies and excellent food at exceptionally low cost.

Most Inspirational Moment

There was so much that was inspiring. I loved some of the routes that we cycled, especially along the beautiful coastline, the winelands, and around the Cape peninsula. The wines were universally delicious and such good value, probably the best value anywhere in the world.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader met us at the airport and it was immediately apparent that he was jolly and enthusiastic. What more can you ask of a group leader? Well, he did give more. He was hard-working, efficient, caring, knowledgeable about geography, history, nature and all matters to do with South Africa. He was also an excellent cook. His primary aim was always to allow us to have an excellent holiday. The whole group very much liked him and also the African driver who did so much more than just drive. He sorted out food and bikes and was very helpful about letting us know about African customs, culture, languages and history. He was universally appreciated by the group for his warm and affectionate nature.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The rides are excellent and sometimes breath-taking, but they can sometimes be very windy. Nervous or weaker riders may not appreciate the strong winds, but an average rider should have no problems. We rarely had to get off our bikes and push and it was not for more than a minute or two around a headland.

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Jenny Millington

Reviewed November 2014

Walking in Andalucia

I really enjoyed this, my first walking holiday in quite a while. It was very well planned, starting with a short amble to the nearby village and building up to a longer, slightly more challenging route later in the week. None of the walking was particularly arduous, although there are some hills – including the short steep one up to the finca where we stayed – but our leader Alexis always made sure we were all happy with the pace, which was leisurely, and we took frequent rests to admire the countryside. The area is very peaceful and unspoilt, and the days when we were taken further afield and into the mountains in the minibus gave us a chance to see more of it. The day in Seville was a good contrast to the rural walks, and there is a lot to see there. The beautiful Alcazar is pretty unmissable if people haven’t seen it before. At the finca the accommodation was comfortable and nothing was too much trouble for the staff; the owners came to say hello and were also charming and helpful. The food was good and plentiful too. Having wondered beforehand how I would cope after a long break from walking, I had a really great week, and am now planning my next week away.

Most Inspirational Moment

I think the best moment was probably reaching the top of the crag above the Camino del Rey, where we stopped to have our lunch and saw a lot of vultures circling in the thermals and landing on the cliff face opposite where they had young ones waiting. But then there were the spectacular views of the Guadalhorce Dam and reservoirs. Oh and the beautiful white villages. And the peaceful lunch in the shade at the deserted monastery ...

Thoughts on Group Leader

Alexis is a complete gem! He was very good company, and he looked after us so well and with such good humour and professionalism - nothing was too much trouble. He also clearly had a great relationship with the local people who made us so welcome when we stopped for a meal or a beer.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you like to sleep with the windows open, bring earplugs because once it's dark all the dogs in the scattered houses up and down the valley start chatting to each other by barking in relays! Not loud, as they are a long way off, but I'm a light sleeper and they woke me up the first night, especially when a donkey joined in. Hey, it's the country, what do we expect?

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Paul Davies

Reviewed November 2014

Atlas Panorama

This holiday is a good combination of the hustle and bustle of Marrakech and the peace and tranquility of the High Atlas Mountains.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many - the like minded people we met on the trip, living in a mountain village, the amazing tasting food that was freshly prepared for us there, experiencing a hammam.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan was what we have come to expect from a leader of an Exodus holiday. He is experienced, knowledgable and good fun to be with. A big thank you to him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We went in November and on the first days walk we experienced extremely heavy rain. Don't forget your waterproofs - you may need them!

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Karen Ryder

Reviewed November 2014

We did so much!!!

A fabulous introduction to Vietnam. I feel blessed to have been!

Most Inspirational Moment

So hard to choose. Halong Bay was beautiful, of course. But I really enjoyed the Marble Mountain caves too - what a surprise! Oh and Hoi An! And our guide, Linh, was a very special fellow whose honesty, humility and kindness melted my heart on more than one occasion.

Thoughts on Group Leader

See above - we couldn't have asked for more!

Advice for Potential Travellers

The hotels are surprisingly good. But breakfasts not necessarily accommodating of Western tastes!

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Ruth Morgan

Reviewed November 2014

Vietnam Adventure

We were getting together as a family on this trip and it proved perfect – a really great group of people of all ages, and such a wide range of activities and visits. We really enjoyed cookery school and street food, we loved meeting the very friendly people, and appreciated starting to understand the complex history of the country and seeing its dynamic growth now. The traffic is a nightmare, we kept getting lost in Hanoi and the language baffled us, but the country is fascinating.

Most Inspirational Moment

We really enjoyed cycling through the rice paddies to visit a market and find out about rice processing, and eating with a family in their home in Hue.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was extremely good - very organised, friendly and diplomatic, knowledgeable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Probably wise not to take too much stuff as we were moving on alot and had several nights with just overnight bags. Anyway its good to save some space for all the really good and cheap things to buy. We had no worries about mosquitoes or insects, and bottled water is provided everywhere. The food is amazing and all so fresh - lots of fish and vegetables, and French pastries. No problem finding ATMs in the cities.

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Kevin Wallace

Reviewed November 2014

Annapurna Sanctuary

Publicised as one of Nepal’s best and i imagine that few could beat it for the range of experiences on offer. The daybreak on the top of Poon Hill was fantastic. Although don’t go there to be alone! Walking up the valley of the Modi Khola was hard work due to the numerous stone staircases – hundreds of steps down a side valley followed by more steps to go back to the same elevation. The situation of ABC in the Sanctuary is very special indeed.

Most Inspirational Moment

Sunrise illuminating the massive South Face of Annapurna I (one of the 14 8000'ers). Mesmerising and so photogenic.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Prasant Subedi was an extremely fine leader of our group. Always good humoured. Informative. Coped well as various illnesses hit many in the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring a good sleeping bag. While not essential for the majority of the walk in Oct/Nov, Annapurna BC is very cold at night.

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Helene Jessep

Reviewed November 2014

Highlights of Turkey

Absolutely the worst tour I have experienced in many years of travel. But the major bone of contention lies squarely on the unprofessionalism exhibited by our tour director, Zafer.
Destinations were interesting as Turkey is a fascinating country with ancient sites I consider as jewels. Overall, too many hours were spent on the bus as distances between highlights are vast. However little foresight by the tour guide exacerbated the situation. Toilet stops were infrequent; too long spend in food service centres; most days were conducted in a helter-skelter atmosphere causing some major highlights to be rushed or missed entirely. Hotels mostly were below standard/basic; some should be condemned.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cappodocia and the ancient sites

Thoughts on Group Leader

Whilst Zafer's knowledge of archaeology and general energy probably got him this job, his attitude lacked skill, responsibility and competence in caring for his group . He openly displayed an unbalanced and unprofessional approach towards a tour group of 17 persons....98% of effort directed on a romantic interest, whilst everyone else scrambled to gather crumbs. During the last 10 days, I felt we were an annoying nuisance tagging along on a honeymoon. It was absolutely pathetic watching exclusive "selfies" being taken, quite alienated from the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't use Exodus tours as they obviously do not instruct tour guides to behave in a professional manner, to remain unbiased, and to be discreet. They also obviously lack training in skills of crowd management. There also appears no protocols are in place when dealing with medical situations, as we experienced with one guest who required hospital attention. Exodus is also far too expensive as hotels are woeful and well below expectations.

Reply from Exodus

We were very sorry to learn that Helene was so disappointed with her tour leader. On the back of client feedback our local manager will be providing Zafer with further training before he leads any other Exodus tours. We would like to assure our clients that we are confident that the vast majority of our leaders are very popular and we regularly receive fantastic comments from clients about the value their tour leader has added to their enjoyment of their trip. Of clients who completed their holiday evaluation forms last year, 93% of our travellers said our leaders met or exceeded their expectations and in the online reviews posted by clients who have travelled with us all over the world, there are numerous commendations for their tour leaders which we feel is reassuring, but we sincerely regret that Helene’s experience in Turkey was not as positive.

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