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.

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14351 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Ron Hunt

Reviewed October 2019

TNX191008

Great trip fulfilled all our expectations. The trekking was hard work but the scenery made it all worth while. The guide was excellent as were all the porters and local guides. And really appreciated the comfort of the lodges and the good, varied foods they provided.

Most Inspirational Moment

The sunrise views of the Annapurnas from most of the lodges, especially Himalaya Lodge in Ghandruk and Basanta Lodge in Dhampus.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Prem Gurung was excellent. Extremely knowledgeable and friendly, he made sure that everyone who needed any sort of help was looked after by himself or one of the other guides/porters. Attentive and professional in everything he did. Nothing asked of him was too much trouble.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't need to take much in the way of protein bars. On the hard trekking days the lodges provided a substantial mid morning snack. And had no problems with runny noses, so brought home lots of packs of tissues.

Andy Evans

Reviewed October 2019

Great trip leaving you wanting more..

It’s a hectic schedule with so much to cover but the trip was well organised and it offers a great taste into what Vietnam has to offer.

Most Inspirational Moment

It’s hard to pin it down to one as I will take away so many memories from the trip, even the long bus journeys were enjoyable just watching the beautiful scenery rolling by.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Chieu was excellent, really friendly and always making sure the group were having a good time. He was happy to listen to some group suggestions for some changes to meal arrangements etc

Advice for Potential Travellers

It’s a busy schedule with a lot of travelling (boats, busses and trains) and not much down time so bear this in mind when considering if the trip is for you. I would have taken a sleeping bag liner for the train trip.

Andrew Moncrief

Reviewed October 2019

“The best tour so far”

A really enjoyable trip with a charismatic tour leader, and superb scenery, wildlife and food. The support team were great, always trying their best to look after you, and the driver had nerves of steel negotiating the chaotic traffic. Sri Lanka has emerged from some dark times, and is once again a terrific place to visit, with great variety and vibrancy and a lovely, friendly vibe. Plenty of smiles and high-fives as you ride through the landscape, shouts of “Bye!” Following you down the road.

Most Inspirational Moment

Fantastic, often unexpected, wildlife encounters! Seeing how elated my wife was after becoming Queen of the mountain at Nuwara Eliya ! (Good battery life!)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Top man! Suresh was a great guide, knowledgeable and organised to a fault, forever considering the needs and preferences of the individuals in the group. For example, knowing I was keen to get in the waves, he arranged an early morning tuk-tuk so I could fit in a surf prior to a late departure-a real bonus! He has tweaked and finessed the itinerary over the years, and has established a wide network of contacts to create authentic and unique experiences for the clients. No spoilers here, just enjoy the value added!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t expect to lose any weight on this trip, despite the activity-the food is amazing! There are LOTS of dogs alongside and on the road, most of whom are docile, but some really don’t like cyclists. We were chased on a few occasions , and I would have felt happier if i’d had a rabies vaccination before the trip.

Anne Schofield

Reviewed October 2019

Bucket list trip

Since a child, my imagination has been full of the stories of Pompeii, Vesuvius and the Roman Gods; as I grew older, the romantic delights of Italian food and scenery also inspired me. Finally to have the chance to see it all without the stress of planning a complicated itinerary, having just returned from out first amazing holiday with Exodus, I booked this holiday as soon as I read about it. An impulse never to be regretted!

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking the cobbled streets of Ravello during a spectacular thunderstorm and diving into a delightful pizzeria for lunch.

Thoughts on Group Leader

A seasoned professional, who knew his surroundings intimately and was able to forecast and nullify any potential problems, before they occurred. He also had the greatest dry sense of humour!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Even during the spring and autumn, be prepared for crowds; this part of Italy is busy.

Sue Potter

Reviewed October 2019

Sicily is truly a treasure

A fabulous trip with a fantastic mix of scenery, walking , culture and food experiences. An outstanding guide, Alessandro who helped the trip run smoothly, was always friendly and informative.
The pace was good with plenty of time to explore on your own. Walks could be taken at your own pace and adapted.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the craters of Etna. Walking in Zingaro. Views from Erice. Selinunte ruins in the sunshine by the sea. Monreale mosaics. Greco RomanTheatre in Taormina .I could go on. Everything was excellent

Thoughts on Group Leader

Alessandro was outstanding, one of the best guides I've had the pleasure to travel with. He provided lots of handouts on food, language, maps, what to see in the towns. He was extremely knowledgeable about his homeland, its history and geography. He was always patient, caring and friendly. A real treasure himself.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take wet shoes if you want to swim in the sea, it's rocky. No need to bring a lunch box. Go on a diet beforehand so you can enjoy all the fantastic food.

Phillip Burrows

Reviewed October 2019

Trekking in the dramatic Pindus Mountains

Beginning in Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki, we travel westwards by minibus for 4.5 hours to reach Zagoria with its spectacular arch stone bridges. The scenery was spectacular walking amongst 5 of the bridges which date back as far as the 17th century and is a masterpiece of local architecture.

There was a hike up to the Astraka Mountain refuge which commanded a 360 degree awe- inspiring views of rugged mountains and watching the sunset was amazing.

The trek ended in Meteora where we arrive to another spectacular sunset over the rock pillars of mountains where monasteries are located on the tops. We followed the hiking paths of the 12th century monks and visited one of the top-cliff monasteries.

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the Astraka Mountain hut and seeing the breathtaking mountains surrounding the area. Also one of the best sunsets I have ever seen. Seeing the monasteries perched on mountain tops and the formation of stone column type mountains was also another highlight for me.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Stavros was very knowledgeable and insightful of the history, geography and culture of all the regions and imparted this on to us with enthusiasm. The group was large and he had many questions to deal with which he did patiently. He was aware of people's abilities and kept everyone in sight and waited at regular intervals for the back markers including myself. He even carried my rucksack at the end of a grueling long day. Stavros was an excellent and patient guide with a great sense of humour and seemed to care for everyone in the group. You always felt in safe hands with Stavros leading.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do train hard for this trek. There are some steep ascents as well as hot weather conditions to contend with. Some of the days are quite long arriving back to the guest houses after 6.30pm. Trekking poles are essential especially helpful on steep descents.

Yvonne Fitzpatrick

Reviewed October 2019

Excellent

Adventurous walking & scrambling along the dramatic coastline & remote villages of Island of Evia. Tasting delicious cousin of their culture.

Most Inspirational Moment

Arriving, meeting the group leader & the rest of the travellers.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Cecile was very passionate about Greece, Karystos Isle of Evia & the adventures she was taking us on. Safety conscious & a lovely sense of humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you take all equipment that has been advised. Strong boots which supports your ankles very important as you could easily twist your ankle/s in the rough terrain.

Joanne McMullan

Reviewed October 2019

Cape Town to Victoria Falls Lodging

Have just completed this epic journey and can honestly say it’s been one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever taken. It’s really more of an expedition than a holiday, but for that very reason delivers so much. We covered around 5600km in 3 weeks so that involves a lot of early starts and long days spent bumping about on dusty, rocky roads. The diversity of experience however makes it totally worthwhile – from the hustle and bustle of Cape Town to the red sands of Namibia and the quiet majesty of the Okavango Delta.

Most Inspirational Moment

For me, the most inspirational moment was when our guide Timon organised for us to have dinner with a local family in one of the townships in Swakopmund. I have never been made to feel so welcome by complete strangers in my entire life. The memory of the hospitality, good humour, excellent food and crazy dancing will stay with me to the end of my days.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Timon was absolutely superb, demonstrating great patience, empathy and outstanding leadership throughout. Some of my best memories are as a result of the nights we spent listening to his stories from years of experience in the tourism industry - all told with such energy and genuine enthusiasm. He was also an exceptional cook - anyone who can rustle up Chicken A La King from the back of a truck in the dust and heat in the middle of nowhere gets my seal of approval! A real asset to Exodus.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Please, please come with an open mind and prepare to step out of your comfort zone. You will stay in a variety of places - some very comfortable, some less so .... they’ll all be clean and safe. That’s all you need. Also, take the advice of your guide/s. They are all well trained and know the conditions/circumstances on the ground. You’ll get so much more out of the trip if you just go with the flow and let them lead the way.

Ray Wronski

Reviewed October 2019

Great way to get into nature

Nepal has always been a place I have wanted to visit, especially due to the fact it hosts some of the tallest mountains in the world. I chose the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek because I wasn’t sure my reaction to the high altitude of Everest Base Camp and also it was different. I lucked out with my trip for many reasons: small group (5 trekkers, 2 guides, 3 porters), good weather (sunny and clear mornings, no rain while walking), great guides (Ram and Maila took great care of us and made sure we all made it up to ABC and back with no incidents). During our trek we saw many other groups, specifically on the first few days and it surprised me that their “guides” did not keep the group together or seem to be properly pacing. The Exodus guides made sure we took smart breaks and typically had one person leading, the other at the back so as to not leave people behind or spread the group out too much. For me, waking up each morning getting closer and closer to ABC, seeing the sunrise gleaming off the white snowy peaks of the Annapurna range, those are images that are forever engrained on my memory (and camera). This trek has lots of stone steps, and although I consider myself physically fit, it is demanding. However, the payoff is seeing the beauty of Nepal and being removed from modern amenities like cars and other conveniences. I found the food in the tea houses good value for the money, especially Dal Bhat, which is almost an ‘all you can eat’ meal. Overall the trip is a great way to see the Himalayas and experience a bit of Nepalese culture.

Most Inspirational Moment

Watching the porters, not just for our group but on all the paths. The loads they carry and the means by which they carry the bags/construction materials/etc. should make you rethink what you may complain about back at home. We sometimes struggled on the trails with our day packs (maybe 7-10kg total) and some of these porters were transporting 50kg worth of concrete or long steel bars for buildings. Besides that, just seeing the mountains every morning. I took lots of photos, many of the same peak but from various distances and angles. For me, I couldn't get tired of seeing that beauty.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ram and Maila were great. They took excellent care of us, made sure we stayed healthy and safe, and had fun with us. The small group allowed us to get to know each other and that made a big difference in our experience on this trek.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Definite items to bring if you are unsure what is really necessary: toilet paper, walking poles, layers. Don't worry too much about brings lots of clothes; if I were to do this trek again or another similar one, I would stick with maybe 3 changes while trekking and 2 more for the days in the cities. Also the food is quite inexpensive so if you aren't ordering dessert or soft drinks you can expect to spend about $12-17 (or equivalent) per day (about 1500 - 2000 NPR). If you forget any trekking items and arrive in Kathmandu early, go to Thamel, you'll get great deals.

Moira Chaplin

Reviewed October 2019

Manaslu Lodge Circuit

A wonderful and inspiring experience
Crossing the

Most Inspirational Moment

Crossing the Larke pass was awesome even to the point of being spiritual. Visiting the Tibetan villages high up near the border was a privilege and seeing how the villagers live and survive in such austere circumstances given the altitude and logistical challenges with getting supplies across the mountain passes

Thoughts on Group Leader

Dorjee was just brilliant; intelligent, entertaining , respectful, attentive and informative. He ran an excellent team of porters and guides who all got on very well together

Advice for Potential Travellers

Potential travellers do need a certain level of fitness but you don’t need to be an elite Athlete or a regular on the triathlon circuit. The main issues that can cause pain and grief are of course the lower limb joints namely feet, ankles, knees and hips, so be prepared. The trip allows for good acclimatisation for the high pass at just over 5100 meters. Personally, I did take diamox which caused me no side effects although I did continue to suffer from early morning headaches over 3,000 meters and I would definitely take it again if I do another high altitude walk. I suppose in some ways I was using the diamox as an insurance against feeling very unwell with the altitude. The exodus team also insisted we complete the lake louise scoring system for AMS every day which ensured that appropriate action could be taken in good time in case of AMS

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