Reviews

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

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14375 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Jen S

Reviewed May 2019

A taste of a lesser known region of Italy

This trip gave a flavour of the region of Puglia in more ways than one… Staying in four different locations across the week, we learned about the importance of olives and wine in the region with visits to a an olive grove for olive oil tasting and a factory for wine tasting, and were encouraged to try local specialities by our leader who at group meals ordered a range of typical dishes so that we could try a variety. Although not specifically a food tour, food has to be a major part of any trip to Italy…

Most Inspirational Moment

Exploring the alleyways of white-walled hill-town Ostuni as the sun was going down.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The walks (I can't speak for the one from Otranto, which we were unable to do due to bad weather) were fairly flat and easy. The guided town tours are if anything more strenuous as they are longer! (Note, the one around beautiful Matera does involve a few steps and sloping paths, the only way of seeing this town built into the sides of a gorge). Walking trainers or even walking sandals are appropriate for all walks on this trip. My personal advice - take your coffee the way the Italians do, stood at the counter with an espresso cup and a glass of water. It's quick, nice, local, gives you a caffeine boost, gives free access to a toilet, and usually there's cake available too! To nut allergy sufferers - be aware that in this area hazelnut is commonly mixed with chocolate in pastries and desserts. There is a great love of Nutella! Always check before ordering!

David Cowan

Reviewed May 2019

Enjoyed but could be better

Didn’t get off to a good start because exodus didn’t inform us and several others of an itinerary change, although some others in the party did hear about it. Although the reverse order for the visits is better we ended up with a 1/2 day on Paros with not much to do and no useful suggestion from the tour leader. He was generally a very good guide but occasionally not as flexible as one might wish. The walks were generally good and not hard apart from the odd steep climb. Just wish there had been more of them (see above). We were recommended to go to the buried town of akrotiri, which was well worth the trip together with the museum in Thira. Can’t understand why Exodus don’t make this part of the trip if time permits. If we hadn’t gone we would have had another wasted morning on Santorini, to add to that on Paros.
Hotel beds generally rock hard and in 2 out of the 4, some of the smallest shower cubicles we have ever experienced. I think we would have preferred to pay a bit more for a better hotel on Santorini & Paros
Ferry journeys were always longer than anticipated but luckily weather was OK so we could go on deck apart from Naxos to Rafina on the catamaran where you have aircraft type seats

Most Inspirational Moment

walk on naxos

Thoughts on Group Leader

See above but generally good but did tend to lecture us a bit. Extremely knowledgeable and very pleasant. Could do with a bit more understanding on the needs of a diabetic in the group but soon caught on when we pointed out it wasn't a "gippy tummy" but low blood sugar. Probably helps that we are familiar with this condition due to previous job. Some small kindnesses to the group were also appreciated and he did try hard. But having him deal with other groups that exodus has in the region while guiding us was not optimal. Exodus need sto emply more staff to cover their local needs

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you have plenty to read for ferry trips, be prepared for hard beds. Good walking shoes a must but boots probably optional

David Byers

Reviewed May 2019

Full on every fay

A full on safari/trip through Botswana and Zimbabwe – not for you if you need 10 hours sleep every night.
The highlight without doubt is the trip via Mokorro canoe and camping trip into the Otovango delta.
Some long days travelling in the mini bus but all very worthwhile.

Most Inspirational Moment

Otovango delta

Thoughts on Group Leader

Absolutely one of the best

Advice for Potential Travellers

See above

Liz Hesnan

Reviewed May 2019

Good Varied hiking, but need to be fit for the scrambling involved

Excellent , Confident and friendly leader who coped well with a wide variety of fitness levels
Good food served by the hotel, I personally found the beds very hard!
Shame about the weather, but not much anyone can do about that!

Most Inspirational Moment

Visit to the cave was spectacular

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent friendly leader, felt very safe, and he coped well with a wide variety of fitness levels / and experience of the other hikers

Advice for Potential Travellers

Prepare for all weathers, and assess your level of fitness to cope with the scrambling and uneven rocky hiking, and Some steepish climbs/descents

Sasha Heriot

Reviewed May 2019

Excellent taster of Japan

This trip was an excellent way to experience many different aspects of Japan, although I feel like I have only touched the surface, and I want to go back! Japan, the people, and the food are all truly wonderful.

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved being out of the cities and experiencing more of the countryside and mountainous regions. One of the highlights was seeing Mount Fuji appear over the hillside whilst ascending in a cable car. We did this on one of our "free" days. This day trip was suggested by our tour leader who also accompanied us for the whole day. Another highlight for me was the thermal baths experience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our first leader, although very pleasant, was very inexperienced. I was grateful to Exodus that they changed our leader on day 3. The new leader was excellent and ensured that we all had an enjoyable holiday.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do not expect a relaxing holiday. The days are very long and you will do lots of standing on very crowded public transport and a huge amount of walking almost every day. Although it is very popular in blossom season, I would have much preferred to go when the weather was warmer. We have blossom in the UK after all! Knowing now how easy it is to get around Japan on public transport, I would be very happy visiting there independently. I flew with KLM (connected in Amsterdam both ways), which seemed a much better choice than the group flight - no long mid-night connections, more "direct" route and shorter flight time.

Peter Day

Reviewed May 2019

Sicily Food and Culture Trip

A great balance of food and culture – all of the highlights covered, and no food specialities left untasted. The itinerary was a perfect blend of food and culture, and the itinerary itself was perfect – nothing could really be improved upon.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Roman villa mosaics

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rosario was excellent. He looked after every detail of the trip, was always available to assist with any question or problem that arose. Incredibly enthusiastic, and a native Sicilian, he acted as our entree to Sicily.

Advice for Potential Travellers

While classified as level 1, there was a great deal of walking on some days - up and down stairs in most locations, and while detail is provided under "Is this trip for you?", the word "leisurely" is a little misleading, and it would be worth reclassifying the trip to at least a 2! That said, in many places, there were options to do more or less strenuous activities. e.g. at Mount Etna, there were three grades of activity possible. While nothing more could have been included within the 8 days of the tour, travellers may consider adding two-three days on their own to visit Cefalu (including a trip to one or more of the Aeolian Islands) which is easily accessible by train from Palermo. The other locations visited relied on in-depth local knowledge, and some of the attractions are only accessible by private transport, so it would be impossible or impractical to visit most of the places we went to if you did your own thing in Sicily.

Helen Bouchami

Reviewed May 2019

Wonderfully varied trip

Loved Peru. Land of contrasts and dramatic scenery, from the soaring peaks of the Andes to the world’s second deepest canyon and the highest navigable lake, from the simple lifestyle of the Titicaca islands to the sophistication of Miraflores in Lima. The surprise of a desert oasis with towering sandunes. Basking seals among rows of pelicans and boobies on the offshore islands, majestic condors in the canyon, and cute alpacas and even cuter vicunas. Impressive Incan structures – from Machu Pichu to terraced mountainsides, and the elegant colonial architecture of the Spanish.

The trip notes mention the early starts and long hours on the bus – this is true, but the spectacular scenery provides an excellent distraction. The bus itself was large, and although it lacked a little of the camaraderie I’ve experienced on smaller mini-buses with Exodus in the past, the space to spread out and the on-board loo were appreciated. My attitude is that the hours of travel are the price you pay for seeing so much, and those are the memories that remain.

I loved the variety of scenery and activities on this trip. I thought it was very well put together, including allowing for a gradual adjustment to altitude.

Most Inspirational Moment

Machu Pichu lived up to expectations, a highlight of not just this trip The condors were a wonder. Some came really close, but so quickly that I had no time to adjust my zoom. The home stay, whilst not the most comfortable experience, was fascinating - the weather there was cold and rainy, but our hosts, the mamatis, were a delight.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Giuliano was an excellent organiser and very personable. So hard working, he was constantly checking ahead to ensure that everything ran smoothly

Advice for Potential Travellers

The trip notes say no walking poles are allowed in Machu Pichu, so I had left mine at home. On our first, guided visit I found many people, even the young and fit, using them, so I bought one for the next day (c£10) and found it much easier to move around the site which has steep steps, uneven surfaces and few handrails. . It is definitely worth the second optional entry. RE. gifts for the homestay hosts, food from the San Pedro market in Cusco, fruit, cheese etc. was very acceptable if you can't fit anything from home into your case. Don't be overly concerned about altitude. Most people felt some effect, but a little breathlessness is not altitude sickness. Take the advice re. hydration and not overdoing it. It was curious - I climbed up to the Sun Gate with no problem, but found myself (as did others) gulping air occasionally when lying down, or bending to put on shoes - mainly on the Lake as this was our highest overnight stay. BTW I am in my seventies

Malcolm Mahony

Reviewed May 2019

Fascinating and beautiful country

The desert landscape and Petra are stunning. The scrambling is exciting. The archaeology is outstanding. The culture is fascinating.

Most Inspirational Moment

See above.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Abdullah worked hard to make the trip successful and enjoyable. He was totally unflappable!

Advice for Potential Travellers

You should be aware that the trekking area is heavily used by 4-wheel drive vehicles taking tourists on day trips. This compromises the wilderness feel. Unfortunately they also leave behind a lot of plastic litter.

Barbara Baker

Reviewed May 2019

Monkeys, caiman, snakes, giant otters, sloth and multiple birds!

A great extension to our Galapagos trip.
We used the extra time in Quito to see more of the city and visit the Equator – found it easier and cheaper to use a hotel booked taxi than the official tours.
The journey from Coca is very much part of the experience – lots to see especially when you transfer to the paddled canoe for 2 hours along small blackwater creek to the lodge.
Parrots aren’t guaranteed at the licks but we were lucky enough to see a troop of peccaries instead!
All the activities, apart from the night hike, involved a trip in our canoe from where there was always lots to see.
Our guides were helpful and brilliant at spotting animals in the mass of green, but there is also plenty to see around the lodges.

Most Inspirational Moment

Definitely the wildlife including a baby anaconda, 6 types of monkey including grumpy capuchins, rare woolly, and iconic golden mantled tamarin; a family of giant otters resting by the creek, a pair of roseate spoonbills and the noisy prehistoric “stinky turkey birds”.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both leaders were excellent- Jose was the bilingual guide, he also ate with the group of 6 and helped paddle; Shayan the local who spotted things we needed binoculars to see- and also helped with photos and paddled. William was the official paddler - and also helped with spotting. It was good to have the same team from arrival in Coca to departure.

Advice for Potential Travellers

It’s hot and humid, rains most days but the wildlife is fantastic- not as close to you as Galapagos but much more varied. Take binoculars if possible and long lens (waterproof) They loan you wellingtons for all the off site activities- if you don’t fit standard size such as muscular calves then consider taking your own! And take long socks. Long sleeves and trousers are best but I was bitten through the material at the parakeet lick - use plenty of deet even where covered. No mosquitoes at the lodge as the lake is too acidic for them to breed. Leave a suitcase in Quito if returning to same hotel - everything is paddled up river.

Condon Corbett

Reviewed May 2019

Amazing Sri Lanka!

From the private pick up at the airport in Colombo to drop off at the airport things could not have gone more smoothly. The pace of the tour was excellent given its short duration. Accommodations were very good-clean, comfortable and well located. Sri Lanka is a stunning country with friendly people, beautiful scenery and an abundance of wildlife.

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing to the top of Lion Rock (Sigiriya) to view the remnants of the ruined palace and the spectacular views of the surrounding countryside from 200 metres above. Magical!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader, Suresh was excellent. Very well organised, knowledgeable of his home country, it's history and different cultures which he imparted to us in an interesting and fun manner. I appreciated his somewhat sarcastic sense of humor as well. Schedules were well kept and adjusted as necessary based on the group consensus.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take part in all of the included sightseeing and activities, especially the bike tour through the villages where you will be warmly greeted by the local children as you cycle by.

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