Reviews

Wonderful trip to Costa Rica

This was our 8th Exodus trip and one of the best. The tour leader was excellent..Giovanni Madrigal. He was very knowledgeable, professional in his approach and good fun especially as he had a great relationship with the driver, Juanjose who was also part of the team. Gio made it clear from the outset that this was a group holiday and group harmony was important. We were encouraged to rotate the seats on the bus so everyone got a chance to sit at the front. The group really got on well. There were many excellent group meals and we had a good mix between travel, group walks and downtime by the pool. The accommodation was very good….wooden lodges set in wonderful surroundings. We stayed for 2 nights in each place which was great. Much of the food was included so it wasn’t so expensive when we were there….most hotels had happy hours! We saw so many birds, mammals and reptiles. Gio knew where to look and had a scope so we could all see. There are additional trails we could walk on our own which we enjoyed. He knows his country and was keen to pass on his knowledge.

A Sri Lankan Odyssey

A good mix of cultural and historical experiences with a beach holiday thrown in for good measure.

mount Toubkal winter climb

The organisation off the trip and arrangements in Morocco were very good. The guide kept us to task which was good and provided a good briefing in preparation for each days activities. The hotel in Marrakech was fine and the staff helpful and friendly.

The accommodation on the mountain was poor and shows no sign of improvement in at least 15 years simply not good enough in nearly all respects particularly washing and toilet facilities. Why has this not improved Exodus?

The guide should have been more attentive to health and safety considerations eg making sure that all has tied their crampons correctly to their boot the first time this was done independently.

Snow-shoeing in Catalan Pyrenees

As the snow did not arrive until the 3rd day we had 2 days’ hiking and 4 days’ snowshoeing in a beautiful, remote area. Our guide, Miguel, was able to alter his planned routes to suit the vicissitudes of the weather and always provided us with scenic and culturally interesting hikes. Early evening talks were an exploration by Miguel of Catalan history, economy and culture with two opportunities to taste cheeses, sausages and wines of the area. The hotel was welcoming and provided an excellent selection of food. Rooms were warm and comfortable though corridors and the restaurant were often chilly.

Awesome Landscapes

This was our fourth Exodus Cycling Trip over the last few years and my favourite so far. The landscapes that we cycled through were simply stunning with snow capped volcanos, lush green valleys, blue and emerald lakes, monkey puzzle woodland and black volcanic ash and lava. The cycling routes were occasionally challenging but never too long. The accommodation was generally good (with two exceptions) and we were expertly led by Tia, his brother Yell and Matteus. It helped that the weather was pretty much perfect throughout our trip with cool mornings making way for clear hot afternoons. We also benefitted from a great group of cyclists, most of whom were of a similar (oldish) age and fitness level!

Amazing Vietnam

Very interesting experience for my first time in Asia. Excellent variety of sights and experiences.
Met a lovely group of travellers who made the trip memorable.

Great cycling and site seeing combination

This trip is a great way of seeing a selection of famous sites as well as getting glimpses of the real India from cycling on back roads, waving at friendly locals, looping round cows, avoiding wandering pigs, nipping past sleeping dogs, pausing to allow flocks of sheep and goats to cross, overtaking bullock carts and even camels. The sometimes parched scenery may not be as lush as south India but there are plenty of sights to see along the way and regular snack stops to break up the longer cycling days. The longer rides tend to be pretty flat and there are some stiff but achievable hills too. But there’s always a back up vehicle for anyone who has had enough and plenty of snacks and sweet chai to keep you going.

Vietnam

Fab

Amazing trip in a beautiful country

We had a fantastic time in the Finnish Wilderness. Basecamp was great, the staff were all lovely and really helpful. We enjoyed trying out a wide range of activities and then being free most afternoons to do the activities on our own or just relax or have a wander around the forest. Having the marked trails was really handy for independent exploring. The food was varied and we always had plenty to eat. The constant availability of free teas, coffee and juice was nice, as was the lovely log fire in the main lodge for warming us up after a chilly day out. The equipment and clothing provided was excellent, much better than I’d expected.

cycling vietnam

Cycling In Vietnam-12-26th January-Michael Barrett
It was my first view of Asia,Ian and Sandra taught me how to walk across a street with a few hundred motorcycles hurtling towards us,a leap of faith I guess and I’m still standing as the song goes.An assortment of fellow travellers from Australia,America Puert Rico,Canada and the Uk assembled on the first night to express their hopes for the trip to our genial Vietnamese host LD who explained the ground rules and structure of the trip.My attention had been drawn by 2 friends who had completed the trip and my mind on Vietnam as a place was largely a blank canvas , I had been keen to avoid any programmes such as Top gear to prevent any Clarkson like judgements.
Comfortable accommodation and a support crew of vehicles and guides explained how to operate our sturdy mountain bikes.New to this type of tour I was keen not to be left behind and set off with the same vigour as a young Wayne Rooney ,but the first day was reasonably easy , a chance to stretch and ease off the jet lag which didn’t thankfully afflict me.A trip to the Chui Chui tunnels was an early reminder of the war that had blighted this country in the 1950’s and 60’s with French and American bombardment of this strikingly beautiful country.Gliding through small villages we couldn’t help but notice the open hearted nature of the schoolchildren who hurtled hello’s with great excitement as our pelaton crossed their homes,
The tunnels were a timely reminder of the resourcefulness of a guerrilla army faced with a mighty enemy ,but the difficulty with which I crawled down the tunnel after our Vietnamese guide made me thankful this was a holiday and not warfare as my chance of survival would have been below zero.
The first few days were reasonably warm and the carefully arranged stops with the welcome site of our support buses and healthy sustenance from fruit and drinks enabled us to continue our progress from Saigon(Ho Che Minh) towards the eventual target of Hanoi.Evening meals were a chance to relax after a days cycling and mingle with a vast array of personalities all willing to engage .Any special events such as birthdays were accommodated, Whale island being a decent spot and even the loss of an iphone only served to show what a decent gang of people I was travelling with.
As we travelled further north rain became part of our days and my bandana decided it was time to change my hair from blonde(maybe grey?) to purple much to the joy of my fellow cyclists .Even damp days were transformed by sun and lunch among local people that our guides arranged, eating great local food with local people was a personal highlight along with cycling off road among the rice fields and observing the marvellous flexibility and postures of women shaped by years of hard work(sorry, can’t stop thinking like a physiotherapist)
I had trepidations as a single guy travelling but the nature of the group meant all characters were accommodated even people with my off the wall sense of humour.I guess the masochistic nature of cycling the beautiful Hoi van pass (we believe it is? ) in heavy rain and mist created a team ethos and a determination to finish which strips us all of cool and pretension.I even remember keeping pace with our Vietnamese guide a racing cyclist as my legs became more powerful and my clothes soaked in rain.I remember when he put the back burners on and had to stop when water buffaloes blocked our path, thank god for water buffaloes I said or maybe expletive deleted.
On a long trip the guide needs to be able to raise flagging energy levels and the long night train journey from Hue to Hanoi was my first introduction to Kareoke and believe it or not gin and tonic.Thank you LD for your rendition of Delilah which will always remind me of Vietnam, and Katie Bush came from somewhere , and I even gave a fair rendition of the Mountains of Mourne or maybe not, and even some pogues, albeit with teeth Andrew .
Well onto Hailoon bay a lovely tranquil place but the journey to it demonstrated a country in transition from a largely agrarian society to a more industrial society with its attendant effects on the environment.Hanoi appeared to be swathed in smog and I was thankful our trip had taken us through more idyllic unspoilt places.My last memory before the flight back was a taxi ride with a young man who seemed willing to take every available risk ,I decided it was best to shut my eyes and we arrived at departures thank god.
Flashing memories of being hugged by a saleswoman in Hoi ann to try to effect a sale and the sight of disabled victims of agent orange ,could not counteract the positive energy gleaned by this journey of enlightenment through modern day Vietnam on a bicycle.My last day in Hanoi and a walk around the lake was welcomley(is there such a word?) interrupted by parents keen to keen to get their young offspring talking English to me, their politeness and desire to learn truly humbling. I need to read up on this country .
Thanks everyone for making this a memorable trip and I’ve booked my trip to Italy in May, so Ciao for Niao