Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent.
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
A great trip
Knowing very little about the Baltic States this trip was revelation. Beautiful countryside historic cities and so many places of interest. The cycling was enjoyable and not too strenuous as we passed along mainly flat routes giving us the opportunity to appreciate the the countryside. Our guide, Andrius, was excellent with an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the history and culture of the towns and cities we passed through. We even got an introduction to Tom Lehrer as a bonus.
A great trip
Knowing very little about the Baltic States this trip was revelation. Beautiful countryside historic cities and so many places of interest. The cycling was enjoyable and not too strenuous as we passed along mainly flat routes giving us the opportunity to appreciate the the countryside. Our guide, Andrius, was excellent with an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the history and culture of the towns and cities we passed through. We even got an introduction to Tom Lehrer as a bonus.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent.
New Discovery
Originally booked for 2020, we were glad to finally get going after Covid interrupted our plans. Any fears we were not as fit as we might’ve been were quickly dispelled. The terrain was varied, largely flat and very manageable. The weather was brilliant and we could cycle at a good pace. The 3 countries are very different in their own way and we were lucky to have an excellent guide Andrius to explain those differences with his vast knowledge and experience.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were many but the unscheduled stop at the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania as recommended by our guide left a lasting impression. As did the visit to the Käsmu Maritime Museum where we had a simple but delicious fish soup lunch and heard about the way of life there past and present. Seeing the inscriptions honouring the victims of soviet occupation on the wall of the KGB Museum in Vilnius was also a chilling reminder of the current conflict in Ukraine.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Andrius was amazing. Leading the cycling on his own he succeeded in keeping the group together - quite a feat given the large group of varying abilities. Always on hand, he kept us entertained at all times with his explanations and anecdotes on the different cultures and histories of the 3 countries. He made excellent choices of restaurants for us to taste the local specialties and treated us with tastings of liqueurs such as the rum based Vanna Tallinn and Riga Black Balsum. He wanted us all to enjoy the experience and leave with happy memories and I’m sure we all did.
Advice for Potential Travellers
A gel seat cover for the bike would be handy for the less experienced cyclist. Remember your swimming kit. There were several opportunities to get into the Baltic sea which is not as cold as you might expect!
A wonderful adventure
Having never been to the Baltics, and having recently started looking after customers in the three countries for work, I was keen to discover more about Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. A friend from another trip recommended the trip. He was spot on! Andrius is a superb guide and looked after our group very well. We were treated to many hidden gems in each country, none more hidden than the Cold War Museum. We rode through pretty little fishing villages and lovely cities, such a rich tapestry of scenes. Riding was not too strenuous for those new to cycle tourism, yet plenty of scope for those of us used to clocking up the miles. Something for everyone. Make sure you add this trip to your list of trips to do.
Most Inspirational Moment
The Hill of Crosses in Lithuania was very moving and something that will stay with me for a long while
Thoughts on Group Leader
Andrius is superb and a credit to Exodus
Advice for Potential Travellers
Pack your swimming trucks! The swimming in the Baltic sea is lovely. Good idea to have insect repellent spray on the first few days riding and hayfever tablets as the terrain covers quite a lot of grassland with tick bites common. The views are worth it though.
Baltic July
Thanks to wide comfy saddles and mostly flat terrain the cycling was easy and enjoyable. My favourite area was Laheema National Park in Northern Estonia with wooden fisherman’s houses, empty beaches and BIG swings. Swimming in the Baltic is lovely – the temperature is perfect and it’s not salty.
Our guide, Andrius, was great at setting the historical scene and teaching us what it’s like to be a Lithuanian with an off-beat Lithuanian sense of humour. He led us round Talinn, showed us the art nouveau in Riga, cycled us through Vilnius as well as various smaller towns, castles and even a nuclear launch site. He was particularly good at organising places for us to eat Zeppelins, drink mead and dig our fingers into freshly smoked fish. But he was even better at setting up musical experiences. We heard a pipe organ concert in a Riga church, a big swing band on the water-front in Klapedia and best of all, our fabulous group spent a memorable night dancing like no-one was watching to a funky jazz band playing classics. Thanks Andrius.
A special mention also for Mindogas, our ever-attentive driver who kept the whole show on the road.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Great
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take cabin baggage only! Despite the best efforts of Andrius my luggage never arrived in the Baltics and is still stuck somewhere in the black hole of Edinburgh Airport
The Baltics
The trip was well organised and offered the perfect mix between cycling and cultural visits. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. The driver was supportive and friendly. We tasted the local dishes and I enjoyed the variety of food offered. It was great to have a local guide who knows the background and personal stories that greatly contributed to learning about the countries we visited. The routes chosen to cycle were really beautiful. I also appreciated the time we had in each capital city.
Most Inspirational Moment
So many memorable moments! Seeing the storks nesting and baby stroke popping their heads out of the nest, having a dip in the sea, admiring the beautiful buildings and managing to cycle the distances each day!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Andries was full of energy and kept us on the go the whole time. He was keen we saw all aspects of the 3 countries. He was very knowledgeable and gave us a good understanding of the the history of those countries. He had a great sense of humour and related well to everyone in the group. He took us to some great places to eat and taste the local delicacies.
Great trip!!
I went on this trip with my mom and we had the best time. The biking for the most part was relatively flat with only one day being rather hilly. We were a small group-7people-but everyone got along well and we all had so much fun. It was a great trip with beautiful sights to see both in town and in small villages along the coastline.
Most Inspirational Moment
The night we went out in Lithuania and the restaurant we ate at had a live band. We requested a song and the group gave us a shoutout and we got up and started dancing which then caused other guests to also get up and dancing. It was just such a fun night all around, great vibes with new friends.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our guide Andrius Mazrimas was amazing. He went above and beyond and made adjustments to the itinerary to offer better biking routes and allow for some more stops/sightseeing that weren’t scheduled.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I think opting to splurge for the electric bike might be a nice choice for someone unsure of how they’ll fair on the hills but I am by no means a well trained cyclist and did ok.
Fabulous trip||!
Just returned from a wonderful 10 days cycling in the Baltics. Absolutely loved it! I only cycle around town so ordered an electric bike which was fantastic. I could have managed without as it mainly flat but wanted to enjoy rather than exert myself. It was great to see three completely new countries and hear about their history and culture. It was incredibly varied: loads to see, wonderful countryside, sea, towns and cities, with swimming, concerts, city tours, boat trip, nuclear missile launch site, and wonderful little places for lunch and elevenses and coffee breaks. Lovely restaurants and food, excellent hotels. Fantastic guide and driver and a very nice group. Heaven.
Most Inspirational Moment
We all got up and danced to the band that played in the restaurant after dinner one night in Lithuania. But it was all inspirational!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Andrius Mazrimas was just wonderful. He was always thinking of extra things we might like to do and see and improvements to the itinerary. He was really efficient, looked after us all every step of the way with charm and incredible good humour, knew about everything and told great stories .His humour and cheerfulness really helped the group to gel and kept us smiling. He absolutely gave 100% to the trip and to give us all a good time, thank you Andrius!!! Our driver Mindaugas was brilliant too, he kept the bus and trailer always near us and was a real sweetie.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I only cycle around town and don't do much else in the way of exercise. The rest of the group cycled regularly though not fanatically. I'm very glad I paid the extra for the brilliant electric bike, which meant I didn't have to worry about catching people up or being tired.. I could have managed with an ordinary bike but I wasn't looking to improve or maintain fittness on the trip, just to enjoy the scenery. Definitely worth the expense. It was mostly fairly flat but there certainly plenty of ups an downs and interesting paths so it was never boring.
Cycle the Baltics review
Having had a number of cycling trips cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, I was immensely pleased to finally be able to travel again. This particular trip had been on my wish list for for a number of years and it didn’t fail to live up to my expectations. On the whole the cycling was fairly leisurely and the trip also provided the opportunity to get a flavour of the three Baltic capital cities (Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius).
Most Inspirational Moment
I particularly enjoyed the cycling through the 'Estonian Switzerland' and the day cycling along the Curonian Spit together with the smoked fish lunch at the fisherman's smokery.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our tour leader Andrius was excellent and kept us fully informed (and entertained!) throughout the trip. Nothing was too much trouble for him.
Three beautiful countries, one awesome tour leader!!
This is a fabulous way to see three beautiful countries, their cities, towns, cultural hot spots and coastline!! Our awesome tour leader, Andrius, seriously optimised our time at each stop, and made sure we cycled the best routes. His local knowledge, attention to detail, sense of humour, and ability to ascertain and accommodate everyone’s wishes is exceptional. This is an amazing trip, and if you land Andrius as your guide, you’ve hit the jackpot!!
Most Inspirational Moment
It’s hard to choose a favourite. The relaxed start in Talllin, the beautiful Tartu, the sunny Curonian Spit, the cultural capitals of Riga and Vilnius - all stunning!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Andrius is thoughtful, funny, knowledgeable and organised. Is there anything else you need from any human being? He’s an exceptional tour leader!!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don’t forget to pack for mixed weather! And ladies, we had men's and ladies bikes issued, and the ladies bikes did not accommodate water bottles. Maybe ask for a men's bike?! Andrius kindly mounted a holder on my bike, and he would have done this for anyone, but the dropped bar still made it difficult to reach while cycling.