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.

Select a trip specific review:

Select

14420 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Ed Jackson

Reviewed October 2018

What a trip................

This really is a great trip – with a good amount of cycling with some challenging climbs to get the heart and legs working. I love the fact that every day was busy with so much to see and do. The scenery during the rides was varied and very beautiful. The towns we visited were all full of history and culture whether it was Trento, Lake Garda, Verona, Vicenza, Padova or Venice.

Most Inspirational Moment

The whole trip was very inspirational, but visiting Vicenza was definitely a highlight. You could feel the love and passion that Michele has for his home town and briefly meeting his family was very touching.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Michele was and is the best group leader I have had on any Exodus trip - he was my group leader when I went to Sardinia and I booked this trip for the pure reason that I knew he was the group leader. His energy is incredible and he is 100% focussed in making sure that everyone has a great time.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you have reasonable fitness just so you can get the most out of the holiday. You want to enjoy the rides as mush as you can and there are sections that are quite challenging , so a reasonable level of fitness is a huge benefit. And "throw yourself" into your holiday - your fellow travellers are a big part of your holiday, so join in with everything and you'll get so much more from the experience. I've certainly come back home with a new set of friends.

Francesca Wiseman

Reviewed October 2018

Cycle Albania

Albania is incredibly beautiful. It has some of the most spectacular mountain scenery that will forever be etched in my memory. Cycling is a fantastic way to see a country and visit lesser touristy places and this trip was certainly no exception. The people are very hospitable and the Cycle Albania team were simply amazing. The food was a fusion of Mediterranean and Turkish meze style and every meal was a feast in itself!

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the top of Llogara pass was one of the most powerful moments of the trip. The climb itself is not too hard - it is long and steady - but the hills on the way to the pass make the climb more challenging.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was Erlis Rizvanolli. Erlis was incredibly trusting towards us from the word go: Every day we got a map with a description as part of our briefing which was a nice detail which I have not seen on other cycling tours. Erlis let us ride at our own pace and we would re-group at regular intervals and he did not feel the need to control us and always be in the lead - I really appreciated the freedom to ride how I chose, this is not something I have experienced on other Exodus cycling tours and it made this trip stand out from the others. Due to the meze (sharing) approach to eating, Erlis would pay for every meal and trusted us to record the cost of our food and drink and did not take any money from us until the end of the holiday. Erlis was well organized and the tour ran slick. Erlis went the extra mile to ensure we had a fantastic holiday and even got in the kitchen on the final morning to make our breakfast because the chef was hospitalized in a vehicle accident on his way to work.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Albania is not flat - be prepared to cycle up some hills. The Albanians also love cheese, there is usually one cheese dish per meal (sometimes two) but there was an abundance of food so if you are lactose intolerant do not worry!

Janice Waight

Reviewed October 2018

Highlights of Albania

This was a thoroughly comprehensive tour travelling around a large part of the country, involving visiting many fascinating historical sites, museums, the countryside ….various towns,mountainous regions, flat fertile plains and the coast .

Most Inspirational Moment

There were several.... The stunning mountains, breathtaking views of castles , mosques and the courteousness of the Albanian we met....and learning so much about the country thanks to our guide.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Klodi was a very fine group leader. His knowledge of his country and it's history was extremely impressive. We learnt so much and he was always really helpful and had a great sense of humour ! Also, importantly, Ghent, our driver, was excellent. We couldn't have been in safer hands....driving through the mountains was very tricky at times, but he was always calm and very careful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go to Albania now before it becomes too touristy. It's a great country and after such a sad history,the people are doing wonders restoring and revitalizing it. Only one criticism....some of the lunch breaks were too long!

T J

Reviewed October 2018

A Fascinating Adventure!

This was a truly wonderful trip that combines hiking, wildlife and scientific research, in a unique blend of ‘eco-research-tourism’. Exodus – please offer more tours like this!

Most Inspirational Moment

The whole trip was inspirational, though the most inspirational part is learning about the bears and other wildlife that live in these mountains, then slowly starting to understand how it all fits together. In addition, the Rodopi mountains are beautiful, particularly in Autumn - there are some great hikes in this trip, with fabulous views. The hotel and food were also great, with local milk, cheese and honey straight from the village. It was also good to be based in a single hotel for the week, with lots of walks starting and finishing right on our doorstep.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Julian was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about all aspects of biology, particularly bears. He is clearly well-known and connected in the local area, and did a great job of making everything run smoothly. One of the highlights of the trip were daily 'lectures' from Julian, usually during our scenic picnic lunches, about the various aspects of bear ecology.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you have a reasonable level of fitness and have some hiking experience, you should be fine on this trip. A typical day would comprises leaving the hotel with a packed lunch at 08:30 and returning at around 16:00, hiking slowly in the mountains in-between. We totaled 75 km and 3500 m height gain over our 6 days of walking, with hikes ranging from 8 - 14 km. So, the pace is pretty slow, as we were constantly stopping to look for wildlife / change camera traps etc. Julian will adjust the pace and route depending on the groups fitness level and interests anyway. That said, the terrain is fairly steep and rocky, though the trails are good. So, if you have new gear or are relatively inexperienced at hiking, it would be a good idea to put in a bit of practice beforehand so that you get the most out of your trip.

Helen Phillips

Reviewed October 2018

Highly recommended!

My husband and I have just returned from this cycle trip and we can highly recommend it to anyone thinking of doing the same. Alan, the tour leader, was outstanding and I just hope he gets paid enough! We had a lovely group with mixed ages and four lovely Canadians and a very helpful, smiley driver, Tommy. Slightly better hotels could improve the trip and, yes, better coffee and orange juice for breakfast.

Most Inspirational Moment

Completing all the cycling!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Outstanding. Catered very well for the needs of all the clients.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make the most of the beautiful scenery.

yvonne m

Reviewed October 2018

What a fab trip

I cannot describe how amazing this trip was, Namibia is a stunning country, with wonderful scenery – 2nd most sparsely populated country in the world so there is lots of open space (and lots of driving) but the desert, the night sky, the ancient rock art and the animals at Etosha are so worth it

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing rhinos and hyenas in the red search light on a night drive - I was holding my breath, it was spine tingling to just catch them in the beam of the lamp, and to be close enough that we could hear the rhino's footsteps. And to then see a rhino and a spotted hyena at the waterhole in the daytime - a rare treat. But closely followed by the desert trip and the flight over the desert and coastline

Thoughts on Group Leader

Shane was very hard working,, knowledgeable and humorous

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for some long hot dusty days - and bumpy rides on the gravel roads. Mosquitos were not an issue in Etosha. Make sure your camera has a good zoom or telephoto lens - and heaps of memory. Binoculars are useful. you will not regret booking this trip, Namibia is a stunning place to visit. Namibia has a very meat focused diet - if you are not a meat eater, its not the best but you will get by

Ann Clarke

Reviewed October 2018

Brilliant Adventure

What a brilliant time we had on our recent visit to Peru. From the moment we met our guide Sebastian at Lima airport the fun started. The itinerary was full on but it was never overwhelming. All the travel was in comfortable buses and it was broken up by regular stops at places of interest. Sebastians love of his country was clear from the outset and his geographical and historical knowledge was amazing. If you want to see Peru this trip can’t be beaten. Well done Exodus.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing Macchu Picchu

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sebastian was entertaining and extremely informative. Professional from start to finish and nothing was ever too much trouble.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go prepared for an adventure - you won't be disappointed.

Clare Phillips

Reviewed October 2018

Feedback

This was a super experience altogether, from start to finish, with Exodus having thought of everything. The hotels were great, the arrangements brilliant, the guide, Jose, was amazing, thoughtful, supportive, hardworking, well organised: he made it possible for the team (we 13) to be able to concentrate on the task in hand: getting to Compostela on foot. A great bonus, too, was the way we 13 strangers got on together and helped each other. We spent such a lot of time together in a shared endeavour and it was such a great success, that we are planning to meet again in 2019.

Most Inspirational Moment

This was when we (all 13 of us only one Catholic among us) went together to the Pigrims' Mass in the Cathedral at Compostela, when the Botafumeiro swung into action and, at the same time, the cathedral organ crashed magnificently into music. We had really arrived and the pain was worth it!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Brilliant, fantastic, see above Summary question: 10 out of 10.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do this holiday/trek - it's great. Highly recommended.

Stephen Meleady

Reviewed October 2018

China Calling 🇨🇳

What a great trip !
6 hiking days and 2 days seeing the sights in Beijing with Pemma our Tibetan guide and our mixed bunch of 16, comprised of couples and solos making for a great trip to China. ( I didn’t book the Xian extension ) the hikes are tough as they are up and down the many ridges that the wall sought to protect and most are on the “Wild Wall” where we had the fantastic views all to ourselves, so expect some tender knees and sore calves as the days progress. Accommodation in the country is in friendly and comfortable homestays and Don Fang in Beijing is about 30 minutes walk to the Forbidden City and Tianenmen square etc. China is a real mix of old and new and the vibrant colours are a treat for the eyes. Ticking the Great Wall box with this Exodus trip was memorable and as is the case on many a trip there were only minor things that could be improved but take it from me, if you’re thinking of booking then take the leap, you’ll love it.

Most Inspirational Moment

The Stairs to the Sky near Jiankou are scary, picturesque and a challenge to mind and body, but what a thrill !

Thoughts on Group Leader

Pemna is a super guide, ever smiling, friendly but most importantly is putting you as his primary goal.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t underestimate it’s a tough enough hiking trip with more downhill setions than most

Sarah Robinson

Reviewed October 2018

Great holiday, but communication could have been improved

The week was very enjoyable and there was a lot to see and it was a very varied itinerary.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting Petra and seeing the Treasury for the first time.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Alaa was clearly very knowledgeable about the history of Jordan and the sites that we visited. He was very friendly and helpful if you asked him a question. He gave us the opportunity to see the sites by ourselves once he had given us an overview, which was good and made the holiday feel less rushed. The main issue I had with him was that there were a number of occasions with poor communication. For example: - He said that Dead Sea mud products were expensive at the Dead Sea resort but cheaper at a shop we stopped at later, but this was not the case and the price difference was substantial. - He didn't explain that it was possible to buy Dead Sea mud at the Dead Sea from vendors on the seafront and therefore that we should take money with us down to the sea shore, rather than put it all in the lockers 5 minutes walk away. - There was confusion about whether we needed to pack a separate bag when staying at the Bedouin tent, but our main bags were brought to the camp anyway, despite being told this was not the case. - At the Red Sea resort it was not explained that there were other options for food, rather than just paying the 11JD for the group buffet. It would have been nice to have had the opportunity to try different foods rather than just the standard bread, hummus, meat skewers etc. - We stopped at a shop during one of the drives, and Alaa didn't explain why he got out but we couldn't. However, these were minor issues and the vast majority of the week was very well organised and planned.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Have fun - it's a fantastic and fascinating country. Bring some comfy shoes for Petra.

Prev 1 … 508 509 510 511 512 … 1,443 Next