Most Inspirational Moment
Making the 6,000ft cycle day
Thoughts on Group Leader
Dimo was the BEST! fun, friendly, from the area
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
WOW the best trip ever!!
This was my first cycle trip……sure wish I would have started doing these treks 20 years ago. The Northern Albania/Macedonia bike ride was very challenging….steep climbs, thrilling descents, beautiful mountains/lakes. Our accommodations were quaint and comfortable. The food was healthy and oh so good! I was very impressed with organized structure of this trip. Our guide, Dimo, was the best! I made 13 new UK friends, and loved every minute riding, dining, drinking and laughing with all of them. Exodus will by my 1st choice for traveling every year.
A lovely Island
I went with four friends which made for good companionship and plenty of laughs, We made sure that we mixed with the group and made some good friends, and hopefully enhanced their enjoyment. We were lucky with the weather which threatened to have some storms but we seemed to have sunshine most of the time. I loved the morning coffee stops and the daily beach stops for a swim. Some of the rides were quite challenging and surprised the first timer in our group. The resulting downhill sections were fabulous. Most hotels had swimming pools which were very welcome at the end of the day.
Most Inspirational Moment
The long downhill rides after the steep climbs. The nice beaches and hotels with swimming pools. Having a beer with the group at the end of the ride. The final night as a group in Cagliari.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both the leaders. Simone and Giovani were excellent. Giovani was very knowledgeable about the island and its history, which he was keen to tell us about. He was quite strict but we soon warmed to him and brought out his softer side by using some banter.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The hills on day 2 and three are very challenging. I have done grade 3 climbs on previous Exodus trips and these were long and challenging. Knowing that the hills would be a challenge and no longer a spring chicken, I had an e bike. I have embraced e mountain biking at home on the South Downs and it is fabulous. Although the e bike I had wasn't an ideal design, it certainly helped and enhanced my enjoyment. My advice would be to have one if you have any doubt. Why suffer? the e bikers were able to chat on the hills and enjoy the scenery, whereas the normal bikers couldn't talk.
Island of wonders
This was an excellent trip! The walking was quite hard occasionally because of some rocky terrains but I am in my 60’s and not the fittest for my age ….so no problem!
The weather was very changeable- I believe more than usual- so waterproofs are a must in September. The sights we visited were stunning! Tiscali and the Stalactites were amazing.
Our guide Alexis was superb. He clearly takes his job very seriously and has a good knowledge of the region. He is also very sociable and humourous.
Like all holidays a lot depends on the group…this group were exceptionally nice.
I can really recommend this holiday if you want a good mix of interesting archeological sights and walking.
The food and wine was rather good too!
Most Inspirational Moment
Difficult to choose but either Tiscali or the cave with the stalactites etc. It was like walking into Gormenghast!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Already said....Outstanding!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Have good footwear suitable for a rocky terrain. Take walking poles.
Good challenging walks and excellent meals
We were lucky to have a week of sun, so had excellent views of Mont Blanc and the surrounding peaks and glaciers, everywhere we went. Walks were a good distance each day, with some challenging parts, but moderated by second-breakfast and first & second lunch stops… And our evening highlight was always dinner at Chalet Chocolat where Zohi and Ben served up beautifully presented, restaurant quality food every day.
Most Inspirational Moment
The views every day were superb, and so much more rewarding after a challenging climb to get to see them. Tandem-parasailing, on our day off, from the top of the first l'Aguille du Midi cable car was an unmissable experience too!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jenny planned and led the walks well - clearly has a lot of knowledge and experience in the mountains.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you're fit enough for hiking all day, day after day.
Being prepared
This trip was a real adventure. Mongolia is a stunning country and we saw breath-taking and different landscapes during our visit, as well as animals galore.
However, it’s billed as 2, a leisurely to moderate trip. This is true in the sense that there isn’t much walking involved. However, there is a very great deal of driving, most of it off-road, and some very long driving days. The off-road vehicles we travelled in were ok, but not that comfortable – this is Mongolia afterall! – and the sheer amount of driving took its toll. Although there was some downtime during the trip, it wasn’t till day 8 that we got a half-day to ourselves.
And don’t forget that Mongolia is 1300m above sea-level in the capital, and we went up to 2000m elsewhere, and the UK body takes a good time to adjust to that altitude.
Most Inspirational Moment
This trip was a real adventure. Mongolia is a stunning country and we saw breath-taking and different landscapes during our visit, as well as animals galore: herds of sheep and goats, herds of horses, camels and yaks and, a highlight for me, the Takhi horses. Other highlights were Karokorum and the Ger camp we stayed in there, where a local musical group came to perform for us specially. We also enjoyed the trips to the Singing Dunes just before the storm came in, the Flaming Cliffs and the trek into the Yolyn Am gorge. There had been a lot of rain and several cars got stuck on the approach, but our drivers were great. They got us through and also helped to pull others out. At one point, in the middle of the Gobi Desert in temperatures of 40 degrees, they replaced a broken driveshaft on our vehicle! Visiting the gorge is billed as a walk, but there are horses to hire there, which my partner and I chose to do. It made the trek really memorable.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Odka was very enthusiastic, knowledgeable and generally helpful. There was one issue which she was unable to help with and said I should contact Exodus. As we were without wifi or mobile phone signal, this wasn't possible at the time. However, once I was able to contact the office, the issue was sorted very promptly.
Advice for Potential Travellers
This trip is billed as 2, a leisurely to moderate trip. This is true in the sense that there isn't much walking involved. However, there is a very great deal of driving and some very long driving days off-road, so be aware of this, especially if you have a back problem, as did one member of our group. The off-road vehicles we travelled in were ok, but not that comfortable - this is Mongolia afterall! - and the sheer amount of driving took its toll physically. Although there was some downtime during the trip, it wasn't till day 8 that we got a half-day to ourselves, so I wouldn't say downtime balanced out the driving. And remember that Mongolia is 1300m above sea-level in the capital, and we went up to 2000m elsewhere. The UK body takes a good time to adjust to that altitude.
Lovely Hol
Second trip with Exodus. Lovely holiday cycling through Tuscany, finishing in Florence. Lots of clmb, but not too severe. Great weather, food & wine. Group were great fun. I’ll be back next year for another trip.
Most Inspirational Moment
Hard to say - perhaps the views to the next town, perhaps the food. Perhaps the towns themselves. Maybe an ice cream in Sienna. All were truly impressive.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent
Advice for Potential Travellers
Get reasonably fit, take plenty of sun tan lotion & insect spray.
A must do Cycling challenge
A great Cycling trip that had it all. Breathtaking mountain landscapes and coastal scenery with fabulous food and wines to be had. My group of 13 fit club cyclists found this a sometimes stengous tour in the 36 degrees heat in Mid September. There’s really no easy days in the saddle and almost everyday involves long climbs with equally long descents. The roads are very rough in places and you need to keep your wits about you for the cows, mules, dogs & goats that you meet on the narrow roads. Albania is a beautiful mountainous country that will take you back to times of old with its simple ways and graceful charm.
Most Inspirational Moment
My most inspirational moment was reaching the top of the climb of Liogare Pass on the final day. I arrived hot and sweaty into a sea of white clouds resting on the mountain top with a breathtaking views. With a great sense of achievement and comardardy our small group had made the entire Climb unassisted and relished the long descent to the coast.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our Group Leader Eilis was fantastic and made everything simple & easy for us. Nothing was too much trouble for him. He was very professional, kind and most attentive to us all and made Cycling Albania a once in a lifetime trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Do some hill climbing before you go otherwise you will spend a lot of time sitting in the support vehicle. I got a lot of bites so take insect repellent and apply everyday before you commence your ride. I wouldn’t advise using clip in shoes. The road surfaces are really rough and on a couple of occasions I had to stop quickly for traffic coming both ways on the narrow roads. As I had nowhere to go but on to the ditch I put my unclipped foot down to prevent a fall. I would highly recommend this challenging tour, you won’t be disappointed.
One of the best Exodus trips
Although the price is high, this is a great holiday and worth the cost. The only thing that could have been better was the weather, as we had two days of rain during the trek, but that made us appreciate all the other days of good weather more. The scenery was fantastic, the itinerary was perfect, and we were very well taken care of. We certainly left with a positive view of Bhutan.
Most Inspirational Moment
Really, the whole holiday was inspirational. Watching the sunrise during the trek was beautiful and we were glad the guides woke us up to see it. We also visited Punakha Valley even though we were supposed to miss it as we were going to a festival and we were very glad we got to go as it was great. All the dzongs were interesting and the buildings were photo-worthy everywhere we looked.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Norbu was very knowledgeable, attentive, and accommodating. He had clearly been a guide for a long time. Our other guide was also helpful and a very nice man, although his English and his knowledge were not quite as good.
Advice for Potential Travellers
It can be very cold on the trek, especially at night, and very hot in the valleys. You are also likely to get sunburnt on the trek, no matter how much sunscreen you apply. Pillows are provided on the trek. Take cash on the trek for the tips as this will be given to the camp crew at the end of the trek before you get to the hotel in Thimpu. The recommended tip in the trip notes didn't include the main guide on our trip. Take cash -- some people had trouble using cash machines. Leave some clean clothes in Paro before starting the trek. You will get them in Thimpu after the trek. You have free time in Kathmandu at the beginning and end of the trip -- there is nothing organised before dinner. It's not difficult to visit sites on your own but if you are a woman travelling on your own, try to go with someone else. Sole women often get harassed, probably not as badly as in some places, but enough to be a nuisance and, potentially, slightly menacing. People in our group experienced this. For myself, on one occasion I was walking behind my husband so it wasn't clear that we were together and I was followed by a man who wouldn't take no for an answer until my husband turned around and threatened him.
Great trip,guide and itinerary!
The tour was well planned, outstanding sights and great lead guide(Dana) and support staff(Peter & Lubo).The accommodations and meals were good.
Most Inspirational Moment
A tour or Sigmund Freud's home/office(Vienna) ,seeing the martyrs shoes along the Danube(Budapest) and the statute of Ronald Regan(Budapest).
Thoughts on Group Leader
Dana did a great job keeping us informed, leading the group, being concerned with the groups cycling safety and sharing her local knowledge.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Have fun!
'High Peaks' is rated highly by me.
Pretty much a faultless trip.
Most Inspirational Moment
Well the tomatoes were consistently wonderful. It was satisfying to be on the highest point in Bulgaria.
Thoughts on Group Leader
If all his tales and legends were true he is very learned. If they weren't he has a great imagination. Who knew the difference anyway? Vladimir can certainly crack on.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The description warns that the trails are rough - note that this is especially the case on the first couple of days. Also, remember, Vladimir really can crack on!