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!
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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.
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14244 Reviews
4.7 out of
5
Reviews
Jessica Millott
Reviewed June 2024
Amazing Trip!
The itinerary offers a wide experience of Portuguese history and culture as well as an education on the biodiversity and the landscapes of the Algarve. The hikes provided beautiful scenery and views that just kept getting better and better.
Our guides Francisco and Rafael were beyond helpful and happy to share their passion and knowledge everywhere we went. I would certainly recommend this trip to anyone who loves walking and being out in nature as well as eating delicious seafood and drinking local wines.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing a dolphin on the last day by the Cape and the Surf Lesson!
Thoughts on Group Leader
We had two group leaders (Francisco and Rafael) Both were very knowledgeable about all the areas we visited and very helpful with any questions we had. They also made sure to go the extra mile for us when it came to recommending different places to eat, providing towels for some of the hikes where we had to cross streams and ensuring we all experienced everything!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring longer hiking boots if you can or long socks as some of the walks can be quite sandy.
Robyn Turner
Reviewed June 2024
What a wonderful time with lovely people in a beautiful country
I did this trip in early June. Our route took us through a variety of gorgeous landscapes – cliffs overlooking the ocean, small towns with roosters crowing, a medieval town encircled by fortified walls, beach towns painted bright colors, pine forests, sand dunes, and marshes. I believe there’s no better way to appreciate that kind of scenery than by traveling on a bike.
We were a group of 16 guests – Americans, Britons, and Canadians – and three Portuguese guides. I traveled to Portugal alone and had a roommate assigned to me. She was lovely, and, really, all of us hit it off. I think this kind of trip attracts like-minded people, and the tour leader, Ruben, told us at our initial briefing in Porto that many of us would become friends. He was right.
The first night, Ruben led us on a walking tour to a port tasting. Afterwards, the group split in half and went to two different restaurants Ruben had recommended. After that, most of us had our dinners together till the end of the bike tour. The food was always great, thanks to Ruben’s recommendations. He always sent us to places with excellent hospitality.
All three of our guides were highly professional – well-prepared, helpful, supportive, friendly, accommodating, flexible, and organized. They kept us informed, entertained, hydrated, and roughly on-time. Every briefing was clear and succinct. We understood where we’d be riding the next day, what time we’d leave, and roughly what time we’d arrive at the next hotel. Ruben was a font of information about Portuguese history, culture, flora and fauna. He held forth on topics ranging from Portuguese royalty to the efforts of environmental activists following the devastating forest fires of 2017. Margarida was a strong cyclist and reliable sweeper, and clearly cared deeply that everyone had what they needed and enjoyed themselves. José drove the van with the bike trailer and reliably had our bags waiting for us in the lobby each time we arrived at a new destination. Every time we saw him he was smiling. They prepared healthy and delicious picnic lunches for us on a couple of occasions, and it was obvious they’d put a lot of thought into them.
Anytime there was a problem, such as a mechanical issue, our guides were equipped to handle it. One day, during a coffee break in Nazaré – we had a coffee break most mornings, which I loved – I watched Ruben fix the electrical connection on another guest’s e-bike after they had taken a small spill. I have a bad knee, so I requested an e-bike from the start. A few others decided along the way to switch to one. When we started in Porto, there were four e-bikes out of 16. By the time we got to Óbidos, I think there were 10 e-bikes. Portugal A2Z, which is contracted by Exodus to run this tour, has its headquarters along the tour route, so I guess that made it easy enough for our guides to switch out the bikes overnight on request.
Overall, this tour was everything I expected after reading the itinerary, trip notes, and reviews on the Exodus website. I found the price reasonable, the guides excellent, the scenery stunning, and the hotels clean and comfortable. I will always remember how much fun I had on this trip and the great people I met. I definitely plan to book with Exodus in the future.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Top notch - knowledgeable, friendly, organized, versatile.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Exodus gives this trip an activity rating of 2 on its website. That was probably accurate for me, and I thought the pace was good with an e-bike. But I do think I would rate the activity level a bit higher than that for anyone using a standard bike, based on comments I heard from some of the other riders. Everyone on this trip was in pretty good shape, but the Porto-to-Óbidos bike route can be quite hilly at times, and we rode as much as 40 miles some days. Whether you choose an electric or standard bike, definitely get some long rides in before you do this trip. Some of my fellow riders complained of saddle soreness, but I was fine.
Deborah Thomp
Reviewed June 2024
Yellowstone
What a fantastic trip! It exceeded my expectations, beautiful dramatic landscapes and abundant wildlife.
Most Inspirational Moment
Grizzly bears with cubs, herds of bison, Grand Prismatic spring, beautiful scenery….. too many to mention!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Mike was a fantastic leader. He is extremely knowledgeable, friendly and professional. Nothing was too much trouble.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for all weathers, don’t forget mosquito repellent .
Graeme Allan
Reviewed June 2024
Excellent holiday
A really well balanced week of walking with some challenging and tricky walks but always rewarded with stunning views. Our guide ensured we enjoyed the best weather for our walks by being flexible with the schedule. First class hosts and guide which made the holiday such a memorable experience, together with great accommodation and a lovely group of people to share the holiday with.
Most Inspirational Moment
To climb above the clouds and experience the spectacular views
Thoughts on Group Leader
Adrian was outstanding. Knowledgeable, humerous, attentive, adaptable and aware of the various abilities of the group. Together either chalet hosts, Thomas and Sol who provided wonderful food and hospitality.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The walks were challenging and tricky in places and reasonable level of fitness required.
Maria Ilma Saavedra
Reviewed June 2024
Unforgettable time!
I enjoyed the experience with wonderful scenery, and relaxing walks around glorious fields, and vineyards. The hotels are also comfortable with good views of lakes and nature. Good food and delicious wines and very kind staff.
The group was also very nice, we shared and laughed all the time.
Most Inspirational Moment
I enjoyed every second, of the fresh, healthy, and renewing environment.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Luis Coelho and Teresa, our trip guides, were very kind, they always made sure that we were all well. Good teamwork.
Advice for Potential Travellers
It was my first experience with Exodus and I highly recommend it.
Terry Russell
Reviewed June 2024
Unbelievable experience - challenging and awe inspiring
This is an incredible trek full of history and great food. It is also very challenging physically with long days up and down mountains.
Most Inspirational Moment
Too many to pick one
Thoughts on Group Leader
Edwind was simply the best - full of knowledge of the Inca and pre Ince history and the local flora & fauna. He was attentive, caring and full of fun at all times.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for a physical challenge. We were woken every day at 4.30am (other than our day at Choquequirao) and walked for 10 - 11 hours.
Also be prepared to be incredibly well fed - the quality & quantity of food is remarkable.
Ian Gunn
Reviewed June 2024
Rainforest extension
After a great trek this was disappointing. The guide (Raoul) gave the impression of just going through the motions really.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Poor
Reply from Exodus
Thank you for taking the time to review your trip, Ian; we’re delighted to hear that your time in the Amazon rainforest followed a great trek with us in Peru, but are so sorry to read that the extension itself didn’t live up to your expectations.
This extension is led by local guides employed by the Amazon Lodge our clients stay at, and we’re extremely sorry that you weren’t impressed with your guide, Raoul. We generally get very good feedback about the Amazon Rainforest Extension and are confident that the local guides who lead our clients are enthusiastic experts, but we regret that on this occasion Raoul didn’t make a positive impact on your trip. This is the first time we have been made aware that a guide hasn’t lived up to our clients’ expectations and should we receive similar feedback, we will alert the lodge involved.
We hope that, despite this, you have some fond memories of your time exploring the Amazon.
– The Exodus Product Team
Ian Gunn
Reviewed June 2024
Lost city of Choquequirao
Very enjoyable, but tough trek. The guide (Edwind) was excellent (no wonder we was voted Exodus’s best guide last year. He has a great sense of humour, and was so knowledgeable, not just on the Inca’s and their sites, but on the wildlife, plants, trees, the stars and made the whole trek so interesting. The support team of Romulo, Anibal and Roberto were also always helpful and cheerful. The meals the chef Alejandro produced (sometimes from a tent in the middle of nowhere) where amazing.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent
Graham Pither
Reviewed June 2024
Excellent Namibia camping tour
My trip to Namibia on the camping tour was excellent. Good pre-tour communication and friendly staff when I called. The trip ran according to the itinerary which covered all of the main areas of the country at a comfortable pace. The guide was knowledgeable, great at spotting wildlife, organised and friendly. The tents were good, the sand dunes high and the wildlife fantastic.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were many. Seeing the high sand dunes and Deadvlei, the 2000-9000 year old rock art and the large number of animals in Etosha. We spent over half an hour watching a leopard in a tree next to the road, and saw 3 lions close to our vehicle on the night safari that started to roar to each other before one set off to hunt. I also saw a herd of elephants run to a waterhole whilst trumpeting with a number of young in their number and then watched their interactions as they drank and applied "dusty sun protection" for over an hour. It was also wonderful to see so many animals with young - rhino, zebra, giraffes, springbok etc.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader was excellent, friendly and knowledgeable. He was well organised and ensured that the trip ran efficiently.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I went in June and had sunny weather every day with a dry heat so with a hat and sunscreen it was comfortable. It did get cold some nights and so its worth taking a decent sleeping bag. We all purchased blankets in Windhoek, which ensured that we slept well on a couple of the colder nights and then donated these at the end of the trip. There are some long drives on bumpy roads that can't be avoided, but there was usually something of interest to see out of the window and we did make a number of stops.
Emma Ann Bentley
Reviewed June 2024
Amazing trip
We had an amazing experience cycling the length of the beautifully diverse Vietnam, Saigon to Hanoi.
A variety of cycling the developing costal roads, the Bussling kaotic city streets, through the tropical undulating national Park, rice paddy farmlands and fishing villages a truely memorable time.
Most Inspirational Moment
Vibrant, picturesque Hoi An, Magical Emerald Halong Bay, great tasting cuisine and the kind, smiling, friendly locals, proud to share their country.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Chi was a professional, friendly, experienced guide, who ensured a smooth transition through our daily itenary. He provided confidence and comfort throughout the tour. Sharing, cultural and historical information relevant to the locations, cycling at a respectful pace, with plenty of refreshment stops, to ensure are safety in the sizzling heat.
The support team Ey, Truong and Nhan, were attentive and went above and beyond taking the best care of the group from the bike support, driving, baggage handling, hydration/refreshment supplies, always with a smile and warm friendly attitude, which definitely inspired us to enjoy and embrace the experience and memories of Vietnam.
