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I thought the trip was very well organised and our guide Ruwan was excellent
Seeing a leopard in the wild . I also enjoyed The 3 visits to the houses of local people and having the privilege of them cooking a meal for us.
Excellent could not have been better. He was kind thoughtful and very capable with a very good knowledge of local history.
Don’t expect a relaxing holiday there is a lot of travelling on this trip and some early morning starts
A great weeks walking in a surprisingly unknown area, with stunning views. The walks for the week were over very varied terrain and we were led by the local guide José who was excellent and very knowledgeable of the area. His local experience was also valuable in adjusting the schedule for the week to account for the weather. This ensured we were able to cover the most scenic or challenging days in the best conditions.
The transfers were very short and several walks were direct from or back to the hotel.
This is graded as Moderately/challenging as there are long ascents and descents over sometimes challenging terrain. We agree with this grading.
We thoroughly enjoyed the week.
The small local hotel was really friendly and comfortable with good food and wine.
All the walks were good. Perhaps the ascent to Puig Campana at 1410m.
José was very good and had worked hard to provide great walking for the week over varied terrain. He also provided support and information in providing extra activities for the rest day.
Read the trip notes. Boots with good tread and walking poles are advised. Unusually we needed blister plasters, so these might be worthwhile packing.
Not in my list of top twenty Exodus trips
I'm tempted to say "getting home", but I did enjoy seeing Angkor Wat. We went to a couple of excellent restaurants recommended by the guides. Hoi An has its charms. I enjoyed the floating markets in HCMC but we had only about half an hour so it was a bit rushed.
Fair in Vietnam - not overly interesting and his English was at times difficult to understand but he worked hard to keep us on track with the itinerary. Very professional and a nice guy. In Angkor Wat - excellent guide with superb English who surprised us with his excellent knowledge and vocabulary (he got me with "cantilever"). Only with him for two days.
You are based in cities in Vietnam. It's hard to walk anywhere - mopeds use the pavements as parking bays and whenever there is some space, the mopeds drive on it. You need nerves of steel to cross the road. HCMC felt more spacious but it's a huge city with sky scrapers. You have very little exposure to the countryside (though some people in the group did an optional morning cycle ride into countryside and raved about the experience). There's no wildlife to speak of, even in Hoi An when we stayed by the river, in the Mekong Delta and during the trip to Halong Bay. Pollution is a huge problem in the parts of Vietnam we visited. Air quality is very poor and many locals wear masks. It was hard to take a decent photograph of any water due to the large numbers of plastic bags and bottles floating on the surface. Hotels were in the main the kind you would use on a business trip. I drew the short straw in most hotels though some other members of the group were lucky in getting rooms overlooking pleasing sights. In HCMC, we were surrounded by noisy construction sites which kept some group members awake at night and there were numerous massage parlours in the same street as our hotel, with scantily clad employees seated outside. One of our group said, "Miss Saigon is not a musical but an essential piece of travel advice" - and it's not far off the mark. Overall, I didn't find this a Premium experience. The trip is scant on content and whenever you do get to a sight, I felt we had very little time to explore properly. Angkor Wat is worth seeing however and the overgrown temples are beautiful - but be prepared for crowds.
We would like to thank Cheryl for her feedback, although we regret that she did not enjoy her time in Vietnam. We appreciate that Vietnam is an increasingly popular tourist destination; as part of our Responsible Travel Policy our local operator strives to ensure that our groups minimize their impact on the communities they visit and that we do not add to the plastic waste issues facing South East Asia. We also feel it is worth mentioning that out of 48 reviews on our website, clients have given this tour an average of 4.5 stars out of a possible 5 (on the date of publishing) and we feel this is reassuring, however we are genuinely sorry that Cheryl’s experience was not so positive.
Kelly Reid – Product Manager for Vietnam and Cambodia
This was our second visit to Hemis NP in search of the snow leopard. Our visit in 2011 produced one very brief sighting. On this return visit we were amply rewarded with several lengthy sightings on four of the six days we were there, giving us the chance to view them stalking prey (blue sheep), resting and ridge-walking. Much of our success was due to the incredible skill and dedication of our Ladakhi spotters. We cannot thank them enough.
We were also priveleged to have good sightings of a pair of wolves, a herd of urials, picas, woolly hares and several large birds of prey including two Eagle Owls roosting and flying at dusk.
Apart from wildlife watching, there were very good cultural experiences too – visiting monasteries, attending a Buddhist masked dance festival at Matho Monastery and a welcoming homestay in the traditional Ladakhi village of Rumbak.
Seeing one of the leopards, after resting, stand up then roll around on the ground with paws in the air! We were told this helps camouflage its coat and hide its scent from its prey.
As we have said many times, Valerie Parkinson is second to none in all respects!
If you have visited the Himalaya during the summer months, we would highly recommend the contrasting experience of winter in Ladakh. There are very few other tourists, the scenery is different but more spectacular for its frozen rivers and snow-covered slopes. Yes, it can be very cold, but it can also be very bright and sunny, so, as long as you have the appropriate kit, there should be no problem. And don't take too many changes of clothes! Do as the local Ladakhis do in winter.....
If there were a category between Fair and Good I would have ticked that one. I was on the same trip as Steve Winfield and concur with pretty much everything he said. Apart from the guide (ssee below) another disappointing matter for a trip called Premium was the variability of the accommodation. From a delightful (but cold) riad in Meknes and a lovely one in Essaouira to a rather sterile (and cold) hotel in Fez and a really miserable and dirty one in Marrakech. The latter was probably the biggest disappointment as I had hoped to stay, at the end of the trip and the hundreds of miles covered, in one of the many lovely riads in the city or at least a hotel that justified the Premium label. We ended up in this ghastly hotel , on a busy noisy road (my room was right on it), a lousy breakfast and unhelpful and rude staff (who denied that the wifi didnt work in some of the rooms when some of us were clearly experiencing the opposite).
I am sounding negative because I had hoped better of Exodus but I would not recommend this holiday as it was delivered to us.
Riding the camel through the desert ...the beautiful Secret Garden... the wonderful guide at Todra
It is extremely telling that the review of the same trip taken in November is much more positive than our experience and that their guide was described as excellent and fun. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for ours and this set the tone of things. I think we all had a good time but this was despite him. He was very efficient on the organizational side so we could travel with no worries about luggage etc but he gave the minimum of information and the kind of cultural and historical background that most travellers seek when visiting a country as rich and varied as Morocco and rarely interacted with us at mealtimes. The information he did give was, as Steve indicates, invariably incorrect as regards timings, temperatures and what to expect on a day by day basis. Briefings were ad hoc - no regular times and opportunities missed to impart details in the coach with a microphone to hand. His English was competent but halting and this was in total contrast to the excellent local guides who were engaging and amusing and interesting. Our young guide in the Todra Gorge, for example, spoke excellent and highly adaptable English learnt from subtitles on TV ! Minimum education but a great love for his area and a desire to impart everything he knew. T
If you dont like to be cold dont go to Morocco before mid March. This is a fascinating country that pays your attention and the local people , particularly in the country and desert are delightful. Find out who your group leader will be and where you will be staying. However, Exodus was not at all forthcoming with the latter information. Oh.. and avoid the hammam in the mountains..... a few of us women had a less than enjoyable experience. Give the money to support the villagers some other way.
We were very sorry to hear that Teresa was disappointed with aspects of her tour’s leadership and that this impacted on her enjoyment of the holiday. Rabiaa has been working as a tour leader for 6 years in Morocco and we have received positive feedback about him from his previous Exodus trip. Teresa and Steve’s comments have been shared with Rabiaa and we have asked the local manager to discuss with him how he can continue to improve his local knowledge and language skills for future trips.
Tom Harari – Product Manager
This was a most fabulous trip – a fantastic mix of cycling and sampling local culture. We had a really good guide Shibu and his team. We loved Kerala and the mix of experiences on this trip. We liked the level which was leisurely /moderate – ideal in such a hot country we wish there were more trips available at this level. We loved the food and have had withdrawal cravings on return to the UK from such delicious fare! We had a great group of people on this tour they also helped to make it a brilliant experience.
There were many lovely moments. Cycling through the beautiful countryside with periods of cycling along the coast. Enough time to enjoy the scenery. Music which we could hear as we went past churches and temples. It seemed mystical. Sunrise on the backwaters. Cookery lesson at the home stay. Our guide always finding us a table in the evening with the best views!
Gorgeous person. He helped to resolve a dental emergency in a calm and efficient manner. Always supportive - we felt very safe under his guidance. Loved the dancing he arranged for us on the boat in the backwaters! He had a great team too who looked out for us in the areas with more traffic.
Definitely need good insect repellent - two of our group got caught out on the first day and their bites were a nuisance. We were very conservative in our dress and perhaps strappy tops and shorts would have been OK in most though perhaps not all places, as was cycling in Lycra. I found my baggy shorts a bit hot for cycling in this setting. We spent very little money during the trip - thanks to the wisdom of our guide. We added on to our trip - staying at the final hotel for extra days - that was also very enjoyable. Wine is quite expensive in Kerala - would be worth choosing another drink. You can always get on the bus if you are having a bad day!
This is an epic journey through Mexico to see the ancient sites and to get a flavour of the country, its beautiful colours, its friendly people and its delicious food. Although we spent a lot of time on the road between locations (and some were very windy through the Sierra Madre mountains) we always made stops along the way to visit places of interest, have lunch and plenty of stops for the banjos!
Frida Kahlo's house was somewhere I had looked forward to visiting, and it didn't disappoint. I also loved all the ancient sites, but Palenque was my favourite, due to its setting. Our cooking class in Oaxaca was excellent, ending in a 6 course lunch of all the food we had chosen and helped to prepare. The optional boat trip in the Sumidero Canyon is a must - we had gone early and that meant we were virtually on our own for the outward journey and for stopping to look at the wildlife. Some of the hotels we stayed in were exceptional but sadly at those for only one night. Likewise the restaurants our guide took us to were excellent. The final treat of my holiday was a swim at the cenote (sink hole) on the last morning. Was extremely refreshing on a very hot day and I would definitely recommend it.
Arturo was a fantastic tour guide. Nothing was too much trouble for him, and he looked after us so well and thought of absolutely everything and always had with him anything we might need, from extra water, to suncream, to anti-mosquito repellent to travel sickness pills ahead of what he knew would be a very windy route, for which I was most grateful! He was extremely knowledgeable about the history of everywhere we went; he would always dine with us (apart from a well-deserved couple of nights off) and he was very outgoing and had a great sense of humour.
Just be prepared for long journeys and for it being chilly some mornings in the high locations before the sun comes up. Take most or all of your money in Mexican pesos. I had too many dollars and was having to change them, which was sometimes a very lengthy process. Some of the smarter restaurants/hotels did accept credit cards.
This was a well choreographed exploration of Costa Rica, with an emphasis on exploring biodiversity and ecology thematically. The choice of hotels/lodges is excellent – you stay 2 nights everywhere which gives opportunity to explore without feeling too rushed. The trip is graded “leisurely” but in fact we seemed to be active throughout, so good basic fitness is important to get the most from the trip.
There were 16 people in our group, and whilst we greatly enjoyed the company, it felt a big group to take for nature walks – usually most of the wildlife had scarpered by the time we arrived as 16 people stomping along a trail are not exactly quiet!).
After a 5.30am start on our mission to find the rare Resplendent Quetzal, and after numerous false alarms, imagine the elation when suddenly, a lovely specimen landed in a tree barely 20 feet from me. David Attenborough - here we come!!! More seriously, I'd also say that taken as a whole, this trip is a remarkable experience in ecology and bio-diversity, which is so vitally important to appreciate in todays world.
Pedro was a bit of a curate's egg - good in parts. Great at keeping us safe and outstanding in the natural environment - this man can spot a sloth in a tree a mile away and had outstanding insights into the natural world and the conflict with development. And our sincere thanks for all that. But we'd rate him as not very good on the organisational front; sometimes we felt we were on a school trip with an irritable teacher. It didn't matter very much, but we'd encourage Pedro to engage more with his groups in future (and, eg, to attend the final group dinner and ensure that the trip ends on a real high...).
This is a photographer's paradise - but it is still challenging to take good pictures. You need a decent camera with a powerful zoom. Good binoculars are very useful. The climate can be surprising variable - bring rainwear and also a warm jacket for higher altitudes/early morning walks. Otherwise, dress code is casual throughout. We booked the direct BA flights which gave us a day or so either end of the trip, and we'd recommend this. Firstly, it gives time to recover from the long flight before the trip begins. Second, San Jose is more interesting than it seems at first glance. There are three excellent museums (National, Gold and Jade) and also an historic theatre; plus a small zoo. Everything is within easy walking distance, and we found San Jose to be safe and friendly. Try Pops ice cream - delicious!!
An excellent experience. We saw so many Mayan sites, and learned a lot about Mexico’s history in general.
The experience of seeing some of the ancient sites, even from as far back as 200-500 years BC. I thoroughly enjoyed roaming around, and climbing up these pyramids.
Arturo was a very good leader. He knew so much about his local history, and passed on his knowledge with humour and a great sense of pride.
Be prepared for mosquitoes. Although it wasn't Malaria season, I still got bitten. Take a good repellent with you.
We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this trip. It was very varied in experiences from Buddhist temples to a taste of the local culture and life of the villagers. The contrast of the busy noisy towns to the tea plantations , national parks & forest areas. The whole experience was made extra special and interesting by our excellent guide’ Bob'( his Sri Lankan name is impossible to pronounce), who explained clearly the history, culture & life of Sri Lanka, illustrated by his own personal stories. Hotels were of a good standard and the food & service were on the whole good. The train ride was an experience, expect to stand for 2 hours, though some local women made a small seating space for me and I enjoyed hearing their life stories and they generously wanted to share their snacks with me! Yala national park was very good and we did see a leopard however, the game drive in Kaudulla National park was too crowded with other viewers.
Seeing a Leopard in Yala National Park, Seeing blue wales, the white water rafting, and visits to local villages where we were served local food and drank from freshly cut coconuts. As well as the Buddhist Temple of the tooth.
Excellent, the best we have had yet, so informative without being over powering, always smiling and his own personal stories brought to life the history, religion and culture of the Island. I would live to go on another trip led by him.
Make sure that you have a light fleece for the hills of Nuwara Ella. Have plenty of sun cream & after sun for the coast. Be ready for sudden downpours. Trust your leader he knows the best time to arrive at attractions which might mean an early start! Just enjoy all the different experiences