Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many ... but seeing Macchu Picchu bathed in golden sunlight from the Sun Gate brought a tear to my eyes... as did a cloud of pretty yellow and orange butterflies dispersing over the water as our canoe gently approached...one of nature's magic spectacle in the Amazon region of Peru.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide, Holger was very experienced, caring, knowledgeable, organised, calm and enthusiastic. We appreciated his great experience of the Inca Trail. He was excellent at flagging areas of difficulty such as steeper sections, pointing out flora (orchids) and fauna along the way. Highlighting good vantage points to take photos, explaining the history and archaeological heritage of the sites, whilst making sure we were all fine along the way. One of the best guides we have had on a mountain trek with Exodus.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many ... but seeing Macchu Picchu bathed in golden sunlight from the Sun Gate brought a tear to my eyes... as did a cloud of pretty yellow and orange butterflies dispersing over the water as our canoe gently approached...one of nature's magic spectacle in the Amazon region of Peru.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide, Holger was very experienced, caring, knowledgeable, organised, calm and enthusiastic. We appreciated his great experience of the Inca Trail. He was excellent at flagging areas of difficulty such as steeper sections, pointing out flora (orchids) and fauna along the way. Highlighting good vantage points to take photos, explaining the history and archaeological heritage of the sites, whilst making sure we were all fine along the way. One of the best guides we have had on a mountain trek with Exodus.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were a lot of them: Halong Bay was very beautiful, though very busy and in danger of overcrowding unless numbers are restricted. Our private boat was a welcome refuge from the crowds. Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum was very interesting. The homestay in the Mekong was lovely - many of our group would have preferred to spend an extra night there, perhaps reducing the time at Hoi An?

Thoughts on Group Leader

Bao was excellent and really helped us share his love of his country. He was great at finding interesting and unusual places for us to eat, even in locations where most of the other restaurants were offering identikit tourist-orientated menus. Bao managed very well the balance between organising us and our activities and giving us plenty of free time to do our own things.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't take too many warm clothes - you'll only need them in Hanoi, if at all. Do take lightweight clothes that are easily laundered - wherever we went, Bao could arrange laundry services that were efficient, fast and extremely cheap by UK standards. Do take lightweight rain protection i.e. a lightweight folding umbrella and/or cheap plastic waterproof with a hood. Don't bother with 'technical' rain protection Do take anti-mosquito protection. We used Incognito and found it very effective. I quite enjoyed the overnight train journey and slept well - it's certainly not luxurious but it was clean and moderately comfortable, though earplugs and an eye mask are a good idea.

Most Inspirational Moment

The day I completed the 95 KM day. I have some physical deterrents so I was super excited that in spite of them, I was able to do it. Also, the descent from the two passes. Wow, what a ride! Also, the almost comical riding in the torrential rains with a smile on our faces. The continual "Hello" from the children. We, being from the US did not know how we would be received and the positive attitude and embracing by the Vietnamese was a lesson as well as a humbling experience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Lam, our leader---oh my gosh! Excellent. Like I mentioned, I have been on several guided trips and Lam was one of the best I have experienced. Lam was accompanied by 3 others--Tang, Long, and Y. They anticipated what we would need before we even knew we needed things. They worked so well together. What a team.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The weather can be extremely hot as well as humid. I don't think, unless you live in similar weather systems, that you can fully prepare for that. Train and do what you can to prepare but even if you cannot do the hills and passes, you can still be a part of the adventure. If having to ride in the bus once or twice gets you to experience this adventure, then "just do it". As I get older, I realize that I do not have to be first but to be part of it is so fulfilling.

Most Inspirational Moment

Although the spring festival in the Dzong in Paro was amazing, it's the unexpected things of most trips which last in my memory. For my trip in Bhutan, this was the welcome we got from the monks in the monastery on the last day of our trek as we headed down the valley towards Thimphu.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide Norbu and his team looked after us very well. I hope to go back one day and see more of this lovely country. Norbu informed me that Exodus is thinking about opening a new trek in the high Himalayas in the north-west of the country. I couldn't see this trip as an option in 2018 - but will keep a look out for it.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bhutan had been on my bucket list for quite a few years and I was not disappointed. While the cost of the trip is prohibitive, the tourist tax means that there are still relatively few tourists in Bhutan, meaning it's unspoilt. Furthermore, you really don't need much spending money as the tourist tax covers pretty much everything from the accommodation and transport to meals. The only money you'll need is for drinks and souvenirs. This makes the price of the trip more bearable in the overall scheme of things.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many, although we particularly enjoyed the night walks that were available at the lodges. The forests come alive at night and provide opportunities to see wildlife that doesn't normally appear during the day.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent - Antonio was a superb ambassador for Costa Rica. He organised additional walks to ensure the team got the most out of their visit. He is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of Costa Rica, and is particularly good at identifying the many different birds we saw and heard on our travels. Mention should also be made of our driver, Alex. Despite limited English he was always friendly & enthusiastic, kept the coach spotless both inside and out, and must know the width of the coach to the nearest millimetre!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take a universal sink plug - few hotels and lodges have them. Ponchos (and perhaps over-trousers) are more flexible than a conventional cagoule as it covers cameras & rucksack also. For people enthusiastic about photography, take a flash (if not fitted on camera) and a tripod. There is little light under the canopy even at midday and so shutter speeds are slow. For taking photos of specific species (e.g. amphibians) you may find that use of flash is not permitted (sometimes for all species on night walks) and so a tripod is the only way to get good photos. Make sure you protect your camera from moisture ingress. Rain is exceptional at times and a couple of our party had camera damage as a result.

Most Inspirational Moment

Snorkelling with manta rays over the reef early one morning. The crew worked really hard to get us in the right spot and I got some lovely photos

Thoughts on Group Leader

Kamey worked really hard to get us the best snorkelling despite the adverse weather conditions, and was very knowledgeable and helpful

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would hesitate to recommend this trip to anyone who wants a whale shark encounter, and come away feeling that the dignity and well-being of the creatures has been respected.

Most Inspirational Moment

Wildlife viewing by boat in Tortuguero Zip lining in Monteverde

Thoughts on Group Leader

Antonio was extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic and organised. He provided an amazing amount of information about the flora and fauna of Costa Rica and his love of the country really shone through. He went above and beyond the call of duty by accompanying us on walks during free time and by always being on hand to answer questions. Antonio's english was exceptional.

Advice for Potential Travellers

When it rains it really rains so take a poncho - that way it covers you and your rucksack. It is difficult to dry things out once they get wet so consider taking some 'proper' trekking clothes that are quick dry material.

Most Inspirational Moment

So many: Riding through Mysore in the rush hour - at the same time both exhilarating and bowel loosening. The ride up to Ooty even though we went through rain and mist and didn't see a thing. The ride the next day down through tea plantations and rain forest Walking round Guruvayoor at night during a Hindu festival and realizing we were the only foreigners. The welcome we received from Muslims on the day they celebrated the birth of the Prophet - sweets,food,ice cream,smiles. Sighting a tiger at Bandipur. The food - piled on weight.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Safi was a star.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You do need to be confident of cycling in traffic. The route takes you through some busy towns/cities and along some highways. Indians allegedly drive on the left but the evidence for this is weak. Motor cycles seem to routinely travel on the hard shoulder in the wrong direction and tuk tuks and mopeds just do their own thing. Cars and lorries don't so much overtake each other as play chicken. The cycling is pretty easy - once you get to Kerala there is a near total absence of hills. The ride up to Ooty is an aberration - similar to but harder than Alpe d'Huez. The altitude of Ooty is over 7000 feet and we were very cold at the top because of the rain ( we were there at the time of a cyclone which caused flooding and loss of life in southern Kerala). Suggest you take full wet weather gear. Take hand gel and if you you expect a high level of toilet cleanliness then this is not the trip for you.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were far too many high points to pick out a single moment. Reaching a Tibetan style village for tea and for the first time, seeing the whole of Manaslu and neighbouring peaks before us. Rapidly escaping the chaotic urgency of a yak on a mission and then, from the safety of a wall, watching it break into a stone courtyard to raid the meal of other young life stock. Fleeing for a second time, as the yak was rudely evicted. Witnessing an elderly woman carefully light and attend to butter lamps in gloom of a monastery. Watching shooting stars from the lofty perch of the camp site at Dharamsala. Getting up at 3am for the climb over Larkya La. Stumbling along into freezing driving sleet, head torch carefully trained on the ankles of the the trekker in front of me, aware of the silent brooding peaks unseen in the darkness. The windy euphoria of reaching the long awaited summit prayer flags and the sublime views looking across and down. The glorious walk to the beautiful glacial Pongkar Lake. The unparalleled views walking down the valley to Burdin Khola.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Unlike others in the group, I had never been on a trek with Valerie Parkinson but found her to be extremely knowledgeable and very passionate about all things Nepali. As noted elsewhere, Valerie was the first British woman to climb Manaslu and has also reached the south summit of Everest. She was encouraged to talk about her experiences over a mug of tea post dinner one evening. This too, was a highlight.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do buy a Steripen. I too was sceptical and drank my first two litres of Steripened water with some trepidation but I survived. Don't eat the spaghetti in tomato (?) sauce at the lodge in Samdo. I did and for some days rather wished I hadn't.