Most Inspirational Moment
Cycling through the villages around Peipsie lake
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring your swimming costume.
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:
Reviews
Lovely Baltics
Our trip was full of surprises, it was warm and sunny, the Baltic sea wasn’t freezing, there were flowers everywhere, the food was great for a vegetarian and it’s not boring cycling through a forest.
Andrius was a great guide and storyteller, lots of jokes, folk tales, history and local information. We ate as many local specialities in unique locations as he could track down. On our one wet day he came up with a brilliant alternative of cycling round Kaunos instead which was lovely. A great holiday.
Wonderful Trip
We enjoyed ten days of fun, sightseeing, riding and good food. The countryside we rode through was picturesque and always interesting. The villages, towns and cities all had their own unique charm. Our accommodation was very comfortable and our group were all friendly and good to ride with.
Most Inspirational Moment
Riding in Lahemaa National Park and along the Curonian Spit.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader, Andrius, was very informative and explained the history and culture of the Baltic countries with candour and humour. He was very well organised so it all ran without a hitch and the pleasant extras were very enjoyable.
Very informative
Andrius was an excellent guide through the three Baltic countries. Th cycling was not too challenging but at times rather monotonous as we cycled in forests or along roads with little changing scenery.
Most Inspirational Moment
Eating smoked fish outside the fisherman's house, the delicious salmon lunch, gazing out over the Baltic. Understanding a little more about life in Soviet times.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Andrius was witty, sardonic, extremely knowledgeable and completely made the trip for us.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Relax, enjoy your fellow cyclists (we had a great bunch!)and if Andrius has any little suggestions follow his advice!
Great experience and would definately use exodus again
A brilliant trip all round. The cycling was very moderate on good comfy hybrid bikes through a variety of landscapes. The cities in the countries were interesting and vibrant. The group were a fantastic bunch of people and our guide was superb. Very informative , humorous , inclusive and clever with his little extras.
Most Inspirational Moment
There isn’t one but a few. The smoked fish dinner outside at the fisherman’s house. The delicious salmon dinner in the museum. The ritual at the border signs and the hill of crosses.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader was fantastic on all levels. He had a very professional manner . He included everyone in the group well , had a good sense of humour and was very knowledgable about all the aspects of the trip eg history, restaurants , distances . He used his common sense well to ensure the days plans worked for all.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be open minded and relax .
Cycling The Baltics
The trip was a leisurely cycle and very much as described but further enhanced by the sites of interest we visited. The food was great and Andrius took us to a variety of restaurants, all reasonably priced – eating in the fisherman’s garden and the folk evening were highlights. This was our first trip with Exodus, we thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend.
Most Inspirational Moment
The fish lunch in the museum, food was delicious, the museum was really interesting and in a picturesque location.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Andrius was an amazing ( and very witty) group leader, his flexibility in adapting the trip programme to the interests of the group was a huge plus. His knowledge of the area is vast and the insight he provided in to history of The Baltic States complemented the cycling - he was the icing on the cake! Thank you.
Great cycle of the Baltics
A great, relaxing cycle tour of the 3 Baltic countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The cycling is gentle with few hills to worry about. The accommodation was great particularly the distillery hotel. The bikes were great, robust and panniers provided. The tour leader, Android, was fantastic and very knowledgeable about the history and cities we visited. He arranged some great lunch and dinner stops where he ensured all distant requirements were met. I would recommend this tour to anyone wanting to try out a cycle tour.
Most Inspirational Moment
The 2 fish lunches were fantastic - The smoked fish lunch in the museum was great from a food and location perspective. The smoked fish lunch in the fisherman’s garden a fish tasting delight. The trip to Cross Hill and the soviet Rocket launch sites memorable
Thoughts on Group Leader
Andrius was fantastic. He knew the cycling areas well and excellent eateries. He provided detailed historical context which was really interesting. He was thoughtful to everyone’s needs and we all loved his arrangements for toasting each country as we departed each one
The Baltics
If you are after some easy cycling in three very interesting countries, this is the trip for you. It is a good mix of each country’s scenery, rich history and lovely capital cities. The cycling is relatively easy with most days cycling on flat, quiet roads and bike paths. There are a couple of undulating hills here and there but nothing too taxing so this trip is well within the capabilities of a new cyclist or someone wanting a relaxed trip. Each day is well paced with plenty of rest stops. The bikes were solid and comfortable and we were provided with pannier bags for carrying essentials.
Most Inspirational Moment
Getting to experience the history of the three countries was really the highlight for me. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been through a lot in the past centuries and you get to see and hear about all the invasions, rulers and quirky beliefs in each country. In Lithuania we got to visit the Hill of Crosses (Christian protests) and the Hill of Witches (pagan legends) which were both interesting in different ways. My favourite country was Estonia and the couple of days cycling in Lahemaa National Park were brilliant. It was also enjoyable seeing the capital cities. Fairy tale Tallinn (get up early and go for a wander before the crowds appear), Riga is good for souvenir shopping in the little cobbled streets and squares and Vilnius has plenty of churches to see. I even found a beer and music festival in Klaipeda. I really enjoyed wandering the old town in Riga during and after a rain storm which drove most people indoors. Perfect for some moody, uncrowded photos.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Lukas was a great guide with infinite patience and a good sense of humour. His knowledge of the local history is endless! He was able to recommend some great restaurants along the way and my favourite meal was a home-smoked salmon lunch that he arranged for us on one of the days in Lahemaa NP. He gave clear instructions each day and was quick with his antiseptic spray on the odd scratch and bump that happened! I have to give a special mention to our Ukrainian driver Anatoli as well who was a very competent chap! He was able to pack the truck each day with precision, got the bikes sorted for us in record time and was an excellent driver. He didnt speak much English but I think it understood more than he let on!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure to add a day or two pre and post tour. There is plenty to see in both Tallinn and Vilnius so well worth extending if you have the time. Be prepared for all sorts of weather. I was there in early July and we got rain, sun and everything in between. A good waterproof jacket is essential as is an umbrella for exploring the cities. You will get rain at some point! Pack light if you can as some of the hotels do not have elevators. All the hotels used are well located within walking distance of town. The only exception to that is the hotel in Palmse which is remote but that in itself is a charm, located in the grounds of an old manor so take some time to explore the gardens here. Also be prepared to eat - a lot! The food was surprisingly good everywhere we went and plenty of local dishes to taste. As was the beer. You can eat reasonably cheaply too. Take some euros with you but credit cards are readily accepted and almost all restaurants split the bills for the group. ATMs are available everywhere too. It is worth waiting til you get to Vilnius if you want to buy any amber jewellery. There are plenty of shops in the old town. Other people have mentioned taking a travel plug for the sinks and I would advise that too if you want to do some handwashing. Dont rely on hotel laundry facilities as the hotels that did offer it were charging ridiculous rates! It's worth handwashing your gear yourself. The hotels are adequate but the rooms are small in some places so expect 2-3 star properties. Breakfasts are included and were very good, particularly in Tartu. Some of the bigger hotels were swamped with German tour groups so breakfast was a bit of a scrum at times!
Flexibility makes for a great holiday!
This was our first ever cycling holiday and so we were unsure before going whether we’d be fit and prepared enough. Building up our cycling beforehand as per the Exodus training plan definitely helped our fitness. The distances and routes each day were very manageable.
We did buy padded shorts for the trip and these were definitely helpful. We also took our own bike seats and after a couple of days using the one that came with the bikes (which I found a bit narrow and hard) I switched to my own which was definitely more comfortable and supportive for me, while my husband was happy with the Exodus one. The bikes were good with more gears than expected and an easy lever to flick the suspension on for bumpy ground. The pannier bag provided was an unexpected bonus and easily came on and off so can be taken to your room at night and packed for the following day. There are no separate compartments in them so after a few days of groping around in the dark space at the bottom every time I needed something, I organised smaller items into separate plastic bags which could be pulled out easily.
Hotel rooms were clean and spacious with good facilities, though we may have hit lucky with our room allocation as some people felt cramped and not so happy with theirs. The hotel in Palmse was more basic but this was definitely compensated for by the lovely location.
Breakfasts at all the hotels were good with plenty of choice. A gluten-free Exodus guest managed ok, helped by bringing a print out of ‘I can’t eat gluten’ translated into the 3 languages to show staff and by buying a loaf of gluten free bread for when rice cakes got too boring. As non-meat eaters our meals out tended to be dominated by fish with very limited choices at some places for total vegetarians. Generally though the food was tastier and more varied than I had expected with some great places suggested by Andrius – we definitely needed those bike rides to keep the calories from piling on!
Most Inspirational Moment
There were several lovely moments - the tranquility of Palmse, looking out of our window at midnight and it still being light (we were there around midsummer) seeing so many stork nests with young being fed, the wild flowers and of course the delicious and interesting food were just a few!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Andrius is a great tour leader with a natural sense of humour which helped us all bond as a group. He guided us very well and engaged with us as very much a part of our group rather than just going through the motions of doing his job. He was able to be flexible and adaptable, adjusting the schedule according to needs and requirements- a detour to a bike shop for necessary repairs enabled a walk around an old castle for the rest of us. He had some great tips and recommendations and used his experience of the countries and the trip to really enhance our experience. Thank you Andrius!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Pack insect repellent and bite relief cream, your own seat or gel cover, a couple of small bags for putting bits in the pannier bag, and a flexible attitude and you'll have a great time!
Awesome Trip
I joined this trip as an alternative way of seeing the 3 Baltic States which got you away from the 3 capital cities, but it may have converted me to non too strenuous cycle holidays too. Not only was the trip a very enjoyable 9 days of cycling but we also had a foodie experience and a cultural experience thrown in too thanks to our amazing guide Anders
Most Inspirational Moment
The trip has daily inspirational moments. I found eating lunch in various rural restaurants quite inspirational because they were away from the tourist crowds and I would not have found them had I not been travelling with Anders. Eating freshly smoked fish in the garden of a fisherman on the Curonian Spit in Lithuania was a highlight
Thoughts on Group Leader
Anders was awesome. He guided us in a very laid back style but was extremely conscientious and knowledgeable. Those who fancied doing their own thing were free to do so and I particularly liked how he adjusted the schedule to ensure we appreciated where we were rather than just cycling for cyclings sake. The maps we were given each morning were very useful too
Advice for Potential Travellers
1. All rooms had hairdryers 2. You get a bike pannier on day one which you keep with you each evening so no need for the backpack 3. Don't worry about "dietary requirements" All can be accommodated 4. There is time to explore Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius but not to do the "full tourist thing" visiting things 5. Tartu is a wonderful university town 6. Although you cycle by a lake and by the sea you don't see much water - most of the cycle routes are in trees or slightly inland 7. You need bug spray during the day
It's not all about the bike.
Apart from a bevy of Brits on our trip there were a couple of kiwis intent on causing havoc and taking flight. Unwilling to despatch them down under our tenacious guide, Andrius, set out to distract and subdue them with Baltic diversions of seaside villages, a smoked fish and wild apple juice lunch in a hidden location, elusive beer tents, lavazza coffee car and a rotunda with champagne. Fresh berries and fairytales in the forest. Ice creams, beer and Pink Soup. And a freezing but fun swim. And then he iced the cake with with his humour, baltic jokes and music. Andrius turned out Baltic Bike trip into a delight of unexpected adventures. It didn’t shut those kiwis up but at least they were bearable. Just.
Most Inspirational Moment
I don't think I'll reveal that.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Acutely funny and committed to his job.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take your own bike seat. Or at least a gel seat.