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!

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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.

Alternatively you can navigate to the relevant trip page and add your review via the Reviews tab.

Reviews

Lynn Caswell

Reviewed February 2016

Get there before it changes!

This must be the best Exodus holiday I’ve experienced. First of all a great bunch of fellow travellers make the trip; we all got on very well from the outset. Vinh, the tour leader was very well organised, always knew what was going on and made sure we also knew the ‘plan’ for the present and following days. Hotels and homestays were of good quality and we were very well looked after wherever we were. Included food was usually excellent and abundant, a slimming holiday it was not! Our leader arranged optional meals at local restaurants; again, the food was varied but always of a high quality.
In travelling in and between Hanoi, Ha Long, Hue, Danang, Hoi An and Saigon, we were exposed to the history and culture of this country. Our guide was very well informed about historical events which has shaped Vietnam.
A good bit of walking, a little bit of paddling and some mad cycling composed the active part of the holiday. I was disappointed with so little kayaking but this was somewhat mitigated by the tremendous views in Ha Long bay.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cu Chi tunnels are an experience not to be missed, but anyone who is even slightly claustrophobic would do well to stay above ground! The differences between North and South Vietnam is notable; food, the people, the atmosphere are all, to a certain extent, defined by the geography of this very long, thin country.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Group leader Vinh was brilliant, Very well organised, great communicator, knowledgeable about his country. Good sense of humour and provided a running commentary for all aspects of the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Temperatures between the north and south of the country vary greatly. Make sure you know Hanoi temperatures before you leave. One of our party was unprepared for the cold!

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Ann Branson

Reviewed February 2016

Ski ing with Super Woman!

Exodus employ some really great people to lead their trips , but those of us who booked a week in Dobbiaco this February were in for a real treat! For one week only Exodus had managed to get Superwoman….and we were the lucky ones! Karen Messenger is a young Canadian who spends her summers working in a National Park at home and her winters pursuing her ‘Tour de Fun’ competing in XC country long distance races around the world , known by the wonderful name of Loppets ! For the first two days Karen gave us great ski tips in the mornings and lovely skiing routes in the afternoon keeping her true identity secret, until all was revealed at an evening power point…..we were all very inspired and very impressed when she explained that the ‘Fun’ bit her Tour de Fun was that she dressed as Superwoman for her races….in some races everyone was whacky and she completely fitted in…in other more earnest gatherings there was some amazement , but , she said, the outfit worked wonders for her. So our holiday highlight came on the going home day when we we all went to cheer her as she entered the local Winter Olympics stadium , dressed in red and gold coming in as 26th out of 167 international women skiers , including professional teams , from all over the world, completing the 32 k classic style race in under two hours . And then she did it all again the next day this time with be the skating technique and achieving 7th out of the field of 29 other mad women who tackled both days! What an inspiration and what fun! We will be back ! Hopefully seeing Karen again !

Most Inspirational Moment

Watching our ski instructor flashing into the Dobbiaco Winter Olympics stadium dressed as Superwoman looking fresh as a daisy after a 32km race.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Skilled , enthusiastic and very supportive of those at the back. Lovely moments when I was that person and we started discussing the Larch trees we were skiing past , those beautiful deciduous conifers that have such soft delicate branches in the spring and summer that I love to stroke...her favourite tree too!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't expect to be a XC country expert in one week! Or even after three years...but know the tours will be a delight from day one and the good Exodus leaders will always get you home!

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Jacqueline Hoskins

Reviewed February 2016

Great stress free way to see Costa Rica

A well organised holiday a great way to see Costa Rica with diverse climates from hot rain forest to cool cloud forest . Fantastic sightings of many birds and wildlife including the elusive Quetzal . Accommodation was very good in all places visited . A lovely group with a fantastically enthusiastic and passionate guide .

Most Inspirational Moment

There were several inspirational moments I loved loved the Esquinas lodge with the walks and many sightings of frogs, snakes and monkeys . The sound of the howler monkeys and bird song was exceptional. The sighting of a Quetzal several times in the Saverge was breath taking .

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader Pedro Bolanos was exceptional. He was enthusiastic, very passionate and caring . He had endless energy with a lovely sense of humour . He went above and beyond his call of duty always keen to ensure we were all having a good time . He was passionate about his country and was proud to be part of the nature preservation . He was very knowledgable about the wildlife especially the birds . We all felt very cared for and supported . Making the holiday enjoyable with out having to worry about anything .

Advice for Potential Travellers

We struggled to decide what currency to take and in the end took colones and dollars . You need to take some colones for the local restaurants but be aware that if you take dollars your change is usually given in colones so you are never sure what exchange rate you are getting . At the time we travelled it was better to take dollars as the exchange rate was more favourable . Take a fleece for the cloud forest as it was rather cool but not cold. It would have been nice to know to take gifts for the school we visited as they needed pens and paper etc .

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Ross Leeder

Reviewed February 2016

Cycle Nicaragua, Costa Rica & Panama

The trip in general was excellent. Well organized with plenty of support personnel. Accommodations were very good and there was excellent food available. The tour leader was exceptional giving attention to the smallest details. The tour Leader was resourceful and extremely knowledgeable of the plants animals and sites we came across. While a bit pricey it was worth it. No regrets. It was a great adventure!

Most Inspirational Moment

Riding in a group of 5 riders flat out for about 20 kilometers. taking turns leading the pack with others tucked in tight behind. Man we were moving. What a thrill!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto Abuilar was amazing. In addition to his excellent leadership skills he was organized. He was in phenomenal shape physically and never seemed to tire. He kept us well briefed and always reviewed maps and safety briefings every morning. He managed the support crew well and ensured our bikes were in top form. I would give Roberto a gold star.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Develop a taste for Rice and Beans! The route can be a bit taxing so do some cycling before going. The heat is incredible at times so you need to be in decent shape physically

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Karen Morgan

Reviewed February 2016

Cycling Cuba

This was my first EXODUS trip & it more than met my expectations. Cuba was a fantastic country to visit especially by bike. We saw so much of the island from the cities of Havanna, Trinidad & Santiago to the countryside where few tourists travelled. The history of Cuba was fascinating & our tour leader Laz was a wealth of information. The rides were well planned with regular stops for water & fresh fruit. All the staff – drivers, mechanic & Laz were always ready to help & support us as necessary. I met a fabulous group of fellow cyclists making the holiday a great experience.

Most Inspirational Moment

It's hard to choose - it was all so amazing. But I think listening to Laz describe the history of his country & explain the life of Cubans today was inspirational. Also the solemnity of the Che Guevara mausoleum was thought provoking.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had a fantastic group leader called Laz - he is a credit to his country. He is very professional, extremely knowledgeable, a great communicator & he has a wonderful sense of humour. He is clearly very proud of his Cuban history & was able to convey a wealth of information to us in 'small chunks' each day. I think EXODUS are very fortunate to have such a high caliber of staff working with them. In the words of a famous brewery - Laz is probably the best tour guide in Cuba!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Visit Cuba as soon as possible as it is going to change quickly over the next few years. Go with an open mind & relaxed attitude to enjoy this unique & friendly island. Be careful what you eat & drink as it is common to have an upset stomach & dodgy bowels!! Don't forget to take some basic medications especially Imodium.

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Peter Hamson

Reviewed February 2016

Sri Lanka Discovery

Plenty of variety – walks, wildlife parks, cycling, visiting temples.
Hotels of a good standard.
Tended to be rather too many buffets – it would have been good to eat at a few more local resturants

Most Inspirational Moment

Climbing the Lion Rock and Adam's Peak

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader, Roshan, was very knowledgeable and entertaining - liked by the whole group

Advice for Potential Travellers

Climate tends to be a lot warmer than it is suggeted in the dossier. Most days all you need is shorts, sandals and a tee shirt although it is cooler on Horton Plains and Adam's Peak

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Mark Coleby

Reviewed February 2016

Discover Sri Lanka

Exactly what it says on the tin – a really good insight into the variety Sri Lanka has to offer.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing an elephant clan only a few yards away inspired us to look into further wildlife adventures

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent - very knowledgeable, helpful & really seemed to enjoy what he was doing.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware there is quite a lot of traveling between locations - albeit worth it.

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Elizabeth Stallabrass

Reviewed February 2016

Cycle Central America MUC 160123

Hot, humid and hilly!
A wonderful trip hopping from the Caribbean to the Pacific twice. Breathtaking scenery as we ascended into the cloud forest. Such diversity of flora and fauna, and unusually stunning creatures to be seen along the way.

Most Inspirational Moment

Watching the sunset at Las Lajas Beach Resort hotel, Panama. The Pacific Ocean was as warm as a bath, the vast expanse of empty beach a beautiful location. An absolute treat after a long, hot cycle. The Tenorio River trip was wonderful, 2 hours of tranquility, with many birds and creatures being pointed out by our river guide. The bats were a fantastic find.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto Abuilar was informative, patient and a great leader. Several events did not go according to plan but he managed to sort out the problems without majorly affecting the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The included flight was with United Airways which was a huge disappointment to the start of the holiday. I can only describe it as a long haul budget airway. Food was sparse and kept to a minimum. Anything additional had to be paid for. Eat a big breakfast before you fly. Lots of cobbled roads and rough tracks in Nicaragua. If you have a delicate derrière take a gel seat pad for that leg of the journey. Take some binoculars to search for the Toucans.

Reply from Exodus

The full day boat tour is considered to be very good value at US$25 as it gives a fun and interesting overview of the islands whilst including dolphin watching and snorkelling. Sometimes the boat captain that we use is able to offer a small discount for larger groups but not always. We will remove the reference to this in the locally distributed trip notes to avoid disappointment. The charge for accessing Red Frog Beach is unfortunately out of our control and has seemingly only very recently risen from $3 to $5, again this information will be updated in our literature.

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John Gray

Reviewed February 2016

Cycling Cuba - the holiday of a lifetime!

16 day cycling holiday in Cuba, covering most of the island. Cycling between 35-80k for 10 days, with back-up support and bus transfers. Staying in huge variety of accommodation, from 5 star luxury hotels, to Russian utilitarian hotels, to beautiful colonial hotels, and a couple of casas, giving insight into how the locals live.

Most Inspirational Moment

Swimming in the sea at the Bay of Pigs, when a pelican flew very low just past me and some of the lovely long descents, with amazing views. (John) Completing all the cycling without going in the bus, and being the first to finish the final leg! (Polly)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Brilliant! Laz was exceptional, he got on very well with all our group, very mixed age and ability; he was very knowledgeable about Cuba's history and gave us good advice about places to see and what to eat and drink, and he had a great sense of humour. We felt very well looked after and could not have had a better group leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

As long as you can cycle the distance, including some very steep hills, age doesn't matter, the oldest in our group was 76 and was always in the front. But don't worry,even if you can't manage it the bus is always following you, so you can choose to ride in the bus if you want to. A gel saddle cover would be a good idea. and lightweight cycling tops and shorts that cover you to avoid sunburn - also high factor sun cream. Lastly, do take Imodium, however careful you are you are bound to get Cuban tummy!

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Ian Mcgivern

Reviewed February 2016

Cuban Highlights Ride

I’m not really much of a cyclist but I’d decided that seeing Cuba from the seat of my saddle was the only way to experience this fascinating destination. In the end, I fell in love with Cuba and fell in love with cycling too! The holiday was just the right mix of culture, history and beach and it was all done at our own pace. Each day we saw or did different things and I’d wake up each morning, looking forward to whatever the next day would bring! Also, I felt very safe on my bike. The traffic was very light and always gave us a wide berth.

Most Inspirational Moment

Meeting the Cuban people. They seem to have very little but they give you so much. Some of us brought small gifts (toys, toiletries, pens, books) which we gave to our hosts in the 'Casas Particulares'. Seeing their smiles was very uplifting.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jose was excellent. He was very helpful (cycling off at one point to get more currency for the group). He was a proud Cuban with a good sense of humour and was always on hand to sort any issues which arose.

Advice for Potential Travellers

About half way through the holiday, quite a few members of the group ran out of Cuban money or needed to top up their currency. Changing money wasn't quite as easy as in other parts of the world, so I would advise changing more than the £150 which we were advised to change on arrival at the airport. Oh...and some of my twenty pound notes were refused by the cashiers because they weren't 'perfect'. Make sure the cash you bring into Cuba has no small tears. They will be refused.

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