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.

Reviews

Phil Risdale

Reviewed January 2015

Two weeks of rain, cancellations & disspointments

I don’t want to sound like the traveller just complaining because the weather wasn’t very kind, but this trip was very badly effected by torrential rain, landslides, cancelled walks, waterlogged hotel gardens (the route from room to restaurant), all-night amplified religious chanting 50m from hotel room, a riverside campsite virtually under water, a cancelled train ride (line swept away by rain), a cancelled town tour (due to a political rally), power cuts, illness within the group, etc. etc. Add to this that some accommodation was terrible and the bus was far too small for a walking group of this size (all with back-packs, poles, etc) and you’ll see that this tour was not a complete success – but it was an experience though!

Most Inspirational Moment

I think it was about day ten when it finally stopped raining and the group actually cheered the sight of a small glimpse of blue sky! It didn't last long though.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rowan is an excellent tour leader and I firmly believe that he personally learnt a lot from this tour - even by Sri Lankan standards, these conditions were extreme and nothing like anything Rowan had needed to deal with before. That said, he coped extremely well on the whole and even found us a few alternative activities when items in the itinerary needed to be cancelled. He was always helpful and informative, polite and efficient.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't let our experiences put you off going to this very beautiful island, but be aware that it does have a tropical climate and personally I would leave it for a while - the last few months of 2014 saw a lot of rain damage to the islands infrastructure which will take them a long time to recover from - many roads are now in a terrible state caused by numerous landslips and the Ella railway line will probably not be repaired for a long-time. Yala NP has also been very badly effected, now resembling a building site in places where roads have been washed away and with very few animals to see (just birds really) as they have mainly migrated north apparently.

Reply from Exodus

We are sorry that Phil’s time in Sri Lanka was impacted upon by the poor weather and that aspects of the itinerary were affected; regrettably the weather conditions his group experienced were exceptionally bad for that time of the year. A tour leader who has completed this trip since Phil’s departure has assured us that the routes have undergone repair work and services have returned to normal. We are confident that future Exodus clients will not be as disappointed.

Simon Clifford – Trip Manager for Sri Lanka

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Steph Whelan

Reviewed January 2015

Fantastic Experience!

A fantastic trip. Very well organised throughout, and it felt like the trip managed to fit a lot in. We were lucky to have Carlos as our group leader and a really fun group. The jungle trip was amazing, and Frank was an excellent local guide who made it a really fun time. The Inca trail was a great experience, fantastic scenery throughout and a real sense of history.

Most Inspirational Moment

It has to be arriving at the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu after four days of trekking, a once in a lifetime experience!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Carlos was excellent throughout the tour. Very well organised, and helpful in sorting out any problems. He had a great deal of knowledge, particularly on the Inca trail, and his tour at Machu Picchu was fascinating. He really made sure we had a fantastic experience of Peru.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Definitely found the walking poles very useful on the Inca trail. Be prepared to spend a lot of time on boats when in the Amazon!

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Yvette Burnell

Reviewed January 2015

Cycle Indochina

Good

Most Inspirational Moment

Angkor Wat & the killing fields was necessary viewing

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take gel saddle and shorts

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Louise Weller

Reviewed January 2015

Well organised, great cycling

We really enjoyed our holiday, our guide Is was excellent, very well organised. There was very littl hanging about The cycling in Thailand was excellent fun as very quiet roads where we could all go at our own pace, race if we wanted to or in my case bring up the rear. Roads were busier in Cambodia and Vietnam but was still great but we could not split into groups so much. I was a bit nervous about keeping up but it was nearly all totally flat and I found I could manage the distances much easier than I had thought. Bikes were excellent but please, please take padded shorts and a gel saddle cover, hardened cyclerswere struggling without. No need to carry a bag whilst cycling as a vehicle follows you around and you just need to take a drinks bottle. food was really good and as a vegetarian I did not have any problems. If anything there was too much food which was particularly true in Vietnam where we were given large lunches which we felt rude not finishing but they were just too big. Although lunches not included you do not get a choice of where to go so I actually think he rip would be better if lunches were included since there is no choice anyway. hotels were a very good standard, much better than I was expecting. The only downside to the holiday was the time in Phenom Penh which was quite a stressful place to walk round and except going to the market I could not find anything to do in our free time and I also found the home stay to be very different to what I was expecting. I was thinking it would be a quiet retreat but our guide cider to do karaoke very loudly from his laptop. it was great fun but not a quiet retreat, we also had a en suite room and it was just a bit strange! great holiday though and I would recommend it.

Most Inspirational Moment

of course the temples and Angkor but also finding out I could cycle really fast on the flat, ( living onDartmoor I am normally rather slow)

Thoughts on Group Leader

great

Advice for Potential Travellers

As above padding for your .butt and a drinks bottle

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Brandon Skinner

Reviewed January 2015

Alone in the Anti-Atlas Mountains

After stepping off on our trek in Irhem, we saw few sights of civilization until reaching the end point five days later. The only exception was a couple oases and small rural hamlets we passed through. There’s nobody else hiking out here! The Anti-Atlas Mountains are vast and stunning. The guide and his team was great. The camp cook kept us well fed.

Most Inspirational Moment

On the third day of our trek, we hit some pretty rough weather, very windy. To avoid being caught overnight in a storm, we altered our route and hiked to a small nearby hamlet where the group leader had a contact. The man and his family welcomed us to spend that night in a large room of their home. It was truly kind of them.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide was great. Throughout the trip, he showed nothing but a wealth of knowledge and good judgement. A true professional with over a decade of experience on the trail. His team (cooks, mule man) was also great.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Hiking boots with good ankle support is a must for this trek. Most of the hiking is not done on established roads or trails. Our trek was in the winter. Conditions range. It could go from warm and clear to cold and very windy in a few hours. Bring a well-rated sleeping bag. Bring warm layers.

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Sigurður Helgason

Reviewed January 2015

Cycling India from Coast to Coast

Another great cycling trip with Exodus in late october 2014 when all official predictions for number of „wet days“ were wrong with heavy rain and flooding in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu is very different from Kerala and a great experience especially since the route has been improved and covers a very interesting area with long biking sections without any traffic.
The hotels and homestay were just great with good variation and luxury usually not seen on bike trips. Our drivers made sure the luggage arrived before or with the cyclists.

Most Inspirational Moment

It is difficult to pick only one moment as experiencing the caos of big cities with all their trash, traffic and human buzzling was just as interesting as cycling up the hill to the border of Tamil Nadu (Thekkady) in torrential rain against heavy waterflow or staying at Chettinah. The food was also excellent so dont espect to loose weight in spite of burning >20thousand calories cycling.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was pleasant, opinionated, informative and talkactive and did his job well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for long days with an early start and try to see the rain with the attitude of a farmer. Be flexible regarding the cycling distance (some disagreement was between different web trip notes, printouts and the expectations from our group leader. Causing some frustration) Because of the long cycling days there often is little time for independent exploration. Scheduled sightseeing may be very interesting but remember its optional and constant group supervision is not for all. Exploring on your own is OK as you dont disrupt the group schedule!

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Sue Mann

Reviewed January 2015

Serenity in the mountains

Great trip packed with variety from the hustle, noise and smells in Marrakech to the silence and beauty of the Atlas mountains

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the mountains in the morning when the sun rose over the tops. Such beautiful colours and so peaceful. Seeing the night sky packed with stars...layer upon layer which was magical

Thoughts on Group Leader

Hassan exuded calm and immediately gained our trust and confidence that he would pick the best routes and ensure we were safe - even after the recent storms had caused lots of landslips.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you do go up to the lakes - they are worth seeing and so tranquil. It was magical seeing some fishermen there when we arrived, having trekked through snow for the last 30 minutes or so.

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Nick Clark

Reviewed January 2015

Floods but no famine

A great cycling trip through the beautiful scenery of some less touristed areas of Sri Lanka. We started the trip with a whole week of very wet weather which did impact on the enjoyment of visiting some of the main cultural sites on the itinerary in that first week – and cycling very wet roads on bikes with no mudguards also challenged my love of being on two wheels! However in adversity the group bonded fast and our leader Suresh worked overtime to make sure we could make the best of the hand the weather gods had dealt us. When the rain finally stopped we were treated to some fantastic riding, scenic views and of course the warm smiles of the local population. A shame we didn’t have the good weather from the outset but all told I was still happier to be visiting Sri Lanka on a bike than on a bus. And by riding it meant I’d worked up a good appetite for the amazing buffets…!

Most Inspirational Moment

The advice given to me when early in the trip I highlighted that, during the monsoon rain, a leak in the roof of my accommodation was gently dripping onto my bed - "Move the bed sir". Simple, effective and a good reminder to put the little things in life into perspective!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Suresh did a fantastic job. Organising everything ahead of time so that the trip ran like clockwork. Obstacles (like landslides and fallen trees) were avoided and the kettle was already at a rolling boil by the time we got to the local tea-stops along the way. The Ace up his sleeve however was to organise booze for us on Christmas Day which is an alcohol free day in Sri Lanka - Suresh knows how to keep his guests happy!

Advice for Potential Travellers

I enjoy my travel photography but my camera only made it out of the watertight safety of the support bus on a few occasions due not just to the rain but also to the hassle of carrying it whilst on the bike. If you are in to photography I would suggest you bring a watertight bar bag with you to fit onto the rental bike so you can keep your gear to hand without the need for a rucksack (too hot in the sun and too wet if you cycle through monsoon conditions). I may also be tempted to invest in a cheap waterproof camera so that I can continue clicking even when dripping!

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Jill Follett

Reviewed January 2015

Christmas walking in North Cyprus

Having had a busy year with house renovations, we left our holiday booking rather late. We always plump for warmth, we like islands, exploring and walking. Two years ago we managed a brief border crossing in Cyprus when visiting the old walled city. That was a highlight and so I was delighted when John suggested joining a guided walk in North Cyprus this year. The booking was simple, making us wonder if we had completed everything necessary. A few days later following phone calls to let us know things were in hand, our booking was confirmed. We were able to join the group flight to Ergo, transfers and accommodation were complete.
Everything fell into place, the hotel was excellent making an extra effort to give us a truly memorable Christmas.
Our group of 16 fellow walkers gelled really well and our Austrian leader ensured each day went smoothly.

Most Inspirational Moment

The fact that we received brilliant service throughout making every moment memorable and enjoyable. The itinerary, the transporting and consideration given by the leader and his driver, the timings i.e. lengths of walks and visits to places of interest and relaxation before evening meals were much appreciated enabling us to maximise our time.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The leaders commentaries were informed and interesting. The walking pace was good allowing time to take in the views, linger a little longer in the atmosphere of the many historic sites visited. Places to picnic were well chosen, picnics provided enjoyable. Attention to detail and to the group was excellent. On a day when we had the choice to please ourselves, the leader organised an extra trip and came with us each evening including Christmas day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

For a pair who enjoy meeting people but like to do their own thing, this was a first and we really enjoyed every minute.

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Charles Marwood

Reviewed January 2015

Charles Marwood

Undoubtably the best way to see Cuba in two weeks. On a bike with excellent guides, like minded group members head from plain to mountain range, village to city and cathedral to desert island.

Most Inspirational Moment

Drinking fresh piña coladas, classic car rides in Havana, cycling into the Sierra maestria mountain range and leaving the town of Gibara of a perfect Caribbean morning.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ichael was fantastic, funny, well organised and knowledgable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Approach this trip with an open mind, don't expect 5 star all the way, you're in Cuba. Embrace the dodgy busker, eclectic dining and Cuban culture. Take water bottles and sunscreen, toilet paper and insect repellent. It's not worth taking your own bike, the local bikes are fine for this trip, worth taking your own pedels and saddle if you have your own.

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