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.

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15 Reviews

4.5 out of 5

David Goss

Reviewed August 2023

Adventures in Malaysia

We’ve just returned from a fantastic trip with Exodus to Malaysia. The holiday included a food and sightseeing tour of Kuala Lumpur, trekking and boat rides in the Cameron Highlands, Taman Negara and Sepilok, visiting orangutan and sun bear sanctuaries in Sepilok and an ascent of Kinabalu. The whole trip was really well organised and all went exactly to plan. We saw plenty of wildlife and got to experience a wide variety of different landscapes. The accommodation and the food were excellent throughout. I would thoroughly recommend this holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

Probably the highlight of the trip was reaching the summit of Kinabalu at the end of a 2-day climb. However, there were many inspirational wildlife encounters throughout the holiday.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had two different leaders during this trip: Wan in peninsular Malaysia and Nelson in Borneo. Both were excellent: enthusiastic, knowledgeable, well organised, helpful, hard working and good fun to be with! They both put themselves out to ensure that our visit was a success. Thank you both, Wan and Nelson!

Advice for Potential Travellers

The trip notes and equipment list were very accurate and provided all the information we required. My main suggestion would be that leech socks were definitely needed but were very hard to obtain in Malaysia. I would recommend buying these in advance of the holiday.

Suggestions

We both had a great time on this trip and were very impressed by the way it was organised. We would definitely book with Exodus again.

David Thomas

Reviewed August 2023

Trekking Borneo

Really enjoyable, varied and interesting 2 weeks spent in West Malaysia and Borneo

Most Inspirational Moment

Probably the orangs at Sepilok

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had 2 group leaders. Wan for the first week was excellent and often went the extra mile to introduce us to Malaysia especially in KL. Nelson was also very good for the second week in Borneo, we would recommend both of the leaders.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We have done various trips mainly with Exodus such as EBC, Inca Trail, Toubkal. The Kinabalu summit day was a very hard day, the conditions weren't perfect and we ended up walking for 12 hours over difficult terrain. Every other day was moderate at most but our whole party found this day very challenging.

Suggestions

Overall we had a great time so these aren't complaints just 2 points that occurred to us. All of the accomodation had breakfast buffets which was expected. A lot of the lunch and dinners (paid and included) also compreised of buffets with a small number of simillar options, it would be great if there could be a few more options espcially in Borneo The final beach hotel had excellent helpful staff but did feel a little past it's best. It was also very empty which meant the bar and restaurant were very hit and miss in terms of being open and shutting early. Although called a beach resort, the spa and gym were shut, it's advised not to swim in the sea due to jellyfish and there's nowhere to walk to on the beach in either direction. They even have a sign at the swimming pool saying swimming not recommended!

andrew young

Reviewed November 2022

Great trip

The group my son and I were in was with a great other couple, Wan in Malaysia was a great tour leader. The trip I found tough at times , but well worth it. The trecks we went on really let us explore things and there was lots to see and do. There was so much done in such a short time. The second leg in Borneo included a hike up Kinabalu, which was tough but well worth the effort and the optional last day trip to an island well worth it

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the summit of Mt Kinabalu, wild swimming in a river with local wildlife ( soon got out ) Night walks with great leaders, Orangutan sanctuary.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wan in particular was a great leader in Malaysia as was Talia in Borneo

Advice for Potential Travellers

Some of the trecks were tougher than I expected, but worth it. accommodation was good, sometimes great, but the Kinabalu lodge was basic, that is not a complaint as we were half way up a mountain

Suggestions

I will remember this trip forever, it was great

steve wood

Reviewed October 2022

Borneo and Beyond Sept 22

Some great moments but also didn’t think at times Exodus lived up to their past high standards. Too much travelling by road which was bone crunching at times, partly due to road conditions and partly due to the vehicles used. I felt that the Cameron Highlands could have been avoided and more time spent in Borneo (Trip was BORNEO and beyond).

Most Inspirational Moment

Summitting Mt Kinabalu, a very tough climb, even in the good conditions we had.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We had two leaders, Wye who was fantastic and really gelled with the team. She was very knowledgeable and really helped make the Malaysian part of the holiday great fun. Jeffery seemed very nervous and unsure at times but was helpful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This should be a "Challenging" holiday rather than moderate / challenging. The heat and humidity really makes it tough at times and having an unfit member in the team slowed it down a lot for everyone else. Attendees should definitely be fit and do a lot of waking in UK beforehand, something our slow member said she hadn't done. Sepilok Jungle resort is basic, even though we were upgraded to superior rooms.

Suggestions

The layout of the holiday needs to be looked at. The trip to and from Cameron highlands didn't really add anything to the holiday but took many (back jarring) hours. This extra day could be used in Borneo where there are other places it could be used eg overnight stay at Mt Kinabalu. Beach resort could be nearer Kota Kinabalu as there is a lot to see and do there, the current resort is very isolated.

Reply from Exodus

We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review, Steve, and particularly for sharing such positive feedback about our local team. On the other hand, we were sorry that you felt the trip was more challenging than you had expected. As I am sure you appreciate, activity levels are inherently subjective, but we do endeavour to describe each trip as accurately as possible, and we are always open to suggestions to amend our guidance should we be made aware of clients feeling a particular trip’s activity level should be changed; we will, therefore, bare your comments in mind ahead of next season’s departures. We are further apologetic that you felt this trip featured too much overland travel, on poor roads, in an unsuitable vehicle, as I can appreciate this would have been uncomfortable. This is the first time we have received feedback of this nature since we restarted trips to this part of South-East Asia, but we are aware that roads may have deteriorated during the pandemic when they were not being used as much. We will continue to closely monitor the feedback we receive on this topic going forward and, should this become a common theme, we will consider an alternative vehicle or different routes. We hope this shows that we are willing to make changes where we feel they can improve a trip, although we remain regretful that your experience was not so positive.

Kelly Reid, Product Manager

steve wood

Reviewed October 2022

Borneo and Beyond Sept 22

Most Inspirational Moment

Summitting Mt Kinabalu, a very tough climb, even in the good conditions we had.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Suggestions

Victoria Gibbs

Reviewed August 2019

A brilliant experience

An amazing trip which I’ll always remember. My personal highlights were seeing the orangutans and other wildlife in the rainforest. I highly recommend the ‘optional’ boat trip at the end – we saw proboscis monkeys, hornbills, and then sparkly trees full of fireflys under the twinkling stars.
I also really enjoyed having a day in Kuala-Lumpur and having a nice glass of prosecco on the roof of the heli-bar to celebrate the start of the holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

Falling in love with the hilarious orangutans but on the way to seeing them seeing the EXTENSIVE palm plantations and our destruction of their habitat. Never have I been so motivated to only use products with sustainable palm oil and donate to rainforest conservation charities.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wan in Malaysia was fantastic.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes - the hikes are much more technically challenging than suggested on the trip notes. Quite a bit of clambering, scrambling (especially on day 1 hike) and hauling yourself up with ropes. You definitely need gloves for hand protection. And a head for heights for the final summit day.

Michael Walker

Reviewed August 2019

Epic views, rainforest wildlife and tropical paradise adventure

A truly memorable adventure, filled with activities, sights, tastes and sounds of the jungle. Starting in KL city, the food tour was a fascinating way to see the city and sample the local delicacies. Our guide Wan took us to the best haunts, showed us hidden sights and shared his knowledge of the city and culture. The section in Cameron Highlands was a bit more laid back, with one hike and plenty spare time, which we spent perusing the shops, enjoying a refreshment at the bar, or using the hotel’s excellent facilities. Then on to Taman Negara, which was my favourite part of the mainland peninsula, deep in tropical equatorial rainforest, staying in wooden cabins and getting up close to the monkeys, wild pigs, lizards and insects. The hikes here were great and the river cruise absolute bliss. Then onto Borneo itself, where we found my favourite restaurant of the trip (The White House with 10 ringgit wine!) and our accommodation at Sepilok, a short walk from the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. There were plenty opportunities to see the Orangutans (and Sun Bears) and it was so beautiful to see them playing and feeding, and see the intelligence at work behind their soulful eyes. Although sad to leave Sepilok behind, the escape from the heat and humidity was a welcome relief as we arrived at Kinabalu park and prepared for the climb. Here the accommodation is more basic but still perfectly comfortable – the hike was hard and technical (particularly the second day) and it feels like much more of an achievement than any previous mountain I’ve hiked. The mountain’s prominence over the valley and surrounding peaks below lends to some incredible views from above the clouds. The final days at the beach resort were the perfect way to recover, and we treated ourselves to a river cruise to see Proboscis monkeys and fireflies – bring the insect repellent to this one though!

Most Inspirational Moment

In a sad way, seeing the sheer volume of Oil Palm plantations and how these are encroaching on the last vestiges of remaining rainforest in Malaysia and Borneo. It made it all the more precious to see the Orangutans while we still can, and really brought home to me the importance of sourcing sustainable palm oil goods and cutting back on consumption in general where we can in order to do our part to save the rainforests, and the last habitats of the orangutan before it is too late.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Wan on the Malayan Peninsula, and Manuel in Borneo were both fantastic guides, happy to help and share knowledge of their country. They both went the extra mile to ensure that everyone on the trip had a great time.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be ready for the heat and humidity - regular water consumption is essential. It's not a boozy holiday by any means, and while food is extremely cheap, alcohol is not. Be ready for some technical sections on some of the walks (which means scrambling, steep inclines and limited handholds in places), and the final walk was a test of fitness for most of the group. The food available is great, but choices are limited, particularly for vegetarians. If you have any snacks you can't live without, bring them with you

Mark Levy

Reviewed December 2018

Mountain s and jungles of Malaysia

A very we balanced trip

Most Inspirational Moment

At the top of my Kinabalu

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both good

Irena Rattray

Reviewed November 2018

Absolutely fantastic and unforgettable experience

Every time we go on a trip with Exodus we don’t think the next can compete but this was unique and wonderful in its own way and another trip we shan’t every forget. Mount Kinabalu summit was tough but well worth it and we were lucky to be rewarded with wonderful views. I never expected that we would get to see as much wildlife as we did and the orang-utans and optional visits to sun bears and probiscus monkeys were just amazing.

Most Inspirational Moment

The orang-utan sanctuary was really quite emotional, and I felt inspired almost immediately to adopt an orang-utan, Bidu-Bidu to support the sanctuary. Submitting Mount Kinabalu was also incredible and showed me what the mind can help the body achieve when you are determined.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Both our group leaders in both Peninsula Malaysia and Borneo were brilliant. They clearly knew a lot about the country they live in and the wildlife and worked above and beyond throughout.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would take some thermals for the summit climb as these are thinner and easier to pack than a big coat. Also, definitely avail yourself of massage services in Cameron Highlands and at the Kinabalu resort as they were great value for money and so worth it. We used laundry services of several of the places we stayed in as well and these were really handy and would allow you to pack light.

Brenda Everett

Reviewed November 2018

Amazing Trip

This trip has a good mixture of sightseeing and hiking. The street food tour of Kuala Lumpur was a great start to the trip. I enjoyed the food and I learned about the cultural and religious diversity of the country. The good food and drinks continued throughout the trip. There were a good variety of hikes ending with Mount Kinabalu. Watching the orangutans and probiscus monkeys eating and playing was great fun. The accommodations were very good.

Most Inspirational Moment

I have to pick two. One has to be Mount Kinabalu, reaching the summit and completing the descent. It was a tough two day trek. The weather cooperated for us to see a sunset at the mountain and a sunrise at the summit. The second is watching the orangutans. It was fun watching them eating and playing. In particular it was great to see the senior male orangutan take his time peeling and eating a bunch of bananas.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our two leaders, Wye and Rony, were great. It seemed effortless for them to keep everything well organized. They shared lots of local knowledge. We ate at a good variety of restaurants. They made sure we had opportunities to eat local seasonal fruits. They made it possible for us to take in the optional excursions of visiting the probiscus monkeys and having cocktails over looking the Petronas Towers.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for Mount Kinabalu. It is not an easy trek. Be prepared for hot, humid and wet weather. Do not be scared off by the chance of being leeched.

Suggestions

No, just go and enjoy it!

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