Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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39 Reviews
4.5 out of
5
Reviews
Linda Arnold
Reviewed September 2024
Wonderful wildlife
Hotels
The hotels were clean and the staff were friendly. Some of the hotels were run on solar power or generators which were turned off around 22:00/23:00. Turned back on about 5:00, remember to take a torch with you. All the rooms were a good size. Some hotels did not have hot water, although a bucket of hot water could be provided. The hotels provided bars of soap, some of which had been used by the previous occupants. Net curtains were provided in some of the hotels. I would recommend always wearing mozzie spray at all times, and taking sufficient toiletries for the duration of your trip.
The roads are awful, making all journeys long and uncomfortable. Arriving at the hotel after an early start, given our room keys and told we needed to order dinner. I understand the need for ordering as they needed to freshly cook the food. There was no time to wind down before eating.
Food
Breakfasts were simple, bread, jam, fruit, and eggs. There was enough food provided to start your day.
Lunch was non-existent on many days. Several days we had chips and cereal bars
On the occasions we did stop for lunch then it was a tourist type restaurant where the food was more like a main meal. There were no light lunches and we ended up with a plate of chips (French fries). For the majority of our journey there are no places to buy snacks. At least 4 of our journeys resulted in a picnic lunch of the bus. One hotel offered us a packed lunch of omelette or sardine sandwiches which are not to everyone’s taste.
Dinner. All bar one was taken in the hotel as there are very few restaurants around, and none outside the main towns. There was a limited choice of food in the hotels and most people on our group had upset stomachs. The food was overcooked and the meat/fish was tough.
Roads
Are terrible, potholes that you could fit a car in. The journeys on the 4×4 and the bus were very uncomfortable and the proposed journey time in the trips notes were under estimated. We had three journeys of 12 hours. The state of the roads means that after your early start to the day that you are unable to have a ‘nap’.
Transport
The bus and 4×4 were in a good condition, albeit that our bus needed to change a tyre and to fix a slow puncture. The tread on the tyres would not pass a MOT.
As we were a small group (8) then we could spread ourselves around. It did however make slow progress due to the road conditions
We had sufficient room in the 4x’s however we were thrown around due the road surface, which was mainly mud. The drivers were very mechanically minded and could fix problems on the cars and quickly change tyres.
The very long days did detract from the overall experience of the trip
Wildlife
There is abundant wildlife which our guides managed to find for us. We were able to take many, many photographs. The wildlife and in particular seeing lemurs in the wild was the main reason to go to Madagascar. There were a lot of them and we saw many different types. The mouse lemur is the cutest.
Walking
There is a lot of walking on uneven ground as the animals are living in their natural habitat. Be prepared to scramble through the undergrowth to get ‘that’ picture.
Begging
Madagascar is a poor country and not set up for mass tourism. Be prepared to see a lot of children begging for sweets and money as you travel through the countryside.
Most Inspirational Moment
Tsingy
The harnesses were in good condition and were fitted on to people by the guide. The stepping rocks that you use to climb are securely bolted as were the ladders. The metal ropes that you clip onto looked new and again were securely fitted to the walls. The bridges did have a few larger spaces between the slats but were acceptable to walk across. The caves are not that large and you did need to bend or crawl through them. This is a strenuous walk but worth the effort.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Sol was our guide. He was very knowledgeable about the country and the wildlife. He provided commentary whilst we were traveling, stopping the bus to show us various village activities. He joined us on our excursions providing us with information on the animals and was always happy to answer any questions.
Advice for Potential Travellers
To go or not to go
This is a very interesting and tyring trip with basic amenities. The plumbing is very different to home, service station stops and ‘wild wees’ are the norm. It’s not a holiday but an adventure. However, it’s a beautiful country that needs to be seen before it changes. The wildlife makes it well worth the trip.
Tips
Take a torch
Take Imodium
Take walking type boots
Take long trouser for forest type walks
Take mozzie spray
Take snacks
Take tissues for toilet breaks.
Take antibacterial hand gel
Hannah Marks
Reviewed January 2024
Incredible Adventure
Incredible adventure through Madagascar. While there is a lot of travel, it allows you to see all the different cultures and landscapes of the country – from the highlands to the western coast, cities and rural villages, national parks etc. There were plenty of stops along the way for toilet breaks, and culture stops. We were never uncomfortable but you do have to go with an open mind and just go with the flow. We went for the wildlife and this didn’t disappoint – we saw so many different lemurs up close and all of the guides were fantastic to point out all the different animals Our tour guide, Claudia, was amazing and so helpful throughout the entire tour. Our group was very enjoyable and we all had a similar mindset.
Most Inspirational Moment
- Tsingy National Park: this was an amazing hike. It was very hot during the day (38C) but with plenty of breaks and water it was very memorable - Wildlife: So abundant and incredible to see, from all the lemurs (ring-tails, sifaka, indri, red-fronted brown, fork masked, mouse, bamboo) geckos, chameleons (lots of chameleons!), fossa, plenty of birds and owls - Isalo and ranomafana National Parks - Alley of the Baobabs
Thoughts on Group Leader
Claudia was amazing and very accommodating of our group. She was always laughing and had a smile on her face, despite all of our questions and different requests. She had plenty different tricks and tips to keep us all happy, including early starts to get ahead of other tours, where best to stop and pick up different souvenirs, and plenty of stories and advice about our travels.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go with an open mind and take some time to slow down (Mura-Mura!) Madagascar goes on its own time, we never had to wait too long for anything but there was always something to watch or soak in the culture. I would definitely have packed more long sleeves and loose flowing clothing. While it was warm it was also very sunny and the longer clothing was better for the rainforest hikes, night walks and when there was no shade. Make sure to bring your regular travel medications (imodium, motilium, antihisamines, bite cream, electrolytes etc). I used a bit of everything at one point and you're better to have it than need it. Everyone's tummy was a little upset at some stage or another but nothing to cause too much concern. The food isn't too exciting but still tasty - most dishes come with boiled rice and vegetables. Make sure to bring a wide-brimmed hat, head torch and travel pillow. I used these 24/7 and were very appreciated. I also had a small fan to help keep me cool. I had a 70-200mm camera lens. The wildlife gets lovely and close so anything bigger isn't really needed. I stocked up on plenty of batteries and memory cards as power isn't always a given. We had short outages most nights (keep your headtorch handy!) I had a small power bank to keep my phone charged for videos during the days. Some of the hikes are a little tough with some high steps or climbing, so any preparation before with your fitness will help make it more enjoyable. There are plenty of stops for wildlife and water breaks so you never feel too pressured.
mary dunne
Reviewed October 2023
Madagascan Discoverer 16 day tour
In general the trip was good. I enjoyed the scenery. We had a small group, only 7 people which was good. If there had been the full 16 guests, the bus would have been far too small. I loved seeing the Lemurs and the various treks that we did, especially the Tsingy. The hotels were very basic, quite disappointing in many places. The hotel at Ifaty Beach (La Plage) was the worst that we experienced. It is neglected, dirty, very poor quality beds, my room was musty, the fans didn’t work, the bedside lights didn’t work, we were there for two days and had no hot water. There was a smelly dog in the public area. The covers on the sun loungers were dirty. As a solo traveller, as usual with Exodus, I got the worst room, that is compared to what the couples in the group get. One hotel we stayed in, (Les chambers du Voyageur) the room was so small, I couldn’t open my suitcase inside the room, unless I put it right up to the entrance door of the room! There was no wardrobe, no place to put anything, so I had to put my rucksack on the bed beside me, I didn’t want to put it on the floor. The breakfasts were also very poor, quite often stale bread and an omelette made with just one egg! There was no toiletries in any of these hotels, just soap! The other big negative for me, was the extremely long drives on such poor roads. We had breakfast each morning and within minutes of eating, we were on these really bumpy roads. As a result, we all had stomach problems throughout the trip. One day we were on the bus for 13 hours and for the final five hours, we never stopped, neither to stretch our legs nor for a comfort stop! If the bus was full with 16 people, it would have been close to torture!
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the lemurs up close and doing the Tsingy walk.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Claudia was great, quite inspirational and with a great personality. She too had some medical issues during the trip but she kept going and behaved very professionally. She also had a personal tragedy to deal with, but we never suffered because of the things that were going on in her personal life. She was wonderful, we loved her.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be very aware of the long journeys on such poor roads. For me this was a daily torture.. I hated the long bus journeys..! I think that the level of activity rating for this trip it not correct. The Tsingy walk was not for the faint hearted. I was well able for it, but it was tough for others. If I were to go again, I would take old clothes with me and donate them to the locals at the end of the trip. My clothes got really dirty on this trip! I would also take some goodies for the many children that we encountered along the way (Pens, pencils, note pads, yoyo's for hair, anything that would be light to carry!). I can't recommend this trip to any of my friends, because any of my friends wouldn't be able to cope with the long days and the long journeys. I appreciate that it is a big country and if you want to see it you have to travel. It was quite exhausting. One day we left our hotel at 05:30...!
Reply from Exodus
We’d like to thank you for your review, Mary, and we are heartened to receive your comments about your tour leader, Claudia, which have been passed on. On the other hand, we were sorry to hear that you were disappointed with several other aspects of your holiday, particularly the accommodation. Hotel standards in Madagascar are known to significantly contrast those in Europe and this, alongside our literature description of simple yet comfortable lodgings, usually sets our customers’ expectations accordingly. In order to keep the trip attractive, whilst still affordable, we use the best quality mid-range properties in the country, and, though they may not be everyone’s preference, we have not previously received feedback to suggest they are not meeting the mark. In fact, one of our staff members recently undertook this trip and relayed that even the most basic hotels featured clean rooms, reliable electricity and constant water, which is not always a given in this part of the world. We understand that the lack of toiletries is part of an effort to reduce plastic waste, which honours our commitment to travelling responsibly, but we are sorry if the soap you were provided was insufficient. Whilst paying a single supplement does not guarantee a superior room, rather one for sole occupancy, we were regretful to learn that yours were somewhat cramped. Our local manager has advised us that room types do not vary at any of the properties we use, other than between doubles and twins, and we’ve not received this type of feedback in the past, which we find reassuring. Nevertheless, we wouldn’t wish to downplay your disappointment and we’ll closely monitor the reviews we receive going forward to ensure that we are continuing to please our solo customers, who we greatly value. One of the selling points of this trip is that it covers many of Madagascar’s highlights such as the Alley of the Baobabs and Tsingy De Bemaraha National Park, although this does translate to some lengthy drives on underdeveloped roads, which we realise is not ideal. Tour leaders are encouraged to incorporate as many rest stops as possible, to break up the journeys, but it is not always safe to stop by the roadside, which means that long stretches are inevitable. Should your comments become more commonplace, we will certainly consider redesigning the itinerary to incorporate rest days, which we hope shows that we are willing to make changes to our tours to enhance our customers’ experiences. We sincerely hope that you retain some fond memories of Madagascar overall and that you continue choosing Exodus for your travel plans.
John Penge, Product Manager
Aneesa Dalwai
Reviewed September 2023
Only in Madagascar, a real adventure!
I’ve wanted to visit Madagascar for some time, mainly to see the lemurs and to visit the giant baobab trees, but there is so much more to Madagascar, it has to be one of the most amazing and unique places I have ever travelled to! Everyday there was something new and exciting to experience. This is a fast-paced trip and you are always on the move, with quite a lot of long drives on poor roads, but I have to say it’s totally worth it, you just have to embrace it as part of the adventure. Even during the long drives the landscape is constantly changing, we travelled through cool rainforests, paddy fields, sandy beaches, canyons, deserts, spiny forests, rivers, and some really the fascinating towns and villages.
Most Inspirational Moment
We had great wildlife spotting - lots of opportunities to see lemurs in the wild and hearing the call of the Indri in the morning in Andasibe is just magical. So many highlights! The night walk in Kirindy was my favourite of the night safaris, and getting to the top of the Tsingy, was an unexpected yet terrifying highlight! The most unique though has to be the ‘ferry’ crossings on the Tsiribihina River – only in Madagascar!
Thoughts on Group Leader
The whole trip ran smoothly thanks to Claudia, our fabulous guide, who spent most of the trip checking ahead to make sure that everything was organised for us. She always kept us informed of all aspects of our itinerary and managed everything so that we didn’t waste time, particularly when ordering meals, wearing the right clothes for each activity, finding us good shopping spots (and bush toilet stops). She is also very knowledgeable about the country’s history, wildlife, food and we all enjoyed her talks on the Malagasy culture - which is also quite unique! Also all the local guides were fantastic and very engaging, they gave great detail and interesting explanations especially of the endemic wildlife, only to be found here. We had some amazing trackers seeking out lemurs, chameleons, mongoose and the tiniest of geckos and frogs. I was travelling with my sister and we both felt we had a great group too, lots of fun, like-minded people, who really added to enjoyment of the trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Read the trip notes thoroughly as they are full of really useful tips and information! My own top tips – definitely do laundry on two-night stopovers – everything gets very dusty! A travel pillow is doubly useful for both bus and flights! Make sure you take a head-torch for the night and cave walks. Stock up on snacks for long drives and I also recommend trying the local beers and infused rums! If you want five-star accommodation and amazing cuisine, this is not the trip for you. You’ll get a comfy bed and (generally) hot water, sometimes limited wi-fi and electricity, a limited (but cheap) menu of well-cooked meals of zebu/chicken/fish and rice.
Graham Dobbie
Reviewed July 2023
Madagascan Discoverer
A fantastic adventure holiday. Yes the days are long with a lot of travelling, but the rewards along the way more than make up for it. The spotters ability to find lemurs, chameleons, frogs, geckos, etc (even in the dark!) was unbelievable. Our guide, Claudia, was one of the best guides we’ve ever had. The landscapes are varied and the people are lovely.
Most Inspirational Moment
Our day at the Tsingy. We saw lemurs and other animals as we walked through the forest, we enjoyed the via ferrata climb and were rewarded by the view from the top of the Tsingy.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Claudia, our guide, was absolutely excellent, one of the best we've ever had. She was super organised, knowledgeable and great fun.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a spirit of adventure. As per the trip notes, there are some long drives, but the wildlife and other activities more than make up for it.
David Denyer
Reviewed September 2019
Madagascan Discovery review
This trip fulfils its promise of seeing Limas in their natural environment. However the country is extremely poor. All the sealed roads are riddled with potholes and the dirt roads are rough. Electricity is hit and miss and there are no street lamps even in the cities. Piped water is a rarity, Meat is butchered locally and sold from wooden huts (no fridges). If you survive this trip without diarrhoea then you are extremely lucky
Most Inspirational Moment
Lima watching
Thoughts on Group Leader
Generally excellent
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take extra care of hygiene
SF Ho
Reviewed August 2019
Madagascar
“Madagascan Discoverer” was a truly wonderful, very enjoyable, multi-faceted trip with a really excellent guide, Rija. I am writing this review to inform future customers about 1 less-than-good aspect because it might be a safety issue for some people booking this holiday. In addition, Exodus has failed to respond to the comments I made in my on-line post-holiday evaluation about this, so I do not know if Exodus has read the evaluation and is going to do anything to improve the situation. My criticism relates to the harnesses provided for the walk in the Grands Tsingy. Mine was too big for me, even when the smallest harness the company had was adjusted to the smallest possible size. This same problem also affected another person in the group. Both of us are slimmer than most other British adults. Fortunately, neither of us fell and came to any harm. If we had fallen and had had to rely on the harnesses to keep us safe, there would have been the potential for an accident or injury. If you are slim or if you have children who are intending to do the Via Ferrata in the Grands Tsingy, please consider bringing your or their own harness(es) that fits you/them. A harness that does not fit the wearer is of little use. I climb regularly and know how important this piece of equipment is and how a proper fit is necessary for safety. This deficiency on the part of Exodus is made worse because I had actually queried with Exodus BEFORE the trip whether I should bring my own harness to Madagascar. The reply that the Exodus rep gave me was that we would not be doing Via Ferrata and there was no need for the harness. This reveals that the Exodus representative does not know her product: we definitely did a Via Ferrata and we used climbing equipment. Other than this failing, and one or two things which were beyond the control of Exodus, the holiday was very good, hugely interesting and varied and I had a great time. I fully recommend this holiday and in particular, commend Rija for her excellent guiding.
Most Inspirational Moment
See above.
Charlotte Meller
Reviewed July 2019
Memorable Madagascar
This trip gives you a glimpse of an incredibly varied country rich with unique wildlife and landscapes. Yes the roads maybe a bit bumpy 🙂 but you soon forget that when every day you see so many endemic lemurs, sifakas, chameleons and, if you are lucky, a fossa. The tour leader Rija is the best that I have ever met on an Exodus trip. Her vast knowledge and infectious passion made the trip even more special and memorable.
Most Inspirational Moment
Each type of forest -rain, spin and dry offered something different but they don’t prepare you for the spectacular limestone forest at Tsingy. Simply stunning.
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Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for delays on the internal flights !
Maddie Hallwood
Reviewed July 2019
A bladder stretching, inspiring, bumpy, simply amazing adventure!
This is not a trip for anyone seeking a rest. The days are long and you aren’t going to get a nap on the bus unless you nab a front seat or can sleep literally anywhere. However, you will get to see some absolutely amazing creatures in the wild that you will not see anywhere else, see the magnificent baobabs, fake baobabs and fake fake baobabs and find yourself in more different landscapes and climates than you can reasonably expect in one country. So many people have told me Madagascar is on their wish list but, until you have been there, you can not imagine it. They need all the tourism they can get in order to help more locals understand how conservation can actually benefit them and, with the rarity of species that Madagascar has, the sooner you go, the better.
Most Inspirational Moment
I admit to getting tearful at my first sighting of an Indri in the wild - these animals do not survive in captivity. And actually finally getting close enough to a mouse lemur for me to see it with my own eyes - I could have watched them all night ( as they didn’t pay any heed to us). And, of course, actually getting up ( and down) the Tsingy. And the photos of the Alley of the Baobabs at sunset still take my breath away.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Rija is simply fantastic. She exudes passion and knowledge for her country and its peoples and nature, always seeking ways for us to understand more or have the answers to our questions. I particularly appreciated how she sought ways for us to interact with the locals so that we could all gain from the experience. She is very thoughtful, seeking to consider everyone’s particular preferences or circumstances and maintaining a sense of humour through out that is positively delightful. However, the test of a good guide is when things don’t go to plan and we had a little bit of an unscheduled extension to our trip. Rija was calm, clear and reassuring and, even when we had no idea when and how we would get home, we were happy to trust her judgment. I trust Exodus to treasure their relationship with Rija, she is an ambassador both for Exodus abs Madagascar.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a good torch and spare batteries. I hadnt realised just how many hotels do not have 24 hour electricity and I used my torch for pottering around inside my bungalows at night much more than for the night walks! The roads in Madagascar rival any I have seen anywhere else in the world for poor condition. But Dama, our main (modest) driver is capable of taking that bus anywhere. On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised at the standard of hotel and food throughout the trip. There is an opportunity to do laundry after a week. All hotels we were in had WiFi at reception when they had electricity on and some had sufficient connection to support WhatsApp calls... how times have changed.. I suffer from vertigo and I managed the Tsingy ( with the help of my fellow travelers) - and I am glad I did. This trip ends with an internal flight back to the capital. When the trip notes say that internal flights can be unreliable, take that very seriously and don’t plan anything you really can’t miss for the days immediately after you get home just in case. Exodus did a brilliant job in getting us back as soon as they could, just like we knew they would.
Jess Ormerod
Reviewed July 2019
Review
Loved the trip! See a lot but flip side is you are constantly travelling and some very long drive days. It would have been good to have more free time in places. We also had quite mixed abilities in the group but I think our tour leader managed this really well.
Most Inspirational Moment
Tsingy was the stand out but all the landscapes and parks are beautiful.
