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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61 Reviews

4.4 out of 5

Melissa Hammond

Reviewed May 2024

Architecture Trip and Success with the Tigers

Firstly we had one of the best tiger viewings our guide had seen in awhile. It carried a fresh kill right infront of our truck in the morning and in the afternoon we found a small family of tigers and we watched them Eat and play just a stones throw away from us. This trip takes in so much Beautiful Architecture. Of course there is the Taj Mahal but other less known forts are very impressive, very detailed and much more preserved than I was expecting. I do wish it had more time inside the cities to see more ‘real life’ india. We were bused from hotel door to fort entrance a lot which is the easiest way and probably the best in the heat but you do feel like you miss whats going on around. I would have liked more time to weave the small streets of Jodhpur with the Blue houses and to experience ‘markets’ rather than rest-stop giftshops. This trip was very busy but we covered a lot of areas and you cant help the distance required to get to each one. Bus journeys were long but roads are improving and times are getting quicker. There are plenty of stops, if you are someone who doesnt need to stop these can feel frustrating or like the journeys are longer than necessary but its a group tour and there are always others that appreciate the rest stop – and you have to think of the driver. Meals in hotels were reasonable but restaurants and especially some lunch stops were more expensive than you would expect for India as they were touristy but its probably better than getting unwell, this trip is too busy to be risking that.

Most Inspirational Moment

The tiger viewing in Ranthambore has to be the best thing, it was so special and knowing that sightings are not guaranteed made it even more a highlight. The Taj Mahal, i had always been keen to see it but I struggled to peel myself away from it - it was stunning - not just the building but just how its presented and there is something about it that does feel so special when you are there - we had fab weather too!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our Guide Manoj was so knowledgeable, extremally passionate about working for Exodus and being a guide. Had a good sense of humour. There is a lot of information to take in and it can be difficult to understand some things but he was very patient and happy to re-explain. Very organised and professional but he did walk quick, if you want to keep taking photos you will be doing a lot of catching up!

Advice for Potential Travellers

You have to go on this expecting the unexpected otherwise you wont enjoy. You have to go with the flow and just accept the country you are in is probably like nowhere you have been before. Be flexible. Expect things in the hotels to not always work - wifi, hairdryer etc. You are not in hotels long enough to worry about its facilities just take them for what they are otherwise its not the right tour for you and you will let little details ruin your holiday. Binoculars for Ranthambore or a camera with a good zoom! Also there are so many different birds in India! Atm withdrawals are the best for cash, most places take card but not everywhere and sometimes the guide will arrange things and you pay him so some cash is needed. Places of worship are only the official places you need to have shoulders and knees covered but it was more comfortable as a women to just have trousers/long skirts on everywhere. Easy shoes to get on and off at temples and socks if you dont want to be bare foot. Take cards/books/download movies - there is a lot of bus time

Surinder Mason

Reviewed April 2024

Lots to see but definitely not leisurely!

Fitting in an impressive amount of places, although it is a lot of driving we had a fantastic driver. Really enjoyed the sites, and finished off with the breathtaking Taj Mahal.

Most Inspirational Moment

Aside from the Taj Mahal…the lakes of Udaipur at sunset are absolutely stunning. As well as experiencing Holi festival in Jaipur was a really great experience.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Got us through the trip, however other members of our group had to look out for slower members of the group. Sent my sister and I to a jewellery shop that didn’t stock the item we had asked him where the best place to buy it was. Although we appreciated the help he seemed disinterested when members of the tour asked questions. It also felt like he had a very close relationship with the owners of the restaurants we ate at and many were low quality with poor service which led to us walking out of one much to his discomfort.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Requires meticulous packing and organisation due to the amount of moving around. Be aware of what prices you are paying as were paying 2x to as much as x6 local rates and on at least one occasion were given a different tourist menu with English pricing. I would also recommend getting a SIM card although advised we didn’t need one by our tour leader, the long bus journeys and non or low - quality wifi at the hotels certainly warranted one.

Reply from Exodus

We really appreciate Surinder’s review, and are glad she enjoyed the sites she visited on her trip to India with us. We’re sorry that a couple of aspects gave her cause for disappointment, though.

Many restaurants in India have different rates for local Indian people than they do for foreign tourists, particularly tour groups. This is particular true for restaurants which cater towards tourists, which are generally those recommended by our tour leaders, as they have good hygiene ratings. This is similarly why we don’t include trying local street food, as while our clients are free to do this in their own time, it is simply not something we would recommend given that it could lead to a very upset stomach. We are, however, sorry that some of the establishments Surinder’s group ate at were not to her liking.

Surinder’s tour leader has explained that he recommended a jewellery shop that he was sure was reputable, and regrets that it didn’t stock the item she wanted; he didn’t, however, feel comfortable recommending other nearby stores which he was aware may have stocked fake items.

Surinder’s leader receives very positive feedback from clients overall, so we were regretful to learn that she didn’t have a similar experience with him on this departure. We would mention that clients in Surinder’s group rated her leader at 4.33 out of 5 overall, which is a very good score; however, we have spoken to him about aspects of his performance which could be improved in the future.

We’d like to thank Surinder for detailing her experience, and hope to be able to welcome her back on another Exodus trip when she travels again.

– Sarah Puttnam, Exodus Product Manager

Sarah Vaughan

Reviewed April 2024

Holi Festival in India

An unforgettable and once in a lifetime experience

Most Inspirational Moment

Holi Festival and visiting the amazing marble Jain temple but also tiger spotting and Rathambore safari plus all of the other amazing site visits - too many to mention...

Thoughts on Group Leader

Gaj was fantastic and looked after all of us very well. Loads of knowledge and a great leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

A lot of minibus travelling between sites so take your ipad or a book.

John mason

Reviewed April 2024

A frenetic Kaleidoscope-Delivering some amazing sights.

Travelled with my daughters and partner, largely repeating a backpacking trip of more than a quarter of a century ago ( the roads have dramatically improved) this trip delivers the highlights of Rajasthan plus Agra and (briefly) Delhi in a compact timescale leaving you planning return visits to your favourite sites. The driver and helper were tremendous. unfortunately there were question marks over the quality of a couple of hotels ( Pushkar Jaipur) and the pace of the itinary leaves little time for snagging if a room change is required. The main downside, having experienced previous Exodus trips, was the failure to deliver on engagement with local traders, food providers, food producers, charities outside of the mainstreem tourist economy and the seemingly non optional arrangements for food and additional activities at additional cost. Group visits were to high end carpet, spice and marble suppliers. The train trip form agra to Delhi was somewhat chaotic – porters were hired at Agra but not Delhi leading to a long walk through traffic with cases to our transport.

Most Inspirational Moment

Of course the Taj Mahal (excellent local guide), Udaipur from the water did not disappoint and Bundi was a great surprise package -but the top award has to go to the good natured paint throwing mayhem of the Holi festival in Jaipur!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Opinions varied. IMO did little to promote group cohesion ( group member supported slower members of the party) and he tended to blame his local admin back up for problems. The first night group meal was curiously expensive and It was unclear what the tipping budget covered. Local specialist guides (Bundi Fort , The Taj) however were well informed and added value.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The 1 night stays leave almost no time in which to open and close a suitcase so fanatical attention to packing detail required. Also Insist on interaction with local traders, not just the tourist economy.

Reply from Exodus

We’re delighted to read that John enjoyed many aspects of his return trip to India after a long time away, and that he found some of the sights covered on the tour to be amazing. We regret, though, that he was somewhat disappointed with some areas of the holiday. Regarding the hotels in Pushkar and Jaipur, we have recently changed the hotel in Pushkar and are looking for an alternative to the property in Jaipur, which we’ll be using from October of this year onwards.

We understand that John would have appreciated more interaction with local people and small, local businesses. We would mention that the visits to carpet, spice, and marble vendors John comments on are only offered to clients as optional visits; however, we take John’s point and have raised his suggestion to include more engagement with local people on this tour with our team in India. Similarly, we get John’s disappointment with the cost of food at times. Our leaders arrange group meals and, especially early on in the trip when clients are getting used to the food in India, our groups are taken to restaurants with high hygiene ratings, which do tend to not be local establishments and can cater for tourists. Customers are, however, always free to opt out of group meals if they wish, or organise them amongst the group members themselves.

Regarding the tipping budget, this is outlined in our trip notes, and our leaders carry a tip sheet which lists all the tips they give throughout the trip, and which clients can ask to see at any point during the holiday.

Finally, we were disappointed to note John’s mixed feelings about his tour leader. This is not at all common feedback for us to receive about our leaders in India, and we will follow John’s comments up with our local manager to ensure that all our leaders are providing conscientious, personable support to all members of our groups.

We’re grateful for John for taking the time to leave a review, and hope we’ll be able to welcome him back on another Exodus trip at some point in the future.

– Sarah Puttnam, Exodus Product Manager

Fiona Allan

Thank you for your review Alison, although we’re sorry you didn’t find the trip to be as leisurely as you had expected While we do mention in our trip notes that this is a busy itinerary, mainly because this region of India offers so much to see and experience in the time frame, we generally note our customers find the pace to be appropriate as shown in the very positive feedback we receive, but do appreciate some customers may prefer more guidance on this aspect of our trips. Should you wish to travel with us again, please don’t hesitate to ask our sales team if you have any specific questions about the tour that are not covered in the trip notes, and we will be more than happy to help.

Sarah Puttnam – Product Manager

M B

Reviewed October 2023

Colours of rajasthan trip

Very busy trip with some days of long travel between venues , but plenty of comfort stops / lunch stops along the way Saw many major cultural sites and so much history with associated information provided by Gaj ( leader) or local guides at venues. Some hotels had swimming pools so worth taking your swim gear. A cool down after the day spent in bright sunshine and 40 degree heat was most welcome .

Most Inspirational Moment

Difficult to pick one , obviously the Taj Mahal hugely impressive but then again the history of some forts/ temples/ towns also impressive.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Gaj dealt very well with a challenging individual in the group , whose behaviour ranged from hysterical meltdown ( matching a level usually only seen in a toddler) , general passive /aggressive attitude and comments , who also had an inability to follow simple instructions regarding timekeeping and not wandering off alone - something the rest of the group complied with which then meant we spent ages hanging around waiting for said individual to be retrieved from a cultural building in order for us all to move on . Gaj remained professional , courteous , diplomatic and polite at all times despite some obvious provocation from aforementioned person. Gaj was more than happy to discuss his home nation , culture , history and current problems.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take some sweets/snacks for the minibus. Lunch en route may not happen at specific times so wise to have own supply if peckish. Take swim gear , sun screen and a hat. Go with the flow , enjoy the experiences and food .

Dave Farmer

Reviewed April 2023

Tiger, tiger...

A non stop tour of the heart of India; Forts and temples, wildlife and culture. Long days and pleasant evenings. By the third day out of Delhi, we had seen the sunset over the Taj Mahal from the Midnight Garden, walked on the beautiful white marble of that iconic building in the early morning, watched wildlife waking in the Ranthambore National park and spent a privileged hour in the company of Ritthi, a magnificent female tiger. In the days to come we walked through ruined temples, deserted forts, lovely little towns and sampled the cuisine and traditional ceremonies and explored the back streets of Rajasthan.

Most Inspirational Moment

Two moments stand out for me. The first was spending more than an hour in the company of Ritthi, a large female tiger as she dozed in the sun no more that 30m from me before stalking (and not catching) two spotted deer. And then watching as she stalked and caught a wild boar. The second was when our guide, Naveen, arranged with our hotel manager in Bundi for us to watch the celebrations and ceremonies in honour of Hanuman, the monkey faced god, whose birthday it was. Bundi is one of those rare places that haven’t been adversely affected by tourism and as we watched from the side of the street we were made welcome and then became a focus of attention for those in the procession. I think I appear in more selfies than I took photos. And all the while we felt safe and comfortable.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Naveen is an excellent guide and leader. His briefings were clear and concise and any questions were quickly answered. He made sure that the group was ok at all times. As we approached each town we had a full explanation of any options and activities. At the historical sites he made sure we understood the restrictions on bags, food, and the dress codes required for respect and tradition in advance. The act that sums up his attention to us happened at the airport when the group flight people were leaving. Having dropped us off, he waited at the barriers to make sure we all got through the initial security checks for entry to the airport before leaving himself. Mention must be made of Vijay, our driver. He was a calm and quiet character who was more than capable of dealing with all the traffic conditions we encountered during the trip. For the longer journeys I was sat at the front of the bus and despite oncoming traffic in our lane, desperate overtaking by cars and trucks and one memorable moment as a lorry rushed towards us in our lane, I had confidence that Vijay could deal with it all. When I return to India, I would choose Naveen as my guide and Vijay as my driver.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Many of the days are long as there is a lot to do. We travelled in April and temperatures were reaching 35c+. In the forts and temples, there was a lack of breeze and the heat reflected off the stonework. Exodus trip notes are pretty accurate; in those temperatures you need to drink plenty and dress accordingly. In many historical sites bags are either not allowed or are subject to long security checks. Most sites forbid any food to be taken in. Religious sites require you to take off your shoes. Those in our group who weren’t wearing socks regretted it as the stone floors got very, very hot in the afternoon sun. A spare pair of socks would be a good idea for those visits. For the game drives a mobile phone will not do the wildlife justice. If you don’t bring a camera with some kind of telephoto lens, a pair of lightweight binoculars will help with watching the birds and smaller mammals. Expect to be hassled by street vendors. It’s not personal or aggressive and the best way I found of dealing with it was to politely say no/shake the head and then ignore them. It can be hard when they persist, but they soon get the message and move on to the next person. I saw people engage in conversation and regret it as the hassle continued for minutes. I saw very few beggars and the advice is to donate to registered charities rather than someone who approaches you on the street. Walking in the narrow streets can be intimidating but the traffic is not trying to hit you and the horns are there to let you know someone is approaching, not to rebuke you. Be aware of the traffic, watch how the locals deal with it, don’t do anything unexpected and you’ll be fine.

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