Thoughts on Group Leader
Rania
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
Wonderul
Great trip. Thank you. Rania was excellent. Would have loved wifi in the rooms on the boat rather than having to sit in the reception area to work/send messages. Overall a great experience.
Levadas and Views
Madeira is a beautiful island and the hikes were just the right length to get in some good exercise but still be able to enjoy going out and about on foot afterwards.
Most Inspirational Moment
I loved the hikes along cliff sides with views that went on for days.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Bruno was a great ambassador for his island. He was very knowledgable about its wonderful natural beauty and always enthusiastically shared his knowledge and his opinions.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for hiking in wet weather. It probably won't rain on you for very long, but all it takes is few minutes, and you'll be wet even when the sky is then a beautiful bright blue for the rest of the afternoon.
One of my best holidays :-)
This was an amazing trip on so many levels.
I have come back feeling energised, invigorated and really sad to leave…testament to a great hol!
I was travelling on my own and apprehensive. I needn’t have been. My group were so welcoming and friendly. We got to know each other quite quickly and had such a laugh together. We are hoping to meet up again in the New Year.
The itinerary was so varied, there was never a dull moment. Ideally 14 days would be preferable as you are packing so much in.
Animals and birds- so much to see, recommend doing Schotia game drive and whale watching. Penguins at boulders beach were brilliant.
Flora-beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees and a chance to visit the botanical gardens in Cape Town.
Food-Wow…such a variety , huge portions and cheap. Recommend the ostrich, but so many other dishes to choose from( meat or veg)
Wine-fabulous and cheap. I loved the chenin blanc. I enjoyed the afternoon in Stellenbosch too.
Landscape-absolutely stunning..Tsitsikamma, Cape of Good Hope, ocean drives and more!
Activities- so varied and you have the opportunity to choose the activities you want to do at various locations.
Guide- Marco was great on every level. He was informative, professional, catered to everyone’s needs and kept us safe.
Accommodation – I particularly liked Tsitsikamma oceanette as right by the ocean. Got woken up at 5.30am by baboons jumping on the bin outside:-). Loved House Martin and the Windsor Hotel.
Cape Town-beautiful. I visited Robben Island, 2nd half of this tour was particular good as we were shown around by an ex inmate. I didn’t get the chance to go up Table Mountain as I had to leave early. There is so much to see and experience that I will definitely return.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were lots...game drive in Schotia, whale watching in Hermanus, staying in the oceanette cabin in Tsitsikamma; looking out at the beautiful ocean and stars, the romantic meal at House Martin with yummy home cooked food. Cape Town, so vibrant and beautiful. Really enjoyed the last night at Mama Africas..the music and dancing. Meeting my fellow travellers and Marco and sharing this wonderful adventure together. We laughed, danced and quizzed!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Marco was our group leader and he was amazing, so kind and thoughtful. He looked after us all and kept us safe. He was extremely knowledgeable about the history, geography, flora and fauna and the political situation in SA. He was very professional and informative. On nights off he would give us great recommendations for dinner. He would always go the extra mile to ensure everyone was ok. I'd give him 10/10 :)
Advice for Potential Travellers
Some power outage in Tsitsikamma in the day, power on again at 5.15pm. I took layers as weather can be changeable. Be prepared to wait for some meals...guide has this covered, we would order, wander and then come back. Don't stress if you have a car park view at one hotel as you are hardly in your accommodation. Take motion sickness tabs if you get seasick for whale watching and Robben Island
An unforgettable trip!
Beautiful scenic walks with rewarding views. Despite some challenging steps, it was way worth it to soak in the surroundings of the coastline.
Along with great food and great company, couldn’t ask for more!
Most Inspirational Moment
Reaching the top of Vesuvius and exploring the crater of one of the world's most famous volcanoes.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Veriano was great! He took care of the group on the walks and answered any questions we had along the way. We also had some real laughs despite challenges on the way. He was very patient and understanding and this allowed for a great week!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Hiking Shoes with good ankle support. There are a lot of steps on some of these walks, so please bare that in mind. Layers for travelling during the winter months.
A Great Bucket List Trip!
This was my second wildlife oriented trip with Exodus and it did not disappoint. There is some long travel days but necessary to include as many wildlife opportunities as possible. The variety of landscapes from one park to the next is diverse and with the help of great guides we were able to see a wide variety of Chameleons ,Lemurs and reptiles and birds. Photography was challenging but still able to come home with a selection of nice images. Madagascar was a bucket list trip for the opportunity to see wildlife that can not be found anywhere else in the world . Ending the trip with some beach time and wildlife was perfect.
Most Inspirational Moment
Most inspiring moments was hearing the haunting calls of the Indri in Andasibe National Park and having the opportunity to watch the Verreaux's Sifaka show off their dancing skills in Isalo National Park. And to top things off getting to see 3 owls (2 species)was the icing on the cake.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our tour leader was Bodo and she was fabulous. Knowledgeable, friendly, professional and very organized. She was great at handling the various personalities of the group and she remained calm at all times. Her nightly briefing on what to expect next day and then sent it to everyone in print as well.
Advice for Potential Travellers
My advise is if bringing USD cash to exchange be sure to bring bills that are not dated older than 2007. If older than that regardless of condition them will not accept (older than 2003) or give a lesser exchange rate(2003-2006). Also be sure you are fit as sometimes it is necessary to cover a lot of area when looking for wildlife and sometimes lots of ups and downs. Lemurs are not always in best location for viewing or photography so you need to be agile to move thru thick brush etc.
Excellent Introduction to Southeast Asia
This trip is a wonderful blend of both city energy and the countryside life of Southeast Asia. We visited Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand on this trip. Starting in Ho Chi Minh City, we discovered the history and rich culture of Vietnam, including a home stay with a Vietnamese family who taught us how to make authentic local food. After, we moved on to the tranquil sights of Cambodia, including the UNESCO world heritage temple of Angkor Wat and a day on a lush tropical island. To round off the trip, we enjoyed the vibrant energy of Bangkok.
Most Inspirational Moment
I loved the boat ride on the Kampot river as the sun was setting and highlighting the beautiful landscape. As it got dark, we saw fireflies flitting through the vegetation on the river banks.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We spent the most time with Sum in Cambodia. She was a fountain of knowledge and loved sharing her country's history and culture with us. She was extremely attentive and made sure that people with dietary restrictions were well taken care of. Her sunny disposition and sense of humour made this trip an outstanding experience for everyone, and we were all sad when it was time to say goodbye to her.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure to bring a big, refillable water bottle to make sure you stay hydrated. Also bring along running shoes as sometimes the stones in temples can be a bit slippery if it rains.
Full packed adventure
Exciting busy itinerary that cater for the more mixed activities experience. Offering incredible natural scenery and breath-taking landscapes, colourful history, unique diverse culture. Vibrant colours, amazing food and friendly locals. Just go go go!
Most Inspirational Moment
On day 3: Trekking 13km among the lush forest and terraced rice fields to Ta Phin Village – up and down hills the whole time. Relaxed in a herbal bath in wooden barrels afterwards. Kayaking in the lagoon in Ha Long Bay, absolutely beautiful and peaceful. Hoi An City in overall – colourful well-preserved city with lantern-lit streets with original old wooden buildings and temples, some dating back to the 17th century.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Nhung Bui was incredible. Full of knowledge and excitement, always available and made everyone feel right at home. An amazing leader
Advice for Potential Travellers
Pack proper hiking boots for trek on day 3, pack light for there is laundry service available everywhere as well as ATM's.
Amazing walking holiday!
From start to finish, everything was perfectly organized, allowing us to fully enjoy every step of the journey. The tour strikes a perfect balance between enjoyable walks and breathtaking views of stunning destinations like Alberobello, Ostuni, Locorotondo, and Matera.
Most Inspirational Moment
Exploring the fairy-tale trulli in Alberobello was absolutely magical, with their unique charm and picturesque setting. Another highlight was visiting Masseria Morrone, where the delicious dinner stole the show. The authentic flavors and locally sourced ingredients made it a truly unforgettable culinary experience. Finally, wandering through the ancient sassi of Matera brought the region’s rich history to life. Each of these moments felt like a window into Italy’s incredible heritage and culture.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Iona was fantastic! She was incredibly knowledgeable, approachable, and always ensured everyone felt comfortable and included. Her passion for the region and its history added a unique depth to every stop along the way, making the experience truly unforgettable.
Advice for Potential Travellers
ATMs are easily accessible in Alberobello and Matera, but it's a good idea to carry some cash. The walking routes are generally easy, but I highly recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes for the best experience. Hiking poles are optional, though some people find them helpful on certain paths. A reusable water bottle is essential, as tap water is safe to drink in most places. And don't forget sunscreen!
Loved this one..
As always, Exodus didn’t disappoint. The itinerary was great, we packed a lot in to the 9 day trip. Some early starts and long drives but the bus was comfortable and the air con worked well! Lots of walking on this trip, and be prepared for the pollution, if you have bad asthma I would consider a different trip as you are literally coughing with the smog!
But the busyness of the traffic is part of the adventure!
Sunrise in India isn’t a thing unfortunately due to the haze of pollution so the Taj Mahal wasn’t seen to it’s full beauty until the sun is higher in the sky. The dreaded sleeper train definitely is something I never wish to repeat, but it’s one night and so long as you don’t go to the toilet you’ll be ok haha ….I took shoe covers !!! So glad I did ! The beds are as hard as a table top !
Most Inspirational Moment
Varanasi is magical, the half hour of free time to worder through the crowds taking pictures of day to day life.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Ronit was brilliant, very organised and such a friendly chap
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't take a huge suitcase like some did on my trip, you have to lug it through the train station yourself and if the escalator is broken, you're getting it up those stairs as well. Take shoe covers for the train, you don't want to get back in bed with what ever you've been wading though., and ear plugs. All in all a great trip European plugs. Take coffee bags, the coffee is vile.
The itenarary was great. The local group guide was great. However, I have some constructive criticism below.
The trip was very nice but I have some constructive comments. This was advertised as a premium trip, however the starting hotel in Casablanca was mediocre at best. Certainly not 4 stars. The hotel had a least 4 other tour groups staying there at same time. One of the groups had 40 persons. This all resulted in poor service and chaos. The last hotel in Marrakesh was also a disappointment. The towels we old and only 2 provided. This is just a symptom of overall. The food for breakfast was disappointing. The farewell dinner that was at the hotel was terrible. The service was unacceptable. We were divided into tables of 4 instead of a large group farewell table. It would be more appropriate to go out of the hotel for a farewell nice dinner. A sign on the front desk at the hotel offered rooms available for $100 USD per night. The local guide was very knowledgeable and kind and did a nice job. However it seems he has done a lot of adventure guiding but maybe not so much of the premium luxury sort of trip. He could use some coaching on higher end trips. We had 8 Brits and 8 Americas the were in their late 50s to early 70s demographic. All of seemed to be very well traveled and use to higher end accommodations. One day on the road we ate at a gas stations with 3 other tour buses. This was chaos and was not luxury. Another time when we did not have a evening meal provided by the tour, we asked the guide to take us as a group together and of course we would pay for our individual meals. The guide understandably did not have a bus, So he put us is in 4 or 5 taxis and did not pay the taxi driver. We had to gather up 20 local currency (about the equivalent of $2 each for the cab ride . The was annoying and should have certainly covered by our Exodus fees .
Most Inspirational Moment
The camel ride and staying in the Sahara desert at the hotel and at the glamping camp. Also when we were in the atlas mountains it was very nice Riad and nice walk and nice meal with a view of snow on the Atlas mountains. The cooking class in Marrakech was great.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Great and I would recommend him. I would go on another tour with him and I gave him a nice gratuity. However, he needs a bit of coaching for a high end travel group. Also we had a woman that had some health issues and had a great deal trouble walking. Not really appropriate for this type tour when we walked 20,000 to 25,000 steps some days. He was very kind and attentive to her and spent considerable time arranging to walk with her and get her to a destination while leaving us in the care of local guides. I appreciate his care of her, but he should balance the needs of the group.
Advice for Potential Travellers
There is a lot of walking and a lot of time on the bus. However it was a great experience and I recommend this trip.