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!
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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.
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317 Reviews
4.8 out of
5
Reviews
Caroline Awitti Sunga
Reviewed July 2015
Mont Blanc Highlights
Excellent relaxing & stimulating break in the Alps. Despite the unexpected heatwave our guide still managed to show us all the Mont Blanc highlights. Having booked very last minute we were glad to get a chalet spot as well as all the information needed to catch-up with the group on arrival. Would highly recommend for a quick early summer trek to blow all the cobwebs away. Returned refreshed & rejuvenated – Cheers !
Most Inspirational Moment
On day one a paraglider landed in the field in front of the whole group before we'd even set-off for our first trek. Needless to say by the end of the trip more than half had booked a paragliding jump. Also being spied on by Marmots as we decended into the valley - little did the chubby fellow know we were looking for him !
Thoughts on Group Leader
Simon was flexible enough to ensure we all got the best out of the trip given our differing abilities. Having different options at certain points allowed everyone to enjoy there holiday at their own pace. On a more personal level I enjoyed his very dry sense of humour - back of Beyonce made me chuckle every time. Thanks Simon - my vision in Blue !
Advice for Potential Travellers
Definately get a bit of hill-walking in before the holiday - it will make all the difference & just in case your wondering yes you are trekking the alps & yes they are steep yet so worth the view !
Gerry Southgate
Reviewed July 2015
Mont Blanc highlights
Great food, excellent company and good walking in awesome scenery!
Most Inspirational Moment
Finding out that there are times where "awesome" is the only word that suits the wonder of the landscape.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jen was great, encouraging the group onwards and upwards, sharing her enthusiasm for the mountains.
Advice for Potential Travellers
You don't enjoy scenery like this without walking uphill! Walk regularly and often before you go and don't forget you start at 1000m so you need the first day to acclimatise. After that you'll be itching to return for the full circuit, I know I am!
Graham Keetch
Reviewed July 2015
mont blanc highlights
an excellent trip made by stunning scenery,a good crowd of fellow hikers, a good leader who adapted well to his team and temperatures of 35C and great chalet hosts. well done exodus !
Most Inspirational Moment
stunning scenery all week but especially aiguiile di midi on restday and deep inside glacier at montevens
Thoughts on Group Leader
highly skilled
Bruce Patterson
Reviewed July 2015
Mont Blanc Highlights
It was a great week of hikes supported by yet another lovely team of Exodus support
staff. Despite the heatwave baking Europe, the group enjoyed the daily routes (especially the shady bits!) and felt we’d earned our nightly dinner, each of which was impressive (to judge from how we asked for the recipes) and served wtih great kindness and care to detail by our chalet cooks/house managers Colin & Jane who seemed to think of and to anticipate everything we needed.
Most Inspirational Moment
1) coming across a (wild) Ibex
2) Feeling so close to the highest peaks on the Italian side of the range while walking through fields of Alpine wildflowers whose varieties were such an unexpected treat
3) spotting a marmot on a rock (and hearing his or her bird-like call!)
Thoughts on Group Leader
Simon Conroy is another exceptional Exodus leader and guide. Experienced, encouraging, informative, worldly, accomodating (and humorous), we felt
in the best of hands with a guy who could literally handle anything.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring your walking poles, plenty of sunscreen, hydration tablets for your water bottles and music (on your mobile phone or iPod) to share as the chalet has a sound system that accomodates this.
Stephen Lockwood
Reviewed July 2015
Mont Blanc Highlights
Hard to summarise. What made it a fab holiday? Fab walking, fab views, fab mountains, Colin and Jane’s cooking, the Mer de Glace, the Aiguille du Midi, chalet room with a balcony, orchids and Alpine flora, good company, safe, knowledgeable and funny leader and even alto cumulus lenticularis (thank you, Richard) sitting on top of Mont Blanc.
Most Inspirational Moment
Probably the 360 degree views from the Aiguille du Midi (3842m)
Thoughts on Group Leader
I thought he was very professional as well as friendly, approachable and knowledgeable and able to laugh at himself.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't believe everything you read in the weather forecast. We went in May and regretted the lack of sandals and summer evening wear. But don't leave your fleece at home; you're starting walking at 1,000m so it is chilly on top
Shaun Wood
Reviewed July 2015
SHAUN (BOLTON)
Brilliant weather,lovely chalet & host’s and also very lucky with the weather. I say lucky but because your in the mountains and they don’t call them cloud catchers for nothing (but don’t let that put you off going on this trip)
Most Inspirational Moment
everything
Thoughts on Group Leader
Simon was excellent.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bear in mind there's no such thing as bad weather just bad clothes.
Peter Bladd
Reviewed June 2015
Peter B
A great trip – good accommodation, food and great walks
Most Inspirational Moment
The last day we went through the Mont Blanc tunnel into Italy to see the most wonderful views of the valleys and the mountains including Mont Blanc. The chocolate at Bonnati Lodge is legendary - and now we know why!!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader was Simon who was excellent. Efficient, confident and reliable in everything he did. He had a few challenges with our group as not everyone was able to, or wanted to go as fast the fastest - but he calmly dealt with the issues showing care and patience.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Chamonix is excellent, clean, tidy, thriving, interesting. Get out and look, talk to the people - most speak English.
Prepare for the walking - the fitter you are the better you will enjoy it, and some of the slopes are pretty steep.
Scott Hines
Reviewed June 2015
First Experience with Exodus
My girlfriend and I had never taken a group tour of any kind. We are frequent world travelers and have always been independent in our travel plans. But while doing research for a trip to the French Alps we found the Exodus website and were intrigued by the simple but compelling descriptions of the Exodus experience as well as the beautiful photographs and helpful reviews. We weren’t sure we would like the group travel experience but decided to give it a try.
We have now returned from our trip and are still surprised at how much we enjoyed the Exodus experience. The accommodations were very comfortable. We usually like to stay in boutique luxury hotels and stay away from the home style “bed and breakfast” type of accommodations. We found the chalet provided by Exodus to be very comfortable and enjoyed the chalet atmosphere. It really felt like having a vacation home instead of staying in a hotel. We also have very high standards for food and wine. My girlfriend is an accomplished restauranteur and sommelier and cuisine is a critical part of any vacation for us. We found the food to be healthy, delicious, creative, and prepared with great flair.
But what surprised and delighted us the most about the trip was the people. Our chalet hosts, Jane and Colin, were warm, caring, and friendly while at the same time professional and talented. Our guide Simon was educational, entertaining, and patient. He and his wife Jenn were delightful to spend time with both on the treks and while sharing a glass of wine. Our other trekking companions were a truly splendid group of “proper” English and Australian ladies who seemed as comfortable socializing around the dinner table as they were trekking on the trail in the rain. In a short week my girlfriend and I developed a true and heartfelt admiration for each of them.
We loved our first Exodus experience and plan to add Exodus to our regular repertoire of travels. We had a fantastics time sharing 2 birthdays and 1 marriage proposal with our new friends during our altogether too short week together. (My girlfriend is now my fiancé!) We would heartily recommend the Exodus experience to anyone looking for a world class trekking experience. We’ve already started planning for our next trip!
Most Inspirational Moment
This is an easy one for me. It was when my girlfriend accepted my marriage proposal on the top of the Aiguille de Midi while two of our trekking companions filmed and applauded.
Thoughts on Group Leader
We thought our group leader, Simon, was truly exceptional. He is a world class mountaineering, trekking, and survival expert. His knowledge and wit made the time spent trekking both educational and fun. We loved learning about the nature, the topography, and the history of the French Alps from him. His background and experience made us feel both adventurous but also safe at all times. He's a wealth of information as well as a great mate to hoist a pint with. Exodus is lucky to have his services.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't over pack. Bring good hiking clothes that provide easy layering, are wrinkle free, and that dry quickly. Then wash your clothes every 2-3 days at the chalet and don't worry about having to carry too much. If you do find that you forgot something, Chamonix is an easy stroll into town and they will have whatever you need.
Robert Hill
Reviewed June 2015
Mt. Blanc Highlights - Perfect in every way
A perfect hiking vacation for those with a moderate level of fitness who are used to several consecutive days of hiking in the mountains. Snow capped peaks, verdant alpine meadows full of flowers in June and (lucky me) blue skies and sunshine every day (not guaranteed!!). A small group of friendly and fun people led by an expert professional who made sure everyone was safe and comfortable all the while letting people enjoy the hiking, the scenery, photography at their own pace. Excellent food and accommodation which far exceeded expectations.
Most Inspirational Moment
Waking up each morning with a view of Mt. Blanc and the Bossons Glacier knowing that each day of hiking would bring us through forests, alpine meadows, mountain passes in unparalleled scenery. Paragliding off Aiguille du Midi right up against Mt. Blanc and over the glacier, across the valley, over Chamonix for a perfect landing. At 68 I might not have had the nerve to do this but was encouraged by two young women in the group to do it together and it was one of the most awe inspiring things I have ever done. Thanks Emily and Vickie!!!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Simon was a true professional, extremely well organized, eager to share his wealth of knowledge about the area, the trails we were on, even the alpine flowers and animals (Ibex, marmots) that we encountered. He obviously cared deeply that everyone was safe and comfortable each day of the hike and went out of his way to be with the group, sharing amazing stories and bringing fun and laughter to us all. You could not ask for a better leader.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure you are used to hiking up and down mountains before you go. Also not everyone will get the perfect weather our group had so make sure you have appropriate gear for rain and cold. Spend your day off paragliding off the Aiguille du Midi - YOLO!
Martha MacRae
Reviewed June 2015
Room allocation policy
This review is purely to do with the room allocation policy for this trip which is not transparent. The later you book the more likely you are to have a rubbish room. We booked in Jan for May trip and were allocated a room in the eves. Some rooms have baths, showers and balconies, our room had a shower (in very small shower room) and sloping roof. The room was very small and would not be suitable for elderly guests. One of the older guests on our trip hit his head twice resulting in quite significant gashes. The price for these rooms should be cheaper as there is no way they are as good as some of the others.
Most Inspirational Moment
N/A
Reply from Exodus
As with any traditional alpine chalet, rooms do vary in shape and sometimes size and we were really sorry to learn that Martha was disappointed with the room she was allocated. At the Chalet Chamonix there are seven bedrooms and of the five rooms on the second floor two have partially sloping roofs as well as the main part of the room which is full height. Both rooms also have a large Velux window and smaller side window to ensure they are light and airy. All the rooms in the chalet are of a similar size. Some rooms have baths and others have showers but we believe overall all rooms provide a comparable level of comfort. While some rooms make better doubles and others twins we believe that the fairest way of allocating rooms is to give those with larger windows to clients who booked first. Outside of the rooms the Chalet boasts a large and comfortable living room with a joining spacious balcony furnished with tables and chairs as well as a large grassy garden with decking and hot tub. When not walking most of our clients choose to relax in these comfortable communal areas all if which have a superb view of Mont Blanc.
