Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Village of Lin with its ancient mosaic and stunning views over Lake Ohrid.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader (Ed) was great and he enhanced the trip with additional visits and food/drink tastings. Medi is probably the best driver we’ve ever had (in 30 years of group travel). He was a safe and thoughtful driver and great fun, joining in with almost all our activities.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You don’t need walking boots for this trip – good trainers are enough.

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved looking at the breathtaking scenery from the window of our mini-bus. I ordinarily don't like buses, but Diu, our bus driver was an incredible driver, who often stopped to buy us fruit on roadside, and made sure we were all enjoying our trip.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was kind and knowledgeable, though I wish he had spent some time on the bus teaching us an occasional Albanian word, asking us how we were doing, etc. For those interested in archaeology, because he is an archaeologist, our group leader supplied information at several archaeological sites.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You will see a lot on this trip, but changing hotels almost daily can be exhausting. Accommodations were almost all very adequate.

Most Inspirational Moment

It's so hard to pick one. Everyday had a new and different experience. The thrill of morning game drive in Savuti will be hard to beat. Driving with determination and excitement to the next sighting had us holding on to the vehicle in anticipation!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Big Friendly Brian made this trip for us. His enthusiasm and experience makes for the best wildlife experience. Safari is about being in the right place, at the right time. And Brian puts you right there. He also made us feel very safe during the wild camps with clear instruction and daily briefings. We were also supported by the excellent Mike, Timoth, and Moreti who drove the support vehicle, set up camp, and cooked amazing food. The full service camping, having tents set up and ready for us in camp, was great. And we always had a friendly wave and warm welcome into camp each day.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for long bumpy drives, permanently dirty dusty feet, warm drinking water, and early mornings. But it's all completely worth it! We used our binoculars everyday. Bring a day pack that can fit under a car seat in front of you otherwise it can be cramped. You have the chance to buy beers along the way for evening in camp, but would also recommend some soft drinks and snacks to help the drives go past. Bring podcasts and headphones, or a book, for the long drives. Be sure to try the bush shower, cooling and amazing views at the same time. Tips in the Okavango are 30 USD per person. There's opportunity to change USD to Pula which can be useful for tips or crafts. Most places accept credit card. We travelled in September and it was warm. We had our sleeping bags with us, but most nights just used a thinner liner. It's hard to know how many clothes to pack but we only wore about half what we took. So really think about what you will feasibly wear. Best kit was a thin, quick drying shirt you could rinse out in camp.

Most Inspirational Moment

On reaching the summit of each ascent and taking in the sheer beauty of the white mountain peaks …. Even more so, on a cloudy day, when the clouds parted and the sun-bathed mountains emerged through the gap … breathtaking!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Experienced, informative, patient, supportive, good-humoured and encouraging; one of the best.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do pack lightweight climbing clothing and waterproof outer wear. Trust in your guide, as there will be some sections that are perhaps more challenging than expected; but the trails are well cared for and there are well-placed wall bars/chains for narrow sections. I highly recommend this trip …. So much is packed into the week, but there is also plenty of time to relax after the day’s hikes, have a cosy drink in town with fellow guests and enjoy dinner together each evening.

Most Inspirational Moment

2 winners for me; Petra at night - to see the treasury lit up at night and to walk down the gorge lit by lanterns was simply magical against the beautiful night sky. Also camping in the bedouin camp. This was also truly magical; sleeping under the incredible night sky, sitting around the campfire then watching shooting stars until we could no longer keep our eyes open - I will never forget this night!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ayyad was brilliant - great sense of humour and always looking for the best experiences for us such as joining us to climb to the high place of sacrifice in Petra but then showing us an alternative longer route down. He clearly loves his country and did his best to teach us about his culture and language which all went towards making the trip even more special. As a vegetarian, he was great at always ensuring that I was catered for when we had our evening meals and did a good job of organising a group meal almost every night.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just do it! Be prepared for lots of walking, especially on the days visiting Petra and for varying temperatures eg Aqaba typically much hotter than Amman. Wearing loose clothing covering knees shoulders (for women) was actually great at keeping cool. As a vegetarian, main meals were scarce but there was always something to eat, usually mezze style dishes - just be prepared for limited choice. Don't take your best swimwear to the dead sea - the mud might not come out afterwards..!! Walking sandals are fine for most days but walking shoes at least for Petra as it's difficult underfoot at times. Do Petra by night - don't expect much and you might be surprised! It was a highlight for me. If you have room, take your own snorkel to save renting them in Aqaba and if you're a cat lover, some cat treats will be very much welcomed by the Jordanian cats..! I was very popular..! Cash was needed for the optional trips but I mainly used cards in shops and at restaurants - they were accepted widely. Finally no need to take towels and all hotels had hairdryers!

Most Inspirational Moment

Our first day walking up to L’Aiguillette des Posettes was the highlight of the week because the weather was superb. On a couple of the days mist shrouded the hillsides but even then I enjoyed the terrain and the atmosphere within the forest.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I think I've said enough about him already ;)

Advice for Potential Travellers

You need a reasonable level of fitness, but the walks are all doable unless you really do have bad vertigo. Don't bother with poles unless you use them at home - they're just a hindrance.

Most Inspirational Moment

The gorgeous long hikes along the coast to remove places like Loutro, Preveli Beach, and the marble beach. (Note that we were unable to hike the Somaria Gorge on day two, due to a tragic rock slide that killed one and trapped others, so I can’t speak to that hike. My understanding is that it is the most striking of the hikes, and one of the most physically challenging.)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Because our two guides were local, the information about Crete and Greece was unique and wonderful. Occassionally, language and culture impacted communications, as should be expected, but it wasn't a huge issue. We loved them both.

Advice for Potential Travellers

This was a great trip for me and my wife (age 63), but no trip is for everyone. To help others decide if this trip is right for them, I’m going to share some of the positive and negative feedback we heard from others in the group. Some days at the beginning of the week were more strenuous and long than some in our group wanted. Other days at the end of the week didn’t have as much hiking as some participants wanted. Also, be aware that two of the hotels in remote areas weren’t top-notch – no drinkable tap water, tiny showers, very basic breakfasts, and small rooms. For us, these two hotels were still lovely for a brief one-night stay. However, if high-quality hotels are important to you, this trip might not be for you. The other hotels during the rest of the week were much nicer, and the one in Rethymno where we stayed two nights was exceptional in all ways. For us, the week offered a good mix of things that we couldn’t or wouldn't have done without a local guide. We’re pretty fit, and were looking for a very active week, so the itinerary worked for us. But if you are not looking for long, strenuous, and hot hiking, this trip may not be for you. That’s not Exodus’s fault, it’s just that different trips fit different people. It should also be noted that this is the first summer Exodus has offered this trip, and they are seem to still be fine-tuning it. For instance, the wine tasting was dropped, apparently due to feedback. I’m confident the trip will get even better over time as Exodus adjusts based on customer suggestions.

Most Inspirational Moment

Staying inside the ancient citadel of Berat.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour leader Edjon (Ed), and our driver Medi, were both great fun. It would be impossible not to have a good time in their company! Ed also arranged for lots of little extra visits, tastings etc that significantly enhanced the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don’t expect the slickest tourist experience in Albania (e.g. the dishes you order in a restaurant may not come out in the order you expected); just roll with it. Do expect friendly people and a very safe country. Don’t go in peak summer unless you’re OK with very hot weather – September was a very pleasant time to be there. Changing money in exchange offices is extremely easy, and there’s no commission.

Most Inspirational Moment

Being peaceful in the beautiful scenery and with some dramatic Atlantic skies

Thoughts on Group Leader

Group leader Dinis was excellent as were the support team of Leonel and Filipe. They were all very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Consider an e-bike if you think the ascents might be a challenge for you. You can keep it on a low level and still get some exercise. I changed to an e-bike for the last day as my knees were aching and I really enjoyed the day.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our local leader Sandrine really made this trip! She is a mountain guide and having her lead and making my group feel so comfortable with the walks, was great. Teaching us some tips and tricks for the descents was helpful and will be using on future trips!