Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Sitting on th etop of the mountain watching the cloud and mist drift by. Interacting with locals on the trekking trail villages where not many tourists come around.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Avtaar was a charming leader who got along well with the clients, the trekking crew as well as the locals. Great guide to have.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared of all types of weather where it is cool during the nights and evenings in the mountains on the trek . Once the trek is done you can do away with warm clothes as will be  hot and humid during the later part of the trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved walking in the hills through the lemon grass, where we had amazing views; canoeing through the coir-producing village on the coast; and capturing the atmosphere in the Hindu shrines while trying to understand what is going on! 

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was great fun and very professional, always in control and there when we needed him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We found we needed quite a range of clothes, moving from high ground with chilly nights to the hot and humid coast.  There were almost no opportunities for swimming.  We found bottled water is easily available so purifying tablets are not really needed.  We managed to get cash more easily than we expected and didn't spend so much as food is very cheap.  We had poor or non-existent mobile phone signals.

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting to the top of Meesapulima Peak and coping well with the challenge of camping (I am 75 yrs old)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Adji was friendly and very supportive. He was able to meet my needs before I knew of them. He took advice and thanked me for it. We enjoyed his company especialy conversations about his country and his desire to improve it.I would like to be led by him again.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would advise people to go on the holiday and enjoy the beatiful scenery and vegitation and absorb the culture of the country.

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day of the trek was inspirational, being able to witness a vast and ever changing landscape. One particular highlight was sitting on the side of a mountain listening to our tour leader singing an Indian love song.The houseboat trip and stay in the backwaters was idyllic and pleasantly relaxing after the strenuous efforts of the trek.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ajith is an exceptional human being. His knowledge of history, religion, geography, politics, art, culture, botany and cricket is encyclopaedic and he put his heart and soul into ensuring that we all got the most possible from our time in South India. He was always prepared to seize extra opportunities as they presented themselves rather than simply sticking rigidly to the pre-arranged programme. He also showed infinite patience in meeting the various needs of the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Come prepared for extremes of temperature. You need to be aware that this is a very packed and intensive programme of activities. Have a few cricket nets before setting off!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Ajit was a very knowledgeable guide and was able to deal with unforeseen events - such as the support jeep breaking its axleThe only qualms were that there seemed to bea bit too much time spent on 'shopping' and also the walks should be adjusted to avoid too much time spent walking in the hot times of the day.  Start earlier, lunch longer

Advice for Potential Travellers

Its very hot for trekking during the day but can be (and was) sub zero at night while trekking.

Most Inspirational Moment

sharing the generousity of people who had very little, we had 3 christmas cakes on christmas eve...one from a priest after we stopped by his small one room church, one shared with the small number of parishoners whose meeting place was beside our campsite and one baked by our cook and shared around the campfire.i will remember for a long time, the view from my tent at sunrise,drinking my bed tea and looking at the spectacular scenery which had been shrouded in a cloak of mist the previous evening.

Thoughts on Group Leader

ashok was a calm ,friendly and very competent leader. he gave us a great insight into the lives of indian people and guided us through many problems of travelling in a different environment. our trip had to be changed in part due to trouble at the border with tamil nadu but he rose to the occassion and managed the situation without us being aware of any issues.

Advice for Potential Travellers

be prepared to accept different standards of urban structures , most towns were a bit of a mess, get over this quickly and look to the people and countryside . i didnt eat any meat or fish and was one of the few who didnt get a tummy upset,maybe related. great range of veggie meals,very cheap.weather in december was good,only one wet day in 2 weeks and boy, did it rain!

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing a full Indian meal being cooked from start to finish

Thoughts on Group Leader

Santosh was brilliant - enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and taking in his stride all the myriad small (and large) crises that came our way. A lovely guy who really made the trip special.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring decent waterproofs and plenty of dry socks. You might not get a sun tan!

Most Inspirational Moment

The wonderful Indian people who couldn't do enough for us!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Santosh Kumar was an inspired leader who with dilligence and humour lead us on this fantastic adventure. Santosh went out of his way to ensure that every individual had a fantastic holiday, he was kind and fair to all and the whole group got on like a house in fire, due to his great attention to detail. A star!!!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Expect anything and everything on this trip, don't ever go on an Exodus holiday and expect to follow the itinerary, the holiday's themselves always turn out to be much better.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking up to the Meesapulima peak and seeing (briefly) the magnificent views when the mist lifted. Walking through the tea plantations. Sailing in the backwaters of Kerala and watching the world go by. Taking a rowing boat down the numerous waterways around the Coir Village resort. Playing chess during the evenings in a local café by torch light which seemed to be of great interest to the local people, who I think, probably played a much better game than I did. Learning a little about the religions of India, visiting temples and experiencing the noise of India.  

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader, Santosh, was great – very helpful, overcame all problems and helped to make the group bond together.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Not sure if the water purification tablets were required as the drinking water on the camp was double boiled and bottled water was readily available. Some of the experienced camper had brought with them a small sheet of plastic for taking off ones boots before going into the tent, something I would include on my next trip. If you are going in December waterproofed trousers are useful, something I forgot also a travel sink plug would have been most useful as there were no plugs available in any of the hotels. I found it most interesting to add a few days on at the end of the holiday and visited Mumbai on my way home. It was suggested to me that to avoid stomach problem it was best to avoid meat in resturants, as it was uncertain where the meat had been stored. I became a reluctant vegetarian for the two week period and suffered no problems with the food.    

Most Inspirational Moment

Our walk through miles of lemon grass in Tamil Nadu and seeing the craggy peak of Meesapulima, through whispy clouds. We had previously climbed Meesapulima from the soft grassy Keralan side and the change in its appearance and the terrains marked the difference between the territories in a dramatic way. The Sri Meenakshi temple at  Madurai was an assault on the senses. There was loud beating music, smells of Jasmine and incense, emotive pilgrims dancing, all existing together with a museum and shops, within one of the most architecturally astonishing buildings I have seen. The  intrically worked multi-coloured towers were astonishing in themselves.  Outside in a rickshaw we thought we were being attacked until we realised we were being were showered in holy water.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was charming and delightful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't forget to take antiseptic wash, sun cream and mosquito deterrent. With ample use of all three, I suffered no il efects from the trip.