Baltic Small Group Trips

We started our Dhoni cruise after spending 5 nights on a resort, as we wanted to experience the “real Maldives” in contrast. We wanted to extend our trip as felt it was a long way to travel for just 6 nights. One of the main highlights of the cruise was our outstanding guide Egan and the crew of Koimala, who all worked so hard together to ensure we were incredibly well looked after and safe. The food was out of this world, three beautiful meals a day, healthy and fresh with plenty of variety. Catering for any allergies well. The crew made us an unforgettable dinner on an uninhabited island one evening which was very special. We enjoyed the visits to two inhabited islands as it was good to stretch our legs and see how Maldivians live on land. Although I would say the time spent on Male was quite underwhelming. Our cabin was basic but clean and comfortable. One small double bed with a single bunk on top and en-suite bathroom You definitely need to enjoy snorkelling to consider this trip, as the dramatic scenery is all under water. Huge reefs with so many colourful fish. We were taken out snorkelling at least twice a day. Highlights included swimming with turtles, dolphins and nurse sharks which were so gentle and serene. Also seeing sting rays. I would also suggest that you need to be reasonably fit to do this trip, as although it’s very relaxing you need to be able to climb into a bunk bed, climb in and out of the dingy and negotiate walking around the boat when it is rocking!

The North Phillipines was an excellent adventure tour. A good mix of sight seeing, and meeting the people and their culture, The rice fields, weaving, pottery and UNESCO heritage sites were interesting and fun, all made so much better by Ian our tour guide. Ian was very informative, interesting, and very humorous. He did everything to make sure we had everything we needed, was able to answer all questions and bought some special local treats for us to try. Ian looked after us all so well. The drivers were amazing too having quite a lot of driving to do. Bohol beach extension was so relaxing, in a beautiful hotel with a lovely Sandy beach. A perfect end to a great holiday.

I recently returned from the Belize Reef & Ruins trip, and it was an unforgettable experience. The incredible wildlife and the rich local history truly blew me away. Visiting the Mayan temples was a highlight, especially Lamanai, which felt very special. All of the sites being less crowded than expected, you could really immerse yourself and imagine how life might have been centuries ago. I also want to commend our excellent guide, George. His deep knowledge and engaging storytelling brought the history and culture to life for our group, making the entire journey even more meaningful. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment and would highly recommend this tour to anyone seeking a mix of nature, history, and adventure.

Although I travelled from quite far away, (Vancouver Island, Canada), I was so very pleased at the kindness and friendly attitude of everyone in the group. I was the eldest in the group (73 years young), but had absolutely no trouble keeping up. I would say this trip is not for the feint of heart; even at the end of October/early November the days were quite hot (although the evening temps were perfect). We experienced no bugs and no rain throughout the week. Definitely expect long days and some arduous climbs as well as steep descents. Hiking poles were essential. It was occasionally windy and cool at each summit but I was able to hike in shorts all week. I’m quite used to climbing mountains and found this itinerary to be just perfect. The accommodation was basic but comfortable; the food was good but at times limited for me as a vegetarian. Breakfasts outside were fantastic and the triple-decker sandwiches that José made for us were to die for. You definitely won’t be disappointed.

We had a great 2 weeks in Saudi with guide Abdu, laughing and learning all the way. This small group was well traveled, many with Exodus. This was our 3rd Exodus trip, though we've traveled a lot independently. After Saudi we flew to Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar (where we "celebrated" our 100th country visited; we recommend adding these places for independent travel). But Saudi Arabia is big, complex and we were so happy to have a guide like Abdu to explain everything. We peppered him nonstop with questions and he was informed and forthcoming on any topic. Had we not toured with a guide and group we would have missed a lot. We never found the bus rides (or train rides) overly long or taxing and felt very safe even on some (gorgeous) winding mountain roads. We enjoyed every meal, hotels were very nice with comfy beds, etc. And the farm stay, sleeping pads on the floor, was fantastic. Don't be put off by thinking it's too rustic! During our travels we found infrastructure to be modern, clean and efficient, English spoken widely.

I've wanted to do this trip for over 20 years and it exceeded all my expectations. I did this trip with my 16 year old son in the long summer break after his GCSEs and it was the most perfect father-son time we've ever shared. The views are incredible, the air as clean as it comes and the team were just outstanding. Our guide, Wilmer, led the group expertly despite different walking speeds, and the porters were just humbling. This trip ticked every single one of my boxes and we look back on it with both the sense of achievement and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.