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A very full on, amazing experience with leader Bibi. Wild camping, luxurious lodges as respite, a lovely if small houseboat. More animal sightings than anyone could imagine. Bibi made sure all ran smoothly, from bush tea/coffee picnic stops to the inevitable bush loo break. He seems to have a 6th sense when it comes to locating eg leopards and hyenas. As for Victoria Falls..just wow, the noise, the spray. It was enough for me just to be there so I didn't do the helicopter ride. Pack your spirit of adventure alongside the bug repellent and book this wonderful tour!

An excellent trip. The tour leader, Tarik, was exceptional. He ensured that everyone in the group bonded well and enjoyed themselves. The itinerary is diverse with plenty of optional activities. Highlights for me were the several Mayan sites, spotting manatees, sunrise at Tikal with the birdsong and howler monkeys, and the wonderful snorkeling from Caye Caulker.

My husband and I have now done several tours with Exodus and there are many reasons why we keep returning to Exodus, not the least of which include: the staff are helpful and available from beginning to end; the group size is small which makes the logistics more manageable; they put together itineraries in various locations that maximize the most interesting places to see and things to do; their trip notes accurately reflect what to expect and how to prepare for your trip; their guides have incredible knowledge about the various areas;  and they listen and respond to reviews. Although some days seemed longer than others, "Belize Reef and Ruins" is one of the most interesting tours I have ever done, and the only tour I have ever done twice (in one year).  There was no shortage of opportunity to further my learning about the history of the Mayan civilization, the flora and fauna of Belize, and the present-day life of the Belizean people.  Wherever we went, we were greeted with "Belizean warmth and kindness".  As I shared with a few of my friends, in spite of the heat, the unrelenting humidity, and the mosquitoes, I wish there were two of me - one to stay in Belize and one to return home.

Two couples and four seasoned single travellers from UK and US soon gelled together as a group. As several reviewers have said before a few advance days in Singapore would have helped with jetlag and acclimatisation. Plus note on this tour, that whilst the Singapore Entry Card can be applied for just prior to travel, the one for Malaysia has to be applied for within three days of crossing border. This is a little more complicated and fiddly on a mobile phone, but our ever helpful local tour guide Sam was there for those that struggled. The Singapore tour was well worth it, even in the hot humid conditions, and the evening light shows are not to be missed. Food experiences and shopping is available for all pockets. Local Malay people are very warm and welcoming, although some other regional visitors can be less polite and culturally unaware of the concept of a queue. Crossing to Malaysia was generally trouble free and currency can be changed just over the border. First stop Malacca is there for your colonial history and the Hotel Puri is a perfect compliment to this. On to KL and again plenty of history and the sort of shopping opportunities that a big city can provide. There is an amount of coach travel between locations, but Sam broke this up by covering several topics and explaining local customs etc. Also at several rest stops he would bring on board yet another tasty exotic tropical fruit or local snack for us to try, but not the durian thankfully. Then moving to the homestay, which although a little sanitised for the visitor, was very enjoyable, but perhaps the accommodation was a little too basic for some. Next the Cameron Highlands then provided respite from the heat and the hotel was pure luxury in comparison. The tea plantation visit was actually very interesting and if the group had not bonded before, they did over the evening Malaysian Hotpot! A pleasant few days in Penang followed, with evening entertainment and dancing for those brave enough, and then on again to Langwaki Island. Here some of the group decided to slowly roast on the beach or swim in the pools, whilst Sam arranged trips for the rest. A highlight was feeding bananas by hand to the local monkeys, as part of a small boats tour in the Northern Mangroves. The last night was a farewell sunset boat trip, a food buffet, and a chance for a swim, water polo, or even a ride in a super speed boat. A varied and enjoyable holiday, resulting from a group of strangers that soon became friends and held together by Sam our guide, who dealt with any issues in a calm and professional manner.

This was the experience of a lifetime for me and definitely the highlight of my month-long trip to Central and South America. I joined this one the day I finished my Yucatan Peninsula cycling trip with Explore, my first with the company. The recommendations and reviews I'd received beforehand were justified. I was the only Australian on both trips. It didn't matter, as there was great camaraderie within the group and the leader, Allan, was top-notch. Our driver, Ronald, was also professional as well as being obviously very big-hearted and concerned about our comfort, welfare and safety. When a trip relies on being at the right place and time, the driver and vehicle are the most important elements of the trip. Allan's knowledge and passion for Costa Rica and its natural environment are obvious and he was very effective in helping us learn and love it as well. The detail and frequency of his communication was ideal and his attention to detail excellent. We were very fortunate to have both Allan and Ronald look after us, as well as the bonus of having Issy, an Explore senior exec, along for most of the trip, doing QC and checking out hotel options. Good to see the company checking its services! The accommodation was very good and matched the expectations Explore provided in its pre-trip information. As always, some places are better than others. When a place had some minor deficiency it was offset by being in a great location. My favourites were in the rainforest and mountains. The itinerary is right for a 2-week wildlife tour, plenty of time for varied photography, physical activity options and unstructured time for R&R and doing your own thing. Whitewater rafting, ziplining, sea kayaking and of course walking are all easily able to be included. Allan and some of the group are excellent wildlife spotters and photographers. I learnt so much and am keen to improve my own skills. I am so happy I chose to go on this trip and have been recommending it often since it concluded.

Good variation of walks so we saw very varied terrain, vegetation & views. All walks as described in the trip notes other than the one rainy day when the trip leader very wisely substituted what would have been a very wet walk for something kinder. Excellent trip leader. Accommodation all good.