Our guide, Rit, took this from a great experience to a brilliant one, he was a rock star and he alone would be enough for us to book another trip with you
Japan- an incredibly fascinating country with a culture like no other. The 2 week bike trip was a wonderful way to start to get to know Japan. Of course cycling is the best way to travel anywhere but having guides that explain their beloved country, teach you some of its culture, try to teach you the social skills that the Japanese excel at, getting you to test all the interesting food, giving history lessons and nature lessons, explaining the Shinto or Buddhist religion all the while giving you a great cycling experience makes the entire experience beyond memorable. The choice of the route gave us a good variety places to see. Staying in the Japanese inns ( ryokans) was amazing and definitely a must on any Japan trip. The food is an experience all on its own and if you are a fish lover than you will be in paradise. I really felt that the trip was complete and didn't just focus on one element of Japan so I never felt that I had too much of any one thing which was great. The description of the tour corresponded to what the trip really was and that is always appreciated. In the end, I didn't have too many preconceived notions of what I would be seeing and I can tell you that I was constantly amazed and ended up having enormous respect for the Japanese and their way of life. I thought my own country of Switzerland was well run but Japan wins on that respect. Kudos to the people of Japan and their being so courteous towards us tourists. Weeks later I am still feeling the effects of this trip and it is wonderful. Oh and thanks to Mother Nature for blessing us with the cherry blossoms.
This trip was excellent. Our guide was great, the accommodations were varied but all very good, the food was good too. We really enjoyed the riding, it was varied and through lovely countryside on quiet country roads and lanes. The riding through the cities and towns was a bit more challenging, but the traffic was very considerate and we were well guided through by our guide.The organisation, along with attendant bus and driver, and truck and mechanic, was outstanding. We were very grateful for the electric bikes, some of which were better than others. Felt we had a very good experience of Vietnam. Thoroughly to be recommended.
Cambodia is a really nice country, highly recommend it! All the services were well arranged so no complaints, big thanks to our consultant Brian, and the team.
This was a most fabulous trip - a fantastic mix of cycling and sampling local culture. We had a really good guide Shibu and his team. We loved Kerala and the mix of experiences on this trip. We liked the level which was leisurely /moderate - ideal in such a hot country we wish there were more trips available at this level. We loved the food and have had withdrawal cravings on return to the UK from such delicious fare! We had a great group of people on this tour they also helped to make it a brilliant experience.
This is a fantastic cycling trip around Bali and Java - two beautiful islands in Indonesia. The Exodus team of guides/driver were brilliant and ensured that everything ran very smoothly. They often went above and beyond. The cycling is great - each ride different but equally stunning. Be prepared for a lot of uphill climbing, but this also means a lot of very fun down hill rides! Some of which are very steep. Because of how many climbs there are on this trip (especially day 2 and day 7 that are very difficult), I would argue this trip should be graded as Moderate/Challenging. There are also a few off-road rides (mostly on the last day). There is an optional ride in the afternoon of day 2 around Batur volcano; our expectations of the challenging terrain on this ride were not quite set accurately enough. Although beautiful, it is incredibly challenging and was harder than expected. It should be made clear that this is definitely optional and should only really be done if you are an advanced cyclist. Cycling 9 days in a row without a rest break is quite tiring, but each day brings a new highlight. The itinerary, overall, is very good. Trekking up to the top of Ijen volcano is amazing, as is snorkelling in northern Bali. Every accommodation is amazing in its own way - camping on the beach was absolutely incredible! An experience I won't forget. This was one of my favourite cycling trips and I would wholeheartedly recommend it.
What more we can say... First time in Vietnam, and the whole experience was incredible. Vietnam was gorgeous in many aspects from nature to people. I was totally amazed by the spectacular view of the caves in Ninh Binh and Halong Bay, while my parents liked the Hue countryside tour. Vietnamese cuisine was excellent, from local street food to seafood buffets. We tried egg coffee, and it was so good, you must try it when traveling to Hanoi. We bought lots of souvenirs for our friends. We bought conical hats in the village, which was making them for a very long time, and we even saw the entire process of making them. We also recommend you to look at the products with mother-of-pearl decorations, you will be pleasantly surprised with the price for it. Thank you, travel specialist for making my visit memorable.
Did this trip with my 20 year old son. Great father son bonding time experience. Would go back and do it again happily. You need to be pretty fit to get through the whole event. Definitely take factor 50 sun cream, gloves to keep your hands from burning, long sleeved tops and loose trousers to cycle in. It was 35 to 37 degrees when we went in early February. Guides were amazing, off road bicycles were great. The last two days in Cambodia were pretty arduous but the day cycling around Angkor Wat was an all time highlight of my life.
We are absolutely in love with Vietnam! Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the tour company for creating an incredible experience for us.
Throughout the planning process, the tour operator was incredibly responsive and accommodating. We worked together on multiple iterations of the itinerary until we
settled on the perfect one. During the trip, when a small hiccup occurred, but our tour operator swiftly responded and made necessary adjustments to ensure our journey
remained seamless. His clarity regarding the inclusions and his expertise in selecting fantastic hotels and guides truly enhanced our experience.
A special mention goes to our outstanding guide in Sapa. We highly recommend this as he provided exceptional insights
and even hosts homestays. Our time in Hanoi, Sapa, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh, and Halong Bay was nothing short of amazing!
We were fortunate to learn so much about Vietnam and its incredible people. The country and its rich culture left a lasting impression on us.
Once again, thank you to tour company Travel for making this journey truly unforgettable.
Looking back at our photos now we've returned to the UK we can't believe the amount we saw and the amazing experiences we had on this tour. Sri Lanka is an amazing beautiful country with some much going on - we only scratched the surface. Our tour leader Cham worked so hard to make sure that we had everything we needed, resolving our problems and sorting out food for our fussy son! His knowledge about Sri Lankan history and wildlife was immense. He even found the best place to buy genuine Sri Lanka cricket shirts for the sporty members of our group. The only thing we'd change was the pace of the second half of the Sri Lanka leg of the trip. The first half gave us time to chill and bond as a group, as well as hang out in the pool at Giritale and play cricket. The second half we moved every night and covered a massive distance, though interesting, this was quite tiring (especially for the kids), so we'd suggest that a two night stop in the middle of this element would resolve this issue easily. This was clear in the notes, however, as was the high chance of not getting the train. The pace did slow considerably for the Maldives element, with a lot of time on our boats travelling between reefs. The snorkelling was quite frankly mind-blowing, and even the more nervous swimmers loved it. The crew were fantastic, and the food was delicious. The guide knew his stuff, and made sure we had great snorkelling experiences. Our only criticism of this part of the trip was that splitting the group when we'd got to know each other and were getting on really well was disappointing. There were larger boats, and we'd have preferred to be on a single boat given how long we spent travelling separately. The crew did what they could to mitigate this by tying the boats together when we moored for snorkels, meals and overnight and that was great. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable trip, and with a few very small tweaks it'd be perfect!
I couldn’t recommend this trip more. We loved the cycling element mixed with learning about the culture of two fascinating countries. The cycling is very flat (although hot obviously) so not too demanding. I don’t do much cycling at home but I loved cycling in the group through local towns and villages. It’s an excellent way to see the countryside, the beautiful temples and the way ordinary people live.
The hotels were really excellent too, many with swimming pools, although the itinerary was pretty full so we didn’t always have time for a swim!
Our explore guide Binh was exceptional and really made the trip for us. We had lots of laughs along the way and he and other local crew looked after the group so well.
Embark on a cultural (and physical) workout with this 12-day active adventure across Japan. You’ll soak up some ancient history, see religious sites and explore the best of Japan’s nature on foot, boat and bike. Beginning in Tokyo, hike through post towns dotted along the Nakasendo Way, cycle and kayak on the Seto Inland Sea along the Shimanami Kaido and stop by historic Kyoto for an optional soak in a traditional bathhouse. Then, tackle the mother of all pilgrimages on a section of the historic Kumano Kodo. With the opportunity to explore diverse neighbourhoods, eat as much ramen as you can stomach and experience local hospitality along the way, this active adventure makes for a great taste of diverse Japan.
