Expert Insights

September 27, 2013 How to Train for a Serious Cycling Challenge

Read time – 3 minutes At Exodus, the man behind the wheel (or should we say on top of two wheels?!) is cycling programme manager Andy Ross. As you would expect, he is a keen cyclist and done more than his fair share of serious cycling challenges – perfectly placed to give you some top-notch tips...

September 26, 2013 A Passage to India

Read time – 2 minutes This is quite a long hill. We started just above the great Sutlej River this morning and we’re on a steady climb towards Narkanda up National Highway 22, the old Hindustan-Tibet Highway. It’s still quite a few miles to the top, but it’s a beautiful clear sunny morning, the Himalayas...

September 26, 2013 Rock ‘N’ Troll: Hiking the Norwegian Fjords

Read time – 2 minutes Exodus’ Gina Lawrence gets her nose out of her favourite book, The Hobbit, just long enough to live the real thing in the Norwegian fjords. Tiny cloud-like puffs of fluffy wildflowers, little white cushions scattered on a bed of bright green grass, encircled by a theatrical backdrop of soaring mountains. After...

September 26, 2013 Ski Racing with Mary Wray

Read time – 2 minutes Cross-country skiing aficionado and Exodus leader, Mary Wray, gives us the low down on ski racing… I am often asked “What’s the best thing about taking part in a ski race?” and my answer always remains the same: “Crossing the finish line!” You’re on a natural high as you glide...

September 26, 2013 Timkat Festival in Ethiopia

Read time – 2 minutes Throngs of white-clad festival-goers sleepily make their way to the holy baptismal pool. As the early morning sun starts to warm the crowds, the feeling of anticipation is palpable. Children climb trees to get good views and adults jostle for space. The priests and deacons arrive, their blue velvet robes...

September 26, 2013 Leader in the spotlight – Sayed in Egypt

We’re often asked what makes a small group adventure holiday so special. Some say the journey of discovery; some say travelling with like-minded people; some say the element of the unknown. We couldn’t agree more, but believe that none of these moments are possible without one person… the leader. We’re firm believers in our leaders,...

September 26, 2013 Ladakh and The Indian Himalaya

Read time – 2 minutes Sandwiched between the vast ranges of the Karakorum and the Himalaya in the far north of India is the highest, least populated, most remote and most beautiful region in the whole country. Lying in the rain shadow of the Himalaya, Ladakh is an ideal summer destination that enjoys plenty of sunshine. To...

September 26, 2013 Lost City of Petra: Past and present

Read time – minutes 200 years must seem a mere blip in the lifespan of a building carved in the 6th Century BC. Yet for us, those 200 years remain something to celebrate. It’s now been 200 years since Petra was rediscovered. So this August, let us raise a glass in honour of Petra: the...

September 26, 2013 Polar Bear Necessities

Read time – 3 minutes Sometimes there comes a day which breaks so many wildlife records that it will be indelibly etched on memory rather than megapixels, one where so many contributory factors combine to produce animal alchemy, a grail from the very top drawer. Spitsbergen is not just about Polar bears but on July...

September 26, 2013 Desert, Dunes & 4W Drives

“We’re not going back to camp yet. Not in this light” our leader, Durr, announces in his thick Afrikaans accent. “We’re not going up there are we?” a member of the group questions. He turns his head to face us at the helm of his indestructible 4×4 and smiles. After a vertical climb we gingerly...