Exodus – Your Safe Return to Adventure

Exodus Travels is committed to the safety of their travellers, leaders, staff and suppliers at all times. To them, it’s just as important now as it was back in 1974, when they took their first travellers on an overland journey deep into the heart of the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan.

With a focus on the great outdoors and getting of-the-beaten track, Exodus’ expertly guided active and adventure trips are well suited to safe and healthy travel. To keep you safe and to help you to feel confident about a safe return to travel Exodus has introduced a four tier travel safety charter.

Exodus’ 4 tier Travel Safety Charter

You can rest assured that Exodus Travels only run trips that comply with their 4 tier Travel Safety Charter. Features of the charter include safe destinations, cleaning protocols, small groups and 24/7 guidance and support from their head office operations.

Safe destinations

Exodus will only travel to a country where the following criteria has been met:

• The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office or your home government’s advice is positive.
• COVID infection rates are under control.
• Entry requirements are reasonable and local restrictions do not significantly impair the itinerary.
• Exodus have access to a list of approved emergency medical services.
• Local partners are able to meet Exodus’ COVID safety requirements.

Cleaning Protocols

Enhanced cleanliness and hygiene safety measures will be introduced in all accommodation, transport, meal locations and venues, and local teams will visit each one in advance of travel.

Exodus Travels has received the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Travels stamp, which provides travellers with additional assurance that they have adopted health and hygiene global standards designed to keep your travels as safe as possible.

Your accommodation

Exodus will check that enhanced cleaning protocols have been introduced by their accommodation providers, which may include the following:

• Enhanced cleaning measures, with focus on ‘high-touch’ areas to be routinely carried out in the properties used.?
• Staff trained in relation to the Prevention of Spread of Infection (POSI) for inside and outside the workplace. ?
• Processes implemented to allow for physical distancing in public areas, for example during the check in process, in lifts and in public seating areas.?
• Enhanced standards for food preparation which may include training, use of face masks if required, superior cleaning for areas that are involved in meal preparation, and replacing a restaurant’s buffet service with a waiter service.
• Additional single rooms at a preferential rate for solo travellers who would like them. (Please speak to your travel advisor who will be happy to arrange this for you).

On your transport

Exodus use spacious, private vehicles restricted to your group members only. Your guide will ensure that guest use the same seat for all journeys in one day.? Vehicles are thoroughly cleaned before departure, and daily throughout your trip. Hand sanitisers are readily available onboard where regular handwashing may not be possible.?

At your meals

Suitable venues will be proposed for all meals, whether included in the price of your holiday or at your own cost, and whether your guide accompanies you or not. The meal venue will reflect:

• Cleanliness and hygiene measures for staff, equipment and venues ?
• Use of face masks for staff involved in the preparation and serving of food ?
  
• Options to effectively distance from other customers ?
• Measures laid out by local government or controlling authorities.

Healthy Small Groups

On Exodus guided group trips, you’ll join a ‘small group bubble’ (average of 10 travellers). Every member of your small group will complete a declaration prior to travel, to state they are free of COVID symptoms and any known exposure, and will be asked to take a temperature check in the first 12 hours upon arrival.

Before you travel

Prior to your trip, Exodus will send you their latest safe travel guidelines. You will be asked to acknowledge that you understand and will abide by the advice to keep the group safe and well.

If in the unlikely event you show symptoms of COVID-19, or have received a positive test or have been asked to self-isolate via your Government’s Test and Trace scheme up to 20 days before travel, Exodus will refund you free-of-charge. (?Terms apply)

Exodus recommend that you purchase travel insurance that includes medical cover for COVID-19, Coronavirus, or any pandemic illness. You will need this to cover any care or costs relating to COVID-19.

On your trip

Exodus will keep group sizes small in order to maintain a low risk ‘small group bubble’, with an average of 10 guests in each group. Additionally, group members will be asked to do a temperature check on arrival or within the first 12 hours of the start of the tour.

For now, your Exodus Guide won’t shake hands on arrival or hug on departure, but will offer support on an activity, like a tricky point on a walking trail, where the benefit is deemed to outweigh the risk.

Your Exodus Guide will ask you to report any COVID symptoms immediately, so that appropriate action can be taken to safeguard the group. They will also carry some extra personal protection equipment, for example face masks, disposable gloves, hand sanitiser, thermometer; surface cleaning materials and COVID-19 tests.

You should bring your own mask and hand sanitiser supplies for the duration of your trip. While you travel with Exodus, you will be asked to follow their face-covering and handwashing guidelines, plus any local government requirements, which will be reconfirmed by your leader on arrival.

Your Small Group Bubble

Your expert local guide will plan ahead to minimise time in crowded places by re-routing or arriving at quiet times, where possible. Every effort will be made to reduce prolonged close interaction with the general public, especially in indoor spaces but you should understand this may not always be possible.

Because Exodus have put measures in place to keep the group healthy and safe in your own ‘small group bubble’, there will be occasions where you are in relatively close proximity to members of your group. You may be sitting beside each other on buses, meals will be shared together at communal tables and you will travel around in relative close proximity, as normal.

In the unlikely event that your group needs to self-isolate, your local team will offer support throughout. We will help arrange accommodation and food and help to organise medical care and liaise with your insurance provider. In the unlikely event that a guide contracts COVID, they will be replaced immediately. ?

24/7 Expert Guidance?

Exodus has experienced response teams in the UK, Australia and Canada that work in tandem with your guide to keep you safe on your adventure, helping to identify local medical facilities or arrange for you to come home if required.

The head office response team have details of the most suitable medical care facilities for each point on the trip, and will work in tandem with your guide, should you need it. Prior to your trip, Exodus’ head office will work with the local team to re-route or amend itineraries, where necessary and possible, to avoid high risk or high density locations and comply with local guidance.

New Trip Notes will be updated and sent to you seven (7) weeks before departure, and these will advise if there are any changes to the itinerary. ? If official travel advice changes during your trip, your guide will work closely with the head office to reroute or help with repatriation if required.

If adventure is calling your name, Exodus have the trip for you. With their stringent safety protocols in place for all their future trips you can feel confident to book your next trip, and return to exploring the world safely.