exodus europe tour 2023

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Exodus tour dates 2024

Exodus is currently touring across 6 countries and has 11 upcoming concerts.

Their next tour date is at Parque Bicentenario De Quito in Quito, after that they'll be at LIV in Miami Beach.

Currently touring across

• 🇨🇭 Switzerland

Upcoming concerts (11) See nearest concert

The Metal Fest Quito

Musikzentrum Hannover

Junkyard Open Air

O2 Academy Islington

Rock The Lakes

Candelabrum Metal Fest

Headbangers Boat

Past concerts

The Machine Shop

View all past concerts

Recent tour reviews

Sorry but Exodus didn't fulfill our Metal needs.

The sound was not good arranged, totally not in level, voice way under guitars.

the drummer was boring, always the same rhythm... but what was worse: Souza didn't have the voice anymore to sing metal.

a shame because he has a unique sound.

Lucky i saw them when it was still good.

i give a 4/10

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I went to see Exodus as part of the Bay Strikes Back tour. I can honestly say this was one of the best shows I've ever been to. I've been a fan of Exodus since the 80's but this is the first time I've ever seen them live. They were absolutely awesome, such energy and enthusiasm on stage, every member putting in 100%. Steve Zetro Souza is such a dynamic frontman and superb vocalist who engaged with the crowd constantly,from the multiple crowdsurfers to me and my son when he addressed us personally from the stage, much to our delight! And it was fantastic to see Mr Gary Holt back with the band, he was truly magnificent! Great set list which included more recent material such as Blood in Blood out and Body Harvest to the classics such as Bonded by Blood, Fabulous Disaster and of course the iconic The Toxic Waltz which whipped the audience up into a frenzy!The whole experience for us was unparalleled, and we very much look forward to Exodus returning to the UK in the hopefully not too distant future for another epic show!!!

The crowd fueled the show the bands fueled the crowd indefinitely! Nobody was getting tired and all bands were kicking arse! It was true Headbangers Ball. Exodus mic was undervolumed grossly which made some of his vocals especially at low tones hard to hear.

All bands did well though but the crowd the crowd was like I've never seen before, truly possessed!

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Why Did Exodus Cancel Spring/Summer European Tour Leg 2023?

Exodus canceled its upcoming spring/summer 2023 European tour.

Gary Holt recently confirmed that his brother, Charles Holt, got involved in an accident while on a solo vacation in Rome. He reportedly sustained a femur injury after a taxi struck him from behind.

Exodus Cancels 2023 European Tour

To allow Exodus guitarist to tend to his family, the band's frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza confirmed the heartbreaking news about the band tours' cancelation.

Souza said that since Exodus is a family-oriented band, they decided to allow Gary to assist his family and wait for his return.

"We hope you all understand the circumstances, at the moment, Gary needs to tend to his family," Souza said. "This is not what we wanted, as we were all looking forward coming to play for all of you great European fans that have supported this band for the past 40 years."

READ ALSO: Charlie Puth's Charlie The Live Experience Tour 2023: Dates, Venues, Setlist, and More

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Meanwhile, Gary also expressed his dismay as they had no choice but to cancel the tour in Europe. He told fans that he, himself, has also been dealing with mental health issues. While he was able to play with the band despite broken ribs and other health issues, he insisted that he needs to prioritize himself and his brother.

He has since launched a GoFundMe page  to assist the family as they wait for Charles to recover from his injury.

Exodus Latest Update

Apart from the supposed tour, Exodus gave fans its latest album, "Persona Non Grata," in November 2021. Released via Nuclear Blast Records, it served as the follow-up to the band's 2014, "Blood In Blood Out," and the first release since Rob Dukes' exit and Souza's return.

The current Exodus frontman already led the band from 1986 to 1993 before he returned from 2002 to 2004.

Meanwhile, Gary will release his upcoming memoir, "A Fabulous Disaster: From The Garage To Madison Square Garden, The Hard Way," via Hachette Books.

As of press time, Exodus has not confirmed whether it would be able to resume its European tour within this year or not. News about a potential new album has not been released, as well.

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TESTAMENT - Announce European Tour With EXODUS!

Following their highly successful Summer 2022 tour dates, TESTAMENT and EXODUS have announced that they will be teaming up for a 2023 European tour in May and June.

Following their highly successful Summer 2022 tour dates, Bay Area thrash metal giants, TESTAMENT and EXODUS, have announced that they will be teaming up for a 2023 European tour in May and June. In addition to some of the biggest and most renowned European open air festivals like Hellfest, Graspop, Copenhell, Sweden Rock, Metalfest, Mystic and Rock Hard Festival, the bands will also be playing a bunch of sweaty and intense club shows, in a few cities that they had to leave out last year.

Legendary Canadian thrash metal eccentrics VOIVOD are joining the line-up as support, rounding off an exciting tour package that sounds like a trip back in time to the mid 1980s.

You can find the 2023 TESTAMENT + EXODUS tour dates below!

TESTAMENT - TITANS OF CREATION EU TOUR 2023

TESTAMENT w/ EXODUS and Voivod 26-May-2023 DE - Wiesbaden, Schlachthof 28-May-2023 DE - Munich, Backstage 30-May-2023 FR - Lyon, Transbordeur 31-May-2023 CH - Pratteln, Z7 01-June-2023 IT - Milan, Live Club 02-June-2023 SI - Ljubljana, Kino Siska 03-June-2023 DE - Stuttgart, LKA Longhorn 05-June-2023 DE - Berlin, Columbia Theater 11-June-2023 FR - Strasbourg, Laiterie * 13-June-2023 DE - Hamburg, Markthalle 16-June-2023 DE - Hannover, Capitol * *without Voivod

FESTIVALS 27-May-2023 DE - Gelsenkirchen, Rock Hard Festival 04-June-2023 CZ - Plzen, Metalfest 07-June-2023 SE - Sölvesborg, Sweden Rock Festival 08-June-2023 PL - Gdansk, Mystic Festival 09-June-2023 FI - Hyvinkää, Rockfest 10-June-2023 NL - Leeuwarden, Into The Grave 15-June-2023 DK - Copenhagen, Copenhell 17-June-2023 BE - Dessel, Graspop Metal Meeting 18-June-2023 FR - Clisson, Hellfest

Bay area thrash metal giants TESTAMENT unleashed their highly acclaimed thirteenth studio album, Titans Of Creation , via Nuclear Blast Records in 2020.

Revisit the album Titans Of Creation on any streaming platform: https://testament.bfan.link/titans-of-creation

TESTAMENT has taken their style to the next level and presents an album that is loyal to the roots of traditional thrash metal while still including the alluring, brilliant, and progressive ingredients they are known for.

With a bond forged in youth and decades-old friendship, thrash metal masters EXODUS released their acclaimed eleventh studio album, Persona Non Grata , in the fall of 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Revisit EXODUS' most recent album, Persona Non Grata , here: https://exodus.bfan.link/persona-non-grata

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DEATHSTARS - Announce new album 'Everything Destroys You'!

FEAR FACTORY - re-sign to Nuclear Blast!

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• All setlist songs  ( 1807 )

Years on tour

• 2023  ( 55 )
• 2022  ( 117 )
• 2021  ( 4 )
• 2020  ( 29 )
• 2019  ( 7 )
• 2018  ( 67 )
• 2017  ( 43 )
• 2016  ( 104 )
• 2015  ( 103 )
• 2014  ( 55 )
• 2013  ( 54 )
• 2012  ( 48 )
• 2011  ( 52 )
• 2010  ( 119 )
• 2009  ( 71 )
• 2008  ( 71 )
• 2007  ( 11 )
• 2006  ( 112 )
• 2005  ( 62 )
• 2004  ( 83 )
• 2003  ( 22 )
• 2002  ( 19 )
• 2001  ( 3 )
• 1998  ( 9 )
• 1997  ( 85 )
• 1993  ( 15 )
• 1992  ( 60 )
• 1990  ( 50 )
• 1989  ( 83 )
• 1988  ( 50 )
• 1987  ( 30 )
• 1986  ( 17 )
• 1985  ( 56 )
• 1984  ( 19 )
• 1983  ( 16 )
• 1982  ( 5 )
• 1981  ( 1 )

Show all tours

• Atrocity Exhibition World Tour  ( 25 )
• Battle of the Bays European Tour 2016  ( 31 )
• Battle of the Bays North American Tour 2017  ( 29 )
• Blackmail the Universe  ( 27 )
• Blood In, Blood Out  ( 98 )
• Bloody Summer Campaign 2012  ( 34 )
• Bonded By Blood  ( 80 )
• Bonded By Metal Over Europe 2003  ( 20 )
• Dark Roots of Thrash II  ( 38 )
• European Killfest Tour 2009  ( 14 )
• European Tour 1997  ( 15 )
• European Tour 2013  ( 17 )
• Fabulous Disastour 1989  ( 25 )
• Force of Habit  ( 64 )
• Headbanger's Ball Tour  ( 30 )
• Hell On Earth 2011  ( 12 )
• Hordes Of Chaos  ( 26 )
• Impact Is Imminent  ( 44 )
• Japan Tour 2015  ( 3 )
• Latin America Tour 2016  ( 12 )
• MTV Headbanger's Ball Tour 2018  ( 17 )
• March Of Brutality  ( 18 )
• Meat Party Tour '87-'88  ( 68 )
• Metal Alliance Tour 2013  ( 23 )
• Monsters of Mayhem  ( 36 )
• Mr. Pickles Thrashtacular  ( 14 )
• North American Abomination 2006  ( 20 )
• Ozzfest 2010  ( 1 )
• Persona Non Grata  ( 50 )
• Persona Non Grata European Tour 2022  ( 33 )
• Pleasures of the Flesh  ( 5 )
• Rust in Peace 20th Anniversary Tour  ( 22 )
• Shovel Headed Kill Machine  ( 22 )
• THRASH DOMINATION  ( 3 )
• Tempo of The Damned  ( 56 )
• The Atrocity Exhibition ... Exhibit A  ( 1 )
• The Bay Strikes Back 2020  ( 26 )
• The Bay Strikes Back 2021  ( 1 )
• The Bay Strikes Back 2022  ( 65 )
• The Bay Strikes Back 2023  ( 4 )
• The Beatings Will Continue... Tour  ( 18 )
• The World AbomiNations  ( 27 )
• Thrash Fest Classics  ( 1 )
• Thrashfest 2010  ( 25 )
• Thrashfest 2011  ( 24 )
• Tyrants of Evil  ( 15 )
• X-Mas Festival 2005  ( 14 )
• X-Mas Festivals 2002  ( 5 )
• Avg Setlist
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Average setlist for year: 2023

Note: only considered 52 of 55 setlists (ignored empty and strikingly short setlists)

• The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves) Play Video
• Impact Is Imminent Play Video
• Blood In, Blood Out Play Video
• Blacklist Play Video
• A Lesson in Violence Play Video
• Piranha Play Video
• Prescribing Horror Play Video
• Bonded by Blood Play Video
• The Toxic Waltz Play Video
• Strike of the Beast Play Video

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Editoral Review of Exodus Travels

With over 47 years of experience with small group adventure travel, Exodus specializes in active cultural , walking & trekking , cycling and responsible wildlife tours . They offer more than 600 itineraries across more than 100 countries.

Adventure can take the form of serious and active adventures --  which may involve adrenaline-producing, off-the-beaten-path roughing-it trips to the most remote areas of the world -- or food and wine, premium (five-star), family, or cultural adventures to iconic destinations, which involve more comforts and amenities.

What Makes Exodus Stand Out?

• Booking flexibility
• Award Winning
• Tailor made adventures
• Responsible tourism
• Expert guides with extensive past experience

Exodus understands that new difficulty that comes with traveling during the coronavirus. They are dedicated to offering flexible services so travelers can book with confidence. Travelers can feel safe when planning their next trip with Exodus’s promised refund guarantee, Covid-19 refund commitment and 21-day no fee flexibility.

The refund guarantee means that travelers will be refunded if they have to cancel for any reason. This also includes cancellations due to the coronavirus. Travelers can also transfer their trip for free up to 21 days before departure.

Creating great and adventurous trips is the top priority for Exodus. They offer many pre-planned tours, but they also work with travelers to add or change existing itineraries or even create one from scratch. This allows travelers to create the perfect trip that fits their travel style, schedule and budget.

Exodus is also dedicated to responsible travel in all of their tours. They strive to improve life for the planet, places and people they visit. Instead of meeting the base guidelines for eco-friendly travel , Exodus seeks more ways to leave a positive impact with their trips. This includes economic empowerment for local communities, reducing waste wherever possible and making lower carbon choices for their adventures.

Each trip is led by a knowledgeable guide who has extensive past experience which adds benefits to any trip. Before working with Exodus, many guides were professional archaeologists, wildlife guides, overland drivers, mountain leaders, diving and ski specialists as well as mountain bike gurus.

Who Will Enjoy Traveling with Exodus?

• Active travelers
• Outdoor and nature enthusiasts

Exodus travelers are a diverse bunch, and average between 35-65 years of age. However, any age traveler is welcome. Exodus creates great packages and tours for families as well as fully customized trips created from scratch.

The Exodus traveler is very active, loves being adventurous , and will be less invested in  luxury accommodations or a lot of museum time. You are game for anything, love the travel experience of getting to know a new destination through outdoor adventure, and learning about the culture from local guides and experts.

These trips are great for those who already have a base level of physical fitness, and enjoy meeting new physical challenges. Exodus provides physical fitness guides to show how much training you should expect to do prior to departure.

Top Destinations

Exodus leads 600 + trips spanning all seven continents. From African safaris, to walking and wine in Italy and France to the sun-drenched Croatian coast, to trekking Patagonia , wildlife cruises in the Galapagos and cycling in Vietnam , Exodus has built out their global presence and has active adventures in nearly any destination a traveler could desire.

Exodus Travel Style

Exodus tours are designed for the active and adventurous traveler . This means that most tours include activities such as walking , cycling and safaris . However, for travelers who enjoy cultural and culinary, there are tours and activities for you as well. Exodus offers cultural trips based around food , festivals or family to name a few.

These active adventures vary by way of difficulty from level 1-10, attracting casual cyclists and hikers as well as enthusiasts looking to really push their physical limits. 

Travelers can choose from guided groups , private groups, self guided tours or solo traveling. Within each travel style, Exodus offers all the same activities from cycling to wildlife and provides the top itineraries for that specific style to help travelers find what’s best for them.

Most accommodations are charming and locally run with 2-3 star ratings. There are some premium departures available as well as unique accommodation experiences whenever possible. Exodus travelers don’t mind the lower level of luxury as the experience and destination is the highest priority.

Why Choose a Tour With Exodus?

If you love experiencing a new destination whether that’s through the culture, unique wildlife or beautiful outdoors through active and adventurous activities, then Exodus is perfect for you. You love that sense of discovery, of challenging yourself and want to travel responsibly.

Exodus offers great tours already fully packaged, but for the traveler that likes more control over their perfect trip, they offer customizable trips. Travelers get to choose not only the destination but each activity they will partake in to perfectly match their travel style and budget.

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About the company.

It is all about adventure. That is what Exodus was founded upon and what the company is still all about. Discovering countries, cultures, environments, cities, mountain ranges, deserts, coasts and jungles; exploring this amazing planet we all live on.

At Exodus, we know what makes you tick when it comes to holidays. It’s a desire shared by so many others. A yearning to visit new places and come home with a real sense of what they’re all about. This means delving into local traditions, cultures, cuisine, lifestyles – anything that contributes to its unique identity. At the same time, we always remember that we are only guests. So we travel courteously and respectfully, in smaller groups to minimise our impact, to ensure that every Exodus holiday is a beneficial experience for everyone involved.

This is a philosophy we take with us around the world, helping you reach some incredible destinations on 500 itineraries across over 90 separate countries. We also strive to provide as much flexibility and choice as we possibly can, making it simple for you to experience a very different holiday.

Exodus started life on 4 February 1974 when two friends got together to provide an overland truck to travel to the Minaret of Jam, deep in the heart of the Hindu Kush, the most inaccessible of the world’s great monuments.

All our office staff have a passion for travel and adventure, and between us we’ve notched up experience that spans 171 different countries. That’s not all. In their former lives, our team members have been professional archaeologists, wildlife guides, overland drivers, mountain leaders, diving and ski specialists and mountain bike gurus – so no-one is better placed to create tours that appeal to a wide range of specialist interests.

Their care in putting all the details in place really shines through too. Extensive planning, research, fact-finding and training are a sign of our commitment to providing a holiday where your enjoyment, value for money and safety come first. It’s a telling reason why we remain one of the leading worldwide adventure tour companies. It is no exaggeration to say that our tour leaders can make a world of difference to the enjoyment of your holiday – so we choose them carefully. The result is that, in 2013, 93% of our clients stated that their leader exceeded their expectations. Where possible, we train and employ local leaders because they can provide invaluable insights that enrich the trip. What’s more, this investment in local staff really helps us benefit both them and their community.

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Discover the best Exodus Travels adventures in one convenient place. TourRadar offers 474 Exodus Travels tours. You can find the perfect trip spanning across 5 day to 23 day itineraries with prices starting from just EUR 84 per day!

250+ Exodus Travels trips

• Hiking & Trekking
• Mountain Hikes

Mont Blanc Highlights

Exodus Travels is a well organized company that understands the local areas in which they operate, and creates group trips that maximize your time and enjoyment. It is something I would recommend to anyone that does not want to plan a whole trip by themselves, and wants to leave the details to professionals. Specifically the Montblanc Highlights tour was incredible, offering 5 day hikes that let us see the area really well and experience some fantastic views of the Montblanc massif and Chamonix valley. The guides, accommodation, food, social group experience, and organization was top notch and I would highly recommend to anyone.

• Coastal Walks
• Christmas & New Year

Walking the Amalfi Coast

Walking the Amalfi Coast with Exodus Travel was a great experience. The walks were varied, challenging, and gorgeous! Our guide, Veriano, was warm, knowledgeable, and fun! Our group was nice, very encouraging, interesting and funny. Hotel Due Torri was a comfortable haven to return to each day, and the food was good. So glad I did this trip!

• In-depth Cultural
• Coach / Bus

Highlights of the Amalfi Coast

We had to deal with rainy days but our tour leader made it work by switching itineraries around and we had sunny days when we went to Capri and Positano. Mt. Vesuvius on the free day was out of the question and we went to Naples instead and some went to the museum, and a few joined a walking street food tour. Bunch of nice people in my group. The hotel/restaurant we stayed at had great food and wine (extra pay) but one of the lady staff was mean to me and yelled at me in Italian about not putting bread in the toaster, it was humiliating, Italians are passionate about their bread and putting it in a toaster is equal to murder!

Cycling Croatia's Dalmatian Coast

Croatia by bicycle was beautiful . Alan made our trip! He was funny yet firm and was a perfect guide for our group. Tommy the driver was as great. We enjoyed watching and listening to their interactions while be transported between rides.

Cycling Vietnam

The Vietnam cycling adventure was amazing. I wasn't expecting the level of care and accomodations that Exodus Travel provided and our guide, Tung, and crew were excellent. And a great group of participants! Trip of a lifetime, thanks.

Discover Namibia - Camping

Pre-tour information For the most part, the pre-tour information on the itinerary, transport, accommodation, excursions, conditions and so on was fairly accurate. There are three points where changes are needed. 1. Temperatures. Our tour started at the beginning of October, on the cusp between the colder winter months and the hot summer. It was much hotter than I expected with daytime temperatures reaching or exceeding the mid to high 30s most days. My impression that it would be cooler than this was reinforced by the Swakopmund temperature chart you include in the trip notes. From this I expected mid teens to low 20s. I did not know that Swakopmund is by far the coldest place that we visited. If you are going to show any temperature charts, these should be representative of the general conditions that travellers are likely to experience in Namibia as a whole. The tour was actually run by a local company, Mabaruli and I found this statement on their website: “October is the hottest month in Namibia with temperatures above 40°C”. Why was that information not added to the Exodus website? If I had known that in advance I seriously doubt that I would have chosen October for this tour. 2. Activity level. The trip was described as “Leisurely/Moderate” and at level 2 on a 10-point scale. There is no way that this is accurate. While there is a lot of time spent sitting in the truck doing nothing more than looking out of the window, when activity is required it was very tiring in the heat of the day. Bear in mind that there is no upper age limit for this tour and I think that everyone on our tour was over 50. What might be leisurely for a 20 year old may not be for a septuagenarian like me. 3. Initial meeting. There was no information on the time and place of the initial tour meeting on day 1. This should be specified clearly and unequivocally. Then everyone would know what to do and could arrange their travel plans around this meeting. Itinerary Overall I was satisfied with the itinerary. Maybe some minor tinkering is needed (eg. two hours at the craft market on day 12 was too long) but there were no major deficiencies. Staff There were three staff: Ronney, the tour leader, and two camp assistants, Happy and Jonas. Ronney was responsible for the overall arrangements, acting as guide while on the road, and as the full-time driver. This is too much for one person and it is no wonder that he was somewhat grumpy at times. One of the camp assistants should be a qualified driver and be able to relieve the tour leader of some or all of the driving responsibilities. Happy and Jonas were responsible for preparing the meals, setting up and breaking camp. Both were lovely blokes, always ready to help with a smile. Happy was a bit reserved at first but warmed up after a few days. Transport The truck was quite comfortable and reasonably roomy with two spare seats that were used for excess luggage (backpacks and so on). However, it was not well designed for the purpose. There were two pairs of windows at the front, above the driver's cabin. However, there was a wide solid horizontal panel between them that was exactly at eye level for anyone of normal height. As a result, forward vision was very limited. That is a ridiculous design for a safari truck. The roof opened for “game viewing” but there was nowhere near enough room for all of the passengers and we had to stand on the seats to get high enough to see. I don't know what can be done about this but the truck was certainly not fit for the purpose. We saw other trucks on our travels where everyone could simply stand up and see. Such trucks should be used for future tours. The trip notes say “People are expected to move around to permit everyone a chance to have a window seat.” One couple hogged the prime position (the front left seats) for the entire tour and declined to move. Allegedly this was because one of them suffered from travel sickness. The tour leader should have been more assertive, insisting that everyone got a turn in that prime position. People who suffer from travel sickness should not go on tours that will exacerbate their condition, or take suitable medication to combat the problem. A couple of days into the tour I noticed that one of the rear tyres was totally worn out, with the canvas showing through. The truck should never have been sent out in that condition. A couple of days later a tyre blew out but it turned out to be a new tyre that had been installed to replace the bad one, probably while we were in Swakopmund. It took an hour for the spare tyre to be put on. This blew out within 15 minutes so clearly the spare tyre were not in a suitable condition. We limped the rest of the way to Sophienhof camp with this flat tyre. The next day we were dumped in Outjo while four new types were being obtained. We were told this would take two hours. It took more than four hours, with no communication from the tour leader in the meantime. I realise that time is a bit elastic in Namibia but that is no excuse for keeping us in the dark. We had no choice but to sit and twiddle our thumbs waiting where we were told we would be picked up. We missed half a day in Etosha, the most important tourist destination in Namibia. Hotels The Prost Hotel in Swakopmund was perfect. Beautiful rooms, great breakfast and well situated close to the centre of town. The two hotels in Windhoek were not so good and the logic for using a different starting and finishing hotel was unclear. I would prefer that the starting and finishing hotel were the same. The Arebbusch Lodge is too far from the centre of town. However, this was not my major objection. Near the restaurant and bar there is a very nice pool area with umbrellas, tables, chairs and loungers. This was off-limits to us, being reserved for residents in “The Square”. The pool that we could use was small, a bit dirty, far away, and lacked umbrellas, tables, chairs and loungers. It was totally inadequate. You should not patronise a hotel that practises such blatant discrimination against some of its guests. The Utopia Boutique is also inconvenient in its location, really not near to anything. Moreover, it was disappointing to find that some of our group had nice, airy rooms around the pool area while others (including us) had small dark rooms with no view at all except for a blank wall. We are all on tour together, paying the same price, and should have similar accommodation. If the Utopia Boutique cannot satisfy this requirement, then go somewhere else, preferably within safe walking distance from the centre of Windhoek. When we arrived at the Utopia Boutique mid-afternoon there was a noisy party going on next door but we were told that if it wasn't quiet by 9 pm reception would call the police. The trouble was, reception closed at 8 pm and there was nobody around to take action. Eventually, at 10.30 pm, I found a security guard who said he would phone the manager who would then phone the police. The management should have made sure that someone was available in reception at 9 pm to deal with the noise if it was continuing. Maybe the partying was a one-off event and would not happen again but the hotel should have made sure that we were not disturbed. Campsites The campsites were a mixed bag. The first one, Sesriem, was quite poor. Our site was a long walk from the bar, shop and restaurant. The pool was a bit closer but it was so poorly maintained that it was uninviting. The toilet and shower block closest to our site was in very bad condition. The two sites in Etosha were acceptable, while Solitaire and Sophienhof were both very good. Brandberg was nice except that it was a very long and dusty walk to the bar and pool area. The worst one was Waterberg. While the campsite itself was fine, to get to the bar and pool involved a very long walk up hill. And when you finally arrived, the pool was an absolute disgrace, full of slimy green algae. Meals The meals provided were generally good to exceptional, particularly the dinners where Happy and Jonas went to great efforts to provide variety and to allow for the special dietary requirements of two of our group. Quantity was never an issue; sometimes the amount left over was something of an embarrassment in a country where there are some very poor people. There is one meal that requires special mention, and that is the dreadful buffet dinner at Waterberg. This was not included in the tour and turned out to be the worst, and most expensive, meal that we had in Namibia. With nowhere else to eat, and nothing on offer apart from the buffet, we had no choice. This should definitely be deleted in future, substituting an included dinner at one of the other campsites such as the ones in Etosha. Paid excursions We went on two excursions in Swakopmund. In the morning we chose the Sossusfly joy flight. We had high expectations of this flight, especially considering the very high price of $N460 each for just over 2 hours. We were quite disappointed, especially by the Skeleton Coast which was obscured by fog. I suspected that this was a common occurrence and later found out that there is fog for 4 days out of 5. Another problem was that what you saw depended on which side of the plane you were on. Usually, in these types of flights, the pilot makes sure that everything is seen by passengers on both sides. You should not be recommending this flight. In the afternoon, we went on Charly's Namib Desert tour. The minibus was very comfortable and Borden, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable and likeable. It was a terrific four hours. We travelled through the 'moonscape' where we were told about the history, geology, flora and fauna. The main focus was on the plants and they were presented in an interesting and informative manner. There were plenty of stops to photograph the weird landscape. Overall we were extremely satisfied with this tour. Ron Duggleby October 2018

Discover Sri Lanka

It was my least enjoyable Exodus trips. It was all about the tea and tourism. Everywhere was really busy ,several activities were cancelled. The lines for 'highlights' were long. I have always had good experiences with Exodus as they managed to get away from the crowds, not this time. There was a descrepency with the quality of hotels. The hotel we had on the trip notes was not available so we were placed in anternative. It was obvious that it was not of similar value and on investigation there was a significant difference in price. Therefore it would have financially bennifited the company which does not lead to good reviews. Sri Lanka is known for its food but we were given very few alternatives to the usual Hotel Banquet which after a few days became monotonous. I would suggest it was a bad time to travel. I would not recommend this trip with Exodus, although I can see the potential for Sri Lanka.

Discover the Baltics

A great joy. Migle is a gem.

Discover Costa Rica

The travel arrangements, accommodation, and food were excellent. The driver was excellent and the guide very good. I was with a lovely group of people. Unfortunately we had torrential rain at Arenal and Monteverde which meant that we got soaking wet and didn't see a lot. The other four locations were wonderful, particularly Savegre cloud forest. I would have loved to have stayed there another night and gone straight to the airport from there. I didn't particularly enjoy the farm visit and afterwards found myself covered in flea bites! Altogether though it was a great trip with beautiful birds and wonderful scenery.

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The Silk Road

Incredible countries

Discover Namibia - Lodges

Our Namibia tour was terrific. Such a diverise landscape from extreme deserts to amazing animals in Etosha. Most of the accomodations were good except for one but we had a terrific time. When we finished the tour, we found the world had changed drastically due to the virus.

A Week in Jordan

We had a terrific time. The standout day was Petra with an 18k walk through the hills exhilerating!! Wadi Rum was spectacular! All rounded off with a float in the Dead Sea.

Walking the Picos de Europa

Excellent trip, guide was very polite, knowledgeable, excellent route selection. Food and transport was great. Everything was very timely.

Walk The Prosecco Hills & Hidden Venice

we were a small group - 12 plus the guide. Serena was fabulous. Attentive without hovering and assertive without being bossy. The attention to detail was astounding; very impressed that Serena spent time with us even when the meal or event was not covered.

• Self Guided Walking Holidays

Paths of the Amalfi Coast

The Hotel Due Torri is a wonderful family owned hotel. They welcomed us like family, Helped us with our daily itinerary and answered all our questions. The meals were Devine prepared by Giovani who is co owner of the hotel and an amazing Chef. Nicola, Giovani’s brother and co owner made us homemade Pizza and made sure all the guests were happy. Gerardo took care of our every need. The views of the coast from the walk were one of a kind. I highly recommend this tour if you want to take in all the sites of the Amalfi Coast and feel immersed in Italian culture.

Reviews of Exodus Travels Tours

Excellent guide and chalet host!

The tour was wonderful for several reasons. Our guide, Veriano, was knowledgeable and fit right in with our group. The size of the group was perfect, ages ranging from 27 to 71 years. Everyone was fit and up for the challenge.

great tour especially the tour guide, Edward Palermo!!! He is amazing helped us in so many ways.....

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European cities hope jet-setting Taylor Swift fans will splash the cash for Eras tour

The superstar arrives in Europe next month – and Swifties, tourist boards and venues are already preparing

T im Brown, 44, and his wife, Marcella, 34, may not consider themselves bona fide “Swifties”, but when it was announced last June that Taylor Swift would be visiting their corner of the globe this summer they could not resist joining the scramble for a pair of tickets.

A post-pandemic appetite for live music events has fuelled huge worldwide interest in the American singer-songwriter’s Eras tour, which surpassed in $1bn sales in November to become the highest-grossing series of concerts in history.

The pop culture event of the summer will arrive in Europe next month, kicking off in Paris on 9 May and wrapping up in London on 20 August with 49 dates in between in Sweden, Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Austria, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

The unique nature of the tour’s ticketing system, which was tweaked after a number of hitches last year, means there will be a mass movement of travelling fans who will not only be Swiftie in affiliation but swift-like in their willingness to travel across the continent.

In expectation of intense demand, Ticketmaster introduced a pre-registration system that rewarded some early applicants with access codes to the ticket sale proper, via staggered windows for each city.

Notionally designed to prioritise genuine fans over “scalpers” – people who buy and resell tickets for a quick profit – the pre-sales system also meant many fans registered for tickets in multiple destinations across Europe to increase their chances.

Tim and Marcella, who live in Norwich, registered not just for the nearest concerts – in London and Liverpool – but also in Amsterdam and Lisbon. The pair got lucky with a pair of €91 tickets in the Portuguese capital and have turned the trip into a weekend break. “I used to live in Lisbon so I thought why not kill two birds with one stone,” Tim said. “We booked ourselves flights and four nights’ accommodation the same day.” They are far from alone.

Katie Soo, the chief business officer of DICE, a rival ticketing company, said: “The excitement and uncertainty inherent in the ticket-purchasing process might have inadvertently incentivised fans to apply for tickets in multiple cities, thereby increasing the likelihood of travelling across Europe to attend the concerts.”

Hotel prices

Several European cities have already reported a sharp rise in demand for hotel and short-term rental accommodation over the summer, when the Swift hurricane will arrive. In Edinburgh, Liverpool and Cardiff, rooms at the Travelodge chain around Swift’s June dates have been sold out since August 2023, a month after tickets for the shows went on sale.

In Paris, where fans anticipate Swift to debut an updated version of the Eras show with songs from the new Tortured Poets Department album, 80% of hotels and apartments listed on Booking.com are already full up. In Warsaw on 2 August, only 9% of hotels listed on the same site are still available.

Not all of the 18 cities covered by the Eras tour are obvious tourism destinations. From 17-19 July, Swift will play three concerts at the 65,000-capacity home ground of the football club Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen in Ruhr valley, western Germany. The city’s less-than-familiar name prompted one US chatshow host to quip that “the place might not even exist”.

Yet even in Germany’s rust belt the influx of Swift fans is temporarily transforming the hotel market: any two-bedroom apartments that remain available are going for €800-2,000 a night, with cheaper accommodation available only in surrounding cities that are just as off the usual tourist track as Gelsenkirchen, such as Essen, Bochum or Herne.

Cities with stricter rules on allowing Airbnb-style holiday lets and a more limited stock of short-term rental apartments are reporting a particularly marked increase in rates during Swift’s visit, with about 30% year-on-year spikes in rental rates in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Milan, according to AirDNA, a data analytics company specialising in the short-term rentals market.

Of all the tour’s European stops, Vienna is experiencing the most notable impact on its rental market, with booking rates for the nights of Swift’s concerts recorded in February 44% higher than at the same point the previous year. By the end of March the number of nights booked in the Austrian capital for the length of Swift’s stay in the second week of August had risen by 430% compared with the same period in 2023.

When Luke Tilden’s wife, Tatjana, suggested last summer that the couple buy their 13- and 15-year-old daughters, Lena and Maya, tickets to a Taylor Swift gig for Christmas, the 53-year-old Briton initially waved it off. “There’s no chance in hell we’d get a ticket without paying through our noses, I thought,” said Tilden, who works as an interpreter at the European parliament in Brussels.

But after pre-registering for tickets in London, Paris and Munich, the Tildens got unexpectedly lucky for four tickets in southern Germany and have turned the concert visit into a mini-holiday: “We’ll visit the in-laws in Bavaria, enjoy the countryside, do a bit of hiking.”

The hope in cities across Europe is that this will be replicated on a massive scale, with fans’ excitement translating into generous spending sprees on food, shopping and leisure. In Stockholm, for example, where authorities are expecting 159,000 visitors to arrive from 135 countries in mid-May, the chamber of commerce has forecast a spending boost of €50m. “We hope the whole town will buzz from the Eras tour,” said Tomas Andersson, a spokesperson for the Swedish capital’s tourism board.

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Whether fans will necessarily act like ordinary tourists, however, is up for debate. “Pop-culture tourists do not necessarily care about traditional buildings and authentic restaurants,” said Maria Lexhagen, a professor at the European Tourism Research Institute, Mid Sweden University.

“Joining up with other fan communities is stronger motivation, as is the idea that they might get closer to the stars themselves. Many of them will map out where Swift is spending her time in the city – they will seek out seemingly marginal but meaningful places like back alleys or coffee shops.” Venues may be hoping for a repeat of Sydney in February, when Swift swept into an unassuming Italian restaurant in the suburbs and sent its name into global media headlines.

In Stockholm the tourism board said it was expecting bookshops and secondhand clothes stores, rather than museums and royal palaces, to attract most of the arriving visitors. Some venues are being proactive: one restaurant within walking distance of the multipurpose Friends Arena in the Solna municipality is putting on a “Taylor Swift brunch experience” with a karaoke stage; the waterfront nightclub Debaser is hosting a pre-concert party on 16 May, an all-ages all-day party with a Swift-themed quiz on 19 May and an afterparty the day after.

Environment

As the Swift circus rolls across the continent, the transport infrastructure of urban centres will also be put to the test. Around the tour’s three-night stop in Dublin at the end of June, Irish Rail has announced additional late-night services to Cork and Limerick to meet an expected increase in demand. Extra tram and bus services are likely to be announced nearer the time.

Unlike rail operators, most airlines do not have capacity to charter additional flights. Due to yield management – airlines adjusting prices based on expected demand – a scramble for airborne journeys into cities that host the Eras tour is more likely to result in more expensive tickets rather than additional flights.

Officials at Lisbon airport said no additional flights had been chartered around Swift’s concerts on 24 and 25 May but that demand would probably be reflected in slightly higher load factors. A spokesperson for Amsterdam Schiphol said general aviation slots could be requested at short notice but nothing out of the ordinary had been logged so far.

Calculating the environmental impact of the tour with any certainty was difficult, experts said. “We can expect that some Swift fans will travel a long way to see one, if not several, shows across Europe”, said Stefan Gössling, a professor of tourism at Linnaeus University in Kalmar, Sweden. “But measuring the environmental impact of these trips is extremely difficult – it would involve a lot of guesswork.”

This did not mean the carbon footprint was negligible. “Every flight taken by a person adds to demand and hence influences supply considerations,” Gössling said. “The greater the demand, the more aircrafts are in service.”

The pop star’s carbon footprint is easier to estimate. Swift owns two jets by the French manufacturer Dassault, whose journeys are trackable. During the 2023 leg of the Eras tour, Swift’s planes spent 166 hours crisscrossing the US in about 75 individual journeys, though it is possible they were used by people other than the singer.

According to data available through the open-access aviation tracker ADS-B exchange, Swift’s jets caused carbon emissions of about 2,830 tonnes of CO 2 equivalent over the course of the US Eras tour – about 1,700 times the annual contribution of an average person.

A spokesperson for Swift told US media last year that in advance of the tour’s start in March 2023, the pop star bought more than double the carbon credits needed to offset all tour travel. Carbon offset credits are tradable certificates that allow purchasers to compensate for emissions by investing in environmental projects that claim to reduce carbon emissions, though recent studies have questioned the efficacy of these schemes.

Additional reporting by Ajit Niranjan

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Watch: EXODUS Kicks Off Fall 2023 U.S Tour In Fort Lauderdale

San Francisco Bay Area metallers EXODUS kicked off their fall 2023 U.S. tour with FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY , DARKEST HOUR and UNDEATH last night (Wednesday, November 15) at Revolution in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

A month ago, EXODUS singer Steve "Zetro" Souza shared a graphic promoting VIP upgrades for the band's fall 2023 run with FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY , DARKEST HOUR and UNDEATH , and he included the following message: "It's coming quick everyone!!! We are rampaging through the states with our new friends @fitforanautopsy @darkest_hour_official and @undeathny find the venue that's closest to you and come have one of the heaviest nights of your life !!!

"On this tour EXODUS will be playing deep cuts and actually opening with a song we haven't played in Over 32 years and one we have never ever played live !!!

"Get your tickets and get your VIPs , because EXODUS ' meet and greet is un like no other !! ask someone who's been to one of our meet and greets they will tell you!

"Looking forward to seeing everyone in the pit for a night violence and mayhem in the best of ways !!"

The tour will conclude on December 10 in New Kensington, Pennsylvania.

EXODUS is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Persona Non Grata" , which arrived in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast .

"Persona Non Grata" was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS . It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap . For the third time in the band's history, they returned to Swedish artist Pär Olofsson to create the album artwork.

"Persona Non Grata" was the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out" , which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of the group's lead singer of nine years, Rob Dukes , and the return of Steve "Zetro" Souza , who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

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I'm planning to spend $5,000 to see Taylor Swift in Europe with my kids. Our floor tickets, hotel, and flights are set to cost less than our nosebleed seats in the US did.

• I saw Taylor Swift on the US leg of The Eras Tour, and two nosebleed seats cost us $5,000.
• My daughter and I loved the show, so I scored us floor seats for one of Swift's Poland shows.
• Our European trip includes three VIP Swift tickets and is set to be cheaper than our seats in the US.

When Taylor Swift first announced her Eras Tour , I laughed when I heard colleagues had cleared their work schedules to buy tickets.

I couldn't understand why they were looking for tickets for shows hours away. I liked a few of Swift's songs, but I wasn't a "Swiftie" and didn't understand the frenzy.

That all changed when my daughter started asking intensely for tickets . And once The Eras Tour started, it became clear that it was the concert of the century. It was also nearly impossible to get tickets.

Seeing the US tour was difficult and expensive, but the show turned me into a full-on Swiftie

I didn't want my kid to miss out on this generation-defining event, but I couldn't stomach spending $4,000 or more on the resale market for two nosebleed seats on top of travel costs to another city.

Fortunately, five cousins chipped in to buy my daughter tickets for her birthday.

My daughter, a devoted Swiftie, predictably loved every second of The Eras Tour. At first, I wasn't sure how I would get through a 3 ½-hour show by an artist I barely knew — but I left in awe of Swift's talent.

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In the weeks that followed, I listened exclusively to Swift. On a trip to Nashville, I sang my heart out to Swift's songs at the Country Music Hall of Fame. I wondered whether I would be able to see her perform again, this time going all in.

Getting tickets to see Swift in Poland was easier than I expected

As soon as Swift announced international dates on her tour in June, I took the first of many steps to get tickets to one of her shows abroad. I set my sights on a show in Warsaw, Poland, for several reasons.

My children and I are Polish citizens but have never set foot in the country. I've wanted to go for years, and snagging Swift tickets would allow me to finally make the trip. I reasoned that Warsaw was unlikely to be as popular as marquee destinations like Paris. It's also a less expensive city than many other international stops on The Eras Tour.

Also, tickets for the Warsaw show were not being sold through Ticketmaster. I found the idea of not having to deal with the company that botched sales to the US leg of the tour very appealing.

A few days before tickets went on sale, I got a code for the chance to buy tickets before they became available to the rest of the public. Based on how popular presales were in the US , I knew I was unlikely to get tickets, but I set an alarm for 5 a.m. anyway.

Much to my surprise, I was able to enter the ticket-buying portal right away. I scored three VIP floor seats for the first night of Swift's Eras Tour in Warsaw for less than $1,000. My daughter, my son, and I started making friendship bracelets immediately to exchange with other concert-goers, an Eras Tour tradition.

Our trip hasn't happened yet, but I already know it'll be worth it

Although tickets to the Warsaw show were not cheap, the total cost plus our European trip is set to be about the same as or less than the two nosebleed seats I got when I saw Swift in the US.

I hope to use credit-card points to book our flights, but even if I don't, I estimate the total cost of the trip could be from $4,000 to $5,000. This isn't significantly more than my family usually spends on our annual family vacation, and I have more than a year to save.

However, unlike other family vacations, this one comes with the chance to explore our roots and see a new part of the world. I never would have guessed that Swift would be what finally got me to Poland, but it's just one more reason for me to love her.

This story was originally published on July 24, 2023, and most recently updated on April 10, 2024.

Watch: All the Easter eggs in Taylor Swift's 'Willow' music video

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An attacker who fatally knifed six people in a Sydney mall on Saturday before being shot dead by police in Sydney's beachside suburb of Bondi.

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Israelis rally against government amid deadlock on Gaza hostages

Thousands of Israelis rallied against their government on Saturday, with some demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu call off the half-year-old war in Gaza amid a deadlock in diplomatic efforts to retrieve hostages held there by Hamas.

Apple joins tech exodus to Florida— iPhone maker plans a 45,000 square foot office near Miami

Apple Inc. is upgrading its presence in the Miami area, following other Big Tech companies in setting up outposts or expanding in South Florida.

Apple is taking 45,000 square feet (4,181 square meters) in a new building in Coral Gables, a wealthy suburb just south of Miami, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. 

Apple declined to comment.

The company already has a smaller office in the vicinity, which has focused mostly on Latin America as well as the advertising business, including selling ad slots in the App Store. The firm is also expected to open a large new retail store location at the $4 billion Worldcenter development in Miami.

South Florida has been a magnet for the ultra-wealthy and their companies since the pandemic upended the U.S. economy, with firms either outright moving to the area or expanding their footprints. Amazon .com Inc. is looking for roughly 50,000 square feet in Miami, after founder Jeff Bezos moved to Florida from Seattle. Microsoft Corp. has also leased a new office in the city, in the same building that will serve as headquarters for Ken Griffin’s Citadel.

Apple’s new Miami space will be at The Plaza Coral Gables, a project bankrolled by Agave Holdings, a Mexican family office powered by tequila money. Raymond James has also set up shop in the building. 

The increased demand for office space has led to sharp increase in rents. Asking rates on commercial properties in Miami are now close to $57 a square foot, according to commercial real estate adviser Avison Young. 

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