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Loved this tour, it covered all the major sites for a first time visitor and left some free time to follow your own preferences. Tour leader was EXCELLENT and so knowledgeable. Transport links worked fine, we did not have our own tour bus, we used public transport and occasionally sent our luggage on by road, that worked fine. A great trip!

Initial booking was made easy by friendly and attentive staff. The guide was well prepared, knowledgeable and had good presentation skills. He related to the entire group and went out of his way to attend to everyones demands. He offered several extra tours for those who did not want free time. We however, relished free time to explore some different areas. The itinerary was a great overview of Japan especially for those of us visiting for the first time.

This was an amazing trip! I was initially drawn to it by the opportunity to explore the Great Wall of China without the crowds, and this trip did not disappoint - we hardly shared the wall with anyone most days, and of those we did meet they were mostly friendly locals or school groups. The scenery was also exceptional and just got better and better - by the end stages the Wall felt more like a mountain ridge walk traversing beautiful lush valleys of chestnut, apricot, walnut and mulberry trees on either side - bliss! Our guide Olly was a superstar, warm, open to any questions and without error; he clearly is very experienced and I felt in safe hands throughout - one of the best tour leaders I have travelled with. I particularly liked that Olly used local people living besides the Wall to help guide some of the more remote parts; these people were always friendly and provided a more authentic insight into living in the areas around the wall we visited. The accommodation in the more rural areas was also charming, if basic in places, and the evening meals were all excellent and never any more than £10 (including a well-deserved beer each night). Beyond the Wall both Beijing and Xi'an were very different but equally fascinating, with lots to see and do. I would recommend doing all the optional extras (Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Panda visit, etc.). On a practical note a walking pole is very helpful, as is a hat and water bottles as it can get very hot. I would also recommend getting an eSIM with an inbuilt VPN before you travel as this way you can access all the usual websites (including WhatsApp) without issue, and also use AliPay in the shops (which is very easy, especially if you set it up before leaving home). Amaps is also useful to download as Google maps does not work in China.

This was an amazing trip. The early starts were well worth it and it seemed that everyday there was something unexpected to enjoy. We visited so many different placed and experienced so many different things. It's hard to choose a favourite but I think staying in and experiencing the monastery were highlights for me. Also experiencing a different culture which appears very western on the surface but is totally different was fascinating. Our guide, Vania was amazing and probably the best guide I have encountered. She was very friendly, professional, knew everyones names and needs very quickly, got us to and into places very efficiently and was extremely knowledgeable about all things Japanese. I travelled with a small carry on bag as suggested and this was perfectly adequate especially as there are really good, easy to use laundry facilities in the hotels. I loved this trip. Thank you Explore

The main reason I chose this particular tour was to walk the kumano kodo and complete my dual pilgrimage status. While this was the highlight of my trip, enhanced by the lovely local guide Jennifer, the whole tour was superb. We covered a lot of ‘must see’ places for a first time visitor in Japan led by a very organised, capable and delightful Zilola. We were a group of 9 some couples some solo travellers of varying nationality. The hotels exceeded my expectations and were all comfortable. I particularly enjoyed the ryokan experience where we stayed during the main hike. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone wanting to see the stunning kii mountains as well as Tokyo, Kyoto, Matsumoto and Osaka

This was my first time doing cost saver, and I liked that there was a lot of flexibility in the schedule. I enjoyed the included activities. I do think some of the optional experiences were a bit pricey.