Simple stays with essential amenities. Typically guesthouses, hostels or hotels rated below 3 stars — clean, no-frills, and great for value-conscious travelers.
Comfortable and reliable 3-star stays. Expect private rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and solid amenities — a great balance between comfort and cost.
Upscale 4-5 star hotels and lodges. Enjoy high-end service, refined comfort, and premium locations — ideal for travelers seeking extra indulgence.
Vietnam was an amazing and varied place and Explores itinerary managed to pack in a huge variety of scenery, activities and education including places and people I wouldn't have managed to find alone. Long's leadership was brilliant keeping the teenagers engaged and encouraged to try new experiences and food.
Arturo was a fantastic leader and guide. Knowledgable, helpful, caring, experienced and amusing. This was my 11th Explore holiday and Arturo is up there with the best guides. The porters and cooks are heroes - we were very happy to tip them generously. The itinerary was perfect, though no one should underestimate the challenge of around ten hours walking on day three. Cusco hotel staff were fine but the layout around a central atrium means the rooms are very noisy. The hotel near Machu Picchu was lovely but the staff were rude, unhelpful and disinterested. Overall I’d fully recommend this trip - but be sure to get into shape beforehand and consider your kit carefully.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
This trip provides the opportunity to walk a beautiful long distance path, led with skill and charm and with excellent accommodation along the way. I had a wonderful experience.
Walking tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
An excellent way to explore Central America on two wheels—what a ride! I loved every segment of the tour. Just a heads-up: you’ll need more than basic cycling skills… and a truckload of grit. Some of the dirt roads, especially the downhills, are the kind that make you suddenly remember every loved one you’ve ever had. Definitely not for the faint-hearted.
About the hotels: a few of the one-night stays were… let’s say “character-building.” The stop in Turrialba in particular did not meet even basic standards. Explore, you can do better—please save future cyclists from that experience.
Now, about our tour leader, Mike. After ~15 tours across ~20 countries, I’ve finally had a tour led by a real pro athlete. And wow—what a difference. Mike’s professionalism, enthusiasm, ocean-level patience, and that trademark toothy smile made even the toughest (undualating😄)climbs feel manageable. He set the bar so high that my future tours may need oxygen just to reach it.
Absolutely recommended. And if you’re lucky enough to get Mike, prepare to have your expectations ruined—in the best possible way.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
This trip was once in a lifetime, we really felt like we saw a lot of Thailand. There was a lot of variety; city, history culture, waterfalls, rivers, railways, caves, wildlife and beaches. I would recommend staying an extra night before in Bangkok there is so much to do, we did a hidden Bangkok bike tour as well as the grand palace and wot pho, river cruise etc. The excursion to cheow lake is great, saw bats in cave, jungle walk, and scenery is beautiful. I would also recommend staying an extra night in Krabi so that you have time to do the 4 island boat tours. We extended out tour by going to Koh Yao Noi where we saw oriental pied hornbills for 4 nights, a perfected to a brilliant trip.
Active and outdoorExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
A real insight into Sri Lanka’s culture and heritage together with its diverse landscape. The guides wonderful positivity and knowledge really enhanced the trip experience.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Tent
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Colombo, Negombo, Puerto Río Tra
Colombo, Negombo, Puerto Río Tranquilo, Bentota, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains National Park, Ella, Yala National Park
My quibbles with this trip are very minor and I've told explore (update the itinerary please!) but fundamentally I loved this trip. Met lovely people. Saw amazing places and scenery. Food a bit meh but that's not why you go to either Kyrgyzstan or Uzbekistan. I loved the differences between the countries. Kyrgyzstan was unbelievably beautiful and Uzbekistan had amazing buildings.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Guest House, Hotel, Hut, Resort
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Tashkent, Bishkek, Arslanbob, Os
Tashkent, Bishkek, Arslanbob, Osh, Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara, Yangikasgan, Karakol, Samarkand, Kochkor, Song Kul Lake, Suusamyr Valley, Toktogul Resevoir, Djalal-Abad