South Africa & Eswatini
4.5
A great and affordable trip with excellent opportunities for spotting a range of animals and birds.
Some quite long drives but with a good range of visits - glass makers, candle factory, Raukes Drift.
Incision of Eswatini was very worthwhile.
ExplorerActive and outdoor
Canary Islands Walking - Gran Canaria
4.6
A thoroughly enjoyable week in Gran Canaria. The walks were interesting & varied with an optional day to rest! Excellent transportation across the island with a few hairy moments!
Both hotels were comfortable, with a perfect location in Aguimes.
Active and outdoor
Highlights of Mont Blanc
4.7
We had a fabulous time with Explore, the walking tour was breathtaking! Majestic snow capped mountains surrounded by the gorgeous array of wildflowers, and lakes and streams dotted throughout . We were blessed with perfect weather every day and loved seeing the clouds roll by each day.
Our leader was wonderful, very organised, knowledgeable and a genuinely a lovely person.
Explore tours really captured the essence of the Mont Blanc area.
Walking toursAdventure
Best of Northern Thailand
4.7
This was a most amazing and unforgettable experience which for some of the group will probably be life changing. We were fortunate to be in a friendly, supportive and cohesive group which was led by the wonderful Wit. Wit was the catalyst to the group bonding so well but he was more than just a guide and leader. He organised our tour seamlessly and supported every member of the group when required over and above what could be expected. We were so privileged to know him and to have him as our guide and mentor. The tour is stated to be "full on" and it certainly matches that description so don't expect a restful holiday but be prepared to be on the move with early starts and time spent in a minibus which was necessary to complete such an intensive itinerary. If asked to chose a highlight I wouldn't be able to as there were so many highlights throughout the tour. I have so many great memories and been very fortunate to be included in such a fine group but also to be blessed with Wit as our very special leader.
Active and outdoorWildlife
Active and outdoorWildlife
Upgraded - Discover Morocco
4.8
What a wonderful trip! After a bit of challenge finding our taxi transfer at Casablanca airport the holiday went very smoothly. The itinerary was excellent, well curated with just enough flexibility to suit the group's needs. We thoroughly enjoyed the variety of experiences and the expertise and humour of all the local guides that we met on our travels
The accommodation was very good and mostly met expectations as described, however the final riad in Marrakech was only a 3 star hotel and a 25 minute walk from the centre of town, which surprised me on an 'Upgraded' tour. It was perfectly adequate and certainly met our needs, just not what I expected at the end of the trip.
We were lucky to find ourselves with a terrific group of fellow travellers who all got on very well, however my highest praise goes to our group tour leader, Ibrahim who was exceptional.
Ibrahim is very knowledgeable and passionate about his country. He paced the trip well and was particularly adept at 'reading' the group and tweaking the plans where it would add to our comfort and enjoyment. His energy and enthusiastic personality together with his understanding and caring nature ensured that all group members had the very best holiday possible.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Sri Lanka in Depth + Maldive Dhoni Cruise
4.8
An excellent 3 weeks with 2 excellent guides. Sri Lanka section was well organised by our guide Nala. he tweaked the itinerary so that we got the very best out of our time and imparted so much information about every aspect of Sri Lanka. He kept us on time fitting extra stops in if we were passing something to see like a banana market and fishermen hauling nets in on the beach. Accommodation was exactly as described and the usual Explore authentic assortment of comfortable and more rustic.
There were lots of English style plug sockets in the hotels, but i would take an adaptor as well just in case.
Highlights were climbing Adams Peak starting at 2am, and passing some very elderly people making the pilgrimage to the temple at the top. A unique experience. Also the train journey over 9 arch bridge. Great fun.
Maldives- again we had a superb guide- Moosa. Extremely knowledgeable about the ocean and also gave us a lot of fascinating history and politics background of the Maldives. Island visits provided an insight into the real country.
The boat was spacious clean and comfortable. Didn't expect the hotel like room services - bed making and towel changing! Food on the boat was amazing. Plentiful and a variety of dishes inc freshly caught fish. Had 2 snorkels a day building up the length and difficulty of them. So many colourful fish, it was like swimming in a tropical fish tank. Also saw turtles, moray eels, sharks and rays including a manta. The tender was always out with us keeping an eye on us whilst snorkelling.
Overall a fabulous itinerary and guides on land and sea
Active and outdoorWildlife
Walking the Annapurna Foothills
4.8
Walking, wildlife, food and culture: this tour ticked a lot of boxes for me. It is true that the poor visibility at this time of year (March) meant that the Annupurna mountains weren't visible during much of the trek, but the landscape with its flora, fauna and small farms still made the walking interesting and enjoyable. A special highlight was seeing the one-horned rhinoceros at the Chitwan National Park, and the cultural events staged at the Green Chwadi Retreat at Chitwan were an unexpected bonus. There was a wealth of birds to see throughout the tour, and our tour leader, Su, was very knowledgeable in identifying them. As someone who is unable to eat gluten, I had been worried about how I would cope with the food; and I am extremely grateful to Su for helping me to navigate this, as well as ensuring that there were always things available for me to eat.
Active and outdoor
Adventures in Patagonia
4.8
Fantastic trip, one of the best I have been on. Beautiful country, amazing landscapes, lovely friendly people. Plus we had a fun group and an excellent guide, Marcelo. And we were lucky with the weather too.
Yes, it’s expensive but worth it. Spend the extra to do the optional activities to make the most of it. Loved the walking with penguins, the zodiac trip on Rio Serrano and both the big walks.
The days are very long but you can always sleep on the bus/back at home!
Contrary to previous reviews I thought the hotels were all fine and the breakfasts were great and a good start to each day. The tango show we went to was in a small venue and great. Wish I’d added more time in Buenos Aires before the trip as it’s a lovely city and there’s a lot to see and do there - I will be back.
Active and outdoor
Upgraded - Discover Peru + the Amazon
4.9
Arturo was the best leader ever and would highly recommend him for the leader of the year. The trip was varied and taught be so much. Definitely ( if you can!) go to Inti Raymi. The most spectacular event I have ever seen
The Amazon extension was well worth the money as stayed in superb lodges with excellent food
Active and outdoorRafting