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.
This was an excellent trip. I felt safe in all the areas where we stayed. The hotels were consistently well located so it was easy to go out and explore on your own. The guide gave us plenty of time at the sites we visited and was flexible and supportive in accommodating people’s needs and preferences. The guide was very knowledgeable and was able to explain Turkish history and culture. The guide was much more than a tour manager. An added bonus was the private bus. There was no time wasted waiting for public transport and it just made travelling long distances so much easier and more comfortable.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
For anyone considering this tour, my advice is "just do it". From the cheerful employee who met us at the Hanoi airport and delivered us to our first hotel, to our fabulous tour guide Diem, the wonderful drivers, the fantastic accommodation, the incredible breakfasts, we couldn't have asked for a better trip. Diem was an outstanding guide, we could not have asked for someone more knowledgeable, more patient, more helpful or more kind. He had our days organized to the minute. This man is an amazing person and can take credit for our wonderful tour of Vietnam and Cambodia. Our days were much fuller than expected and we appreciated how much was crammed into each day. We saw and experienced a lot more than we thought we would.
My advice to anyone taking this trip and thinking about flying back to Vietnam after Cambodia, check to make sure you have a Multiple Entry Visa. We made a mistake on this checkbox and were denied onto our flight of out Siem Raeap. As it was the Lunar New Year and the offices were closed it looked as though we were going to be kept in Cambodia another five days but with Diems help and help from a few others, we were able to fly out the next day. He saved us . Don't make that mistake! It's this type of tour guide that makes tours the way to go. If we had done the trip on our own, it would not have turned out so well.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Overall, this was an excellent trip and one of the best I have done with Explore over very many years. It was certainly helped by having a good, small group and two superb leaders (one in each country), who were extremely knowledgeable and very personable. The local guides were also outstanding. The sights were extraordinary (the Islamic architecture is simply breath-taking), the people were lovely and I did not mind the long drives (on spacious air conditioned coaches) or the 9.5 hour train journey. to Samarkand As expected, the trip’s pace was full-on. As a group we took advantage of the optional extras offered and I would recommend that others seriously consider those too, especially the spectacular Uzbek music and dance show at the Grand Hall in Samarkand. Hotel accommodation was better than I had expected and generally pretty good. If I have a criticism it is that the trip should perhaps be a day longer. It would have been nice to have spent more time in Khiva and the last day in Tashkent was too long, tiring and rushed. Thankfully, I had booked an extra day in the city, although others had early morning flights. While Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are very different, I much preferred the time we spent in the latter.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
A wonderful mix of culture, wildlife and relaxation in the beautiful tropical South of India. led by an excellent guide.
Would definitely recommd this trip.
City sightseeingBeachCruise
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Had a great time doing the island hop tour, the group really made it that extra special. Majority of the hotels were in great locations.
The visit to the local farm was a huge highlight, the food was just delicious there.
Definitely pack water shoes as all the beaches are rocky, like actual rocks that can be quite sharp, not just pebbly.
And unfortunately all the walks are done in the middle of the day, so definitely bring a good sized water bottle
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
A wonderful trip which just got better by the day.
The pace was great, sometimes demanding but with sufficient downtime to chill, and encounters with locals so enriching.
Not only did the outstanding natural beauty of the Indonesian Islands make this trip magical, but also our amazing leader Hadi who, simply by his presence, meant that we could rely, relax and enjoy.
I loved the trip.
City sightseeingBeachWalking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Bali, Belimbing, Komodo Islands
Bali, Belimbing, Komodo Islands, Anja Jimbaran, Ubud, Flores Island, Ngadas, Ruteng, Labuan Bajo
This was great tour and our guide Ibrahim went the extra mile and made it very special. His overall knowledge is amazing. The drivers also were very good. I loved the variety of places we visited and the Riads were beautiful. I can’t wait to go back to this fabulous country. Sue April 2025
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Guest House, Hotel
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Essaouira, Rabat, Rabat, Chefcha
Essaouira, Rabat, Rabat, Chefchaouen, Fes, Ouzoud Falls, Marrakech
Another spectacular trip with Explore. I highly recommend this company. As a solo female traveller they have never let me down. Explore is 100 % reliable.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
An interesting destination with a fascinating culture.
The cuisine is delightful and this Explore trip gives you an insight into the preparation of the local food.
The flora is very colourful, but bird watchers will be very disappointed. There is more birdsong in my garden than two weeks in Vietnam.
The Vietnamese are extremely friendly and helpful. The traffic is daunting.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
On the whole a great itinerary. I would drop the Sunderbans though, since the chance of seeing any wildlife while sailing for hours up and down the middle of the river is unlikely, especially since the animals are behind a fence. We had an excellent tour leader, Kiran who is warm, very informed and energetic and who certainly went that extra mile in solving problems and caring for everyone. The local guides who travelled with us were also great, as were the drivers. The hotels in India were the Summit hotels, an Indian chain. They are clean and quite well organised. However since those in Sikkim were out of town we were forced to eat dinner in the hotels which produced the identical menu. It would have been better to have spent the bits of free time we had in Sikkim in the towns themselves.
City sightseeingWildlifeCruise
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers