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.
Our accommodation in Rio Bamba was terrible, I felt I could not use the shower as it was so dilapidated. We only had one towel that had already been ripped in half. We felt it would have been hygenically unsafe to use the 'restaurant' and went out for breakfast. We were unsure why we went to Rio Bamba as it was not a nice place and it felt unsafe at night. Apart from 4 nights the accommodation was quite good. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and spoke to us for most of the time during the coach journeys. Nothing was too much trouble for him to do for us. The itinerary was very good apart from Rio Bamba (which should have been avoided) and a wasted last day in Quito. We could have caught an earlier flight to Quito, from Cuenca, the next day and not spent another day in a hotel that is a long way from Quito city which we had already explored.. Also it would have been better to have flown from Cuenca on the early morning flight to Quito then straight to Bogota and the to LHR.
Active and outdoorExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Explore leader: for Sri Lanka only satisfactory. Not easy to understand, didn't seem to feel part of the group, didn't join us for meals, a poor communicator (relative to past explore trips)
For the dhoni Maldives cruise: Moosa was excellent in every way.
Active and outdoorWildlife
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Kinzang was an excellent tour leader and along with our driver Ngawang made our trip very memorable. Kinzang was always informative and helpful, and Ngawang was an excellent and careful driver.
Our highlights:
1. The Punakha festival, which was a wonderful colourful spectacle. However you will be sitting for several hours on the paved stone ground so bring a cushion or mat to sit on.
2. Our walk up to the Tigers Nest Monastry. A challenging but rewarding trip. Kinzang was excellent and thoughtful in setting a pace to suit us all.
Bhutan is a beautiful country, with lovely friendly people.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
A well designed itinerary made for a good introduction to Indochina. The biggest problem was never having quite enough time everywhere to do everything you wanted.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House, Home-stay
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Hanoi, Siem Reap, Mekong Delta
Hanoi, Siem Reap, Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi Tunnels, Phnom Penh, Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Halong Bay, Hue, Thien Mu Pagoda, Hoi An
This is a varied and interesting tour with many unexpected cultural experiences.
Ana Davila is an excellent tour leader who brings the archaeological sites, history and her culture to life.
Mexico, Belize and Guatemala all have their own characters and it was interesting to see these differences.
A fascinating and highly enjoyable tour.
Active and outdoorExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Everything was better than we expected. We loved the variety of the itinerary, food and accommodation.
Travelling with other families in the group was a great experience for the adults and children. We got on very well which made the experience even more special.
Our leader Moha went above and beyond to ensure we were all happy and safe at all times.
Active and outdoorExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
The best. It suited me. Lovely walks, lovely food, historical locations, wonderful guide. I loved the local input - visits to the farms, bakery. A visit to a working Truli house would have been a plus ( very touristy visit to Alberobello) and the last walk could have been more varied scenically. Could have stayed much longer in Matera! Altogether it was the best trip I’ve done with Explore. It helped having a lovely group too.
Where next?
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Hut
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Bari, Altamura, Gravina, Alta Mu
Bari, Altamura, Gravina, Alta Murgia National Park, Matera, Cisternino, Monopoli