Andes Wildlife Trips

The trip was great and our tour leader Woody made it an unforgettable experience. Very varied itinerary, good mix of temples, ruins, culture, wildlife and nature, history, contact to locals, markets and food. Only the optional Thai cooking course was not offered in Chang Mai which was a pity, it would be good if that could be integrated into the tour.

A fabulous trip for those who are a little adventurous in their travels - the itinerary is a really good mix of insights into the history and culture of both countries as well as the beautiful nature reserves and abundant birdlife. Our tour leader was caring and organised and enhanced our experience by sharing personal experiences.

Thoroughly enjoyable trip that encompassed Mayan temples, jungles, wildlife, and culminating with a snorkeling trip on the final day on three individual reefs that provided everything that you never expect to see in such a short 2-week holiday. It is difficult to explain how so much was achieved in such a short time. Each hotel room is basic and has its own character except for the Sea Spray Hotel [which resembled a jail cell in a military guard room], something you must bear in mind if you are expecting a little more luxury. The food was surprisingly good and got better the more adventurous you got when trying out new menus in different locations. Transport was not amazing. Given that there was more that a dozen of us in the group, I was not expecting a luxurious coach. However, the vehicles provided were relatively uncomfortable considering the back seat had all the luggage crammed onto them and then it was a case of sitting in the remaining seats. Even more impressive was the exceptional tour guide assigned to us. Tarique was phenomenal and nothing was too much for this guy. EXPLORE is in this man’s DNA. His enthusiasm and knowledge know no bounds. He went above and beyond what was expected of him given that there was an incident that required medical attention. This was sorted out post-haste with little and no fuss and with no impact to the trip that day. With Tarique as our tour guide, I genuinely feel we were in safe hands. Tarique, Sir, you are a LEGEND. Overall, it was a fantastic experience that is going to remain with me for quite some time and one that I would highly recommend to those adventurous among you. Belize & Guatemala are places you should see for yourself, if not more than once.

Great itinerary; visiting a variety of wildlife hotspots and scenery. It was the rainy season with many animals having recently produced offspring. We were lucky and saw a great variety of animal families from elephants, giraffes, hippos, jackals and various species of antelopes to lions, leopards, hyenas and wild dogs, not to mention the huge number of birds. The quality of accommodation varied from luxury lodges to simple tents. Camping in the rainy season has its challenges; everything is always damp and roads can be flooded. Our tour leader was excellent. Not only did he expertly navigate the roads there was nothing he didn't know about the animals we encountered. He also made sure that we had enough time to observe them and take plenty of photos. The tour ended with a visit of the spectacular Victoria Falls and we took the opportunity to go on a helicopter flight over the area which was well worth it. A memorable trip overall.

On this Explore trip, a friend and I travelled around Belize and popped into Guatemala. My friend had never done an organized tour like this before but had been curious to try one. She loved the way that the group quickly melded into a large family-type gathering of like minded people. I found Belize to be a small but interesting country, with its British roots and Caribbean influences. Most people know it for the scuba or snorkeling, but we ventured inland to hike and swim in a cooling waterfall, and to visit a 'baboon sanctuary' where howler monkeys let their voices be heard. We were able to explore and climb Mayan ruins and learn about the different cultures ... and how the winner was killed at the culmination of pok ta pok games!. Some of our group were avid bird watchers and a dawn boat ride at Crooked Tree was filled with wildlife, including sightings of a manatee and male green iguanas (who are actually orange during mating season). We did have a few days of very heavy rain at San Ignacio, but usually the rain fell while we were in the van moving from one place to another. Guatamala is Spanish speaking, with a more Latin American feel. We enjoyed being in the jungle at Tikal and on the lake at Flores, where the houses have decorative doors just asking to be photographed. We saw a toucan enjoying a breakfast of dates at the hotel, just outside the open air restaurant. Our final day together was spent on Caye Caulker. It was magical to be out on a boat, snorkeling with nurse sharks and watching the captain's "pet" jack fish follow him closely as he pointed out eels, lobster and colorful fish. It was a day that will stay in my memory as a perfect day. Our guide Tarik was informative and well organized. But most of all - Tarik was a lot of fun and could make the dullest drives a pleasure, as he read from his junior school book in the local dialect. Our group had people of varying ages and physical abilities, but Tarik managed to keep everybody in mind as we toured the Mayan sites. He had great recommendations and spent time getting to know each person a bit more over meals and during walks, or evening drinks.

The trip was well organised and managed. I was very impressed with the team on the ground - the lead guide (Julius) was extremely knowledgable, attentive and good-humoured, the rest of the team from junior guides, to porters and cooks did an incredible job making our stay on the mountain safe and as comfortable as possible. Me and my partner felt very well cared for from start to finish. The trek itself was incredible - beautiful views and a fantastic way to spend time in nature and challange yourself. We thought 8 days was perfect to acclimatise. It was lovely to also see animals on the safari afterwards. A once in a lifetime experience!