Balkans Small Group Trips

Sam was an absolute driving force making the most out of every day. She was extremely knowledgeable and made the holiday a truly fabulous experience. We enjoyed every day of the holiday and would happily book another Explore holiday in the future.

The guide ( Gerion) was amazing, not only was he extremely knowleadgeable of the entire history of all the towns and cities we touched on and passed, but his detailed understanding of the periods of the rise and fall of each period was astounding. We started off with no knowledge of Albanias history and left Albania with insight of its rich past and tapestry of interwoven historical achievements and tragedies. Truly an eye opener for us all. Gerion was an encyclopaedia of knowledge . But most of all, he is a most caring and personable tour guide with a keen sense of humour, which we love. We could approach him with any of our concerns and he negotiates on behalf of us,and eventually, solves our problems for us. For me, personally and my travelling companions , it is 102% of the time. He is , what we call, the absolute "best", a 5* guide and tour leader.

Great trip with good mixture of activities and wildlife. The weather was perfect for an August trip - warm during day, cooler at night, and fortunately only 10 minutes of rain in 2 weeks. Well looked after by our guide Bianca. Food was very good value. Expect some flexibility in the itinerary - we couldn’t sea kayak due to choppy sea but alternative hike was great. Highlights were climbing Table Mountain (2-3h strenuous hike), surfing lesson, optional Whale Watching boat trip, Addo Elephant National Park and optional Schotia Private Game Reserve drive on the morning of departure.

Accommodation and itinerary were as described. Our Tour Leader was exceptional in all aspects of her job, keeping us informed, entertained and pandering to the needs of challenging group members.

Nela - calm, aware, clear, caring, an excellent leader and good company. Bozo - as we nicknamed him, an excellent mechanic, our bikes always ready for us, any problems sorted, always punctual and attentive and good fun. A well balanced itinerary, allowing for those who wanted a bit more. I should have booked the extra day as alas we didn't get to explore Dubrovnick old city. Thank you for another very special explore. Sue

This trip is the perfect balance of a short break that feels like you have been away for a month, in a good way. You are completely at one with nature and in the wild, the days are demanding and you are often leaving at 0730 each day and not getting back until around 1630/1700. You have a long time on your feet with big ascents and descents, all whilst surrounded by incredible mountains. I went the first week of September and we had a mixture of weather, which really gave us the full hiking experience, instead of being upset that it was raining with zero visibility, you were happy to be out in the elemensta and conquering cols. You will have switchbacks for breakfast and sore legs for dinner, however, if you are up for a challenge and enjoy the outdoors, good food and comradery then this trip is absolutely for you! 1 peiece of advise, pack light, and then if you think you have packed light enough, pack even lighter than that!