Eastern Europe Cultural, religious and historic sites Trips

This was a lovely and varied trip through very beautiful and rural Laos to the amazing temples of the Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia. It was a mix of beautiful hilly countryside and jungle, amazing waterfalls, cultural sights, incredible temples, and monasteries and cruises on the Mekong. We visited small remote villages, and cycled around sleepy and picturesque island of Don Khon in the 4000 islands area. Our guide was excellent and accomodation was good and often very well or beautifully located (but not always quite up to Western standards as Laos and Cambodia are developing countries.) It is a full on trip with some very early starts and long bumpy driving days. Also if you have dodgy knees, please be aware that many of the temples and waterfalls require climbing up and down sometimes a couple of hundred and more rough and uneven steps. But the guides do help you and you can take your time, and you can always opt out but still be in beautiful countryside and view from the bottom. Also take roll- on deodorant and insect repellant as you will not be allowed aerosol sprays on the train journey to Vientaine. I would thoroughly recommend this trip.

An excellent trip. The tour leader, Tarik, was exceptional. He ensured that everyone in the group bonded well and enjoyed themselves. The itinerary is diverse with plenty of optional activities. Highlights for me were the several Mayan sites, spotting manatees, sunrise at Tikal with the birdsong and howler monkeys, and the wonderful snorkeling from Caye Caulker.

My husband and I have now done several tours with Exodus and there are many reasons why we keep returning to Exodus, not the least of which include: the staff are helpful and available from beginning to end; the group size is small which makes the logistics more manageable; they put together itineraries in various locations that maximize the most interesting places to see and things to do; their trip notes accurately reflect what to expect and how to prepare for your trip; their guides have incredible knowledge about the various areas;  and they listen and respond to reviews. Although some days seemed longer than others, "Belize Reef and Ruins" is one of the most interesting tours I have ever done, and the only tour I have ever done twice (in one year).  There was no shortage of opportunity to further my learning about the history of the Mayan civilization, the flora and fauna of Belize, and the present-day life of the Belizean people.  Wherever we went, we were greeted with "Belizean warmth and kindness".  As I shared with a few of my friends, in spite of the heat, the unrelenting humidity, and the mosquitoes, I wish there were two of me - one to stay in Belize and one to return home.

My husband and I had an exceptional trip to Cambodia. Our tour guide, Phe Try, was fantastic- knowledgeable, kind, funny, and incredibly attentive. We genuinely couldn't have asked for a better person to show us around Cambodia. He explained everything with remarkable clarity and generously shared his personal experiences of living under the Khmer Rouge, which added profound depth to our understanding. The itinerary was excellent, offering a wonderful variety of experiences. From Angkor Wat and other beautiful temples to jungle walks with an ex-hunter who taught us to spot animal footprints and recognize wildlife calls we would have otherwise missed- every day brought something memorable. Our drivers were equally outstanding, always greeting us with cold towels soaked in lemongrass oil and fresh water after our explorations. The pacing was perfect. We had ample time to relax and explore Cambodia at our own pace, making the trip rich with fascinating discoveries without being exhausting. If you want to experience Cambodia authentically- not superficially- and gain a genuine sense of what this country is truly about, this is the trip for you.

This was the experience of a lifetime for me and definitely the highlight of my month-long trip to Central and South America. I joined this one the day I finished my Yucatan Peninsula cycling trip with Explore, my first with the company. The recommendations and reviews I'd received beforehand were justified. I was the only Australian on both trips. It didn't matter, as there was great camaraderie within the group and the leader, Allan, was top-notch. Our driver, Ronald, was also professional as well as being obviously very big-hearted and concerned about our comfort, welfare and safety. When a trip relies on being at the right place and time, the driver and vehicle are the most important elements of the trip. Allan's knowledge and passion for Costa Rica and its natural environment are obvious and he was very effective in helping us learn and love it as well. The detail and frequency of his communication was ideal and his attention to detail excellent. We were very fortunate to have both Allan and Ronald look after us, as well as the bonus of having Issy, an Explore senior exec, along for most of the trip, doing QC and checking out hotel options. Good to see the company checking its services! The accommodation was very good and matched the expectations Explore provided in its pre-trip information. As always, some places are better than others. When a place had some minor deficiency it was offset by being in a great location. My favourites were in the rainforest and mountains. The itinerary is right for a 2-week wildlife tour, plenty of time for varied photography, physical activity options and unstructured time for R&R and doing your own thing. Whitewater rafting, ziplining, sea kayaking and of course walking are all easily able to be included. Allan and some of the group are excellent wildlife spotters and photographers. I learnt so much and am keen to improve my own skills. I am so happy I chose to go on this trip and have been recommending it often since it concluded.

First, I have to say that our tour guide John Phem was amazing. He always went above and beyond during the entire trip. We had several road trips and flights and all went smoothly. We were well fed and hydrated the entire time and were greeted daily with hand towels and bottles of water. I cannot say enough good things about John. Also, the local tour guides in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand were very good. Chen in Cambodia and Pat in Laos were very informative and thoughtful, and A in Thailand also went above and beyond. She helped us shop carefully in the local markets. My only critique is that we were a little over-programmed. I would have liked a little more free time at the hotels. We stayed in beautiful places but felt we could not enjoy the amenities because we were always on the go. I do like that Collette builds in impactful excursions and visits to local homes, however. They provide for an enriching experience. If there were a way to provide those and allow for a little more free time that would be perfect. Thank you for a special trip. I highly recommend it and Collette to family and friends.