Middle East 4x4, quad ATV Trips

Loved every minute of this tour. The guide called Bee was excellent. She shared her passion for South Africa, mixed with humour and kindness. Our driver Ryan was so helpful, a very safe driver, and got involved with the group. Wonderful mix of accommodation and locations. A good variety of activities. The people were warm and friendly. I felt very safe on this trip.

This trip was really well run by our guide Bee and our driver Riyaan who were helpful, enthusiastic and fun. There was a very good mix of activities and choices which meant that we could opt out of the ones which were beyond us. The hotels were in general very good - we particularly liked Karoo Art Hotel in Barrydale and the Stellenbosch Hotel - but the Addo homestay was spoiled by the powerful external lights being on all night making our room almost like daylight (and we had to get up at 4.30). The hotel in our extended holiday in Victoria Falls, Pioneer Lodge, was flawless. We would not recommend the flights we took from (and return to) Manchester - both with Ethiopian Airlines. The route via Addis Ababa meant that we were travelling for more than 24 hours point to point and the food on the aircraft was generally very poor. Our flights on South Africa Airlines to Victoria Falls were very much better. We think the tour would be enhanced by one extra day in Cape Town.

Jordan did not disappoint. Having two full days in Petra allowed good exploration. This included a visit to little Petra. Make sure you go to the Monastery. It’s well worth all the steps. A night in Wadi Rum was enjoyable. Cold in December but plenty of blankets. No one had to use the communal tent. We were the only group at the camp. This may not always be the case. The optional camel ride is fun and I’d recommend it. The jeep rides are bumpy but again good fun and the only way to take in the vast scenery. Make sure you embrace the mud at the Dead Sea. The hotels were all very good. Buffet breakfasts. Food at Wadi Rum was particularly good. Restaurant meals for dinner were about 15 dinar (including drinks). Food good and plentiful. The bus was a little cramped for 15 of us but the driver was excellent and very safe. The guide was very good and passionate about his country. He knows everyone. Jordan felt very safe. An Explore representative meets you in the airport and takes you through immigration. We were lucky with good weather. Sunny and dry all week. Good group of people to share this experience with. I would definitely recommend this trip.

New to solo travel and my first trip with Explore I was anxious ahead of departure about navigating my way in ‘free time’ and there being meals not included and whether I’d been left on my own. None of these worries manifested. Help, guidance and support at these times were confidence building for future travel opportunities as was the chance to chat with more accomplished travellers. There was a mixed age range and spread of solo travellers and couples. Our friendly and engaging driver Riyaan was waiting at the gate to do transfers, after an over night flight, his presence and smile reassuring from the outset. Riyaan and tour guide Bee complimented each other and worked as a team to present their country in an insightful and engaging way. We were always safe and given boundaries as to when circumstances demanded that we should be more cautious. Bee has boundless patience, energy and presence to manage expectations and an eclectic mix of travellers. An experienced, knowledgeable guide who has set comfortable boundaries and developed excellent strategies for managing group dynamics. Bee responded with empathy and compassion to situations arising for individuals in the group . Both she and Riyaan are passionate about their country and the poorer in their society and encouraged us to respond in small practical ways. A keen walker and swimmer I could participate in both activities. Both hikes were demanding and involved some rock scrambles and short sections of terrain that needed your full attention. I loved them both and the rewards in terms of views were worthwhile. Being so close to the sea I would have liked a few more opportunities to swim. Location, time within the itinerary and threats from sealife meant there were constraints and I acknowledge those. This trip gave a good overview of the country and my preconceived general assumptions were clearly misinformed. South Africa is beautiful with an abundance of wildlife so different to the UK. An early riser I was free at times to wander outside the constraints of the hotel enjoying the scents of early morning flowers before the heat of the day intensified. The people were so friendly and eager to please. On a practical level the hotel rooms all provided kettles and drink making facilities, I took my own Earl Grey teabags. Rooms often had good sized fridges and air conditioning. Some had pools, mostly for dipping and cooling off, rather than serious swimming. Food and drink is very reasonably priced. There was always bottled water available in hotels and minibus to top up personal water bottles. A really great trip I can heartily recommend.

Bee was an amazing tour guide. With a large group, she made sure we were well taken care of and truly made this trip wonderful. She went above and beyond to make sure those that wanted additional excursions secured bookings, and those with special dietary restrictions were accommodated. She truly made what would have been an ordinary trip, extraordinary.

This trip was EXCELLENT in every way. We saw a lot of Oman in a short space of time. Yes, there were long journeys, but in a terrific, modern 4x4 and there was always plenty to see en route. The drivers were very considerate, regarding toilet stops etc etc. The guide was superb, with a great sense of humour and a real passion for his homeland and he was always willing to go out of his way to help. He was also flexible, when it came to adapting the itinerary to our advantage. The accommodation was of a good standard….most rooms really large, with en-suite. Only the night in the desert was ‘roughing it’ - but we were warned about that! I would recommend this trip to anyone wanting to discover this part of the world….or even someone who wanted something different and exciting.