Middle East Cultural, religious and historic sites Trips

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.

An excellent tour of Belize, with relatively short driving distances compared to many Explore tours. We went on the 23 November departure and it was still the back end of the rainy season so we had rain most days and sites were muddy. The tour leader was excellent and gave us a great introduction to the country. We chose options which gave us more time at Mayan ruins.

I enjoyed every moment of the trip. The daily itinerary was very varied and well lead by our guide Tra and his assistant guides in Laos. The hotel's were well chosen and conveniently situated for independent sightseeing. I thoroughly enjoyed the included farewell meal, the best vegetarian food all trip!

This trip is fast paced but provides a very good overview of all six Central American countries within a 25 day timeframe. The itinery is varied covering history, geography, politics, flora and fauna. There is plenty of wildlife and birds. Tommy Morales the tour leader is exceptional making the trip smooth sailing. There are many quirky activities to do like a hot spring spa in the middle of the jungle. This is a trip you will love and will make you want to do more in Central America.

Fantastic tour discovering the country from North to South while getting in contact with history, culture and everyday life of the local people. The itinerary provides a good mix of must visits and hidden gems. Our tour leader Minh did a great job by keeping us interested and providing helpful information as well as background to better understand this beautiful country and its people. Highly recommend!