Middle East Tours in October 2026

An excellent trip on a comfortable boat with a good crew and good food. We saw all of the expected wildlife, and snorkelling with sea lions and turtles amongst the fish was a particular highlight. The boat is not operated by Explore, so on my trip there were other nationalities who had booked through other operators, but it was a good mix. On the afternoon of the first day at the hotel I received a WhatsApp from the cruise operator providing details of the airport transfer (handled by the hotel in my case) and of their representative who met me at the airport to provide my printed boarding pass and Transit Control Card. They also helped with the additional baggage check required before bag drop. The message also includes the flight details if you want to complete the bio-security form at https://declaracion.abgalapagos.gob.ec/ before arriving at the airport. After snorkelling the crew will rinse all your gear and then hang wetsuits to dry (I think it was 80 USD to rent a wetsuit on board for the six days, but masks, snorkels and fins were free). There are lines with clothes pegs on the top deck to dry your swimwear. Remember to take USD cash for tipping the crew and guide at the end of the trip. Two envelopes were left in my cabin for this, but the amount suggested at 15 USD per day for the guide and 25 USD per day for the crew of 11 was about double that in the trip notes.

This was a fantastic introduction to the many different parts of Japan. Our guide Raya was so good at making sure we navigated the busy schedule, and public transport ,as well as sharing her knowledge to ensure a wonderful experience on our first time in Japan.

This was a well organised tour which gave me a good varied taste of central Japan. Our tour guide Raya was very efficient and explained our travel and activities each day and was extremely knowledgeable about the places we visited and the history and culture of Japan. She offered extra interesting sight seeing visits on the free days which added to the whole experience. She was ably assisted by two trainee guides, Marika and Parissa, who offered their own perspectives and were helpful with practical advice. They were all very cheerful and managed to keep the group together on the public transport and didn’t lose anyone! I enjoyed all the places we visited but felt that the last nights in Osaka were a bit of a disappointment as the hotel was a long way from the centre with little to do in the vicinity. Overall it was an amazing experience.

This really was a trip of a lifetime. Go with an open heart and mind. Manage your expectations of wildlife. It's in the name. It's amazing to see living creatures in their natural habitat with no fear of humans.

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Vietnam. The Luxury Gold itinerary took us to all the major sites and provided us with many personal experiences with the locals. This made the trip very memorable.

I cannot speak too highly of our Tour Leader Rocio- she was thoroughly professional in every respect- also knowledgeable, organised and very affable! Tavira itself was a very nice town and it was very pleasant to stay in the one hotel for the duration of the holiday- not having to pack/ unpack every day !