Middle East Tours in October 2025

The tour with Back roads was the best holiday experience my wife and I have had. Peter our tour guide was very knowledgeable and provided lots of information about each destination and also was very funny, keeping everyone on the bus entertained on the way to each stop. I would highly recommend anyone considering group touring to do a back roads tour it was exceptional.

A packed itinerary that ran like clockwork due to David's organisational skills. David also included optional highlights and booked meals for anyone in the grouo to join in with, which enhanced our experience. Japan is an amazing country, this trip gives a good introduction with the variety and contrast of cities and countryside.. The Ryokan experience was great with the Onsen a must! A great trip, great group of fellow travellers and a great guide with good local knowledge Would reccomend, but bear in mund it is a full on trip!

The trip to Egypt was absolutely amazing. Our tour leader ( Said or Sayed )was exceptional - bringing the mysteries of Ancient Egypt to life with his knowledge, expertise, storytelling with such charm humility and sense of humour. We learnt so much and were hanging off his every word. The itinerary was perfectly balanced. Full of exciting days normally beginning early but having a couple of hours of free time in the afternoon to relax if that’s what you wanted. The hotels were great and the train ride an experience. It’s not the Orient Express but you are warned about that and we just took it as it was and enjoyed the whole journey to Aswan on the overnight sleeper. . The middle day on the boat travelling to Luxor a welcome break from the hustle and bustle. But it was still exciting watching the Nile go by. There were so many highlights from the Great Pyramids, Saqquara, Abu Simbel, Karnak and hot air balloon ride. We did all the optional extras and they are well worth it. Don’t be put off by the long drive to Abu Simbel - you don’t want to miss that. We spent hours at the Old Cataract Hotel on our free morning in Aswan - full of atmosphere and exquisite colonial charm. You have to pay to go in but it’s worth it and you can redeem that money against tea, cake, beer, and the view is absolutely beautiful. We lived and loved every second. We had a lovely group of 7 and the tour leader Sayed (Said) was the perfect accompaniment making the trip probably the best trip we have ever taken. He gets 10 out of 10! We can’t fault Explore! either - great communication and very well organised. We will definitely use them again.

Just returned from the 12-day Thailand trip, and it was an incredibly beautiful and insightful experience. The journey included delicious food, fun activities, and also some free time to explore on our own. We visited so many amazing locations”from temples and a boat tour in Bangkok to stunning islands like Koh Phangan and Phi Phi, and even a secluded stay on the water in the breathtaking Khao Sok National Park. Everything was well-organized, and there wasnt a single moment where anything felt out of place or unplanned. Our guide, Molly, was really lovely and simply top-notch! She was very professional but also joined us for nights out and was always up for a chat. Im extremely grateful for this experience”props to the team!

The tour indeed takes you to back road places with excellent local guides to explore the area. The primary tour guide was very capable, kind and informative. Our fellow tour members were an affable group of mostly retired folks from Australia, curious and friendly. One plus is staying five nights in one hotel. That hotel is in a delightful Amalie town but has rather small rooms. One caution- be prepared for some full days with lots of walking.

Well organised bus tour. Loved that it was a small group and that we stayed in small villages . Most of the accommodation choices were fabulous. . Our guide was brilliant, very knowledgeable and entertaining and very helpful. Our very experienced driver was also very helpful. A lot was packed into our days. Only negative was time allocated to some stops was too short and perhaps the tour could be a day or two longer. Would thoroughly recommend this style of touring.