Simple stays with essential amenities. Typically guesthouses, hostels or hotels rated below 3 stars — clean, no-frills, and great for value-conscious travelers.
Comfortable and reliable 3-star stays. Expect private rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and solid amenities — a great balance between comfort and cost.
Upscale 4-5 star hotels and lodges. Enjoy high-end service, refined comfort, and premium locations — ideal for travelers seeking extra indulgence.
Arturo was the best leader ever and would highly recommend him for the leader of the year. The trip was varied and taught be so much. Definitely ( if you can!) go to Inti Raymi. The most spectacular event I have ever seen
The Amazon extension was well worth the money as stayed in superb lodges with excellent food
Active and outdoorRafting
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Lodge
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Lima, Sacred Valley, Machu Picch
Lima, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Puerto Maldonado, Amazon Jungle, Barranco, Arequipa, Chivay, Puno, Uros Floating Islands
This was an excellent tour. We a nice sampling of Argentina and Brazil in just two weeks. The countries are huge, so many weeks could be spent traveling to much of their sites and cities.
Diego, our tour guide, was terrific!! Hats off to Diego!!
Active and outdoorExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
A brilliant trip covering many highlights. Our top 6 would be walking with Penguins near Ushuaia, Hike to Torres base, Boat trip on Serrano river, walking along Perito Merino glacier, hike to Fitzroy base, Iguazu boat ride.
Bear in mind that all except Fitzroy are add on extras costing around £1000 in total ( Perito Moreno is an exorbitant £400). The boat trip to lago del desierto is not available despite being shown as such in the trip notes.
It was a strenuous trip with long bus and minibus journeys as advertised.
We had a great group and Andres our guide was excellent.
It is worth taking lots of dollars and exchanging at the blue rate on the street which is around 20 percent better than the official rate and 10 percent better than credit card rate.
It was the best of our 6 Explore trips.
WildlifeActive and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Lodge
Age Range
16-79 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Buenos Aires, Perito Moreno Glac
Buenos Aires, Perito Moreno Glacier, El Chaltén, Mount Fitzroy, Puerto Iguazu, Iguazu Falls, Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego National Park, Punta Arenas, Torres del Paine National Park, Los Glaciares National Park
Great trip. Beautiful archeological sites and cities included in the itinerary. Would have been helpful for many travelers to know that for the two nights at Machu Picchu you will need an overnight bag for the train ride and hotel stay as your luggage is likely too large for the train to Machu Picchu. Cusco was a great city to walk around and sample a lot of good restaurants.
Initially before booking the trip I thought it was extremely overpriced.
However(our tour guide) was fantastic. He made the trip worth every penny and was extremely organised and knowledgeable. The locations were great, and the activities were really cool.
was a fantastic character, and became a friend by ensuring we all had fun. He looked after and catered for everyone’s needs and requirements, promoting safety above all else, and more than once went the extra mile to ensure we all had a great time (joining myself at CrossFit and his traditional dance moves were personal highlights).
I hope he gets the recognition he deserves, as I would love to book a similar trip with Contiki in future because of this great experience.
I would also recommend that you include huacachina in future - I went there on my own and it was one of the coolest experiences - maybe this could be added as an extra at the beginning of the trip.
Adventure
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Lodge, Home-stay
Age Range
18-35 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Lima, Cusco, Puerto Maldonado, S
Lima, Cusco, Puerto Maldonado, Sacred Valley, Aguas Calientes, Arequipa, Puno
As our guide would say "The point is this, my friends"... and the day begins. This was one of the best experience I have had. Our guide - Gary - made sure we were on schedule on the trek. He explained to us all the pros and cons and how to get the most out of the Inca Trail. The porters were great. The chef - Julio - made the best camp meals for vegetarians.
The scenery is breathtaking. Yes it may seem long and a lot of walking but its worth it. The team made the whole journey worthwhile - from booking to the end. Rosmel - our booking contact kept us informed all the time.
Don't hesitate, just do it. Great guide, chef and company.
Mahesh
Trekking and HikingAdventure
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
The itinerary was as expected although some of the details were out of date or obsolete. An up to date review would be useful.
Lucie, the Explore Leader was exceptional!
National parksAdventure
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Venture to the shores of Lake Titicaca on the "Lake Titicaca & Isla del Sol Explorer 3D/2N (La Paz to Cuzco)" adventure trip. Over three days, travel from La Paz to Cusco, passing through the mystical Isla del Sol and the cultural heartlands of Bolivia and Peru. Guided small-group activities include boat rides on the world’s highest navigable lake, explorations of ancient Inca ruins, and immersive visits with local communities—offering a blend of relaxation and hands-on discovery. Young adults and experienced travelers will appreciate the relaxed yet enriching pace, while the standout feature is the rare opportunity to experience two vibrant cultures on one seamless journey through the Andes.
AdventureExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
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.
Adventure
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Quito, Galapagos Islands, Isla I
Quito, Galapagos Islands, Isla Isabela, Moreno Point, Isla Fernandina, Isla Santiago, Rábida Island