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.
My friend introduced me to this tour operator. After speaking with Kiara, we had a suitable itinerary. Our mission was straightforward: book a round-way ticket to Vietnam and enjoy the trip. They coordinated really efficiently and provided competent services. There are no mistakes on the tour, which I enjoyed. All of the hotels were in central locations, making it easy for us to walk about or find local restaurants. The daily trips were scheduled on time, and transportation was comfortable. We traveled from the north to the south of Vietnam. Visiting many famous and beautiful sights, including Hanoi, Halong Bay, Pu Luong, the Golden Bridge, Ho Chi Minh, and the Mekong Delta. This was indeed a fantastic tour.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Home-stay
Age Range
5-79 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Sapa, H
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Sapa, Halong Bay, Mekong Delta, Nha Trang, Hue, Can Tho, Hoi An
The trip itinerary certainly gave a wide range view of different areas of Southern India and their way of life. Busy bustling Chennai, then to the coastal resort of Pondicherry with a French flavour, followed by the temples and palace of Madurai. Then on to the hills hitting the tea plantations, spices and backwaters of Kerela for a sail along the river. Kochi, a busy town, with lots to see - Palace, museums, churches, synagogue and chinese fishing nets to name a few. A highlight was the toy train to Ooty. Lots to see in bustling Mysore from the Palace, statues, temples, markets and everything on the road together buses, cars, TukTuks, motorbikes, cows, sheep and goats and people! Fun to watch. Another variety of travel is the overnight train back to Chennai, ending with a leisurely day at Mamallapram. A bit of everything - recommended.
Cruise
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Lodge, Resort
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Chennai, Bangalore, Mamallapuram
Chennai, Bangalore, Mamallapuram, Bandipur National Park, Mysore, Pondicherry, Meenakshi Temple, Thekkady, Kerala Backwaters, Kochi, Coimbatore
Vietnam with intro was such an incredible experience thanks to our fantastic leader Michelle! Honourable mention to Jas and Tim as leaders-in-training who will be amazing. The whole trip was so enjoyable and engaging, and I genuinely cant remember the last time I had that much fun. Michelle was amazing in any scenario thrown her way, and nothing was ever too big of an issue to solve! I consistently felt so safe and reassured with the team. From cultural experiences of war tunnels and walking tours to incredible boat rides and fun nights out this has been one of the best holidays of my life. I would absolutely recommend to anyone solo travelling because you will meet such amazing people along the way. I wish I could do it all over again!
Rickshaw, cycle or local transport tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Home-stay, Bungalow, Hotel
Age Range
18-55 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Sapa, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh
This was an excellent trip that not only took us to a number of really interesting sites across northern India but also gave us the opportunity to meet and interact with the local people on the train journeys. Our guide, Vivek, was excellent, ensuring that everything ran to plan despite the trains to Varanasi being especially busy due to the Kumbh Mela. The last day in Amritsar when we visited the Golden Temple and the Beating of the Retreat/flag down ceremony at the Wagah Crossing was a superb end to a fantastic journey.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Sleeper Train, Lodge
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Amritsar, Kolkata, Shimla, Bodh
Amritsar, Kolkata, Shimla, Bodh Gaya, Varanasi, Agra, New Delhi
Fantastic trip. Lots of variety - sightseeing, walking and a safari at the end. Hotels were all good - a mixture of local and more modern and 2 nights in most worked really well. Food was good, locals are friendly and our guide Udaya made sure we had everything we needed and provided loads of info on everything we saw. Great safari at the end with brilliant sightings of deer and rhinos. Sadly no tigers but you cant have everything. Only down side is the roads which are currently truly awful whilst they convert the main highway to a dual carrigeway. Dirt surface in a lot of places.
Active and outdoorRafting
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Looking for the ultimate Middle Eastern adventure? The Jordan and Egypt - Petra to the Pyramids trip is a 15-day, action-packed tour that whisks you from Amman to Luxor, blending ancient marvels with vibrant modern life. With a moderate activity level, this city sightseeing journey is perfect for travelers eager to experience history’s greatest hits—from Petra’s rose-red tombs to Cairo’s iconic pyramids and the sacred Nile.
Traverse the dramatic Wadi Rum by camel, sleep Bedouin-style beneath desert stars, and rejuvenate by floating in the mineral-rich Dead Sea. In Egypt, marvel at the Great Sphinx and pyramids, visit the cutting-edge Grand Egyptian Museum, and cruise the timeless Nile by felucca. Optional sunrise climbs on Mt. Sinai and snorkeling in the Red Sea add an adventurous twist to your itinerary.
This trip package stands out for its seamless blend of archaeological treasures and cultural immersion, all with the support of knowledgeable local guides. For those seeking a tour that offers both legendary sites and unforgettable experiences, this journey delivers Middle Eastern magic at every turn.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Looking back at our photos now we've returned to the UK we can't believe the amount we saw and the amazing experiences we had on this tour. Sri Lanka is an amazing beautiful country with some much going on - we only scratched the surface. Our tour leader Cham worked so hard to make sure that we had everything we needed, resolving our problems and sorting out food for our fussy son! His knowledge about Sri Lankan history and wildlife was immense. He even found the best place to buy genuine Sri Lanka cricket shirts for the sporty members of our group. The only thing we'd change was the pace of the second half of the Sri Lanka leg of the trip. The first half gave us time to chill and bond as a group, as well as hang out in the pool at Giritale and play cricket. The second half we moved every night and covered a massive distance, though interesting, this was quite tiring (especially for the kids), so we'd suggest that a two night stop in the middle of this element would resolve this issue easily. This was clear in the notes, however, as was the high chance of not getting the train. The pace did slow considerably for the Maldives element, with a lot of time on our boats travelling between reefs. The snorkelling was quite frankly mind-blowing, and even the more nervous swimmers loved it. The crew were fantastic, and the food was delicious. The guide knew his stuff, and made sure we had great snorkelling experiences. Our only criticism of this part of the trip was that splitting the group when we'd got to know each other and were getting on really well was disappointing. There were larger boats, and we'd have preferred to be on a single boat given how long we spent travelling separately. The crew did what they could to mitigate this by tying the boats together when we moored for snorkels, meals and overnight and that was great. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable trip, and with a few very small tweaks it'd be perfect!
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Best trek yet! If you’re after creature comforts this isn’t for you; if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and explore the beautiful Annapurna range, meet locals, see some awesome-inspiring scenery, stay in rustic, basic accommodation but have some of the heartiest, tastiest meals and best hospitality ever, whilst taking on a challenging yet deeply rewarding trek, this is for you. Su, our tour leader, was exceptional, nothing was too much bother and he became the 11th member of our group. The crew and guides were fantastic, setting an achievable pace that meant we could chat as we walked or just enjoy the quiet as we took on a section of steeper steps, it all meant we were well-acclimatised for altitude and hardly had any effects whatsoever. Every day was different so there was never a dull moment and always something new to see - we even saw monkeys! The days spent in Kathmandu and Pokhara to top and tail the trip were the perfect intros and downtime to show two very different sides of Nepalese life. The food was fantastic - light, flavourful and satisfying. Have the momos and Dal Baht - you won’t regret it! Going during Nepalese Diwali (Tihar), made the experience even more magical to be honest. Fully recommend going then to get that added cultural experience as well! Just couldn’t have had a better two weeks away in the mountains (with a bit of culture thrown in) if I tried!
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Kathmandu, Bamboo, Jhinnudanda
Kathmandu, Bamboo, Jhinnudanda, Nayapul, Pokhara, Ghandruk, Chhomrong, Dovan, Deurali, Machhapuchhre Base Camp, Annapurna Base Camp
We really enjoyed this comprehensive tour of Vietnam. Including time in more rural areas as well as the well known cities and sites, it gave us a great insight into local culture and there was plenty of opportunity to meet the locals who were incredibly friendly. The trip ran seemlesly in the extremely capable hands of our tour leader Diem, one of the best we've had (this was our 6th family holiday with Explore). Highlights would include all of the bike rides, exploring Tam Coc caves by boat, Saigon by cyclo, the amazing food, so fresh and plentiful, and the kids loved haggling for bargains in the markets and shops (especially Hoi An). Accommodation and transport were both of a great standard. Well done Explore!
Had an amazing time in Japan! The only thing we can say which really wasn’t a challenge as such, was that on our last morning we were being picked up for the airport before the hotel’s breakfast time and we had already paid for that meal. So we had to purchase breakfast elsewhere. Onsens are always a great experience. All three trips that we have booked with you previously have all been a great experience
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
35-75 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Seoul, Tokyo, Kyoto, Suwon, Jeju
Seoul, Tokyo, Kyoto, Suwon, Jejudo, Osaka, Hiroshima