Having been a previous customer for INTRO, I was so excited to be part of their first trip to the Philippines and it definitely did not disappoint. As always from start to finish, the Group Leaders were there to help with anything and everything and the trip itself was just mind blowing. THE BEST way to travel a country and since doing my first group tour with INTRO over 3 years ago now I will never travel any other way.
My favourite activities were the 3 day boat expedition from Coron to El Nido which was just incredible, the waterfalls in Siquijor and all of the snorkelling!
The accommodation was comfortable and better than I expected as it was on all other INTRO tours. Already looking forward the next trip.
SnorkelingWaterfallsBeach
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Home-stay, Hotel, Hut
Age Range
18-55 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Manila, El Nido, Port Barton, Pu
Manila, El Nido, Port Barton, Puerto Princesa, Moalboal, Kawasan Falls, Coron
This trip was made extraordinary by two absolutely outstanding guides, one in Cambodia (Sokchea) one in Vietnam (Truong). Their knowledge, communication skills, good humour, organisational skills and sheer passion for what they do was incredible. We arranged additional tours with our guides, and being able to depend on them for taking care of every detail, from supporting with transport arrangements, recommending and taking us to great local restaurants and evening shows, sometimes joining us for fun, ensuring that our access to sites of interest was smooth and hassle-free, whilst providing a fascinating and insightful perspective on history, culture and lifestyle. In Vietnam, Truong is an incredible asset to Explore: he went above and beyond his remit every day to ensure that everyone in our group had the best, most enjoyable experience. This was priceless, his energy and enthusiasm, and superb social skills ensured that this was an unforgettable trip of a lifetime. We learned so much, and genuinely shared laughter, food and good company. This Explore trip, due to the local guides, and wonderful company of our small group, totally exceeded our expectations.
Having a small group of 5, meant that we were able to get to know each other along the way too, and shared a lot of fun. We hugely enjoyed our “Happy Team” and hope we’ve made some new friends too.
Hotels were mostly great, some more basic but overall good, clean standards. Some excelled, like Cat Ba Paradise Hotel; only one was quite disappointing and a bit frustrating in their really inefficient check-in processes, Trang Hotel in Bangkok, which wasn’t helpful after long-haul journey. Otherwise, good accommodation and friendly helpful staff along the way.
Active and outdoorExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Explore a little travelled part of Pakistan with a tour that journeys from Karachi to Islamabad.
Here you will be able to take in the sights, sounds and importantly tastes of Karachi and its bazaars, find yourself immersed in the 5000-year-old history of the Indus Valley, taking in the sights of the striking Derewar Fort in the Cholistan Desert, before having the opportunity to watch the flag lowering ceremony carried out on the Indian border.
Our journey begins in Karachi where we'll have time to take in the sights, sounds and most importantly, the tastes of the city and its bazaars. As we head towards Hyderabad, we'll make time to visit Thatta and Makli Hills, which is perhaps the worlds largest necropolis. Once we reach Hyderabad, we'll have the opportunity to learn about some of the industries which the city is famous for, we'll see coloured pottery being made, woodwork, weaving and Ajrak production, a block printed cloth which this region is famous for.
Moving on, we visit the sufi shrine of saint Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar and witness a sufi ceremony in Sehwan and join the Mohanas tribe for a boating experience on Lake Manchar.
After stopping in Larkana, our next visit is to Mohenjo-Daro, located on the banks of the Indus River. The 5000 year old city was the centre of the Indus Civilisation and one of the largest in the world at its peak and we'll have time to explore the incredible ruins. As our journey takes us in the direction of Bahawalpur, we'll stop in Sukkur and the Cholistan Desert to visit Derawar Fort.
As we pass through the former independant state of Bahawalpur, we'll visit the Nur Mahal and Bahawalpur mosques, along with the city museum and bazaar, before heading to Multan where we'll stay for 2 nights. Multan is known as the city of saints and our tour here will include the shrines of the great mystics, with their shimmering blue glazed tiles. We'll also visit the old walled city and the bustling bazaar, where we may spot local artisans at work.
Next we'll head to Pakistans 2nd largest city, Lahore, stopping along the way in Harappa, which dates back to 3000 BC. Our time in Lahore will include a city tour, taking in some of the highlights of the city, such as the worlds largest mosque (the Badshahi Mosque), the Wagah Border with India and of course, 'food street' in the old town where you can try many different flavours and dishes.
We visit Rohtas Fort en-route to Islamabad. Whilst in Islamabad we'll take time to explore the city along with the old city of Rawalpindi and nearby Taxila.
Travelling in small air-conditioned vehicles with local guides, this journey gives you a unique experience of Pakistan which will last a lifetime.
Explorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
