China, fascinating land covered by a long history and unique traditions so attractive to the outside world! Join our nine-day tour and discover some of the landmarks of this diverse country. Explore the blend of cultures and influences while in Bejing, and visit the awe-inspiring monument defending China's land for centuries, Great Wall. A journey in the high-speed train offers real local adventure, before the visit of the Terracotta Warriors Museum in Xi´an that unveils the combatant character of the ancient dynasties. Stroll down the streets of “China´s Venice” and once in Shanghai indulge yourself in the blending vibes of tradition and modern technology. Take this wonderful opportunity to experience the hospitality and appeal of the many different faces of an ancient and unique culture.Visit Suzhou, famed for the most UNESCO-recognized gardens in the world with the Lingering Garden and Humble Administrator’s Garden being the most spectacular.
Join our 8-day tour and explore the gems of the beautiful island of Bali. Inhale the exotic atmosphere while relaxing on Legian beach and enjoy the tickling sunrays, snorkelling or diving into the depth of the deep blue turquoise sea. Learn about the history by visiting Bali museum in Denpasar and admire the mask craft arts in the small village called Mas. Thrilling rafting down the Ayung River will wake up your senses and local markets fulfil your gastronomic curiosity. Immerse yourself into the exciting vibe of this gorgeous island and live the unspoiled natural environment at this very moment, here in Bali.
An excellent trip with a great Bhutanese tour leader and driver. Such a beautiful and peaceful country and a big contrast to hectic, noisy and dirty Kathmandu. A fairly relaxed tour with highlights of the black crane festival, Tiger’s Nest monastery, Punakha and more. Generally good hotels except in Phobjika Valley, which had power cuts, cold rooms and poor food. Food in Bhutan was a bit monotonous- generally very similar buffets. Excellent guide and driver. Recommended.
Enjoyed my walking tour of Vietnam. So much variety and fun and no worries at all. So many extra excursions and insights. I would say the walking is not difficult at all. It would suit any level of fitness. The leader really looked after the group. Great if you’re a single man or women who loves to travel. I can’t wait for another tour.
Very well. Information was very detailed and well-chosen for us. No problems at all.
Coco Riverside Lodge was excellent we would have loved to have stayed longer in this beautiful place and enjoyed the great hospitality.
Service was extremely good. The guide was very informative and knowledgeable and the driver was very good and safe. Every place we visited we were taken care of very well. Hope to return again in the future.
Our guide, Sudarshan kc, was the best guide I've had on any Explore trip I've done (4, so far). He was really knowledgeable, gentle, warm, funny, & friendly, he looked after our group fantastically. Nothing was too much trouble, his recurrent phrase was 'anything is possible'. The tour itself was brilliant & flowed really well, despite the longer road journeys due to the landslides that had occurred a few wks before. In fact, I'd go as far to say those journeys were actually quite an adventure in themselves! For me, it was a perfect trip, the 4 days trekking were amazing, challenging at times, but worth the effort to see the stunning views of the mountains. The teahouses were simple but really welcoming, & in fab locations for views. Pokhara was a beautiful place for a bit of a rest, the calm lake, great shopping, & places to eat. Chitwan was outstanding, especially with the rhino sightings, & close encounters!
I was lucky to have a great group of people to travel with too, which made the trip a lot of fun.
Kathmandu is exactly what you'd expect, a city full of life, bustling traffic & historic sights. People are very warm & friendly.
I'd recommend this trip wholeheartedly.
I wanted to stay longer, & shed tears when I left. Many thanks.
Join this fascinating thirteen-day tour from Beijing, the capital of China through Yunnan province to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. Visit the Forbidden City and walk along the best-preserved section of the Great Wall. Immerse yourself in tea plantations hiking Nannuo Mountain, experience life in local villages and indulge yourself with the flavour and aroma of Pu'er tea. Explore Luang Prabang, the Jewel of the Mekong and end the tour in Vientiane on the banks of the Mekong River.
This was a full on bucket list trip for myself and my family and it did not disappoint in any way. We got to see all the incredible sites of Jordan such as Petra and the Dead Sea and then a number of others we had no expectations of, such as Jerash, which we found absolutely fascinating. It was a very busy trip - especially as we went on all the extra excursions that we could and I would highly recommend it. The people were incredibly friendly and our guide and driver were incredible.
We had a fabulous couple of weeks in Thailand with Explore. The tour visited most of the places we had hoped to go to independently but cut out all the stress of trying to organise it. There was enough unstructured free time to do a few little tours of our own. Our tour guide Super Jeff was fantastic and the whole group were really sad to say goodbye to him at the end. Lots of fun opportunities to travel on or jump into water. Other members of group were interesting and fun. Lots of great food. The two night train trips were surprisingly comfortable and easy. My family loved the Thai boxing morning. Good mix of culture, adventure, beach. The only disappointment was the day boat trip to Ang Thong marine reserve - very busy and touristy, long time on big boat, food not great and the snorkelling was almost non-existent. We wished we'd taken the day off on our own to spend more time on the beach or take a proper snorkelling tour.
Magical Southern Thailand boasts all types of impressive scenery, from awe-inspiring beaches to tropical forests packed with flora and fauna. Giving a rich mix of cultures, wildly different from the northern regions, from their traditional cuisine to landscapes, and even language. Prepare yourself for a complete adventure! This tour is operated in a small group of up to 8 passengers.
Sri Lanka Time Tour via Aitken Spence. We met our driver and guided Sanka in Negombo for a 10 day tour of Sri Lanka. As soon as we met Sanka we knew we had made a very good decision, he was very friendly and welcoming us to continue our tour with the first events, he was prompt and very knowledgeable, and very proud of his country. Driving in Sri Lanka is crazy but Sanka was very experienced and we never felt unsafe. Safety throughout Sri Lanka is a high priority, but we never feel unsafe anywhere and encourage visitors to carry on while the tourism industry suffers. The hotels we stayed in were excellent and the staff were always friendly and very helpful. The tour is very busy with some long days, but we end with a six day break in the Maldives to recover. A truly memorable holiday with lots of laughs and banter with Sanka who made the tour so enjoyable.
The itinerary is very well thought out with lots to see and do. Everyday had a highlight and the Nepalese are so friendly and inviting. The views of the Himalayas in Nagarkot and Pokhara were stunning. The hotels were in excellent locations throughout. There are walks for those who want to and options for those who don't. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone, regardless of physical ability. Our tour leader, Su, was excellent and worked tirelessly to ensure our safety, enjoyment and general happiness. He is the best leader I have had out of some 27 tours. This is Explore's strong point - they know how to pick and train tour leaders and Su was the best of the best.
It is not often after a two week holiday, I am not ready to leave and get home. I went by myself and I could have repeated the holiday easily. George our guide was incredible, full of charm, humour & wit he was totally unflappable and his knowledge of his country was encyclopaedic encompassing politics, economics, flora, fauna, religion and animals. He worked tirelessly to ensure we all made the most of our time. Sri Lanka is an amazing country and the fun, laughter and camaraderie we all experienced will live with me for a long time.