Great trip, particularly being on the backroads experiencing more of the local life. Equipment was in very good condition and staff and locals very friendly.
Bicycle tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Colombo, Waskaduwa, Minneriya Na
Colombo, Waskaduwa, Minneriya National Park, Induruwa, Ahangama, Udawalawe, Banadarawela, Kandy, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa
Another wonderful trip with World Expeditions. In addition to the expected highlights of Petra, Wadi Rum, snorkelling in the Red Sea and floating in the Dead Sea, the unexpected delights of visiting a local family at Um Qais (and cooking/dining with them), the expansive Roman ruins at Jerash and our extraordinary driver Firas made this trip wonderful.
The small additional cost of having a representative meet us at the airport and guide us through immigration was well worth it. The process was very quick and smooth.
We would thoroughly recommend this trip.
Marilyn & Peter Surtees
AdventureWalking tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Explore some of the most interesting cultural sites in Thailand during this 4-day trip centred around Bangkok. Wander through the awe-inspiring Grand Palace, as well as through various fascinating temples in which you can admire gigantic statues of Buddah. Be enchanted by the dreamlike quality of Damnoen Saduak, the floating market, and the vibrant intensity of the Maeklong Railway Market. A trip to remember. This tour is operated in a small group of up to 8 passengers.
Art and architecture
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House
Age Range
6-99 yrs
Operated in
english, italian, french, german, spanish
Destinations
Bangkok
Bangkok
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My friend and I had a fantastic time on our trip. We were met by someone who helped us get the necessary paperwork, traveled to Wadi rum (we slept), stopped at a nice shop where we purchased beautiful scarves, and departed with our Wadi Rum local guide! Our guide was awesome, know all of the best spots to visit and photo spots as well! He was kind and attentive as I got sick at the beginning of our journey. We enjoyed staying at Sun Camp - the staff was so kind to us and generous in their efforts. We were fasting and they prepared food for us that night so we wouldn't be hungry. Our driver drove us to Petra (we slept), checked in to the hotel, and thoroughly enjoyed our guide who was also a local! We definitely benefited from his knowledge and connections! We enjoyed dinner in a cave and the following day our driver made arrangements for us to add an additional stop (for a cost). We were blessed to visit Jesus' baptism site before enjoying the amazing Dead Sea!
The team was put together superbly, very helpful, supportive and knowledgeable. Met a group of like minded, friendly people- totally recommend to any person(s) wanting a unique, well organised adventure.
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
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 at your own pace!
BeachGetaways and short breaks
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
6-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Krabi
Krabi
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I liked the itinerary very much. Our tour guide Jose was very knowledgeable about the sites we visited. I was not informed beforehand that this was a English and Spanish mixed language tour, Joses English was good but sometimes hard to understand. I also did not know that we would be having people added to our tour almost every day and some leaving almost every day. I enjoy tours more when you have a change to get to know who you are traveling with and with a mix of English and Spanish it felt like I was on my own and traveling with strangers.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
15-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima
Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Okayama, Matsuyama, Kobe, Mount Koya
Welcome to South Asia, where ancient religions, deep heritage and wild wonders are laced through cultural riches and spice-laden cuisine. On this 19-day Premium adventure you’ll discover the Pink City of Jaipur, witness the Mughal splendours of Delhi and Agra, wildlife-spot in Minneriya National Park soak up the ambience of holy Varanasi, explore the ancient ruins of Habarana, sip tea in Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, and taste culinary delights in Colombo. Local leaders will bring the magic of India and Sri Lanka to light, from lavish palaces to vibrant bazaars and the incomparable Taj Mahal. Packed with hotspots and hidden gems, discover the cultural heart of India and Sri Lanka.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
We booked the Classic Ceylon Sri Lanka Tour for our honeymoon. The tour agent was Aitken Spence Travels. Day 1: Arriving at Colombo airport, we were greeted by our guide/driver named Rane (guide and driver are the same person throughout the tour). Our first stop was the Ramada Hotel in Columbo, where we checked in. You can take advantage of the afternoon to explore the city or relax at the hotel. We have reviewed each hotel separately in this thread if you want to learn more about each hotel review in detail. Our guide agrees on a time for you to be picked up the next morni g, which was ours at 8am. to start on time. Colombo is a busy city so traffic can be very busy. Day 2: Drive from Colombo to Dambulla, which is approximately a 4-hour drive away. Your guide will make a rest stop for a drink if you wish. Once we reach Dambulla we visit the Temple of the Rock. This fascinating temple is built on the side of a rock with some historical monuments of Buddhas and paintings. Once we had visited the temple, we stopped for lunch at one of the various Sri Lankan tourist restaurants. The food is in keeping with the country and there are usually rice, potatoes, various meats and salads on the menu. We were never disappointed. Lunch is not included in the tour price so it is extra, but at approx 600 rupees it is very reasonable in terms of cost. Some days we didn't fancy lunch and you can skip this if you want. Your driver will be very accommodating. We were then taken to our hotel which would be home for the next 3 nights: Amaara Forest Hotel (review available separately). The following days consisted of: Day 3 - Drive from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa to visit the 2nd Heritage of the Capital City. This is an amazing experience that offers a fantastic insight into Sri Lankan history. After this we reached Minneriya to the national park. The opportunity to see elephants in the wild is something not to be missed. There are also wild buffaloes, monkeys, birds, and many more animals to witness. We also visited a silk shop where silk was made, and we were dressed in traditional Sri Lankan clothing, where you can take photos of each other. The ladies at this store were wonderful and we bought a few items. The woodcarving factory is also a good stop, where you can watch how they make traditional Raksha masks and other items. We really wanted to buy a pair of these and the factory store on site had plenty to choose from at reasonable prices. Day 4 - Sigiriya Rock Fortress (Lion Rock). This spectacular rock of approximately 200 m high has impressive views. The only way to achieve this is through lots of steep steps so you will need to wear some good trainers as flip flops will wreck your feet. It can get quite busy on the stairs for the first part as there are historical paintings to see a third of the way which causes the delay, but it picks up soon after. Don't let this delay put you off, I almost decided not to bother you, but the wife talked me into it and I'm glad I did. When you get to about 2/3 of this way, this is where the Lions entrance is. At one point this one had a huge rock lion face on it which is sadly gone. From this point you can reach the top and the view of Sri Lanka can be seen for miles. Word of advice to all of you, there are people who offer to "show" you the rock, they will expect payment for their services, so you politely say no or agree to a cost up front. Also when on the stairs there will be men offering to help him up (at one point taking my wife's hand and escorting her down the stairs which I soon said no to) in all fairness once I say no they will leave you alone, so don't do it. Don't let this discourage you, but be prepared. This day you also have a tour of a rural town in a carriage and a boat ride. You may be offered lunch here which is a great experience and at 600 rupees well worth it. A local lady prepares dinner in her cabin in the woods, and there is a good choice to have. You won't get a chance to experience this again so totally recommend it. Day 5 - Kandy. The journey from the hotel above to here is around 2.5 hours, but it breaks down to an intermediate stop at Spice Garden, where you can see how various spices grow and are shown how to make curry mixes from scratch. The day also included a visit to a gem museum. Generally these places have a room or two showing the history of the gems etc but then a shop at the end. We found the gem shop too expensive for what we wanted to get out of our souvenir shopping, so we didn't buy anything. Again, you don't have to buy anything if you just want to look around. After you transfer to another hotel, we stopped at Earls Regent in Kandy. Day 6 - We visit the Botanical Garden which is a lovely relaxing day where you can walk slowly and take in the surroundings. After this, you can have lunch or return to the hotel to relax. Day 7: We visit a tea plantation on this day where you can see the process from tea leaf picking to the final product. We were allowed to pick tea leaves in the hills as well as visit the shop on site to pick up some reasonably priced local tea/souvenirs. From this point, you can return to the final hotel of the tour to rest in Nuwara Eliya. You can, if you wish, take a walk in the area near the hotel. Day 8 _ This is the route back to the airport, which takes around 7 hours in total, but is broken down by the different sights offering opportunities for waterfalls and a few breaks at local cafes and restaurants. As a guide, we leave at 8:30 am and arrive at the airport at 3:30 pm. Overall the tour was amazing but very tiring. It's not a relaxing vacation, so if you can get a second week in a row somewhere, you can relax. We went to the Maldives which is a 1 hour flight to Male airport. Some final points:
We were advised to tip the driver between $5-10 per person per day as an example, but you can tip what you feel was worth. Your guide will offer to take you to other places that are not listed on the tour and will be charged. If you don't want to do this, just say no thanks and they won't accept you. We almost fell for this and arrived at a spa which we were told would cost 5,000 rupees each for an hour which works out to a total of �40 so not a huge cost but we really didn't want a spa visit So we politely said we weren't interested. On the last day you will also be asked if you want to go rafting, which we didn't do as the last thing we wanted was to get wet en route to the airport. Overall, a worthwhile trip to an amazing country.
We recently concluded a two-week trip travelling throughout Sri Lanka using World Expeditions. With our input on sites to see, hikes to take, places of interest to visit, accommodations etc., the World Expeditions team provided an excellent and customized itinerary for our comprehensive private journey to Sri Lanka. The entire team was highly responsible and provided professional input up to the moment we departed for the trip. Upon arrival we were greeted by our guide and driver who provided dedication, attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to excellence all throughout the trip, consistently going above and beyond his responsibilities as a travel guide ensuring we would experience the "real” Sri Lanka. He consistently anticipated our needs to ensure that our questions or concerns were addressed and resolved. Being very intuitive, in addition to the hikes, temples and ancient cities visited in our itinerary, he also further customized our trip to include additional activities he knew we would both enjoy as wildlife and photo enthusiasts. Overall, this was an incredible experience and very satisfied that we used World Expeditions to organize this trip.
Bicycle toursAdventure
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Negombo, Colombo, Ella, Udawalaw
Negombo, Colombo, Ella, Udawalawe National Park, Galle, Anuradhapura, Habarana, Sigiriya, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya
Journey back in time to the ancient kingdoms of Thailand with this enchanting eight-day tour. Start your adventure in Chiang Mai, the beautiful former capital of the Lanna kingdom, mingle with the locals in the night market and, be amazed by the beauty of the ancient Buddhist temples. Then, continue to Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites that both served as capitals of Siam. Your odyssey ends in bustling Bangkok, the capital known as the ‘City of Angels’. Join this tour and learn about Thailand´s past, understand its culture, and catch a glimpse of its mesmerising natural beauty.This tour is operated in a small group of up to 8 passengers.
Art and architecture
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
6-99 yrs
Operated in
italian, french, spanish, german
Destinations
Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya
Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Bangkok
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Get up close and personal with pandas on this 11-day tour starting in bustling Shanghai! Explore the historic streets of Beijing, hike along the iconic Great Wall, and discover the celestial art of Luoyang's Longmen Caves. Stand face-to-face with the Terracotta Army's ancient warriors in Xi'an. Then, in Chengdu, taste renowned Sichuan hotpot, and learn about China's treasured pandas at the Panda Research Center. This unforgettable journey weaves together history, culture, and gastronomy, offering a deep dive into the heart of China's heritage.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-80 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Shanghai, Chengdu, Beijing, Luoy
Shanghai, Chengdu, Beijing, Luoyang, Xian
25% OFF TODAY
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For seniors keen to discover China’s urban gems without the stress of intense travel, the “Beijing and Shanghai” tour is an ideal choice. This 7-day guided city sightseeing journey takes you from the ancient wonders of Beijing to the cosmopolitan pulse of Shanghai, with a stop in historic Nanjing.
Enjoy easy-paced walks, guided explorations, and the comfort of included hotels, meals, and transport. The highlight of this trip is its perfect balance of must-see sights and leisurely travel, making it especially suitable for older travelers seeking a comprehensive yet gentle introduction to China’s most famous cities.
