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.
Our third time with Expat Explore, value for money heaps to see. A fast pace tour with some long days, but if you're up to it, I would highly recommend. An enjoyable way to travel to cover Japan.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
10-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Kyoto, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Takayam
Kyoto, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Takayama, Kanazawa, Shizuoka, Iga, Osaka
China Highlights was an amazing trip, I enjoyed it from the begining to the end.
I am very happy with this trip, Olly, out tour leader, was great and very helpfull, he took care lf all of us. Thank you for a wonderfull trip.
Active and outdoor
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
Beijing, Hong Kong, Guilin, Yang
Beijing, Hong Kong, Guilin, Yangshuo, Xian, Mutianyu
Japan in a week was incredible! The tour and the people were a blast and created memories ill cherish for the rest of my life! Tokyo and Kyoto were amazing, the Nara Deer park add on is well worth the money and day!
I do wish we spent a little more time in Osaka however
I have just completed the 17 day Japan tour and it has been an incredible trip. The itinerary is packed with a wide variety of experiences from an origami class, staying in a 1000 year old temple, seeing snow monkeys (if you are lucky!) and a Samurai class to name a few. There is also plenty of free time throughout the trip to shop and explore which I appreciated as there were a few things I wanted to do which weren’t part of the itinerary.
My group leader Dan is an absolute legend!! It is my second tour with him and he always goes above and beyond to ensure we all have the best experience possible. He truly cares about each individual in the group and ensures everyone feels included. When we had free time Dan gave us plenty of recommendations of things to see and do and took us to additional places. He has an extensive cultural knowledge of Japan and I learnt a lot about Japan which I didn’t know about prior to the trip. It was also my birthday on the second day of the trip and it will definitely be a birthday that I will always remember!
I highly recommend doing this tour, you will not be disappointed!
Thank you so much Dan! 😊
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Home-stay, Hostel
Age Range
18-55 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hiros
Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Nagano, Hakone
Very passionate about making your experience as enjoyable as possible. My wife and I honeymooned in the Guilin and Yangshou area and again did a trip with this local travel specialist for our 10th anniversary.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Sleeper Train, Guest House
Age Range
6-79 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Beijing, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Xia
Beijing, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Xian, Yangshuo, Xi'an
Doni was an excellent tour guide and is very knowledgeable about the areas we visited.
We were only a small group and through his leadership we immediately felt like a family.
The only feedback I would like to leave is that it should be included that participants in this tour will be expected to walk 12000 steps on a daily basis, and not always on flat ground. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip but may have reconsidered it due to my health issues.
Active and outdoorExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Walking on the Great Wall far exceeded my expectations. The photos in magazines do not compare to the magnitude of actually seeing the Wall in person as it extends for hundreds of miles in many directions spanning numerous ridges. It is an engineering marvel. My guide, Olly was outstanding. His knowledge, sense of humor and overall company contributed to my excellent experience on this trip. If you decide to walk the Great Wall of China, you will not be disappointed.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
I really liked this trip, though I wish we stayed in Busan for at least another night. Both the Contiki and Korean guides were great, there were a few add-ons in each city to choose from and I definitely feel like I learned more about Korea than if I'd gone to the country without doing a Contiki tour. Thank you Joey and Lina!
Our trip was wonderful! We had 3 different tour guides. The first gentleman in Seoul didn't answer questions as well as we had hoped and it was somewhat difficult to understand him. The other two were excellent-especially Andy Park. We learned about the culture, the food, customs, religions, and saw the beauty of the country. We especially enjoyed the DMZ tour (very sobering) and Jeju Island.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
From neon-lit Tokyo to the timeless temples of Kyoto, the "Upgraded - Discover Japan" tour is a 12-day city sightseeing journey that captures Japan’s many faces. Ideal for travelers who value comfort and rich cultural experiences, this itinerary features private Zen meditation in Kamakura, Japanese calligraphy workshops, and a night in a traditional inn near Mount Fuji. Glide between destinations on the bullet train, enjoy sushi-making, and witness a captivating fire ceremony in Tokyo. Each night, relax in hand-picked premium hotels, ensuring a restful retreat after days packed with discovery. The unique advantage of this tour package is its immersive blend of modern and ancient Japan, all experienced in elevated style—perfect for those who want the best of both worlds without compromise.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Villa
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Kyoto, Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone
Kyoto, Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Kurashiki