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
Combine the incredible sites of India's Golden Triangle with Sri Lanka's ancient ruins, verdant jungles, cool mountains and amazing wildlife. Explore the legendary Taj Mahal and pink city of Jaipur, Dambulla's rock temple, sip pure Ceylon tea and discover the bustling city of Colombo.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
18-80 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
New Delhi, Colombo, Kandy, Nuwar
New Delhi, Colombo, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Udawalawe National Park, Taj Mahal, Karauli, Jaipur, Sigiriya
10% OFF TODAY
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Discover the delights of two fascinating Himalayan Kingdoms on this 15 day tour of Bhutan and Nepal. From Paro to Kathmandu, explore ancient temples and monasteries, see fluttering prayer flags and spectacular mountain scenery, hike to the incredible Tiger's Nest Monastery, safari in Chitwan and more.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Camping, Lodge
Age Range
18-80 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Kathmandu, Paro, Tiger's Nest Mo
Kathmandu, Paro, Tiger's Nest Monastery, Pokhara, Thimphu, Mo Chu River, Chitwan National Park
The scenic and energetic northern state of Rajasthan is awash with all the colours of India. On this 15-day journey, you’ll learn the history of massive forts, witness the opulence of Maharajahs' palaces and stroll through local markets, all with a local leader by your side to give you the inside scoop. Search for the elusive Bengal tiger, enjoy a shared meal with a family in Pushkar, spend a night in the desert, soak up the natural beauty of vast, shimmering lakes and tick a Wonder of the World off your bucket list – starting and ending in thriving Delhi.
Art and architecture
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Tent
Age Range
15-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
New Delhi, Bijaipur, Rajasthan
New Delhi, Bijaipur, Rajasthan, Udaipur, Pushkar, Agra, Madhogarh, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Ranthambhore National Park, Bundi, Paangarh, Rajasthan
27% OFF TODAY
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Thank goodness for our wonderful guide Dushyant and the itinerary that gave us a great and fascinating journey through Northern India . Well done it ticked all my boxes .
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, Resort, Bungalow
Age Range
12-100 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
New Delhi, Jaipur, Jojawar, Udai
New Delhi, Jaipur, Jojawar, Udaipur, Varanasi, Lucknow, Agra, Ranthambore National Park
27% OFF TODAY
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Explore lush and tropical Southern India on this 15-day adventure through lush lands and small villages. Beneath the green shade of a coastal paradise, you’ll meet with locals in their fishing villages and tribal homes. Join them in the bazaars, on buses and boats or even on a pilgrimage in Madurai. From cultural sights like the Maharaja's Palace in Mysore to French-influenced Puducherry and the vast landscape of Periyar, Southern India's spirituality, friendly people and wild animal sanctuaries make it fascinating to explore.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Sleeper Train, Home-stay, Hotel, Lodge
Age Range
15-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Kochi, Madurai, Periyar, Kerala
Kochi, Madurai, Periyar, Kerala Backwaters, Conoor, Bandipur National Park, Mysore, Mamallapuram, Puducherry, Kerala & Tamil Nadu
18% OFF TODAY
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Overall a great tour, had a good time exploring Rajasthan and Bhagu was a great tour guide. I learnt a lot and had a great time getting to know the group.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
12-100 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
New Delhi, Jaipur, Ranthambore N
New Delhi, Jaipur, Ranthambore National Park, Agra, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jojawar, Pushkar
27% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
This is a very good trip but fell down on two points: 1) Just half a day in Colombo is woefully inadequate. 2) The current Explore practice on many recent trips of large lunches (In the case of Sri Lanka buffet group lunches in tourist restaurants) followed by large evening meals, also invariably as a group, is crazy. Most group members complained about this. A light lunch sampling local "street type" food, soup or light sandwiches followed by a decent evening meal would be infinitely more sensible. We all agreed that given we were not walking very far on most days no one needs two huge meals a day!
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
The itinerary is good, but full-on. Explore and all the other similar companies seem to compete by how many places they can fit into a trip, which is good if you want a taster, but not-so-good if you want to spend a bit of time in your preferred locations. However, the only disappointing part was the houseboat; the backwaters are full of them....not very idyllic. Our guide and driver were amazing; they took care of everything so it was relaxing despite the schedule.
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
12% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.