Experience South Asia intimately with over 400 small group tours (max 16 travelers). Enjoy personal attention from guides and deeper cultural connections rated by more than 3,700 small group travelers.
Unleash your curiosity on the "Indian Getaway," an 11-day small group tour that whisks you from Delhi’s vibrant chaos to the spiritual heart of Varanasi and the regal grandeur of Jaipur. Perfect for those craving cultural depth and local insight, this journey combines guided highlights—like the Taj Mahal, a Ganges boat trip, and a 16th-century heritage stay—with the freedom for independent exploration. The moderate activity level suits adventurous travelers ready to dive into India’s sensory tapestry. The USP: a thoughtfully balanced trip that offers both unique experiences and flexibility, letting you immerse in India’s wonders at your own pace.
Getaways and short breaks
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Fantastic trip. It is very full on....Explore warn you. One hotel was substandard....Explore will not be using it on next trip. Loved the fact we were in non-touristy areas. I had 2 extra nights at a beach hotel in Goa to relax.....worth doing if you can. A few train journeys which I loved (worth considering a rucksack or holder as luggage rather than suitcase). Go with an open mind and you will love it.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
The name says it all—'Everest Base Camp Trek' is the classic 15-day Himalayan experience for those who dream of standing at the base of the world’s highest peak. Starting and ending in Kathmandu, this strenuous trek challenges even seasoned hikers with its high passes, glaciers, and awe-inspiring vistas. Alongside the physical achievement, you’ll immerse yourself in Sherpa culture, rest in rustic yet welcoming teahouses, and trade digital connectivity for card games and mountain camaraderie. Uniquely, this trip is committed to ethical trekking practices, supporting local porter welfare programs for a responsible and rewarding journey. Accommodation, meals, transport, and expert guidance are fully included in this trekking tour package.
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
The tour was a very enjoyable and relaxing way to end 2024 (7-15 December). Our tour leader Mohamed Hailami (High) and the crew of Gulfaam were excellent - nothing was too much trouble and they worked hard to make it a memorable holiday. The food on the dhoni was very good - plentiful and varied. The snorkelling catered to all abilities and covered a variety of environments - particular highlights were the sunken boat and swimming with nurse sharks and cuttlefish. Through coaching and feedback from High and the captain I learned how to duck dive, make better use of my GoPro and fish with a line. The latter was with limited success but considerable pleasure - failing to catch any fish while sitting in the tender in the middle of the sea under the stars is one of my favourite memories of the week. Thanks to High and the crew for a great trip.
Active and outdoorWildlife
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
We had the most incredible time on the Highlights of Assam and Nagaland trip. We have travelled a number of times with Explore, and our expectations were blown away at every stage of this incredible trip.
Wildlife highlights included the river dolphins on the Brahmaputra and incredible safaris - including the 'Big 5' in Kaziranga National Park - Royal Bengal Tiger, Water Buffalo, Indian One-Horn Rhino, Elephant and the Swamp Deer! The Khasi hills were stunning, with the walk to the living root bridges a real highlight. We were lucky to have a swim in the crystal-clear river to cool off at the bottom of the valley before trekking back up the steps! Longwa Headhunter Village afforded us some fantastic interactions with local people and opportunities to see their local cottage industries. Majuli Island was a beautiful, relaxing and spiritual place, as were the tea plantations in Dibrugarh.
Of course, the incredible Hornbill Festival was a sight to behold. We spent two full days wandering around the various tribes longhouses, interacting with the friendly tribes, trying local delicacies and watching their performances. This is truly an experience not to be missed...
There were some long drives, as expected, but these seemed to be well-planned and the views were often spectacular - especially in the Naga Hills and plains of Cherrapunjee.
Our driver, Moon was fantastic - safe, calm and worked hard to find us the best stops for photos etc.
Our guide, Pema Bhutia, is an absolute credit to Explore and his homeland. Passionate, caring, kind and knowledgeable, he went over and above at every opportunity to ensure our experience was first class - we would definitely travel with Pema again in future.
Overall, don't hesitate to book this trip - the accommodation was much better than described, the infrastructure in the region is improving slowly, and the food is fantastic. It's still a relatively unexplored part of the world, rich in culture and tradition that surely won't disappoint even the most seasoned traveller!
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Bungalow, Guest House, Resort, Villa
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Kolkata, Assam, Guwahati, Majuli
Kolkata, Assam, Guwahati, Majuli Island, Nagaland, Longwa, Dibrugarh, Umananda, Cherrapunjee, Khasi, Kaziranga National Park, Mokochung
This was my first trip as a single person and I had a fabulous time. The group of 12 (four couples and four singles) really gelled and were very friendly, supportive and fun. The itinerary was very good, with at least one specific thing to do, see or visit each day. The high points were the tea plantation, the spice farm, the cookery evening, the wonderful scenery and the houseboat . The accommodation was generally very good, but the homestay was too basic to be an enjoyable experience. It didn't feel as though we were guests in someone's home, it felt more like a commercial exercise (eg the host talked of building a hotel next year to accommodate more guests). The food was excellent in most places with some well-chosen restaurants/snack bars, and plenty of choice for vegetarians, but I was a little disappointment at the street food experience, which was just selecting one cold, precooked snack (such as samosa, vada or fritter.) I was anticipating some freshly cooked food (while we looked on) such as rice and dahl or pani puri. Also, I thought that the purpose of visiting the market was to select spices and vegetables to use later in our cookery evening, but there wasn't an obvious link. Our guide, Sree, was flexible, knowledgeable and very accommodating of all our needs.
Overall a really great experience with a great group of people. Will definitely use Explore again for another adventurous trip.
City sightseeingSight
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
The trip itinerary certainly gave a wide range view of different areas of Southern India and their way of life. Busy bustling Chennai, then to the coastal resort of Pondicherry with a French flavour, followed by the temples and palace of Madurai. Then on to the hills hitting the tea plantations, spices and backwaters of Kerela for a sail along the river. Kochi, a busy town, with lots to see - Palace, museums, churches, synagogue and chinese fishing nets to name a few. A highlight was the toy train to Ooty. Lots to see in bustling Mysore from the Palace, statues, temples, markets and everything on the road together buses, cars, TukTuks, motorbikes, cows, sheep and goats and people! Fun to watch. Another variety of travel is the overnight train back to Chennai, ending with a leisurely day at Mamallapram. A bit of everything - recommended.
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
An excellent 3 weeks with 2 excellent guides. Sri Lanka section was well organised by our guide Nala. he tweaked the itinerary so that we got the very best out of our time and imparted so much information about every aspect of Sri Lanka. He kept us on time fitting extra stops in if we were passing something to see like a banana market and fishermen hauling nets in on the beach. Accommodation was exactly as described and the usual Explore authentic assortment of comfortable and more rustic.
There were lots of English style plug sockets in the hotels, but i would take an adaptor as well just in case.
Highlights were climbing Adams Peak starting at 2am, and passing some very elderly people making the pilgrimage to the temple at the top. A unique experience. Also the train journey over 9 arch bridge. Great fun.
Maldives- again we had a superb guide- Moosa. Extremely knowledgeable about the ocean and also gave us a lot of fascinating history and politics background of the Maldives. Island visits provided an insight into the real country.
The boat was spacious clean and comfortable. Didn't expect the hotel like room services - bed making and towel changing! Food on the boat was amazing. Plentiful and a variety of dishes inc freshly caught fish. Had 2 snorkels a day building up the length and difficulty of them. So many colourful fish, it was like swimming in a tropical fish tank. Also saw turtles, moray eels, sharks and rays including a manta. The tender was always out with us keeping an eye on us whilst snorkelling.
Overall a fabulous itinerary and guides on land and sea
Active and outdoorWildlife
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
