Experience South Asia intimately with over 360 small group tours (max 16 travelers). Enjoy personal attention from guides and deeper cultural connections rated by more than 1,700 small group travelers.
Duration
1 day150 days
Departures
Countries
Activities
Physical Rating
Accommodations
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.
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
Answer the call of the Himalayas on the 15-day 'Annapurna Base Camp Trek,' a challenging adventure that starts and ends in Kathmandu. Designed for adventurous souls ready to push their limits, this trekking tour takes you through dramatic gorges, high-altitude pastures, and remote teahouse villages, culminating at the iconic Annapurna Base Camp. Along the way, you’ll witness awe-inspiring glaciers, soak in natural hot springs, and experience the warmth of Nepali hospitality. With time spent in both Kathmandu and Pokhara, you’ll also gain insight into local culture. What makes this trip stand out is its combination of breathtaking mountain scenery and genuine cultural encounters. Accommodation, transport, meals, and expert trekking guidance are all included—so you can focus on the journey and the summit ahead.
Trekking and Hiking
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
Annapurna Base Camp trek, Kathma
Annapurna Base Camp trek, Kathmandu, Bambo, Jhinu Danda, Pothana, Pokhara, Ulleri, Ghorepani, Tadapani, Chhomrong, Doban, Machhapuchhre Base Camp, Annapurna Base Camp
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
We had an excellent leader in Sujth and a great group overall. The itinerary was full-on although we had enough time to relax and fully appreciate the very varied activities. This included a couple of opportunities to add some small additional inputs related to the specific interests of some of the group. For example, Sujth has an extensive knowledge of the Sri Lankan birds which was put to great use throughout the holiday.
Bicycle toursRafting
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Lodge
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Colombo, Negombo, Sinharaja, Hik
Colombo, Negombo, Sinharaja, Hikkaduwa, Galle, Chilaw, Wilpattu National Park, Anaradhapura, Minneriya National Park, Polonnaruwa, Kandy
We had an absolutely wonderful week with Explore in Sri Lanka. Our tour was packed with amazing locations and fascinating experiences, but our tour guide, Sudesh, still managed to fit in a few extras requested by the group.
Our only regret at the end of the trip was that the wild elephants had evaded us, but that was just bad luck!
For us, this trip was the perfect way to experience a very different country and culture with the insight and knowledge that comes from an excellent local guide.
Active and outdoorWildlife
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Colombo, Negombo, Wilpattu Natio
Colombo, Negombo, Wilpattu National Park, Mihintale, Kandy, Koggala
