Greek Cruise and Island Walking

The Greek Cruise and Island Walking tour was a great experience. The caique is a unique form of accommodation - very well maintained with an excellent crew. There's no denying the sleeping quarters are cozy, but they are perfectly functional and you'll be so tired from the sea air and walking, you'll sleep well regardless. The lunch provided each day is delicious - probably better than what you get in the Tavernas of an evening, although they were also very good. You will need a good appetite, as food is plentiful! The walks were very good; we had a nice breeze to keep us cool, and plenty of opportunities to swim in the clear Aegean sea. Our tour leader, Thanos, was very organized and passionate about the history of Evia and the people of Greece. We learned a lot.

The holiday was lovely. Thanos is amazing. So knowledgeable and full of information. George and Jargas were also wonderful. Food was very nice as well. I like that Thanos kept on top of the weather and wind conditions and adapted the daily plans according to that to make the most of the holiday. The accommodation was very basic, but this was very clear from the onset and information provided by Explore so one knew what to expect. The boat itself is well organised and even in the heat of the day, being on water means we had a breeze which made staying on the deck or in the langue really nice.

Brilliant experience ⭐️

If this had been my first explore holiday, I would never travel with them again, the holiday was very disappointing due entirely to the guide. I have been on many adventures with Explore and other companies and I have never known there not to be a collection for the guide and a suitable thank you speech. No collection was made this time. Contrary to previous reviews I found Thanos very disappointing and he created an unpleasant atmosphere for the week. He was dismissive, abrupt and simply rude to many of the guests including myself. On one occasion he embarrassed the group in a restaurant by shouting at one of the group. On a hot sunny day after the gorge walk and then a twenty minute uphill climb to the bus, I politely asked if we could have some air conditioning on in the coach as it had not been on in the morning. I was told it was always on and to get some “common sense’ His guiding of tour walks were vert mediocre, on one walk he got of the coach and marched ahead without speaking to anyone in the group until we reached our destination. Other walks he just steamed ahead without speaking no commentary as he was too far ahead of the whole group and we were unable to ask any questions. from this aspect he was the worse guide I have ever experienced. He created a very bad atmosphere and at the end of the holiday people didn’t even say goodbye to him. Explore guide are normally excellent

I felt that the tour leader had a particularly challenging week with some members of the group. In my view, this ultimately resulted in neither the tour leader nor the boat crew receiving a tip from the group, which I felt was unfair given the effort they put in throughout the trip. I did however give a tip in recognition of their efforts. A small number of guests were difficult to travel with and were frequently critical or demanding. One guest repeatedly referenced her personal connection with Explore's CEO and suggested she would escalate matters directly, which created an uncomfortable atmosphere within the group. While I appreciate that every group will contain a mix of personalities and expectations, the overall experience has made me question whether Explore's current upper class client demographic is the right fit for the type of holiday experience I am looking for. I prefer a more relaxed and collaborative travel environment and, on this occasion, felt that the dynamic within the group detracted from the enjoyment of the trip. I would, however, like to reiterate that the tour leader and boat crew handled the situation professionally throughout and deserved greater recognition for their efforts. What feedback you recieve from others I hope accounts for a balanced view.